shortguy457 Posted October 22, 2016 Author Share Posted October 22, 2016 A Clash of Kings - Episode 11 64 - DAENERYS V Irri brought her a Qartheen gown. DAENERYS Take it away. The docks are no place for lady’s finery. Jhiqui had braided her hair Dothraki fashion. DAENERYS I have won no victories. JHIQUI You burned the maegi in their house of dust and sent their souls to hell. She mounted her silver mare. Jhogo and Aggo would ride with her to the waterfront. They made their way through a poorer part of the city. Xaro had learned that Pyat Pree was gathering the surviving warlocks together to work ill on her. Dany had laughed when he told her. DAENERYS Was it not you who told me warlocks were no more than old soldiers, vainly boasting of forgotten deeds and lost prowess? XARO And so it was, then. But now? I am less certain. It is said that the glass candles are burning in the house of Urrathon Night-Walker, that have not burned in a hundred years. Ghost grass grows in the Garden of Gehane, phantom tortoises have been seen carrying messages between the windowless houses on Warlock’s Way, and all the rats in the city are chewing off their tails. The wife of Mathos Mallarawan, who once mocked a warlock’s drab moth-eaten robe, has gone mad and will wear no clothes at all. Even fresh-washed silks make her feel as though a thousand insects were crawling on her skin. And Blind Sybassion the Eater of Eyes can see again, or so his (MORE) 2. XARO (cont’d) slaves do swear. A man must wonder. These are strange times in Qarth. And strange times are bad for trade. It grieves me to say so, yet it might be best if you left Qarth entirely, and sooner rather than later. You need not go alone, though. You have seen dark visions in the Palace of Dust, but Xaro has dreamed brighter dreams. I see you happily abed, with our child at your breast. Sail with me around the Jade Sea, and we can yet make it so! It is not too late. Give me a son, my sweet song of joy! DAENERYS I will not wed you, Xaro. XARO Then go. DAENERYS But where? XARO Somewhere far from here. Dany had begged one last favor of him. XARO An army, is it? A kettle of gold? A galley, perhaps? DAENERYS A ship, yes. XARO I am a trader, Khaleesi. So perhaps we should speak no more of giving, but rather of trade. For one of your dragons, you shall have ten of the finest ships in my fleet. You need only say that one sweet word. DAENERYS No. XARO Alas, that was not the word I meant. 3. DAENERYS Would you ask a mother to sell one of her children? XARO Whyever not? They can always make more. Mothers sell their children every day. DAENERYS Not the Mother of Dragons. XARO Not even for twenty ships? DAENERYS Not for a hundred. XARO I do not have a hundred. But you have three dragons. Grant me one, for all my kindnesses. You will still have two and thirty ships as well. DAENERYS How many ships do you own, Xaro? XARO Eighty-three, if one does not count my pleasure barge. DAENERYS And your colleagues in the Thirteen? XARO Among us all, perhaps a thousand. DAENERYS And the Spicers and the Tourmaline Brotherhood? XARO Their trifling fleets are of no account. DAENERYS Even so, tell me. XARO Twelve or thirteen hundred for the Spicers. No more than eight hundred for the Brotherhood. 4. DAENERYS And the Asshai’i, the Braavosi, the Summer Islanders, the Ibbenese, and all the other peoples who sail the great salt sea, how many ships do they have? All together? XARO Many and more. What does this matter? DAENERYS I am trying to set a price on one of the three living dragons in the world. It seems to me that one-third of all the ships in the world would be fair. XARO Did I not warn you not to enter the Palace of Dust? This is the very thing I feared. The whispers of the warlocks have made you as mad as Mallarawan’s wife. A third of all the ships in the world? Pah. Pah, I say. Pah. Dany had not seen him since. Aggo went before her and Jhogo behind, leaving Ser Jorah Mormont at her side. DAENERYS The dragon has three heads. Do you know what that means, Jorah? JORAH Your Grace? The sigil of House Targaryen is a three-headed dragon, red on black. DAENERYS I know that. But there are no three-headed dragons. JORAH The three heads were Aegon and his sisters. DAENERYS Visenya and Rhaenys. I am descended from Aegon and Rhaenys through their son Aenys and their grandson Jaehaerys. 5. JORAH Blue lips speak only lies, isn’t that what Xaro told you? Why do you care what the warlocks whispered? All they wanted was to suck the life from you, you know that now. DAENERYS Perhaps. Yet the things I saw ... JORAH A dead man in the prow of a ship, a blue rose, a banquet of blood ... what does any of it mean, Khaleesi? A mummer’s dragon, you said. What is a mummer’s dragon, pray? DAENERYS A cloth dragon on poles. Mummers use them in their follies, to give the heroes something to fight. His is the song of ice and fire, my brother said. I’m certain it was my brother. Not Viserys, Rhaegar. He had a harp with silver strings. JORAH Prince Rhaegar played such a harp. You saw him? DAENERYS There was a woman in a bed with a babe at her breast. My brother said the babe was the prince that was promised and told her to name him Aegon. JORAH Prince Aegon was Rhaegar’s heir by Elia of Dorne. But if he was this prince that was promised, the promise was broken along with his skull when the Lannisters dashed his head against a wall. DAENERYS I remember. They murdered Rhaegar’s daughter as well, the little princess. Rhaenys, she was named, like Aegon’s sister. There was no Visenya, but he said the dragon has three heads. What is the song of ice and fire? 6. JORAH It’s no song I’ve ever heard. DAENERYS I went to the warlocks hoping for answers, but instead they’ve left me with a hundred new questions. By then there were people in the streets once more. AGGO Make way. JHOGO I smell it, Khaleesi. The poison water. She rode her silver all the way out to the far end of the harbor where the ships from the Summer Islands, Westeros, and the Nine Free Cities were permitted to dock. DAENERYS Aggo, Jhogo, you will guard the horses while Ser Jorah and I speak to the captains. AGGO As you say, Khaleesi. We will watch you as you go. They approached the first ship. CAPTAIN You require passage for a hundred Dothraki, all their horses, yourself and this knight, and three dragons? She told a Lyseni on the Trumpeteer that she was Daenerys Stormborn, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. LYSENI Aye, and I’m Lord Tywin Lannister and shit gold every night. The owner of Lord Faro’s Belly would risk dragons, but not Dothraki. CAPTINA I’ll have no such godless savages in my Belly, I’ll not. As they made their way toward the next quay, Ser Jorah laid a hand against the small of her back. 7. JORAH Your Grace. You are being followed. No, do not turn. He guided her gently toward a brass-seller’s booth. JORAH This is a noble work, my queen. He lifted a large platter for her inspection. JORAH See how it shines in the sun? When Ser Jorah angled it to the right. DAENERYS I see a fat brown man and an older man with a staff. Which is it? JORAH Both of them. They have been following us since we left Quicksilver. MERCHANT A most excellent brass, great lady. Bright as the sun! And for the Mother of Dragons, only thirty honors. DAENERYS Where are my guards? This man is trying to rob me! She lowered her voice and spoke in the Common Tongue. DAENERYS They may not mean me ill. Men have looked at women since time began, perhaps it is no more than that. MERCHANT Thirty? Did I say thirty? Such a fool I am. The price is twenty honors. DAENERYS All the brass in this booth is not worth twenty honors. 8. MERCHANT Ten, Khaleesi, because you are so lovely. Use it for a looking glass. Only brass this fine could capture such beauty. DAENERYS It might serve to carry nightsoil. If you threw it away, I might pick it up, so long as I did not need to stoop. But pay for it? Worms have crawled up your nose and eaten your wits. MERCHANT Eight honors. My wives will beat me and call me fool, but I am a helpless child in your hands. Come, eight, that is less than it is worth. DAENERYS What do I need with dull brass when Xaro Xhoan Daxos feeds me off plates of gold? As she turned to walk off, Dany glanced over the strangers. DAENERYS The old man does not wear a sword. MERCHANT Five honors, for five it is yours, it was meant for you. JORAH A hardwood staff can crack a skull as well as any mace. MERCHANT Four! I know you want it! DAENERYS Do they follow? JORAH Lift that up a little higher. Yes. The old man pretends to linger at a potter’s stall, but the brown one has eyes only for you. 9. MERCHANT Two honors! Two! Two! DAENERYS Pay him before he kills himself. A Qartheen stepped into her path. QUATHEEN Mother of Dragons, for you. He knelt and thrust a jewel box into her face. DAENERYS You are too generous. She opened it. Within was a glittering green scarab carved from onyx and emerald. She reached inside the box. QUATHEEN I am so sorry. The scarab unfolded with a hiss. Dany caught a glimpse of an arched tail dripping venom and then the box flew from her hand in pieces. It bit her hand. Ser Jorah slammed past her. The old man hit her hand with his staff and drove the butt of it into the ground, killing the bug. Aggo vaulted from his saddle, Jhogo’s whip cracked overhead, Ser Jorah slammed the eunuch over the head with the brass platter. WHITEBEARD Your Grace, a thousand pardons. It’s dead. Did I break your hand? DAENERYS I don’t think so. WHITEBEARD I had to knock it away. Aggo kicked his staff away and Jhogo seized him round the shoulders, forced him to his knees, and pressed a dagger to his throat. JHOGO Khaleesi, we saw him strike you. Would you see the color of his blood? DAENERYS Release him. Look at the bottom of his staff, blood of my blood. 