Episode One: The Wars to Come
EXT. A BARGE ON THE GREENBLOOD RIVER OUTSIDE SUNSPEAR
From a distance we see from a barge slowly progressing down the Greenblood the glories of Sunspear and its Shadow City. Title card in the corner denotes this as Sunspear in a call back to the pilot's first shot of Winterfell.
ELLARIA steps into the view.
Camera cuts to see ELLARIA, dressed in mourning clothes, shades her face as the barge lazily travels down the river. We see behind her, a gigantic trunk attended by Silent sisters. The trunk is decorated with the Martell house sigil but also that of a red viper encircling the sun.
Ellaria approaches the trunk and lovingly touches it.
ELLARIA
(softly)
We're home, my love.
EXT. A CROWDED SHADOW CITY STREET
We see a palanquin struggle to make it through the crowded street as guards have to push back citizens who press to come forward. The curtains of the palanquin are embroidered with the sun and spear of House Martell, but lacking a red viper encircling the sun. AREO HOTAH is by the palanquin's right side.
RANDOM CROWD MEMBERS
War! For Oberyn! For Elia! For Dorne! War and Vengeance!
INT. DORAN'S PALANQUIN
We see Prince Doran sitting up with his eyes closed and a few streams of sunlight shining on his face. This shot should recall Cersei's first scene this season when arriving for her father's funeral at the Sept.
From outside the palanquin we continue to hear the crowd chanting.
RANDOM CROWD MEMBERS
War and Vengeance! Blood for blood! For Dorne!
EXT. PALACE GARDENS - DAY DREAM
We see three children, two boys and a girl, play in a fountain in the water gardens, clearly meant to be Doran and his siblings. A servant calls for the children and Elia and Oberyn run off leaving the young Doran struggling to get out of the fountain as his foot has slipped, causing him to fall back into the water, which covers him rather quickly. This sequence should visually communicate Doran's emotional feelings and state of being.
INT. DORAN'S PALANQUIN
The shouting has grown distant to the point it stops and DORAN opens his eyes, with a sad expression upon his face. The curtain pulls back and the sun streams directly onto DORAN's face. AREO HOTAH sticks his head through the parted curtain.
AREO
We've arrived, my Prince.
Prince DORAN nods.
DORAN
I'm afraid I shall need the chair, the pain is worse from the journey.
AREO nods and withdraws his head.
EXT. OUTER COURTYARD
AREO HOTAH backs away from the palanquin and jerks his head in the direction of the palanquin while making eye contact with someone off screen. We change to a wide shot of the courtyard where we see that the palanquin has stopped inside a grand courtyard where the entire household has assembled in honor of the Prince's return. From the crowd we see a servant approach pushing a wheel chair across the stone of the courtyard. When the chair is next to the palanquin, AREO reaches inside of the palanquin and lifts the Prince out of the palanquin and sets him down gently in his wheeled chair. None of the servants should look surprised by this action, nor any of the household, conveying that this has been the state of affairs in Dorne for some time. DORAN looks around the crowd and meets eyes with ARIANNE, his daughter. They exchange looks before DORAN summons her to his side.
DORAN
Arianne, where is your brother, his betrothed, and her whitecloak?
ARIANNE
It is lovely to see you as well, father.
She kisses him on both cheeks, dutifully, but without any lingering affection.
ARIANNE
As you can see I have handled Sunspear rather well since you retired to the Water Gardens.
Horns blow from atop the walls of the courtyard off screen.
DORAN
That would be Ellaria.
The gates open once again and in enters ELLARIA. She approaches and takes to a knee in front of DORAN. Behind her enters guards and men who help carry the trunk.
DORAN
Rise, Ellaria. You were a great comfort to my brother in his life. You will always have a place at my hearth.
ELLARIA rises.
ELLARIA
I thank you, my prince. I would see my daughters and see that Oberyn's bones are laid out at the Sept.
DORAN looks up to the trunk decorated with the Martell sun.
DORAN
Of course. We will speak later. I have an important matter that I wish to discuss with you in particular.
ELLARIA rises and departs, with Oberyn's trunk following after her. ARIANNE approaches and stands next to her father.
AREO
Such a tragedy that woman has had to endure.
ARIANNE
Tragedy seems to be all that Dorne knows of late.
DORAN looks at his daughter oddly for a moment. BEAT.
DORAN
You know, you still have not answered me, Arianne.
ARIANNE
What do you mean?
DORAN
Where is your brother and his companions?
ARIANNE sighs.
ARIANNE
My brother and his betrothed are in the Sept, praying for Ser Arys' soul.
DORAN smirks with a knowing glance to AREO.
DORAN
Has that Oakhart knight broken his vow and managed to get some girl with child? I am surprised it took him this long. Knights of the Reach are not known for their restraint. Generations of Dornish women have known that to be true. But to wait as long as he has must have seemed an eternity, I applaud his fortitude.
ARIANNE looks rather uncomfortable, crosses her arms just under her bosom, swallows, and then speaks.
ARIANNE
No, father. Trystane found Ser Arys early this morning, dead in his bed.
The smirk on DORAN's lips fades and his eyes widen before he turns to AREO.
DORAN
See that the gates are locked and the household interrogated at once.
AREO
I shall see it done, my prince.
DORAN summons a servant to push him towards the sept.
ARIANNE
I have already questioned the servants!
DORAN
See that they're questioned again!
ARIANNE is left in the courtyard looking as her father leaves, her face slowly contorting into a frustrated frown.