Speculation Thread: A Better Dornish Story

Just went back and read everything before this and this. Sigh it is everything that Got isn't these days. Complex plots, complex characters, humor (Tyrion and Varys are hilarious, and an interesting story. Even things like Doran being killed (which enraged me in the show) is so well done that I wouldn't have minded, well maybe a little. Doran was a bit too clever for his own good.

I love the retooling of Wex. Just keep this up between the spoilers for the next season of GOT and Martin being glacial in his writing, this will likely be the best ASOIAF story this year.

INT. KING’S LANDING – SEPT OF BAELOR – EVENING

We see the HIGH SPARROW, TYENE, and SEPTA UNELLA speaking as members of the Faith Militant carry out a dais and place it in the middle of the Sept.

SPARROW
So hearing of our cause, you decided to come and pledge your services here?

TYENE
Your care for the poor and downtrodden is an inspiration and an example to us all.

SPARROW
Of course.

SPARROW and UNELLA share a look.

SPARROW
May I see one of your shoes?

TYENE
My shoe?

SPARROW
Yes.

Rather awkwardly TYENE takes off a shoe and hands it to the SPARROW. As this is being done, UNELLA and the SPARROW continue to share looks between themselves.

SPARROW
Thank you, my dear, bending down is hard on my knees.

SPARROW examines the shoe.

SPARROW
Good craftsmanship. Plain looking, but of the finest leather—strong but sill rather supple. The cobbler who made this shoe has much to be proud of. (BEAT) How long did you know the Princess Myrcella?

BEAT.

TYENE
I…

SPARROW
I urge you to speak the truth, my dear. The gods do not take kindly to liars in their house.

TYENE
I knew her rather well, ever since she came to Dorne. I am Tyene Sand, daughter of Oberyn Martell and Ellaria Sand.

UNELLA
A bastard.

TYENE
A sandsnake!

SPARROW
But your Princely father’s by blows none the less.

TYENE
I… yes… I am my father’s bastard with his paramour.

SPARROW
One bastard is like any other, whether they are born to paramours, nobles, or smallfolk, the offense to the Gods still remains.

TYENE
Offense?

SPARROW
Marriage is a holy office, one designed by the gods as a compromise for our baser natures and holy aspirations. Those who cannot take the holy path and deny themselves the satisfaction of carnal delights are free to turn to marriage where within the confines of marriage such pleasure can be had and the sin from such acts contained. Your father, by laying with your mother outside of those holy bonds made a mockery of it—which was his sins to bear and have marked you. (BEAT) But, like a starving child, knowing nothing of true holiness and salvation, and yet desiring it, you’ve come to us for such salvation, am I correct?

BEAT. TYENE looks at the glaring SEPTA UNELLA and then nods.

TYENE
Yes. I was surrounded by nothing but liars, deviants, and perversion in Dorne. I’ve known nothing else and partook of it until I grew sick of it myself. Sick of my mother, my sisters, my cousins, all of them. I come… I come to take the first steps to salvation, to purify my soul. If my existence be an offense to the gods though, how may I begin?

The HIGH SPARROW smiles.

SPARROW
Humbly, and without pretension. Strip away your pride and your vanity, and then begin from there. You cared for the Princess Myrcella?

TYENE
Yes. She was sweet, kind, and faithful. It was her faith which inspired me to consider becoming a Septa.

The HIGH SPARROW nods his head.

SPARROW
Then your first task will be to help prepare the Sept for her wake. There are floors to scrub, candles to replace, and many other details that I’m sure Septa Unella here will be able to instruct you in. Furthermore, before you take your vows, you will follow Septa Unella in her duties and learn them. After you’ve proven yourself truly penitent and free from all pride and vanity, we will have you take your vows and join your desired sisters in the Septry.

TYENE
And how may I begin to walk this road?

SPARROW
By giving me your shoes. Others will have greater need of such a fine pair of shoes than you, and you should have little need of them since you shall remain inside of the Sept.

TYENE takes off her other shoe and hands it over to the HIGH SPARROW.

UNELLA
Come along, I have a bucket and a brush for you.



INT. QUEEN’S CHAMBERS – GREAT PYRAMID – MEEREEN – EVENING

We see VARYS and MISSANDEI sitting on a shay’s lounge, GREYWORM standing nearby, and TYRION pouring wine.

TYRION
Our Queen’s fleet is burned, what other good news is there?

VARYS
Astapor and Yunkai have stopped asking for our help.

TYRION hands VARYS a cup of wine and then goes to pour another.

TYRION
Mayhaps they might tell us their secret.

VARYS
They’ve been retaken by the Masters, with help from Volantis.

MISSANDEI
Then all of Slaver’s Bay has returned to slavery except for Meereen.

TYRION
And what of our council members, Grey Worm?

GREY WORM
A man named Skahaz has gained popularity with the freedmen of Meereen. He has been organizing a band of freedmen called the Brazen Beasts to fight the Harpies when they find them. He agreed to join the council.

VARYS frowns.

TYRION
Just what we need, the leader of a gang of vigilantes. But I suppose he’s the only man who’ll take the position at this point. And for the nobles, Varys?

VARYS
The only noble family who considered placing a member on the council was House Reznak.

TYRION
When might we expect our noble member?

VARYS
They offered their youngest son, a boy of ten namedays. They said that they could afford to part with him as hostage.

BEAT.

TYRION
Clearly the noble and most ancient families of Meereen are failing to take the situation seriously.

VARYS
I will ask again, though with Skahaz on the council, I doubt even House Reznak will renew their offer.

BEAT.

TYRION
What do you know of Dorne, Varys?

VARYS
As much as you do, I’d wager, mayhaps a little less.

TYRION
How so?

VARYS
I’m loathe to admit it, but my little birds could never find a foothold in Dorne. And the ones I did send always stopped reporting back whenever they got near the Water Gardens.

TYRION offers to MISSANDEI but she waves off the proffered cup. TYRION then turns to GREY WORM who shakes his head. TYRION then takes a drink himself.

MISSANDEI
You don’t think they were killed, do you?

TYRION
I doubt that. I didn’t know Prince Oberyn for very long, but he was incensed at the murder of this nephew and niece, let alone his sister. And he was always insistent that they never killed little girls in Dorne.

GREY WORM
And what of the boys? Do they kill them but leave the girls alone?

TYRION
I wouldn’t know. I didn’t think to ask Prince Oberyn when he volunteered to fight on my behalf.

MISSANDEI
What of their history? There’s much one can learn from their history.

TYRION opens his mouth to begin to speak, but is interrupted by TRYSTANE, whose voice is heard from off screen.

TRYSTANE
The Dornish were conquered by the Rhoynar. The Rhoynar used to live along the Rhoyne River that runs through Volantis until the Valyrians began expanding their empire leading some Rhoynar like Garin the Great to stand in defiance to the last man, and others to flee to find a new homeland with their warrior Queen Nymeria and her thousand ships. Eventually Nymeria conquered and united Dorne under one ruler joining with a small house called House Martell to create House Nymeros Martell, though these days most simply call us House Martell. Dorne was the only kingdom that the Targaryens couldn’t conquer with dragons, having to intermarry in order to bring them into the Seven Kingdoms.

VARYS
You’re quite good at sneaking up on people are you?

TRYSTANE
I was fostered to House Yronwood, if I wanted to send a raven that wasn’t going to be read by Lord Anders, I had to learn to tread lightly.

MISSANDEI
So you are related to her grace? A cousin of some sort?

TRYSTANE approaches and joins MISSANDEI on the shay’s lounge, causing VARYS to have to move over to make room, upsetting him.

TRYSTANE
Through my Martell blood? Distantly at this point. Princess Daenerys, our Queen’s namesake, married Prince Derian in the 187th year after the conquest. In celebration of that marriage, Prince Derian built the Water Gardens for the Princess, and they opened it up to all the children of Dorne to play and live in—smallfolk, merchant, noble, and prince. All children were welcome at the Water Gardens to play and forget of the world outside then. Now, it is by invitation of the Prince of Dorne.

VARYS frowns.

MISSANDEI
(smiles)
It sounds almost like a paradise.

GREY WORM’s eyes narrow.

TRYSTANE
Yes, some might call it that.

TYRION
And here you are to follow in Derian’s footsteps it would seem, to be another Martell Prince to wed another Daenerys, is that it?

TRYSTANE
Yes. That is one reason.

TYRION
And what of the betrothal to my niece, Myrcella, that I arranged myself? Or has your father set her aside?

TRYSTANE
My family has done more than set her aside. They have killed Myrcella.

BEAT. TYRION pours another cup of wine and downs it.

GREY WORM
So much for not killing little girls.

TRYSTANE
She is also why I’m here. I loved Myrcella. She was sweet, kind, and gentle, and my family killed her like she was nothing more than a bug that had landed on their arm.

VARYS
So you come to her grace without your father’s permission, or the support of Dorne?

TRYSTANE
No, my Prince wanted me to woo her grace, that’s why he permitted Arianne to poison her. But I’m not wooing for his sake anymore. Not after that.

TYRION
And what then, do you hope to achieve in marrying our Queen?

TRYSTANE
I want to rule Dorne and take everything that they love from them like they did to me. All they care for is power and how to acquire more of it. They killed Myrcella because she could no longer give them as much power as they wanted. They care nothing for the smallfolk. They continue to run the Water Gardens and keep them under lock and key while a drought causes wells to run dry and famine and hardship for the smallfolk. Wex, my squire, his family begged me to take him so that he might live. In my short time here, I’ve heard her grace cares for the least of her people as much as the highest noble, and has set the slaves of Slaver’s Bay free to bring them a better life. If this alone be true, I would gladly marry her and bring such thinking to Westeros, for too many nobles see little more than the walls of their castles, and the smallfolk suffer for it.

VARYS
A moving sentiment, and one no doubt that would affect her grace, were she here.

TRYSTANE
It is the truth.

TYRION
And what of your claim to ride dragons, is this also a truth?

TRYSTANE
I have Targaryen blood in me, the dragons should respond.

VARYS
As you said yourself, distant Targaryen blood on your Martell side.

TRYSTANE smirks.

TRYSTANE
I have no doubt that they will respond.

BEAT.

TYRION
Let’s test this, shall we?

BEAT.

TRYSTANE
You said the Queen had flew away from the city on her dragon.

TYRION
Aye, but we have the other two here, locked away and rather hungry if I recall. Grey Worm, how long has it been since the dragons last ate?

GREY WORM
They stopped eating when her grace flew away on Drogon.

TYRION
Daenerys is the dragon queen. We can’t very well let the dragons starve while she’s away.

GREY WORM
And how do you force a dragon to eat?

TYRION
Who said anything about forcing them? Since Trystane here is the closest thing to a Targaryen that we have mayhaps he can get them to eat where we cannot? After all what is a Dragon Queen without her dragons?

TRYSTANE pauses for a moment and then nods his head.



INT. KING’S LANDING – SEPT OF BAELOR – DAY - W

We see TYENE on the floor of the sept, scrubbing. Elsewhere the dais has been arranged and PRINCESS MYRCELLA’S body in one of her gowns has been laid out. ENTER GARLAN, who is dressed in less fine clothes than we saw him last in. He is stopped at the door by two FAITH MILLITANT, one of which is LANCEL.

MILLITANT ONE
Name?

GARLAN
Ser Garlan… Flowers.

LANCEL
And why have you come?

GARLAN
To pay my respects to the late Princess.

BEAT. LANCEL eyes GARLAN.

LANCEL
You’re rather early, Ser, but you may pass.

GARLAN tips his head to LANCEL and then enters the SEPT proper. GARLAN stands before MYRCELLA’s body and attempts to appear like he’s praying, but actually has his eyes moving around the Sept.

CUT to CAMERA angle of GARLAN’s view as he examines each wall of the Sept, lingering on windows, doors, and other objects until his eyes cross TYENE as she scrubs the floor with a brush. The camera tries returning to examining different walls, including the doors and the bars that could be placed to bolt it shut, but his eyes return to TYENE. This occurs once more until GARLAN approaches TYENE. LANCEL takes note of GARLAN’s action. CAMERA CUTS to TYENE scrubbing the floor when a shadow blocks her light. CAMERA CUTS between TYENE and GARLAN for their conversation.

GARLAN
Either I must be rather early or you’re very late, Septa.

TYENE
I am not a Septa yet.

GARLAN
You’re a novice then?

TYENE
Correct.

CAMERA cuts to LANCEL briefly who whispers to FAITH MILLITANT ONE.

LANCEL
(whispers)
Get Septa Unella.

FAITH MILLITANT ONE exits quickly.

GARLAN grins.

GARLAN
Good, then it’s not too late.

TYENE rolls her eyes and continues to scrub.

BEAT. GARLAN’S grin begins to waver.

GARLAN
Aren’t you going to ask what it’s not too late for?

TYENE
I’ve been where you are, master…

GARLAN
Ser. Ser Garlan. I am knighted.

TYENE nods.

TYENE
Ser Garlan. I’ve been where you are and all it brought me was betrayal, misery, and heartbreak.

GARLAN
Ah, a reformed sinner. As good as any game to play, Novice… (pause) Novice…

BEAT.

TYENE
If you think you can get my name as easily as—

UNELLA
(off screen)
Is there a problem Novice Tyene?

CAMERA CUTS to show SEPTA UNELLA approaching. In the background we see FAITH MILLITANT ONE return to his post.

TYENE
No, Septa.

CAMERA CUTS to show TYENE staring at UNELLA’s feet which are wearing TYENE’s shoes. CAMERA CUTS back up to show UNELLA’s face.

UNELLA
Good. (to GARLAN) I’d ask you, Ser…

GARLAN
Ser Garlan. Ser Garlan Flowers.

TYENE looks up at GARLAN, then returns to her work.

UNELLA
(sneers)
Ser Garlan. I’d ask you to finish paying your respects to the dead and to leave my Novice to her work. I would hate for you, born as misfortunately as you were to be mistaken for dishonoring the Princess’ memory. His grace is due later today to pay his respects personally after all, and I would hate for even a rumor to reach his ears of the ill-planted flower who insulted his beloved sister.

GARLAN
Excuse me, but I don’t believe you have any right to speak to me as such!

UNELLA
Forgive me, I might have misheard, you did say your name was Flowers, wasn’t it?

BEAT.

GARLAN
(sighs)
Aye.

UNELLA smirks.

UNELLA
Then be glad, Ser, that the Warrior has forgiven the stain of lust you were born with. (to TYENE) That’s enough scrubbing, Novice, set up the candles and then return to the Septry.

TYENE
Yes, Septa.

TYENE picks up her bucket and brush and exits the main part of the Sept.

UNELLA
Good day, Ser Flowers.

GARLAN glares at UNELLA but returns to the dais and prayer at MYRCELLA’s side. TYENE returns with a collection of candles and begins placing them in a vast candle rack placed at MYRCELLA’s feet.

TYENE
You are very bad at the part.

GARLAN
What?

TYENE
Don’t look up.

GARLAN
What do you mean?

TYENE
If you’re going to claim to be a bastard, you should do a better job of knowing your place.

GARLAN
And you would know how to play the part of a bastard?

TYENE
A Sand doesn’t need to play a part.

BEAT.

GARLAN
Forgive me, I misspoke.

TYENE
What’s there to forgive? How should you have known?

GARLAN
Mayhaps you might provide lessons in bastardy?

BEAT. TYENE pauses at placing the next candle.

TYENE
Some things you need be born in order to understand, Ser.

GARLAN
But you were born a Sand, surely you weren’t treated all badly. I’ve heard Dorne is even kindly compared to the rest of the seven kingdoms.

