Those truly devoted to the Seven stared in horror at the scene of the seven burning, which was only Catelyn and Sansa. There were a few more followers of the seven present, but they only stared more in shock than in outrage.
Stannis himself stared with shock at his actions. What had possessed him to do this, to listen to a witch and burn the gods his father prayed to.
[Matthos reads out a letter for Stannis to proofread, as they and some other characters sit around a table.]
"And I declare upon the honour of my house that my beloved brother Robert le-"
"He wasn't my beloved brother. I didn't love him, he didn't love me."
"Stannis—"
"You said it to Lord Stark yourself, you have no love for neither Renly nor I."
Lips pursed Robert looked away.
"A harmless courtesy, Your Grace."
"A lie. Take it out."
"Courtesies would go a long way in helping your cause, Lord Stannis" Varys advised.
"I will not start my reign on a lie, no matter how small and insignificant it may be" Stannis answered stiffly.
Varys hid a smile behind his sleeve.
[Matthos scratches 'beloved' off of the letter, and then continues.]
"That my brother Robert left no trueborn heirs; the boy Joffrey, the boy Tommen, and the girl Myrcella, being born of incest between Cersei Lannister and her brother Jaime Lannister. By right of birth -"
"Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer. Call him what he is."
Jaime bristled.
[Matthos adds in 'the Kingslayer,' and continues. Davos notices Cressen slip something into his own glass of wine.]
"What is that old man doing" Stannis muttered to himself.
"And her brother Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer. By right of birth and blood, I do this day lay claim -"
"Make it Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer. Whatever else he is, the man's still a knight."
Jaime blinked, emerald eyes shifting to a very stern-looking Stannis. The man did not look at him, and after a while, Jaime looked away as well.
[Matthos Adding Ser]
"Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer. By right of birth and blood, I do this day lay claim to the Iron Throne of Westeros. Let all true men declare their loyalty."
"When Eddard Stark learned the truth, he told only me. I'll not make the same mistake. Send copies of that letter to every corner of the Realm, from the Arbor to the Wall. The time has come to choose. Let no man claim ignorance as an excuse."
"Your Grace, the Lannisters are the true enemy. If, for the time being, you could make peace with your brother –"
"I'll not make peace with Renly while he calls himself King."
Stannis and Renly glared at one another, but at the look, Robert threw them both they remained silent.
"Well, many have already declared for him; Mace Tyrell, Randyll Tarly."
Renly smirked in satisfaction. His brothers may not see it, but he knew he deserved the throne after Robert. He was better liked after all. What was a King if not liked by his people?
"Stannis does not need to beg this lord or that lord for support. The Lord of Light stands behind him."
"And will he descend to fight for him?" asked Oberyn snidely. "Lord Stannis, as a show that I at least respect you, stay away from any of these R'hllor worshippers. Their fanatic ways will bring you nothing but ruin."
Stannis gave a short nod but said nothing otherwise.
"And how many ships has the Lord of Light got in his fleet?"
"He has no need for ships."
"I'm sure he doesn't, but we do if we're going to war. If not Renly, Your Grace, join forces with Robb Stark."
"Who would steal the northern half of my kingdom? I've always served thieves according to their desserts, as you well know, Ser Davos. Joffrey, Renly, Robb Stark, they're all thieves. They'll bend the knee or I'll destroy them."
"If you prove to be different from your predecessors, you'll find that the North would support you with utmost loyalty" Ned informed Stannis. "They supported Robert because he is my friend. If you prove yourself a friend to them, they will support you should you ever need it."
Stannis nodded, more softly than the one he gave Oberyn. He respected Lord Stark and so he took his word closer to heart than he did Oberyn's.
Something that made Oberyn snort in disdain. There wasn't much he missed, and even little he didn't take note of.
[Cressen stands.]
"I owe you an apology, my King. My duty is to serve. You have chosen the new God over the Old Gods. May the Lord of Light watch over us all. Shall we drink together?"
[Davos whispers to Cressen] "Don't."
[Cressen stands up with the drugged glass of wine, and walks over to where Melisandre is sitting.]
"A cup of wine to honour the one true God."
"He probably poisoned the wine" Elia pointed out.
"Many of those R'hllor worshippers drink a small amount of poison every day to build immunity like I have done over the years. No matter the poison, she won't die. It won't go down well" Oberyn noted.
[Melisandre stands up. Everyone at the table reaches for their own wine glasses. Cressen takes a sip of the drugged wine and offers it to Melisandre. Davos nervously watches her take the glass. Cressen begins to stumble and bleed from his nose. Melisandre drinks a large portion of the wine. As he falls to the floor dead, Davos and many others stand up. Melisandre appears unphased by the poison.]
