TYRION rides VISERION to KING'S LANDING, but the Red Keep is eerily quiet. TYRION enters the empty throne room. VARYS stares at the iron throne then turns around.
VARYS: You're alive! VARYS runs to hug TYRION. You're alive! I'm so happy to see you, dear friend!
TYRION, taken aback and tearing up: Dear friend, I'm happy to see you as well.
VARYS: What happened? Your beard.
TYRION: Eight weeks without a razer and my beard keeps growing. What happened to King's Landing?
VARYS: The city is now known as Dragons' Landing.
TYRION: So Daenerys was successful in conquering the city?
VARYS: Yes, very much successful. Where did you fly off to?
TYRION: To Valeria. I learned something. TYRION opens his hand, and a pulse of blue light glows from his palm.
VARYS: Magic.
TYRION, nodding and grinning like he's won the greatest prize at a tournament: Magic. Mind you, I'm still dreadfully amateurish in it, but watch. TYRION focuses the blue light until it almost forms white, but then sizzles out.
TYRION: Well, yesterday my magic became a butterfly. It was the most beautiful thing in the world. Today, she's a little testy.
VARYS: Your magic powers are feminine?
TYRION: She's a little unpredictable and moody. Sometimes, she's beautiful, and other times, she's uncooperative. Is it me? Is it something I'm doing wrong? I don't know. It's like I'm in a relationship with my magic, so in that sense, yes, she's a woman.
VARYS: Well, a woman rules the Iron Throne now. She's anything but unpredictable and moody.
TYRION: How was her capture of King's Landing?
VARYS: With minimal bloodshed. Cersei Lannister was executed, and the Dothraki seized the city without raping. I must confess, that was my greatest fear of the hordes of Dothraki.
TYRION: They think with their passions.
VARYS: They do indeed. Most times, passion is good. Other times, passion grows cruel. But Queen Daenerys gave them gold to buy food, drink, and whores, and declared three days of holiday. But it was really three days of passion, but the consenting variety. Even I indulged in passion, but you probably aren't interested in hearing the details of that.
TYRION: I'm your friend. If it's important to you, I want to listen. I'd just be queasy about the graphic details.
VARYS: Well, they knew how to please man shaped like me. Oh, did they know.
TYRION: Actually. I'm good. Thanks.
VARYS: I mean, I know it isn't love. It was lust, and who knows if I was just another body in their orgy through King's Landing, but I used to be an actor, I know when it's good.
TYRION: What were their names?
VARYS: I can't remember. Oh my.
TYRION: So three days of holiday, but why is the Red Keep so quiet?
VARYS: Well, on the third day, that was their wedding.
TYRION: Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow are married?
VARYS: In the most beautiful ceremony King's Landing has ever known. It was at the former Sept of Baelor. The Sept was still in ruins, but adorned with flowers from all over Westeros, it was magnificently beautiful. The steps still exist, so all in attendance could see when Daenerys and Jon walked on the steps like a stage. They exchanged vows, then grabbed torches. Daenerys said, "I am the mother of dragons, and the Unburnt. This is why I am queen." She lit the pyre on the stage. The pyre was right in the middle, and she put her torch to the kindle and it went ablaze. Jon Snow then proclaimed, "I am Jon Snow, but I am the son of the lawfully wedded Rhaegon Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. I am no bastard. Although I am the lawfully entitled king of Westeros, I proclaim Queen Daenerys to be ruler, lawfully wedded to me." Jon then threw his torch into the blaze. They held hands, and walked through the fire. Would you believe that? Daenerys' dress was burning, and Jon's robes were burning, but they stayed in the fire. They then emerged unharmed, adorned in silver and gold armour. My, my, it was beautiful.
TYRION: So why is it so quiet?
VARYS: They've marched north to wage war against the Night King. A lot has happened since you've left. The Queen's Army should be garrisoned in Winterfell by now. What day is it? Yes, the 29th. In six days, the Night King is estimated to arrive. Queen Daenerys said it would be the greatest battle between the living and the dead.
TYRION: So I need to fly north.
VARYS: Or you can chose to stay here, and help me rule Dragons' Landing. The Unsullied have remained to keep the Queen's Peace.
TYRION: If I fly within the hour, I can fly to Winterfell before dark. Varys, dear friend. I need to fly north. I need to aid my queen and newly founded king. This battle between the living and the dead may need assistance from a magic user like myself, even if amateurish. So Varys, my dear friend, I wish to say goodbye properly, because who knows if we will ever meet again. My dear friend, what I'm trying to say is, I love you, and your friendship has meant the world to me. I hope we meet again, but the world has become a much more dangerous place.
VARYS: Dangerous indeed. War.
TYRION: War and winter.
They hug, each saying Goodbye.
TYRION walks out of the throne room. Blue light emanates from his hand while he tries not to cry, and suddenly, the blue lights turn into butterflies.
CUTTO: TYRION with MISSANDEI and GREYWORM.
TYRION: I found you, good.
MISSANDEI and GREYWORM: Tyrion, you're alive!
They rush to hug TYRION, and TYRION holds back tears.
GREYWORM: What happened?
TYRION: After the attack at King's Landing, Viserion flew to Valeria. The libraries still exist and I read as much as I could.
MISSANDEI: How did you read Valerian?
TYRION: You mean my Valerian sucks? Yes, orally it absolutely does. But I found a translation of the religious text of the Seven. Valerian and Westerosi side by side, and I learned to read Valerian. Watch what I can do now.
TYRION smiles as butterflies flutter from his hands.
MISSANDEI: Beautiful.
TYRION: I'm still learning, but butterflies! I enchant butterflies through magic!
GREYWORM: And your beard. It makes you look more like wizard.
TYRION: You're right. My beard shouldn't be the most interesting thing about me. I'll visit the barber. But I came because I need to fly to Winterfell and assist in the battle of the living against the dead. I need to leave within the hour. But I would like audience with you, if you don't mind, as you'll be ruling King's Landing, as vice regents of Her Majesty the Queen.
GREYWORM and MISSANDEI look at each other, then say: Vice regents?
TYRION: You obviously can't be Hand to the Queen, because that's me, still is me even if Jon is king and shagging her senseless. I'm still Hand of the Queen, but you two, you're vice regents! It's a great honour to be vice regents of her Majesty the Queen. You'll attend small council meetings, manage the finances, and do all that fun stuff.
GREYWORM: It sounds like work.
TYRION: It's an important job! I did it once. It's hard to believe, but way back when, I did the same exact job. I managed King's Landing, and defended the city against Stanus Baratheon's army. King's Landing, even if renamed to Dragons' Landing, is still the same cesspit of a city. Don't trust anyone and everyone lies, even you to yourself.
MISSANDEI: And Varys?
TYRION: We earned each other's trust.
Bell chimes ring.
TYRION: It's time.
MISSANDEI: So this is goodbye.
TYRION: It is, I'm afraid. The world has become a much more dangerous place.
GREYWORM: Friend and Hand of the Queen, I wish you goodbye. War is dangerous time, and we must protect those we love.
TYRION nods.
MISSANDEI hugs TYRION.
MISSANDEI: I will miss our chats over tea, even if you drank whisky. You always knew how to make me laugh, and I love you, Tyrion. I will miss you. May we meet again, gods willing.
TYRION: May we meet again, gods willing.
MISSANDEI: Last night, I had a nightmare that Cersei Lannister threw me over the walls of King's Landing, and I tumbled to my death. That's not real, right? That was just a bad dream.
TYRION: You're here, safe in King's Landing.
MISSANDEI: Dragons' Landing.
TYRION: Dragons' Landing, force of habit. But you're the brains and he's the brawn of this operation, and hopefully with time, both of you will be hearts of all this. I grew to love the inhabitants of King's Landing, or Dragons' Landing. May you grow to love them too, because they need your protection.
A roar from VISERION.
TYRION: Right. Dragon, pardon me. I need to fly upon a dragon to Winterfell, if you believe me.
MISSANDEI: I believe, and I wish you all the best, dear friend.
TYRION: Goodbye.
Butterflies emanate from TYRION's hand as he walks away.
CUTTO: Courtyard with VISERION. TYRION enters.
TYRION: Dear friend, we need to go.
VISERION grumbles.
TYRION: Your mother, Queen Daenerys is at Winterfell.
VISERION grumbles.
TYRION: Indeed. Nevertheless, your brothers are there too.
VISERION hisses steam.
TYRION: Absolutely. They've not seen how big you grew.
VISERION hisses more steam, but smiling.
TYRION nods. VISERION cranes her neck down so TYRION can climb on top. VISERION runs down the courtyard to build momentum. With one leap, VISERION and TYRION are airborne, and the audience witnesses Westeros from Dragons' Landing, past the Riverrun, past the Twins, and then Winterfell. Soldiers train on the fields down below, and when VISERION approaches, the bell towers ring.
