Chaos ensued the moment the wall went dark, not a moment wasted by the people to digest what they saw. There was shock, horror, sadness and anger. But what dominated was the emotion of rage. Robert Baratheon broke the chair he sat upon and swore vengeance, while Robb and Jon looked ready to pounce on Joffrey as if the boy King would appear before them. Jon Arryn stared in cold fury at the reflection on the wall, while Brandon the Elder swore vengeance upon the Lannister line, cursing them in a language that made those not raging shiver in horror.
But Ned Stark sat where he was, eyes closed and head lowered. He had swallowed his pride and honour and for his daughters, he bowed to a bastard of incest, only for the creature to kill him. Perhaps Catelyn had been right, that bastards were spiteful and devilish creatures. Only when their parents were the same of course. No doubt Joffrey had gotten this tendency from his parents, the Lannister twins.
"Ned…"
The soft whimper of his wife drew him out of his thoughts and he found the woman clutching the arm of his tunic, tears free falling from her eyes.
"I-"
"It's not your fault," Ned told her sternly, his voice barely above a whisper.
Catelyn let out a sob.
But it was Sansa who tackled him into a hug.
Arya and Bran joined their sister and Ned embraced his children.
Ned looked up and saw Jon and Robb to the side, angry, sad and hurting. When the boys turned to him, he extended an arm as an invite. The two joined the huddle immediately.
Lyanna watched her brother with her hands bunching up her skirt. It was all her fault in the end. Had she not run off with Rhaegar, had she simply spoken to Ned back then, or even Brandon or her father, there would have been no rebellion. Her family would have been safe and alive!
"I swear I will rip that bastard to pieces and feed him to the pigs!" Robert roared, still on a rampage as he continued to tear down anything in his path.
"That is enough" Jon Arryn stood in Robert's path now, still angry.
"He killed Ned!"
"He did."
"I will kill him, Jon!"
"You will."
Robert shook before his foster father and Hand, clenching his fists so hard that his knuckles were turning white.
"We will both make sure that bastard dies. As does his mother" Jon Arryn hissed to him.
Robert's hands loosened.
No breaks were taken, the people all choosing to allow the Starks to go about their emotions in privacy. And when they were done and settled, they all sat back down to watch, horrified, red-eyed and furious.
[At Winterfell, Bran has a dream in which he can walk and sees a three-eyed raven. He then talks about this dream with Osha.]
"lt had three eyes. lt told me to come with him, so l did. We went down into the crypts and my father was there."
Ned perked up at the words of his son on the wall. Brynden had said that Bran had the gift of greensight in his blood. Ned shouldn't be surprised because of that, but he was.
Catelyn, who clung to his arm, was equally surprised.
"Your father's not down there, little lord. Not for many years yet."
"You're afraid. Just like Hodor."
"I'm not afraid of some hole in the ground."
"You've lived beyond the Wall. What are you scared of? I'm a crippled boy and I'm willing to go."
[Osha takes Bran to the crypts. She carries him with her arms while he lights the way with a torch.]
"That's my grandfather, Lord Rickard. He was burned alive by the Mad King, Aerys."
Said man let out a slow sigh. His eyes were tinged red, but no tears had fallen from them, nor would any. Rickard Stark did not show his emotions in public, not where people would see, judge and possibly use it against him. Even if he was dead. Some habits stuck even in death.
"That's Lyanna, my father's sister. King Robert was supposed to marry her, but Rhaegar Targaryen kidnapped her."
"Will we change that? Tell people what really happened?" Shireen questioned her father.
"I don't know yet" Stannis answered, eyeing the silver Prince. Shireen had asked the question out loud, and the man had heard her. But Rhaegar only stared at him in silence.
"Robert started a war to win her back. He killed Rhaegar, but she died anyway. That's where l saw Father."
"Right where my body should be buried as ordered" Ned muttered under his breath.
"You see? He's not here."
[A loud roar is heard and a shadow moves in front of them. A direwolf runs towards them; Osha falls to the ground with him. We see Shaggydog barking at them viciously.]
"That ones vicious" Brandon the Elder commented, his voice still a little hoarse from screaming curses.
