EPISODE 3. BLOOD RECKONING
ROSBY
DICKON
Patches of land burn, men and women scramble to put fires out. Dead bodies of Lannister men lie in the field. Dickon Tarly rides his horse through the battlefield around the town of Rosby. If not for the fierce warriors of Dorne he may had just lost this battle. That and the 1,000 men his father sent, but even with them he needed more reinforcements. Lord Rosby had surrendered to Dickon Tarly on the condition that his family and people were treated fairly. He even aided Dickon in battle when the Lannister forces arrived.
"How many prisoners did we capture?" Dickon asked a Tarly man after stopping his horse.
"A hundred and thirteen milord…They all surrendered…"
"Kill them! Standing orders from Lady Olenna and Lady Ellaria take no prisoners…"
"Aye sir…You men with me…"
Dickon rides back to Rosby Castle in the center of town. Daemon Sand is waiting as he enters the courtyard. Daemon serves as second in command. "The Lannister men put up one hell of a fight…"
"Yes they did…When can we expect reinforcements?"
"Weeks…Three maybe more…I am more concerned with the army in King's Landing."
"If they are smart they will stay in the city…But I want scouts to watch the city in case we need to leave for Harrenhal…" Later on Dickon and Daemon celebrate their victory over the Lannisters with a grand feast.
HARRENHAL
RANDYLL TARLY
Randyll Tarly stands over a map of the lands from the Crag to King's Landing and all surrounding area. He had just received a report that the army from Golden Tooth is on the move. "Who is leading this army?"
"Tylin Serret they call him the Little Lion because he warded at Casterly Rock under Tywin Lannister…"
Randyll takes a lion head marker and moves it to a position on the map. "A three day march from Golden Tooth would bring them here…" He looks at Patton Redwyne, "Take our Calvary forces and ride around their position and flank the support camp and rear guard…"
"My lord we attack them?"
"No I want to slow them down…Then when they arrive and set up camp we attack…"
A man walks up with a letter, "Report from Rosby My Lord…"
Randyll takes the letter and reads, "Our forces in Rosby are victorious…" The men cheer. "Now we do our part…"
Lannister Camp – Rear Guard
The tents burned, men cried for help, supply wagons are on fire, horses, goats, and other animals run wild in the countryside. As Tylin Serret rides up with the rest of his Calvary the Tyrell and Martell forces ride away. "Shit! Captain!"
The Captain urges his horse to Tylin's side, "My Lord."
"Send a rider back to Golden Tooth, tell Lord Lefford we lost our supplies in an attack from the enemy…We make camp here and send out hunters to catch us some food…You men salvage what you can…"
KING'S LANDING
ARYA
Arya Stark sits on her horse on a hill overlooking King's Landing. Cersei and Jaime were still alive and hopefully Ilyne Payne, and the Mountain. The last time she was in King's Landing her father had just become Hand of the King. Then he was betrayed and accused of treason, beheaded in public by Joffrey. She wished Joffrey was alive so she could him herself. The sun was setting and in the dark she could sneak into the city. When the sun was set Arya arrives at the wall facing the river. She ties her horses to a tree by the wall and scales the wall using cat grips. Just as she reaches the top, a man on patrol walks by. She slips onto the battlements and tip toes up to the guard slitting his throat.
Arya shoves him over the side and throws her dagger into back of the neck of the next man. Then she uses sleeping darts blown from a blow pipe on the gate guards below. With the guards sound asleep, Arya unlocks the port gate and buries one of the men she killed then she places the second man on her horse. She collects her sleeping darts and leaves. Because there is a curfew Arya sneaks from shadow to shadow. She wraps the dead body, unsaddles the horses and hides them. Then she climbs onto the roof of a building and falls asleep.
At sunrise Arya collects her things and horses, then she heads to an inn near the red keep. "I'd like to buy a room please on the top floor…"She says in the disguise of a man setting down a bag of gold on the counter. "And if anyone asks if someone new came in…You will say no…" She says the last part placing a second bag on the counter.
"Of course sir…"
"I do not wish to be disturbed…" Arya pays some boys to help her carry the stuff upstairs. She tips them and locks the door. The first thing she does is unwrap the body and removes the face and armor. Then she wraps the body up in a way that it doesn't smell. Arya then removes a new face from her bag and climbs out the window. "Yes I would like to purchase a room…" she follows the man upstairs and points, "Is this room available?"
"Yes sir…"
The second room is next door to the first so she makes a door in the wall so she can travel between rooms. Next Arya builds a dumb waiter outside the window. It is a flat board with rope at the four corners attached to a wheel and lever. She leaves the room in disguise of the second man and makes her way to the Red Keep.
