Cassana

We arrive back to the camp and Robb follows me as I storm to Renlys tent prepared to give him hell. 

"Cassana," Robb warns as my men cast wary glances at me but I'm not listening. 

"No, if he wants to destroy our house then he can be held accountable," I decide. "By me."

Renly's guards let me through and when I enter he's sitting at his table with Loras eating an apple as if tomorrow is going to be just another joust and I don't hold back.

"Are you a fucking idiot?"

"You are speaking to the king," Loras warns.

"I'm speaking to a fool," I correct and he jumps to his feet with his hand on his sword then looks behind me to where Robb stands with his already half drawn.

"Everyone calm down," Renly drawls. "Put your swords away, we can kill each other tomorrow."

"No!" I snap. "Do you have no regard for our House?"

"When this is over a Baratheon will sit on the throne, that is my regard."

"House Baratheon will die if you do this."

He falls quiet knowing there is truth in what I'm saying but Loras just laughs.

"Don't be so dramatic," he says then looks past me  to Robb. "I am very sorry my king failed to warn you of his niece's hysteria."

I strike him across the face and he gapes at me while clutching his cheek and I enjoy the sight considerably.

"Lannister bitch," Loras curses drawing his sword and I half draw mine in return and hold up a finger to keep Robb from attacking him.

"Do not forget I am above you," I warn. "You could best me easily with a sword but I am the one who could order your head to be removed so watch your tongue."

"I will tell-"

"Who?" I ask knowing he can't threaten me. "Renly is right here hearing every word I'm saying and frankly I want him to hear it so he can remember that I actually have some standing!"

"Enough, both of you!" Renly scolds "And Loras you should know by now not to insult a girl with a temper."

"A queen," Robb corrects and I smile to myself as Loras steps lowers his gaze and I look to my husband proudly "She is a queen."

"Yes but not the queen," Renly reminds us.

"No but I am still hand to a king," I remind him and he looks bitter. "How many are there now, five? I've lost count."

Robb doesn't look offended but I know how much Renly hates being humiliated in front of Loras.

He clears his throat "Are you just here to yell at me or is there an actual purpose?"

I stand undaunted as I glare at Renly unafraid.

"What do you think will happen if you kill Stannis? You'll just exile me north to be a child rearer and keep Shireen on Dragonstone until you can marry her off to a husband who'll keep her away from your throne just as you've tried to do to me since a married girl couldn't possibly beat the claim of a man, unless that man doesn't have an heir."

He freezes and I realise what I've revealed. "Cassana, the only reason I want to send you north-"

"No," I say harshly. "Robb told me everything and how dare you try to blackmail my husband into making me his prisoner just because you can't stick your prick in Margaery!"

He's deathly quiet and even Loras looks shocked I'd say it so bluntly. "Cassana. Don't be cruel."

"I am honest," I reply standing my ground. "You know I'm right. If you two kill each other and send Shireen and I away our house will go into ruin."

"Since when have you cared about our house?" he asks and I dig my nails into my palm trying to calm myself. "The only thing you've seemed to care about this past year is pissing off your mother and deciding who you want to fuck."

"Since my father died and the responsibility of our house fell on me!" I half scream at him, slamming my hand on the table and he flinches away from me. "You and Stannis can call yourselves what you want but you know I am the head of this house, so take that fucking crown off your head and listen to me!"

He falls silent and after hearing a shuffle of boots I turn to see Brienne as well as several other Kingsguard standing in the tent with their hands on their swords.

"Or you can tell them to kill me," I taunt gesturing to his Kingsguard much to the horror of my husband.

"Cassana," Robb warns but I'm not listening. I know what I'm doing. I'm calling his bluff.

"Go on," I taunt and he shifts uncomfortably "If you want the throne that badly you can kill me as well as Stannis and see what you have left."

He holds my glare before leaning back in his chair in defeat and I can't help the shadow of a smug smirk that reaches my face as I know he sees my mother in me and fears it. As he should.