10. Ser Jorah had been shoved off his feet by the eunuch. She ran between them as arakh and longsword both came flashing from their sheaths. DAENERYS Put down your steel! Stop it! JORAH Your Grace? These men attacked you. DAENERYS They were defending me. It was the other one, the Qartheen. He was a Sorrowful Man. There was a manticore in that jewel box he gave me. This man knocked it out of my hand. She went to the brass merchant and helped him to his feet. DAENERYS Were you stung? MERCHANT No, good lady, or else I would be dead. But it touched me, aieeee, when it fell from the box it landed on my arm. She gave him a silver and sent him on his way. She turned back to the old man. DAENERYS Who is it that I owe my life to? WHITEBEARD You owe me nothing, Your Grace. I am called Arstan, though Belwas named me Whitebeard on the voyage here. DAENERYS And who is Belwas? The huge eunuch swaggered forward, sheathing his arakh. BELWAS I am Belwas. Strong Belwas they name me in the fighting pits of Meereen. Never did I lose. I let each man cut me once, before I kill him. Count the cuts and you will know how many Strong Belwas has slain. 11. DAENERYS And why are you here, Strong Belwas? BELWAS From Meereen I am sold to Qohor, and then to Pentos and the fat man with sweet stink in his hair. He it was who send Strong Belwas back across the sea, and old Whitebeard to serve him. DAENERYS Illyrio? You were sent by Magister Illyrio? WHITEBEARD We were, Your Grace. The Magister begs your kind indulgence for sending us in his stead, but he cannot sit a horse as he did in his youth, and sea travel upsets his digestion. I regret if we caused you alarm. If truth be told, we were not certain, we expected someone more ... more ... DAENERYS Regal? You speak the Common Tongue well, Arstan. Are you of Westeros? WHITEBEARD I am. I was born on the Dornish Marches, Your Grace. As a boy I squired for a knight of Lord Swann’s household. Now I squire for Belwas. JORAH A bit old for such, aren’t you? WHITEBEARD Not too old to serve my liege, Lord Mormont. JORAH You know me as well? WHITEBEARD I saw you fight a time or two. At Lannisport where you near unhorsed the Kingslayer. And on Pyke, there as well. You do not recall, Lord Mormont? 12. JORAH Your face seems familiar, but there were hundreds at Lannisport and thousands on Pyke. And I am no lord. Bear Island was taken from me. I am but a knight. DAENERYS A knight of my Queensguard. And my true friend and good counselor. Rise, Arstan Whitebeard. Be welcome, Strong Belwas. Ser Jorah you know. Ko Aggo and Ko Jhogo are blood of my blood. They crossed the red waste with me, and saw my dragons born. BELWAS Horse boys. Belwas has killed many horse boys in the fighting pits. They jingle when they die. AGGO Never have I killed a fat brown man. Belwas will be the first. DAENERYS Sheath your steel, blood of my blood, this man comes to serve me. Belwas, you will accord all respect to my people, or you will leave my service sooner than you’d wish, and with more scars than when you came. Now tell me, what would Magister Illyrio have of me, that he would send you all the way from Pentos? BELWAS He would have dragons, and the girl who makes them. He would have you. WHITEBEARD Belwas has the truth of us, Your Grace. We were told to find you and bring you back to Pentos. The Seven Kingdoms have need of you. Robert the Usurper is dead, and the realm bleeds. When we set sail from Pentos there were four kings in the land, and no justice to be had. 13. DAENERYS I have three dragons, and more than a hundred in my khalasar, with all their goods and horses. BELWAS It is no matter, We take all. The fat man hires three ships for his little silverhair queen. WHITEBEARD It is so, Your Grace. The great cog Saduleon is berthed at the end of the quay, and the galleys Summer Sun and Joso’s Prank are anchored beyond the breakwater. DAENERYS I shall tell my people to make ready to depart at once. But the ships that bring me home must bear different names. WHITEBEARD As you wish. What names would you prefer? DAENERYS Vhagar. Meraxes. And Balerion. Paint the names on their hulls in golden letters three feet high, Arstan. I want every man who sees them to know the dragons are returned. 65 - ARYA X The heads had been dipped in tar to slow the rot. The Lannisters the Northmen killed. Arya was filling up a pail from the well when Goodwife Amabel seized her arm. The water spilled on her. AMABEL You did that on purpose. ARYA What do you want? AMABEL See there? When this northman falls you’ll be where she is. 14. ARYA Let me go. AMABEL He will fall too, Harrenhal pulls them all down in the end. Lord Tywin’s won now, he’ll be marching back with all his power, and then it will be his turn to punish the disloyal. And don’t think he won’t know what you did! I may have a turn at you myself. Harra had an old broom, I’ll save it for you. The handle’s cracked and splintery-- Arya swung the bucket. The woman let go of her when the water came out and drenched her. ARYA Don’t ever touch me, or I’ll kill you. You get away. AMABEL You think you’re safe with that little bloody man on your teat, but you’re not! The Lannisters are coming! See what happens when they get here. Gendry caught Arya looking at the heads. GENDRY Admiring your work? ARYA It’s Steelshanks Walton’s work. And the Mummers, and Lord Bolton. GENDRY And who gave us all them? You and your weasel soup. ARYA It was just hot broth. You hated Ser Amory too. GENDRY I hate this lot worse. Ser Amory was fighting for his lord, but the Mummers are sellswords and turncloaks. Half of them can’t even speak the Common Tongue. Septon Utt (MORE) 15. GENDRY (cont’d) likes little boys, Qyburn does black magic, and your friend Biter eats people. She crossed the Flowstone Yard, struggling with the weight of the water in her pail. ELMAR Nan. Put down that pail and come help me. Elmar Frey had been rolling a barrel of sand across the uneven stone. Together they pushed the barrel all the way to the wall and back again, then stood it upright. Elmar pried open the lid and pulled out a chainmail hauberk. ELMAR Do you think it’s clean enough? ARYA You need to shake out the sand. There’s still spots of rust. See? You’d best do it again. ELMAR You do it. ARYA I have to bring m’lord water for his basin. He’s in his bedchamber being leeched. Not the regular black leeches but the big pale ones. ELMAR I forgot, you’re too skinny to push such a heavy barrel. ARYA I forgot, you’re stupid. Maybe you should get leeched too. There’s leeches in the Neck as big as pigs. The lord’s bedchamber was crowded when she entered. Qyburn was in attendance, and Walton, a dozen Freys, all brothers, half brothers, and cousins. Roose Bolton lay abed, naked. Leeches clung all across his body. AENYS We must not allow Lord Tywin to trap us here at Harrenhal. The castle is so large it requires an (MORE) 16. AENYS (cont’d) army to hold it, and once surrounded we cannot feed an army. Nor can we hope to lay in sufficient supplies. The country is ash, the villages given over to wolves, the harvest burnt or stolen. Autumn is on us, yet there is no food in store and none being planted. We live on forage, and if the Lannisters deny that to us, we will be down to rats and shoe leather in a moon’s turn. ROOSE I do not mean to be besieged here. JARED What, then? Is Edmure Tully so drunk on his victory that he thinks to give Lord Tywin battle in the open field? ROOSE Lord Tywin is many leagues from here. He has many matters yet to settle at King’s Landing. He will not march on Harrenhal for some time. AENYS You do not know the Lannisters as we do, my lord. King Stannis thought that Lord Tywin was a thousand leagues away as well, and it undid him. ROOSE I am not a man to be undone, ser. AENYS Even if Riverrun marshals all its strength and the Young Wolf wins back from the west, how can we hope to match the numbers Lord Tywin can send against us? When he comes, he will come with far more power than he commanded on the Green Fork. Highgarden has joined itself to Joffrey’s cause, I remind you! 17. ROOSE I had not forgotten. HOSTEEN I have been Lord Tywin’s captive once. I have no wish to enjoy Lannister hospitality again. HARYS If Lord Tywin could defeat a seasoned man like Stannis Baratheon, what chance will our boy king have against him? HOSTEEN Someone must have the courage to say it. The war is lost. King Robb must be made to see that. ROOSE His Grace has defeated the Lannisters every time he has faced them in battle. HOSTEEN He has lost the north. He has lost Winterfell! His brothers are dead ... RONEL Had Stannis won, all might have been different. HOSTEEN Stannis lost. Wishing it were otherwise will not make it so. King Robb must make his peace with the Lannisters. He must put off his crown and bend the knee, little as he may like it. ROOSE And who will tell him so? It is a fine thing to have so many valiant brothers in such troubled times. I shall think on all you’ve said. The Freys made their courtesies and shuffled out, leaving only Qyburn, Steelshanks Walton, and Arya. ROOSE I am bled sufficiently. Nan, you may remove the leeches. 