All Men Must Die (Game of Thrones Fanfiction)

Chapter XX

Four months into her marriage with Loras Tyrell, Nerillia finally managed to navigate the briar maze inside the outer wall of the castle of Highgarden. The beauty of the Reach, and especially of Highgarden, never ceased to amaze her, from its great white walls to the dozens of water sources and the endless greenery, Nerillia doubted there was a more beautiful place in the Seven Kingdoms. The weirdwood forest was probably Nerillia's favourite place, it was peaceful and enriching, some small animals often gathered under the Three Singers, and drank from the small pond. Nerillia found it easy to imagine how disappointed the citizens of the Reach would be when they went to other lands. It was easy for her to imagine her children growing up in Highgarden, surrounded by beauty and kindness, and she was evermore grateful that she was no longer in the capital.

"How are you liking Highgarden?" A voice said from behind her. Nerillia turned around to see Willas Tyrell.

"You missed my wedding" Nerillia told him seriously.

"And I apologize for it, my leg was giving me trouble that day and it made me unable to walk, but I heard it was lovely, and that you looked beautiful" Willas told her, resting his weight in his cane. Willas looked very similar to Loras, but he had a broader complexion, his beard made him look older than he was, and his eyes were calm and serious, contrasting with Loras's, whose eyes had a mischievous spark.

"Yes. I suppose it was a lovely wedding." Nerillia said absently, petting Visenya's head.

"I like your lion" Willas told her to break the tension "and your hair, black hair suits you better than blonde" he told her. She smiled and passed a hand through her dark hair, that was now reaching her shoulders.

"Thank you, her name is Visenya. Would you like to pet her?" She smiled at him and offered him her hand.

"As long as she doesn't mind" he joked before placing his hand in hers. Nerillia guided his hand to be in front of Visenya's nose. The lioness sniffed his had before pressing her face against it.

"She likes you" Nerillia told him, and let go off his hand, "have you talked to Nerillia like I suggested?" It was weird to talk about herself in third person.

"I confess that I find myself reluctant about contacting her" Willas straightened his back, "I wouldn't even know where to start"

"You can always start by introducing yourself" Nerillia smiled, "you are a nice man, Willas, you are smart, kind, and very funny, you don't have to be shy"

"It is not shyness, Princess" Willas told her seriously, "I just-"

"Princess!" A voice distracted them. They saw a young servant boy running towards them, he arrived, panting, and gave her a letter, "urgent raven from King's Landing" Nerillia quickly broke the Direwolf seal and read the letter, her whole face gave away worry and horror.

"Prepare the horses, we'll be leaving for King's Landing in a couple hours" Nerillia instructed the servant boy, who nodded and left running once again, "I am truly sorry, Willas, but I really must go" She excused herself.

"That's  all right, hurry" Willas encouraged her.

Nerillia ran through the castle, servants and guards bowed as she passed by them. In the short time she had been there, Nerillia had won the heart of the people, inside the castle, and out. Nerillia got to Loras's room and pounded on the door. The door was opened by Renly Baratheon, who was shirtless and with his trousers half undone.

"Uh- Rhaenyra, I can explain-!" He stuttered.

"Hello, Renly, get dressed, we need to go," She told him as she walked past him and into the room, Loras was putting on his trousers, "we need to go to King's Landing at once" She told him.

"Why? I thought you never wanted to go back" Loras was confused, he walked towards his wife and brushed some hair off her face gently.

"This is bigger than me, Loras. Jaime Lannister just attacked Ned Stark, killed three of his men and tried to kill him" Nerillia told him quickly.

"What!" Renly exclaimed as he kept dressing, "this will escalate, I doubt the Northeners will stay put after this"

"I am not that worried about the Northeners, I am worried about what they might try to do next" Nerillia looked at Renly in the eye, and he seemed to understand perfectly what she meant. 

"I understand, but- you cannot travel, not in your condition" Loras told him, concern dripping from his words.

"I am perfectly capable of travelling, Loras, I am pregnant, not sick" Nerillia said sternly. Loras put one of his hands over her stomach and sighed.

"Okay, but you are not riding, you are going in the carriage" Loras told her sternly, she seemed to want to argue, but with one final look from Loras, she complied.

"So, uhm- we were just chatting, we were not-" Renly started as they walked towards the courtyard.

"Renly, I know" Nerillia smiled at him, "I love you and I love Loras, and I want you both to be happy. Loras and I talked about this before the wedding, and I completely understand" Nerillia hugged Renly, and after a few seconds, he hugged her back.

They rode to Dorne and took a ship in Wyl, it would be faster than riding all the way to King's Landing. Nerillia, Loras and Renly were accompanied by Roy, Mya, and twenty Highgarden guards. Renly complained that now he wouldn't be able to get away from going hunting with Robert.

"Going hunting with your brother will be the least of your worries" Nerillia said perilously, "Catelyn Stark has Tyrion Lannister captive, and even though Tywin would rather see him death any day, he won't let this go, Tyrion is still a Lannister, and he'll be afraid to seem weak in front ofvthe other houses" Renly looked at Loras with worry, "I advised Ned to tell his wife to let him go before Jaime or Cersei found out, he didn't listen, and now, war is knocking on our door"

"You care for him?" Renly asked her.

"I respect him, and while he is too honourable for his own good, appointing him as Hand was probably the wisest thing my father has done, Ned Stark is probably the only one that can keep the Seven Kingdoms from falling into war. And to tell you the truth, I have no desire of my children being born into war"

"If things do get to that, you are going straight back to Highgarden, no questions asked. I won't have you or our child in danger" Loras told her strictly, Nerillia clenched her teeth and nodded, she wanted to complain but sue knew he was right. She was not stupid enough to put her unborn child in danger.

"I just hope my brother realises how dangerous the Lannisters are for him, and the Kingdom, they just do whatever they want with no repercussions" Renly mentioned.

"Much like Joffrey" Nerillia said darkly. Loras pulled her close and patted her shoulder, she had recently told him what Joffrey had done to her, Loras felt disgusted just thinking about it, how a brother could do such thing to his sister, he just could not fathom it.

"I'll kill him" Loras said.

"No, if it ever comes to that, I want to have the pleasure of doing it" Nerillia said as she looked to the horizon, where she could see the small shadow of the shore, getting closer.