"Rickon is the wildest of my children. No doubt the wolf takes after him" Ned said with a chuckle and a small smile.
Brandon stared at his brother, hand twitching to reach out to him and clasp his shoulder.
"Here, Shaggydog."
"Rickon!"
"That beast is supposed to be chained in the kennels!"
"He doesn't like chains."
"What are you doing down here? Come back up with us."
"No, l came to see Father."
"How many times have l told you? He's in King's Landing with Sansa and Arya."
"He was down here. l saw him."
"Saw him when?"
"Last night, when l was sleeping. Here, Shaggydog."
"Rickon too?" Ned turned to Brynden. "You said only Bran's gift was strong enough to manifest."
"All your children are gifted, Lord Stark" Brynden stated respectfully. "These abilities try manifesting young and unless practised they slowly become dormant with time."
Yet Brynden stared at Rickon curiously. Perhaps Brandon was not the only viable one for his plans.
[At the Throne Room on the Red Keep, Marillion the bard is singing a song for Joffrey and his retinue. Cercei stands by his side, while Sansa overlooks the scene from one of the colonnades. Marillion: sings.]
"The boar's great tusks, they boded ill
For good King Robert's health
And the beast was every bit as fat
As Robert was himself
But our brave king cried,
"Do your worst!
I'll have your ugly head!
You're nowhere near as murd'rous as
the lion in my bed"
King Robert lost his battle and
He failed his final test,
The lion ripped his balls off,
And the boar did all the rest."
Robert was too furious at seeing Joffrey on the Wall to even comment on the song.
"Very amusing. Isn't it a funny song? Thank you for your rendition. l imagine it was even better received at that tavern."
"I'm so sorry, Your Grace. I'll never sing it again, l swear."
"Tell me, which do you favour - your fingers or your tongue?"
"Your Grace?"
"Fingers or your tongue? If you got to keep one, which would it be? Or l could just cut your throat."
"The boy at the very least understands how to keep the face of his predecessor" Stannis grunted.
"Joffrey's always looked up to Robert. It's no surprise he'd be furious at such a song" Renly explained.
"Every man needs hands, Your Grace."
"Good. Tongue it is."
"Your Grace, please. l won't sing, Your Grace."
"Ser llyn, who better than you to carry out the sentence? I'm done for the day. I'll leave the rest of the matters to you, Mother."
"l beg you! Please, no. No!"
[Ilyn Payne marches towards the fire to heat up his dagger. As Joffrey leaves with Meryn Trant and the Hound, he passes by Sansa. Marillion is still screaming and begging in the background.]
"You look quite nice."
"Thank you, my lord."
"Your Grace. I'm King now. Walk with me. l want to show you something."
[Joffrey and Sansa are outside, walking past a row of spears in the Red Keep. Trant and Clegane follow behind them.]
"And as soon as you've had your blood, I'll put a son in you. Mother says that shouldn't be long."
"I'll never marry him or carry his child" Sansa spat in disgust and anger. Gone was the infatuation she felt for Joffrey, replaced by seething anger and disgust.
[The pikes have impaled heads on them. Sansa looks away.]
"This one's your father. This one here. Look at it and see what happens to traitors."
"I am going to strangle that abomination" Brandon the Elder snapped.
"You're dead" Lyanna pointed out, though looking as if she felt the same way.
"HE won't survive long once these people return. And when he does cross over I'll be there" Brandon the Elder swore with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
"You promised to be merciful."
"l was. l gave him a clean death. Look at him.
"Please let me go home. l won't do any treason, l swear –"
"Mother says I'm still to marry you. So you'll stay here, and obey. Look at him!"
"Mother this, mother that" Olenna spat. "And the boy's our King!"
"He isn't. And he won't be" Robert rumbled.
Olenna eyed the King closely before eyeing her granddaughter.
Margaery met her gaze and nodded.
[Sansa looks up at the head of her father.]
"How long do l have to look?"
"As long as it pleases me. That's your Septa there"
Sansa gasped in horror while Arya glared murderously at the Wall. She may not have much love for the woman, but she had hate for Joffrey.