18. ARYA At once, my lord. She plucked them carefully from the lord’s body. QYBURN There is a letter from your lady wife. ROOSE You may read it. WALDA I pray for you morn, noon, and night, my sweet lord, and count the days until you share my bed again. Return to me soon, and I will give you many trueborn sons to take the place of your dear Domeric and rule the Dreadfort after you. ROOSE I will send a letter of my own. QYBURN To the Lady Walda? ROOSE To Ser Helman Tallhart. Tallhart men had taken the castle of the Darrys, accepting the surrender of its Lannister garrison after a brief siege. ROOSE Tell him to put the captives to the sword and the castle to the torch, by command of the king. Then he is to join forces with Robett Glover and strike east toward Duskendale. Those are rich lands, and hardly touched by the fighting. It is time they had a taste. Glover has lost a castle, and Tallhart a son. Let them take their vengeance on Duskendale. QYBURN I shall prepare the message for your seal, my lord. ROOSE I will hunt today. 19. QYBURN Is it safe, my lord? Only three days past, Septon Utt’s men were attacked by wolves. They came right into his camp, not five yards from the fire, and killed two horses. ROOSE It is wolves I mean to hunt. I can scarcely sleep at night for the howling. It’s said that direwolves once roamed the north in great packs of a hundred or more, and feared neither man nor mammoth, but that was long ago and in another land. It is queer to see the common wolves of the south so bold. QYBURN Terrible times breed terrible things, my lord. ROOSE Are these times so terrible, Maester? QYBURN Summer is gone and there are four kings in the realm. ROOSE One king may be terrible, but four? Nan, my fur cloak. My chambers will be clean and orderly upon my return. And tend to Lady Walda’s letter. ARYA As you say, my lord. The lord and maester swept from the room. When they were gone, Arya took the letter and carried it to the hearth. She saw a map and saw where Riverrun was. Arya took herself off to the godswood and slashed at birch leaves. ARYA Ser Gregor. Dunsen, Polliver, Raff the Sweetling. The Tickler, the Hound. Ser Ilyn, Ser Meryn, Queen Cersei. Joffrey, Joffrey, Joffrey. Valar morghulis. When the hunting party returned with nine dead wolves, Lord Bolton gave orders for the skins to be sewn into a blanket. 20. MAN Cubs still have that soft fur, my lord. Make you a nice warm pair of gloves. ROOSE As the Starks are wont to remind us, winter is coming. Have it done. Nan, I’ll want a flagon of hot spice wine, I took a chill in the woods. See that it doesn’t get cold. I’m of a mind to sup alone. Barley bread, butter, and boar. ARYA At once, my lord. Hot Pie was making oatcakes when she entered the kitchen. ARYA My lord wants his supper, and hot spice wine to wash it down, and he doesn’t want it cold. Hot Pie went to spice the wine. Arya went to help. HOT PIE I can do it. I don’t need you to show me how to spice wine. One of the guards held the door to Kingspyre. GUARD Hope that’s not weasel soup. Roose Bolton was seated by the hearth when she entered. ROOSE Light some candles. It grows gloomy in here. She placed the food at his elbow and did as he bid her. ROOSE I will have no further need of you tonight. ARYA My lord, will you take me with you when you leave Harrenhal? 21. ROOSE Did I give you leave to question me, Nan? ARYA No, my lord. ROOSE You should not have spoken, then. Should you? ARYA No. My lord. ROOSE I will answer you, just this once. I mean to give Harrenhal to Lord Vargo when I return to the north. You will remain here, with him. ARYA But I don’t-- ROOSE I am not in the habit of being questioned by servants, Nan. Must I have your tongue out? ARYA No, my lord. ROOSE Then I’ll hear no more from you? ARYA No, my lord. ROOSE Go, then. I shall forget this insolence. She passed the Wailing Tower and Elmar was sitting on the steps outside, alone. ARYA What’s wrong? ELMAR My princess. We’ve been dishonored, Aenys says. There was a bird from the Twins. My lord father says I’ll need to marry someone else, or be a septon. 22. ARYA My brothers might be dead. ELMAR No one cares about a serving girl’s brothers. ARYA I hope your princess dies. In the godswood she found her broomstick sword where she had left it, and carried it to the heart tree. ARYA Tell me what to do, you gods. For a long moment there was no sound but then from somewhere out in the world, came the long lonely howl of a wolf. EDDARD When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives. ARYA But there is no pack. I’m not even me now, I’m Nan. EDDARD You are Arya of Winterfell, daughter of the north. You told me you could be strong. You have the wolf blood in you. ARYA The wolf blood. I’ll be as strong as Robb. I said I would. She lifted the broomstick in both hands and brought it down across her knee. She threw the pieces aside. At the forge she found Gendry asleep with two other apprentice smiths. She put a hand over his mouth and pinched him. His eyes opened. ARYA Please. He climbed down from the loft after her. GENDRY What do you want now? 23. ARYA A sword. GENDRY Blackthumb keeps all the blades locked up, I told you that a hundred times. Is this for Lord Leech? ARYA For me. Break the lock with your hammer. GENDRY They’ll break my hand. Or worse. ARYA Not if you run off with me. GENDRY Run, and they’ll catch you and kill you. ARYA They’ll do you worse. Lord Bolton is giving Harrenhal to the Bloody Mummers, he told me so. GENDRY So? ARYA So when Vargo Hoat’s the lord, he’s going to cut off the feet of all the servants to keep them from running away. The smiths too. GENDRY That’s only a story. ARYA No, it’s true, I heard Lord Vargo say so. He’s going to cut one foot off everyone. The left one. Go to the kitchens and wake Hot Pie, he’ll do what you say. We’ll need bread or oatcakes or something. You get the swords and I’ll do the horses. We’ll meet near the postern in the east wall, behind the Tower of Ghosts. No one ever comes there. 24. GENDRY I know that gate. It’s guarded, same as the rest. ARYA So? You won’t forget the swords? GENDRY I never said I’d come. ARYA No. But if you do, you won’t forget the swords? GENDRY No. I guess I won’t. The sheepskin map was on the table. She rolled it up tight and thrust it through her belt. He’d left his dagger on the table as well, so she took that too. A horse neighed softly as she slipped into the stables. The grooms were all asleep. She woke up one. GROOM Eh? Whas? ARYA Lord Bolton requires three horses saddled and bridled. GROOM Wha, at this hour? Horses, you say? Whas he want horses for, in the dark? ARYA Lord Bolton is not in the habit of being questioned by servants. GROOM Three, you say? ARYA One two three. Hunting horses. Fast and surefoot. She lead the horses across the castle. Only a grey and white cat creeping along atop the godswood wall saw her. ARYA I could catch you if I wanted, but I have to go, cat. 25. She waited at the Tower of Ghosts. She heard them coming long before she saw them. Hot Pie was breathing heavily. The swords Gendry was carrying rang as he moved. ARYA Here I am. Be quiet or they’ll hear you. The boys picked their way toward her over tumbled stones. GENDRY There’s a guard on that postern. I told you there would be. ARYA You stay here with the horses. I’ll get rid of him. Come quick when I call. HOT PIE Hoot like an owl when you want us to come. ARYA I’m not an owl. I’m a wolf. I’ll howl. She approached the guard openly. He watched her come. When she reached him she pushed back her cloak so he would see the flayed man on her breast. ARYA Lord Bolton sent me. GUARD At this hour? Why for? ARYA He told me to give all his guards a silver piece, for their good service. GUARD Silver, you say? Give it over, then. Her fingers dug down beneath her tunic and came out clutching the coin Jaqen had given her. She held it out and let it slip through her fingers. The man went to a knee to grope for the coin. Arya slid her dagger out and drew it across his throat. 