"Told you" Oberyn muttered.
"I know" Elia blanched.
"The night is dark and full of terrors, old man, but the fire burns them all away. Your Grace."
"Are you going to not say anything to her?" Renly demanded.
"Cressen poisoned it himself. What can I say?" Stannis asked. Renly looked away disgusted, and Stannis stared with oddly softened eyes.
[EXT. STARK CAMP]
[The view shifts from a watchtower to a wide view of the camp. In the camp, Robb Stark is led by a man with a torch to where Jaime is being held. Robb enters Jaime's cage, where he is tied to a wooden pole, a good distance from the walls of the cage.]
"You've looked better brother" Tyrion smirked.
"I suppose being held as a prisoner would do that to oneself" Jaime rolled his eyes.
"King in the North. I keep expecting you to leave me in one castle or another for safekeeping, but you drag me along from camp to camp. Have you grown fond of me, Stark? Is that it? I've never seen you with a girl."
"Must you always antagonize your enemies?" Joanna scolded her son.
"I fear that is how he copes with being at a disadvantage" Tyrion informed with a chuckle.
"If I left you with one of my bannermen, your father would know within a fortnight, and my bannerman would receive a raven with a message, "Release my son and you'll be rich beyond your dreams. Refuse and your house will be destroyed, root and stem.""
"You don't trust the loyalty of the men following you into battle?"
"Oh, I trust them with my life. Just not with yours."
"Smart boy. What's wrong? Don't like being called 'boy'? Insulted?"
[Robb looks behind Jaime's cage. As Jaime nervously strains to look behind him, Grey Wind can be heard heavily walking to the front of the cage.]
Robb smirked seeing the expression on Jaime's face change. He looked back and his smirk grew seeing the look of Jaime in the Hall.
"You insult yourself, Kingslayer. You've been defeated by a boy."
[With Grey Wind now fully in view, Jaime loses his brave facade.]
"You're held captive by a boy. Perhaps you'll be killed by a boy."
[Grey Wind enters the cage. Jaime looks very nervous.]
"Excellent" Brandon the Elder grinned at his nephew. "Undo his bravado and you'll be left with what the man truly is!"
"Stannis Baratheon sent ravens to all the high lords of Westeros. King Joffrey Baratheon is neither a true king nor a true Baratheon. He's your bastard son.
"If that's true, Stannis is the rightful king. How convenient for him."
"My father learned the truth. That's why you had him executed."
"I was your prisoner when Ned Stark lost his head."
"Your son killed him so the world wouldn't learn who fathered him. And you... you pushed my brother from a window because he saw you with the queen."
"You have proof? Or do you want to trade gossip like a couple of fishwives?"
"I'm sending one of your cousins down to King's Landing with my peace terms."
"You think my father's going to negotiate with you? You don't know him very well."
"With you as a captive? He'll be ready to sign whatever" Tyrion pointed out. "Call it whatever you like brother, but you are the golden child of the lion. His most prized possession. He'll do a lot of things to get you back."
"You don't need to tell me that Tyrion, I already know he would" Jaime smiled tightly.
[KING'S LANDING, TYRION'S ROOM]
[Shae looks out from the balcony in Tyrion's room.]
"You brought her with you?" Joanna asked incredulously.
"She's his new favourite, not surprising" Jaime chuckled.
"She can prove to be good company" Tyrion defended his choices.
"Yes, well, you need to be careful. No one can know you're here."
"And you've smuggled her in. Father would be delighted" Jaime teased.
"No one will know."
"I can assure you, Lord Tyrion, I already know. And so does Lord Baelish" Varys smirked.
"Thank you for letting me know" Tyrion rolled his eyes.
"You can't trust anyone in King's Landing. They're all liars; good liars, bad liars, one or two great liars."
"What about you?"
"Me? I'm not from here. I'm a slave to the truth."
Jaime snorted.
"Truth? You are the biggest little liar I have ever met."
"Why do you think I am so little? I'm being, crushed beneath the weight of all that truth."
[INT. HALLWAY]
[A servant boy can be seen scrubbing something on the floor, as Baelish walks down a hallway next to a courtyard. Cersei and some kingsguard approach from behind.]
Catelyn puffed up like a feral dog at the sight of her old friend, the one who got her husband killed. If that backstabber hadn't turned cloak against her husband he'd still be alive.
"I wonder if I might ask you for a favour."
"Of course, Your Grace."
"Ned Stark's youngest daughter Arya... we can't seem to locate her."
[Baelish begins walking with Cersei and her guards.]
"If she's escaped the capital, Winterfell seems the logical destination."