He looks to Loras "Leave and take the Kingsguard with you."

I'm not leaving you alone with her," Loras argues and I feel Robb protectively rest his hand on my shoulder.

Renly looks between the two of them knowing whose the more stubborn of the pair and orders "Brienne will stay. Loras go get Margaery and wait outside until I let you in."

He doesn't want Loras to see him be weak, subservient to a woman, to his own niece. To be unkingly. 

"Yes, go get Margaery," I tell him. "The only other person in this camp with sense!"

Loras reluctantly leaves while Brienne stands guard, hand on her sword. 

I look back at Robb who's definitely not at ease and give him a single nod and he steps back to allow me to handle this. Renly pours us a glass of wine and I sit across from him gladly taking it.

"Why do you care so much about keeping Stannis alive?" he asks me. "You would do the same in my position. You are a Lannister, killing and betraying to get what you want is in your blood and don't deny it."

"I'm not denying it," I say despite Robb listening. Renly knows what he's doing. His own little form of humiliation. Exposing me for what I am.

"You would have cut your little brothers throat that night if you got the chance. The only difference between you and the rest of them is that you are willing to spill your own blood."

"Must be the Baratheon in me," I comment and he takes a drink "Now you can't deny that."

"So why haven't you gotten your husband to murder me?" he asks. "If you did then my crown and my army would be yours."

"I don't need to kill you, both of those are already mine," I answer and he pauses. "And even if I did want to kill you, I don't need my husband to do it for me. Unlike you I'm not afraid to get my hands bloody."

He looks afraid. "And will you?"

The room is dead silent and I know they are all waiting to see what I truly am. All waiting to see just how much like my mother I truly am. To see what danger I pose.

"I could," I say feeling the weight of the sword on my hip. "I have a sword within reach and you don't. You'd be dead by the time Loras ran in but I'm not going to kill you."

He looks doubtful "How can I possibly believe you?"

Now is not the time for lies. Only he can call the shots to stop tomorrow's battle. I need to take a risk, to throw him off guard enough that he might just listen.

"Tywin Lannister wrote to me," I tell him and feel everyone in the room draw a breath.

"Cass," Robb warns but I cut him off.

"He offered me the throne on a golden platter if I let you and Stannis destroy each other and kill my husband. He knows that I am in the position to give him the heads of three kings."

Renly turns a shade paler, tapping his fingers on the table anxiously "And what did you tell him?"

"I told him that I'm not doing his dirty work for him and that if he wants our heads he can come and get them himself. Mine included."

I can feel Robbs's proud eyes on me but Renly just looks confused.

"Why would you refuse his offer."

"Do you honestly think I'd let myself be his pawn?" I ask taking a drink. "And because I also grew up listening to him preaching about family and legacy. Do you know why House Lannister is so powerful? It isn't their wealth, it is their strength and loyalty to one another. They may fight amongst themselves but to the world they are one united house. If we want to be as great as them then we must do the same." He falls silent and I lean forward "Tell me uncle, do you want to see the Baratheon name die like the Targaryens? I know you and Stannis share no love but you share a name. For people like us that is all that matters. Make peace with him and fight this war together."

For a moment he contemplates this and his voice is quiet "He won't listen."

"If we go to war tomorrow we will be killing a Baratheon, Baratheon soldiers will kill their brothers on the field. There will be a divide that can never be fixed. This is greater than the two of you. If you go to war against your own men and slaughter them for the sake of your pride do you truly think they will be loyal to you?"

He knows his people. He knows his men are the only reason he wears that crown on his head.

"Then what do we do?" he asks, actually seeming open to my suggestions "How do you propose we get Stannis to listen."

"Bend the knee," I answer and at the look on his face I quickly clarify. "For now. Bend the knee until the war is done."

"And after the war?"