26. ARYA Valar morghulis. She picked up the coin. Outside the walls of Harrenhal, a wolf howled long and loud. She lifted the bar, set it aside, and pulled open the heavy oak door. Hot Pie and Gendry came up with the horses. HOT PIE You killed him! ARYA What did you think I would do? 66 - SANSA VIII They were in the throne room. King Joffrey sat above them all. A blast of trumpets announced the entry of Lord Tywin Lannister. Lord Tywin dismounted before the Iron Throne. Joffrey proclaimed him Savior of the City. Joff made a show of asking his grandfather to assume governance of the realm, and Lord Tywin solemnly accepted the responsibility. Joff fastened the Hand’s chain of office around his neck. Lord Tywin took a seat at the council table beside the queen. Pride of place was given to Mace Tyrell, the Lord of Highgarden. His sons followed him in; Ser Loras and his older brother Ser Garlan the Gallant. JOFFREY The roses support the lion, as the might of Highgarden supports the realm. If there is any boon you would ask of me, ask and it shall be yours. LORAS Your Grace, I beg the honor of serving in your Kingsguard, to defend you against your enemies. JOFFREY Done, brother. LORAS There is no greater pleasure than to serve the King’s Grace. If I was deemed worthy to join your royal council, you would find none more loyal or true. 27. JOFFREY Your wish is granted. GARLAN Your Grace, I have a maiden sister, Margaery, the delight of our House. She was wed to Renly Baratheon, as you know, but Lord Renly went to war before the marriage could be consummated, so she remains innocent. Margaery has heard tales of your wisdom, courage, and chivalry, and has come to love you from afar. I beseech you to send for her, to take her hand in marriage, and to wed your House to mine for all time. JOFFREY Ser Garlan, your sister’s beauty is famed throughout the Seven Kingdoms, but I am promised to another. A king must keep his word. Queen Cersei got to her feet in a rustle of skirts. CERSEI Your Grace, in the judgment of your small council, it would be neither proper nor wise for you to wed the daughter of a man beheaded for treason, a girl whose brother is in open rebellion against the throne even now. Sire, your councillors beg you, for the good of your realm, set Sansa Stark aside. The Lady Margaery will make you a far more suitable queen. The lords and ladies began to shout their pleasure. PEOPLE Margaery. Give us Margaery! No traitor queens! Tyrell! Tyrell! JOFFREY I would like to heed the wishes of my people, Mother, but I took a holy vow. The High Septon stepped forward. 28. SEPTON Your Grace, the gods hold bethrothal solemn, but your father, King Robert of blessed memory, made this pact before the Starks of Winterfell had revealed their falseness. Their crimes against the realm have freed you from any promise you might have made. So far as the Faith is concerned, there is no valid marriage contract ’twixt you and Sansa Stark. JOFFREY The gods are good. I am free to heed my heart. I will wed your sweet sister, and gladly, ser. I must not smile, she reminded herself. The queen had warned her; the face she showed the world must look distraught. CERSEI I will not have my son humiliated. Do you hear me? SANSA Yes. But if I’m not to be queen, what will become of me? CERSEI That will need to be determined. For the moment, you shall remain here at court, as our ward. SANSA I want to go home. CERSEI You should have learned by now, none of us get the things we want. The Lord of Highgarden had been seated at the council table, and his sons had joined the other knights and lordlings. Many knights were given high honor by the king. HERALD It is His Grace’s wish that these good men be rewarded for their valor. By his decree, Ser Philip shall henceforth be Lord Philip of House Foote, and to him shall go all the lands, rights, and incomes of House Caron. Lothor Brune to be (MORE) 29. HERALD (cont’d) raised to the estate of knighthood, and granted land and keep in the riverlands at war’s end. To Josmyn Peckledon, a sword and suit of plate, his choice of any warhorse in the royal stables, and knighthood as soon as he shall come of age. And lastly, for Goodman Willit, a spear with a silver-banded haft, a hauberk of new-forged ringmail, and a full helm with visor. Further, the goodman’s sons shall be taken into the service of House Lannister at Casterly Rock, the elder as a squire and the younger as a page, with the chance to advance to knighthood if they serve loyally and well. To all this, the King’s Hand and the small council consent. A lordship was granted to Ser Lancel Lannister. Joffrey awarded him the lands, castle, and rights of House Darry. Ser Lancel did not appear to accept the title; the talk was, his wound might cost him his arm or even his life. HERALD Lord Petyr Baelish. Petyr Baelish knelt before the Iron Throne. KEVAN It is the wish of the King’s Grace that his loyal councillor Petyr Baelish be rewarded for faithful service to crown and realm. Be it known that Lord Baelish is granted the castle of Harrenhal with all its attendant lands and incomes, there to make his seat and rule henceforth as Lord Paramount of the Trident. Petyr Baelish and his sons and grandsons shall hold and enjoy these honors until the end of time, and all the lords of the Trident shall do him homage as their rightful liege. The King’s Hand and the small council consent. PETYR I thank you humbly, Your Grace. I suppose this means I’ll need to see (MORE) 30. PETYR (cont’d) about getting some sons and grandsons. More than six hundred new knights were made that day, then the captives were ushered in. If they begged forgiveness for their treasons and promised to serve loyally henceforth, Joffrey welcomed them back into the king’s peace and restored them to all their lands and rights. A handful remained defiant, however. CAPTIVE Do not imagine this is done, boy. The Lord of Light protects King Stannis, now and always. All your swords and all your scheming shall not save you when his hour comes. JOFFREY Your hour is come right now. Joffrey beckoned to Ser Ilyn Payne to strike his head off. CAPTIVE Stannis is the true king! A monster sits the Iron Throne, an abomination born of incest! KEVAN Be silent. KNIGHT Joffrey is the black worm eating the heart of the realm! Darkness was his father, and death his mother! Destroy him before he corrupts you all! Destroy them all, queen whore and king worm, vile dwarf and whispering spider, the false flowers. Save yourselves! The scouring fire will come! King Stannis will return! JOFFREY I’m king! Kill him! Kill him now! I command it. Joffrey chopped down with his hand and his arm brushed against one of the sharp metal fangs that surrounded him. JOFFREY Mother! 31. The man on the floor wrested a spear away from one of the gold cloaks, and used it to push himself back to his feet. KNIGHT The throne denies him! He is no king! Cersei was running toward the throne, but Lord Tywin remained still as stone. He had only to raise a finger, and Ser Meryn Trant moved forward and drove the point of his longsword through the knight’s chest. Joff fell into his mother’s arms. Three maesters came hurrying forward, to bundle him out through the king’s door. Lord Tywin rose to his feet. TYWIN We continue. Those who wish to ask pardon for their treasons may do so. We will have no more follies. He moved to the Iron Throne and seated himself on a step. After she left for the godswood where Dontos waited. SANSA Why so sadface? You were there, you heard. Joff put me aside, he’s done with me, he’s ... DONTOS Oh, Jonquil, my poor Jonquil, you do not understand. Done with you? They’ve scarcely begun. SANSA What do you mean? DONTOS The queen will never let you go, never. You are too valuable a hostage. And Joffrey ... sweetling, he is still king. If he wants you in his bed, he will have you, only now it will be bastards he plants in your womb instead of trueborn sons. SANSA No. He let me go, he ... DONTOS Be brave. I swore to see you home, and now I can. The day has been chosen. 32. SANSA When? When will we go? DONTOS The night of Joffrey’s wedding. After the feast. All the necessary arrangements have been made. The Red Keep will be full of strangers. Half the court will be drunk and the other half will be helping Joffrey bed his bride. For a little while, you will be forgotten, and the confusion will be our friend. SANSA The wedding won’t be for a moon’s turn yet. Margaery Tyrell is at Highgarden, they’ve only now sent for her. DONTOS You’ve waited so long, be patient awhile longer. Here, I have something for you. Ser Dontos drew out a hair net of fine-spun silver. Small gems were set wherever two strands crossed. SANSA What stones are these? DONTOS Black amethysts from Asshai. The rarest kind, a deep true purple by daylight. SANSA It’s very lovely. DONTOS Lovelier than you know, sweet child. It’s magic, you see. It’s justice you hold. It’s vengeance for your father. It’s home. 67 - THEON VI Maester Luwin came to him when the first scouts were seen outside the walls. 