Who: Margaery Tyrell, open
When: December 21
Where: Outside the new arrivals apartments
Format: Paragraph
What: Girl in a wedding dress chilling outside the apartments.
Warnings: None. Well, ASoS spoilers.
(
The blanket was sadly ineffective at keeping out the cold. )
"Margaery? Is it truly you, or have I been gone mad from living with my brothers too long?"
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Then reality slammed down like a hammer. She simply stared at her husband for a few long moments. Renly Baratheon was dead. She had seen his corpse. That meant she was dead, then. She couldn't be dead. Had someone poisoned her without her realising it? If she was dead, the Tyrell-Lannister alliance would be for naught. She didn't feel dead, but what living person knew what death was like? The spectre spoke of his brothers. Robert was dead, but had Stannis died too? Gods, that left Joffrey as the only contender for the throne ( ... )
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"Come, let's get out of this cold and I shall explain. As much as I can, anyway, which is not terribly much at all. I was dead, yes, and I do remember it, and then I arrived here. Much as you did, I would assume."
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And if he were truly whom he claimed to be, why would he be hiding here and breaking poor Loras's heart?
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"Ask me anything you wish, my lady, or if you prefer other proof, both Stannis and Robert are here. If they cannot vouch for me, then I hardly know who can."
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His words were making her head spin. Stannis was in the North, but Robert had died so long ago. The sheer absurdity of the situation almost made her believe it to be true. His expression -- his expression was so much like him, and she wanted to believe him so badly.
"What did you tell me the last time I saw you -- alive?" she asked, willing her voice to stay level. They had been in Bitterbridge, newly wed and the deception running strong. In Bitterbridge, seeing the stars of Renly's campfires, she had truly believed that he could win, before all the walls came crashing down.
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"Well, a number of things." But he told her, after a moment or two of thought. "Lady Stark was there as well, if you recall." He settled back on his heels, then nodded towards the apartments.
"Shall we go inside? It is much warmer there." There was a slight pause, and he made a slight face. "Stannis and Robert will undoubtedly be there, but that can hardly be helped. Unless Robert is off with Lord Stark."
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And the dam broke, and she found herself in Renly's arms before she had noticed herself taking the steps to get there. This was Renly Baratheon with all his charm and warmth and vivacity, and so gloriously here and alive. "I've missed you," she mumbled against his chest. Soon she would have to remember that she was still trapped in this foreign place, but for that moment, she could pretend that things were still beautiful, that they could win the war and set the Seven Kingdoms right. For that moment, Renly was here, and nothing else mattered.
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The words he had left unsaid gave her pause, however. He had spoken of permanent accommodations in this place, mentioning nothing of a way home. Garlan, Willas, her grandmother and parents and cousins -- though Renly had been returned to her, she feared that they would be lost in his place.
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"In any case, I suppose I should give you a proper welcome to Anatole." He nodded around at their surroundings. "I am still finding out much about it myself, I have only been here a month or so."
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Eventually they found their way to the small apartment Renly was sharing with his brothers, although thankfully the other two Baratheons were not present. Seeing the place only hardened Margaery's resolve to ensure that Renly found a more pleasant place. I am thinking as though I've already accepted this fate. "We shall have some money to start with, at least," she said, pointing ( ... )
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"Yes, Stannis had mentioned something of the sort. My poor dear, set to marry Joff of all people. I am sorry," Renly continued, giving her a fond smile. "Though I do suppose you have your choice of husbands, now, since we are both here. Of course you are welcome to stay here, if you wish to."
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He would always love her brother first. She had accepted that long ago. She would never be Joffrey's wife, but she would not be Renly's wife here either, the one he professed to love before the eyes of the Seven. They had been so young, then, and all three of them had agreed upon this sham and willingly made their sacrifices. She did not want to make those sacrifices now.
She laid a hand gently on his. "But in its stead, I would be happy to continue this alliance between Highgarden and Storm's End."
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