In Winterfell's courtyard, Davos mounts his steed while Jon packs his saddle. Tormund approaches.
Tormund asked, "You're not gonna ride the dragon south?" Jon shakes his head, amused. He walks to meet Tormund halfway.
Jon said, "Just a horse. Rhaegal needs to heal. He doesn't need me weighing him down."
Tormund said scoffing, "You weigh as much as two fleas fucking." Jon laughs.
Tormund said, "I'm taking the Free Folk home. We've had enough of the south. The women down here don't like me."
Jon said, "This is the North, you know. And the Free Folk are welcome to stay."
Tormund said, "It isn't home. We need room to wander. I'll take them back through Castle Black as soon as the winter storms pass. Back where we belong." Jon looks at Ghost.
Jon said, "It's where he belongs too. A direwolf has no place in the south. Will you take him with you? He'll be happier up there."
Tormund said, "So would you."
Jon said, "I wish I was going with you. This is farewell, then."
Tormund said, "You never know." Tormund and Jon hug.
Tormund said, "You've got the North in you. The real North."
Tormund turns and leaves. Jon walks to meet Sam and Gilly. Jon gives Gilly a hug, and is surprised by her baby bump. She looks at her belly, smiling. Sam nods to confirm that she is pregnant.
Sam said, "Yes, well, the nights have been getting longer and there wasn't that much to do in Oldtown. There's only so many books a person can read, so we…"
Gilly said, "I'm sure he knows how it happens, Sam. If it's a boy, we want to name him Jon."
Jon said, "I hope it's a girl." Jon and Sam hug, both of them holding back tears.
Sam said, "You're the best friend I ever had."
Jon said, "You too, Sam."
Jon walks away. Ghost whines as he passes. Jon mounts, and rides out of the gate with Davos. Tormund, Ghost, Sam, and Gilly watch him go.
—--
Tyrion sits in the main cabin on Aldarra's ship, talking with Varys, who stands nearby.
Tyrion said, "Think of the past twenty years. The wars, the murders, the misery. All of it because Robert Baratheon loved someone who didn't love him back. Baelish baited the hooks like catching fish."
Varys asked, "How many others know?" Varys sits down in a chair.
Tyrion said, "Including us? Eight."
Varys said, "Well, then it's not a secret anymore. It's information. If a handful of people know now, hundreds will know soon. Then what happens?"
Tyrion said, "Then my father loses any cooperation with the North, the Vale, Sansa will make sure of that."
Varys said, "No, it's worse than that. He has the better claim to the throne."
Tyrion said, "He doesn't want the throne." Tyrion begins to pace.
Varys said, "I'm not sure it matters what he wants. The fact is, people are drawn to him. Wildlings, Northmen. He's a war hero."
Tyrion asked, "Who would he marry? Aldarra?" Varys wrinkled his nose disgustedly. Tyrion said, "It's not like it was above Targaryen's to do that in the not so far past?"
Varys said, "No, but Jon grew up in Winterfell. Is marrying your bastard half sister common in the North? Do you think she wants to ever be on the throne? She doesn't and it's not who she is, besides she won't ever leave Tywin until he leaves this world."
Tyrion said, "She is the only person who can touch my father on a deeper level which was impossible for anyone but her."
Varys said, "I worried about her state of mind until I saw his behavior before the wight demonstration. He was anxious and nervous she wasn't going to be there. He kept asking if she was there or coming. "
Tyrion said, "Maybe we shouldn't look for trouble until something happens to make it. Aldarra might be able to solve our problems."
—--
A ship drops anchor and another unfurls its sails, while other ships in the distance have already set anchor. Rhaegal and Drogon fly overhead, with Aldarra riding atop Drogon. They soar over the Red Keep, enjoying themselves about to head to the dragon pit to land. Suddenly, a huge bolt bounces off Rhaegal's chest. He screeches. Aldarra is confused and distraught as Rhaegal struggles to continue flying. Another bolt plunges past him and she makes them fly lower, and a third misses Drogon.