33. LUWIN My lord prince, you must yield. THEON There has been no reply from my uncle? LUWIN None. Nor from your father on Pyke. THEON Send more birds. LUWIN It will not serve. By the time the birds reach-- THEON Send them! Or do you want me dead? Is that it, Luwin? The truth now. LUWIN My order serves. THEON Yes, but whom? LUWIN The realm, and Winterfell. Theon, once I taught you sums and letters, history and warcraft. And might have taught you more, had you wished to learn. I will not claim to bear you any great love, no, but I cannot hate you either. Even if I did, so long as you hold Winterfell I am bound by oath to give you counsel. So now I counsel you to yield. LUWIN You have no hope of holding here. If your lord father meant to send you aid, he would have done so by now. It is the Neck that concerns him. The battle for the north will be fought amidst the ruins of Moat Cailin. THEON That may be so. And so long as I hold Winterfell, Ser Rodrik and Stark’s lords bannermen cannot (MORE) 34. THEON (cont’d) march south to take my uncle in the rear. I have food enough to stand a year’s siege, if need be. LUWIN There will be no siege. Perhaps they will spend a day or two fashioning ladders and tying grapnels to the ends of ropes. But soon enough they will come over your walls in a hundred places at once. You may be able to hold the keep for a time, but the castle will fall within the hour. You would do better to open your gates and ask for-- THEON --mercy? I know what kind of mercy they have for me. LUWIN There is a way. THEON I am ironborn. I have my own way. What choice have they left me? No, don’t answer, I’ve heard enough of your counsel. Go and send those birds as I commanded, and tell Lorren I want to see him. And Wex as well. I’ll have my mail scoured clean, and my garrison assembled in the yard. LUWIN As you command. They made a pitifully small assembly. THEON The northmen will be on us before nightfall. Ser Rodrik Cassel and all the lords who have come to his call. I will not run from them. I took this castle and I mean to hold it, to live or die as Prince of Winterfell. But I will not command any man to die with me. If you leave now, before Ser Rodrik’s main force is upon us, there’s still a chance you may win free. Those who would stay and fight, step forward. 35. No one spoke. Wex was the first to cross the line. Black Lorren followed. THEON Who else? Seventeen in all moved forward. Urzen was among those who did not move, and Stygg, and every man of the ten that Asha had brought from Deepwood Motte. THEON Go, then. Run to my sister. She’ll give you all a warm welcome, I have no doubt. They all left. Theon turned to the seventeen who remained. THEON Back to the walls. If the gods should spare us, I shall remember every man of you. Black Lorren stayed when the others had gone. LORREN The castle folk will turn on us soon as the fight begins. THEON I know that. What would you have me do? LORREN Put them out. Every one. THEON Is the noose ready? LORREN It is. You mean to use it? THEON Do you know a better way? LORREN Aye. I’ll take my axe and stand on that drawbridge, and let them come try me. One at a time, two, three, it makes no matter. None will pass the moat while I still draw breath. 36. THEON We’ll use the noose. LORREN As you say. Theon climbed the watchtower. The northmen were spreading out to encircle the castle. Cley Cerwyn appeared before the gates carrying a peace banner to announce that Ser Rodrik Cassel wished to parley with Theon Turncloak. THEON I shall be out shortly. Alone. LORREN Only blood can wash out blood. Knights may keep their truces with other knights, but they are not so careful of their honor when dealing with those they deem outlaw. THEON I am the Prince of Winterfell and heir to the Iron Islands. Now go find the girl and do as I told you. LORREN Aye, Prince. The outer gates swung open to let him pass. Ser Rodrik waited in the market. Beside him, young Cley Cerwyn. They were alone in the square. THEON Ser Rodrik. It grieves me that we must meet as foes. RODRIK My own grief is that I must wait a while to hang you. Theon Turncloak. THEON I am a Greyjoy of Pyke. The cloak my father swaddled me in bore a kraken, not a direwolf. RODRIK For ten years you have been a ward of Stark. THEON Hostage and prisoner, I call it. 37. RODRIK Then perhaps Lord Eddard should have kept you chained to a dungeon wall. Instead he raised you among his own sons, the sweet boys you have butchered, and to my undying shame I trained you in the arts of war. Would that I had thrust a sword through your belly instead of placing one in your hand. THEON I came out to parley, not to suffer your insults. Say what you have to say, old man. What would you have of me? RODRIK Two things. Winterfell, and your life. Command your men to open the gates and lay down their arms. Those who murdered no children shall be free to walk away, but you shall be held for King Robb’s justice. May the gods take pity on you when he returns. THEON Robb will never look on Winterfell again. He will break himself on Moat Cailin, as every southron army has done for ten thousand years. We hold the north now, ser. RODRIK You hold three castles, and this one I mean to take back, Turncloak. THEON Here are my terms. You have until evenfall to disperse. Those who swear fealty to Balon Greyjoy as their king and to myself as Prince of Winterfell will be confirmed in their rights and properties and suffer no harm. Those who defy us will be destroyed. CERWYN Are you mad, Greyjoy? 38. RODRIK Only vain, lad. Theon has always had too lofty an opinion of himself, I fear. Do not imagine that I need wait for Robb to fight his way up the Neck to deal with the likes of you. I have near two thousand men with me ... and if the tales be true, you have no more than fifty. THEON I have something better than men. He raised a fist over his head. Noosed and crying, Little Beth Cassel was brought out to stand between the two small heads on their spikes on the battlements. RODRIK This is craven, To use a child so ... this is despicable. THEON Oh, I know. It’s a dish I tasted myself, or have you forgotten? I was ten when I was taken from my father’s house, to make certain he would raise no more rebellions. RODRIK It is not the same! THEON The noose I wore was not made of hempen rope, that’s true enough, but I felt it all the same. And it chafed, Ser Rodrik. It chafed me raw. RODRIK No harm was ever done you. THEON And no harm will be done your Beth, so long as you-- RODRIK Viper. I gave you the chance to save your men and die with some small shred of honor, Turncloak. I should have known that was too much to ask of a childkiller. I ought cut you down here and now and put (MORE) 39. RODRIK (cont’d) an end to your lies and deceits. By the gods, I should. THEON Forswear your oath and murder me, and you will watch your little Beth strangle at the end of a rope. RODRIK Truly, I have lived too long. THEON I will not disagree, ser. Will you accept my terms? RODRIK I have a duty to Lady Catelyn and House Stark. THEON And your own House? Beth is the last of your blood. RODRIK I offer myself in my daughter’s place. Release her, and take me as your hostage. Surely the castellan of Winterfell is worth more than a child. THEON Not to me. Not to Lord Manderly or Leobald Tallhart either, I’d wager. No, I’ll keep the girl ... and keep her safe, so long as you do as I’ve commanded you. Her life is in your hands. RODRIK Gods be good, Theon, how can you do this? You know I must attack, have sworn ... THEON If this host is still in arms before my gate when the sun sets, Beth will hang. Another hostage will follow her to the grave at first light, and another at sunset. Every dawn and every dusk will mean a death, until you are gone. I have no lack of hostages. 40. He rode back toward the castle. In the yard he dismounted and handed his reins to Wex. THEON It may stay them. We’ll know by sunset. Take the girl in till then, and keep her somewhere safe. I need a cup of wine. A vat of wine would do even better. A fire had been laid in Ned Stark’s bedchamber. THEON I rode beside Robb Stark in the Whispering Wood. Theon took himself to the old inner ward with his bow. LUWIN If you had a hundred archers as good as yourself, you might have a chance to hold the castle. When he turned, Maester Luwin was behind him. THEON Go away. I have had enough of your counsel. LUWIN And life? Have you had enough of that, my lord prince? THEON One more word and I’ll put this shaft through your heart. LUWIN You won’t. THEON Care to make a wager? LUWIN I am your last hope, Theon. THEON I will not run. LUWIN I do not speak of running. Take the black. 