Author's Note:The previous chapter is the new chapter. I accidentaly uploaded Renly II when I should have uploaded Sansa I. But at least you got two new chapters.

Renly's green cloak billowed in the wind as he looked at the tall trees of the Kingswood. Bitter memories were rising in Renly's mind the longer he stood there, like a sentinel of the forest. The last time Renly had rode through the Kingswood was when he was fleeing King's Landing after Robert had died. Renly had taken the Roseroad all the way to Highgarden, leaving the capital behind him as well as many good men. He didn't regret his decision of fleeing when he had the chance, if he was to gather the support needed for his bid for the throne, he had to leave King's Landing. Renly had hoped that Eddard Stark would have supported him and taken his advice of taking Cersei's children into custody but he had refused the notion. When Renly had asked him, if Stark would support him as king, he had said something he did not expect.

"Robert's true heir is Damon Baratheon," he had told him with steel in his voice. "I will see him on the Iron Throne in memory of Robert and if you loved your brother, you would support me in this." Renly had been sorely tempted to support him because Renly had loved his eldest brother with all of his heart but he had set a path for himself and no one could have moved him from it.

It was in Highgarden when Renly had heard all that had happened in King's Landing after he had left. Lord Stark had been arrested and executed on the charges of high treason and plotting to usurp the Iron Throne from its rightful ruler, Joffrey Baratheon. Damon, who had apparently colluded with Stark was announced a traitor with the same charges but he had escaped before he could be taken into custody. That was the last anyone had heard of his nephew and Renly hoped that Damon had escaped from the clutches of Joffrey. Renly had always been quite fond of his nephew and he wished that Damon was standing by him now, not just because it would lend legitimacy to his cause but because he would like his help.

Damon and Renly had always maintained a friendly relationship when he was in the capital and Renly liked to think he was Damon's favourite uncle. They shared many things in common, they were both fashionable although Damon had always worn plainer tunics than Renly had, they were both handsome —which was a point of conflict as to who was more handsome— and they both enjoyed riding as well as dozens of other things. Renly had thought of Damon as like the little brother he had never gotten and he had felt slightly guilty when he had married Margaery.

In another life, Damon would be standing where I am now, Renly mused. Renly's wife was supposed to have been betrothed to Damon but when he had been declared a traitor and Renly had shown up at Highgarden asking for support, the Fat Flower couldn't have been quicker to break the betrothal even though it had never been made official.

When Renly was king, he would try to find Damon and he would invite his nephew back to Westeros and give him Casterly Rock and the Westerlands. If Damon bent the knee to Renly then there would be no one who would dispute his claim especially with Joffrey out of the way. Renly didn't care if he was killed or sent to the Night's Watch just as long as he lost his claim to the throne. A horse's hooves came riding up behind them from the camp, the rider dismounted and whispered something into Brienne's ear.

"The War Council has been convened, Your Grace," Brienne the Blue informed him. The lady knight had been diligent in her duties and she had spent more time guarding Renly's body than any other member of his Rainbow Guard, even Loras.

Renly sighed, he walked back into the Kingswood through the camp. He stopped and talked to nearly every man that they came across. patting them on the back and sharing a joke and a smile. His men loved him like they had loved Robert during his wars. Renly was going to be remembered as a good king by all the realm, by nobles and smallfolk alike. He would make sure of that. Throughout the camp, Brienne was always standing near him no matter what. Even when another was meant to be guarding him, Brienne was there. His blue shadow, was what the men called her now. Brienne seemed to like the name from what Renly could tell.

When Renly walked into the all the lords and knights stood up and bowed in deference to their king. "Rise, my lords," Renly commanded as he took his seat at the head of the table. Brienne positioned herself behind him and beside Loras. To Renly's right sat the mean-looking Randyll Tarly, Renly's best soldier and commander. The only person who had defeated Robert in the rebellion, Mace Tyrell claimed the victory but Tarly had defeated Robert before Mace had arrived. The red huntsman was sewn proudly on his green tunic.

To Renly's right was the stout Lord Mathis Rowan who was the one who Renly had favoured the most during their march. The men liked him almost as much as they liked Renly. Whereas Lord Randyll inspired fear in his men, Lord Mathis was the one that they would lay down their lives for.

"My lords, as we approach the blackwater rush, the question that comes to the fore of my mind, is how we will cross it," Renly began. He was not a great strategist like his brothers were but that was why he had dozens of lords in this tent with him. "Now we can assume that the Lannisters will tear down the bridge by the mudgate so how else will we cross it?"

Silence followed as some thought that the question was rhetorical. Ser Jon Fossoway was the first to speak, "Well the most obvious approach would be that we plunder the Kingswood for wood to build rafts so we can ferry across our men." There was some grunts of support of this plan.

Lord Randyll scoffed loudly, "And perhaps you would like to charge upon the gates of King's Landing without armour. That would let our men be killed just as efficiently. Delivering small portions of our men to die by our enemy's hand is truly a strong plan."

Ser Jon's face was as sour as a green apple. "And how would you suggest we cross the river, my lord?"

"I say that we should follow the river east until we reach the Rolling Ford and then cross once we reach the shallows," he suggested, earning nods from many lords present. "If the Lannisters wish to engage us there the battle will be hard but we would have the superior numbers."