CERSEI AND JAIME
"What the hell are these?" He asks in the courtyard.
"The Dornish call them Dragon Slayers…" Qyburn says in pride. "…I have modified the design but it is what they used many years ago to kill Rhaenys Targaryen and her Dragon Meraxes…"
"And what we shall use to kill Daenarys' three Dragons and win this war…"
Jaime picks up one of the long javelins, "Will this pierce a Dragon's hide?"
"Oh yes most definitely…" Qyburn says enthusiastically…"
ARYA
Arya's first target is Ilyn Payne. She is most happy that he is still alive and follows him around for a few days studying him. After three days she is ready to strike. Every night before he goes to sleep Ilyn visits the privy. When the door opens Arya is standing there, "This is for my father asshole!" quick as lightening she slits his throat. He gasps as blood gushes from the wound. He futilely struggles to stop the blood flow. Arya smiles as he dies, then she takes the body and begins her bloody work.
As the sun rises, the rooster crows and a servant enters the throne room to extinguish the fire in the brazers. She spots something strange a shadowy figure sits on the Iron Throne. "Hello!" The woman calls as she cautiously approaches the throne. She screams when she realizes what it is.
CERSEI
Cersei breaks her morning fast with Jaime, Bronn, Qyburn, and Aeron Greyjoy. She tolerates Bronn because of Jaime, otherwise she would have had Bronn's head on a pike long ago. The man in her opinion did not know his place. Is arrogant, foul mouthed and uncivilized, a thing her brother the Imp liked; another reason to have him killed, but he was useful for now.
Marcuss enters the dining hall and whispers into her ear, "Lord Aeron will excuse us…"
"Of course…"
"Sir Jaime…Lord Qyburn…" The three follow Marcus out of the hall.
"What's going on?" Jaime asks.
"Ilyne Payne is dead…" Marcuss says as he hand Cersei a note written in blood, "We found this on Payne's body on the throne…His head had been severed and placed on a pike beside him…" The note reads the North Remembers. "I have men searching the palace…"
"The Starks hired an assassin." Cersei says in disbelief.
Jaime shakes his head, "The Starks are too honorable…They didn't hire an assassin…"
Cersei looks at Jaime, "If not them who?"
"Baelish!" Qyburn says.
"He doesn't have the gold…or the motive…" Jaime replies. "I say the Tyrells or the Martells are behind this…"
"Baelish is an ambitious man and he is the Lord Protector of the Vale…" Qyburn points out, "…That would give him access to wealth of the Eyrie and Rob Arryn is a weakling little boy…"
Jaime shakes his head, "What would he gain?"
"Power…my little birds say he has eyes for the Iron Throne…Confessed as much to Sansa Stark."
"Fine!" Cersei says infuriated, "If this is the kind of game Baelish wants to play…We will oblige him…Send a Raven to Casterly Rock…Tell Lord Damyle to make the arrangements with the faceless men…I want them all dead…Jon Snow, that bitch Sansa, and Baelish…I don't care how much it costs…"
They stand in the Raven's tower staring at a bunch of dead Ravens. "Why kill the Ravens?" Cersei asks.
"The assassin doesn't want us to send any messages…" Jaime says.
"This is no ordinary assassin…This person holds a grudge…"
"How do you know that?" Cersei asks looking at Qyburn.
"A Faceless Man is paid to do a job…He or she would not care if we hired assassins from his or her order…Killing the Ravens says this Assassin has a personal stake in the matter…"
"Sir Marcuss do everything you can to secure the palace…We will send a messenger by land…"
"Not a word of this can reach Aeron Greyjoy's ears…" Qyburn warns.
"Of course…"
ARYA
Despite the subterfuge of the court Arya followed the messenger and poisoned him a mile after he left the city. Now she focused her attention on the Mountain that Rides Sir Gregor Clegane. She followed him for several days. Then on the fourth day of the week she follows him to a torture chamber. "Please no more!" She hears a woman beg. The woman screams and begs him to stop. Obviously he is rapping the poor woman but why.
An hour later Clegane leaves the room locking the door. Arya picks the lock and enters, she gasps because lying on a table naked is a tall woman. Her body is covered in bloody wounds. "Is someone there?" She asks in a weak voice. Arya appears at the head of the table she is lying on. "Thank goodness…please help me."
"Who are you?" Arya asks.
"Unella…I was a Septa serving the High Sparrow…The Queen brought me…Her man…" She starts crying, "He…he…Please help me."