VISERION lands on the snow covered fields with the soldiers and they all stop their training to gaze upon the dwarf and the dragon.
TYRION: Soldiers, I am Tyrion Lannister, Hand of the Queen. VISERION bends down her neck, and TYRION dismounts.
SOLDIER#1: Aye sir. We know who you be. Not everyday a man arrives by dragon.
TYRION: Her name is Viserion, but yes.
SOLDIER#2: Viserion, she's a beauty. Dragons are such magnificent creatures. SOLDIER#2 walks closer as if to pet her, when VISERION hisses steam.
TYRION: I wouldn't get too close. You're not within her circle of trust, so she will roast you to a crisp.
SOLDIER#2 stops.
BRIENNE rides atop a white horse towards TYRION.
BRIENNE: Lord Tyrion, Hand of the Queen. Welcome to Winterfell.
TYRION: Brienne of Tarth, glad to see a familiar face.
BRIENNE: Queen Daenerys is at the great hall with the Lords and Ladies of the North. I can take you there, if you wish.
TYRION: And Viserion? Where are her other royal dragons?
BRIENNE: They're hunting.
VISERION sniffs, then smiles.
TYRION: You smell them. Will you join them in the hunt?
VISERION nods.
TYRION: See you later.
VISERION runs down the hill to build momentum, and with one leap, is airborne.
BRIENNE: You have conversations with a dragon?
TYRION: Her name is Viserion, and of course I do. They're intelligent creatures and if I spoke Draconic, I'm sure I could learn a thing or two about life from her. But right now, she understands me but can't articulate Westerosi words linguistically, being dragon and all, and my mouth can't articulate Draconic words linguistically, being human. But, we're off to Queen Daenerys.
BRIENNE: Yes. Would you like to ride in front or in the back?
TYRION: You mean you don't have a cart I can sit in? I'm really not sure I can ride a horse, truth be told. Of all the years, I'm never seen riding horse. I would prefer a cart of some kind.
BRIENNE: It's the war. No spare horses. You ride a dragon! What's the problem of riding a horse?
TYRION: The dragon thing's new. But no spare horses. Could you lift me up?
BRIENNE nods.
TYRION walks to the horse and raises his hands so BRIENNE can lift him up. They ride past the first gate, up the hill, past the second gate at the top of the hill for WINTERFELL's main structure.
TYRION: How are things?
BRIENNE: I feel purpose in life. We the strong must defend the living against the dead. All the men and women I've spoke to, we feel united in this purpose. We have loved ones we want to protect. Her Royal Army serves with this purpose.
TYRION: Who do you love?
BRIENNE: Lady Sansa, but for honour.
TYRION: To love a woman, in the love of honour. Men have loved their kings this way, but I've never seen a woman love her lady in duty and honour. I'm in love with a woman myself, in duty and honour. May I ask, how is Queen Daenerys, as Queen?
BRIENNE: She is a queen we love. Some new mothers even named their daughters after Daenerys. With her dragons we feel protected, and stand a chance against the army of the dead. But what about you? Your beard is very long.
TYRION: I know, my beard shouldn't be the most interesting thing about me. But I was in Valeria, and read the greatest library in the world.
BRIENNE: You were in Valeria? I thought it was toxic and that's why the Grey Men live there.
TYRION: Near the coast, yes, but up in the mountains where Valerian aristocracy once lived, the mansions are intact and their libraries undamaged. I spent every daylight hour reading while Viserion hunted. I learned magic. Watch.
TYRION focuses forward, and a path of butterflies emanates in front. BRIENNE smiles in wonder.
BRIENNE: Magic!
TYRION: Magic!
BRIENNE: Does it do anything?
TYRION: Right now, no. It's just light. Well, if you suppose light does light, then yes, it does something.
BRIENNE: Can you kill the dead with your magic?
TYRION: No. I'm still rather new with all this.
BRIENNE: Thank the gods we have her dragons.
CUT TO: WINTERFELL – LARGE HALL
SANSA: As soon as we heard about the Night King's Army, I called all our banners to retreat to Winterfell. Lord Umber when can we expect your people to arrive?
A young boy stands up from the side of the room and walks forward.
UMBER: We need more horses and wagons, if it please my lady.
He stops and then turns to look at JON.
UMBER: And my lord.
He stops again and then turns to look at DAENERYS.
UMBER: And my queen. Sorry.
DAENERYS: You don't have enough horses for your bannermen?
UMBER shakes his head.
DAENERYS: Well, not enough horses for your bannermen are a result of war or mismanagement.
SANSA: War. The Umbers pledged for the wrong side.
UMBER nods.
DAENERYS: Lord Umber, you are the youngest Lord I've met. But I was once young, and power was thrust upon me. You must know, you are safer here, but we haven't any spare horses. The Night King and his army arrive in six days. Have you visited your crypts and listened to your ancestors' bones?
UMBER shakes his head.
LADY MORMONT: I have. The bones of the dead hiss. That is not natural. This is why all of Bear Island is here. To serve in her Royal Army, my queen, and fight against the unnatural enemy.
GLOVER: I have listened. This is why all the Glovers are here. To serve with Her Royal Army and defend the living against the dead. With you and your royal dragons, we stand a chance.
BANNER after BANNER of the North pledge fealty to DAENERYS before the great battle to come. As the crowd applauds, the main hall doors open, and BRIENNE and top of (unknown man) walk in.
JON, to DAENERYS: I think Tyrion has returned. JON points to BRIENNE, whose tall height is visible through the crowd.
DAENERYS: I only see Brienne.
Then, suddenly butterflies rise from the crowd and the crowd parts open to reveal TYRION.
DAENERYS, smiling: Tyrion, you're alive!
TYRION, bowing: My queen, yes.
TYRION walks to the throne to greet DAENERYS.
DAENERYS: Those butterflies?
TYRION: Magic.
DAENERYS: We have much to discuss, but please, grab a seat. DAENERYS points to a free chair.
TYRION: Yes, we have much to discuss, and not with the entire northern court listening, I know.
TYRION walks up to JON.
JON: Dwarf.
TYRION: Bastard.
They smile and hug.
TYRION: My honour to meet the man who married my queen.
JON: We have much to discuss.
TYRION nods.
TYRION: Bran, I'm sorry about what happened. I figured it out. My brother or my sister threw you out the window, and I'm sorry. I feel guilty for it for being a Lannister, and some things money can't fix. I'm sorry.
BRAN: You are clever and we have much to discuss.
TYRION nods.
TYRION: Arya, I'm glad you're alive. When you disappeared from King's Landing, I feared the worst, but hoped for the best. You're alive, and it means hope is sometimes rewarded.
ARYA: Meet us later, to drink dad's stash of whiskey.
TYRION: Sansa. You are ever the lady that Lady Caitlyn was, but with more wisdom because you've been through much more. I'm deeply sorry for all the misery my family has inflicted on you and your family.
SANSA: As my ex-husband, you're family too in a roundabout kind of way.
TYRION: Through vow only.
They smile.
SANSA: We have much to discuss.
TYRION nods then sits.
DAENERYS stands.
DAENERYS: Within six days, the Night King and his army will march upon Winterfell. Every preparation must be complete within three days for his army may arrive earlier.
JON: I will be setting up one on one meetings to discuss tactics, not strategy. In three days, when all the preparations are complete, we convene to discuss strategy. Agreed?
CROWD bang knuckles onto the table and yell: Aye, aye!
JON: Meeting ajourned. Long may Queen Daenerys reign.
CROWD: Long may she reign! The CROWD disperses and trickles out.
CUTTO: GAME ROOM of Winterfell. DAENERYS and TYRION sit in front of a giant game board shaped like Westeros.
DAENERYS: Where did Viserion take you? How is she?
TYRION: We flew to Valeria, and she's bigger now.
DAENERYS: Valeria, is it safe?
TYRION: Up in the mountains, yes, where the mansions are. I never ventured down the mountain, but I heard the screams of animals I shudder to think of, but that's where Viserion hunted. She brought back leftovers for me to eat.
DAENERYS: Does she eat her hunt raw or charred?
TYRION: Cooked, but I didn't know they had preferences.
DAENERYS: They do. Drogon eats charred flesh and Rhaegal raw. I've no idea what it means, but find it fascinating about my children.
TYRION: About that, things have changed for Viserion now that she's a woman, as far as dragons are concerned. We spoke about it. She feels that as an independent woman, she wants to move out and live on her own. Not right away, she knows we're in the middle of a war, but afterwards, she wants to find territory of her own.
DAENERYS: How are you communicating with Viserion? I can't understand a word Drogon or Rhaegal say. I know they speak Draconic to each other, but so much of it sounds the same to me.
TYRION: It's because they speak in frequencies our ears can't hear.
DAENERYS: Frequencies?
TYRION: Yes, like how dogs can hear things we can't.
DAENERYS: Like dog whistles?
