Slowly they all returned to their seats, silent, ponderous and scheming. The wall lit up once they'd all taken their seats, a gentle hum emanating from it before it subsided and the images of a future they wished to avoid began to play.
[The Hound and another man grunt as they duel. Men and women look on from nearby. The Hound knocks the other man's shield away and knocks the man off of a wall. The view goes from the man to where Joffrey stands in a tent, watching.]
"Well struck… [Louder] Well struck, Dog.|
"Great we're starting with that thing" Arya muttered under her breath, careful to not alert her mother of what she said.
Her mother did not hear her.
But Jon, sitting beside her again, did.
The boy smiled and shook his head.
[Joffrey turns to Sansa.]
"Did you like that?"
"It was well struck, Your Grace."
"I already said it was well-struck."
"What else is she supposed to say? That the man bled well or the Hound did a good job making him bleed?" Robb snorted with disdain.
"He might be expecting her to say those things exactly" Brandon the Elder spoke. He had changed his seat and was now sitting beside Robb. He wanted to get to know his nephews better, and what was a better way than to hear what they had to say up close and personal?
So far he liked Robb and Jon.
[Two men drag the man away, leaving behind a trail of blood. A boy walks over to clean up the blood. The announcer gestures to a man, who then walks over.]
"Ser Dontos the Red of House Hollard."
[The announcer gestures in the opposite direction, but no one comes forward.]
"That's embarrassing" Daenerys muttered.
"It is also dangerous for this Ser. Joffrey will not take tardiness lightly" Elia said gravely.
[Ser Dontos Walking down some stairs, awkwardly clutching his helmet and weapon.]
"And he's drunk" Oberyn clicked his tongue in amusement.
"Here I am."
[He drops his helmet.]
"Sorry, Your Grace."
[He puts it on backwards before apologising and putting it on correctly.]
"Are these what knights have been reduced to in the the future?" Joanna asked scandalized.
"I fear not everyone honours the title," Jaime said grimly. His expression turned grim when he felt eyes on him. He did not know who, but he knew someone was watching him closely after the comment.
"Are you drunk?"
"No. Uh, no, Your Grace. I had - I had two cups of wine."
"Two" Robert snorted.
"Two cups? That's not much at all. Please, have another cup."
"Are you sure, Your Grace?"
"Yes, to celebrate my name day! Have two, have as much as you like."
"That does not feel right" Tyrion commented. "Joffrey is not someone who is kind like this."
[Ser Dontos bows to Joffrey. Joffrey looks over to Ser Meryn.]
"Ser Meryn, help Ser Dontos celebrate my name day. See that he drinks his fill."
[Ser Meryn and two other kingsguard grab Ser Dontos. They bring him into a more open area nearby. Ser Dontos is forced on his knees. One kingsguard keeps Ser Dontos down. Ser Meryn and the other kingsguard get a funnel and a barrel of wine. Ser Meryn forces the funnel into Ser Dontos's mouth. The kingsguard with the barrel begins pouring the wine down the funnel. Ser Dontos begins gurgling and struggles a little bit.]
"Ah, that makes more sense" Tyrion nodded.
"The man will die" Myrcella muttered to her uncle, sitting beside him with Tommen on her other side. Tyrion had welcomed them both to join him, promising her that Jaime would not talk to her if she did so.
Jaime was not so happy with that promise.
"It makes sense for your brother. He is a cruel, cruel boy" Tyrion explained.
Myrcella nodded. Her uncle wasn't wrong.
"I only meant… it would be bad luck to kill a man on your name day."
"What kind of stupid peasant's superstition..."
"The girl is right. What a man sows on his name day, he reaps all year."
[Joffrey sighs.]
"Take him away. I'll have him killed tomorrow, the fool."
[The barrel and funnel are removed, and Ser Dontos is released. He pukes out a mixture of blood and wine onto the ground.]
"He is. A fool - you're so clever to see it. He'll make a much better fool than a knight. He doesn't deserve the mercy of a quick death."
"Did you hear My Lady, Ser Dontos? From this day, you'll be my new fool!"
"Excellently worked" Lyanna smiled at Sansa.
"I am so proud of you" Catelyn whispered to her daughter, while Ned gave her a proud nod and smile.
Even Arya looked at her with something close to fondness.