—--
Tyrion and Varys race to the deck in time to see Rhaegal dodge a second bolt and a third narrowly misses Drogon. Men shout in confusion and race around the deck. They see Aldarra fly low and don't see her any longer.
—--
Another giant bolt zooms just above her head. She ducks in surprise, and looks to see the Ironborn fleet appear from just behind the craggy shores of Blackwater Bay. Several scorpions have been mounted on their foredecks, one of which is manned by Euron. His crew repositions the huge siege weapon for another shot. Euron patiently waits for his shot. But it never happens because she landed in the dragon pit. To check over Rhaegal and calm them down.
—--
Euron smiles but gives up on Aldarra and her dragons. He didn't want to kill her which is why he aimed at the green one first. He and his men repositioned their weapons towards the vulnerable ship of hers.
—--
Tyrion takes stock of the attacking Ironborn ships, coming towards them at full sail.
A soldier shouts, "Spears!"
Another soldier shouts, "They're coming round again!"
—--
Euron takes aim with a menacing smile. He lets loose the bolt with a grunt. The other ships follow suit, sending off a brutal assault.
—--
The volley of giant bolts takes apart Aldarra's ship. Varys is knocked off his feet by the force of impact.
A soldier shouts, "Go!"
Another shouts, "Clear!"
Third shouts, "Man your stations!"
The sea spurts over the railings as the massive bolts destroy the hull. Tyrion pivots away from the attacking side and is nearly impaled on a whistling bolt. He falls backwards with a grunt. He quickly swivels back to his feet and changes direction. Another bolt screams through the air in front of him and destroys the railing on the far side of the deck. Tyrion tries to continue towards the stern of the ship, but the bolts continue relentlessly, causing devastation and carnage. With no other options, Tyrion jumps overboard to escape.
A soldier shouts, "Go! Go!"
Another shouts, "Clear!"
Tyrion treads water. He looks up as a felled mast comes down on top of him. Then everything goes black.
Survivors of the ship drag their comrades through the surf and onto the shore. They cough and gasp. Varys and Tyrion lie on the shore, Varys coughing uncontrollably while Tyrion pants.
—--
Tywin witnessed the whole thing Greyjoy just did in the harbor. He saw Aldarra and her dragons dodge the bolts and was upset watching them tear her ship apart in the bay. Tywin runs out of the Red Keep heading to the dragon pit.
Tywin tries to catch his breath bending over holding his knees. Aldarra runs across the distance into his arms. Tywin holds her, crushing her to his chest.
He said, "After everything we have been through and survived now, if I lost you to that pirate bastard, I don't think I could take it, my love."
Aldarra said, kissing his face, "I love you, Tywin… I love you so much…"
Tywin said, "Aldarra, they sank your ship in the harbor."
Aldarra cries out, "No! Tyrion and Varys and my men! My good men!" She runs off towards the city.
—--
Once Aldarra reaches the docks, she runs the length of the docks to the shoreline looking for people she knows from her ship. She is running the length of the shoreline following it along looking running with her sword drawn. She sees way up ahead people and debris on the shore. She didn't see the men running up behind her. The people ahead are yelling at her and pointing at her. She looked behind and turned up the speed running but it was too late. She fights five of them with a sword. She parries, deflects, blocking, attacking and counter-attack. Five on one she was just overpowered after killing two. She fought hard against them but in the end they forced her down on the sand and they tied her hands behind her back as she fought and bit at them. The biggest threw her over his shoulder putting her in the row boat and rowed to Euron's ship.
—--
Tyrion, Varys and Aldarra's crew members all saw them take her. They hurried to get into King's Landing. Tywin was waitig at the docks.
Tywin shouted, "Where is she!"
Tyrion said, "Euron took her. She fought five of them but they overtook her." Tywin looked ready to explode.