TYRION: Sort of, but deeper. They feel like vibrations to us. Some words feel like tremors. It's an insanely impossible language to speak if not natively dragon.
DAENERYS: Your sister and brother, I have important news.
TYRION: My sister was executed and you have Jaime and Bron with the Night's Watch.
DAENERYS: Let me guess, you figured it out.
TYRION: I'm a clever dwarf who happens to know magic. My beard isn't the most interesting thing about me.
DAENERYS: I've missed you.
TYRION: I've missed you too. The real you, not the supposed one to fit into a half-baked script where you go insane and murder everyone. No, the real you. You are the most loving person I know, you deserve to be Queen, and I am so honoured to be your Hand.
DAENERYS: So what do you think of Jon and me?
TYRION: Politically, this was brave but your best manoeuvre to assert dominion over the Seven Kingdoms. You forged a United Westeros. But I have to ask, is it love?
DAENERYS: It's growing to be. I know royal history, Tyrion, and know most princesses marry politically. Only in fairy tales do princesses marry for love. With Jon, it wasn't love at first, but it's growing to be.
TYRION: I'm happy for you.
DAENERYS: I'm happy for you. You were in Valeria. I've always had fantasies of Valeria. You were in the middle of telling me about Valeria, but we got side tracked. Valeria, you were in the mansions, you had food – what did you do for water?
TYRION: The fountains were still working, and the bathrooms too. The plumbing in these Valerian mansions were built to last. They were actually cleaner than the bathrooms at King's Landing, but maybe I'm a little particular about clean bathrooms. Valeria is a tropical climate in the mountains, so I took evening baths in this gorgeous mansion with an outdoor pool overlooking the valley. That's where I stayed. It was the most impressive mansion, and when I mean impressive, it was like in Qarth but even grander. The mansion contained a concert hall with a working piano. Not just any piano, but a black grand piano. When I played, the acoustics in that concert hall were out of this world, better than anything in Westeros because we weren't in Westeros, we were in Valeria. This was a civilization.
DAENERYS: You play the piano?
TYRION: Yes. I'm actually rather good at it. I can hear a song once and remember how to play it.
DAENERYS: Was there a library?
TYRION: Yes, you and your libraries. A library even grander than the piano, and somehow dry in that library. It's quite remarkable to be outside in a tropical climate then enter a library that's dry and cool like at Casterly Rock. Something magical was going on in Valeria.
DAENERYS: Room temperature and humidity control, plus very clean bathrooms, that's magical?
TYRION: Exactly, indeed! Because these books would have rotted in mould otherwise, but the Valerians had a way to make this library built to last. During the day, I read everything I could get my hands on.
DAENERYS: And learned magic.
TYRION: That, well, I'm still rather amateurish of it.
Knock on the door.
JON: May I enter?
DAENERYS: Yes.
JON enters and kisses DAENERYS.
JON: Dwarf.
TYRION: Bastard.
JON: It turns out I'm no bastard. I was the son of the lawfully wedded Rhaegon Targaryen and Lyanna Stark.
TYRION: Yes, so you two, it means incest. I know my brother and sister, they were shagging so as a Lannister, I'm not one to judge.
JON: I won't ask about the beard then.
TYRION: Good.
JON: But I want to ask you about the war.
TYRION: But I thought the meeting on strategy would happen three days from now.
JON: That's the meeting for show and pageantry. We will have already prepared by then, so it's a show to build hope and trust because some of these men will not survive. Everyone knows it, but it's the tradition among us Northerners.
TYRION: An honourable tradition, if I may kindly add.
JON: So, you figured out my ancestry, if you remember way back when.
TYRION: Yes, in this reality, not the reality of hobos.
JON: Absolutely. You were clever enough to figure that out.
TYRION: Yes.
JON: This time, we can't expect some one in a millionth chance of surviving type of ending to happen. I mean, that would be disastrous for a franchise.
TYRION: Franchise?
JON: Nevermind. I need your help in planning for this war, but there is one fact we need to acknowledge.
DAENERYS: We are up against 160 000 undead. With the north men and my Dothraki, we number 112 431.
JON: We don't have the numbers.
DAENERYS: But we have three dragons. So, how would you defend Winterfell?
TYRION looks at the shelves and sees bags and bags of dice. He grabs a handful of dice, and throws it on the board of Westeros by Winterfell.
TYRION counting: Eleven. TYRION gives eleven dice to JON.
TYRION then grabs sixteen dice.
TYRION: Let's play a game. Whoever rolls the higher total number, wins.
JON: But you have more dice.
TYRION: That's why I'll win.
They throw dice. JON counts 43. TYRION counts 56.
JON: You won. We don't have the numbers.
TYRION: But if we funnel the enemy up the hill, and they're reduced to a narrow phalanx of soldiers, look, I only have 3 dice.
They each throw 3 dice.
JON: Twelve.
TYRION: Eleven.
DAENERYS: But the Dothraki are on horseback. They're camped out in the snow right now. They can't all be behind the safety of Winterfell's walls. My 108 000 Dothraki are camped outside because they can't all stay in the castle. We don't have the room.
TYRION: I thought we had 120 000 Dothraki?
DAENERYS: Well, we lost some as the army rode north. They've listened to graves, and the stories of this army of the dead grew more and more fantastical. Mammoths, giants, and who knows kinds of creatures from north of the wall. Some of the Dothraki grew frightened and fled in the night. I would have chased after them, but I had to ride north. Every day matters.
JON: We sent scouts to take the deserters back, but the scouts disappeared too.
TYRION: The Dothraki don't think this war is their war. But from what I gather, as the Night King advanced, his army grew as he killed the living. What's the population of Westeros?
JON: 30 million.
TYRION: If we don't stop the Night King here, all of Westeros will be his army. An army of 30 million because the undead don't have to eat or sleep. They will continue to march, and I'll bet, bring the winter south across the narrow sea. The narrow sea will freeze.
DAENERYS: And the Night King and his army march onto Essos, but as an army of 30 million, not 160 000. No army in Essos could defeat an army of 30 million.
TYRION: This is the war of the living against the dead. If the Dothraki want to stay part of the living, they must fight.
CUTTO: MALAKHO and KOVARRO in the tents.
MALAKHO, in Dothraki: Seriously, tents? But where else would we sleep.
KOVARRO, in Dothraki: I had a dream. I dreamt that we charged into the darkness, and suddenly all our lights went dark as if dead.
MALAKHO: Or more easily filmed.
KOVARRO: Filmed?
MALAKHO: Nevermind.
KOVARRO: Do you think it's true, this army of the undead?
MALAKHO: I don't know. But we have three dragons! It's got to count for something.
KOVARRO, tears in his eyes: I don't want to die. It's not only we're so far away from home, but I wasted my youth, and now I know what love is, and for once, I want to fall in love and be loved back. Is that too much to ask?
MALAKHO: No. It is our birthright to find love, but not everyone does. It is just a fact of life. Some of us have settled with facts of life. I have. Kovarro, my friend, sometimes we don't find love, but only companionship along the way. Companionship isn't such a bad thing, is it?
KOVARRO: No, friend. The love of a friend is a good thing.
MALAKHO and KOVARRO hug and they walk to the field to train.
CUTTO: TYRION in the GODSWOOD with BRAN.
TYRION: These woods are lovely. Bran,
BRAN: I am the Three-eyed Raven.
TYRION: I've heard you changed.
BRAN: That is the truth.
TYRION: I need your help, if you have the time.
BRAN: I have nothing but time.
TYRION: It must feel rather hectic, all of this preparation for war, for someone who has lived so long.
BRAN: For an old creature used to time passing with the seasons, counting time by the day, by the hour, and then by the minute, it seems rather hectic. But I know time feels different for you than it does for me.
TYRION: I need help with a new skill I learned while abroad. TYRION emanates butterflies from his palm.
BRAN: Magic.
TYRION: At the moment, that's all I can do, but I'd like to learn more. How does magic work?
BRAN: I never analyzed how my magic works. Those who have it feel it. The children when they throw their fireballs, they felt it. I'm not certain what emotion it was, but it simply was.
TYRION: I was hoping for a more detailed answer.
BRAN: I seem to disappoint many. The problem with living as long as I have, I assume people know what I know.
TYRION: I always thought old people assumed the young knew nothing.
BRAN: Old, but not very old. When you're very old, I forget details about life that people who live more than ten thousand years forget.
TYRION: That is a perspective no one is familiar with.
BRAN: That is how I live life.
TYRION: With this long life, you must have had many happy moments.
BRAN: They were few and far between. Unfortunately.
TYRION: Then when was your happiest memory, if you don't mind my asking?
BRAN: No one has asked me that. I thank you. The happiest time in my life was when the saplings of Heartwood trees grew and I felt love from all the saplings that had taken root. It had been hundreds of years since Heartwood saplings had taken root. For a period of time, I was not alone and felt love.
