[Scene opens with three Rangers riding through a tunnel, leaving the wall, and going into the woods.]
"We are starting by seeing the Night's Watch?" Renly asked with a raised brow. "Why are there no Brothers here if we start from the Wall? It seems they are important as well."
Those present could only shrug in response. Neither of them knew why they were starting from the wall. The man who brought them here had not told them much of anything.
"The one leading, that's Lord Royce's youngest" Jon Arryn muttered to himself. He had seen the boy a few times when he'd accompany his father to the capital for any reason or if Jon went to visit them. He knew the boy would be joining the Watch as well. Seeing as he had not done so yet, this couldn't be in the past. But the question was, how far along the future was it that the boy was already leading a ranging team?
[One Ranger splits off and finds a campsite full of mutilated bodies, including a child hanging from a tree branch. A birds-eye view shows the bodies arranged in a shield-like pattern. The Ranger rides back to the other two.]
"Mother have mercy" Catelyn Stark inhaled sharply, hands shooting out to cover Bran's eyes. The child did not need to see such butchery.
"Who could have done this?" Arya asked. Nobody had covered her eyes like her mother did Bran's and she looked frankly terrified.
"Since this is beyond the wall, it could only be the wildlings" Robb explained, swallowing the bile that rose at the sight.
"Or some animal" Jon pointed out. He looked rightly pale.
"Animals don't arrange bodies like that" Shireen Baratheon pointed out, leaning into her father for comfort.
Stannis placed an arm around his daughter with a stoic expression, gently rubbing her arm.
"Perhaps the unchecked growth and savagery of the Wildlings is the threat that we are meant to be aware of" Margaery Tyrell muttered, face blanched and eyes no longer on the wall before her.
"If you all could just shut up we can find out!" Tyrion Lannister snapped, too annoyed at all the discussion so soon to the beginning. How he could use a cup of wine right now.
With a flash, a cup of wine appeared in the imp's hand.
"Thank you," he said to no one in particular and sipped it with a content sigh.
"What d'you expect? They're savages. One lot steals a goat from another lot and before you know it, they're ripping each other to pieces."
"I've never seen wildlings do a thing like this. I've never seen a thing like this, not ever in my life."
"How close did you get?"
"Close as any man would."
"We should head back to the wall."
"Do the dead frighten you?"
"Our orders were to track the wildlings. We tracked them. They won't trouble us no more."
"You don't think he'll ask us how they died? Get back on your horse."
"I don't like this man," Bran said with a frown. He was mean and stubborn. A lot like Theon was sometimes.
"Whatever did it to them could do it to us. They even killed the children."
"Is this what the Watch has come down to? Cravens who would shy away from investigating a threat to the wall?" Rickard Stark questioned, brows furrowed and his face set in a frown.
"The quality of the Watch has declined through the ages I fear, Lord Stark. They are but a shadow of what they were while you were alive" Varys explained.
It did not do any good to Rickard's mood. The Watch was already weak in his time. How much further have they fallen?
"It's a good thing we're not children. You want to run away south, run away. Of course, they will behead you as a deserter … If I don't catch you first. Get back on your horse. I won't say it again."
[Will glares, but obeys. Sometime later, the three Rangers return to the campsite, which is now completely cleared.]
"That's impossible!" Theon exclaimed, "Dead men can't just move away."
"Maybe they weren't dead, to begin with," Robb pointed out unsure.
"Well if you ain't dead after you get ripped in half, they you ain't human" Oberyn Martell said with a snort, receiving a look of admonishment from his sister for it.
"Dead men don't move. Explain it then" Robb said with a glare.
"Could have been a trap. The killers probably moved them away after that ranger went away and are waiting to ambush them" Brandon Stark, brother to the Lord of Winterfell, said stoically.
"Are Wildlings that smart?" Lyanna asked.
"Perhaps they learned a thing or two since we died" Brandon shrugged.
"Your dead men seem to have moved camp."
"They were here."
"See where they went."
[The three look around, swords drawn. They hear the wind and eerie calls. Gared finds a red cloth in the snow.]
ROYCE: What is it?
