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[RIVERLANDS FOREST]
[JAIME relieves himself on a tree, while BRIENNE looks on.]
"How did you come into Lady Stark's service? There's something we can talk about"
"Not your concern, Kingslayer."
"You're awfully chatty" Tyrion groused, trying to push away his foul mood.
"Travelling in silence is dull" his brother shrugged.
"It had to be recently. You weren't with her at Winterfell."
"How would you know?"
"Because I visited Winterfell. I would have noticed your dour head smacking into the archways."
Jaime and Tyrion both snorted, receiving a smack on the head each from their mother for being rude.
"Were you pledged to Stannis?"
"Gods, no."
They both snort again, this time Renly joining them.
"Ah, Renly. Really? He wasn't fit to rule over anything more important than a 12-course meal."
The amusement vanished from Renly's face.
Jaime looked over and smiled.
Renly looked away with a sneer.
"Shut your mouth."
"Why? I lived with him at court since he was a boy, don't forget.
Could hardly escape the little tulip. Skipping down the corridors in his embroidered silks. I knew him far better than you."
Now Renly blushed in embarrassment, to the amusement of Jaime and Robert.
"I knew him as well as anyone. As a member of his Kingsguard, he trusted me with everything. He would have been a wonderful king."
"Blind loyalty... such a foolish thing" Tyrion mused out loud. "I should know, I have seen blind loyal fools all my life."
"Perhaps getting yourself some might save you from the embarrassment of being shoved aside after battle" Renly snarked.
"Funny you should say that. I fought in battle twice and lived to tell the tale, as embarrassingly short as it was. You on the other hand... tut tut tut. Afraid of blood! Oh, what a king we would have gotten in you!"
Renly glared at the former imp, but the he only grinned back. He looked away with a snap. He knew he wouldn't win in a battle of words against that damn Lannister.
"Sounds like you quite fancied him."
"I did not fancy him."
"Oh, gods, you did. Did you ever tell him? No, of course not. You weren't Renly's type, I'm afraid."
"She isn't" Robert grunted.
Renly only sighed. Everyone here knew what his type was now, no use fighting it.
[BRIENNE yanks on his leash in response.]
"He preferred curly-haired little girls like Loras Tyrell."
Margaery held back a little snort. Her brother did have a certain girlish charm to him, pretty and willowy.
"You're far too much man for him."
"I'm not interested in foul rumours."
"Unless they're about me. It's all true about Renly. His proclivities were the worst kept secret at court. It's a shame the throne isn't made out of cocks. They'd have never got him off it."
Renly blushed, daring to not meet a single pair of eyes. Known as it was, he still refused to meet the judgemental eyes of anyone.
[BRIENNE grabs the back of JAIME's head and yanks roughly. She puts her face directly in his.]
"Shut your mouth!"
"I don't blame him. And I don't blame you, either. We don't get to choose who we love."
His head snapped up and snapped again to the Kingslayer. Jaime just shrugged before looking away. Renly's eyes lingered, but he too looked away eventually.
[A man approaches, leading a horse.]
"Where are you headed, then?"
"South. You?"
"Riverrun. Staying off the kingsroad, are you? They get you no matter where you go. You can't win."
"No, you really can't."
[They both laugh, kindly.]
"Looks like you're safe enough, though. Meaning no offence, my lady, but I wouldn't tangle with you. Seven blessings to you."
"And you."
[The man starts to walk away, but looks back over his shoulder.]
"He knows," Jaime said with finality.
"Probably" Tyrion muttered.
"He knows who I am."
"He doesn't."
"Naïve girl" Olenna clicked her tongue.
"Maybe you're right. But what if you're not? What if he tells someone?"
"We're not doing it. He's an innocent man."
"More innocent than Lady Stark's daughters?"
[BRIENNE pushes JAIME forward, and leads him further along in the woods.]
"Bets on him coming back with a horde of other men?" Tyrion whispered to his brother.
"And lose? I dare not" Jaime chuckled.
[KING'S LANDING, JOFFREY'S CHAMBERS]
[KING JOFFREY BARATHEON is being fitted by a TAILOR. QUEEN CERSEI LANNISTER, seated nearby, looks on. The TAILOR lays some sample fabric on JOFFREY's shoulder. Displeased, JOFFREY snatches it away and dismisses the TAILOR."
"Bloody flowers. On the king."
"Looks like a Tyrell rose. Give it to Margaery for her wedding gown. Should be more than enough fabric."
[JOFFREY tosses the fabric away and moves to his bed to change back into his clothes.]
"Tell me what you think of her."
"Who?"
"Margaery."
"She's an ideal match. With the Tyrells beside us, we'll crush the Northerners. Hang their lords, burn their strongholds, sow their fields with salt, and no one will think of rebelling for another century."
"He had an oddly clear head about these things. Cruel yes, but clear. He's driven by profits rather than beauty" Olenna noted with a hum. "A shame he lacks in every other department."
"And he's a bastard" Margaery added.
"That he is."
"It is a good match, but what do you think of her? She's beautiful and intelligent."
"Yes, she is."
"Her concern with the well-being of the common people is interesting."
"Not to me."
"I only meant that to go out of your way to endanger yourself."
"This is becoming one of the most boring conversations I've ever had."
"It is" Arya muttered. What did it matter what Margaery liked to do?
"Margaery Tyrell dotes on filthy urchins for a reason. She dresses like a harlot for a reason."
Margaery snorted. She did not dress like a harlot!
"She married a traitor and known degenerate like Renly Baratheon for a reason."
"She married Renly Baratheon because she was told to. That's what intelligent women do what they're told."
Tyrion snorted. There goes Cersei's loving and obedient boy. Not that there was any of it left after the coronation.
[CERSEI reaches out to him, but JOFFREY pushes her hand away.]
"You need to ask yourself-"
"I don't need to do anything."
[The TAILOR returns with a different fabric sample. He drapes it on JOFFREY's shoulder.]
[KING'S LANDING, SANSA'S CHAMBERS]
[SHAE brushes SANSA STARK's hair as SANSA sits before a mirror.]
"I still don't believe it"
"He didn't. He didn't want anything. He just takes an interest because he loved my mother."
"I wouldn't count on that" Margaery commented.
Sansa'a head shot to her.
"You couldn't mean... but he's old!" the girl stammered.
"Old men want young and pretty things all the time" Margaery shrugged.
Sansa was filled with disgust.
[There is a knock on the door. SHAE opens the door and SER LORAS TYRELL enters.]
"My sister Margaery invites you to take the air with her and our grandmother, the Lady Olenna, in the gardens. May I escort you to them?"
[SANSA exits with LORAS, while SHAE watches with concern.]
"What are you planning?" Rickard Stark turned to look at Olenna Tyrell, who was not so caring at the moment.
"We'll find out wouldn't we now" the older woman drawled, brushing the man off.
Rickard's gaze narrowed on the woman, but the Queen of Thorns did not react to that.