"We will stab him in the back and exile him to Dragonstone along with his priestess and when he is dead his daughter Shireen will inherit it. You will be the lord of Storms End and I will sit on the throne. I will do what my father never could, I will make House Baratheon the most powerful in Westeros, more powerful than House Lannister, but I cannot do that if I am the lone survivor of my house which is why I need you and Stannis alive, even if it is in exile."

He takes a long, serious look at me "You look so much like Cersei but the truth is you're becoming what she never could," he says seeming more shaken than proud "A female Tywin."

I hold my head high knowing that it is certainly a comparison to be cautious of. I dare to look behind me and I catch Robb's eye, I'm not the only one who's wary of the comparison. Then again who would ever approve of their wife being compared to their enemy? As much as he may disapprove it is a comparison I accept. My grandfather is many things but he is the true king, the most powerful man alive.

"Then will you comply?" I ask Renly. "Write a letter to Stannis, tell him that we will bend the knee. It is the only way to win this war. You and Stannis may not love each other but there has always been love between you and I even if you did betray it. I stand with you rather than against you just as we must with Stannis but do not be fooled into thinking it is due to love. I am doing this for our house."

My words hurt him and he asks the same question I've asked myself for weeks "What have we become? What would Robert say if he saw us all now."

"He'd call us fools," I answer. "He would tell us that we need to be one army with one purpose. My father was many things but he rebelled against the throne and won. We have the North, the Riverlands, the Reach but we do not have the Stormlands, our own kingdom, until we are one."

And those words finally stir something within him, a realisation of how ridiculous he has been but what I do not expect is for him to remove the crown from his head and place it before me.

"It should be yours," he says hoarsely. "It would be if I hadn't betrayed you. We wouldn't be fighting this war at all if I didn't run that night. If I do this, if I surrender my crown to you in private and do as you say to win this war will you forgive me?"

My voice is quiet with restrained emotion, honest. "I forgive you."

He dips his quill in ink and begins writing to Stannis. I have one stag tamed, now I just need the other. "If he agrees we will begin our march on Kings Landing tomorrow," I decide and Robb nods in approval. "We won't give them time to prepare."

"Tywin's troops are still in the Riverlands, my men can keep them distracted," he says with a spark of excitement in his eye. "We could take the capital. With the armies and ships of four kingdoms united we could actually do this. We can take Kings Landing and end this war."

"This war could be over in a fortnight," Renly says and we watch as he puts his seal on the letter. "Now to deliver this to Stannis."

"I'll do it myself in case he wants to negotiate," I decide knowing if he were to refuse he'd likely just hold me as leverage but he won't refuse. "Let's end this war."

Then as I turn to leave I see Robbs eyes widen and a scream is torn from Brienne's throat, grabbing the hilt of my sword I turn just to see a shadow standing behind Renly who has a dagger in his back.
"Renly," I gasp and the shadow disappears as quickly as it came. Robb holds me by the waist as Brienne runs forward and cradles Renly's body in her arms, sobbing in a way only a woman in love could.

I'm frozen in shock as Robb holds me to him and I stare at the letter in my hand. There can be no peace. "Cass," he says shaking me slightly "Cass!"

I look up at Robb who obviously expects me to be distraught but now is not the time for grief. Then I look past him to see Loras and Margaery running into the tent.

"Oh gods," she gasps while Loras stumbles forward, pushing Brienne out of the way as he grabs Renly.

A horrible sob escapes him while I'm too shocked for a single tear or even a word to form and I feel Robbs arms around me but my eyes are fixed on my murdered uncle as I try to make sense of what I just saw. That fire priestess, only she could have done this. And only by the orders of Stannis.

"What happened?" Margaery asks breathlessly and then Loras looks back at me with murderous eyes. "Cassana?"

"You killed him."

"No-" I quake but even so he unsheathes his sword and Robb pulls me behind him, drawing his sword just in time for it to meet Loras's.

"No!" Margaery cries out, grabbing me and taking my face harshly between her hands. "Did you do this? Did you do this!"