GARED: It's …
[As he speaks, a creature with glowing blue eyes rises behind Royce. Royce turns, and the creature strikes.]
"So it was an ambush" Brandon muttered under his breath.
"But… that didn't look like a Wildling" Lyanna pointed out with a frown. To her, it didn't even look human.
[The scene shifts to Will, who hears a man crying out. The three horses stampede past him. He turns and sees someone standing very still in the distance. The figure turns – it's the child who had been suspended in the tree, now with glowing blue eyes. WILL turns and runs.]
"But-" Theon struggles to find the words to speak.
"That child was dead" Yara said and her brother threw her a look. "You saw it and so did I Theon."
"I don't think anyone's missed it" Theon muttered, noting the look of concentration on everyone's faces.
[Gared is also fleeing, and we hear strange growls and catch glimpses of the creature. Both terrified rangers stop some distance apart, to catch their breath. Will sees a creature behead Gared. Will sinks to his knees and the creature tosses Gared's head to him.]
A stunned silence descended on the people watching, none of them quite believing what they'd just seen. Those terrifying blue eyes, the body of ice and the sword it wielded. Only one thing known to them was anything like that.
"This proves it" Tyrion downed the rest of his wine and raised the cup to the air. "This is a fucking nightmare!"
"Ay, but I don't think it's one of those things your mind makes up," Rickard Stark said somberly.
"So what? You say that the fucking White Walkers are back and we're supposed to fight them for our survival?" Tyrion laughed a mocking laugh, downing another cup of wine. His cup had refilled on its own and he was not complaining.
"Yes" It was Rhaegar this time who spoke and all eyes turned to him, he looked pale and his eyes were wide and fearful.
"Something you would like to share with the rest of us, Prince?" Oberyn spat ignoring the hit from Elia beside him. She might have allowed for the Prince to have a second wife, but he was not about to forgive the insult he threw at House Martell. Nor is he willing to forgive her murder. He was simply not the kind of man to forgive and forget.
Rhaegar met Oberyn's stare, then he met Elia's. Elia gave him a small nod and the man exhaled deeply.
"A secret has been passed from Aegon I Targaryen, a secret that gets passed down from father to son, from King to heir. Aegon spoke of it to his wives Rhaenys and Visenya and his sons Aenys and Maegor. Aenys passed the words to his son Aegon the Uncrowned and Jaehaerys I heard it from Queen Visenya before her demise. The secret was seemingly lost because of the Dance."
"And yet you know it?" questioned Doran Martell. "Did you dream it again perhaps?"
"No, I'm not so special" the man shook his head. "I found it inscribed on Rhaenys' dagger."
"Rhaenys' dagger?" Varys inquired.
"Yes. It's a Valyrian Steel dagger with a dragon bone hilt."
"Joffrey has a dagger like that" Tommen Baratheon pointed out.
"It was one of the things Robert inherited after he became King" Stannis explained, eyeing his older brother who looked worse for wear. Stannis had never seen his brother so… lifeless. The energy seemed to have been drained from him. His eyes shifted to Lyanna, who was looking at him. She did not look repentant in the slightest.
"Perhaps it's the very same" Rhaegar muttered, ignorant of Stannis' thoughts. "But anyways, hold the blade to the flames and the words will appear on it, transcribed by pyromancers themselves. It spoke of a prophecy, but the exact words were found after I was able to get my hands on Aenys' journal. He kept one after the realm began to spit upon him for marrying his son to his daughter."
"And what are these words on the dagger and the journal?" Tyrion questioned. It was one thing to believe in make beliefs and fairytales, but if they can be backed by facts… Well, Tyrion would have to reconsider many things."
"On the dagger it is written in High Valyrian, 'Hen ñuha ānogar, māzigon Kivio Dārilaros se zȳhon kessa sagon Vāedar Suvio Perzo'-"
"From my blood, come The Prince That Was Promised and his will be the Song of Ice and Fire" Tyrion translated.
"You speak High Valyrian?" Jaime raised a brow.
"I had the Maester teach me when I was young. A dwarf can't do much more than learn or perform. And as a Lannister dwarf, learning was the only thing I could do."