TYRION: What happened to the Heartwood saplings, if I may ask? There are not many Heartwood trees in Westeros today.
BRAN: Here is the last Heartwood tree before venturing south into the world of cities, fortresses, and men. For a few centuries, we were growing and spread out past what you call the Twins, slowly but surely, every Heartwood in symbiosis with the natural environment, but also in symbiosis with other Heartwood trees through the north. With me as their father. But then men advanced northward, and fell tree after tree as they advanced.
TYRION: This is the nature of men.
BRAN: I've come to this conclusion as well.
TYRION: As someone who has lived more than anyone I know, may I ask something?
BRAN: Sure, please do.
TYRION: With the Night King's army advancing upon us in five days, I've been thinking about death, and what it all means. For my father, legacy was all that mattered after death, but it's easy to pontificate about legacy when the wealthiest man in Westoros, by birthright and not merit, mind you. What does legacy mean for you?
BRAN: My legacy were those saplings. The word pains me now.
TYRION: When I was in Valeria, I learned about legacy. I was on the mountains with mansions, and saw the old remnants of Valerian aristocracy. Not only were bathrooms impeccable, each house held a library. I learned a lot about a house based on their library, and as I read more and more, I learned more about Valeria. Valeria was a richly cultured civilisation that progressed knowledge of mathematics, physical chemistry, and music. The knowledge held within these texts were the legacy of a grand civilisation.
BRAN: How did Valeria as a civilisation perish?
TYRION: I'm not certain. Newspapers didn't survive in the libraries of these mansion estates so I have no idea what headlines were current.
BRAN: The mystery of Valeria will remain a mystery, and maybe better so. The mystery entices the imagination.
TYRION: The mysterious end of a civilisation holds much intellectual heft for pondering. I must confess, I had much intellectual pondering with you, Three-eyed Raven, as a man who has the gift to peer into worlds past and worlds present. But I have come to a realisation about you, if you don't mind my sharing.
BRAN: I do not easily take offence.
TYRION: The years you've lived have made you a sad man.
BRAN: It's no mystery that sadness is a consequence of living life unwisely. I have become a sad creature, and this sadness burdens my mind. I am a creature who knows the past and present, and although I cannot see into the future, I can predict like anyone else. As future predictions, I am entitled to my opinion. But I predict a future less promising than today. Every creature will, on the journey of his life, realize a day when the future holds no hope. But the forces at work are greater than any creature, and the world will not support a future with hope. This is the profound sadness I feel.
TYRION: The end of the world.
BRAN: The end.
TYRION: You're so bloody frustrating to talk to! I was coming for help and you give me gibberish about the end of the world! You're useless! TYRION storms off.
BRAN: I thought it was going rather well.
CUTTO: ARYA sitting at a table in the COURTYARD, and TYRION enters. JON is off in the distance with SAM.
TYRION, pulling chair: Your brother has become a downer, proclaiming the end of the world.
ARYA, looking at JON: Become? He's always been a bit of a downer. Even knowing he's rightfully king, he's still a downer.
TYRION: Your other brother, I mean.
ARYA: Creepy three-eyed brother.
TYRION: Exactly. If Bran ever becomes ruler of Westeros, it would be a foolish man who puts him there.
ARYA: I hope that future never comes to pass.
JON enters, exasperated: Sam's here, as well as Ser Mormont.
ARYA: Why are you upset? I thought you and Sam were good friends.
JON: We were. We are. But he was supposed to say in Oldtowne to be safe, yet he comes up to Winterfell with only days before the Night King arrives. He rushed here because he had important news to tell me about who my real father was.
TYRION: But that's old news.
JON: Old news and now he, Gillie, and the son are in danger. We know he can't fight.
Howling.
JON: Open the second gate!
The 2nd gates of Winterfell open, and GHOST enters. GHOST rushes to JON, and they're happy to see each other.
JON: Buddy, you're back. I was starting to worry. Were you successful? Did you find her?
GHOST is panting with tongue out when NIMERIA enters.
ARYA: Nimeria!
NIMERIA growls, but ARYA approaches slowly. ARYA offers her hand, and NIMERIA licks.
ARYA: I've missed you. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you.
TYRION approaches with a large steak.
TYRION: Arya, take a bite then give this to your dire wolf.
ARYA: Why?
TYRION: This is the law of the animal world. Whoever eats first is the alpha.
ARYA chews a piece of the raw steak, then places on the ground in front of NIMERIA. NIMERIA eats.
JON: She's too wild to stay at Winterfell.
TYRION: Did she come alone or with her pack? Howling. Obviously her pack. Nimera has to return to her pack.
ARYA: But you'll be around, right old friend?
NIMERIA pants then exits.
JON: Ghost, we will need you and the pack in the great battle to come.
GHOST pants then exits.
TYRION: The great battle to come: 108 000 of the Dothraki, 3 431 of the duty-bound north, 2 dire wolves and a pack, and last but not least, 3 royal dragons against an army of the 160 000 undead.
JON: By the way, only you, me, Daenerys, and now Arya know. We didn't tell the general public. Too much math bores the average man. We thought it was better to rally morale by calling this 'the Great Living Battle'.
ARYA: That makes 112 436 of us against 160 000 of them. The math sucks on that. Are you certain we're upgainst 160 000? Is it that you're estimating because 160 000 is strangely even?
JON: Bran told us.
ARYA: Of course he can't be wrong. The math bites bollocks on that. They have 40% more than us. The only way we'd win is if I do a one in a millionth chance move and assassinate the Night King in the God's Wood, but would people believe that? A saga which ends like that would feel like a waste of time.
JON: You think you can do better?
ARYA: I hope so! ARYA storms off.
TYRION: She turned suddenly emotional about that. But Arya is right. The numbers aren't in our favour. But I'll find an idea on how to even the odds. I don't know how, but give my brain a moment, and it'll work it out like a piano concerto.
JON: You play the piano?
TYRION: Dwarf without a lot of friends growing up, yes, I spent a lot of time indoors. That included playing the piano. I'm rather good of it.
JON: Well, tonight is the strategy meeting. After the bruh ha hah, we drink. It's a tradition of ours. Three days before battle, each side drinks, has a day to sleep it over, then the battle.
TYRION: What if one side doesn't wait and attacks while the other side is hungover?
JON: The north remembers.
TYRION: I bet some of the saddest songs are sung during nights like these.
JON: The saddest and happiest, truth be told. At nights like these, the truth of how we lived life comes through song.
CUT TO: WINTERFELL - DAENERYS' QUARTERS
DAENERYS' door opens and JORAH walks in.
JORAH: Forgive me, khaleesi.
DAENERYS: Have you done something to offend me?
JORAH: Many things.
DAENERYS: Long ago and long forgiven.
JORAH: But you did forgive, despite my failures. When I heard you'd named Tyrion your Hand, it broke my heart.
DAENERYS: When I named him Hand, I didn't know if I'd ever see you again.
JORAH: You made the right choice.
DAENERYS: I wasn't under the impression you liked him very much.
JORAH: I didn't. His mouth hardly stopped moving between Volantis and Meereen. It was all I could do not to throw him in the sea.
JORAH chuckles.
JORAH: But the mind behind all those words-
DAENERYS: He's been to Valeria.
JORAH: We passed Valeria but that's when the Grey Men attacked.
DAENERYS: In Valeria but up in the mountains.
JORAH: I see. You know I was attacked on the coast of Valeria. I sat on the beach while I felt my forearm tinge from greyscale. I was on the beach and heard waves crash, and thought: what a beautiful place to know I will die. As a fighter, I knew one day would be my day, but I always thought it would be sudden, a sword and a moment before death slices through me. Quick, in an instant. But on the beach near Valeria, I had greyscale and thought I would die a slow painful death.
DAENERYS: You're cured?
JORAH: Yes.
DAENERYS hugs JORAH.
DAENERYS: I would not be here if it weren't for your guidance. I love you, but you know, I don't see you in that way.
JORAH: I know. A man knows when a woman is in love with someone else, and against the odds.
Perhaps the iron throne can be ruled from a place of love. I truly hope so.
Bells chime.
DAENERYS: Duty.
JORAH nods.
CUT TO: WINTERFELL – GREAT HALL
WOLKAN leads DAENERYS and SANSA into the great hall, where we see THEON GREYJOY standing in the centre of the hall. DAENERYS looks shocked, THEON walks up to her and bends his knee.
THEON: My queen.
DAENERYS: Your sister?
THEON: She only has a few ships, and she couldn't sail them here. So, she's sailing to the Iron Islands instead, to take them back in your name.
DAENERYS: But why aren't you with her?
THEON looks at SANSA.
THEON: I want to fight for Winterfell, Lady Sansa, if you'll have me.
SANSA walks up to THEON quickly and hugs him tightly. THEON hugs back.