"And yet my friends in the North report no sign of her."
"You have none there, you witch!" Arya sneered. But Ned grew worried. Were there holes in the ship that was his home?
"If we choose to negotiate with the Starks, the girl has some value. Whoever finds her, well, you know what they say about Lannisters and debts."
"Well, you could ask Varys where she is. He'll have an answer for you. Whether you believe it. Myself, I have always had a hard time trusting eunuchs."
"That doesn't bother you?" Gendry asked the spymaster, who had a smile on his face.
"The feeling is mutual, my boy Varys said with the same smile.
"You don't trust eunuchs either?"
"I don't trust him."
"Oh…"
"Who knows what they want?"
"A mockingbird. You created your own Sigil, didn't you? Appropriate for a self-made man with so many songs to sing."
"Oh how far she's fallen to be flattering other men to get what she wants" Tyrion snorted.
"She might be genuinely complimenting him" Joanna tried to point out. Maybe there was one thing about her daughter worth defending.
"The only thing genuine about my sister, mother, are her tits and her hips. Everything else is perfectly manicured for her to use at her will" Tyrion explained with a sweet smile.
"Must you talk about your sister's body like that?!"
"I believe I did inform you that I am being crushed by the weight of all the truth."
Joanna rolled her eyes.
"I heard a song once about a boy of modest means who found his way into the home of a very prominent family. He loved the eldest daughter. Sadly, she had eyes for another."
"Oh she's playing that card" Lyanna snorted.
"When boys and girls live in the same home, awkward situations can arise. Sometimes, I've heard, even brothers and sisters develop certain affections. And when these affections become common knowledge, well, that is an awkward situation, indeed. Especially in a prominent family."
"Oh he's playing that card" Lyanna laughed.
"But prominent families often forget a simple truth, I've found. Knowledge is power."
"Seize him."
[Cersei's guards seize Baelish.]
"Cut his throat."
[A guard holds a knife to Baelish's neck.]
"Stop. Wait. I've changed my mind. Let him go."
[The guards let Baelish go.]
"Step back three paces. Turn around. Close your eyes."
[The guards do as Cersei says.]
"Power is power. Do see if you can take some time away from your coins and your whores to locate the Stark girl for me. I would very much appreciate it."
Lyanna couldn't help it, she broke into peals of laughter. Following her example even Catelyn broke into laughter. The two women kept on laughing until they'd have to be told to keep silent. But even then they were giggling.
"Serves him the fuck right" Catelyn wiped a tear.
"Should have left a cut as an example" Lyanna sighed with a smile.
[NORTH, ROBB'S TENT]
[Theon approaches Robb.]
"A word, Your Grace?"
"It feels weird if you call me that," Robb said out loud to Theon on the other side of the room.
"It feels weird to hear myself say it" Theon answered, both grinning.
"You don't have to call me 'Your Grace' when no one's around."
"It's not so bad once you get used to it."
"I'm glad someone's gotten used to it."
"The Lannisters are going to reject your terms, you know?"
"Of course they are."
"We can fight them in the fields as long as you like, but we won't beat them until you take King's Landing. And we can't take King's Landing without ships. My father has ships and men who know how to sail them."
"Men who fought my father."
"Men who fought King Robert to free themselves from the yoke of the South, just like you're doing now. I'm his only living son. He'll listen to me. I know he will. I'm not a Stark. I know that. But your father raised me to be an honourable man. We can avenge him together."
Ned inhaled deeply. He wasn't so sure this plan would work. He could only hope Theon could come back in one piece. Balon Greyjoy was not a kind man, no doubt not even to his heir who grew up away from him.
[KING'S LANDING, THRONE ROOM]
[Cersei and her guards enter the throne room. Extensive work is being done, overseen by Joffrey.]
"What is all this?"
"Returning this room to its proper appearance. Say what you will about the Targaryens, they were conquerors. That is a seat for a conqueror. It needs a room to match it, not vines and flowers."
Robert flared in outrage. How dare that boy undo the work he'd put in to remove all things Targaryen?! Oh, he'd string him by his legs and beat him with his war hammer for this!
Rhaegar on the other hand felt a little joy at seeing his family heritage being respected.
"We need to set our armies to the task of finding Arya Stark. Send out as many men as we can. I'm sure if you asked grandfather -"
"The King does not ask; He commands."
"He is going to be sorely disappointed when Father arrives" Tyrion snorted. Only his father can set this boy straight.
"And my grandfather's stupidity in the field of battle is the reason Robb Stark has Uncle Jaime in the first place."
Oh, he's going to be lucky to get out of the eventual meeting unscathed.
"His life is in danger."