41. THEON The Night’s Watch? LUWIN Ser Rodrik has served House Stark all his life, and House Stark has always been a friend to the Watch. He will not deny you. Open your gates, lay down your arms, accept his terms, and he must let you take the black. Then Kromm was loping across the ward. KROMM PRINCE THEON! The northmen-- THEON Is it the attack? LUWIN There’s still time. Raise a peace banner-- KROMM They’re fighting. More men came up, hundreds of them, and at first they made to join the others. But now they’ve fallen on them! THEON Is it Asha? KROMM No. These are northmen, I tell you. With a bloody man on their banner. THEON I’ll see this for myself. They reached the battlements and dead men and dying horses were strewn about the market square outside the gates. Ser Rodrik seemed to have the numbers, but the Dreadfort men were better led. Black Lorren appeared beside him. THEON The Dothraki believe the stars are spirits of the valiant dead. LORREN Dothraki? 42. THEON The horselords across the narrow sea. LORREN Oh. Them. Savages believe all manner of foolish things. That night, a column of mounted men rode out of the drifting smoke. Outside the main gate he reined up, and one of his men shouted for the castle to open. LORREN Are you friend or foe? REEK Would a foe bring such fine gifts? Three corpses were then dumped in front of the gates. A torch was waved above the bodies, so the defenders upon the walls might see the faces of the dead. LORREN The old castellan. THEON With Leobald Tallhart and Cley Cerwyn. Maester Luwin gave a cry of dismay and fell to his knees. REEK The great pig Manderly was too craven to leave White Harbor, or we would have brought him as well. THEON Open the gates for our friends. The Dreadfort men made their way across the moat and through the inner gates. Theon descended with Black Lorren and Maester Luwin to meet them in the yard. THEON How many men did you lose? REEK Twenty or thirty. THEON Ser Rodrik had you five-to-one. 43. REEK Aye, but he thought us friends. A common mistake. When the old fool gave me his hand, I took half his arm instead. Then I let him see my face. The man took off his helm. THEON Reek. REEK The wretch is dead. The girl’s fault. If she had not run so far, his horse would not have lamed, and we might have been able to flee. I gave him mine when I saw the riders from the ridge. I was done with her by then, and he liked to take his turn while they were still warm. I had to pull him off her and shove my clothes into his hands--calfskin boots and velvet doublet, silver-chased swordbelt, even my sable cloak. Ride for the Dreadfort, I told him, bring all the help you can. Take my horse, he’s swifter, and here, wear the ring my father gave me, so they’ll know you came from me. He’d learned better than to question me. By the time they put that arrow through his back, I’d smeared myself with the girl’s filth and dressed in his rags. They might have hanged me anyway, but it was the only chance I saw. And now, my sweet prince, there was a woman promised me, if I brought two hundred men. Well, I brought three times as many, and no green boys nor fieldhands neither, but my father’s own garrison. THEON Harrag, go to the kennels and bring Palla out for ... ? RAMSAY Ramsay. Snow, my wife called me before she ate her fingers, but I say Bolton. So you’d offer me a kennel girl for my good service, is that the way of it? 44. THEON She was what was promised. RAMSAY She smells of dogshit. I’ve had enough of bad smells, as it happens. I think I’ll have your bedwarmer instead. What do you call her? Kyra? THEON Are you mad? I’ll have you-- The Bastard backhanded him and his cheekbone shattered. Theon found himself on the ground. The Dreadfort men had cut down Red Rolfe and Kenned, and more were pouring through. Black Lorren had his sword out, but there were already four of them pressing in on him. He saw Ulf go down with a crossbow bolt through the belly. Maester Luwin was trying to reach him when a knight planted a spear between his shoulders, then swung back to ride over him. RAMSAY Save me the Freys, and burn the rest. Burn it, burn it all. 68 - TYRION XV When he woke, Podrick Payne stood over him with a candle. When he saw Tyrion open his eyes he ran off. He raised a hand to his face, his every movement pained and fumbling. The lower half of his face was bandaged tightly. A short while later Pod reappeared. This time a stranger was with him, a maester chained and robed. MAESTER My lord, you must be still. You are grievous hurt. You will do yourself great injury. Are you thirsty? He managed an awkward nod. The maester inserted a curved copper funnel through the feeding hole over his mouth and poured a slow trickle down his throat. Then he was asleep. He dreamed of a snug little cottage by the sunset sea. TYSHA We have no servants. TYRION You have me, I’m your servant. 45. TYSHA A lazy servant. What do they do with lazy servants in Casterly Rock, my lord? TYRION They kiss them. TYSHA They do not neither. They beat them, I bet. TYRION No, they kiss them, just like this. They kiss their fingers first, every one, and they kiss their wrists, yes, and inside their elbows. Then they kiss their funny ears, all our servants have funny ears. Stop laughing! And they kiss their cheeks and they kiss their noses with the little bump in them, there, so, like that, and they kiss their sweet brows and their hair and their lips, their ... mmmm ... mouths ... so ... TYSHA I love you, Tyrion, I love your lips. I love your voice, and the words you say to me, and how you treat me gentle. I love your face. TYRION My face? TYSHA Yes. Yes. I love your hands, and how you touch me. Your cock, I love your cock, I love how it feels when it’s in me. TYRION It loves you too, my lady. TYSHA I love to say your name. Tyrion Lannister. It goes with mine. Not the Lannister, t’other part. Tyrion and Tysha. Tysha and Tyrion. Tyrion. My lord Tyrion ... Her face seemed to fade away, dissolving. 46. TYSHA ... my lord, can you hear me? My lord? Tyrion? My lord? My lord? He woke and saw a soft pink face leaning over him. MAESTER Do you thirst, my lord? I have your milk, your good milk. You must not fight, no, don’t try to move, you need your rest. As the man leaned close, Tyrion’s fingers slid underneath his chain and pulled. The maester dropped the flask, spilling milk of the poppy all over the blanket. TYRION No. More. MAESTER Unhand, please, my lord ... need your milk, the pain ... the chain, don’t, unhand, no ... He let go of the chain. The maester reeled back. Tyrion raised a hand to his face and made a ripping motion over the hardened mask. And again. And again. MAESTER You ... you want the bandages off, is that it? But I’m not to ... that would be ... be most unwise, my lord. You are not yet healed, the queen would ... He pointed a finger at the maester, then coiled his hand into a fist. MAESTER I ... I will do as my lord commands, to be sure, but ... this is unwise, your wounds ... TYRION Do. It. The man left to return bearing a long knife„ a basin of water, a pile of soft cloths, and several flasks. He slid the tip of the knife in under his chin, beneath the mask and began to cut it away. 47. MAESTER Be still now, I must wash out the wound. This is like to sting some. It would have been wiser to leave the mask in place until the flesh had knit, my lord. Still, it looks clean, good, good. When we found you down in that cellar among the dead and dying, your wounds were filthy. One of your ribs was broken, doubtless you can feel it, the blow of some mace perhaps, or a fall, it’s hard to say. And you took an arrow in the arm, there where it joins the shoulder. It showed signs of mortification, and for a time I feared you might lose the limb, but we treated it with boiling wine and maggots, and now it seems to be healing clean ... TYRION Name. Name. MAESTER Why, you are Tyrion Lannister, my lord. Brother to the queen. Do you remember the battle? Sometimes with head wounds-- TYRION Your name. BALLABAR I am Maester Ballabar. TYRION Ballabar. Bring me. Looking glass. BALLABAR My lord, I would not counsel ... that might be, ah, unwise, as it were ... your wound ... TYRION Bring it. And drink. Wine. No poppy. The maester hurried off. He came back with a flagon of pale amber wine and a small silvered looking glass. The maester poured half a cup of wine and held it to Tyrion’s lips. 48. TYRION More. He drank more He turned over the glass. The gash was long and crooked, starting under his left eye and ending on the right side of his jaw. Three-quarters of his nose was gone, and a chunk of his lip. TYRION Pretty. BALLABAR My lord, there, there will most like be a scar ... TYRION Most like? Teach me, not to, play with, axes. Where, are we? What, what place? BALLABAR Ah, you are in Maegor’s Holdfast, my lord. A chamber over the Queen’s Ballroom. Her Grace wanted you kept close, so she might watch over you herself. TYRION Return me. Own bed. Own chambers. BALLBAR Your own ... my lord, that would not be possible. The King’s Hand has taken up residence in your former chambers. TYRION I. Am. King’s Hand. BALLABAR No, my lord, I ... you were wounded, near death. Your lord father has taken up those duties now. Lord Tywin, he ... TYRION Here? BALLBAR Since the night of the battle. Lord Tywin saved us all. The smallfolk say it was King Renly’s ghost, but wiser men know better. It was your (MORE) 49. BALLBAR (cont’d) father and Lord Tyrell, with the Knight of Flowers and Lord Littlefinger. They rode through the ashes and took the usurper Stannis in the rear. It was a great victory, and now Lord Tywin has settled into the Tower of the Hand to help His Grace set the realm to rights, gods be praised. TYRION Gods be praised. I want ... my squire. Pod. Payne. BALLABAR The boy? The odd boy? TYRION Odd boy. Podrick. Payne. You go. Send him. BALLABAR As you will, my lord. Maester Ballabar hurried out. Podrick Payne entered. PODRICK My lord? I meant to stay by you, but the maester sent me away. TYRION Send him away. Hear me. Talk’s hard. Need dreamwine. Dreamwine, not milk of the poppy. Go to Frenken. Frenken, not Ballabar. Watch him make it. Bring it here. I want, mine own. Guard. Bronn. Where’s Bronn? PODRICK They made him a knight. TYRION Find him. Bring him. PODRICK As you say. My lord. Bronn. TYRION Ser Mandon? 