"I'll tell you what, I'm going to give you a present. After l raise my armies and kill your traitor brother, I'm going to give you his head as well."
"Or maybe he'll give me yours."
[Sansa looks defiantly at Joffrey, who cowers.]
"Of all times for your Stark to show" Robb grinned viciously.
"I'm not wrong. You will give me his head" Sansa said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"I would."
"My mother tells me a king should never strike his lady. Ser Meryn."
[Ser Meryn strikes Sansa repeatedly with the back of his armoured hand, leaving her lip bloodied.]
"That bastard!" Robb swore, looking ready to throw down with the man.
Bran stared at the screen with disgust and shock. Was this the Kingsguard he wanted to be part of so bad? He had thought that perhaps these men would be honourable and perhaps counsel their King to act properly. Like many Kingsguard of the past did.
[Sansa notices the stone bridge Joffrey is on leads to a street some feet below. She moves forward to lunge him from the edge, but she's stopped by the Hound.]
"Damnit" Arya muttered.
"Here, girl."
[The Hound cleans her bloody lip with a rag.]
"Will you obey now? Or do you need another lesson? I'll look for you in court."
"All brave now that he is surrounded by mindless brutes who listen to him without question" Lyanna muttered venomously. She was going to note every face, and once they crossed over, she'd beat them all up. No doubt Brandon would join her.
[War meeting at the Stark camp. They sit at the table at night by torchlight.]
"The proper course is clear - pledge fealty to King Renly and move south to join our forces with his."
"Renly is not the king."
"You cannot mean to hold to Joffrey, my lord. He put your father to death."
"That doesn't make Renly king. He's Robert's youngest brother. lf Bran can't be Lord of Winterfell before me, Renly can't be king before Stannis."
"Do you mean to declare us for Stannis?"
"Renly is not right! If we put ourselves behind Stannis…"
"Quite a conundrum" Oberyn chuckled softly and eyed Robb Stark. "What would you do now little wolf" he murmured to himself.
"My Lords. My Lords! Here is what l say to these two kings. Renly Baratheon is nothing to me, nor Stannis neither. Why should they rule over me and mine from some flowery seat in the South? What do they know of the Wall or the Wolfswood? Even their gods are wrong! Why shouldn't we rule ourselves again? it was the dragons we bowed to and now the dragons are dead! There sits the only king l mean to bend my knee to - the King in the North!"
[The Greatjon bows to Robb with his sword unsheathed.]
"A King in The North!" Brandon the Elder barked a laugh. But couldn't help but feel dread coil in him.
"I'll have peace on those terms. They can keep their Red Castle and their iron chair too. The King in the North!"
[Theon Greyjoy takes out his sword, and bows to Robb]
"My sword is yours in victory and defeat, from this day until my last day."
[All chanting The King in the North! They all take out their swords and swear fealty to Robb as Catelyn looks wearily at the whole scene.]
[Catelyn goes to the outskirts of their camp, to the dungeons where prisoners are being kept.]
"Lady Stark."
"l want to see him. Now! Leave us."
"Cat" Ned thought with a sigh. He prayed that his wife did not do something stupid here.
[They walk for a while until they reach Jaime Lannister, kept away far from the rest.]
"You look lovely tonight, Lady Stark. Widowhood becomes you. Your bed must be lonely. Is that why you came? I'm not at my best, but l think l could be of service. You slip out of that gown and we'll see if I'm up to it."
"I apologize for the words my future self is speaking. I have a habit of saying things to rile up my opponents if I'm at a disadvantage" Jaime said immediately when the Starks all turned and glared at him.
Beside him, Joanna had pinched Jaime in the side. The reason why Jaime was apologizing in the first place.
[Catelyn grabs a large rock from the ground, marches towards him and hits the rock against his forehead]
"Oh, l do like a violent woman."
"l will kill you tonight, Ser. Pack your head in a box and send it to your sister."
"Do not do anything rash" Ned whispered to himself.
"Let me show you how. Hit me again, over the ear. And again and again. You're stronger than you look, it shouldn't take long."
"That is what you want the world to believe, isn't it? That you don't fear death."