Sansa lowered her head to hide her blush.
[Tyrion, Bronn, and a number of hill tribesmen appear from the right. People murmur and look their way.]
"This should be fun" Tyrion leaned forward. He coulnd't wait to see the look on his sister's face when he breaks the news.
"We looked for you on the battlefield. You were nowhere to be found."
"I've been here, ruling the kingdoms."
"What a fine job you've done."
[He turns to Myrcella.]
Look at you. More beautiful than ever."
[He turns to Tommen.]
"And you! You, you're going to be bigger than the Hound, but much better looking."
Myrcella and Tommen both smiled at their uncle on the wall and then t the uncle sat with them. Their uncle Tyrion had always been kind to them, always brought them gifts and told them fantastic stories.
It was no surprise he was their favourite uncle.
Only uncle, she thought to herself with a small frown.
[SMALL COUNCIL MEETING CHAMBER]
[Tyrion begins whistling from a distance. Everyone at the table turns to watch him approach.]
"Don't get up. More ravishing than ever, big sister."
[He kisses Cersei on the cheek.]
"War agrees with you. Forgive the interruption, carry on."
"What are you doing here?"
Jaime leaned forward with interest. Maybe he was a little excited to see Cersei being put in check.
Especially after what he'd seen her do.
"It's been a remarkable journey. I pissed off the edge of the Wall, I slept in a sky cell. I fought with the hill tribes. So many adventures, so much to be thankful for."
[Tyrion begins drinking his wine.]
"What are you doing here? This is the small council."
"Yes, well, I, do believe the Hand of the King is welcome at all small council meetings."
"Our father is Hand of the King."
"Yes, but in his absence…"
[Tyrion pulls out a letter. He hands it to Varys, who opens it, and begins reading it.]
"Your father has named Lord Tyrion to serve as Hand in his stead while he fights –"
"Out! All of you out!"
Tyrion grinned in delight at seeing the outrage on his sister's face.
[The small council members all get up and leave until it is only Cersei and Tyrion. Cersei stands up and approaches Tyrion.]
"I would like to know how you tricked Father into this."
Jaime snorted. Tricking their father? It was easier to make stone come to life!
"If I were capable of tricking Father, I'd be emperor of the world by now. You brought this on yourself."
"I've done nothing."
"Quite right. You did nothing when your son called for Ned Stark's head. Now the entire North has risen up against us.
"I tried to stop it."
"Did you? You failed. That bit of theatre will haunt our family for a generation."
"Robb Stark is a child."
"IS she delusional? Or in denial?" Lyanna asked incredulously.
"A bit of both" Tyrion answered. "One of the many charming qualities my sister possesses."
The manner in which he said 'charming' made Lyanna and many more snort.
"Who's won every battle he's fought? Do you understand we're losing the war?"
Ned's chest swelled with pride. His son was winning. Perhaps he had taught him enough or will teach him enough if he's winning.
"What do you know about warfare?"
"More than you now" Tyrion muttered.
"Nothing. But I know people. And I know that our enemies hate each other almost as much as they hate us."
[There is a long pause. Cersei looks over at Tyrion.]
"Joffrey is King."
"Joffrey is King."
"You are here to advise him."
"I'm only here to advise him. And if the King listens to what I say, the King might just get his Uncle Jaime back."
"How?"
"You love your children. It's your one redeeming quality. That and your cheekbones. The Starks love their children as well. And we have two of them."
"One."
"One?"
"Arya, little animal, she disappeared."
"Disappeared? What, in a puff of smoke? We had three Starks to trade. You chopped one's head off and let another escape. Father will be furious. It must be odd for you to be the disappointing child."
[Tyrion smirks and takes a sip of his wine. Cersei looks away.]
"That went better than I'd thought" Jaime whispered to his brother.
"Did you see her face? I wish I could have that moment painted" Tyrion muttered with a dramatic sigh.
A painting of that exact moment appeared in Tyrion's hands.
"Thank you!" Tyrion barked a laugh.
[Scene changes to the Godswood of Winterfell]
[It is shown through the eyes of a person, running through the woods, panting. He looks up to the red comet above the trees, and then back down to the pool in the godswood. He approaches the pool and looks down at their reflection, revealing themselves to be Summer, Bran's direwolf.]