JON looks at DAENERYS: My queen, how many second chances should a man be granted?
DAENERYS: One.
JON: How many second chances has Theon Greyjoy had?
DAENERYS: Too many. DAENERYS nods.
JON rises, and pushes THEON to a chair, in total submission to the chair. THEON's eyes grow wide in disbelief.
JON: For the crime of derelict of duty, on behalf of her majesty the Queen, I sentence you to die. JON unsheaths LONGCLAW and beheads THEON in the GREAT HALL. SANSA screams.
DAENERYS: I am queen of Westeros, and I am merciful, but a second chance is your final chance. Meeting ajourned.
DAENERYS walks away from the GREAT HALL.
ARYA: Holy fuck. This shit's gotten real.
CUTTO: ARYA in the forges with GENDRY.
ARYA: I've a bottle of my dad's whisky. I need to talk with you.
GENDRY, concerned: Of course Arya.
They sit around a table, and ARYA pours shots.
ARYA: Theon was just beheaded in the Great Hall. Holy fuck. This isn't some end where everyone wakes up and it was all just a dream, shit, this means some of us are really going to die. Shit.
GENDRY: I feel perfectly healthy, but Ser Mormont, I don't know.
ARYA: Look, this time it's different. The odds aren't in our favour.
GENDRY: What odds?
ARYA: 121 438 to 160 000. Even with dragons, they outnumber us by 40%.
GENDRY pours himself a drink.
GENDRY: We don't have the numbers.
ARYA: But we have to prevail. We're fighting for life and our loved ones.
GENDRY: I've never seen troops so determined in their purpose. This battle is the Great Living Battle, when the living fight the dead. We will prevail.
ARYA: But if I die in battle, I want to know what it's like, sex. I've killed, but never fucked. Have you?
GENDRY: Yes, and it wouldn't work out between you and me.
ARYA: That's not what I was asking.
GENDRY: But that's where your mind was going. You're curious about sex, and wanted your first time to be with a blacksmith who happens to be royalty.
ARYA: Royalty? That's not what I said.
GENDRY: These biceps don't harm the whole package. Gendry, the bastard son of Robert Baratheon, former king of Westeros and now this bastard has become Royal Man of Arms to Queen Daenerys. I'm a catch, and well, it wouldn't work out between you and me because you're like my sister, my little sister. How long have we known each other? Since you were pissing by the river pretending to be a boy, remember how many years ago?
ARYA: It feels like eight years ago. I hadn't bled yet.
GENDRY: You were pretending to be a boy on the way to Winterfell.
ARYA: That was so long ago. Do you remember when the Gold Cloaks attacked us? I was so shit scared because I thought they were after me, but they were really after you. I was a little girl pretending to be a boy and pretending not to be scared shitless. But I was.
GENDRY: Are you scared shitless now?
ARYA: Only a fool wouldn't be scared. We're battling against the army of the dead or undead for fuck's sake. You ever fucked someone?
GENDRY: Betty from Fleabottom. She was my first and the firsts for a lot of boys in Fleabottom but I learned a few things from her. Then Diana, Lauren, then a few more. Can't forget Tina. She was the one who got away.
ARYA: You've fucked a few women in your life. But the irony of you whoring around Westeros, fathering how many bastards along the way, like your royal father did?
GENDRY: Yes, as a bastard I live this ironic life guilt free. If I grew up fine, my little bastards will also grow up fine.
ARYA: Your cock's big, isn't it?
GENDRY: Arya, little sis, is that something you'd ask of a big brother?
ARYA: It's not like I haven't seen it. I just haven't seen it recently. You, pissing in the woods, of course I gandered a peek.
GENDRY: Yes, it's big. I fuck my way through Westeros with the confidence of a man well endowed, and life's pretty fun.
ARYA: In three days, it could be over. Death could come and claim your fun life. If death claims your life, would you have any regrets?
GENDRY, pausing, then tears welling in his eyes: Tina. We were in love, and if we'd been more truthful, we'd have realized we were in love with each other.
ARYA: I'd regret dying as a virgin.
GENDRY: Your first time can hurt.
ARYA: I bloody well know that. But if I don't die, if somehow I live and it turns out I'm pregnant with a dead man's child, I want it to be with a child I'd love. I want to be able to tell this child who the father is.
GENDRY: If it turns out you're alive after all of this, and I'm alive after all of this, then I'd want to be a father.
GENDRY looks at ARYA and they kiss.
ARYA: You're good at kissing.
GENDRY: I've had a lot of experience. Arya, if ever it hurts too much, tap me twice. If there's something you like, moan or say yes. But otherwise, don't talk too much. Words ruin it for me.
GENDRY looks around and it's quiet.
GENDRY: Bottoms up!
ARYA: Bottoms up!
They toast, then GENDRY leads them to a quiet corner.
ARYA: We're really going to do this?
GENDRY: You're not really my sister, now are you?
ARYA: No.
They kiss and camera pants out to ARYA giggling and saying: Yes Gendry, yes!
CUTTO:WINTERFELL – GREAT HALL
DAENERYS and JON sit in the head table.
JON: Lords and ladies of the north. Tonight is our tradition. Three nights before battle, we drink and toast what we can before the great battle to come. For hundreds of years, we have honoured this tradition, from the Battle between the Umbridges and the Karstarks in 918, to the Battle between the Starks and Southern Men, 1423 to 1427. It's a grand tradition, and let's be honest, a tradition we would not honour with the Boltons, but if all estimates are true, we have three more days before the Great Living Battle.
DAENERYS: M|y countrymen and women, in the Great Living Battle, we face an enemy like no other: the unnatural enemy. His army haunts our nightmares and with each day, the stories grow more fantastical. But we have dragonglass, and we have dragons: Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal. Three dragons and her Royal Army, determined to prevail against this unnatural enemy.
JON: If any of you have words for the rest of the north, please come forward.
LADY MORMONT: The Great Living Battle is one I may not live through, and some of you have come to that realisation as well. We must sacrifice to protect those we love, and I Lady Mormont love all the men and women of Bear Island, and through the weeks preparing for this battle, I've grown to love the people from the other houses: Karstarks, Glovers, and even the Freys. We have united as the north, and we have Queen Daenerys to thank for that. I have grown to love you as well, my queen.
JORAH: My khaleesi, I have pledged my life to serve you from the very beginning, and from the very beginning, my heart belonged to you. Love is a word not said enough, but this love I bear you, from khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea to the Seven Kingdoms under your Queendom, you bear that love for the people you rule. Your love extends to mercy. My offence against you was the greatest mistake in my life, and you in your wisdom granted me forgiveness. I love you Khaleesi, for your love and wisdom.
SAM: So it's my turn, and it's kind of strange to be standing alone without the other men of the Night's Watch with me, but this time around there's a good reason. I don't need to get into that here. Jon, when we first met, you saved my life. I wouldn't have made it past my first year if it wasn't for your friendship. Neither would have Pip, Gwen, and the musician whose name I bloody forget, but your friendship meant a lot to us. We knew you as the Bastard son of Winterfell, and now you're king of the Seven Kingdoms with a really hot smoking queen if I could add, but if wasn't for the war, we would have raised our kids together – birthdays, summer tournaments, and all that. We would have had a happy life together, but war means this life isn't possible. SAM holds back tears. As brothers, I love our friendship.
ARYA: Shit's getting real.
BRAN, wheelchairs in: The Night King will arrive half a day early. The CROWD is silent as BRAN wheelchairs up to the head table.
BRAN: I thought that was important news to share.
DAENERYS: It was.
DAENERYS rises, smiles.
DAENERYS: My countrymen and women, tonight we celebrate in the northern tradition before great battles. The Great Living Battle will be the greatest battle of them all. The Night King has his army, but our army has dragons, dragonglass, and we fight for love. Look around you, and feel the love of your country, and your country brethren. For love, we vow to defend and protect. Tonight, a toast: to those we love. Cheers!
CROWD cheers.
JON: Let's get this party started!
Music plays, and CUTTO: JON and DAENERYS.
DAENERYS: It feels like our wedding, all over again. This is a grand northern tradition before battle.
JON: Aye, and I just made it up.
DAENERYS: What, the Battle of the Karstarks and the Umbers isn't real? Nor the Battle of the Starks and Southern Men?
JON: The Karstarks and Umbers, no, but the Starks and Southern Men, yes. I just don't remember the bloody dates. But I made this tradition up so we can have another wedding because we're queen and king now, and we can do whatever we want. We've won, and yes we have a monumental battle in front of us, but for another night, I want to celebrate life with you. I love you, my queen.
DAENERYS: I love you too, my king.
They kiss.
JON, whispering in DAENERYS' ear: Tonight, I'm going to fuck you so hard.
DAENERYS: Our children would be so beautiful.
