Renly lies cold in the ground and his blood stains Loras’ hands as much as those of the sworn brothers whose lives he took; Loras, too, failed Renly, left him alone with his murderer, left him to die. Loras carries the weight of that with him to Bitterbridge, carries his rage and guilt and sorrow, carries them to his sister, to Renly’s widow, who holds him and cries and pretends her pain is for Renly but Loras knows the truth behind her tears.

It is only with Margaery breathing beside him, the scent of her hair and her skin filling the air, the warmth of her body against his, that Loras begins to feel as though the world might still go on.