TYENE looks up to see LANCEL welcoming in other visitors come to pay their respects.

TYENE
That may have been true, but it does not change that my birth is an insult to the gods.

GARLAN
An insult?! Is that what they’ve taught you?

TYENE
It’s what I must say if I want to survive here. We all have our roles to play, Ser Flowers.

BEAT. Some visitors are approaching, so GARLAN rises and picks up a candle from the rack and takes it and walks over to a nearby torch and lights it. He then returns to place the candle in the rack.

GARLAN
Do you scrub the floors and fill the candles often?

TYENE
You intend to show that much respect to the dead?

GARLAN
No, but you might inspire me to pray more frequently to the Warrior.

TYENE doesn’t answer him. She has finished filling the candle rack and takes whatever extra candles she has and leaves. As she leaves we see her fighting to keep a small smile from her face.



EXT. MEEREEN – GREAT PYRAMID – COURTYARD – NIGHT

We see TRYSTANE, VARYS, TYRION, and WEX walking across a courtyard in the surrounding complex at the base of the pyramid. WEX is carrying a sack that is stained with grease. VARYS carries a torch. The camera follows them as they walk.

TYRION
You are in luck you know.

TRYSTANE
How so?

TYRION
I have made it a point to study dragons. When I was younger I used to beg my uncle to buy me a dragon so that I might ride one like the Targaryens once did. Should you need any advice—

TRYSTANE
Do you keep them chained?

VARYS
Her grace chained them herself, I’m told.

TRYSTANE
The dragons Aegon used for his conquest ranged hundreds of miles for their food. Then his children started chaining them up in pens. A few generations later, the last dragons were no larger than cats. They must be unchained or they shall waste away.

TYRION gives TRYSTANE a look.

TRYSTANE
You’re not the only one who’s ever dreamed of riding dragons as a boy.

TYRION
Right, well, the first Valyrians to tame dragons did so with whips and magic horns. I don’t have the latter, but should you need a whip I can have one fetched for you.

BEAT.

TRYSTANE
That won’t be necessary.

VARYS
You’re putting a lot of faith on what little Targaryen blood you have.

TYRION
Varys has a point. Some Targaryens could never get near a dragon without getting burned. Others were eaten while trying to ride a dragon they were not bonded with. Just because you might have a drop of Targaryen blood, does not mean you have the right drop.

TRYSTANE
If I am burned alive, give me a good funeral and see that my family is given to the dragons when you return to Westeros. Give Dorne to my cousin Nymeria. She was the only sandsnake old enough and wise enough to stay out of Arianne’s plots. Legitimize her as a Martell and she shall be more than loyal to her grace.

TYRION
Should I fetch some parchment and ascribe some seals to your last will?

TRYSTANE
I don’t plan on dying.

VARYS
None of us do, that’s why it’s always a shock when it happens.



INT. MEEREEN – GREAT PYRAMID – DRAGON PIT – NIGHT

We see the stone roll back to reveal TRYSTANE, TYRION, VARYS and WEX standing in the doorway. When the stone has rolled back TRYSTANE takes the torch from VARYS and enters. He makes a motion for WEX to stand back when WEX moves to join them. TRYSTANE takes a deep breath and enters the dragon pit, descending the steps. As he walks through the dark, we hear chains rattle and clang ominously. TRYSTANE pauses when he comes to the ring where the chains are joined to. He looks to either side. When looking the second way, behind him appears the face of a dragon, VISERION, readying to blow fire. TRYSTANE turns his head suddenly and meets VISERION in the eye, the burgeoning flame reflecting in his eyes. The CAMERA CUTS back to reveal that VISERION is at a fair distance from TRYSTANE, though close enough to cause his hair to be blown back by the wind. All through that TRYSTANE stares at VISERION. BEAT. VISERION closes his mouth.

TRYSTANE
I’m a friend of your mother, Queen Daenerys. (BEAT) I’ve come to unchain you. (turns to the darkness) Both of you. (turns back to VISERION) And to give you your supper.

CAMERA cuts back to TYRION, VARYS, and WEX. WEX is amazed at the sight before him.

VARYS
He’s talking to them.

TYRION
Dragons are intelligent. Some maesters say more intelligent than men. They are kindly to their friends and merciless to their enemies.

VARYS
And which is Prince Trystane?

TYRION
That we are about to find out.

CAMERA cuts back to TRYSTANE who puts down the torch on the ground and approaches VISERION, eyes locked together. TRYSTANE manages to touch VISERION’s neck, and begins to stroke it as he makes his way to where the shackle is attached, and unbolts it.

TRYSTANE
When I was a boy, before I was sent to Yronwood, I used to read every book on dragons in Sunspear’s library.

VISERION shakes his neck. Behind TRYSTANE appears RHAEGAL’s head, which then nudges TRYSTANE’s back, forcing him to turn around. RHAEGAL then presents his chain to be unbolted.

TRYSTANE
Eager for your chain off too? You’d like Sunspear, it’s warm and sunny, close to the sea and the desert. Kind of like Meereen—only without the pyramids and chains.

TRYSTANE unbolts RHAEGAL’s chain.

TRYSTANE
Wex! The bag.

WEX rushes down with the bag. RHAEGAL and VISERION roar as WEX rushes down the steps.

TRYSTANE
Slowly, Wex. Slowly. (to the dragons) This is Wex, he’s also a friend, my friend, and he has your supper.

WEX slowly approaches TRYSTANE and drops the bag at his feet. TRYSTANE reaches in grabs a hunk of meat. TRYSTANE tosses it in front of VISERION first, and then reaches in and tosses another slab to RHAEGAL.

CAMERA CUTS back to TYRION and VARYS.

VARYS
They’re eating.

TYRION
Mayhaps the Daenerys who married a Martell would have been a dragon rider, had the dragons lived.



INT. KING’S LANDING – SEPT OF BAELOR – SEPT – DAY

We see MYRCELLA laid out on her dais and stones upon her eyes. At the foot of the dais the candle rack is filled and many candles look like they’ve been lit for a while. TOMMEN and JAIME stand at MYRCELLA’s side. About the room in the shadows we see the FAITH MILLITANT hovering and standing guard by the walls. TOMMEN places his hand upon MYRCELLA’s arm. TOMMEN is silent, staring at MYRCELLA. ENTER TYENE with more candles. She sees JAIME. JAIME sees her before reverting his eyes to MYRCELLA and TOMMEN.

JAIME
It seems your sister wasn’t the only death to come from Dorne. We’ve received a raven from Sunspear from Princess Arianne declaring Dorne to be a free and independent realm of the Iron Throne as it was in the days of old.

JAIME catches his eye with TYENE as she replaces a few of the candles that have gone out. TYENE takes a piece of paper out of her robes and catches JAIME’s eye. She carefully stuffs it in a slot in the rack along with the candle she’s replacing. JAIME sees this and then turns to TOMMEN.

TOMMEN
Meaning?

JAIME
Meaning that Prince Doran, the Lady Ellaria Sand, and likely Prince Trystane are all dead in addition to Myrcella, and that another war is about to begin.

TOMMEN nods his head, clearly not interested. TYENE drops a candle, causing the sound to echo through the sept. TOMMEN glares at TYENE, who picks up the candle and then exits hurriedly.

JAIME
We should make plans, your grace, in case they should come up either the Boneway or the Prince’s Pass.

TOMMEN
Of course…

BEAT. CAMERA CUTS to TYENE having gotten to the edge of the Sept proper and leaning her back against a pillar and looking distraught.

JAIME
Your grace, I urge you to consider the threat—

TOMMEN
Now is not the time.

JAIME
I beg to differ. Varys might still have little birds loyal to him in the Red Keep for all we—

TOMMEN
Be quiet Uncle.

BEAT. JAIME is surprised by TOMMEN’s remark.

JAIME
Your grace?

TOMMEN
This is Myrcella’s wake, I don’t want to discuss the matters of the realm anymore at her wake.

JAIME
I meant no disrespect… none at all. To the contrary, I’m only thinking of how we will avenge her.

TOMMEN
(yells)
What part of be quiet do you not understand?

TOMMEN glares at JAIME.

JAIME
Forgive me, your grace. But if I may be permitted to ask one last question, why didn’t you let your mother attend Myrcella’s wake? She should be here, Myrcella would have wanted her to be here.

TOMMEN then leans in and kisses MYRCELLA on her forehead. BEAT. TOMMEN’s eyes are full of tears.

TOMMEN
He said that if she returned to the Sept before her trial, that she would be returned to her cell until the trial began.

In the distance we see the doors opening and the HIGH SPARROW entering and hobbling down the steps.

JAIME
They’re not throwing your mother back into a cell, not as long as I’m here. You should have known that. (BEAT) She’d have been of comfort to you. We both would have.

TOMMEN
I don’t need comfort! (BEAT) When the faith militant seized Margaery, what did I do? I took comfort in mother. When they paraded my mother through the streets like a whore, what did I do? I took comfort in great-uncle Kevan. I’m through with taking comfort! I’m not a boy anymore, and I won’t be known as the Boy King.

SPARROW
(calls out)
Your grace, Lord Commander.

TOMMEN
(to the HIGH SPARROW)
I want to see my wife.

SPARROW
The Gods wait for Queen Margaery to confess her crimes and seek their mercy. The King must wait as well.

TOMMEN
Must wait? (BEAT) I have been more than understanding, High Septon, but tell me that I must wait again and you shall regret it.

SPARROW
I am but the humble voice of the gods.

TOMMEN approaches the HIGH SPARROW. JAIME follows. JAIME grabs the note from the candle rack as he passes it.

TOMMEN
You are a man, elected to your position by the Most Devout. Do not stand in my way on this.

JAIME puts his hand on his sword. Some of the FAITH MILLITANT step forward with clubs and maces ready, but the HIGH SPARROW waves them off.

SPARROW
The Gods wait, but mayhaps a visit from her husband might remind her of her duty.



INT. KING’S LANDING – SEPT OF BAELOR – MARGAERY’S CELL – DAY


CLOSEUP. MARGAERY is sitting along and facing away from the door, which is blurred from view of the camera. In the distance we see the door open and TOMMEN enters.

TOMMEN
(to JAIME)
Stay outside, I don’t want them to lock us both up.

CAMERA cuts to outside the cell, where JAIME looks both ways down the hall before opening up TYENE’s note and seeing a picture of a shoe and a hammer. The CAMERA cuts back inside of MARGAERY’s cell.

MARGAERY turns her head at hearing TOMMEN’s voice, and the camera switches focus to TOMMEN who stands at the other end of the cell

TOMMEN
What have they done to you?

TOMMEN hurries to MARGAERY’s side, but she turns away from him.

MARGAERY
What they’ve done to my brother, I expect. (BEAT) Have you come to set us free?

TOMMEN
I only have my uncle with me now, but next time—

MARGAERY
Next time? Do you think they’ll allow you back down here so easily? If you didn’t come to set me free, why did you come at all?

TOMMEN
I had to see you. I had to be sure you were safe and they were taking care of you.

MARGAERY
Well, you’ve seen me, and they are not taking care of me. (MARGAERY glares at TOMMEN) Now what are you going to do?

BEAT. TOMMEN says nothing, but maintains eye contact.

MARGAERY
(turning her head away)
Exactly what I thought.

TOMMEN
(stands)
The next time I see you, Margaery, it will be to set you free.

MARGAERY
I’m sure it will.

TOMMEN
You and your brother.

MARGAERY
I look forward to the day, husband.



INT. REACH – HORN HILL – TALLA’S CHAMBERS – EVENING

We see TALLA is sitting in front of a vanity with some Myrish glass. She is looking at a letter from SAM. The CAMERA CUTS in to show that the letter is from SAMWELL and addressed to their Father. The CAMERA CUTS back to show MELESSA entering quietly and approaching TALLA, catching her off guard until it is too late to hide the letter.

MELESSA
Talla, do you want me to brush your hair?

TALLA tries to hide the letter, poorly.

MELESSA
What’s that you’re reading?

TALLA
Nothing.

MELESSA
Talla Tarly, what are you trying to hide from me?

BEAT. TALLA relinquishes the letter.

TALLA
It’s a letter from Sam.

MELESSA
Addressed to your father. What are you doing with this?

TALLA
Father called me in to his solar to speak with me about my lessons, but he got called away by Wyl. I didn’t mean to look on his desk, but it was laying out, right on top, and I recognized Sam’s handwriting, so I…

MELESSA
You shouldn’t have taken it, Talla. I’ll return it to your father, who no doubt will have words with you.

TALLA
(sighs)
Yes, mother.

MELESSA takes the letter and slides it into her sleeve, she then picks up the brush and begins to brush TALLA’s hair.



INT. DORNE – THE BONEWAY – ARIANNE’S CAMP – ARIANNE’S TENT – NIGHT

We see ARIANNE and CLETUS finishing a round of intercourse. ARIANNE is on top and CLETUS after being spent is clearly exhausted and begins to close his eyes.

ARIANNE
Tired already?

CLETUS
Just give me a minute, and I’ll be ready for a fourth round.

ARIANNE smiles and kisses CLETUS.

ARIANNE
Rest up, husband. I’ll satisfy my thirst while I wait.

CLETUS
(mumbles)
I won’t need long.

ARIANNE smirks and then dismounts CLETUS who falls off to sleep. She slips into boots and wraps a robe around her, she then picks up an oil lamp and leaves the tent.



INT. KING’S LANDING – THE RED KEEP – OLENNA’S COMPARTMENTS – W

We see OLENNA and GARLAN sitting at the table.

OLENNA
You’re going to return?

GARLAN
I’ve seen the main part of the sept, but I know next to nothing of the layout beneath—and if there’s any place where things may go wrong, it’ll be beneath the Sept.

OLENNA
And how, pray tell, do you propose to get underneath the Sept?

GARLAN
I have a friend who can map it out for me.

OLENNA
A friend? And who might this friend be?

GARLAN
A novice just recently joined the Septry. (he smiles) I charmed her with a few smiles.

OLENNA
(rolls eyes)
Gods, you’re starting to sound like your great-uncle.

GARLAN
Garth?

OLENNA
Aye, the Flatulent Flower indeed. At this rate all my efforts for our house will be for naught and we’ll truly be a laughing stock.

GARLAN frowns.

OLENNA
Don’t scowl at me. I listened to you and sent you to that Sept to do one thing and you’ve done it. Quit playing the charming cad and do what I’m telling you now. Gather your men outside the city!

GARLAN
And how would it look when I lead a host of men through the gates of King’s Landing? Especially to the King?

OLENNA
The king is little more than a boy who Margaery has wrapped around her little finger. I wouldn’t worry about him.

GARLAN
Obviously not as much as you think, or he would have done something when Loras was taken.

OLENNA huffs.

GARLAN
Grandmother, I want Loras and Margaery back as much as you do. But in order to do that, you’re going to have to convince the Small Council to let me and my men through that gate and up to the Sept.

OLENNA
Of course I know that! Do you think me so old to have forgotten that?! That’s easily arranged.

GARLAN
Good. Then you’ll be able to arrange that while I get that map from the novice.

BEAT. OLENNA sighs.

OLENNA
Try and keep yourself in your pants around the girl. The last thing our house needs is your arrest for seducing a novice.

GARLAN
Believe me, I have no intention of being arrested.



EXT. DORNE – THE BONEWAY – ARIANNE’S CAMP – NIGHT

We see ARIANNE dressed in her robe walking through the tents. We hear and see soldiers singing and drinking in the background around fire circles. She eventually comes to a tent set aside from the others and guarded by men armed with spears. ARIANNE pauses in front of one of the guards.

ARIANNE
Send for a tub, hot water, a brush, some lye soap, and some new clothes for our… guest.