Arya starts to think and smiles as a plan forms, "I will help you, but first you must do something for me…" Arya starts stealing Wild fire, then after six days she takes a barrel of water and pours a pitcher of Wild Fire into the water. She hangs the barrel above the door attached to a rope. Then she pours a stream of wild fire from the door to the table. She gives food to Unella while they wait for Gregor to return.
High noon and Arya can hear his footsteps. She hides behind the head of the table. The locks click and the door opens. Gregor is drenched in the wild fire diluted water. He stands there in shock, then a sharp whistle causes him to look up. Arya smiles peeking out from behind the table head with a torch in her hand. She touches the floor and a stream of fire flies across the floor, Gregor bursts into flames. An inhuman scream comes from the mountain as he staggers forward to Unella. Arya grabs her off the table before he can reach her.
When a burning Gregor reaches the table he falls to his knees holding onto the table. Then he hits the floor and they wait as the fire dies down. Unella looks at Arya in shock as she stands up and cautiously approaches the dead mountain. She draws needle from her waist belt and pokes Gregor in the head. When he doesn't move she shoves the blade into his head. "He's dead…" She says looking at Unella. Arya removes a note written in blood from her coat and places it on the body. "Here put this on…" It is the garbs of a silent sister, Arya dresses as a Lannister soldier and they leave the palace unseen
QYBURN
Qyburn runs to the torture chamber and falls to his knees at the sight of his greatest creation. He cannot tell flesh from armor which is melted into the flesh. "Wild Fire!" Marcuss says.
"The Queen does she know…" Qyburn asks in disbelief.
"I sent Sir Darrus to tell her…"
Qyburn stands up, "This assassin must be found!"
ARYA
To Unella's surprise they make it to an alley unnoticed. "Wait here!" Arya commands and leaves her in the alley. "Up here!" Unella looks up to see Arya in the window. She lowers the dumb waiter to Unella who sits on the board as Arya pulls her up. When Unella is inside Arya closes the window and draws her a warm bath. Then she pours a blue powder into the water, it starts to boil. "Get in…"
When Unella gets in the tub she sighs in comfort as her wounds sizzle with a tickle. Arya returns with a towel and a bar of green soap. "You haven't told me your name…"
"Arya Stark of Winterfell…"
"I heard you were dead."
"Nope!"
"Did you train with the faceless men…"
Arya sighs, "I don't know you well enough to share…"
"Will you teach me?"
Arya looks at her, "Why? I know what you and the High Sparrow did…"
"I don't believe in the seven anymore…Not after what that animal did to me…I want to be strong like you…I never want to feel that helpless again…Teach me and I will swear myself to you…"
Arya looks at her, "If you ever betray me I will kill you…"
WINTERFELL
THOROS, DONDARRION, SANDOR, MILISSANDRE, BRIANNE, PODRICK, AND COMPANY
Thoros and company is a half a mile from Winterfell. "The Prince is not there." Milissandre says.
"How do you know that?" Brianne asks.
"I know because I know…He has gone to the wall and he will die without our help…"
Sandor urges his horse forward, "So lets get moving…"
"Who goes there?" A man calls from the wall above the gate.
Brianne urges her horse forward, "Brienne of Tarth and company for Lady Sansa Stark…"
"Fetch Lady Stark and open the gate…"
As they enter the main courtyard Sansa appears with two guards of House Stark and Petyr Baelish. Brianne takes a knee before Sansa, "Lady Sansa I return to your service…"
"Arise Lady Brienne…" Sansa commands.
"With me are Lord Thoros a Priest of the Lord of Light. Sir Dondarrion…"
"Lord Clegane!" Sansa says in surprise, interrupting Brienne.
"I am no Lord Little Lady, but I come to fight for your brother…"
"But can a Lannister Dog be trusted?" Baelish says speaking up.
"He's more trustworthy than you…Little man of the Fingers…" Milissandre says speaking up.
Baelish walks up to the red woman, "You remind me of a red whore that use to follow Stannis around…"
"Lady Milissandre…" Sansa yells, "What are you doing here?"
"She is here to help milady…" Dondarrion says, "And we will need her help to hold the true enemy…"
"My brother warned that if you returned it would be on pain of death…"
"She is alright…" Clegane says speaking up, "She healed my face…"
"I take my life into my own hands…But if I am not there your brother will be doomed along with all the people at the wall."
"We will spend the night m'lady and be on our way in the morning…We just need supplies for the journey…"
"You will have them…" Sansa has many duties running Winterfell. She had to make sure the supply line is flowing to Jon who is on his way to Castle Black. She was also responsible for giving justice to the small folk and sending aid to Northern Lords who need it. Then there is the always lurking Petyr Baelish. Night falls and Sansa walks the grounds to Sandor Clegane at the Were-tree.
