[KING'S LANDING GARDEN]
[PRINCE OBERYN MARTELL sits writing on a scroll. CERSEI enters, flanked by guards. He stands to greet her.]
"Prince Oberyn. Writing letters?"
"A poem, actually."
"You still write?" Elia questioned with a soft smile.
"Still as shit as you remember" Oberyn sighed, to his sister's amusement.
"May I show you the gardens?"
"I couldn't very well refuse a royal escort."
"No, you couldn't."
[They walk through the gardens now, the guards a few paces behind them.]
"I didn't realize you were a poet. For your paramour?"
"For one of my daughters."
"You have several, don't you?"
"Eight. The fifth is difficult. I named her after my sister Elia."
"She is nothing like you" Oberyn chuckled, the tone a sad one. Perhaps he had thought he'd find his sister in his girl if he named her after his sister. It was a futile effort in the end, but Oberyn loved her dearly still.
Elia smiled, gripping his hand for his comfort and squeezing it gently.
Oberyn returned it with a squeeze of his own.
"I can't say it without turning sad. And after I turn sad, I grow angry."
Elia gripped a little tighter.
"Perhaps that's why she's difficult. The gods love their stupid jokes, don't they?"
"Which joke is that?"
"You're a prince of Dorne. A legendary fighter. A brilliant man feared throughout Westeros. But you could not save your sister. I'm a Lannister. Queen for nineteen years. Daughter of the most powerful man alive. But I could not save my son. What good is power if you cannot protect the ones you love?"
"It's a good way for her to squirm her way to your support" Tyrion commented, unhappy but not blind to the wisdom of the ploy. "Using your grief for your sister to get you on her side."
"It isn't" Oberyn agreed. "But she forgets one thing."
"And that is?"
'Her father is the reason my sister is dead, and I hold her equally responsible for not having found justice for that" Oberyn shrugged.
Tyrion sighed. It was good for future him that Oberyn still held that belief, as tiring as it was by now.
"I haven't seen my daughter in over a year.
"The last time I saw her, she was swimming with two of my girls in the Water Gardens. Laughing in the sun."
"I want to believe that. I want to believe she's happy."
"You have my word. We don't hurt little girls in Dorne."
"Everywhere in the world, they hurt little girls. Would you bring her a gift for me? I wasn't there for her name day. I don't know when I'll see her again."
[CERSEI points to a sailing ship in the bay.]
"The best shipwrights in King's Landing have been working on it for months. Myrcella loves the open water. Please tell her... her mother misses her very much."
Myrcella couldn't help but smile. Her mother did care, she cared more than Myrcella had thought.
But that did nothing to improve her opinion of the woman, especially after seeing the many things her mother had done with no remorse. Seeing the things she's capable of has made Myrcella wary of the woman.
[CRASTER'S KEEP, EVENING]
[RAST leads a woman roughly away from the Keep. LOCKE is watching from behind a tree. RAST pushes the whimpering woman down and laughs. He grabs her shirt from behind and pulls her up. The woman sobs. RAST pushes her forward.]
Looks of disgust passed around at the sight of the traitorous Night's Watch Man.
[They pass by LOCKE. A company of men emerges from the keep. LOCKE sneaks into the grounds.[
"Jon's men have arrived," Arya said smugly. Now they'll kill all the traitors and save the women. The latter may not have been part of the plan, but Arya knew her brother would not abandon them.
[LOCKE creeps closer to the main keep, knocking a lantern as he passes, causing it to rattle and then squeak as it swings. He looks into the keep and sees the bound captives as well as some of the traitor rangers. Within the keep, BRAN STARK hears the squeaking, looks up and sees the swinging lantern. MEERA REED is also curious. JOJEN REED coughs. The group converse about their capture and the journey still before them. JOJEN has a vision. The outer wall of the keep disappears, and behind the bound BRAN, the red leaves of a weirwood reach out in the sunset. JOJEN tells BRAN that the rest of them were guides, while it was BRAN who the Three Eyed Raven was searching for.]
[CRASTER'S KEEP]
[LOCKE moves stealthily through the woods. He arrives back at the ranger encampment. JON SNOW, "DOLOROUS" EDD TOLLETT and GRENN step to meet him.]
"How many?"
"Eleven men. Most of them already drunk. No guards posted. They don't seem to have a care in the world. We'll carve them up like walnut pie."
"They think themselves invincible now that they have shelter, food and women" Brandon the Elder snorted.
"Reality will soon come crashing down on them and they will receive what they deserve" Ned muttered. The Lord of Winterfell held no mercy or kindness for oath breakers and traitors.
"Karl was a top-paid cutthroat in Flea Bottom. I've seen what he can do with a knife."