The GUARD nods his head and departs. ARIANNE then motions for the second guard to enter the tent.



INT. DORNE – THE BONEWAY – ARIANNE’S CAMP – GENDRY’S TENT – NIGHT

We see ARIANNE enter with her oil lamp, casting light on GENDRY, who is tied up to a pole. ARIANNE bends over to light another oil lamp with hers, lighting the tent.

ARIANNE
Cut him down.

The SECOND GUARD does as she asks, and GENDRY falls to his knees, clearly a weak mess.

ARIANNE
Did he eat?

SECOND GUARD
A little.

ARIANNE
Good. You may go.

The SECOND GUARD exits.

GENDRY
How long until I’m killed?

ARIANNE
We’re not going to kill you.

GENDRY
No, you’re just going to place a paper crown on my head and call me Lord of Storm’s End.

ARIANNE
Who said anything of a paper crown? (ARIANNE looks GENDRY over) You have the build of a blacksmith—if you want a crown of silver, for being a Lord sworn to Dorne, I’m sure you know how to forge one.

BEAT.

GENDRY
I’ll wear a crown of gold and nothing else.

ARIANNE
And why should I install a new Storm King in Storm’s End?

GENDRY
Dorne and the Stormlands everyone knows love each other as much as oil and water. The Stormlords might ally with you, but bow to you? Forget it. They’d kill you and me for even suggesting it. No, they’ll want a King, and only then would they fight with you as an allied Kingdom.

ARIANNE
Much learned for a bastard.

GENDRY
The blacksmith I apprenticed for got a lot of Stormlords ordering armor who liked to talk a lot whenever King Robert threw a tourney. You learn to listen and pick things up. And if I’m to be killed for being a bastard pretender anyway, I might as well play the role full hilt.

Servants bring in a tub, some lye soap, and begin bringing in water to fill it.

ARIANNE
Well, Storm King, strip. If you’re to don a crown, you must needs look and learn the part.



INT. REACH – HORN HILL – LORD TARLY’S SOLAR – EVENING

We see MELESSA enter the darkened room with a candle. She crosses to her husband’s desk to return the letter, but while there she drips some wax onto the table. While she places the candle down and moves to wipe it away before it can harden, she notices a letter sticking out from underneath a pile of letters. MELESSA pulls out the letter and looks at it, her eyes then go wide.



INT. DORNE – THE BONEWAY – ARIANNE’S CAMP – GENDRY’S TENT – NIGHT

We see GENDRY in the water, scrubbing himself with the soap and brush. ARIANNE paces as she talks with him.

ARIANNE
Three stalks of yellow wheat on a brown field?

GENDRY
House Selmy. Ser Barristan the Bold was a member of that house. He used to fight in the tourneys with that painted on his shield… though painted with a white border.

ARIANNE
The white border being added since he was a member of the Kingsguard. Ser Barristan’s cousin, Arstan is the head of the house and Lord of Harvest Hall. When Joffrey dismissed Ser Barristan from the Kinsguard, Lord Arstan declared for Renly, and then later to Stannis.

GENDRY
Lord Arstan Selmy of Harvest Hall, three yellow wheat on a field of brown.

ARIANNE
Good. I’ll get your back.

GENDRY leans forward as ARIANNE takes the soap alone from him, ignoring the offered brush, and begins to rub it against his back and along his muscles.

ARIANNE
Quartered, yellow sun on a red field and white crescents on a blue field?

GENDRY
House…Tarth?

ARIANNE
Yes. Their lord is Selwyn Tarth. His heir is Lady Brienne—though what reports I have say she was last seen in King’s Landing bowing to Joffrey, so Lord Selwyn might not be so friendly to our cause. House Tarth rules the island of Tarth, also called the Sapphire Isle for the blue waters that surrounds it just off the coast of the Stormlands, and their castle is called Evenfall Hall.

GENDRY
Lord Selwyn Tarth of Evenfall Hall on the Sapphire Isle known as Tarth. Yellow sun on red and white crescent on blue, quartered.

ARIANNE begins to bring her hands around to GENDRY’s sides.

ARIANNE
A forked purple lightning bolt on a black field speckled with four pointed stars?

GENDRY
(darkly)
Dondarrion. Lord Beric is the head of their house.

ARIANNE
Was the head of their house. He’s most likely dead now given the war, which means his young son, Dael is their lord, with his mother Allyria as his regent. Allyria was a Dayne before she married Lord Beric, she should support our—your claim with our backing as a fellow Dornish woman. They rule Blackhaven which is in the Dornish Marches of the Red Mountains that border Dorne. (BEAT) You knew that one rather quickly. Did you know Lord Beric?

GENDRY
I fought for him, defended him, knighted for my trouble, and promised that I could join his Brotherhood without Banners.

ARIANNE stops cleaning for a moment.

ARIANNE
That’s important to mention when we arrive at Storm’s End. Having fought with and been knighted by Lord Beric will help you with your claim.

ARIANNE continues cleaning, now working her hands around to his chest, despite it being clean. GENDRY looks rather uncomfortable at her wandering hands.

GENDRY
He then sold me to the Red Woman in exchange for supplies for the smallfolk and his brotherhood.

ARIANNE
I wouldn’t mention that to the Dondarrions. (BEAT) Who was the Red Woman?

GENDRY
Some priestess from Essos. She was in service to Stannis.

ARIANNE drops the soap into the water.

ARIANNE
Did you meet Stannis?

GENDRY
(snorts)
Aye.

ARIANNE
Were you recognized as Robert’s bastard son by Stannis?

GENDRY
Aye. And for having King Robert’s blood he wanted to sacrifice me to whatever Essosi god the Red Woman preached to secure his throne.

ARIANNE smirks.

ARIANNE
That is very important to mention—not the part about him wanting to burn you, but the part where he recognized you will be extremely important.

BEAT.

ARIANNE
A black stag on a golden field?

GENDRY
King Robert’s banner.

ARIANNE
No, your banner… Gendry Baratheon….



INT. REACH – HORN HILL – ROOKERY – EVENING

We see MELESSA attaching a message to a raven’s leg, and then a second message to the other leg. MELESSA then picks up the raven gently, and walks over to the edge of the tower, and throws the raven out and up into the air. The CAMERA CUTS to seeing the rookery from a short distance as the raven flies from MELESSA’s hands and up and into the camera, causing the camera to go black.

whitewolfstark this makes the actual show just trite garbage. fucking well done!

So, I'm curious as to what you guys think so far is going on. If this were the show, what do you think all these scenes would mean? What would you speculate?

INT. KING’S LANDING – SEPT OF BAELOR – MARGAERY’S CELL – DAY

We see MARGAERY on the floor of her cell, while Septa UNELLA stands reading the Seven Pointed Star to her. In the corner, TYENE sits observing as she scrubs out MARGAERY’s chamber pot.

UNELLA
(reads)
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

MARGAERY
I want to see my brother.

UNELLA
Confess.

MARGAERY
I am the Queen, I demand to see my brother!

UNELLA
Sinners do not make demands but confession shall set you free.

MARGAERY
I didn’t do anything wrong!

UNELLA
(reads)
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds the Mother’s mercy.

MARGAERY
I know the Mother’s mercy as well as you—I heard it even down here when Cersei took it!

UNELLA
Confess.

MARGAERY
Is that the only bloody thing you care about? Are you a woman with any heart or feelings underneath those robes? Do my pleas of love and concern for my brother mean nothing to you?

BEAT.

UNELLA
(reads)
Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts. For then you shall be as the Maiden made anew.

MARGAERY
I am not a sinner!

UNELLA slams the Seven-Pointed Star closed and moves to strike MARGAERY with the Seven Pointed Star, causing TYENE to pause in her scrubbing and MARGAERY to recoil. UNELLA pauses and then hits MARGAERY instead with her hand.

UNELLA
That’s for continuing to persist in the perversity of your sin. It hurts me to hit you so, but that seems to be the only thing you respond to, so I must suffer to make you respond. Continue to lie and I will have to wash out your mouth with lye soap.

MARGAERY
I just want to see my brother, please. I don’t even have to talk to him. I… I could just look in at his cell from the hall.

UNELLA
Confess and you shall see him.

BEAT. MARGAERY begins to cry. UNELLA notices TYENE staring.

UNELLA
Scrub out that chamber pot so that it’s fit for royalty, novice. Surely the Queen wants to see herself in her own filth.

TYENE
Yes, Septa.

TYENE stares at the crying MARGAERY.

UNELLA
(reads)
We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; but we have confessed and been blessed with forgiveness.



INT. REACH – HORN HILL – LORD TARLY’S SOLAR – EVENING

We see RANDYLL sitting at his desk in his SOLAR, looking through his papers. ENTER MELESSA.

MELESSA
Looking for this?

BEAT.

RANDYLL
You’ve gone through my papers.

MELESSA
Talla did. I returned what she took and found this. It’s in my brother’s handwriting, though not truly—though the forgery is quite exquisite.

RANDYLL
Give me the letter.

MELESSA
No, it’s addressed to me.

RANDYLL
I will not ask again.

MELESSA
(reads)
My dear Melessa, I am overjoyed to hear of how young Dickon and Talla are faring. I am sure Dickon shall make you proud as Lord Tarly one day, should House Tarly continue to prosper and thrive.

RANDYLL
Melessa.

MELESSA
(reads)
You may notice I wrote should House Tarly continue to prosper and thrive. I fear that dark times for the Kingdom are afoot. With Axell leading our family into King Stannis’ camp, I cannot in good conscience continue to serve House Tyrell as I have as their castellan. And so I must urge you, sweet sister, to beg your husband to bend the knee to the rightful King of Westeros, less he dislodge your husband from his seat in favor of someone more loyal to him. I do not wish for the Tarlys to end their days like the Osgreys of old did. May the chequy Lion be a warning to you and yours. Your loving brother, Reynard.

RANDYLL
Are you through?

MELESSA
My brother would not write such a letter. My brother was cunning, aye, but had he written this letter, he’d hardly been so tactless in his words.

RANDYLL
And yet you received it.

MELESSA
Aye, I received the letter years ago, without those threats and references to Stannis. Reynard talked little of anything beyond his daughter’s favorite horse in Willas Tyrell’s stables. You copied his letter and added all the rest.

RANDYLL
You accuse me of scheming?

MELESSA
Aye. You may play the part of the warrior well, husband, but you always thought yourself cleverer than you truly are. The only question I have is why… why did you frame my brother and get him killed?

RANDYLL
For Brightwater Keep. Axel went over to Stannis and was attained. Reynard was the only thing standing between Dickon and Brightwater Keep.

MELESSA
Brightwater Keep would pass to me before it would ever pass to Dickon.

RANDYLL
Not with you declared legally dead for conspiring against King Tommen.

MELESSA
There is no depth to which you will not sink.

RANDYLL
With the wealth of Brightwater Keep and Horn Hill combined, House Tarly would be as powerful, if not more so than the Tyrells.

MELESSA
But the Tyrells took it for themselves, meaning all that plotting was for nothing. A waste of time and effort, and brutally sacrificing my brother’s life for your ambitions.

RANDYLL stands and walks past MELESSA.

MELESSA
Don’t think of calling the guards, having me locked up will do you little good and potentially a great harm.

RANDYLL
What do you mean?

MELESSA
I’ve send one of your other letters to my sister, Delena, with instructions that I shall write to her consistently and frequently—and that should I fail to do so, she is to send the letter I sent her and my own explanation of it on to King’s Landing, where your scheme will be all to eagerly unraveled by the court.

RANDYLL
You wouldn’t dare!

MELESSA
I have. You forget, husband, that no matter what cloak you gave me, I was born a fox. So go on, lock me away in a tower and see how long it takes until the Tyrells and King’s Landing come for your head. Dickon shall be free to inherit, I’ve made sure of that.

RANDYLL
What do you want?

MELESSA
Talla saw Sam’s letter.

RANDYLL
What about him.

MELESSA
You didn’t tell me he was due to come, why?

RANDYLL
Why trouble you when I’m going to take his head for desertion anyway?

MELESSA
He is not deserting the Wall. He’s been sent by the Lord Commander to train to become a Maester, and he is bringing his woman and child here.

RANDYLL
For the babe alone, he should be sent back to the Wall in disgrace of breaking his vows at the very least.

MELESSA
No. We are going to have a nice family dinner together. You sent my eldest from me, Randyll, and I said nothing. I should have spoken up then, but I didn’t and I’ve regretted it for far too long. You killed my brother, and for that you are going to put aside whatever else you feel about our son and accept him and our first grandchild under our roof. We shall even raise the bastard if the woman so wishes to stay. We will be a happy family, do you understand? Elsewise, Delena will not be receiving any letters from me.

BEAT.

RANDYLL
One night, and then he’s gone.



INT. KING’S LANDING – RED KEEP – SMALL COUNCIL CHAMBER – DAY - W

We see KEVAN LANNISTER sitting in the position as Hand of the King. To his left is Mace Tyrell and Grandmaester Pycelle, and to his right is Olenna Tyrell.

PYCELLE
I do not want that man in this castle a minute longer. What he’s done to Ser Gregor Clegane is monstrous!

KEVAN rolls his eyes.

KEVAN
And yet without his expertise, Clegane surely would have died of poisoning—a technique you could have used his assistance in regarding the Prince’s care. Truthfully, I would rather have the man living if scarred from his experiences than dead as you would have left him. Lord Tyrell, what news have you of Braavos?

MACE
Yes, well, I’ve wanted to say that my trip to Braavos proved a tremendous success. I’ve managed to convince the Iron Bank that repayment on our loan could be delayed for a small time—though the interest will accumulate in the meanwhile, of course.

KEVAN
I suppose that’s as good news as we can expect from the Iron Bank.

OLENNA
They’ve been prickly about their debts ever since I was a girl. They say much, but I have yet to see them ruin a man for them.

MACE
They have ties to the faceless men, mother.

OLENNA
Who I’m sure, charge them double what it would cost a prince to hire one of their order. But enough of this business when are we going to discuss the terrible treatment of the Queen!

CERSEI
(off screen)
Yes, it was about time someone addressed the horrors I had to suffer at the hands of those fanatics.

The CAMERA CUTS to KEVAN’s view where we see CERSEI, GREGOR, and JAIME standing in the doorway to the Small Council chamber. The CAMERA CUTS back to show KEVAN, OLENNA, MACE, and PYCELLE.

OLENNA
You are not the Queen. I know that things such as facts are hard for you to remember, dear, but you are not married to the King. Therefore you are not the Queen.

CERSEI stares at OLENNA.

KEVAN
What are you doing here?

JAIME
We are here to join the Small Council meeting.

KEVAN
You have no seat on the small council.

JAIME pulls out a seat for Cersei, and then one for himself.

CERSEI
The Queen Regent does.

KEVAN
You are not the Queen Regent. You are the Queen Mother, nothing more.

JAIME
And the Lord Commander does, doesn’t he Grandmaester?

PYCELLE
Well, Lord Gerold Hightower did in the days of the Mad King, but that was of course under the Mad King… King Robert had a different opinion—

JAIME
See? Now, I have some information regarding the High Sparrow that may be of interest to the rest of the council.

OLENNA
(rolls her eyes)
Really, do tell.

JAIME
As it happens, while the rest of you were occupied with the Queen Mother’s embarrassing situation, I was busy gaining an informant inside of the Sept of Baelor.

MACE
What kind of informant?

JAIME
A novice, but that’s beside the point. It would seem our holy man was not always a man of god, but began his life as a cobbler.

OLENNA
And this important bit of information that you spent enough effort seducing a novice over, is meaningful how?

CERSEI side-eyes JAIME.