CUT TO: WINTERFELL - BATTLEMENTS
SANDOR "THE HOUND" CLEGANE sits with back against the battlements drinking alone. ARYA walks up to him and he notices her. She walks closer and SANDOR silently offers the drink. ARYA sits down next to SANDOR and takes a swig. They sit silently staring ahead.
SANDOR: You never used to shut up. Now you're just sitting there like a mute.
ARYA: Guess I've changed.
She pauses.
ARYA: What are you doing up here?
SANDOR: What's it look like?
ARYA: No, I mean, what are you doing up here? You joined the Brotherhood. You're here now. Why? When was the last time you fought for anyone but yourself?
SANDOR turns to her.
SANDOR: I fought for you, didn't I?
ARYA: I will tell you something I've not told my brother or sister. I tell you this, not because I love you, but because I respect you. The killer respects the killer.
SANDOR: You're going to tell me you're an assassin?
ARYA: I learned in Braavos.
SANDOR: Fucking hell, I knew you'd be a killer. Cheers to that!
ARYA, smiling: Cheers mate, I thought it'd go differently.
SANDOR: Not here. So, the first person you killed? Not in self-defence because that doesn't count. Killed. Murdered. Pre-meditated.
ARYA: Polliver. But he was easy. He was practically dead when I stabbed him. He wasn't satisfying.
SANDOR: Then you are a killer. The harder ones are more satisfying. Which one was most satisfying?
ARYA: When I killed the Freys, the male ones at least. It was a complicated story of disguise and intrigue, but all I can seem to remember is a poisonous toast. Go figure. But 23 men poisoned in one toast.
SANDOR: What, 23 men in one poisonous toast? Holy fuck to that. I killed thirteen in one battle, mind you battling is different from poison, but 23. You're a killer. Cheers to that!
They cheer.
SANDOR: I never thanked you for sparing my life.
ARYA: Way back when.
SANDOR: Way back when. I begged you to kill me, but you didn't. I joined the Brotherhood, and I learned that being a killer feels different when you kill to protect those who would kill those you love. Life has more purpose.
ARYA: It does.
BERIC walks up to the two of them and stops in front of them.
SANDOR: Oh, for fuck's sake. May as well be at a bloody wedding.
BERIC smiles. He turns to look at ARYA.
BERIC: My lady. It's good to see you again. I'm sorry we parted the way we did.
SANDOR turns to ARYA.
SANDOR: You ever wanted to kill him?
ARYA: For a little while.
BERIC: That's all right.
BERIC sits down on a barrel opposite the two.
BERIC: The Lord of Light has brought us together all the same. This is his moment. When light-
SANDOR: Thoros isn't here anymore, so I hope you're not about to give a sermon. Because if you are, the Lord of Light's gonna wonder why he brought you back nineteen times just to watch you die when I chuck you over this fucking wall.
He points to the wall he's leaning against. BERIC chuckles and holds his hand out. SANDOR passes him the drink. ARYA stands up and starts walking away from them.
SANDOR: Where are you going?
ARYA turns around to look at them.
ARYA: I'm not spending my final hours with you two miserable old shits.
ARYA exits and SANDOR and BERIC sit in silence.
CUT TO: WINTERFELL – GREAT HALL
The fire is still lit and the people who were in there earlier still sit there. Opposite the fire sits (from left to right) BRIENNE, DAVOS, TYRION and PODRICK. They sit in silence before TYRION breaks it.
TYRION: It's strange, isn't it? Almost everyone here's fought the Starks at one time or another. And here we are in their castle, ready to defend it. Together.
BRIENNE: At least we'll die with honour.
TYRION: I think we might live.
DAVOS and PODRICK both start laughing.
TYRION: I-I do. How many battles have we survived between us? Ser Davos Seaworth. Survivor of both the Blackwater and the Battle of the Bastards.
DAVOS: All without a shred of combat ability.
TYRION: Podrick, Not only did we survive the Battle of the Blackwater, you fucked those whores and they wouldn't take money from you because you were that good. If Bron were here, I'd mention the Duel at the Eerie, but he's north past the wall. That's new to me. What's the deal about that?
DAVOS: North of the wall is the safest place to be since the Night King took his entire army south. A few weeks ago, the children and teenagers went north, past Castle Black, and are now surviving by hunting. It was a one way trip because they've sealed off the wall. But some chose to try a life in the winter than a war with the Night King.
TYRION: My brother and Bron are with them?
PODTRICK: With Tormund.
TYRION closes his eyes and mutters: Safe.
TYRION takes a drink: Tormund had a thing for you, didn't he? TYRION looks at BRIENNE.
BRIENNE: No he didn't.
TYRION: He absolutely did. You didn't see that?
BRIENNE: He's not my type.
TYRION: Is my brother your type because I don't think that would end well.
BRIENNE: No, Jaime's well past the wall protecting children with Bron and the men of the Night's Watch, so us getting together isn't going to happen.
DAVOS: It makes me glad. Romance during war troubles the waters.
TYRION; Is death from the Night King worse than death?
BRIENNE: What do you mean?
TYRION: He'd animate you, in his fashion. Would your body possess a soul, or would your body be mindless?
BRIENNE: With my love I gave to protect, I hope my soul finds peace.
TYRION: I hope for my soul as well.
DAVOS: What's this thing I heard about you and butterflies?
TYRION: Yes, I know magic now. TYRION enchants butterflies throughout the room. And no, it doesn't do anything besides being beautiful, but I'm hoping my magic becomes important in the war. Somehow. I'd like to be useful, somehow. That is my wish. What is your wish?
PODRICK: To live and visit the brothels of Dragons' Landing, once more. For old time's sake.
DAVOS: To serving with honour.
BRIENNE: To serving with honour.
TYRION: You're not a knight, are you?
BRIENNE: I don't have one, and I don't want one.
TYRION: Because I have a feeling somewhere you're a knight in a dramatic ceremony involving my brother Jaime. And if you'd ask, we'd gladly grant it.
BRIENNE: Then I ask to be knighted.
TYRION: As Hand of the Queen, I possess certain privileges. Granting knighthood is one of them. I know it's unusual, but I'd like to knight you with butterflies instead of sword, if you'd agree.
BRIENNE: I do indeed.
TYRION: Please kneel.
BRIENNE bends the knee.
TYRION: You have served the Starks honourably, and faithfully. I do not doubt the commitment you have to protecting those you love. You are the first female knight in all of Westeros, and I can't be more proud that to proclaim you, Brienne of Tarth, a Knight of Westeros. TYRION enchants butterflies on either side of BRIENNE's shoulder. Rise Ser Brienne.
BRIENNE: Your magic does do something. Beauty is something.
CUTTO: ARYA in the library.
ARYA: Gendry, are you here?
A few shelves when:
GENDRY: You know we shouldn't be a thing.
WOMAN'S VOICE: That's not what I said.
GENDRY: But your mind was going there.
WOMAN'S VOICE: That's not what I said.
ARYA stops.
WOMAN'S VOICE: Do you hear anything?
GENDRY: No. But then again, I'm hammering on the smith all day, my hearing's gone to shits.
ARYA rushes out and clutchs her belly.
ARYA: You know your father. But I chose him. Fuck. Let's see if we can't find anyone else to fuck. Yes, you know your mother.
CUTTO: JON and DAENERYS, laying side by side in bed.
DAENERYS: I get it, why you're good.
JON: Why am I good?
DAENERYS: You listen to my body. You hear when to proceed and when to slow down.
JON: When we make love, your body speaks to me. It's one of those traits I picked up when in tune with animals. Not that you're an animal, but I sense feelings. Animals can't use words so they communicate through feelings. When they're happy, when they're scared, when they're angry.
DAENERYS: Is hunger a feeling?
JON: Hunger I'm not sure, but starvation yes. Have you ever seen a wolf so thin and starving, he'd eat anything and risk anything to bite into flesh?
DAENERYS: Once. In the Free Cities, we had a shortage of food one year. It was when I had just bled, so I was the guest of a wealthy merchant's wife who was trying to play matchmaker, and I didn't worry about food. But in the streets, after months of paltry food shipments, the peasants grew skinny from hunger, so skinny that ribs showed and childrens' bellies grew bloated from malnutrition. I witnessed cannibalism on the streets. It was horrifying. The worst thing that can happen to a civilisation is when leaders fail the people and they starve.
JON: We must never let that happen in a United Westeros.
DAENERYS: Never. So, I'm not starving, but I am a little peckish. Want more wine and fruit?
JON: Are there any more skewers of those garlic sausages?
DAENERYS: Yes, but we have to roast them in the fire.
JON: Love, sex, drink, and food. It's the perfect evening.
DAENERYS: One last celebration before the world changes.
JON, holding a skewer into the fire: Did you ever meet Melissandre? She was this Priestess of the God of Light, and always staring into the fire like she could stare into the future.
DAENERYS: No, but another red priestess had audience with Tyrion and Varys in Mereen. I wasn't there.