[Bran's Room]
[Bran lays in his bed, asleep. His eyes suddenly open.]
"What… was that?" Bran asked, a little mystified by seeing his direwolf from its perspective.
"I believe you warged into your wolf in your sleep. A common thing for wargs who have yet to control their gifts" Brynden explained.
Bran nodded, eyes shining with excitement at the explanation.
Catelyn did not look as excited. Skin changing was… inhuman, abnormal… it was ungodly in a sense… Yet her son was doing it. All her children could.
The woman frowned in thought and nervousness.
[Scene changes to the large party of Night's Watchmen continuing through the woods on horseback. Sam, Grenn, and Edd surround a sledge trapped in the snow on the side of the road The party reaches a large camp. Some of them dismount. The camera pans up to view a large wooden house in the centre. The view moves through the camp, to show some of the women working.]
"Are those girls?"
"Why is he so surprised by girls?" Theon asked incredulously.
Margaerys sighed with a small smile.
"Craster's daughters."
"Craster" Ned leaned forward. He had heard of the Wildling that aided the Night's Watch. Now he would sate his curiosity about him.
"I haven't seen a girl in six months."
"I'd keep on not seeing them if I were you."
"What, he doesn't like people messing with his daughters?"
"He doesn't like people messing with his wives."
"He marries his daughters?!"
The entire hall looked sick at the news—even the Targaryens who wed brother to sister.
[Jon, Sam, and Grenn all look at Edd, surprised.]
"He marries his daughters, and they give him more daughters, and on, and on it goes."
Arya made gagging noises. The mere thought was repulsive.
"What happens to the boys? He marries his daughters. What does he do with his sons?"
"A valid question" Brandon the Elder nodded.
"Maybe they go off after they come of age. Their father is marrying their sisters, nothing left for them" Robb suggested, still a little green in the face.
"Perhaps" Brandon the Elder shrugged.
Brynden stared in distaste and something close to hate.
[Craster, Mormont, and a number of watchmen sit around a fire.]
"He said he planned to stop here on his way to the Frostfangs."
"People make all sorts of plans. I haven't seen Benjen Stark in three years. Haven't missed him. Always treated me like scum."
"That's because you are scum" Arya spat.
The Starks grew despondent at hearing about Benjen though.
"Haven't had any good wine for a long time. You Southerners make good wine, I'll give you that."
[Jon standing off to the side of the room] "We're not Southerners."
"Who's this little girl? You're prettier than half my daughters. You got a nice wet twat between your legs? What's your name?"
Jon blanched at the comment, while Robb, Arya and Theon on the other side broke into peals of laughter. A few more joined in with chuckles.
"I told you, you look like a girl!" Theon guffawed.
Lyanna could only send silent apologies to her very embarrassed son. He had taken after her completely. It also didn't help that Rhaegar was not muscular.
"Jon Snow."
"Snow, eh? Listen to me, bastard. All you lot from south of the Wall, you're Southerners. But now you're in the North, the real North."
[As the conversation continues, Jon looks around at some of Craster's daughters in the rafters.]
"You want to know where they've all gone? North! To join up with Mance Rayder Your old friend."
"He's no friend of mine. He broke his vows, and betrayed his brothers!"
"Oh, aye. But once he was just a poor black crow. And now he's King-Beyond-the-Wall."
"King Beyond The Wall?" Rickard questioned.
"Mance Rayder has crowned himself King of the Wildings" Ned explained.
"I didn't know the Wildlings could follow a single man" Brandon the Elder commented. 'Who is this Mance Rayder?"
"A deserter from the Watch. He is cunning and clever, that one" Ned explained.
"He's been calling himself that for years. What's he king of? A frozen lake somewhere?"
[Craster looks at the watchman sitting next to Mormont and points.]
"That's a good-looking axe. Fresh forged?"
"Greedy bastard" Jon Snow muttered, very turned against Craster for that one comment.
[Mormont beckons to the watchman, who begrudgingly hands Mormont the axe.]
"You'll have another one made at Castle Black."
"No wonder the Watch has no good weapons. The Lord Commander is busy pawning them off to wildlings!" Renly commented.
"They need some way to get information from the man. The wildlings have no coin to trade with. So goods will have to be traded for information" Jon Arryn explained.