JAIME
It can be used to find out more information about his past life, to then discredit and confuse his followers.

OLENNA laughs.

KEVAN
Enough of this mummer’s farce. We don’t have time for something like that and neither of you are members of the Small Council to suggest such a thing in the first place.

JAIME stands.

JAIME
Uncle, I am the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, it is my duty to see that the Royal Family—

KEVAN
You are a disgrace to the cloak you wear and you and your sister both in turn have humiliated our house and your father’s memory with your actions and foolhardy mistakes. I am here to put an end to all of that, and that begins with your departure from this room.

BEAT. JAIME and CERSEI stare at KEVAN. JAIME slowly sits.

JAIME
You can’t force us to leave.

GREGOR stands imposingly behind them both.

KEVAN
No, but there is nothing forcing us to stay, either.

KEVAN rises and readies to leave.

TOMMEN
(off screen)
Except me.

The CAMERA CUTS to reveal TOMMEN and his KINGSGUARD ENTERING the room and blocking the EXIT.

TOMMEN
You all sit here, squabbling about who sits the small council, and who doesn’t like a bunch of children. Meanwhile, my wife is beneath the Sept in rags and starving at the hands of that man!

OLENNA
Finally, a Lannister with some sense.

TOMMEN
I’m not a Lannister, I’m a Baratheon! Now what are we going to do to get my wife and her brother back, Great Uncle?

BEAT. CERSEI, PYCELLE, MACE, and JAIME stare at TOMMEN, clearly shocked. KEVAN looks at TOMMEN with a slight smile and sits.

KEVAN
The power of the Sparrows lies in the Faith Militant and the goodwill of the smallfolk. With both they have the city in their grasp.

TOMMEN
Then we break them of that grasp. The smallfolk loved Margaery—I know she went about the orphanages and poorhouses to give charity after the battle of Blackwater Bay. We should remind them of that. Where was the High Sparrow after the Battle when the City needed him? It was Margaery they loved long before him.

CERSEI stares at TOMMEN.

JAIME
Assuming that you could sway the smallfolk to your will, and that’s something rather large to assume, that will still leave them with the Faith Militant.

TOMMEN
Then we need an army to crush the Faith Militant. Great Uncle?

KEVAN
I’m afraid that that is where I cannot help. In exchange for the release of the Queen Mother, I swore an oath that the Lannister Army would not bear arms against the Faith for as long as she lived.

CERSEI
An oath sworn with a sword above your son’s head is no true oath, Uncle. So there is no fault in breaking it.

KEVAN
That’s ignoring that they would still have his head.

OLENNA
I believe my grandson may of be some assistance here. Garlan is assembling a force of those loyal to House Tyrell outside the city, and needs only but your command to attack the Sept. Furthermore, he’s a proven military commander in sieges, having taken Brightwater Keep. That way the Lord Hand can keep his oath, and the Queen and Loras can be returned to us safely.

MACE
I think my mother means to say that I shall lead the force gathered by my son personally, your grace, if you would have it.

TOMMEN
Aye, I will it. I care not who leads this army, simply that it is led.

KEVAN frowns slightly.

PYCELLE
The only question that remains is when the attack should take place.

TOMMEN
On the Festival of the Warrior. The Faith Militant should be distracted enough by the celebrations to let their guard down.

CERSEI stares at TOMMEN. KEVAN’s smile returns.

KEVAN
It would seem everything is settled.

TOMMEN
There’s only one other thing.

MACE
And what is that, your grace?

TOMMEN
I will be the one to rescue Margaery.

KEVAN frowns.

CERSEI
No! Absolutely not!

TOMMEN
Be quiet, mother. You’ve done enough damage.

CERSEI recoils in shock.

JAIME
That would require you to be in the Sept while the attack is occurring—you could be taken hostage or even killed in the confusion. As Lord Commander of your Kingsguard I cannot allow this.

TOMMEN
Fine help you gave Joffrey—poisoned at his own wedding you had planned for his protection, and Myrcella, poisoned in your custody. Be glad I haven’t dismissed you and had you replaced given your track record, Uncle.

JAIME stares at TOMMEN and then lowers his head. KEVAN smirks.

MACE
Despite his record, I must agree with the Lord Commander, your grace that putting yourself in harm’s way like that is rather… reckless. Better to wait it out here behind the walls of your castle than risk your life so heedlessly—especially since you are the last of your line and have at this moment, no heir of your own.

TOMMEN
Mayhaps that might be safer, more comfortable even, but my father fought his own battles and all of Westeros bowed to him as King. I’ve been letting others fight for me and not even an old man who claims he speaks to the gods respects me for it. If he did, I’d have my wife now and you’d all still be squabbling about a few seats on a council of little importance. If I don’t do this, I might as well toss this hollow crown into the bay and myself along with it. Besides, I don’t know why you’re all so worried when I shall have my Kingsguard with me.

BEAT. KEVAN looks conflicted.

OLENNA
I must admit that I’m starting to think that getting arrested has been the best thing Margaery has ever done for your grace.



INT. KING’S LANDING – SEPT OF BAELOR – MAIN SEPT – DAY - W

We see TYENE changing out the candles. GARLAN is at prayer at the foot of the statue of the Warrior. TYENE sees him and stops for a moment before sighing and going about her work changing the candles at the foot of the statue of the Warrior.

TYENE
What are you doing back here?

GARLAN
I said you’d inspire me to be more faithful to the Warrior didn’t I?

TYENE
If Septa Unella sees you here…

GARLAN
I only want one thing.

TYENE
That’s all men like you ever want.

GARLAN
Is that all you think of me?

TYENE
Don’t pretend to be hurt.

GARLAN
The favor I ask of you doesn’t involve a robe to be disturbed at all, I swear.

TYENE
And why should I do you any favors?

GARLAN
I am trying to rescue my sister, the Queen.

BEAT. TYENE is silent.

GARLAN
How is she treated?

BEAT.

TYENE
Poorly.

GARLAN
Then show me the lower chambers; that’s all I ask. I don’t need to do anything today—but I need to know the layout of the lower levels.

TYENE
You say this as though it were nothing… if the Faith Militant or even Septa Unella found you down there—

GARLAN
I can wear any disguise you give me. Put robes over me and make me a Septon and I shall cause no heads to turn.

BEAT.

TYENE
Meet me here again, after evening prayer.

GARLAN nods his head and pretends to finish praying and rises and leaves. TYENE resists turning to watch him go.



INT. MEEREEN – GREAT PYRAMID – COUNCIL CHAMBER – DAY

We see Daenerys’ council has gathered and is seated around the round table. Her council consists of: MISSANDEI, GREY WORM, TYRION, VARYS, and now TRYSTANE. An UNSULLIED stands guard at the door.

TYRION
(to the Unsullied)
If you could be so good as to let Skahaz know we’re ready for him.

The UNSULLIED nods and exits the room.

VARYS
I feel so good about this.

GREY WORM
The freed men of the city trust Skahaz.

VARYS
So would I, if he seemed to be the only thing between me and death.

The UNSULLIED returns with SKAHAZ. SKAHAZ is an elder man who is big and burly and as though he’s worked hard and long all his life. He is approximately in his 50s, and has mostly grey hair that has been shaved rather close to his head.

TYRION
(in Gschari)
Welcome to the Queen’s council Skahaz. (in Common) That’s about all I can say in Gschari without embarrassing myself.

SKAHAZ
You speak it well enough for a foreigner.

TYRION
Please take a seat. We are all happy to have you join us. I am Tyrion Lannister the Acting Queen’s Hand. This is Missandei the Queen’s translator and mistress of laws, Grey Worm who you already know commands the Unsullied, Varys the master of whispers, and Prince Trystane Nymeros Martell who is… well, the Queen’s foreign advisor.

SKAHAZ takes a seat and slides the bench across the stone floor causing it to screech.

TYRION
As to the matter—

SKAHAZ slides the bench again.

TYRION
The matter of finding a noble to join our council. I have been told that House Reznak has withdrawn their interest.

A commotion is heard outside of the room. GREY WORM stands and readies to draw the dagger at his waist. MISSANDEI puts her hand on his elbow to keep him from drawing too quickly. The door opens, and a young woman, GALAZZA enters, an UNSULLIED entering immediately after.

TYRION
Am I to be constantly interrupted?

GALAZZA
Oh this day, Tyrion of House Lannister, aye, you are.

BEAT.

TYRION
And you are?

MISSANDEI
Galazza, a grace of the Temple of the Graces and liaison of them to the Queen. She has been meeting with me since the Queen took the city, interested in bringing many of the Unsullied into the faith of Old Ghis.

GREY WORM takes his hand off his dagger and signals for the UNSULLIED to leave the room. The UNSULLIED does so, leaving GALAZZA behind.

GALAZZA
I thank you for the introduction, Missandei, but I am not just any grace, but the Green Grace.

VARYS
Forgive me, but I had thought the Green Grace of Meereen to be an old woman, near eighty?

GALAZZA
She unfortunately died, may the goddess give her rest. I was elected to the Green in her stead.

TRYSTANE
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought the Ghiscari worshipped the harpy?

BEAT.

TRYSTANE
I am wrong, aren’t I?

GALAZZA
You speak of the corruption of New Ghis, while I seek to bring Meereen back to the ways of Old Ghis, the ways of the Ghiscari before the Valyrians came with their dragons and tore down our goddess, violated and twisted her with their dragons to create the harpy you know. That wasn’t the only burden the Valyrians brought—they brought their slave trade and made Slaver’s Bay what it is today. When the Queen arrived, I took it as an answer from the goddess that what the Valyrians had done would be undone by their last surviving daughter, and I mean to help her in that endeavor.

TYRION
While all of this is very interesting, I am sure Grey Worm would care to know why it was worth pushing past his Unsullied for a history lesson.

GALAZZA
Word has it that the Unsullied have been making rounds to all the noble houses of Meereen to ask for a noble representative on the Queen’s council?

TYRION
That I won’t deny. We have many possible candidates—

GALAZZA
You have none. Not even the Reznaks anymore, who offered you a hostage when you asked again.

TRYSTANE
If you have a point, I’d best be making it, my lady.

GALAZZA
I will sit the council instead of a noble representative. The noble houses all hold the Graces in high respect, and having myself on the council will make them less likely to support the Sons of the Harpy.

SKAHAZ
And what do you know of the Sons of the Harpy, woman?

GALAZZA meets SKAHAZ’s eye, the two lock eyes for an instance, but then GALAZZA breaks the hold with a smile and returns her attention to the room.

GALAZZA
I can tell you who the Harpy is, that has so many sons.

TYRION
And what do you want in exchange beyond a council seat?

GALAZZA
What makes you—

TYRION
You don’t begin a negotiation by laying out everything you want at the start.

GALAZZA
I want the Red Priests gone from the city. If Meereen is to return to the old ways of no slavery and the former glories of the Ghiscari of old, their fire demon worship and shadow binder magic has no place in the city.

VARYS
Many of the fire priests have taken to reassuring the freedmen of the Queen’s return. They’ve been a disquieting but stabilizing force in the city.

GALAZZA
The priests tell them to worship the Queen as a goddess on earth. That is profane in the eyes of the true goddess, and their fanaticism will leave only chaos in its wake when their “goddess” leaves again for Westeros.

GREY WORM
If it so profane, why not goddess strike them down?

VARYS
Grey Worm does have a point, but then I ask that myself about every god and goddess.

GALAZZA
Do you wish to know who your Harpy is or not?

BEAT.

TYRION
Pull up a bench.



INT. KING’S LANDING – SEPT OF BAELOR – CORRIDORS BENEATH THE SEPT – EVENING

We see GARLAN, dressed as a Septon and TYENE walking through the corridors. TYENE then pauses outside a door and opens a small peep hole to show inside where MARGAERY lays despondently against a wall. GARLAN sees this, and scowls.



INT. BRAAVOS – HOUSE OF BLACK AND WHITE – MAIN CHAMBER – DAY

We see ARYA sitting and tending to a kneeling MAN who wishes to die at the pool, dipping a cup into the water and offering it to the man. We hear the door to the temple squeak open. The CAMERA CUTS to show JAQEN H'GHAR opening the door to let BENURRO inside. ARYA is curious but her attention is drawn back to the man she’s helping now as he hands her back the cup. ARYA takes the cup and puts it down on the side of the pool. ARYA stands.

ARYA
Which face of the Many-Faced God are you most comfortable with?

MAN
The Black Goat, whatever else has happened, the Black Goat has always been there.

The MAN rises and walks over to the section of the wall devoted to the Black Goat. ARYA then turns her attention back to BENURRO and JAQEN. ARYA sneaks closer and sees a bag exchanged to JAQEN.

JAQEN
And what is the name of the man who you’d have killed?

BENURRO
Walder Frey.

JAQEN
And so it will be.

BEAT.

BENURRO
That’s it?

JAQEN
That’s it, unless you would care to pray to the many-faced god?

BENURRO shakes his head and EXITS. JAQEN turns and looks at ARYA.

JAQEN
A girl should tend more closely to her duties.

ARYA
A girl sees a payment and wonders as to the name.

JAQEN
No one for you. You haven’t even finished your training.

ARYA
Give a girl a test, and she will not disappoint.

JAQEN
You will not have this name.

ARYA
Give a girl a test, and she will not disappoint.

JAQEN
It is up for the assassins to decide.

ARYA
Give a girl a test, and she will not disappoint.

JAQEN
You know the name.

ARYA
A girl does not know Walder Frey.

JAQEN hits ARYA.

JAQEN
A girl listed Walder Frey.

ARYA
A girl knows of Walder Frey, but she has never met him.

JAQEN
That is still too much.

ARYA
Give a girl a test, and she will not disappoint.

BEAT. JAQEN smirks.

JAQEN
A girl shall have a test, but not this name… not yet.

ARYA nods.

ARYA
Who?

JAQEN pulls out a vial of poison.

JAQEN
An actress, she goes by the name of Lady Crane.

ARYA
Who wants her dead?

JAQEN
A girl does not ask such questions.



INT. MEEREEN – GREAT PYRAMID – THRONE ROOM – DAY

We see VARYS sitting at the base of the steps with the room full of Unsullied guards. VARYS is fanning himself with a feathered fan.

VARYS
(to the Unsullied in Ghiscari)
I admit, I admire your fortitude. What discipline you all have to stand there in iron and leather for hours, I couldn’t handle it.

ENTER TWO UNSULLIED dragging a woman, KEZMYA along with them. Viewers from Season 5 should recognize her as the prostitute associated with the Harpies.

VARYS
(in Common)
At last, I was beginning to wonder if time had begun to melt in all this heat. (to the UNSULLIED in Ghiscari) Could we have the room?

The UNSULLIED depart from the throne room, exiting many different doors. The rest of the conversation is held in Ghiscari.

VARYS
There now, we won’t be disturbed.

KEZMYA
If you mean to kill me, call them back. I’d rather die by their hands than yours. At least there is some of Old Ghis in their blood.

VARYS
No one need die today, my dear… though it would be what you’d deserve.

KEZMYA
Then why hesitate, unless you are weak?

VARYS
Is that what matters to you, being strong? Is it strong to pretend to be what you’re not? To sell your body so you can lure Unsullied into letting their guard down before their throat is slit? Are those the actions of someone who’s strong, Kezmya zo Pahl?

KEZMYA
They are what I had to do.

The CAMERA CUTS to the hallway outside of the throne room, with the camera looking in, behind KEZMYA. VARYS signals to someone behind KEZMYA. We hear footsteps depart. The CAMERA CUTS back to the throne room.