The pavilion was already swaying towards Lord Ranyll's plan. The man was respected and feared by all of them. Ser Jon spoke up again, "But what of Lord Tywin, my lord? Do you expect him to wait in Harrenhal as we move one hundred thousand men and foodstuffs across the rush. You assume that King's Landing will be as lightly defended as it is now."

Lord Randyll bristled, he was not usually argued with. His words would usually make men bend to his will but Ser Jon must have been feeling brave. "Lord Tywin cannot leave Harrenhal and go to King's Landing without abandoning the Westerlands to Robb Stark's plundering and raiding. His vassals won't stand for their homes to be pillaged as they march away from them. Either the Old Lion will go west or stay where he is, he has no other option."

"And how do you know this?" Parmen Crane asked.

"Because you cannot fight a war if your home is being taken from you. If the Lannister's were razing the Reach or besieging Storm's End, we would not be marching towards King's Landing, I can assure you." Lord Randyll's voice brook no argument. "The best plan is to march across the Rolling Ford and from there we can take King's Landing." That plan was heartily supported by nearly all in the pavilion, although Mathis Rowan remained quiet.

"Lord Rowan, do you have something to add?" Renly questioned.

The lord remained silent for a moment until he was ready to speak. "Lord Randyll makes some fine point but it's not the way I would do it," said Mathis in his usual gruff manner. "Crossing the ford is safer than ferrying soldiers across but it also takes us out of the way of King's Landing and although Lord Tywin is stuck in Harrenhal, that doesn't stop him from sending small portions of men at a time to reinforce King's Landing."

Renly nodded along as Lord Rowan spoke. "So if the ford is not an option, then what do you suggest?"

"I believe that we should build a pontoon bridge so we can move our men across in bulk while we can also build siege engines in the safety of the Kingswood." Lord Rowan's proposal was met with silence. "We have all the wood we need and the city could just sit and watch our army preparing to invade their home."

"You mean the King taking what is rightfully his," corrected Loras.

Lord Rowan looked at Loras as if he was an insolent child. "Of course, Lord Commander, but the effect is still the same. Let the people see the overwhelming odds and we may end up being given the city when we cross."

Parmen Crane scoffed, "And you expect the Imp to just sit on his hands as we crr

The rest of the war council was just spent ironing out the finer points of the plan which Renly contributed little to. It was Lord Randyll and Lord Mathis who were spearheading the planning. Renly was thankful that he had commanders like those two with him on this march, Renly had a head for politics and intrigue, not for tactical warfare. When the council was finished Renly rose from his seat and the lords rose with him. "My lords," he nodded. The king walked out of the tent with them all bowing while saying, "Your Grace" and "My king."

Renly trekked across camp towards his own pavilion with Loras and Brienne following behind him. The men all bowed in deference as he passed, all with jovial smiles on their faces from jokes that they shared with each other. Renly responded in kind, he even shared a cup of wine with two groups.

He turned to face Brienne at the threshold of his pavilion. "You're dismissed for the night, Brienne," Renly told the tall woman.

Her face fell as she searched for words. "You– Your Grace, are you sure? I swear that you will not even—"

"He said you are dismissed, Tarth," Loras barked, unkindly.

"Now, now Ser Loras, there is no need to bite," he reprimanded his lover. He turned to Brienne. "Goodbye, Brienne, you should relax this night. You're always so rigid I fear that you are going to break half the time." Renly laughed but Brienne just looked distraught.

"Your Grace," she bit back the tears as she croaked out the formalities. Brienne turned around and scampered off with slumped shoulders.

Loras scoffed as he walked past him into his tent and Renly smiled. Someone's jealous, he mused. Renly's tent was made of rich fabrics of green and gold and the half a dozen carpets that covered the floor made it soft when your wore no boots. Many would think it absurd and gaudy but Renly was a king and nothing should be too much for him. As Loras paced across the tent, Renly poured himself a glass of Arbor gold, something he was not lacking for since it was the only way that Paxter Redwyne had thought of proving his loyalty without devoting soldiers to Renly's cause. Renly understood why he could not give soldiers, considering his two sons were captives of Cersei. Renly was inclined to forgive him for all and any transgressions because of how much wine he had sent, it was enough to sate the thirst of a force twice the size of his army. He now understood why Robert had gotten as fat as he had.

"A member of the Rainbow Guard?" Loras questioned. "As if I wasn't humiliated enough when she beat me in that tourney."

Renly sighed and put down the Arbor gold. "Brienne is a perfectly good swordsmen . . . or rather swordswomen."

"But do you not think she is strange?" Loras looked puzzled. "I mean, a woman who acts like a man?"

"Of course, I think she is strange," Renly snapped. "A woman in man's armour? The idea is absurd."

"Why do you keep her close then, If you think she is so absurd?"

"Because all the other knights in my service want something from me, castles or honours or riches, but all Brienne wants is to die for me." It's what Robert had during his rebellion. Men and women would have thrown themselves in front of a blade for him to protect him without a hope for reward. That's what Brienne would do for him, all he had to do was ask and she would throw herself on her blade for him. Renly laughed, "And besides, I don't think that we are the best people to judge someone else for being strange."

Renly downed the rest of his goblet and turned to his lover. "Now, take off your armour and forget all about the Tarth woman."

Loras huffed and said, "I beg your pardon, Your Grace, but I believe another Tyrell is in need of your attention." The Lord Commander of the Rainbow Guard stormed out of the king's pavilion, leaving Renly alone with only his thoughts to keep him company.