Ch.59

(Renly Baratheon POV)

I was preparing my men to march on King's Landing, as we were finally ready to make our move when a messenger came from my allies in the North. It said that Robb Stark requested our aid, as he needed to head home since Winterfell was taken by the Greyjoys. Now we are marching to the Twins to meet with the Stark army, though we had received word on our way there that my brother Stannis failed in his siege of King's Landing.

Not only did he fail but apparently the Lannisters used wildfire to destroy most of Stannis's army and navy. I am glad my brother sieged the city before us, as that would have been us that was burned by wildfire. Now once we come back we can prepare for the possibility that the Lannisters have more wildfire. Though there is not much we can do to prepare for that, either way, it gives us the heads up.

On our way to the Twins, we did not see any resistance which surprised me and confused me. As I was suspecting Tywin Lannister to have something to slow us down or sabotage us. My suspicions proved true as when we were reaching Riverrun, the keep of the House Tully an ally of the Starks and now I, a Lannister army ambushed us a few, miles from the keep.

"To arms! To arms!" I shout the orders as my men become panicked having not expected a fight.

"Defend my wife and your Queen!" I say to the Kingsguard who are trying to surround me and my wife to protect us.

I hear my officers in the army shouting orders as this ambush turns into a full fight. Men screaming and dying all around me. Though I ride out with Loras Tyrell at my side to fight alongside my men. A King who fights alongside his men not only inspires loyalty but courage on the battlefield.

"For the King!!" Loras screams rallying the men who all stop panicking upon seeing me charge the enemy, as they all quickly follow my lead.

My men all rally to me as we charge the main section of the Lannister ambush. We collide with the Lannister men, as I cut my way through the Lannister soldiers with Loras beside me. Together we are an unstoppable pair, knowing everything about each other and how we fight, giving us an edge against anyone trying to fight us. As the battle rages on it feels like it has been hours since the fight started, though I am sure maybe only an hour at most has passed.

After cutting down the latest Lannister soldier, I hear their officers call for a retreat, while I give the order to chase them down. I take a rest sitting on the bloodied ground as Loras walks over to me and hands me a wine sack. I take it and greedily drink it from the wine sack, and it tastes like the best wine I have ever had. This was the first official battle I ever took part in and a real fight, as I only ever really sparred before.

"We have some decent losses. Though overall, we came out on top. It does appear that the Lannisters have learned new fighting tactics from the Starks. Using surprise and hit-and-run tactics. Fucking cowards," Loras says to me as we both sit on the bloodied battlefield drinking the wine.

"Did you think they would meet our force on the open field? We outnumber any other force in the Kingdom right now. They were wise in ambushing us, though that just means we are going to have to increase our scouts as we continue to travel," Osmond says walking over to us and not with a single speck of blood on him, though I know he killed more than any other man among us.

"Still this is just… I thought Tywin had more honor and would fight us on the open field," Loras says and Osmond just snorts at that statement.

"I have met Lord Tywin a few times. That man is anything but honorable. His main goal in life is to succeed in everything he does. Even if that means using underhanded tactics, which usually are his first got to anyway. I am surprised you did not realize that considering your grandmother even fears his political and marital intelligence," Osmond says to Loras as Loras grumbles since Osmond speaks the complete truth.

"I believe we need to now start considering the same 'underhanded' tactics. However, our first priority should be meeting up with our allies. Once we meet up with them, we can then all move south together and show the world what happens when a Stark and Baratheon join forces once again," Osmond says and I nod my head standing up to go meet with the rest of the army leaders.

"I agree, let us go and meet with the officers, I want to know the exact losses we suffered," I say to them both as we walk over to the officers as messengers are running to and from them.

"So how bad is it?" I ask as they all bow their heads to me.

"Not worse than it could have been if you hadn't rallied the men," my one officer says with a respectful tone and I nod my head.

"We so far seem to have lost two thousand men, with another five hundred or so wounded. Some of our supplies were destroyed in the ambush, but nothing that should concern us for now. We still have enough to help even our allies," another officer says to me and I nod my head waiting for them to continue.

A few minutes after I talked with my officers, some Tully men came to help us fight, but not in time it seems. After a few hours of rest and regathering everyone, we continued on our way to the Keep. Thankfully our scouts did not see any other Lannisters in the area, so the rest of the trip was relatively peaceful. Upon our arrival the Tully's greeted us and my army made camp outside the keep, as my close friends and family came with me into the keep.

"King Renly and Queen Margaery, welcome to my home. This is my Uncle Ser Brynden Tully," Edmure Tully says to me as he is the new Lord of House Tully since his father died a few weeks ago.