50. PODRICK I n-never meant to k-k-k-k-- TYRION Dead? You’re, certain? Dead? PODRICK Drowned. TYRION Good. Say nothing. Of him. Of me. Any of it. Nothing. 69 - JON VIII Jon and Qhorin made a fire. Only the two of them remained of the five rangers who had fled the Skirling Pass. QHORIN As shy as a maid on her wedding night, and near as fair. Sometimes a man forgets how pretty a fire can be. They had glimpsed the eagle twice more, and heard the hunting horn behind them. When night fell, the Halfhand told Ebben to take the squire’s garron and ride east for Mormont with all haste. The rest of them would draw off the pursuit. EBBEN Send Jon. He can ride as fast as me. QHORIN Jon has a different part to play. EBBEN He is half a boy still. QHORIN No, he is a man of the Night’s Watch. Stonesnake offered to lay in wait for the pursuit and surprise them when they came. Perhaps he could take a few of them with him down to hell. Qhorin refused. QHORIN If any man in the Night’s Watch can make it through the Frostfangs alone and afoot, it is you, brother. You can go over mountains (MORE) 51. QHORIN (cont’d) that a horse must go around. Make for the Fist. Tell Mormont what Jon saw, and how. Tell him that the old powers are waking, that he faces giants and wargs and worse. Tell him that the trees have eyes again. Jon watched Stonesnake vanish over a snow-covered ridge. Qhorin Halfhand stared across the flickering fire. QHORIN Is your sword sharp, Jon Snow? JON My sword is Valyrian steel. The Old Bear gave it to me. QHORIN Do you remember the words of your vow? JON Yes. QHORIN Say them again with me, Jon Snow. JON If you like. Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night’s Watch, for this night and all the nights to come. QHORIN The fire will soon go out, but if the Wall should ever fall, all the fires will go out. We may escape them yet. Or not. 52. JON I’m not afraid to die. QHORIN It may not be so easy as that, Jon. JON What do you mean? QHORIN If we are taken, you must yield. JON Yield? They only spare oathbreakers. Those who join them, like Mance Rayder. QHORIN And you. JON No. Never. I won’t. QHORIN You will. I command it of you. JON Command it? But ... QHORIN Our honor means no more than our lives, so long as the realm is safe. Are you a man of the Night’s Watch? JON Yes, but-- QHORIN There is no but, Jon Snow. You are, or you are not. JON I am. QHORIN Then hear me. If we are taken, you will go over to them, as the wildling girl you captured once urged you. They may demand that you cut your cloak to ribbons, that you swear them an oath on your father’s grave, that you curse your brothers (MORE) 53. QHORIN (cont’d) and your Lord Commander. You must not balk, whatever is asked of you. Do as they bid you ... but in your heart, remember who and what you are. Ride with them, eat with them, fight with them, for as long as it takes. And watch. JON For what? QHORIN Would that I knew, Your wolf saw their diggings in the valley of the Milkwater. What did they seek, in such a bleak and distant place? Did they find it? That is what you must learn, before you return to Lord Mormont and your brothers. That is the duty I lay on you, Jon Snow. JON I’ll do as you say, but ... you will tell them, won’t you? The Old Bear, at least? You’ll tell him that I never broke my oath. QHORIN When I see him next. I swear it. More wood. I want it bright and hot. Jon went to cut more branches, tossing it into the flames. QHORIN Enough. Now we ride. JON Ride? Ride where? QHORIN Back. The fire will draw them past, I hope. Come, brother. They went until they reached an icy little stream emerged from between two mountains. QHORIN The water’s icing up, else we’d ride in the streambed. But if we break the ice, they are like to see. Keep close to the cliffs. (MORE) 54. QHORIN (cont’d) There’s a crook a half mile on that will hide us. Beyond, the walls pinched in sharply, and the stream led them to the foot of a tall twisting waterfall. QHORIN Quickly now. Qhorin rode over the ice-slick stones, right into the curtain of water, and vanished. When he did not reappear, Jon went after. Then he was through. The cleft in the rock was barely large enough for man and horse to pass, but beyond, the walls opened up and the floor turned to soft sand. JON You knew this place was here. QHORIN When I was no older than you, I heard a brother tell how he followed a shadowcat through these falls. There is a way through the heart of the mountain. Come dawn, if they have not found us, we will press on. The first watch is mine, brother. Qhorin seated himself on the sand. It was still dark when Qhorin woke him. While the Halfhand slept, Jon sat with his back to the cave wall. At break of day, they saddled their garrons once again. But when they emerged back into the light long hours later, the eagle was waiting for them, perched on a dead tree. Ghost went bounding up the rocks after it, but the bird flapped its wings and took to the air. QHORIN Here is as good a place as any to make a stand. The mouth of the cave shelters us from above, and they cannot get behind us without passing through the mountain. Is your sword sharp, Jon Snow? JON Yes. 55. QHORIN We’ll feed the horses. They’ve served us bravely, poor beasts. A hunting horn echoed through the mountains, and a moment later Jon heard the baying of hounds. QHORIN They will be with us soon. Keep your wolf in hand. JON Ghost, to me. The wildlings came boiling over a ridge not half a mile away. Their hounds ran before them. Ghost bared his teeth. JON Easy. Stay. The eagle landed on an outcrop of rock and screamed. The hunters approached. Jon counted fourteen, with eight dogs. Qhorin drew his longsword. Jon pulled out Longclaw. Their leader came on alone, armored in bones. QHORIN Rattleshirt. RATTLESHIRT To crows I be the Lord o’ Bones. QHORIN I see no lord. Only a dog dressed in chickenbones, who rattles when he rides. RATTLESHIRT It’s your bones I’ll be rattling soon, Halfhand. I’ll boil the flesh off you and make a byrnie from your ribs. I’ll carve your teeth to cast me runes, and eat me oaten porridge from your skull. QHORIN If you want my bones, come get them. WOMAN We are four-and-ten to two, crows, and eight dogs to your wolf. Fight or run, you are ours. 56. RATTLESHIRT Show them. The woman reached into a bloodstained sack and drew out Ebben’s head dangling the head by an ear. WOMAN He died brave. RATTLESHIRT But he died, same like you. He freed his battleaxe. The other wildlings crowded forward beside him, yelling taunts. WILDLING Is that your wolf, boy? He’ll be my cloak before the sun is down. WOMAN Does the baby want his momma? Come, have a suck o’ this, boy. QHORIN They would shame us into folly. Remember your orders. RATTLESHIRT Belike we need to flush the crows. Feather them! JON No! We yield! QHORIN They warned me bastard blood was craven. I see it is so. Run to your new masters, coward. Jon descended the slope to where Rattleshirt sat his horse. RATTLESHIRT The free folk have no need of cravens. YGRITTE He is no craven. One of the archers pulled off her helm and shook out a head of shaggy red hair. 57. YGRITTE This is the Bastard o’ Winterfell, who spared me. Let him live. RATTLESHIRT Let him die. The black crow is a tricksy bird. I trust him not. The eagle screeched. YGRITTE The bird hates you, Jon Snow. And well he might. He was a man, before you killed him. JON I did not know. You told me Mance would take me. YGRITTE And he will. RATTLESHIRT Mance is not here. Ragwyle, gut him. The big spearwife narrowed her eyes. WOMAN If the crow would join the free folk, let him show us his prowess and prove the truth of him. JON I’ll do whatever you ask. RATTLESHIRT Then kill the Halfhand, bastard. QHORIN As if he could. Turn, Snow, and die. Then Qhorin’s sword was coming at him and Longclaw leapt upward to block. It sent him staggering backward. Back and forth they went. Ghost’s teeth closed savagely around