"They are Wildlings! Threaten to slice them open and they'll fucking speak!" Renly exclaimed. "Why are they making friends with them if they are the enemies?"
"Not all of the Wildlings want to fight, some are happy to trade. Many wildling villages openly trade with the Night's Watch" Ned explained.
"That one does not seem like one of those villages" Renly pointed.
"That one is not" Ned conceded.
"Oh, that's some lovely steel. You want to know what Mance Rayder is doing? Gathering an army. What I hear, he's already got more men than any of your southern kings."
Robert sat a little straighter at that.
"And where does he plan to march this army?"
"When you're all the way north, there's only one direction to go."
"It's one problem after the other" Robert muttered.
"At least we know why he intends to march" Stannis muttered. At Robert's look, he rolled his eyes. "The White Walkers, brother."
"Aye… those things" Robert muttered. "How do we deal with this army?"
Robert was looking at Jon Arryn.
"A matter to discuss after" Jon Arryn sighed.
[EXT. BEACH]
"Father, that's Dragonstone" Shireen spoke suddenly.
"It's a beach," Renly said blandly.
"The beaches at Dragonstone. I've lived there my whole life, uncle, I know it better than anyone."
[We see the red comet and then Maester Cressen, holding a torch and running.]
"The girl's right, she does know her beaches" Robert chuckled at his own joke.
Stannis' face remained ever stern, while Renly rubbed his face.
"Lord of Light, come to us in our darkness. We offer you these false Gods."
"Ah fuck" Oberyn groaned.
"Familiar?" Doran raised a brow.
"Unfortunately" Oberyn sighed.
[Cressen approaches a group gathered on the beach, burning some effigies. Melisandre is speaking to them.]
"Take them and cast your light upon us. For the night is dark and full of terrors."
"What the fuck is this cult shit?!" Robert sat straighter.
"Followers of the R'hllor, your Grace" Oberyn explained. "They burn their offerings to their god."
"That name sounds familiar…"
"Thoros of Myr" Renly said boredly and Robert snapped his fingers as he recalled.
[Cressen reaches the group and hands his torch to another man.]
"After the long summer, darkness will fall heavy on the world. Stars will bleed."
"We need to stop her!"
"Look there brother, your boyfriend is there as well" Renly teased.
"Davos is a trusted man" Stannis ground out.
"A smuggler" Renly corrected.
"A former smuggler who has paid for his crimes" Stannis corrected the correction. "A trusted man."
"Whatever you say" Renly shrugged.
"The cold breath of winter will freeze the seas."
"Not now."
"You're there too" Robert narrowed his eyes.
"And the dead shall rise in the North."
Ned narrowed his eyes. "How does she know?"
"The Mythology of R'hllor includes a Great Other. A being of darkness and cold that make the dead dance to its tune" Oberyn explained. "You'll be surprised with how the Long Night is portrayed in many different religions."
"Perhaps gathering the knowledge from these religions will give us a hint of how to properly deal a killing blow to the army of the dead" Jon Arryn suggested.
"Perhaps" Ned nodded his head.
"All you men were named in the Light of the Seven! Is this how you treat the Gods of your fathers? Are you so eager to spit on your ancestors?"
[After a long silence, Melisandre approaches Cressen and caresses his face.]
"You smell of fear, fear and piss and old bones. Do you want to stop me? Stop me."
[After a moment, Cressen begrudgingly stands aside.]
"He's an old man. That woman's playing with you all" Renly snorted. "Can't believe you fell for her charms too, brother. Is it the tits? Did your manhood finally find a twinge of excitement—"
"Enough" Stannis ground out, eyes flaring with so much anger that Renly stuttered and felt himself shrink slightly.
He immediately cleared his throat and looked away.
"In the ancient books, it's written that a warrior will draw a burning sword from the fire. And that sword shall be Lightbringer. Stannis Baratheon, warrior of light, your sword awaits you."
[Stannis approaches one of the burning effigies as everyone else looks on. He pulls a sword out from the base and carries it high, to applause. When he sticks it in the sand, the crowd kneels.]
"Gods have mercy they're burning the seven!" Catelyn suddenly spoke, finally recognizing the statues once the image of Stannis and the kneeling men zoomed away to give a better look at the beach.