"Can't sleep?"
He turns to look at her, "Neither can you it seems."
"I should have gone with you when you left King's Landing…I just wanted to say that…"
"Wait!' He says when she turns to leave, "I saw your sister Arya…"
"Where when?"
"It was three years ago, but if anyone can survive on their own its her…"
Sansa smiles, "You are right about that…When you are at the wall be careful…"
"I survived this long…I mean I will…Little Bird…" He reaches out and touches her hair then he leaves. The next morning Sansa watches Sandor leave with Thoros, Dondarrion, and the volunteer fighters they brought with them.
Milissandre walks up to Sansa before mounting her horse, "The Freys are all dead."
"How do you know that?"
"It came to me last night…Your Uncle Edmure will arrive soon with four thousand men…When he arrives keep him here…"
"Why?" Sansa asks.
"I'm afraid his army will have to retreat from the wall before long…Also there is a young man by the name of Sam Tarly on his way here…He will help Jon understand what he must do…Farewell Lady Sansa of Winterfell…" She mounts her horse and leaves.
JON'S ARMY
The snow is heavy, but on they march through the cold along the King's Road. A scout rides up, "There is a town about a mile away…" He says to Davos. Davos rides up to Jon.
"Your Grace there is a town a mile away perhaps we should camp…"
Jon shakes his head, "Put together an escort and take the ill to the town…We press on…"
They march until sunset, then Jon orders them to stop for a short rest and break. "Hey Snow…" Tormund yells walking up. "You are pushing these people to hard especially those mountain Knights…They are not as use to the cold as you and I…"
"I want to get there before it is too late…"
"Aye we will, but lets not kill ourselves before we do…"
Jon nods, "Make camp!" He bellows walking through the army. They rest the night and the whole of next day then they break camp and press on.
"Riders are coming!" Someone shouts, Thoros had sent men ahead to let Jon know more support was coming behind him.
"What is she doing here?" Jon asks eyeing Milissandre.
Davos draws his sword, "My name is Berric Dondarrion sir…I was commissioned by your father Lord Eddard Stark to bring justice to the Riverlands…I failed him…That being said we need Lady Milissandre at the wall…"
"Really!" Davos says speaking up, "Did she tell you what she did…She burned an innocent girl alive to please her damned god…No more I say…" He looks at Jon, "Give me the word your grace and I will end this witch…"
Before Jon could speak a Raven flies down and touches the minds of everyone gathered, "Jon!" An apparition of Brandon Stark appears by the Raven, "Jon…We need her…The wall will fall to the Night King and so will you if you kill her…She is needed…"
Jon sighs, "Put away your sword Lord Davos…" Davos reluctantly obeys.
KING'S LANDING
The royal army is still searching for the assassin or assassins. Curfew is strictly enforced inside the city. Troops march through the Capital searching every inch of the city. Arya is walking through the streets on her way home when she spots Gendry. As Gendry walks from the work detail that is rebuilding the Sept of Baelor, he is stopped by a Lannister guard.
"Are you Gendry Waters?"
"No my name is Ari…"
"You look like this boy who was at Harrenhal…There was this fat kid named Hot Pie and a girl pretending to be a boy…She was cup bearer for Lord Tywin…"
Arya laughs on the inside at Gendry's facial expressions "You better come with me…" She stops in an alley removing her helmet.
"Sir I assure you my name is Ari…" The soldier turns away then spins around after a few minutes, "Arya?"
She laughs, "You should have seen your face…"
"That is not funny…"
"I'm sorry I couldn't help it…Come with me…" Arya gives him gold to rent his own room and meets him at the door. "What happened to you after that woman took you?" He told her how he was taken to Dragonstone, given new clothes, food, he skips the part where he undresses and she seduces him. Gendry tells Arya how the red witch used his blood for some type of ritual. "How did you escape?"
"He didn't tell me his name…but he helped me escape…What about you? Did you go to Braavos?"
"Yes I did actually…"
"And?" Arya just stares at him, then she leans in a kisses him. "What are you doing?"
"I'm in love you…I've been in love with you since the day I saw you…I am fifteen…Take me!"
"Arya…"
She sees his hesitation, "Oh!" She says getting up.
He grabs her arm, "Wait! I have feelings for you, but I'm just a bastard…You're a high born lady…"
"You think I care about that?" She pulls him close and they kiss.
"Are you sure?"