VARYS
But you couldn’t have done it alone. You’d have to have garnered the agreement of so many people and then there’s the funds and supplies to assure them of your future. And if you have those, why sell your body in the first place? Why not buy a prostitute’s loyalty in that case?

KEZMYA glares at VARYS. The CAMERA CUTS back to that hallway shot. As VARYS speaks we see someone walk into the frame, but remain blurred while the focus remains on VARYS.

VARYS
And then I realized it’s the things we do for love that never make any sense, no matter how much we try to rationalize them.

VARYS indicates for KEZMYA to turn around, which she does and we see her eyes go wide. The CAMERA CUTS back to the throne room looking out into the hallway where we see a young boy about five or so, DRAQAZ, standing behind an UNSULLIED. The CAMERA CUTS back to VARYS and KEZMYA.

KEZMYA
You’ve already decided his death… it’s cruel, but nothing I wouldn’t expect of foreign barbarians.

VARYS
Me, hurt an innocent child? Why would I? Their blameless. Though I am sure your friends in the masks won’t take to his being fostered by her grace as a cupbearer so kindly.

KEZMYA
If you mean to kill me then do it now and let me join the rest of my family you’ve butchered. My father, the Champion of Meereen cut down by your sellsword, my mother raped and murdered by your freedmen, and my grandfather nailed to a signpost in the square by her grace. If I leave this pyramid they’ll kill me, and I’d rather have the blood on your hands so Draqaz will know who the true enemy of Meereen is.

VARYS
The Harpy, killed by her own sons? Now there’s an irony for you.

KEZMYA
Kill me, and I shall be raised up as a harpy that will never die.

VARYS
Why should I kill you when that’s exactly what you want?

DRAQAZ takes a few steps closer to VARYS and KEZMYA, but is stopped short by the UNSULLIED.

DRAQAZ
No! You said my sister would be safe!

VARYS signals for the UNSULLIED to let go of DRAQAZ. VARYS approaches and bends down to DRAQAZ’s level.

VARYS
And so she will, Draqaz, if she chooses wisely. I cannot help her if she chooses foolishly, now can I?

KEZMYA
Help? You talk of helping us of saving Meereen from itself when it’s you who are bringing about its destruction!

VARYS
All her grace wants is peace and to return Meereen to the ways of Old Ghis, before the harpy.

KEZMYA
You’ve been speaking to that radical grace then and her nonsense about a goddess? The Harpy is Ghiscari, and the Ghiscari are harpies.

VARYS
Enough of this. Tell me who funds your harpies.

BEAT. KEZMYA stares defiantly.

VARYS
Draqaz, I’m beginning to think your sister is making a foolish choice.

DRAQAZ steps forward, closer to his sister.

DRAQAZ
(crying)
Kezmya… please… don’t leave me too.

BEAT. KEZMYA tears up, but remains silent.

DRAQAZ turns.

DRAQAZ
She meets with men.

KEZMYA
Draqaz!

VARYS
Can you describe the men for me?

KEZMYA
Don’t tell him anything else!

DRAQAZ
There were three of them. All of them were tall, dark of hair, with olive skin.

VARYS
You’ll have to be more descriptive than that. That describes half of Slaver’s Bay.

DRAQAZ
One spoke with a Yunkish accent and wore yellow robes. Another was dressed in leathers and spoke like the Unsullied. And the third wore tiger fur and spoke like a Volantene.

KEZMYA
Is this all you are?! A traitor to your house and to your family?

VARYS
Excuse me, Black Beetle?

The UNSULLIED walks forward and nods his head.

VARYS
Yes, yes. Could you escort the Harpy to her cell at the bottom of the pyramid? Make sure she’s seen as you take her down the steps.

The UNSULLIED nods again, and grabs KEZMYA. KEZMYA breaks free of the UNSULLIED’s grasp.

KEZMYA
Blood traitor.

KEZMYA then walks with the UNSULLIED out of the room. DRAQAZ turns to VARYS.

VARYS
For her own protection, I assure you, nothing more.

DRAQAZ turns to look back at KEZMYA’s retreating form one last time before slowly following VARYS.

VARYS
Come, let me introduce you to Wex, he’ll be teaching you your role in the pyramid. Though I should warn you that he was born a mute, so you’ll have to learn to read the common tongue if you wish to understand him. That, Missandei can teach you, I am sure of.



EXT. STORMLANDS – OUTSIDE STONEHELM – DAY

We see in the distance through a Myrish Far-Eye a rough sea hitting a rocky shore, with a castle at the mouth of a river. It’s a short, squat castle with a black and white banner flying atop it.

The CAMERA CUTS to a medium shot of GENDRY and ARIANNE on a precipice. ARIANNE takes the Fary-Eye from her eye and hands it to GENDRY who holds it up to his eye.

ARIANNE
Describe the banner to me.

GENDRY
Just tell me what fucking house it is.

ARIANNE
You know that’s not how this works. You have to learn for yourself. Describe the banner to me.

GENDRY huffs.

GENDRY
Battling black and white birds counterchanged on white and black fields.

ARIANNE
Divided how?

GENDRY
Right down the middle from top to bottom.

ARIANNE
So, per pale. (pause) What do the birds look like to you?

GENDRY
Geese… no… swans.

ARIANNE smiles.

GENDRY
Don’t tell me, House Swann?

ARIANNE
A lot of lords like to present their name in the symbols of their banners—they think it clever. It’s called canting.

The CAMERA CUTS back to the Myrish Far-Eye perspective and it travels down the castle to see the portcullis rise and riders ride out of the castle.

GENDRY
There’s riders coming out.

ARIANNE
Well, Gendry, it’s time for your first test.



EXT. STORMLANDS – OUTSIDE STONEHELM – DAY

We see ARIANNE, OBARA, CLETUS, and GENDRY ride forth with guards to meet a party that has stopped in the path of their army along a road that winds past the castle and over a bridge across the river, guarded by the castle. They stop with a short distance between them. From the party of men who came from the castle, a small boy of twelve, DONNEL, dressed in armor with a tunic of House Swann over it comes forward.

DONNEL
State your name and business on Lord Swann’s lands.

OBARA
Does Lord Gulian wish to mock the Princess of Dorne by sending his squire to meet with an army on his doorstep?

DONNEL
Lord Swann is… occupied at the moment with other matters.

CLETUS
Matters more important than addressing the Princess of Dorne?

DONNEL
House Swann is not sworn to Dorne, therefore my lord is under no obligation to meet with any of you.

ARIANNE
House Swann may not be sworn to me, but it is sworn to Storm’s End is it not?

DONNEL
Aye, but Storm’s End lies empty since Renly’s death.

ARIANNE
Not for long, we—

GENDRY rides forward.

GENDRY
He isn’t in the bloody castle, is he?

DONNEL looks at GENDRY for a moment before looking at ARIANNE.

DONNEL
Turn your army around, Princess and march back to Dorne. You and your army are not wanted here.

GENDRY
I asked you a question.

DONNEL
And to whom am I speaking?

GENDRY
King Robert’s own son and rightful claimant of Storm’s End and the Stormlands with my uncles and cousin dead.

DONNEL is silent, staring at GENDRY.

GENDRY
Now tell me, is Lord Swann in the castle or not, squire.

DONNEL
Lord Swann is at Storm’s End with other Stormlords, deciding the future of the Stormlands.

GENDRY turns to ARIANNE, smirking.

GENDRY
(loudly)
Sounds like we’ve got a hard ride ahead of ourselves.

DONNEL
If I let you pass over our bridge. As my great-grandfather’s heir, I rule in his absence.

GENDRY
Oh, you’ll let us pass. The last thing you want in a Dornish army on your doorstep, eating your food, raiding your smallfolk, using their Dornish charms on your people’s mothers, daughters, and sisters. You’d have a mutiny in your castle if you let that happen.

BEAT. DONNEL stares at GENDRY.

GENDRY
And besides, the sooner I get to Storm’s End, the sooner your great-grandfather returns to Stonehelm.

BEAT.

DONNEL
And what is your name, King Robert’s son?

GENDRY
Ser Gendry. Ser Gendry of the Hollow Hill.

BEAT. DONNEL eyes ARIANNE.

DONNEL
And the Princess of Dorne just so happened to find you, Ser Gendry, and out of the kindness of her heart, informed you of your rightful inheritance?

GENDRY
Fuck them, they’re just my escort.

OBARA glares at GENDRY. CLETUS side-eyes him. ARIANNE looks unmoved. DONNEL fights a smile.

GENDRY
I mean to rule the Stormlands and I don’t mean to do it with any Dornish fuckers about me, but if they’re the only ones who can get things done in the South without making a mess of everything, then so be it, I’ll take them as my escort.

DONNEL is silent for a long minute.

DONNEL
Ser Gendry, the bridge is yours, please see that your… escort keeps their salty hands to themselves.

GENDRY
I thank you m’lord, and look forward to the day you’ll take your place as one of my bannermen.

DONNEL looks unmoved by the compliment.

DONNEL
Hmmph.

DONNEL and his guards part in order to let GENDRY and the army pass. When they are far enough away, ARIANNE rides up next to GENDRY.

ARIANNE
You did well.

GENDRY
There’s little skill in intimidating a little lordling of two and ten. Besides I’ve been told off by worse than him.

ARIANNE
You do yourself a disservice selling yourself so short. You’ve an ability to command, if you so desire.

GENDRY
So you say. What’s next in the part of the bastard pretender? I convince a few old men too old to fight for themselves?

ARIANNE
Yes. Old men eager to see their sons avenged.

CLETUS stares as ARIANNE and GENDRY ride together, his eyes narrow. OBARA rides next to him.

OBARA
The further we ride east, the further it takes us from Oldtown, and the longer they’ll have to prepare.

CLETUS
And what is it about Oldtown that tempts you so… cousin?

OBARA glares at CLETUS.

OBARA
Temptation doesn’t begin to describe what I’m after.

CLETUS
Vengeance then? Given your whore mother?

OBARA
You know a lot for a Stony Dornishman with his head full of rocks.

CLETUS
I thank you for the compliment.

OBARA
That wasn’t a compliment.

BEAT.

CLETUS
Mayhaps it should have been, cousin, considering I mean to give you another cousin before the year is out. We wouldn’t want my son to think ill of his Cousin Obara now would we?

OBARA
Is she?

CLETUS
She’s stopped bleeding, but we keep doing it just to be sure. Our son will end centuries of war and intrigue in Dorne, uniting us to keep our eye on our enemies without the kingdom.

OBARA
And if it’s a girl?

BEAT.

CLETUS
(smirks)
Cheer up and you might be a godmother yet. I hope her being heavy with child won’t interfere with your Oldtown plans.

OBARA
Arianne means to match, if not surpass Queen Nymeria. And like Nymeria, she’ll ride into battle big bellied and bare breasted if she has to.

BEAT. CLETUS’ eyes widen.

CLETUS
Into the very heat of battle? She could lose the babe.

OBARA
Aye, she could, if she tarries among these Stormlords for too long.

CLETUS and OBARA share a glance and then nod and hurry their horses to match ARIANNE and GENDRY’s pace

INT. KING’S LANDING – SEPT OF BAELOR – MARGAERY’S CELL – NIGHT

We see MARGAERY slumped against the wall in her cell. The door opens, and we see TYENE enter

MARGAERY
What do you want?

TYENE
Do you want to see your brother?

MARGAERY stands.

MARGAERY
More than anything.

TYENE
Then come. I managed to slip the keys from Septa Unella as she slept, we won’t have long before you’re noticed.



INT. KING’S LANDING – SEPT OF BAELOR – LORAS’ CELL – NIGHT

We see nothing but blackness, but hear what sounds to be crying for several moments. The door opens and MARGAERY and TYENE are behind it. The new light shows that the camera is behind LORAS’ shivering and standing form as he leans against the wall, fighting to stay standing.

MARGAERY enters and rushes to LORAS as TYENE stands guard outside.

MARGAERY
Loras!

BEAT.

MARGAERY
Loras, speak to me.

BEAT. LORAS nearly falls over, but desperately grabs onto a crevice in the wall. MARGAERY takes LORAS into her arms, and he lets go and leans against her, sobbing into her bosom.

MARGAERY
Loras, you’re strong.

LORAS
No I’m not.

MARGAERY is obviously affected.

MARGAERY
Yes, you are. You’re one of the strongest people I know, big brother. You just need to rest to regain your strength, you need to lay down is all.

MARGAERY begins to lower LORAS to the ground with herself, but LORAS pulls away and fights her, causing MARGAERY to fall unceremoniously to the ground.

LORAS
No! I can’t lay down… I can’t sleep.

MARGAERY
You need to rest, Loras.

LORAS
It’s no use… they’ll come… they’ll come and wake me up.

MARGAERY
Not as long as I’m here.

LORAS
You’re just a dream… you’re not here, not really. They wouldn’t let you come. Any moment now, they’ll come and strip me bare and punish me for sleeping.

MARGAERY
Punish you?

BEAT. LORAS’ legs quiver and look as though they’re about to give out.

MARGAERY
Loras, sit down and tell me… you can tell me anything… after all, if I’m just a dream, what harm is there in telling me?

MARGAERY tries to tempt LORAS down.

LORAS
I can’t sit down! It hurts too much!

BEAT.

TYENE
Keep him quiet, or he’ll attract attention!

MARGAERY stands and pulls LORAS once again into her embrace.

MARGAERY
Tell me how to help you, Loras. (BEAT) Pretend I’m real and tell me.

LORAS
(sobbing)
Make it stop… please. Just make it stop!

MARGAERY’s eyes go wide and then narrow in determination.



EXT. STORM’S END – ROAD APPROACHING THE GATE – DAY

We see ARIANNE, GENDRY, OBARA, and CLETUS—who now wears an eye patch over his lazy eye—at the head of the DORNISH ARMY, arriving at the road just outside of STORM’S END. At the other end of the road, awaiting on their horses are ALLYRIA DONDARRION, NED DAYNE, SHYRA ERROL, EDRIC STORM, DELENA NORCROSS, HARROLD “SILVER AXE” FELL, BELLA, ARSTAN SELMY, and GULIAN SWANN.

Lady ALLYRIA DONDARRION is in her late thirties/early forties, a dark haired beauty reminiscent of Elizabeth Taylor.

Lord NED DAYNE is Lady ALLYRIA’s nephew and ARIANNE’s sworn bannerman, and is in his late teens/early twenties, a pale blond haired and lean young man. He should have a large sword, Dawn, strapped to his back.

Lady SHYRA ERROL is in her early forties, a greying blond haired woman with a stout body. Her banner is a yellow haystack on an orange field.

EDRIC STORM is a dark haired young teen, lean, lanky, and rather thin. He is GENDRY’s half-brother, and should resemble GENDRY more than his mother.

Lady DELENA NORCROSS is EDRIC’s mother, late thirties, with honey brown hair. Her banner is a black embattled cross on white.

Lord HARROLD “SILVER AXE” FELL is an old man, early seventies, in good health for his age. His banner is per fess, a white crescent moon on a black field above a green field, a sprucetree line between.

BELLA is a dark haired young woman in her early twenties. She is GENDRY and EDRIC’s half-sister and should resemble GENDRY. She is dressed in the colors of House Fell, with an iron stag’s head pin as a brooch.

Lord ARSTAN SELMY is an old man, late sixties, and is the only man dressed in his armor rather than in a doublet or tunic.

Lord GULIAN SWANN is an old man in his eighties, and appears frail and tired.

Banners flap in the wind, and the camera pauses at each lord as ARIANNE and GENDRY discuss them.

GENDRY
House Dondarion’s Lady is here on behalf of her son. I do not recognize the star and sword banner next to hers.

