A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

“Later, in the Eyrie, she laid the murder at the feet of the queen’s
brother Tyrion.”
    Stannis snorted. “If you step in a nest of snakes, does it matter which one
bites you first?”
    â€œAll this of snakes and incest is droll, but it changes nothing. You may well
have the better claim, Stannis, but I still have the larger army.” Renly’s
hand slid inside his cloak. Stannis saw, and reached at once for the hilt of
his sword, but before he could draw steel his brother
produced . . . a peach. “Would you like one, brother?” Renly
asked, smiling. “From Highgarden. You’ve never tasted anything so sweet, I
promise you.” He took a bite. Juice ran from the corner of his
mouth.
    â€œI did not come here to eat fruit.” Stannis was fuming.
    â€œMy lords!”
Catelyn said. “We ought to be hammering out the terms
of an alliance, not trading taunts.”
    â€œA man should never refuse to taste a peach,” Renly said as

he tossed the stone away. “He may never get the chance again. Life is short,
Stannis. Remember what the Starks say. Winter is coming.” He wiped his mouth
with the back of his hand.
    â€œI did not come here to be threatened, either.”
    â€œNor were you,” Renly snapped back. “When I make threats, you’ll know it. If
truth be told, I’ve never liked you, Stannis, but you
are
my own
blood, and I have no wish to slay you. So if it is Storm’s End you want, take
it . . . as a brother’s gift. As Robert once gave it to me, I
give it to you.”
    â€œIt is not yours to give. It is mine by rights.”
    Sighing, Renly half turned in the saddle. “What am I to do with this brother
of mine, Brienne? He refuses my peach, he refuses my castle, he even shunned my
wedding . . .”
    â€œWe both know your wedding was a mummer’s farce. A year ago you were scheming
to make the girl one of Robert’s whores.”
    â€œA year ago I was scheming to make the girl Robert’s queen,” Renly said,
“but what does it matter? The boar got Robert and I got Margaery. You’ll be
pleased to know she came to me a maid.”
    â€œIn your bed she’s like to die that way.”
    â€œOh, I expect I’ll get a son on her within the year. Pray, how many sons do
you have, Stannis? Oh, yes—none.” Renly smiled innocently. “As to your
daughter, I understand. If my wife looked like yours, I’d send my fool to
service her as well.”
    â€œEnough!”
Stannis roared. “I will not be mocked to my face, do you
hear me?
I will not!
” He yanked his longsword from its scabbard. The
steel gleamed strangely bright in the wan sunlight,

now red, now yellow, now blazing white. The air around it seemed to shimmer, as
if from heat.
    Catelyn’s horse whinnied and backed away a step, but Brienne moved between the
brothers, her own blade in hand. “Put up your steel!” she shouted at
Stannis.
    Cersei Lannister is laughing herself breathless,
Catelyn thought
wearily.
    Stannis pointed his shining sword at his brother. “I am not without mercy,”
thundered he who was notoriously without mercy. “Nor do I wish to sully
Lightbringer with a brother’s blood. For the sake of the mother who bore us
both, I will give you this night to rethink your folly, Renly. Strike your
banners and come to me before dawn, and I will grant you Storm’s End and your
old seat on the council and even name you my heir until a son is born to me.
Otherwise, I shall destroy you.”
    Renly laughed. “Stannis, that’s a very pretty sword, I’ll grant you, but I
think the glow off it has ruined your eyes. Look across the fields, brother.
Can you see all those banners?”
    â€œDo you think a few bolts of cloth will make you king?”
    â€œTyrell swords will make me king. Rowan and Tarly and Caron will make me king,
with axe and mace and warhammer. Tarth arrows and Penrose lances, Fossoway,
Cuy, Mullendore, Estermont, Selmy, Hightower, Oakheart, Crane, Caswell,
Blackbar, Morrigen, Beesbury, Shermer, Dunn, Footly . . . even
House Florent, your own wife’s brothers and uncles, they will make me king. All
the chivalry of the south rides with me, and that is the least part of my
power. My

foot is coming behind, a hundred thousand swords and spears and pikes. And you