Renly waved helplessly, and the knights continued forward, unable to tend to Loras's injuries. But Stannis's lines held firm, while Renly's troops had suffered from low morale all along and lost the Knight of Flowers right at the outset.
"Usurper!"
"Rebel!" Stannis's soldiers cursed.
Renly could plainly see that his soldiers had little fighting spirit. These were all sons of the Stormlands, and this was now a clumsy civil war.
Renly's eyes reddened, and he roared at the top of his lungs, but Stannis's formation was as solid and unshakable as a rock. He could not even reach his opponent's center. Renly personally led charge after charge, yet the shield formation and spear formation still refused to yield.
A spear nearly pierced Renly's back. Brienne helped him escape the killing blow.
"Fall back," Ser Good advised. Some of these Stormlands soldiers were completely unwilling to fight, and forcing them would accomplish nothing.
Then louder shouts came from behind. Caron, who had originally been guarding the rear, and Ser Cortnay, who had been defending Storm's End, appeared behind Renly's soldiers. Their men formed a huge C, blocking the vanguard's retreat.
But these soldiers were not reinforcements. They demanded Renly's surrender. Renly's army had become a morsel caught between them.
"Long live Storm!"
"Long live Storm!" Ser Caron had his soldiers shout. Catelyn watched the defeated Renly with a complicated look. Was this war? It seemed more like child's play.
"You pledged your allegiance to me. Caron, Ser Cortnay." Renly looked at the soldiers closing in behind him. Seeing things turn against them, the Stormlands soldiers in his vanguard had little inclination to resist. One by one, they dropped their weapons, leaving only a few isolated guards following Renly.
"I did pledge my allegiance to you, but you went too far, my