"Yes, that," Rhaegar said. "In Aenys' journal, he speaks of fearing that the prophecy of his father would be lost someday, which was why he wrote it down. He wrote that Aegon had seen a great Winter coming down from the far North, that would cover the world in darkness. He adds that after Visenya and Aegon studied this scenario in the libraries of the Citadel, they came to the conclusion that Aegon dreamt of White Walkers."
People digested the information in silence, what they learned from Rhaegar, what the true reason behind the conquest of Aegon the Conqueror was. It put a lot more context into the man's actions, Aegon I Targaryen's, who killed if he had to kill and accepted fealty so easily. He was trying to save as much manpower as possible, they all realized.
"The prophecy was also why I decided to take a second wife" Rhaegar added after pausing to let the people digest the facts. "Elia is perfect in every way as a wife, a Queen and a mother. However, her health did not allow her to have a child after Aegon. I believed that the dragon must have three heads and that three Targaryens would lead the charge against the White Walkers. It was after I discussed with Elia that we both decided to take on another wife, not just me but us."
"So all of this was for some damned prophecy?" Robert suddenly found the strength to speak. "There was no love in your marriage to Lyanna! You married her to get a child out of her!"
"No" Rhaegar said plain and bold. "Elia and I taking on a wife had everything to do with the prophecy. Me choosing Lyanna had nothing to do with it. Lyanna and I met in the Tourney of Harrenhal and our connection was instant. We wrote letters, confided in each other and shared our woes. Even Elia joined me in writing to her. I chose Lyanna because much like my love for Elia, I loved her."
"And I loved him" Lyanna added with a look at Robert. "He told me about the Prophecy and gave me the choice to return home or marry him. I chose to marry him."
"You married him?" Robert whispered, once more the fight being knocked out of him.
"I did, in the ways of Old Valyria. Like he had married Elia. It was a shame that I couldn't marry her in the same way before all hell broke loose."
The woman in question smiled.
"Women could marry each other in Valyria?" Sansa asked, looking unsure of how she should take that.
"Only if they both marry a man first. They must share a husband before they can share each other" Elia explained. "I wrote to Rhaegar, who I knew would be in Darry to marry Lyanna, warning him of what had happened with Lord Stark and his son Brandon. I advised him to go into hiding with Lyanna until matters settled down. It was why they were in Dorne, to begin with. Alas, the matter did not settle and here we all stand."
Once more they all settled into a contemplative silence as they digested the information dumped on them. Ned threw Lyanna a look and she met her brother's look with her own. It was only after she looked away that his eyes went to Jon. The boy was speaking with Robb.
"Maybe we should continue watching" Jon Aarryn suggested, throwing a worried look at Robert. He seemed even more defeated now, pale and weak, like the life was drained out of him.
They all turned back to the screen with varying degrees and expressions of distress.
[Riders from Winterfell come up behind a dazed Will. The scene shifts to the castle, where Bran is practising archery and getting frustrated, under the eyes of Jon and Robb. Jon pats Bran's shoulder.]
"Still no better are you, brother" Robb teased the young boy, who looked distressed at seeing the White Walkers. Robb was as well, but he had pushed it down to lift his sibling's moods. He was glad to see Bran sticking his tongue out at him.
"None of us were any good at his age" Jon elbowed Robb and then smiled at Bran. Which fell seeing the look on Catelyn's face.
"Go on. Father's watching."
[We see Ned and Catelyn watching from above.]
"And your mother."
"Your mother?" Lyanna raised an eyebrow.
"The boy is not mine," Catelyn said stiffly.
"Ned fathered a bastard?! I guess with White Walkers coming back anything can happen" Brandon barked out a laugh. Catelyn seemed to relax because of it.
Lyanna though had her eyes narrowed on Ned. She lifted her chin and Ned gave a stiff nod. Her eyes fell on Jon, who stared forward at the wall with no emotions on his face. Could he be…
[Scene shifts to needlework practice with the girls inside the castle.]
"Fine work, as always. Well done."
"Thank you."
"I love the detail that you've managed to get in this corner. … Quite beautiful … the stitching …"
"Those really are wonderful stitches, Lady Sansa" Margaery complimented with a smile.