"We're at war. All our lives are in danger. I heard a disgusting lie about Uncle Jaime. And you."
"Our enemies will say anything to weaken your claim to the throne."
"It's not a claim. The throne is mine."
"Of course it is. No one believes this foul gossip –"
"Someone believes it. Father had other children? Besides me and Tommen and Myrcella?"
"What are you asking?"
"I'm asking if he fucked other women when he grew tired of you. How many bastards does he have running –"
"Vile little thing" Catelyn spat. Oh if one of her children talked to her like that she'd clout them around the ear.
[Cersei instinctively slaps Joffrey.]
The Stark matriarch smirked. Well deserved.
[It grows quiet as many workers look over at Joffrey and Cersei. Joffrey looks up shocked, and then around to the workers in the room. Cersei appears nervous.]
"What you just did is punishable by death. You will never do it again. Never. That will be all, Mother."
"He wouldn't" Joanna whispered.
"He would," Tyrion said coldly.
Myrcella's hands gripped the hem of her dress tightly. How could he? Joffrey always treated everyone like shit, but not their mother. How could he change this much?
"Power's got to his head" Tommen muttered beside her, gripping Myrcella's dress tightly.
Myrcella grabbed her brother's hand and gave a gentle squeeze.
[BROTHEL]
[Janos enters the room and is greeted by Ros. Janos is followed by several gold cloaks, some of whom are dragging along a prisoner. Some leave to search other rooms.]
"Lord Commander. Good to see you, again. You do realize this establishment is owned by Lord Petyr Baelish, the King's Master of Coin, coin which goes in many pockets."
"Orders."
"Whose orders?"
"Someone who doesn't care what Littlefinger thinks."
[Some gold cloaks force Mhaegan and her baby, Barra, into the room. She begins crying. The prisoner looks at Barra, and back to Janos. He then nods. A gold cloak lets go of the prisoner and takes the Barra from Mhaegan.]
"No! Please! No! Not my Barra! Please. Please."
[The gold cloak holds a knife to the baby's throat, hesitantly. Throughout the whole ordeal, Mhaegan continues begging for Barra's life. After a moment, Janos takes out a knife and grabs the baby. Janos kills the baby just off-screen, and Mhaegan shrieks. Janos and the other gold cloaks leave the brothel.]
Robert could only stare in horror. That babe, that was his child. He may have never known her or remembered her mother, probably since he's probably not fucked her yet, but that was his child. Fire coursed through his veins and he heard loud thumps in his ears.
Renly was calling out to him, but it was all a mumble to him.
"We have to save her… We have to save them all… My children…" Robert muttered with grit teeth and reddened eyes.
Stannis and Renly shared a look before they both agreed. Renly relayed the message to Jo nArryn, who had taken a seat beside Renly this time and placed him between Robert and him.
Elia watched the man coldly. She would never wish it on even her worst enemies, but she wouldn't deny the pleasure she felt watching Robert suffer over the loss of a child.
"That would explain why you were sent away" Varys whispered to Gendry.
"Aye," the blacksmith's apprentice muttered. He lived… But what about his half-siblings? Were they all going to die like this babe? He didn't know how he felt about that.
[KING'S LANDING, A DOCK]
[Some gold cloaks walk along a dock. They go up some stairs.]
"Spread out! Search every house, every room. Look in every room."
[A HOUSE]
[Some gold cloaks burst into a house and kill the inhabitants.]
[A DOCK]
[Outside again, a gold cloak tosses a young boy into the water and proceeds to drown him.]
[STREET]
[Some gold cloaks hold back a large mob as a baby is carried away. A gold cloak looks on as the baby is presumably killed.]
"Gold Cloaks" Robert spat. "We need to kill them all."
"Brother, it might be better to change the leaders and weed out the corrupt. Some look hesitant in doing what the rest are doing" Renly advised.
"We kill them all" Robert ground out.
Renly pursed his lips and turned to Jon Arryn. The older man was fuming but he nodded to Renly. He'll talk some sense into Robert.
[SMITHY]
[Janos and a number of gold cloaks arrive at the smithy. A gold cloak is holding the blacksmith's face near some hot coals.]
Gendry stiffened at the scene of his old master being threatened.
"Gendry! His name is Gendry."
"Where is the bastard?"
"The Night's Watch! Please, stop!"
"Where?"
"They took him up the Kingsroad, heading north!"
"How will we know him?"
"He's got a bull's head helmet. He made it himself."
[YOREN'S PARTY, A ROAD SURROUNDED BY TREES]
[Gendry loads some things into a cart and then helps Arya up onto the cart with him. The camera goes to a wide shot of the group Yoren is leading to the wall.]