the ranger’s calf, yet somehow Qhorin kept his feet. But, as he twisted, the opening was there. Jon planted and pivoted. The ranger was leaning away, and it seemed that Jon’s slash had not touched him. Then a string of red tears appeared across the big man’s throat and the blood gushed out of him, and Qhorin Halfhand fell. 58. QHORIN ... sharp. Then his hand fell, and he was gone. RATTLESHIRT Get him up. Rough hands dragged him to his feet. Jon did not resist. RATTLESHIRT Do you have a name? YGRITTE His name is Jon Snow. He is Eddard Stark’s blood, of Winterfell. RAGWYLE Who would have thought it? Qhorin Halfhand slain by some lordling’s byblow. RATTLESHIRT Gut him. YGRITTE He yielded. WILDING Aye, and slew his brother. RATTLESHIRT The wolf did his work for him. It were foully done. The Halfhand’s death was mine. RAGWYLE We all saw how eager you were to take it. RATTLESHIRT He is a warg, and a crow. I like him not. YGRITTE A warg he may be, but that has never frightened us. They burned Qhorin Halfhand where he’d fallen. JON Will we return by the Skirling Pass? 59. YGRITTE No. There’s nothing behind us. By now Mance is well down the Milkwater, marching on your Wall. 70 - BRAN VII He padded over to the edge of the wood. He sniffed at the drifting smoke. Men, many men, many horses, and fire, fire, fire. His brother ran with him, drawn to the smell of blood and death. Winterfell had all been burned. MEERA Bran. Bran, come back. Come back now, Bran. Bran ... He closed his third eye and opened the other two. Someone was holding him. He could hear Hodor singing. HODOR Hodor, hodor, hodor. MEERA Bran? You were thrashing, making terrible noises. What did you see? BRAN Winterfell. It was Winterfell. It was all on fire. There were horse smells, and steel, and blood. They killed everyone, Meera. MEERA You’re all sweaty. Do you need a drink? BRAN A drink. She held a skin to his lips, and Bran swallowed. BRAN How long? JOJEN Three days. We were afraid for you. BRAN I was with Summer. 60. JOJEN Too long. You’ll starve yourself. Meera dribbled a little water down your throat, and we smeared honey on your mouth, but it is not enough. BRAN I ate. We ran down an elk and had to drive off a treecat that tried to steal him. JOJEN The wolf ate. Not you. Take care, Bran. Remember who you are. BRAN I have to tell Osha what I saw. Is she here? Where did she go? OSHA Nowhere, m’lord. I’ve had my fill o’ blundering in the black. Last night I pissed on a king’s foot. Might be it was morning, who can say? I was sleeping, but now I’m not. BRAN Osha, I saw Winterfell burning. OSHA A dream. BRAN A wolf dream. I smelled it too. Nothing smells like fire, or blood. OSHA Whose blood? BRAN Men, horses, dogs, everyone. We have to go see. OSHA This scrawny skin of mine’s the only one I got. That squid prince catches hold o’ me, they’ll strip it off my back with a whip. 61. MEERA I’ll go if you’re afraid. Bran heard the sound of steel on flint. A spark flew, caught. The light woke Rickon. The six fugitives huddled round their little cache of bread and water and dried meat. OSHA Little enough left. I’d need to go up soon to steal food in any case, or we’d be down to eating Hodor. HODOR Hodor. OSHA Is it day or night up there? I’ve lost all count o’ such. BRAN Day, but it’s dark from all the smoke. OSHA M’lord is certain? BRAN Certain. OSHA I’ll risk a look then. I want the lot o’ you close behind. Meera, get Bran’s basket. RICKON Are we going home? I want my horse. And I want applecakes and butter and honey, and Shaggy. Are we going where Shaggydog is? BRAN Yes, but you have to be quiet. Meera helped lift Bran into the basket on Hodor’s back. Their footsteps echoed through the cavernous crypts. They reached the stone stairs that led up to the surface. OSHA Wait. I’ll grope my way up. They could hear the sound of her footfalls. 62. HODOR Hodor. His brother was squirming restlessly. RICKON I want to go home! After a few minutes Osha emerged into the light. OSHA Something is blocking the door. I can’t move it. BRAN Hodor can move anything. OSHA Might be he can. Come on, then. The steps were narrow, so they had to climb in single file. The door to the crypts was made of ironwood. Osha tried once more when she reached it, but it was not budging. BRAN Let Hodor try. They had to pull Bran from his basket first. BRAN Open the door, Hodor. The stableboy put both hands flat on the door and pushed. HODOR Hodor? Hodor. BRAN Use your back. And your legs. Turning, Hodor put his back to the wood and shoved. HODOR Hodor! This time the wood groaned and creaked. HODOR Hodor! Hodor spread his legs apart, braced, and straightened. 63. HODOR Hodor hodor hodor hodor hodor HODOR! Then suddenly the door jerked upward and a shaft of daylight fell across Bran’s face. Then the way was open. Osha poked her spear through and slid out after it. The Reeds had to carry Bran up the last few steps. Smoke eddied all around them. Winterfell was all in ruin. RICKON Take me home! I want to be home! OSHA We made noise enough to wake a dragon, but there’s no one come. The castle’s dead and burned, just as Bran dreamed, but we had best-- She broke off suddenly at a noise behind them. Two lean dark shapes emerged from behind the broken tower. RICKON Shaggy! The direwolves came bounding toward them. JOJEN We should go. So much death will bring other wolves besides Summer and Shaggydog, and not all on four feet. OSHA Aye, soon enough, but we need food, and there may be some survived this, Stay together. Meera, keep your shield up and guard our backs. Bran recognized Poxy Tym, even though someone had taken an axe to his face. OSHA If the gods are good, the Others will take them that did this work. BRAN It was Theon. OSHA No. Look. That’s one of his ironmen. And there. And that’s Greyjoy’s warhorse, see? The black (MORE) 64. OSHA (cont’d) one with the arrows in him. And here’s Black Lorren. Took a few with him, he did. There’s a badge. A little man, all red. BRAN The flayed man of the Dreadfort. Summer howled, and darted away. MEERA The godswood. Meera Reed and the rest of them ran after the direwolf. JOJEN There is a power in living wood, a power strong as fire. On the edge of the black pool, Maester Luwin lay on his belly in the dirt. Summer stood over him, when Meera touched his throat, the maester moaned. HODOR Hodor? Hodor? LUWIN Bran. And Rickon too. The gods are good. I knew ... BRAN Knew? LUWIN The legs, I could tell ... the clothes fit, but the muscles in his legs ... poor lad ... You vanished ... in the woods ... how, though? BRAN We never went. Well, only to the edge, and then doubled back. I sent the wolves on to make a trail, but we hid in Father’s tomb. LUWIN The crypts. OSHA We’ll need to make a litter to carry him. 65. LUWIN No use. I’m dying, woman. RICKON You can’t. No you can’t. LUWIN Hush now, child, I’m much older than you. I can ... die as I please. BRAN Hodor, down. Hodor went to his knees beside the maester. LUWIN Listen, the princes ... Robb’s heirs. Not ... not together ... do you hear? OSHA Aye. Safer apart. But where to take them? I’d thought, might be these Cerwyns ... LUWIN Cerwyn boy’s dead. Ser Rodrik, Leobald Tallhart, Lady Hornwood ... all slain. Deepwood fallen, Moat Cailin, soon Torrhen’s Square. Ironmen on the Stony Shore. And east, the Bastard of Bolton. OSHA Then where? LUWIN White Harbor ... the Umbers ... I do not know ... war everywhere ... each man against his neighbor, and winter coming ... such folly, such black mad folly ... You must be strong now. Strong. BRAN I will be. LUWIN Good. A good boy. Your ... your father’s son, Bran. Now go. 66. OSHA And leave you for the gods? LUWIN I beg ... A ... a drink of water, and ... another boon. If you would ... OSHA Aye. Take the boys. Jojen and Meera led Rickon out between them. Hodor followed. Osha joined them in the yard a few moments later. OSHA Hodor must stay with Bran, to be his legs. I will take Rickon with me. JOJEN We’ll go with Bran. OSHA Aye, I thought you might. Believe I’ll try the East Gate, and follow the kingsroad a ways. MEERA We’ll take the Hunter’s Gate. HODOR Hodor. They stopped at the kitchens first. Outside, they made their farewells. They crossed the drawbridge between the walls. BRAN Will we go to your lord father? To Greywater Watch? JOJEN Our road is north. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferocious Veldt Roarer Posted October 22, 2016 Share Posted October 22, 2016 What is this thread about?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortguy457 Posted October 23, 2016 Author Share Posted October 23, 2016 On 10/22/2016 at 1:47 PM, Ferocious Veldt Roarer said: What is this thread about?... It's the books in script form, sorted into episodes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortguy457 Posted December 30, 2016 Author Share Posted December 30, 2016 I'm bumping this. This is too cool to pass up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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