"Thank you" Sansa mumbled with a blush, making Arya blanch.
[As she murmurs to Sansa about the embroidery, Arya struggles with her needlework and listens to the arrows hitting and the male laughter outside.]
"Perhaps the Septa should divide her attention to the rest of those there as well" Lady Olenna said almost boredly.
"Arya can't do stitches right. The Septa has tried but she's too unladylike to learn" Sansa explained with a shake of her head.
"That is the Septa's fault then, not Arya's" Elia chimed in kindly. "I wasn't any better at stitching myself at your age" she added with a smile at Arya. The girl returned the smile with one of her own.
[Outside, Bran tries and misses again. Everyone laughs.]
"And which one of you was a marksman at ten? Keep practising, Bran. Go on."
"He thinks a lot like you brother" Brandon said with a grin, which quickly turned into a frown seeing the constipated look on her brother's face. Something wasn't right here.
"Don't think too much, Bran."
"Relax your bow arm."
[Bran pulls the arrow back. An arrow hits the bullseye. Bran (still with his arrow), Jon, and Robb turn in surprise to see Arya, who curtsies after her perfect shot. Robb and Jon laugh as Bran takes out after Arya.]
"That was perfect, and from that distance too. Your girl's a natural Lord Stark" Doran Martell commented.
"Natural in the wrong thing I fear" Catelyn spoke. "It is not a woman's place to learn how to wield weapons."
"You people and your customs" Oberyn snorted. "In Dorne, our women learn to wield a weapon if they so choose to. We have quite several female warriors, my daughters included."
"It isn't much different in the reach either" Margaery added, "while we do not possess female warriors, if our girls should so choose they can learn to use a few weapons. I myself am not so bad at Archery. And if I am not wrong, the North has its equal share of warrior women. The women from Bear Island come to mind. Perhaps Arya is better suited to the life of a Northern Lady, unlike Sansa who is more suited to that of a Southern Lady."
Arya was practically buzzing hearing both Oberyn and Margaery. She looked at her mother hoping she'd let her learn now. The look of stubbornness killed her buzz. Arya knew that look all too well. She looked away and glared down at her feet.
[Rodrick Cassel and Theon Greyjoy approach Ned and Catelyn on the balcony.]
"Lord Stark. My lady. A guardsman just rode in from the hills. They've captured a deserter from the Night's Watch."
[NED grimaces.]
"Get the lads to saddle their horses."
[THEON departs.]
"CATELYN: Do you have to?"
"He swore an oath, Cat."
"The law is law, my lady."
"Tell Bran he's coming, too."
[Cassel nods and departs.]
"Ned. Ten is too young to see such things."
Brandon whistled. "You're as much a softy as always brother. Waiting till he was ten to witness a beheading?"
"Brandon was seven when he first saw one and you weren't much older" Rickard added.
"We are in peace times, I saw no reason to take the innocence of boyhood away from him so soon" Ned argued calmly.
"Peace times never last too long Eddard, you know it better than anyone?" Rickard argued. Ned kept silent, not looking at his brother or father.
Brandon on the other hand shot a look to Catelyn, no doubt the woman had a say in that. This was the woman he was supposed to marry, no doubt Hoster Tully played his cards for his daughter to marry the Lord of Winterfell. He almost felt bad for Ned. He knew there was a woman he liked, and it was not Catelyn Tully.
"He won't be a boy forever. And winter is coming."
"Words of warning. How long did it take for the entire meaning to change?" Jaime questioned.
Nobody answered him.
[Ned departs. In the courtyard, Robb and Jon gather the arrows. Catelyn turns and glares down on Jon. He looks at her and walks away.]
"There is no reason for you to act like that with Jon" Lyanna almost snarled, shocking Catelyn. "It's not his fault you're not his mother!"
"Bastards are sins," Catelyn said, still a little surprised at how the young woman was defending the boy.
"I never quite understood that. How could bastards be sins if they committed none? Are the seven saying that their mere existence is a sin in itself? That doesn't settle well with the image of the all-loving Mother" Yara said, more to spite the Lady of Winterfell than in defence of Jon.