ARIANNE
House Dayne—and you shouldn’t recognize it, considering that is a Dornish banner. It seems my missing Lord Dayne has been found.

OBARA
You should have his head.

GENDRY
Do you want to get into that castle alive?

OBARA
Taking the castle would make them respect you more.

CLETUS
Always the violent option first, and then you think of the consequences.

OBARA
The Stormlords respect strength, meekly asking to get into the castle won’t impress them.

CLETUS
And seizing the castle will keep us occupied here in the Stormlands longer.

BEAT. OBARA grunts and says no more.

ARIANNE
There’s Old Silver Axe of House Fell…

GENDRY
Aye, I see his axe glitters in the light.

CLETUS
He fought your father with that axe for King Aerys before he bent the knee to him during the rebellion.

ARIANNE
It appears he’s married yet again judging by the girl by his side. (pause) Then there’s Lord Arstan Selmy sitting proudly atop his white charger.

CLETUS
With hair to match his horse.

GENDRY
I recognize Lord Gulian Swann for he resembles his great-grandson well enough.

ARIANNE
I also see Lady Shyra Errol is here on behalf of her son.

GENDRY
I don’t recognize the two riders next to her.

CLETUS
They’re flying House Norcross’ banner.

ARIANNE
Norcross?! What are they doing this far east? They’re a minor house in the Reach from near Oldtown—why would… wait, the Far-Eye I need the Far-Eye.

OBARA hands ARIANNE the Myrish Far-Eye. ARIANNE puts the far-eye to her eye. BEAT.

ARIANNE
Seven Hells… I thought he’d died.

GENDRY
Thought who’d died?

ARIANNE closes the Far-Eye.

ARIANNE
Your brother, Edric Storm.


The CAMERA CUTS to the other group.

SILVER AXE
It seems that something must have changed in Dorne since last I’d heard, for now the Martells are quartering their banners with the Yronwoods.

GULIAN
Donnel had mentioned Cletus Yronwood was with them, but married to the Princess of Dorne?!

ARSTAN
Seven help us… there’ll be no dividing them now.

SHYRA
Well, Lord Dayne, do have any explanation for this?

NED
I shall endeavor to find out.


NED rides forward to meet the oncoming army in the middle of the road. ARIANNE, OBARA, GENDRY, and CLETUS ride forth and meet him. As ARIANNE approaches, NED dismounts and bends the knee to her before her horse.

NED
I swear fealty to you, my Princess, as my ancestors have done for the millennia since Nymeria’s conquest.

ARIANNE
Lord Dayne. I had expected to see you at Sunspear.

NED
I had word from my castellan that you had called the banners. I bid him send what Starfall owed.

ARIANNE
Aye, I was most perturbed at receiving your banners without you to lead them. And now I find you here

NED
I have been here for many a year.

ARIANNE
How many years?

NED
Since King Robert sat upon the Iron Throne. I was squire to Lord Beric, my uncle by marriage, and was just knighted before the tourney in honor of Lord Stark was announced and Lord Beric departed to participate. I stayed behind per his wishes to look after his son, and he took a new squire with him.

ARIANNE
Curious that Lord Eddard Stark killed Ser Arthur, and your father subsequently names you after him. Did your father disapprove of his brother that much to name his son after his killer?

NED
Lord Stark returned my family’s sword, Dawn. Dawn has been in our family since the Long Night. Lord Stark could have kept it as a prize of war and no one would have doubted his right to it, but instead he returned it to Starfall along with my uncle’s bones. For that, my father said there was no man more honorable and he would have his son strive to match him.

ARIANNE
Yes, you Stony Dornish are always going on about honor, isn’t that right, husband?

CLETUS
Aye, ‘tis part of our First Men heritage.

CLETUS and NED share a brief look.


The CAMERA CUTS BACK to the Stormlords.

ARSTAN
He seems to be getting on amicably with them.

DELENA
No doubt discussing how he’ll trade my son’s crown away for some Dornish slut for a bride.

SILVER AXE
Your son will wear a crown of flowers ere he be declared Storm King.

ALLYRIA
I would hold your tongue, Lady Norcross. Lover to Kings or no, it isn’t safe to say such things about Dorne in the presence of the Dornish.

SHYRA
Are you threatening her life, Dondarrion?

ALLYRIA
No more than I am your own, Errol.

SHYRA
You’ll regret those words when my son finishes gathering the minor lords from the Kingswood!

ALLYRIA
And you’ll regret threatening me when my son finishes gathering the lords from Cape Wrath!

ARSTAN
Ladies, please. Peace in our time, thank you.

ALLYRIA and SHYRA glare at one another before looking forward.


The CAMERA CUTS BACK to NED and the DORNISH.

ARIANNE
And you stayed after being knighted, why?

NED
When Lord Beric did not return from King’s Landing but instead headed north to bring the Mountain to the King’s justice, I saw my place was with my family at Blackhaven, rather than at Starfall. When the war broke out who was on what side was not clear as alliances shifted like the sand dunes of the desert. And given the Oakhearts border both Dondarrion and Dayne lands, I again saw the need to protect my aunt and cousin until he was of an age to lead his own men.

ARIANNE
Your desire to protect your family is, understandable, Lord Dayne. Though I wish you had communicated this to me instead of waiting until I had arrived here to discover it for myself. To make good on such an oversight, my lord, pray tell me the lay of the land here at Storm’s End.

NED stares at GENDRY for a moment before turning back to ARIANNE.

NED
For the same reason that brings you here, Princess, to establish who it is shall rule the Stormlands with the deaths of Stannis and his daughter. I presume you have your own bastard to add to the mix?

OBARA
Add to the mix? You mean there’s more of him?

NED
King Robert was prolific in the spreading of his seed about the kingdoms. Queen Cersei may have thought she killed them all, but some, like your silent friend, managed to survive. Those that have, it seems have been collected to make a claim on the castle.

GENDRY
So the boy claims to be my half-brother?

NED
Claims? The noble houses of the Reach witnessed King Robert take young Delena Florent into the wedding chamber of his brother, the night her sister married Lord Stannis. Edric Storm is the result of that union, and Delena’s marriage to her husband was paid for by the crown as compensation for her dishonor.

ARIANNE
That’s one bastard, you said there were more?

NED
Edric Storm was expected, in fact the major Stormlords were called to Storm’s End specifically to see him crowned. And then, old Silver Axe showed up having wed a fourth wife, a young woman by the name of Bella, who used to be named Bella Rivers. According to Silver Axe, she had been sired by Robert when he took shelter at the Stoney Sept for a good part of a year during the Rebellion. She was born the day of the Battle of the Bells, so her mother named her Bella, or so she says. She has King Robert’s look, that much is sure, to look at her and Edric Storm is to see a brother and sister. And her discovery has brought a problem to our meeting. Silver Axe has claimed he has wed King Robert’s eldest child, and therefore by rights should be King and any children by her King after him. Lady Norcross says that her son has not a drop of common blood in him, and therefore more fit to rule. What claim you with your bastard?

GENDRY
The Princess need not answer. I can speak for myself, Lord Dayne. And until I am crowned, you can refer to me as Ser Gendry. Ser Gendry of the Hollow Hill.

NED
My apologies, Ser. I pray hope you do speak for yourself, for hearing the Silver Axe and Lady Norcross at odds with one another has been a most tiring affair.

GENDRY
I am King Robert’s eldest son, bastard born though I may be. Tell that to Lord Fell and Lady Norcross, and see what they have in answer to that!

NED looks to ARIANNE.

ARIANNE
You heard Ser Gendry, Lord Dayne. Go and tell the Stormlords that, and bring us their response since you are so… friendly with them.


NED rises and mounts his horse and returns to the Stormlords.

ALLYRIA
Well, nephew?

NED
My Princess has found herself Ser Gendry of the Hollow Hill, who claims to be King Robert’s eldest bastard son.

ARSTAN
If this bastard be a knight, I would know who knighted him.

DELENA
Believe it not, ‘tis all lies and slander. He has but half a face of the late King’s. And with that half a face would deprive my Edric of his lands!

EDRIC
Mother, please…

SILVER AXE
His lands? As I’ve said time and again, my wife is the King’s eldest child. The Dornish have to recognize her rights ahead of this catspaw they’ve discovered.

ALLYRIA
A pity we’re not in Dorne, then, unless of course you’d wished to bring Dornish law north of the Red Mountains, Lord Fell?

SHYRA
We most certainly will not! Andal law already provides for daughters to inherit after their brothers, as I have.

ARSTAN
Lord Swann, you’ve been quiet all this time, what think you?

GULIAN
What are we to do about that army that stands behind Ser Gendry? That I would think is the more important issue.

ARSTAN
A fair point. (pause) Until young Lord Dael and young Ser Sebastian return from collecting the minor lords, there’s very little we can do against that army, so let us parlay with them.


Lord ARSTAN urges his horse forward, followed soon by NED, ALLYRIA, and GULIAN. DELENA and SILVER AXE frown at those who depart.

ARSTAN
Peace be to Dorne.

ARIANNE
Peace be to the Stormlords, if in peace they do permit entrance to the castle.

ARSTAN
(to GENDRY)
You claim to be King Robert’s eldest bastard son?

GENDRY
Aye.

CLETUS
A simple comparison of his face and that of his siblings over yonder would confirm that.

GULIAN
Let the lad speak for himself.

GENDRY
All I ask, my lords, is for a fair hearing of mine own claim. Is that so difficult?

ALLYRIA
Who knighted you, boy?

GENDRY
I am no boy, and if the name Lord Beric Dondarrion means anything to you, you’d know the man.

NED
He couldn’t have!

GENDRY
He did, nigh three namedays ago.

ALLYRIA
What my nephew means is that my husband died at the Mummer’s Ford nearly five namedays past.

GENDRY
And then he was hung by the Lannisters. After that he was slain by Ser Burton Crakehall, hung by Ser Armory Lorch, had a dirk put through his eye by the Mountain, and then I saw him killed by Sandor Clegane in a trial by combat. None of those times did it stop Thoros of Myr from raising him back from the dead by the power of his Lord of Light.

GULIAN
Not another blasted Red Priest. Stannis’ priestess was bad enough.

ALLYRIA
I shall not dispute you on the powers of these Red Priests. What few men have returned from the North speak of their power and their... fanaticism well enough.

NED
If my uncle still lived, why would he abandon my aunt and nephew? Why not return to them who have needed him all this time? Why leave them to my care when I was barely a man grown myself?

ALLYRIA
Ned, calm yourself.

ARSTAN
Stay, Lord Dayne, stay. Let Ser Gendry answer himself.

GENDRY
I cannot speak for Lord Beric other than when he’d rise from whatever ritual that blasted Red Priest gave him, he was a little less himself each time—or so he said. He said he had had a love once, but could hardly recall her face. All that was real for him anymore was the war and continuing to fight it. I proved useful so he knighted me.

GULIAN
And how did you come to be found by the Dornish, given you were last in the Riverlands?

GENDRY
I stopped proving useful for Lord Beric—or at least, I proved useful to him in other ways.

LADY ALLYRIA frowns.

ARSTAN
What ways?

GENDRY
This priestess you spoke of? Long flowing red hair, red dress, and a choker with a ruby in it that flared at odd moments?

GULIAN
You’ve met the harpy then?

GENDRY
She took me in exchange for what money might supply Lord Beric’s warring in the Riverlands for the nonce. She took me to Dragonstone, where I met mine uncle Stannis. He cleaned me up, fed me, and acknowledged me as his brother’s son. Then that blasted priestess tied me up and sicked leeches on me, saying I had King’s blood that would help with her magic. I was then allowed to escape by a man… the Onion Knight he called himself, who gave me a rowboat. Only I knew nothing of sailing and ended up adrift for moons until I washed ashore in Dorne.

CLETUS
Where my father found him, recognized him, and treated him as befitted his station as the last rightful King’s bastard son.

GULIAN
Did we ask for you to speak, Yronwood?

ARIANNE
Nymeros Yronwood Martell. You may not have heard, but he is mine husband.

GULIAN
And I bet they are betting how long it will last in the Shadow City.

ARSTAN
Peace.

BEAT.

ARSTAN
We shall hear more of this tale… in Storm’s End. Though I must emphasize that it will be the Stormlords--all the Stormlords--who shall decide as to who will be crowned the Storm King, and not an army’s.

ARIANNE
My army, Lord Selmy, is here to help with the defense of a potential ally. Too long have Stormlords and Dornish spears met in battle leaving other Kingdoms to benefit while we squabble. I would see our kingdoms united in peace against King’s Landing.

ARSTAN
So you may, but your army shall be encamped where it may be of more use. Across the bay and at the edge of the wood where the Kingsroad begins.

ARIANNE
I thank you for your suggestion—

ARSTAN
It was not a suggestion. If you care to have Ser Gendry considered, you will encamp there or turn around and return home.

OBARA
And what would then prevent us from dispatching with all of this and instead laying siege to Storm’s End?

ARIANNE
My cousin is war-like in nature and eager for a battle, that said—

GENDRY
Seven Hells, encamp across the bay or be gone. The longer we meet here the more time it takes for King’s Landing to hear of our gathering, and considering the moment you put a crown on any one of our heads, you’ll have an army marching south along the Kingsroad from King’s Landing, better to have you ready to face that army, than to be caught with your breeches low.

GENDRY moves his horse across to the Stormlander side of the negotiations.

ARIANNE
Ser Gendry, your point is taken. (to ARSTAN) Myself and a few guests shall be permitted entrance into the castle?

ARSTAN
As long as your army encamps across the bay.

BEAT.

ARIANNE
Come husband and cousin, we have an army to encamp. (BEAT) You too Lord Dayne! You have men that need a lord’s guidance!


NED looks between the Stormlords and the retreating Dornish, and sighs, and then follows after the Dornish. The CAMERA follows ARIANNE and the Dornish as they ride back to their army. OBARA and ARIANNE ride next to one another.

OBARA
Now what?

ARIANNE
We encamp. Gendry’s impressed them enough to compete for his crown, as planned.

OBARA
So in order for him to be strong, we must appear weak?

ARIANNE
You forget we’re the one with an army. All we need do is remind the Stormlords that our army is the only thing between them and King’s Landing when the time is right.


CLETUS and NED ride next to one another, behind ARIANNE and OBARA. The CAMERA CUTS to them.

CLETUS
You did well, Ned. What can we expect from the Stormlords?

NED
My Aunt Allyria and cousin Dael will support your bastard. Lady Errol has strong trading ties with the Reach and is Edric Storm’s main supporter—but her son Sebastian hates Edric. You might be able to overrule the mother by courting the son, though Dael and Sebastian love to quarrel and would rather be upon opposing sides of any argument. And Lord Fell covers himself in the fig leaf of a marriage to Bella Rivers in order to claim what he’s always wanted: Storm’s End. The main lords to court are the neutral ones: Lord Swann and Lord Selmy, at least until the minor lords arrive and then it’ll be up to chance who’s crowned. The only major lord left is Lord Tarth, and we’ve received no response to any of our ravens sent to Tarth.

CLETUS
Are Swann and Selmy truly willing to consider Ser Gendry’s claim?