Tywin shouted, "I want them dead! Dead! If he gives her to Dorne after what they did to Mycella. I'll destroy the whole fucking place. Can you ride her dragons?" He was furious. Tyrion had never seen his father this angry before. It was frightening to him.
Tyrion said, "My dragon died at Winterfell during the battle. Jon can ride the green one. Her dragon might let me ride him."
Tywin asked, "Where is Jon Snow?"
Tyrion said, "On his way here in a few days. He rode horses here because his green dragon was injured in the battle at Winterfell."
Tywin said angrily, "I had her right in my arms until I told her that her ship sank in the harbor! She cried out in panic, ran off worrying about both of you and her crew. I had her, right here!" He had his hands out in front of him flexing his fingers.
—--
Aldarra was handcuffed in shackles and pushed into a cabin with a big bed, rugs and furnishings. It was a master's cabin. There was a pole beam in the middle of the room. They attached her shackles to a ring there and left her there. She looked around the room for potential weapons. She tried the shackles and stood up looking at the locks and pins holding them together to get an idea of how to undo the cuffs. Aldarra heard footsteps coming down the stairway. She got back on the floor and feigned exhaustion.
Euron walked into his cabin and saw her sagging on the floor with her arms hanging above her head. She looked tired. He assumed it was exhausting for her to fight five men killing two before she was apprehended. He squatted down and looked at her thinking what a pretty package she was. Euron lifted her face and saw dried blood on her face, her mouth and a large black bruise and bloody abrasion swelling on her jaw. He got angry and marched out the door and up the stairs shouting for his men and demanded why she was beaten up. They told him that she fought biting and kicking them and they had to subdue her somehow.
He demanded a bowl of cold water, rum and clean cloth. Euron went back down into his cabin and the men brought him what he asked for. He sat down in front of her and started cleaning her face. Aldarra started jerking away from him.
He said in a soft voice, "Here, here calm down. I have to clean your wounds and use the rum next."
She said, "Stop acting like you care. I know you don't." Euron wiped away most of the blood.
He said, "You would be wrong. I do care. You're pretty and I want to keep you that way." She glared at him defiantly. He used the rum on her jaw and she hissed.
Aldarra said, "It's not going to make me like you better."
Euron said, "Good. Because if you acted like that I know you would be lying and pretending." He put the rum to her lip. It stung.
She said, "I hate you for keeping me from my son and husband."
He said, "I suppose you do." Euron blotted the wounds with a dry cloth. He got up and put the items away. He pulled up a chair and sat across from her looking at her.
Euron said, "I hear the army of the dead are gone."
She rolled her eyes and said, "No thanks to you."
He said, "Dorne paid me big money to not get involved and ship the Gold Company of 20,000 men to Dorne to bolster their troops because you threatened to burn their palace to the ground. Martell was very angry about that and made him fear you."
Aldarra said, "Good. He'd be stupid if he doesn't. You're pretty stupid too."
He cocked his head to the side and asked, "How's that?"
She looked him in the eye and said, "Because I could burn your ships to the ground with a mere thought."
Euron said, "You might, but you might not with my new scorpions mounted to all my ships."
She narrowed her eyes and said, "My dragons are smarter than you think. You think that would stop armored dragons. You are not 100% good at aiming those things my dragons are 100% good at flying and evading. If I give up here and order them to burn this ship with me in it, you can guarantee they will do as I say." He looked at her and wondered how much of that was truthful.
He said, "Well, I'm gambling on you won't commit suicide just yet. Dorne will be demanding you be surrendered to them, but that was not our deal. You are here until I say you're not, whether they like it or not. They should be happy you're not riding your dragons is all."
Aldarra said, "Yes, well there is that." She wasn't going to tell him she is not the only rider. Euron grinned thinking he topped her in the conversation. She let him have his confidence for now.
He asked, "Are you hungry? It's past evening meal time."
Aldarra said, "I could eat."
Euron went out and got the men to get food from the galley for the both of them.