Catelyn stiffened further but made no retort. There was no use fighting anyone on this. Bastards were sin, the Seven-Pointed Star was clear in that regard.
[Scene shifts, and we see Will being taken to the block.]
"White Walkers. I saw the White Walkers. White Walkers. The White Walkers, I saw them."
[He and Ned face each other.]
"I know I broke my oath. And I know I'm a deserter. I should have gone back to the Wall and warned them. But I saw what I saw. I saw the White Walkers. People need to know. If you can get word to my family, tell them I'm no coward. Tell them I'm sorry."
Ned frowned at the scene, his hand fisting on the hand of his chair. The man had broken his vow, but would Ned have done any different if he'd seen something like that? Seen a White Walker kill a friend and then reanimate them right before his eyes? Ned believed himself to be an honourable man, but would his honour stand before death incarnate?
He felt a hand on his and saw Catelyn smiling at him.
"You didn't know," she said simply. "You didn't know the man was speaking the truth. It's not your fault."
Ned smiled at the woman and patted her hand.
[Ned nods yes, and Will is positioned on the tree limb that serves as a block. Neddraws Ice from a scabbard held by Theon.]
"Forgive me, lord."
[Ned bows his head over Ice.]
"In the name of Robert of the House Baratheon, first of his name …"
"In whose name?!" Rhaegar straightened at the words.
"Robert's, he's the King now" Oberyn answered.
Rhaegar stared at the man as if he'd grown a second head.
"After your father's death, the realm chose Robert to be King since he had been the face of the Rebellion. Robert's Rebellion they called it" Doran explained.
"Why? My father I understand had to die, and I died in war so I understand it too. Why not Viserys after him? Why not put him on the throne and have a regent?!"
"There were more supporters of Robert's than Targaryen Loyalists. They put Robert on the Throne" Jon Arryn explained. "During the war, your mother and brother were confined to Dragonstone, where she died birthing your sister. After Robert won the war, he declared all Targaryens to be slain and so your brother and sister were forced into exile."
Rhaegar stared dumbly at Jon Arryn and then it clicked for him, how could he have not noticed it until now?!
"And what of my children? Rhaenys and Aegon?" he asked slowly. Elia had died, the man pretty much confirmed it. If his siblings had gone into exile, surely they would too."
"Killed by Tywin Lannister and his dogs Gregor and Lorch" Oberyn spat.
His whole world spun around him. If he had not been sitting, he was certain he'd have fallen. His wife dead and his children dead as well.
"They killed Rhaenys first" Elia was speaking now, her voice breaking. "Lorch stabbed her over and over again until she stopped screaming… until she stopped squirming and twitching... Gregor killed Aegon… dashed his head against the wall… They killed them in front of me Rhaegar! They killed our children in front of me!"
Rhaegar was moving the moment a tear fell from Elia's eyes, arms wrapped around the woman as she sobbed against him. Both his children were gone… both of them were killed like they were animals.
"How were those two dealt with? Tell me how were they punished for this act of savagery" Rhaegar asked, voice low and cold.
Oberyn barked a laugh.
"Punished?! They were hailed heroes by that fat cunt of a King!" he pointed an accusing finger at Robert, who still looked out of it. "We demanded retribution and we got nothing! Those two still strut around like fucking peacocks while my sister and her children are beneath the ground!"
Rhaegar's body moved before his mind caught up to it. One moment he was with Elia, and the next he was with Robert. People watched in fear and awe as Rhaegar lifted the fat man off his seat and punched him so hard that Robert fell back. He pinned the larger man on the ground and rained punch after punch on him, roaring in grief. Robert did nothing, silently taking all the hits.
It wasn't until Ned, Brandon and Stannis pulled Rhaegar away that the punches stopped. But the man still struggled to fight Robert, roaring and demanding that they let him go.
"I curse you Robert Baratheon! I curse you and your line! May your children be subjected to this torture and may you watch it happen helplessly!" Rhaegar roared, his voice finally breaking and knees buckling.
"I think a break is necessary for you all to process the things you've learned" the man's voice echoed in the room. The pictures on the wall vanished and A door appeared just beside where the pictures were playing. Ned all but carried Rhaegar through the door.