JON: Melissandre had blood magic, and resurrected me. She possesses powerful magic, and aided me not only in the Battle of the Bastards, I did something with her that I haven't told anyone but I want to tell you.
DAENERYS: Go on.
JON: She told me there was power in king's blood. Stanus impregnated her with his stag seed, and she grew a shadow creature in her womb. She said with my seed, the seed of a dragon and a wolf, she would bear me a powerful creature. It could take years for this creature to gestate within her. I hoped she would be here for this battle, but no. I wonder where she is.
DAENERYS: You had sex with this Red Priestess?
JON: Aye, before banishing her. Before I met you.
DAENERYS: You've been with two women before meeting me, I've been with two men before meeting you. Seems fair to me.
JON: I'm happy both our first loves ended tragically.
DAENERYS: How so?
JON: So this time, we don't fuck it up.
DAENERYS laughs while toasting sausage skewer to sausage skewer in the flames of the fire.
DAENERYS: To not fucking this up.
CUTTO: TYRION, BRIENNE, PODRICK, DAVOS by the fire. THE GREAT HALL is silent except for TYRION, BRIENNE, PODRICK, and DAVOS by the fire.
TYRION: That's a bold fire. We need another log on it.
BRIENNE: You don't want this evening to end.
DAVOS: It's half past midnight.
TYRION: Exactly. Another day and a half. We only need eight hours of sleep.
PODRICK: Because once we wake up, we wake up to the Night King and his army. Tyrion, how many of them are there?
TYRION: It's a secret of the Crown.
PODRICK: The secret of the Crown? Why are troop numbers a secret of the Crown?
TYRION: It was a decision made without my assent.
PODRICK: But you're Hand of the Queen!
TYRION: Absolutely. The politics of court have changed substantially now that Daenerys and Jon are together, shagging each other senseless.
BRIENNE: You think they're shagging? It's not a sham political marriage?
TYRION: I don't believe so. This time, they're in love.
DAVOS: I think I'll need another drink.
PODRICK: I thought they were related.
TYRION: We're in Westeros, and society's morals are different here.
BRIENNE: But still.
TYRION: And you fancy my brother much?
BRIENNE: Eww, no.
TYRION, visibly drunk: I loved twice in my life. Did you know that? Of all the women I've fucked, and believe you me, as a dwarf I counted every woman I fucked, everyone I paid for, everyone I didn't, I kept track of all the women this dwarf cock has penetrated. There was a time I lost track, it has been that many, but I calculated the average and well, I know how many women I've fucked plus or minus a rounding error. But women I've loved, there have been only two. Love isn't a woman you pay money to have sex with. Love is a person you feel the most intensely with, a woman who not only excites your passions, but fulfils some intense need, a person for whom you'd die for – or murder, if she ever betrayed you – love. Podrick, how many women have you loved?
PODRICK: None, my Lord.
BRIENNE: One. Lord Renley.
TYRION: I thought you were a lesbian. Falling in love with a gay man is the perogative of heterosexual women who love artists, not hulking female warriors who could be mistaken for a lesbian, Not that appearances mean everything, but still.
BRIENNE: I'm not a lesbian.
TYRION: Apologies for the assumption. Ser Brienne, you loved Renley?
BRIENNE: I did, but after so many years, I wonder if my love for him wasn't just the teenage girl in me falling in love with the most handsome man in the country, as if love could be achieved without really getting to know each other, blood sweat and all. I got to know your brother this way, blood sweat and all. I only love him as a friend. We've been through much together, our respect for each other's battle skills forged a bond at the beginning, but it was friendship that cooled after the crucible of battle.
TYRION: Ser Davos, have you fallen in love?
DAVOS: Does falling in love with a child count? I mean, non sexually.
TYRION: Loving a child is the most cherished loves of all.
DAVOS: Then eight. Seven were my children, the eighth was Shireen, Stanus' daughter.
PODTRICK: You didn't love your wife?
DAVOS: She had big tits but she was boring as fuck. No, I didn't love her.
Suddenly, the doors of THE GREAT HALL burst open. ARYA looks at TYRION.
ARYA: Remember that important meeting? You're late.
TYRION: It's almost one. How am I late for a meeting at this hour? Apologies. I need to depart, but I want to say goodbye because war is a dangerous time, and if this is my last chance to see you, I want to tell you everything I feel.
TYRION: Podrick, you saved my life, and I will be forever indebted to you. There's a famous quote about Lannisters and their debt, but the Lannister House means nothing now, so I need to show you my thanks in another way. Podrick, you have the potential to be a great hero. You've been my hero, and a dear friend. I hope we meet again, gods willing.
PODTRICK: I hope so, dear buddy. They hug.
TYRION: Ser Brienne, you don't have the potential to be a hero because you already are. The world is ready for a female hero, and I look forward to all the great adventures you'll have. Hopefully, we'll meet again, gods willing.
BRIENNE: Hopefully, Hand of the Queen.
TYRION: Ser Davos. Heroes sometimes follow the wrong king, and do acts they later regret. That is the nature of our lives, as Hands of the King, or in my case, Hand of the Queen. We serve, and follow, and when we err, we must acknowledge that mistake and move swiftly to correct them. I think you have. As Hand of the Queen, greeting the Hand of the former King –
DAVOS: Whether that be disputed or not –
TYRION: Disputed dominion over King's Landing, but you were Hand of the King. I am glad to have shared an evening together.
DAVOS: As have I.
ARYA: TYRION!
TYRION: Excuse me.
TYRION, rushing to ARYA and they leave the GREAT HALL.
TYRION: What's this meeting I'm late for?
ARYA: My dad's stash of whiskey. Come on.
CUTTO: SECRET ROOM with FIREPLACE, and hundreds of bottles of whiskey. This is where EDDARD STARK went to when he wanted to be alone. In SECRET ROOM with FIREPLACE, the following sit around a table: SANSA, JON, DAENERYS, ARYA, and TYRION and an open bottle of whiskey between them.
TYRION: How many bottles of whiskey are here?
SANSA: 224. I counted.
TYRION: Not every man has a collection of whiskey, and few of these men have 224 bottles. Eddard Stark was a beloved man, and I'm sure he received tributes which included whiskey bottles, but 224? It's borderline compulsive to have these many bottles.
ARYA: 225. You didn't count the bottle I brought.
SANSA: I stand corrected.
TYRION: I knew Eddard Stark had a secret when I met him. It's one of these things I ask a powerful or wealthy man when I meet him. Every now and then a woman. But in history, it was usually the powerful men whose secrets were the most intriguing. I had wondered about Eddard, and thought it was the secret of you Jon Snow, but as it turns out, his biggest secret was this man cave of whiskey.
SANSA: Man cave? What's a man cave?
TYRION: A place where us men can drink, masturbate, and think, and maybe all of the above.
DAENERYS: I don't need a cave when I drink.
ARYA: Or think, or masturbate.
SANSA: Or all of the above.
JON: I'm glad dad had this. This may be a genuine difference between men and women. I don't know. All I can say is when I discovered this room, it made me happy to know dad had a place like this. It was his room. He could be himself here. He was Lord of Winterfell, and he was a man who had many responsibilities. Perhaps the only place he could truly relax was alone here in this room with a glass of whiskey.
TYRION: Cheers to that.
DAENERYS: Well, I wanted us together because I realized, with the exception of Jaime, in this room are the people from the very beginning. Alive at least.
SANA: Bran died to become the Three-eyed Raven.
TYRION: Although we may not have known each other since the beginning, there are many of us who have. This is a conversation we needed to have before we can ever hope to say goodbye. War means goodbye could truly mean goodbye.
ARYA: We've been through much, and haven't spoken about it to anyone. This is the time to debrief and decompress.
SANSA, to TYRION: I was raped, and that was my first time. It was the Boltons, and you had nothing to do with it. But the Boltons, they were cruel and deserved justice. But in hindsight, I thought about our wedding, and how gentle you were – I wish your kindness was my first time.
TYRION: I wish there was a lot more I could protect. But, look at us. Daenerys, Jon, Sansa, Arya, and me. Five from the very beginning. We have been through much, but I propose a drinking game. Have you heard of the 'I never' game? The rules are simple. We take turns, and say, I have never – and we mention something we have never done. All of those who have, drink. Simple rules, right?
JON: Simple, aye. Let's begin.
DAENERYS: I'm the Queen, and I'm the one who gets to say whether we begin or not.
JON: My apologies, my queen.
TYRION pour shots for everyone,
TYRION: I have never been to Oldtowne.
No one drinks.
JON: None of us have.
ARYA: I have never murdered anyone.
JON: What do you mean by murder?
ARYA: In this world, death is justice, but murder isn't. Vengeance isn't either. Murder is pre-meditated.
ARYA, JON, and DAENERYS drink.
JON: Sansa I could understand, but you? Didn't you murder Shay and your father?