"I didn't kill him!" I insist. "You know when I'm lying Margaery, you have to know I didn't do this." From the look in her eye, I know she does. "It- it was a shadow."

"A shadow?" Loras scoffs. "You are fucking mad. You've always been fucking mad!"

He launches at me again but before Robb can stop him Brienne grabs him and throws him to the ground with a strength that leaves us all shocked.

"Go!" she yells and Robb pulls me from Margaery's grasp, but I push him off me, grabbing Margaery who pulls me behind the tent, hiding us from the men.

"Loras is mad with grief," she says, snapping into action. "He won't believe a word you say, and neither will our men."

"Renly had agreed to pretend to bend the knee to Stannis," I say holding up the letter, and putting it into her hand. "If we hide this- if we can hide what's happened we may just have a chance."

She shakes her head. "You know the men will flock to Stannis's side the moment they hear Renly is dead." She holds my face between her hands, for the first time since Kings Landing my ally, my confidante. "They will hand you over to him and you will be back in chains."

"No," I insist. "They will fight for me-"

"You are a woman, a woman they'll believe killed their king no matter the truth," she says, her voice desperate. "Run." I look to see Robb gathering his men, preparing for a fight. "Run to the north, because Stannis will come for you, and I don't know if I'll be able to stop Loras from hunting you down."

"Please, believe me," I stammer, my fingers curling in her hair. "Please believe me Margaery."

"I do," she promises me. "You would never do something so foolish, which is why I wish he'd listened before Stannis took things into his own hands." She's already pieced together what must have passed. "Run."

"If I run they'll think I'm guilty," I say, clutching her hand. "Come out there with me, support me, help me rally the men before there is any doubt in their minds."

She's torn, but for some reason for me she goes against her better judgement. "Alright."

I take her hand, pulling her out before the men who have gathered, confused by the commotion. Robb looks at me from where he stands with his men in alarm as Margaery and I ascend the stairs of the scaffold. 

She looks to me and nods, holding my hand tight, the two of us a united front whilst Brienne wrestles with Loras.

"Renly is dead!" I yell for them to hear. "Murdered by an assassin sent by Stannis."

Sounds of shock come from my men and while I shake my voice is strong. Stannis had Renly killed. His own brother. He will show me no mercy.

"Stannis is a coward and a traitor," I condemn, taking the letter from Margaery tearing the letter in half and letting it fall into the dirt. "He could not face us in battle so he sent an assassin in the night and murdered your king! He is a coward and a kinslayer and for this I swear we will destroy him on the field of battle!"

They cry a battle cry but one man asks "Renly is dead with no heir. Who is king?"

It is Margaery who speaks "Cassana Baratheon is Renly's named heir, and will succeed him to take her rightful throne!" 

I look at her, having never been more thankful for her. While the majority of the men are riled up enough that they cheer for me some voice their disapproval.

"You have never led a battle!"

"Neither had Renly but you still followed him. And neither had my father when he begun his rebellion but I am his daughter and his blood runs through my veins! I may be a woman but I promise I have far more blood on my hands then Renly ever did and I do not fear it. We will march on Stannis come dawn and we will defeat him! And then we shall march on Kings Landing and take the capital!"

Their battle cries fill the valley and drown out even the thunder in the distance and my voice echoes.

"Will you fight for House Baratheon! Will you stand behind me, your queen!"

Robb is the first one to draw his sword and my heart pounds as others follow. Just as my men begin to bend the knee there is a ragged scream.

"She killed him!" Loras stands there half mad from grief while Brienne attempts to hold him back and Margaery curses under her breath. "She murdered him in cold blood. She is mad!"
"I did not kill Renly!" I yell, Margaery beginning to panic beside me. "I loved him, Stannis Baratheon did this and tomorrow we will get our vengeance!"

Loras laughs darkly "You've all heard her screaming at your king. She hated him. The only reason she sided with him was so she could kill him and take the throne."

"I loved Renly and you are mad with grief!"