"Thank you for the hospitality, Lord Edmure. I heard about your father, I am sorry for your loss," I say to him after he greeted us.

"Thank you, your grace," Edmure says to me using my proper title.

"We heard about the Lannister ambush, sorry it took us a bit to reach you. Fucking Lannisters," Brynden says with hate in his voice for the Lannisters.

"We appreciate the assistance, though the Lannisters seemed only trying to harass us. However, the force they used seemed smaller than it should have been. I fear the real force is waiting along the way to Twins," I say to them and Brynden nods his head agreeing with me, as too does Osmond.

"I can send some scouts ahead in our lands while you rest here," Edmure says and I nod my head.

"That would be appreciated Lord Edmure," I say to him and he nods his head smiling at me. He then leaves to go find some men to send out searching for any Lannisters in their lands.

"Sorry about my nephew, he is still an idiot. Gods I wish my brother didn't die so soon, he would've led us to victory much faster," Brynden says once his nephew leaves and I laugh hearing him.

"I heard your great nephew Robb, is betrothed to one of Walter Frey's daughters. When is the wedding?" I ask as food and drink are served to us.

"Aye, he made a deal with the Freys to allow his army to pass the twins. Fucking Freys and their shitty deals. As for the wedding… I am not sure though I would imagine he will wait until after the war is done. Since I doubt my nephew is in a rush to marry one of the Frey leeches," Brynden says with disgust in his voice as he seems to hate the Freys as much as the Lannsiters.

"I've heard much about the Freys… nothing good mind you," Margaery says with a sly smile on her face, making Brynden smirk at her and nod his head.

"Aye, your grace, nothing ever good comes from the Freys. If it was up to me, I'd have them all exterminated and a new better house put in their place," Brynden says nodding his head happy with Margaery's statement.

"Sorry for that your Graces, I hope my Uncle wasn't too much of a bore," Edmure says coming back after relaying the scouting orders.

"Oh fuck off! They enjoy my good company, am I right your graces?" Brynden says with a complete lack of etiquette, which I enjoy as most people are too afraid to speak their mind in front of me.

"Yes he was not a bore," Margaery says with a laugh since she seems to like his lack of etiquette too. Brynden smirks at his nephew who is just glaring at him.

We spent a week at Riverrun, before continuing our journey to the Twins to meet up with the Starks. None of my or Tully's scouts saw any signs of Lannisters in the area. So we marched to the Twins, but not without a few scouts ahead of us at all times to ensure no more ambushes would be happening.

A few more weeks of travel, with some Tully men, led by Edmure as his Uncle would be staying at the Keep to defend it if needed. We arrived at the twins with the Stark army camped outside it, and upon seeing us approach they became active, but calmed down seeing our banners.

"King Renly! Good to finally meet you in person," Robb Stark says to me once we are escorted to him inside the Twins, House Frey's ancestral keep.

"King Stark," I say back to him, as I was not going to start any animosities between us, not until the war was won.

"Thank you for coming, with you here. We can prepare to march south and bring war to the Lannisters," Robb says to me and I nod my head while we walk toward the inner Keep to meet Walter Frey, the current head of House Frey.

"I thought you wanted to march back North to have your Keep returned to you," I say to Robb and his face turns to one of anger.

"I was going to, but Lord Roose Bolton sent word to have his bastard son take it back for me. Before we meet Walter Frey, there is something you should know," Robb says to me as some worry enters me.

"I broke my oath to Walter Frey, I married another woman. A woman who I met on my travels here in the South and fell in love with. I am glad you brought my Uncle with you, as we made a new agreement to have my Uncle marry one of his daughters instead. Plus, I had to execute one of my Lords, for disobeying one of my orders. So currently, the Karstarks have returned to the North, angry I executed their Lord," Robb says to me telling me all the things that have occurred as we made our way here.

"Ok… That is not good… Though we will make due, we will have to. Do you trust Lord Roose Bolton to retake your Keep?" I ask him as we stand outside the Twins Inner Keep.

"I have no choice, plus if I leave now back to the North. I doubt my army will wait here for me, we northerners might be loyal and stubborn to a fault. But even we have a limit to patience and loyalty. I came to see that when I had to execute Lord Karstark," Robb says to me with a sigh and a mentally burdened man.

'This works in my favor, I just might be able to bend the north to kneel to me,' I think to myself as I plan on sharing this information with my most trusted friends.

"I understand the difficult choices and heavy burdens we Kings must make and carry," I say patting him on the shoulder, as we enter the inner Keep to meet the Lord of House Frey.