"But l don't, my lady. The dark is coming for all of us. Why cry about it?"
"Because you are going to the deepest of the seven hells if the gods are just."
"What gods are those? The trees your husband prayed to? Where were the trees when his head was getting chopped off? If your gods are real and if they are just why is the world so full of injustice?"
"Because of men like you."
"There are no men like me. Only me."
"My son Bran. How did he come to fall from that tower?"
"l pushed him out the window."
"Why?"
"I hoped the fall would kill him."
"Why?"
"You should get some sleep. It's going to be a long war."
[Catelyn drops the rock and goes away.]
Jon inhaled sharply.
"What?" Robb asked.
"The rock" the half Stark motioned towards the Wall.
Robb understood and inhaled sharply as well. What if the Kingslayer used it to set himself free?
[Cersei and Lancel are having one of their rendezvous in her bedchamber.]
Jaime choked on air.
"Lancel too?" Joanna questioned in disgust.
"Guess our sister isn't just interested in you, dear brother" Tyrion grinned at his glaring brother.
"I'll gut that twit" Jaime swore. How dare he do that to Cersei? His Cersei!
[Cersei is reading a message while Lancel speaks, naked.]
"l can't believe we're actually at war. Was it this exciting last time, when you were young? What does it say? Have we captured Robb Stark yet? What's our next move?]
"Stop talking. Get back into bed."
Jaime baulked and was soon replaced by dread as his heart raced. No, nobody could force themselves on Cersei… Which could mean only one thing…
He inhaled deeply and shoved the thought aside.
[Back in the Riverlands, we sit with the Lannister war meeting. Tywin, Tyrion and Kevan are in assistance.]
"The Stark boy appears to be less green than we'd hoped."
"I've heard his wolf killed a dozen men and as many horses."
Robb's chest flared with pride and sick contentment.
"Both Baratheon brothers have taken up against us. Jaime captured, his armies scattered. It's a catastrophe. Perhaps we should sue for peace."
"There's your peace. Joffrey saw to that when he decided to remove Ned Stark's head. You'll have an easier time drinking from that cup than you will bringing Robb Stark to the table now. He's winning – in case you hadn't noticed."
"And soon he'd gut you and send your head to the bastard King!" Arya shouted at the Wall, her words eliciting a roar from her siblings and a few of the older people.
"The first order of business is ransoming Ser Jaime."
"First we must return to Casterly Rock to raise –"
[Tywin Lannister shouting.]
"They have my son! Get out, all of you. Not you Tyrion. You were right about Eddard Stark. If he were alive, we could have used him to broker peace with Winterfell and Riverrun, which would have given us more time to deal with Robert's brothers. But now – madness. Madness and stupidity. l always thought you were a stunted fool. Perhaps l was wrong."
Tyrion gaped in shock and surprise. Was his father finally acknowledging him?
"Half wrong. I'm new to strategy, but unless we want to be surrounded by three armies, it appears we can't stay here."
"No one will stay here. Ser Gregor will head out with 500 riders and set the Riverland on fire from God's Eye to the Red Fork. The rest of us will regroup at Harrenhal. And you will go to King's Landing."
"And do what?"
"Rule. You will serve as Hand of the King in my stead. You will bring that boy king to heel, and his mother too, if needs be. And if you get so much as a whiff of treason from any of the rest – Baelish, Varys, Pycelle…"
"I—must be dreaming," Tyrion said in disbelief.
"No. Father is finally seeing you for who you really are beneath the debauchery and snark" Jaime forced a smile for his brother. Cersei was still prevalent in his mind after all.
"Heads, spikes, walls. Why not my uncle? Why not anyone? Why me?"
"You're my son."
Perhaps something had gotten into Tyrion's eyes because the Imp was suddenly tearing up.
Joanna watched her youngest with a small smile. She reached out and gently ran her fingers through his hair.
Tyrion turned to his mother, oddly emotional.
"You have made your father acknowledge you. Now exceed his expectations. Show him that you are as much Lannister as he is" Joanna whispered to him fiercely but warmly.
Tyrion swallowed and gave a shallow nod.