She grabs his hands and allows him to touch her breasts, they make love. The next morning before sunrise Arya leaves a note for Gendry then she checks on Unella before going after her next target. She was going to go after Jaime Lannister next but changed her mind and decided to kill Qyburn for his part in the murder of all those people. As with Ilyne Payne and Gregor Clegane she watches Qyburn. After five days Arya makes her move. Qyburn enters his laboratory and finds his little birds unconscious. "You have to pay for what you did…" Arya whispers placing needle in his back.
JAIME AND CERSEI
Cersei and Jaime stand side by side as Sir Marcuss, Sir Darrus, Sir Wess, and Sir Gyle remove Qyburn's dead body. There were glass vials sticking out all over his body and written in blood on the wall were the words Justice for all those who died in the Sept of Baelor. Qyburn's laboratory had been smashed.
Later on in Cersei's suite "What if you are next…" Jaime says taking Cersei's hand, "…We need to leave…"
"And go where? Casterly Rock…the assassin could follow us there…" Cersei replies, "I'm afraid…" There is a knock at the door and Sir Marcuss enters, "I said we were not to be disturbed…"
"Begging your pardon my Queen, but Sir Bronn is gone…Three men tried to stop him, but he killed them…"
"Thank you…"
"Sir Marcuss…" Jaime says speaking up, "I want the Queensguard at the door at all times…"
"Yes my lord…" He waits until Marcus leaves the room, "Cersei we need to leave now…"
"Alright tomorrow we leave…" They start kissing each other and making love. When they get hungry Cersei has food brought to her suite. She falls asleep in his arms. The next morning Cersei awakes to find the severed head of Sir Marcuss lying next to her, she screams shoving the head out of the bed. She screams even louder when she discovers six more heads of her Queensguard in bed as well. Their bodies are lying around the bed.
ARYA
Jaime Lannister awakens feeling very groggy, his body feels as if it was run over by eight wild horses. Strangely enough he is sitting up and is tied to a chair. His legs are stretched out with his feet resting on another chair. When his eyes, finally adjusts to the dim light he notices a shadowy figure sitting by the wall. "Where am I? Who are you? Whatever Baelish is paying you I will triple it…"
"That is the problem with you Lannisters…You think you can buy anyone or do what you want to whom you want…I cannot be bought and Baelish has nothing to do with this…What is that saying…A Lannister always pays his debts…I'm here to collect…"
"Oh shit! Um…Is there nothing I can offer you?"
"Let me think…I tell you what. I'll let you go if you can give me back my father…my mother…my brother's legs…"
Jaime is breathing heavy, "Who are you?"
Arya leans forward into the light, "Arya Stark…"
"Someone help me!" He screams at the top of his lungs.
"Scream all you want no one ever comes down here…Not since Varys left…"
Jaime struggles to get free but the knots are tight, "Arya Stark is dead…You can't be her…"
She stands up drawing Needle and stabs him in the shoulder, "Could a dead woman do this…" He grits his teeth in pain.
"You killed all those people…"
"That would be me…Qyburn…Gregor Clegane…Ilyne Payne…The Freys…Lothar and Black Walder…And Old Walder Frey himself…Now its your turn…"
"Well get it done bitch!"
"Well I started thinking when it came to you…For all I know my brother may be dead, but if he is alive…he can't walk…" Aya walks behind Jaime and picks up a medium size sledge hammer. "I said to myself…What if you couldn't walk…and had to live the rest of your life like that…"
"Please don't this…By the gods don't do this…"
"Don't beg!" She says raising the hammer, "Be brave…" When the hammer comes down on his right knee it is bent down. Jaime screams and his eyes water. Arya slowly walks around Jaime and raises the hammer, with a sickening crack his other leg is broken at the knee. Arya sets the hammer down then she wraps his knees and forces Jaime to drink milk of the poppy. Then she takes a knife and severs the tendons in his ankles. "All done now lets get you back to your sister…Tell her that I am coming for her as well."
CERSEI
Cersei runs through the hall with four guards in front of her and four behind. She bursts into a room where the new Grand Maester is working on Jaime Lannister. "He's alive your Grace…"
"Thank the gods…" She looks at his wrapped up legs, "His legs what's wrong with them?"
"They are broken…Tendons have been cut…He will never walk again…"
Cersei falls to her knees, "My poor Jaime…I swear whoever did this will pay…"
EDMURE'S ARMY
Edmure Tully rides a horse beside the wheel house his wife is in. A Maester is at her side watching her delicate condition. The journey had been slow because of the snow, but on they pressed in the cold which grew colder the farther North they went. After two more days of traveling, Winterfell comes into view. As they approach the castle a raven flies overhead. Edmure Tully bows to Sansa, "I have come to fight for the King in the North…I brought four thousand men of the Riverlands…"