NED
The greybeards will consider anything that draws this mess out longer. Truth be told, I think they prefer having been left to their own devices for this long without an overlord mucking about their business directly since… the Laughing Storm. Aye, Lord Lyonel, the Laughing Storm. His son Ormund was married to the King’s daughter, was Hand of the King, lived in King’s Landing, and died in the Nine Penny War. Ormund’s son, Lord Steffon was a gadabout at court with his Targaryen cousins and died while aboard ship leaving Robert as lord. Robert spent more of his time in the Vale than he did in the Stormlands before he became King, and died in King’s Landing. During the rebellion, Stannis was under siege in Storm’s End with his betrothed. After the rebellion, Renly was a boy lord and then was off to King’s Landing when he became a man grown, though he died to defend Storm’s End. And after Stannis defeated Renly, he returned to Dragonstone and then went North with what levies the Stormlords could give him, where he died in the snow. No, the Stormlords haven’t had a proper ruler since Lord Lyonel, and ever since then, the Baratheons have ignored their lands and lords as much as they could in favor of closer relations with King’s Landing. No doubt, that’s how the Targaryens preferred them after Lord Lyonel’s rebellion nigh… seventy years ago or so. The greybeard lords were all suckling babes when Lyonel ruled and since then have grown to know a land without a strong overlord, and are used to doing things their own way. They’d likely prefer to go on doing as they like without a strong King if they can help it.

CLETUS
The Yronwoods once tried that strategy in order to call ourselves the High Kings of Dorne, then Nymeria invaded and overturned the cyvasse board. It can only last for so long, but soon or late it always comes to an end.



EXT. REACH – HORN HILL – DAY

Establishing Shot. We see Horn Hill from afar as a hunting party rides towards it. RANDYLL and DICKON should be prominently seen at the head of the hunt, with a dead deer swinging on a pole carried by two household men.



EXT. REACH – HORN HILL – COURTYARD – DAY

We see DICKON and RANDYLL riding into the courtyard. We cut to TALLA looking down from the veranda and running down the steps from the veranda to greet the returning hunting party. Servants scurry about preparing for the arrival of the party. RANDYLL catches TALLA’s eye. TALLA slows down her pace as she comes to the last few steps. RANDYLL nods his head.

TALLA
That’s a fine young buck you brought down. Did you shoot it, Dickon?

DICKON looks down at his own grip on his horse’s reigns.

RANDYLL
He grazed the beast. It would have run away if I hadn’t my bow out and ready.

RANDYLL dismounts.

TALLA
You’re getting better, Dickon!

RANDYLL unties his saddlebag.

RANDYLL
Better is not good enough when your family is starving for meat in the dead of winter. (to DICKON) I expect you in the practice yard with your bow and arrows until you can hit the center of the target every time. A lord cannot depend upon a sword alone.

DICKON
Aye, father.

RANDYLL hands off his horse to a stableboy and departs the courtyard with his saddlebag slung over his shoulder. DICKON dismounts. TALLA observes as RANDYLL leaves earshot and then turns to DICKON as he unties his saddlebag.

TALLA
I have something to tell you.

DICKON affectionately rubs his horse’s neck and pats its shoulder.

DICKON
(sighs)
What is it this time?

TALLA
Sam’s coming home.

DICKON hands off his horse to a stableboy. They walk together from the courtyard and up the steps to the veranda TALLA ran down from earlier.

DICKON
Sam’s not coming home. He’s a sworn brother of the Night’s Watch.

TALLA
Aye, but he’s been sent by the Lord Commander to train to be a maester for the Night’s Watch at Oldtown.

DICKON
Then he should go to the Citadel, forge his chain, and return to the Wall where he belongs.


BEAT. TALLA reacts to DICKON. THE CAMERA CUTS to DICKON and TALLA entering the Hunter’s Keep.

TALLA
What’s wrong, Dickon? Are you upset that you didn’t kill the buck?

DICKON
It has nothing to do with the bloody buck!

BEAT. TALLA grabs DICKON’s arm and gives him a knowing look.

DICKON
Alright, mayhaps it does a little. But… (they start to walk again) it’s just… Father tried for years and years to make a man of Sam. Remember?



INT. REACH – HORN HILL – GREAT HALL

DICKON and TALLA enter the Great Hall.

TALLA
All I remember of that is one time he had Sam bathe in the blood of an aurochs because some warlock from Qaarth said it would raise his valor.

DICKON
That was the final attempt before father gave up. Before that father tried all sorts of things… he went through a dozen masters-at-arms, he dressed Sam in mother’s clothes.

TALLA fights to hold back a laugh. DICKON smiles but continues.

DICKON
He had him sleep in chainmail, and even threw him into our pond to teach him to swim.

TALLA
Did he learn?

DICKON shakes his head. TALLA frowns.

TALLA
Father has always been as tough as Heartsbane.

TALLA looks up to the sword Heartsbane on the mantel above the hearth. DICKON also looks up at it, and gulps.

DICKON
Aye… and I… I’m scared Talla that I’m starting to disappoint him, like Sam did.

TALLA
You’re good with a sword, Dickon. You beat Ser Horas last time I watched you practice.

DICKON
But I’m wretched with a bow and arrows.

TALLA
So you won’t be a great archer. Don’t focus so much on your weaknesses.

DICKON
Father does… he says I’m clumsy, lacking the grace of a true swordsman. What if he sends me to the Wall like he did with Sam?

TALLA
He would never do that. You’re to marry Eleanor Mooton. Besides, if he sent you to the Wall… it would make me his heir.

DICKON
And whatever husband you marry, Lord of Horn Hill. Why take the trouble to raise a son to inherit you, when you can choose one to your liking instead?

TALLA
Mother would never allow it. The only reason Sam went was because he insisted on leaving.

DICKON shakes his head.

DICKON
Father doesn’t care what mother thinks… not really. To hear him talk out on the hunt…

BEAT. TALLA nudges DICKON.

TALLA
What did he say?

DICKON looks TALLA straight in the eye.

DICKON
If he could have avoided marrying her, and having us? He would have.

BEAT.

TALLA
He was likely cross with her. Father has his black moods, you know that, but underneath he cares for us, I know he does. He wouldn’t be so worried about our futures if he didn’t.

SILENCE.

DICKON
Tell me something happy Talla.

BEAT.

TALLA
Sam’s bringing a Northern lady with him.

DICKON
A Northern lady? What house?

TALLA
He didn’t say. All he said was her father’s keep was destroyed and her father and sisters killed during the war. She only lived because she escaped to the Wall.

DICKON
That’s not happy.

TALLA
I haven’t gotten to the best part yet. She has a son named Sam. Sam has a son, isn’t that happy news?

BEAT. DICKON reacts to TALLA, and then sighs.

DICKON
Why would he bring his bastard here?

TALLA
He didn’t say it was his son exactly, but the name screams it. And don’t call him a bastard, he may be Sam Snow, Flowers or whatever else you call him, but he’s still our nephew, Dickon.

DICKON
The Night’s Watch are sworn to bear no children, Talla… Sam’s an oathbreaker.

TALLA
He’s still family.

DICKON
And all of them are as good as dead if father sees them first before mother does.

TALLA bites her lip and then looks at DICKON meaningfully.

TALLA
Mayhaps we’ll need another buck.

DICKON
What are you talking about? That one should last us a good while.

TALLA
(smirking)
I have a bad feeling that the dogs are going to somehow break out of the kennel and get into the larder.

DICKON smiles.



INT. STORM’S END – GREAT HALL – STORMLANDS – NIGHT

We see a Great Hall, decorated in stags’ heads and Baratheon decorations and banners. The Hall is filled with tables that are half empty with a few lords and soldiers—mostly teenage boys and old men, and a few women present as well. All are looking up at the dais, where GENDRY, EDRIC, BELLA, SILVER AXE, ARIANNE, CLETUS, DELENA, and ARSTAN all sit. EDRIC stands upon the edge of the dais in front of the table, speaking to the lords. EDRIC reads from a roll of parchment, obviously nervous about speaking before the lords.

EDRIC
M—my lords. I beseech you to consider that I have noble blood upon both sides of my family. Bastard though I be, born out of wedlock, aye, yet still blood will tell, and mine is as noble as any of yours, and therefore the right blood to rule. I was named by my father in honor of the late Hand, my father’s true and loyal friend, Lord Eddard Stark, who knew the truth of those golden shades who sit the Iron throne and claimed to be my brothers before Stannis did. In his and my father’s memories I hope to be as honorable and true to you, my lords, as they were to the realm in challenging and overthrowing false kings. Further, I have committed myself to great studies of the law, faith, and the histories of kings, from which I hope will guide me as your King so that I shall be known not just as Good King Edric, but Good King Edric the Wise.

BEAT. A polite applause mostly from the green boy lords, awkwardly begins and EDRIC takes his seat. The SILVER AXE rises and indicates to BELLA that she should as well. BELLA follows, though clearly unhappy.

SILVER AXE
I don’t need no bloody introduction. All of you should know who I am. If I wasn’t fighting you or your fathers, I’ve been fighting your grandfathers and great-grandfathers. I’m a greybeard, aye, but with this young green doe as my wife, who cares for that? I know the Stormlands better than either of those two green boys do. And with Robert’s eldest bastard, even the Princess of Dorne can’t contest my wife’s claim! So crown me and my wife, and let the Stormlords be ruled by Stormlords!

BEAT. A stronger applause, though mostly from the greybeards gathered. ARIANNE glares at SILVER AXE. SILVER AXE drags BELLA back to his seat. GENDRY is looked to, expected to rise and speak. GENDRY rises, but does not move from his seat.

GENDRY
I won’t bother you none with fancy talk. I was never good with any of that. Instead I’ll tell you plain what needs be and sit down. No matter which one of us you crown, that doesn’t change that King’s Landing will send an army south to raid our lands, rape our women, and burn our crops. I’m the only contender who’s brought an army to help push back the Crownlanders, Tyrells, and Lannisters when they come, and I’m the one most capable of leading the lot of you in battle against that army in defense of our lands. I may not be what you want, but I am what you need.

GENDRY sits down unceremoniously. There is some applause, but mostly noisy chatter when he is done speaking.

CLETUS
Not a good sign.

ARIANNE
We’re only starting with the opening arguments, we’ve yet to go a courting lords, and even so, not all the lords are here yet. I don’t see the Cape lords or Kingswood lords at all, and the houses of the Narrow Sea are noticeably lacking—especially Lord Tarth.

CLETUS
I would not wait for Lord Tarth, he’s not been seen off his ruddy island in years.

GULIAN SWANN rises and walks up to the dais, the room hushes as he does so.

GULIAN
I’ve sat here, like all of you and heard those who wish to be our overlords… and I tell you, I’d have none of them.

BEAT. Some yells are heard from the back of the hall while others hush.

GULIAN
Look around my lords and what do you see? Naught but greybeards, green boys, and women. That’s all that’s left of us anymore. Stannis took our men and chewed them up for his own purpose. My son and grandson among them, one at the Blackwater, and the other in the North. Truth be told, I’m tired of fighting the Baratheon’s wars. I’ll bend the knee to Tommen to keep the peace, and considering our Gathering of Grey and Green, I’d suggest you all do likewise.

ARIANNE stands.

ARIANNE
Do you think Tommen will accept you as a lord who’s fought against him under two challengers to his throne, when you have two heirs to replace you?

GULIAN
If you think to convert me to your side, Princess, you choose poor words.

GULIAN comes down off the dais and the room explodes in discussion, even more than after Gendry. ARSTAN stands and strides after GULIAN, and then punches GULIAN to the ground, and spits upon him.

ARSTAN
I spit upon those weak enough to give up the fight! If you are such a coward to be the Lannisters’ puppet here and now, I challenge you Lord Swann. I challenge you to a duel at dawn!

GULIAN recovers and punches ARSTAN back.

GULIAN
Why wait, when we can settle it now?

The two old men begin to have a go at one another. The green boys cheer on eagerly, while the greybeards hang and shake their heads.

ARIANNE
And that is why the Stormlords have been little more than a joke for the last few centuries to the Dornish. (BEAT) Where’s Gendry?

The CAMERA CUTS to ARIANNE’s perspective as it looks about the room for GENDRY, only to find him approaching the fighting lords and beginning to pull them apart—failing to do so alone and having to get involved in the fight himself. EDRIC stands and looks as though he wants to get closer to see the fight better, but is pulled back down into his seat by his mother.

DELENA
Sit down, Edric! That is no place for a boy of your nature.

SILVER AXE is prodded by BELLA.

BELLA
(dryly)
Does my new husband, the self-proclaimed fighter, sit this one out?

SILVER AXE glares at BELLA.

SILVER AXE
There’s nothing to gain from such a foolish battle of wounded prides… and too much to lose.

After a bit of fisticuffs, GENDRY manages to get both ARSTAN and GULIAN apart with the assistance of NED.

ARSTAN
Lily-livered goose-brain!

GULIAN
Dried out chaff skin!

GENDRY
Enough, milords! Enough!

BEAT. ARSTAN breaks into laughter.

ARSTAN
Seven help us, you’ve got a wallop to you, Ser Gendry! Come now, Gulian, rise and attend.

GULIAN ignores ARSTAN’s proffered hand to rise. He does so on his own power, pushes NED to the floor, and then departs, the crowd parting ways as he does. GENDRY helps NED up, who after a moment of staring takes GENDRY’s hand. ARSTAN then grabs GENDRY’s other arm and raises it.

ARSTAN
A drink for Ser Gendry, son of Robert!


Cheers are heard across the hall. From the dais, we see SILVER AXE and DELENA huff.

DELENA
Low born goat. That’s all he is and all he’ll ever be.

BELLA
(dryly, to SILVER AXE)
Aye, much to lose, I see.

SILVER AXE glares at BELLA and then slaps her. DELENA turns, shocked and angry. ARIANNE sees this from the other end of the table.

SILVER AXE
Speak to me like that again, wife, and you’ll be lucky to see out of the tower I’ll lock you in.

BELLA glares at SILVER AXE and then rises and leaves the dais.

DELENA
You make a compelling case for all ladies and wives to view your crowning with great joy.

DELENA rises and follows after BELLA. ARIANNE rises and leaves as well, despite CLETUS grabbing her hand, she lets it slip from her grasp. NED and ALLYRIA then approach CLETUS. SILVER AXE side-eyes EDRIC, who gulps in response.

SILVER AXE
If I were you, boy, I’d find a way of showing yourself free from your mother’s teat if you want to be taken seriously as a man.

EDRIC
I am four and ten, nearly a man grown!

SILVER AXE
To look at you, you’re more three and ten than four, especially compared to your half-brother.

EDRIC
And why would you help me, my lord?

SILVER AXE smirks.

SILVER AXE
Given a choice between the two of us, it’s a fair chance that either of us is crowned Storm King… and the other named his heir and Hand, wouldn’t you say?

EDRIC raises an eyebrow.

SILVER AXE
You have a few years yet until you’re grown enough to fill out that bony body of yours, boy. Years I could spend training you to use that body as you grow into it…

EDRIC
And what of any children you have with my half-sister?

SILVER AXE
You weren’t just boasting about being clever then, I see. Good thing for a Hand.

EDRIC
I have two ears like any other lordling.

SILVER AXE
Aye to see your ears, there’s no doubt of your mother’s Florent blood in you—they stick out rather prominently, like they did on your… oh he would have been your great-grandfather.

EDRIC
Tell me, good brother, what of those nephews and nieces you plan to have off my sister.

SILVER AXE
You’ve caught me, aye, very good very good.

EDRIC
Well. It’s well, not good.

SILVER AXE
So it is. (laughs) Are you sure your mother slept with Robert and not Stannis that night?

EDRIC
The point, my lord.

SILVER AXE
What care I what happens to my children when I am dead? As my Hand, you’ll do as you wish with them. I’ve had my time raising little whelps like yourself, and outlived them. I don’t see myself taking care of any more. I’ll leave their fate entirely in your hands, good brother. But first we must take care of Ser Gendry, don’t you agree?

EDRIC is silent, but then nods his head slowly. SILVER AXE grins.



EXT. KINGS’S LANDING – OUTDOOR ALEHOUSE – DAY

We see a drunk man standing atop a table before a gathering. At the edge of the alehouse we see little birds standing by.