"She may be a Baratheon but she is a Lannister!" he reminds them. "Hand her over to Stannis. Stannis is the true king now that Renly is dead!"

That fucking bastard.
"Stannis murdered him!" I desperately remind him and the men, knowing how quickly a crowd can turn. "Ser Loras. Stand beside me tomorrow when we defeat Stannis."

"You will not be able to defeat Stannis or the Lannister's without the Reach," he declares and a ragged breath escapes me. The majority of the men are from the Reach, the entire reason Renly married Margaery was because we needed them.

"Stannis killed him, fight to avenge him," I plead with Loras. "Listen to your sister Margaery, Renly's widow."

"Why would she kill him when she is his heir and hand?" Margaery asks him being the only person clever enough to know what I'd planned. Knowing that while my plans weren't innocent they didn't involve murder and she pleads with her brother. "She didn't kill him!"

He shakes her off and the men from the Reach look torn between their lovely lady and the son of their lord.

"Listen to her," I beg them, grasping her hand as if it's my only lifeline. "Listen to Renly's queen. She knows I had no part in this."

Loras draws his sword and points it towards me but there is still a crowd of men between us "You killed him. You've been plotting it for weeks! Renly told me he suspected you were planning to murder him."

Whether those words are true or not they certainly damn me in the eyes of my men who look at each other with their swords drawn unsure of where to point them.

"There was no plot, Renly and I were just discussing uniting our house not tearing it apart!"

He shakes his head at me with so much hate in his eyes that's brewed since I arrived and continues to ignore Margaery's pleas to think this through.

"The Reach will not answer to a Lannister!" Loras declares and his men draw their swords. "All she has done is Tywin Lannister's bidding. She might be Roberts's daughter but do not forget who her mother is. She is a lion hiding beneath the face of an innocent little doe. You heard her confess to the blood on her hands."

"The blood of those who serve Jofftey!" I yell growing desperate while Robb's pushing through the crowd to try to get to me. "The blood of those who stole the throne from House Baratheon!"

"If you want to win come dawn, if you want justice then give her to Stannis. Give her to him and he will spare your lives!"

And with those words he has turned the crowd against me. My own men against me. 

"Margaery?" I whisper in panic as Loras tears her from me himself as she cries out my name, crying for me to run. "Margaery!"

Surrounded by my men I wait to be forced to my knees just as Argella Durrondon was, to be bound and given to the enemy but as I'm pulled from the crate no rope touches me and I'm dragged not towards Loras but to the outskirts of the camp and in the distance I hear the clashing of swords.

"Robb!" I scream looking for my husband amongst the soldiers but all I see is Greywind running to me.

In the distance I hear him "Get her out of here!"

"Robb!" I yell thrashing against whoever is dragging me away. "Robb!"

"You're safe with me your grace," says Brienne of Tarth but I still pull myself free and run back towards the crowd to find a line of still loyal Baratheon soldiers clashing against the Tyrell and Baratheon forces, making way for me to escape.

It's then I'm grabbed by the arm and dragged back to the outskirts of the camp. "We don't have much time before they break through," Robb says and my eyes catch his bloodied sword in the moonlight. "We need to leave. Now."

I don't fight against him as he takes my hand and we run with Greywind chasing after us. We reach the stables and he hoists me up onto his horse by the waist and swings himself up so he sits behind me. He doesn't waste a moment taking off and I see Brienne and several Stark soldiers following behind, looking back at the camp knowing that with Renly's murder any chance for peace, any chance for our house, any chance to end this war died along with him.

"We're doomed," I whisper.

"Not yet we're not," he says. "Now hold on."

We ride off into the distance and the battle cries of the camp fade away, all that's left is the thunder of nearby Storms End but eventually even that fades away also.

"It's all going to be okay," Robb tries to promise me. "You hear me? It's going to be okay."

"No," I say knowing the truth, the last spark of hope I had died with Renly. "It's not going to be okay."