FIC: Near the End (Stannis) for smirnoffmule

[soiafxchangemod]

Recipient: smirnoffmule
Title: Near the End
Rating: PG
Characters: Stannis, Renly, Cressen, Gawen Wylde
Word Count: 3289
Summary: When Ser Gawen tries to surrender Storm's End to the Tyrells, the only thing that pains Stannis more than the betrayal is the knowledge that their situation is truly hopeless.

Comments

[smirnoffmule]

OMG, that last line! I was going to start from the beginning, but that's just amazing. Thank you so much for this - this scene was exactly the one I was thinking of when I suggested writing about the seige; that recollection of Renly's you quote at the start always fascinated me. I love how much there is going on with Stannis emotionally, you characterise him so well, with his doubts and insecurities beneath his exterior. And this:

His own orders were not what made him feel sick, but the fact that he had to give them at all, that a man he had trusted had left him no other choice but to punish him in such a manner.

This is Stannis to a T. This scene really feels like it was the making of Stannis as a man, and of his future relationship with Renly. I love how he can't lie to him; I don't think Stannis has it in him to lie. And fierce little Renly! Robert wouldn't have made him eat his pony, indeed! I love how Robert is the absent influence here, off being a hero while his family hold. And it's all so obvious and simple to Renly, which is a real echo of the man he'll become too.

This really is great, exactly what I wanted, and really fueled my fascination for these characters further - thank you so much for writing it!

[linndechir]

I'm so glad you liked it. I was a bit worried because your prompt was fairly general, and I didn't want to write anything you wouldn't like. So it's a big relief. :)

I'm also really happy that you saw some of older Renly in little Renly. I was thinking of that, but I didn't want to overdo it. Young Stannis and bb!Renly are just heartbreaking.

[smirnoffmule]

Hee, I thought it was you! :D Thank you again for this - I really love the way you write Stannis, and the depth you give to his relationships and motivations. You have a great handle on the character. And I can't get enough of little Renly! Sorry the prompt wasn't more specific, I wanted to give someone room to write what they wanted to write - but as I said, I'm really happy you picked the siege. I meant to mention too, I love the ambiguity of the title, "Near the End", because of course from Stannis's perspective that means near death, but the reader knows the siege is about to be ended a whole other way.