"Have you seen what I can do with a knife? There's a hut on the west side of the keep. We should steer clear of it. They've got some hounds chained up inside. Closer we can get without the dogs sniffing us, the better."
"New Moon tonight."
"The night would be well lit" Jaime nods.
"Get some rest. We move at sundown."
[CRASTER'S KEEP, NIGHT]
[The keep grounds are lit by torches. A door opens brusquely. KARL TANNER and some rangers stride forth, heading to the main keep. They enter the main building. Two Rangers untie MEERA. She struggles as they bring her to her feet. The traitors raise MEERA's hands above her head to place them into manacles that hang from the beam above. MEERA has been put into the manacles, hands raised over her head.]
"Come on Jon. Get to her please" Bran whispered his begging. Whatever was happening was his fault. He'd been stubborn and thought of nothing but himself. And now Meera was going to suffer for it.
"Jon… Please…" he whispered. Jon was there already. Bran needed him to be faster.
[MEERA struggles against the men as they try to shackle her feet. They bind her feet as well. KARL TANNER steps towards her. KARL TANNER touches her hair.]
"You've got pretty hair, don't you? Now what is a pretty little highborn girl like you doing out here in the deep, dark woods, eh?"
"No…" Sansa's hands were shaking as she whispered. She was reminded of the time she'd seen her future self almost get assaulted in the capital like Meera was now. She sees herself in place of Meera there, she sees herself being attacked.
Someone touched her hand and she violently flinched.
It was Bran, but he was not looking at her. His hand was shaking as well, his teeth sunk into his bottom lip and tears collecting in his eyes. He was afraid and he was looking for her hand for comfort.
Sansa pushed past her own feelings and grasped Bran's hand for comfort.
For her brother.
For herself.
[RAST enters.]
"They're here, the Night's Watch."
"Thank the gods" Sansa shuddered out her words. Jon was there, Jon and his friends were there. Meera would be safe.
Sansa heard a small sob and felt the grip on her hand tighten.
Bran was relieved, but he was crying.
Sansa brought her brother close and Bran buried himself into her side.
[CRASTER'S KEEP]
[The Night's Watch attack the camp, shouting and screaming. They engage with the traitors, battling with swords. GRENN, JON and LOCKE all dispatch their foes. LOCKE moves intently to the main keep. He enters to find BRAN, HODOR, JOJEN, and MEERA bound.]
"Rescue party is here, lads. Lady."
"Is Jon with you?"
"Aye. I'll take you to him. You're Brandon Stark?"
"I don't think I've told him Bran's name" Jon frowned.
"Maybe he heard it from someone else" Robb suggested. "Plus, by now Bran's name would be well known to all."
"Yes, but the realm thinks he's dead" Jon pointed out. "The Watch probably not because of everything they were dealing with. The rest of the realm only knows Sansa and Arya are the last two Starks."
Robb blinked slowly.
"There has to be an explanation," he says after a while.
But the confidence in his voice was lacking.
[BRAN doesn't answer. LOCKE slices him with his knife, testing the feeling in his legs.]
"The little crippled lord. We're going for a ride, boy."
[LOCKE covers BRAN's mouth with his gloved hand to silence him.]
"Keep talking and I'll cut your friends' throats. Starting with the idiot. Do you hear? Do you hear?"
"Wha- but he's Jon's friend!" Arya exclaimed.
Jaime snorted.
"Little girl that's the man that took my hand. Poorly disguised but he is the same man."
All of the Starks were staring at him owlishly.
Jaime snorted again.
None of them even noticed.
"You've known all this time and not told us?" Catelyn questioned indignantly.
"I assumed you all were aware. I suppose I overestimated your abilities to remember faces."
The Starks bristled at the insult but had nothing to retort with.
How had they not noticed?!
[The battle rages. The Night's Watch is winning. BRAN sits silently. LOCKE unbinds him further. LOCKE lifts him onto his shoulders. BRAN's eyes turn white, as does HODOR's. HODOR rocks methodically, pulling his chains free from the wall.]
Brynden clicked his tongue in distaste. Ince more the boy was disrespecting the laws. Was he always this flaunting of the laws? Perhaps he should start looking elsewhere…
[JON and the rangers continue to battle against the traitors. JON dispatches man after man.]
[WOODS BEYOND CRASTER'S KEEP]
[LOCKE carries BRAN, trudging through the woods. HODOR appears and knocks BRAN from LOCKE's shoulder. Both BRAN and HODOR have white eyes: BRAN is in control of the giant. HODOR holds LOCKE above him with one hand around his neck. LOCKE chokes and strains. HODOR twists his hand quickly, spanning LOCKE's neck. HODOR drops the lifeless body.]