DRUNK MAN
I swear it by the Maiden that I’m telling the truth. The Queen took one look at me member and licked her lips. Now, she may like her brother, but who’s to say that I can’t set her straight for the good old Sparrow? Just let me into her bed and I’ll right her all right!

There is some laughter, some heckling, an empty horn thrown at the man, and the little bird scurries away.


The CAMERA CUTS to later, as the DRUNK MAN toddles along a dark alleyway, where he turns to take a piss against the wall. We hear armored footsteps from behind approaching the DRUNK MAN, but the camera remains focused on the DRUNK MAN as he pisses. The DRUNK MAN turns, gasps, and an armored hand grabs the man and smashes his head against the wall. The CAMERA follows as the DRUNK MAN falls to the ground in a crumpled heap, bleeding from his skull, and the unseen knight walks away.



INT. MEEREEN – GREAT PYRAMID – COUNCIL CHAMBERS – EVENING

We see the entire council gathered around the table.

VARYS
What I could learn from both the girl and the boy is that the Sons of the Harpy are being funded primarily by the city of Volantis, but now additionally by the recaptured Yunkai and Astapor.

TYRION
I thought you had arranged a deal with Volantis?

VARYS
A deal which if we cannot find her grace and leave the city within the next turn of the moon, shall be at an end.

GALAZZA
If you leave the city now, Meereen shall fall once again to the corruption of New Ghis.

SKAHAZ
The power of Volantis and its puppets must be crushed!

GREY WORM and MISSANDEI nod in agreement.

TYRION
Since our army has been weakened by the harpies, it’s best to begin by negotiating for an extension, I’d say.

GREY WORM
All you do is talk.

TYRION
Besides our lovely Missandei here, it’s what I’m good at. Know your strengths and make your weaknesses the greatest of your strengths. Then no one can hurt you with them.

BEAT.

TRYSTANE
And what are we to do with this young Harpy?

TYRION
Try her and make a demonstration of her before the people of Meereen. Let the nobles and the free people of the city see what fate befalls those who are a party to murder and terror.

SKAHAZ
The Queen made a mistake of giving a trial, and the freedmen turned against her. They will not welcome a trial. They will want the Harpy’s blood.

GALAZZA
And the nobles will want as much a trial as that freedman murderer was afforded for a noble daughter of the House of Pahl.

MISSANDEI
The reason the freedmen opposed her in that was because she was seen as allying with the nobles against the freedmen.

TRYSTANE
Then giving a trial of those who persecute the freedmen and Unsullied as much as those who persecute the nobles will show the people that both noble and freedman are equal before the law.

TYRION
Our Dornish friend is right, that alone will bring order to Meereen internally to show that all are equal before the law. Externally… Varys, can you arrange a parlay with representatives from those three neighbors of ours?

VARYS
My little birds will fly and whisper. Whether they are heard or not is another matter entirely.



INT. STORM’S END – GREAT HALL – NIGHT

We see ARSTAN and GENDRY drinking horns of ale together. Both have quite obviously been drinking a great deal since we last saw them.

ARSTAN
You know who you remind me of? More than Robert.

GENDRY
Who?

ARSTAN
Harbert.

BEAT. GENDRY looks at ARSTAN.

ARSTAN
Your second Great Uncle on your father’s side. He too was plain of speech and more a warrior than a proper lordling. He raised your father and uncles while your grandparents went about their lives at court, and let us lords do as we liked here. He knew his place was to be of help to his family.

GENDRY drinks, but does not break eye contact with ARSTAN.

ARSTAN
I see, like him, you catch on quick.

GENDRY
I mean to rule myself.

ARSTAN
That’s fine to say with a foreign army at your back, but pray tell me, what do you plan to do when the Princess marches to take on Reach lords pressing her borders, or scurries home to Dorne to battle Stepstone pirates raiding her shores?

GENDRY is silent.

ARSTAN
You were right, of course, an army from King’s Landing will be due in a few moons or so… and Edric is too bookish to lead fighters himself, and while Silver Axe talks well, he has one foot in the grave already, or he’d have given me this black eye himself, and no one would take your sister’s claim seriously without him.

GENDRY
Then lend your support to me. I swear to keep the Lannisters at bay and the Stormlands free from foreign rule.

ARSTAN
Aye, you will, as Edric’s brother, general, protector, and sworn lord.

GENDRY
What has my half-brother done to earn your trust milord?

BEAT.

ARSTAN
My son died in the North fighting for Stannis, leaving behind Cyleah, my granddaughter for an heir. Cyleah is young, learned, pretty, a woman grown, and rather opinionated at six and ten like most girls her age. She is to be your brother’s bride, joining our two houses.

GENDRY
And she will rule him, you imagine?

ARSTAN
Cyleah isn’t the type to be meek and withdrawing. We like our women to be as strong, fierce, and feisty as our men. We leave the shy wall flowers and gentle murmuring brooks to the Reach and Riverlords. Edric, though he may be called Storm, is more a Flowers than naught, and like the shy clinging flowering vine he is, he’ll find my Cyleah a strong and sturdy trellis to grow and thrive upon.

GENDRY
Why court me, if it is all settled?

ARSTAN
With you comes the Dondarrions and the support of Dorne, and Lady Dondarrion has refrained from lending her support ‘till now. With your help, you could make Edric King, and end this farce here and now before the minor Stormlords arrive. Edric will reward you with titles and honors like Harbert was, and any glory you win on the battlefield will preserve your name in the books of the maesters and the tapestries of women for centuries. Come now, isn’t that more than you ever dreamed of, growing up a whore’s son in Flea’s Bottom?

GENDRY side-eyes ARSTAN.

ARSTAN
Your accent is a dead giveaway to where you were raised. But don’t just listen to me… why here comes your brother now. Why don’t you two talk about it yourself… and see if you cannot come to some agreement that suits you both.

ARSTAN rises and departs, as EDRIC approaches. GENDRY does not rise as EDRIC approaches, but instead takes a long sip from his horn of ale.

EDRIC
Brother…

GENDRY
Brother…

EDRIC
I hadn’t thought to meet any siblings after my father had died. Word came that the Queen had killed any she could get her hands on. It’s why my mother put on mourning weaves and reported to all that I was dead of the pox, but instead was only hidden.

GENDRY finishes his ale and then slams his horn against the table for it to be refilled, alerting a servant to approach with a jug of ale, and then indicates for EDRIC to take a seat next to him where ARSTAN had sat. EDRIC sits.

GENDRY
The Queen sent the Goldcloaks after me, but I escaped ‘em near Harrenhal. Got taken by the Mountain and his men, but none o’them cared whose son I was as long as I knew my way around a smithy.

EDRIC
None of them cared, you mean.

GENDRY
What?

EDRIC
You said none o’them, when the correct thing to say would be none of them.

GENDRY
Don’t it all mean the same thing?

EDRIC
Doesn’t it. (pause) Aye, but one casts you as one of the smallfolk, something appealing mayhaps, to smallfolk levies in a time of war, but it will hardly win you allies among the nobles.

GENDRY
(laughs)
You’re awfully keen to help me speak proper.

EDRIC
Properly.

GENDRY
I know, I just wanted to see if you’d—you would say it.

EDRIC blushes. The servant who has been filling Gendry’s horn and a second one during this, places the second horn in front of EDRIC. EDRIC looks over as GENDRY eagerly picks up his horn, gulps his down his gullet, and then EDRIC takes a deep breath and tilts back his head as he drinks, trying to drown it in one gulp, but achieving in having the ale spill down his chin more than into his mouth. GENDRY stops short of taking all of his in one gulp and looks at EDRIC flounder at drinking, laughs and slaps EDRIC on the back. EDRIC finishes and slams the horn down onto the table and then coughs and gasps for breath. As EDRIC recovers, GENDRY hands EDRIC a cloth from the table to wipe his neck and face off. EDRIC accepts.

GENDRY
Like that, didn’t you?

EDRIC
It tastes as foul as rancid goat’s piss.

GENDRY
Do me a favor and don’t tell me how you know what that tastes like.

EDRIC laughs, blushes and then stands.

EDRIC
Come, it’s rather warm in this hall, and with so many ears close by, it would be unwise to speak any longer here. Besides, we have yet to see much of the castle. Why not explore it like true brothers should?

BEAT. GENDRY stands, clearly taller than EDRIC but not by much. He grabs their horns which have been refilled since they put them down on the table and hands EDRIC’s to him. The two leave the GREAT HALL.



INT. MEEREEN – GREAT PYRAMID – COUNCIL CHAMBER – NIGHT

We see a darkened council room where GALAZZA sits on the council table, drinking wine, and clearly waiting for someone. The door slowly opens, groaning as it does, and the CAMERA CUTS to reveal SKAHAZ standing in the doorway. GALAZZA and SKAHAZ share a look before SKAHAZ enters and shuts the door behind him. They speak in Ghscari, with subtitles translating what they say below.

SKAHAZ
If you thought to intimidate me by exposing my foreign connections and getting rid of the Pahl girl, you were sorely mistaken.

GALAZZA sips her wine.

GALAZZA
It got your attention, didn’t it?

SKAHAZ slowly approaches GALAZZA.

SKAHAZ
The former Green Grace died?

GALAZZA
She was quite old.

GALAZZA finishes her wine.

SKAHAZ
And you just happened to be elected Galazza zo Loraq, above other more worthy candidates?

GALAZZA sets down her glass.

GALAZZA
It’s unfortunate the other Graces were rather old as well, and in need of replacing.

SKAHAZ
So you killed the old graces and intimidated or bribed the younger ones?

GALAZZA takes SKAHAZ’s hand, kisses it, and begins to rub it with her fingers and works her way up to begin untying the leather brace on his arm.

GALAZZA
Skahaz mo Kandaq, you may have shaved your hair, exchanged your tokar for the leathers of a pit fighter to hide from the Dragon Queen’s vengeance for the sign posts, and trained just enough to make your hands rough with calluses, but underneath…

GALAZZA slips off the arm brace from SKAHAZ’s forearm.

GALAZZA
You’re still as smooth as ever you were.

SKAHAZ leans down and kisses GALAZZA, which she accepts but then stops before going further, though she continues to untie leather from his body.

GALAZZA
And what of your men in masks?

SKAHAZ
Answer me this? Who is the man behind a mask?

GALAZZA
A riddle? I love riddles. (pause) Anyone.

SKAHAZ smirks.

GALAZZA
Those who wear Harpy’s heads and those who wear beast heads… how long will it be until the seething masters and the zealous freedmen realize you’re setting them against each other and killing them both off?

SKAHAZ
Is that what I’m doing?

SKAHAZ kisses her neck and begins to untie her robes.

GALAZZA
To gain power, you pit the most fanatical against each other, and from the dregs of whoever survives, call for unity to declare yourself undoubted King of Meereen… once the foreigners leave. There are just two problems for you…

SKAHAZ
I’d like to hear what you think they are.

The two continue to undress one another as they begin to engage in foreplay.

GALAZZA
You are old… and you have no heir.

SKAHAZ stops the foreplay and looks at GALAZZA coldly.

SKAHAZ
You presume much.

GALAZZA
You deny nothing.

SKAHAZ pushes GALAZZA onto her back on the table and leans in close, their faces inches apart.

SKAHAZ
I am not so old.

GALAZZA
And you need not be without an heir for long.

SKAHAZ pushes himself up from the table.

SKAHAZ
No, I could take a wife… a young dragon-riding wife who’ll wed me, bear me a son, and then return to Westeros where it matters not if she lives or dies.

GALAZZA sits up, the front of her robes falling down to her waist.

GALAZZA
You and I both know that she is not long for Meereen once she returns. Now that she’s tasted the freedom of dragon riding, no man will be able to keep her chained to the ground for long. If you were to get her with child, she’d be gone from the city before it was born.

SKAHAZ
Galazza… you are most disgracefully undressed.

GALAZZA
I am as the goddess was dressed in the days of Old Ghis. Meereen shall return to her tender embrace. The Harpy of old leads nowhere but an endless cycle of vengeance and death. Destruction and doom lays in wait for Meereen to follow that abomination. The Red Priests and their worship of the Queen as a “goddess” is an insult to both Old and New Ghis… but say, if the Goddess of Old Ghis were to miraculously bless her prophet and Green Grace with a son, whom you could raise as you saw fit, as the Goddess’ chosen warrior, defender of the faithful, man of the people both noble and free, and rightful King after yourself…

SKAHAZ leans in to kiss GALAZZA.

SKAHAZ
You take a risk to offer such alliance.

GALAZZA smirks.

GALAZZA
I merely offer the ancient alliance of the Grey and the Green.

As GALAZZA continues to speak, the CAMERA CUTS to a montage of scenes described below.



EXT. STORM’S END – COURTYARD - NIGHT

We see EDRIC and GENDRY drinking together from their horns as they walk, and laughing. Then men, dressed in the colors of House Fell appear out of the shadows, surprise, and grab GENDRY. He fights them but is gagged and then a hood is pulled over his head. EDRIC looks away as GENDRY is dragged off, only to have a hood be pulled over his own head.

GALAZZA
(voice over)
The mutual understanding between the old and the young that their common enemy, both fair and the dark, should be kept in check from harming them any further.



INT. KING’S LANDING – RED KEEP – SMALL COUNCIL CHAMBER - NIGHT

We see TOMMEN, GARLAN, KEVAN, JAIME, PYCELLE, OLENNA, and MACE standing over a map of the SEPT. As they plot, CERSEI stands just outside the room looking in, two guards blocking her way. A little bird appears, pulls on her skirt and motions for her to bend down and listen as she whispers something in her ear. CERSEI smirks.

GALAZZA
(voice over)
Recognizing that while alone each may be weak, that by working together they can overcome the might of the strong.



INT. STORM’S END – GREAT HALL – NIGHT

We see OBARA drinking alone as she leans against a pillar from across the hall, staring at the dais where NED, CLETUS, and ALLYRIA all talking to one another.



EXT. HORN HILL – KENNELS – NIGHT

We see DICKON and TALLA opening the doors to the kennel and letting the dogs loose.



INT. STORM’S END – SECLUDED NOOK OF THE GREAT HALL - NIGHT

We see ARIANNE approaching a BELLA being comforted by DELENA. They stare at one another and then ARIANNE sits down next to BELLA. The next moment Swann men appearing around them, surrounding them.

GALAZZA
(voice over)
It may be a great risk that isn’t always wise, but to pass over the opportunity is more foolish than naught.



INT. KING’S LANDING – SEPT OF BAELOR – HIGH SPARROW’S CHAMBER – DAWN

We see the HIGH SPARROW kneeling in prayer before his simple plain altar with LANCEL.

GALAZZA
(voice over)
For in the end of all things, the past and future are written by the old and the young, while the present is but a fleeting fancy.

As GALAZZA finishes, we stay with the HIGH SPARROW. The door opens and SEPTA UNELLA escorts MARGAERY into the room. The HIGH SPARROW and LANCEL turn and look at MARGAERY. MARGAERY kneels.

MARGAERY
I have come to confess my sins.

BEAT.

HIGH SPARROW
Brother Lancel, raise up our new sister, and bring her before the altar so that together we may pray for her and her brother’s souls.

LANCEL rises and helps MARGAERY to her feet and brings her to the altar. MARGAERY kneels between the HIGH SPARROW and LANCEL and together they begin to pray.

MARGAERY/HIGH SPARROW/LANCEL
Just Father, merciful Mother, Maiden pure of heart, wise Crone, strong Warrior, fruitful Smith, and the Stranger, hear our prayers.


Their words fade off as the screen cuts to black.