TYRION: It wasn't pre-meditated. You think of me as a thinking man, someone who always determines his moves two or three steps ahead. Or ideally, that's how you'd like to perceive me if written correctly. Nevertheless, with Shay, I didn't expect to see her there, in my father's chambers. My father could have picked any whore in King's Landing, but he chose Shay. I was angry. Have you been so angry your face burns with rage? But in my case, a woman I loved slept in the bed of my father, and I was angry. Killing Shay, killing my father – it wasn't pre-meditated. It was manslaughter.
DAENERYS: When I burnt down the Dothraki Khals, I knew what I was doing. It was murder, pure and simple. But I grew powerful from it.
SANSA: That I get, but you brother. I don't recall you ever murdering someone.
JON: In battle. War murders and makes widows. A few wars were justified, including this one, but death in battle means the rulers failed, and for me, means murder. War is murder.
DAENERYS: Peace is what grants us time to raise our children. Peace is what allows children to grow up, fall in love, and if they chose, have children again. Sorry, I get political recently. Being queen means I think about politics non-stop. Tonight, I'll try to stop. Cheers!
SANSA: So who did you murder?
ARYA: Many. If I even don't include the self defence killings, 71. I have murdered 71 individuals, murder in the sense they were pre-meditated, and for that I am unlawful. It's a bizarre existence, to live outside the margins of what is lawful, but that has been my life for the last few years. The bottle I bring, this is from Walder Frey. My greatest murder was when I murdered Walder Frey. He orchestrated the Red Wedding, and I wish I could say I felt justice when I plunged my dagger into his heart, but all I could think about was mom, and how she wasn't here because of him, and I missed her, I loved her, and I wish a mother's love never ended.
SANSA: Because for us, it did.
TYRION: My mother died giving birth to me.
DAENERYS: My mother died protecting us.
SANSA: My mother died because of enemies.
JON: My mother died giving birth to me. Tyrion, we share this.
TYRION: It is true. How does it change us, being men with mothers long sinced passed?
JON: A pessimistic view is that a mother's love never lasts forever, but I chose the optimistic perspective. My mother's love endured. I feel my mother's love. Her love, although brief, was infinite and boundless.. I still feel her love to this day.
TYRION: I never met my mother. She died giving birth to me. I never knew my mother, but I knew the disgust my father felt when he saw me. He hated me because I was a dwarf, but he hated me because I killed the woman he loved. He despised me, and I don't blame him for that. I despised myself for having killed my mother. Mother, as an abstract concept, is love, but as someone who never experienced it, her love is abstract.
ARYA: Cheers, to our mothers. Sansa, you're next.
SANSA: We've learned some of us have murdered, and some of the killings were manslaughter This family is more intriguing with each round. It's my turn. I have never fallen in love.
TYRION, JON, and DAENERYS groan but drink.
DAENERYS: Too easy. It's my turn. I have never lacked purpose in my life.
SANSA and TYRION drink.
SANSA: Depression.
TYRION: Depression. It is an affliction no less severe.
JON: It's my turn. I have never had sex with a man.
DAENERYS, SANSA, and ARYA groan, but drink. Then TYRION drinks.
SANSA: What?
TYRION: I was in College and experimenting. It was very awkward and I'd rather not discuss it.
ARYA: If anyone is curious, I'm not a lesbian. Not every woman with short hair is a lesbian. So it's my turn. I have never been this scared. Truly.
Everyone drinks.
DAENERYS: Whether we call him the Night King or the unnatural enemy, it sends shivers down my spine. I wish we named him Bozo the Clown instead. Maybe I wouldn't be frightened by an enemy named Bozo the Clown.
TYRION: Maybe. But would we have taken him seriously, this Bozo?
DAENERYS: I would not have marched north with my royal army to fight Bozo the Clown.
SANSA: If our walls are breached, we are doomed.
JON: If the walls are breached, we need to kill his generals or the Night King himself. Then the army collapses.
ARYA: You know, I am an assassin. In Braavos, I learned how to be an assassin, and learned the skill to change faces. Watch. ARYA changes faces in front of DAENERYS, TYRION, SANSA, and JON. Everyone is surprised except SANSA.
ARYA: If the walls are breached, I will try to get close to the Night King. But it's not just the appearance that matters when assuming another person's identity. We walk differently, speak with our own particular mannerisms, and truth be told, I can't mimic men very well. To get close to the Night King, I'll have to mimic the undead. I've no clue how. I know Winterfell and can hide in the shadows to be in the same room as the Night King, but I don't know whether he'd believe I'm a member of his undead army.
SANSA: You would only have once chance.
ARYA: If I fail, then we're doomed.
TYRION: We need a Plan B. I'm sorry Arya, I have faith in you, but the future of Westeros is at stake. We need to plan for a scenario where Winterfell's walls are breached and the Night King cannot be killed. Daenerys and Jon, if the walls are breached, you need to escape.
JON: You mean I should run away like a coward?
DAENERYS: I feel a moral obligation to remain with my army.
TYRION: If you die, then there will be a power vacuum in Westeros. Houses will vie to be the new king, ignoring the threat of the Night King. History repeats itself, tragically. We cannot squander precious time to regroup and meet the Night King where the walls cannot be breached.
SANSA: The Vale. With Petyr Bhaelish dead, Lord Arryn is alone in the Vale. He's a teenager now, but impressionable. If I marry him, then we can ensure the cooperation of the Vale.
DAENERYS: That is Plan B, but we must not lose focus on Plan A.
TYRION: Where's the bathroom?
JON: You have to walk down the tower or use a chamber pot. There's one in the corner over there.
TYRION, pissing: Plan A is our best plan. We funnel the Night King's army up the hill where we meet him with more favourable odds. The Dothraki then attack from behind in a pincer movement.
ARYA: But the Night King still has 40% more troops.
TYRION, stops pissing: Our dragons. I've seen how dragon fire can burn thousands with a breath. Before the Night King reaches Winterfell, what if we flew Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal to meet the Night King on the open snowfields? We reign fire from above to reduce the numbers.
DAENERYS: Like an air force dropping bombs before the enemy reaches us. Is it risky?
JON: We have no idea whether the Night King has catapults or similar, and we would have to fly in formation. With three of us, the last thing we want is to burn one of us down because our attack is chaotic.
DAENERYS: But if we can destroy thousands with our dragons before the Night King even reaches Winterfell, the odds shift to our favour. Well, I think we have a better Plan A, and I hate to be a party pooper, but it's time we go to bed. In the morning, Jon, Tyrion, and I need to fly.
CUTTO: Dawn, and BRAN sits in his wheelchair at Winterfell's second gate.
TYRION walks on.
TYRION: Good morning Three-eyed Raven.
BRAN: You seem rather energetic for a man who has been drinking all night.
TYRION: Renewed sense of purpose.
BRAN: How did Eddard's whiskey taste?
TYRION: Good, and sorry we didn't invite you, but it was in the tower so climbing up the stairs would have been difficult.
BRAN: I don't care about your celebrations. I waited for you because I need to tell you something important. Hold my hand.
TYRION: What for?
BRAN: For Plan B. You may need to escape north of the wall. There is an unmanned castle with a secret passage, and Bran used it to get north. Hold my hand, and I'll show you this passage.
TYRION holds BRAN's hand.
TYRION: Thank you. I'm sorry I snapped to judgment earlier with you.
BRAN: In the north, your magic will grow more powerful. It could be the difference that saves the living from the dead.
JON and DAENERYS enter on horseback.
DAENERYS: With whom would you like to ride?
TYRION: My queen, my king. You learned last night I have experimented, but I do prefer beauty over brawn. Queen Daenerys, if you can help me up.
TYRION sits in front of DAENERYS on horseback.
TYRION: Goodbye Three-eyed Raven. I thank you.
BRAN: Goodbye Tyrion, Jon, and Daenerys. I will wait in the Godswood for your return.
JON, DAENERYS, and TYRION ride down the hill where DROGON, VISERION, and RHAEGAL lay sleeping. JON dismounts, then helps TYRION down before DAENERYS dismounts.
DAENERYS: My children, good morning. Has the hunting been good?
DROGON screams.
TYRION: Drogon says bear meat is delicious.
JON: How do you know what he's saying?
TYRION: Viserion taught me. Hello buddy.
VISERION smiles and cradles her head to TYRION.
DAENERYS: We have an important task today. You smell the Night King and his army. He is our enemy and we ask for your help in defeating this enemy.
TYRION: We need to fly and destroy as many of his soldiers as we can before they reach Winterfell.
RHAEGAL screams.
TYRION: Rhaegal says whatever mother wants, he obeys.
DAENERYS: It's a beautiful day to destroy the army of the undead.
DAENERYS mounts DROGON, JON mounts RHAEGAL, and TYRION mounts VISERION. They run down the field to build momentum, then with one leap, each is airborne.