"That was terrifying" Lyanna murmured. Hodor was always a gentle soul. To so see him kill someone in this manner, even if he was not in control of himself… was jarring.
[HODOR picks up the knife and cuts BRAN's bonds. HODOR exits. BRAN can hear the sounds of the battle.]
[CRASTER'S KEEP]
[JON fights relentlessly. BRAN crawls closer to the camp. JON doesn't hear him in the noise of the battle. JOJEN appears.]
"If he sees you, he won't let you go north."
"As he should. You've put him in danger too much already!" Catelyn snarled in anger. She did not like the Reed boy, did not like how he had twisted himself into Bran's mind like that.
He's going to get her sweet boy killed!
"He's my brother."
"And wants to protect you. He'll take you back to Castle Black. You have to decide. Do you want to find the three-eyed raven?"
[BRAN watches JON at battle. BRAN considers. He watches JON from afar. BRAN makes up his mind.]
"We need to free Summer. And we need to go."
Catelyn let out a frustrated groan. She would not allow that Reed boy around her son, she had decided that. And if Ned argued, she would argue even more vehemently. Jojen Reed was not going anywhere near her Bran.
[CRASTER'S KEEP]
[KARL TANNER stabs a Night's Watchman in the neck. JON enters. KARL TANNER pulls his knife back and bows. KARL TANNER spins his knives and walks towards Jon. They battle, JON's sword against KARL TANNER's knives. It is an even match. They pause for breath. They engage again. KARL TANNER gets the upper hand and stabs JON in the leg. JON groans. JON frees himself from the dagger and they battle again. KARL TANNER has the upper hand. JON slices KARL TANNER's face, who falls back. They grapple and parry. KARL TANNER spits in JON's face, then sweeps his legs from under him. JON falls and KARL TANNER kicks at him, then stomps on JON's hand to prevent him from grabbing his sword. A stabbing sounds, and KARL TANNER drops his knives and stumbles backwards. SISSY has put a knife in his back. She looks terrified. KARL TANNER reaches back to remove the knife while walking towards SISSY. She backs away and falls, and KARL TANNER successfully dislodges the knife. He menaces her with it. Suddenly, JON's sword pieces through KARL TANNER's mouth. JON slowly withdraws his bloody blade. KARL TANNER falls dead atop SISSY. JON kneels down to her.]
All those watching the fight had been doing so in silence, some in fear for their loved ones while others were simply watching to see who would come out on top. Karl Tanner didn't fight fair and when he took advantage of the fact and overpowered Jon, most of the Starks were hissing in anger, outrage and fear. None of them were under the delusion that everyone summoned would live to the end, not when they've seen people here die.
When one of Kraster's wives came to Jon's rescue, many blessed her for her effort, eventually cheering when Jon put his sword through the man's mouth.
"Boy has skilled" Jaime admits with a small smile, "but he's too set on his belief of fighting fair."
"Like you?" Tyrion raised a brow.
"It'll get him killed" Jaime pushed on. "Or worse."
Tyrion didn't need to ask what was worse than death, not after all the shit he'd seen here.
[GRENN, JON, and a Night's Watchman survey the grounds. The MAN hands JON a sword. GHOST approaches.]
"Where in seven hells have you been? Come here."
[GHOST whines. JON pets him.]
Jon smiled at seeing his future self be reunited with his future familiar. The wolf had survived, he did not end up like Greywind…
"What should we do with this lot?"
"It's not safe for you here on your own. Mance Rayder has an army heading this way and there's worse out there than Mance. Come with us to Castle Black. We can find you work. Keep you safe."
"Meaning all respect, Ser Crow, Craster beat us and worse. Your brother crows beat us and worse. We'll find our own way."
"You want to stay here in Craster's Keep?"
[MORAG spits.]
"Burn it to the ground and all the dead with it."
"A singular bad idea" Doran said with a frown. "This far up North where you won't find a good place to rest, a place like that is a treasure. Burning it is a waste."
"These women have not had good memories here, nor will they have any if they continue to do so" Elia pointed out.
"They don't need a house for memories. They need it for shelter" Doran said with a tongue click. "The Watch could also take it over and turn it into an outpost for their rangers as well. Burning it is a waste."
"I agree" Ned added with a frown. "Perhaps once Caster has been ousted this time, I can convince Mormont to make an outpost of this. Take all the food and wine and whatever else that is useful back to Castle Black."
"And the women?" Daenerys questioned. "What will happen to them?"
"The same choice that Jon gave them, I will give as well. They are victims of Craster, and the North is vast for them to find a place for themselves."
"Not the worst idea…" Catelyn mused. Maybe she'd hire some of them for Winterfell… only the young ones though. Those would be easier to settle down with life at Winterfell. Perhaps she'd coax some to share her faith as well.