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[CASTLE BLACK; DINING HALL]
[DAVOS carves away at a piece of wood. STANNIS approaches him.]
"It's time."
"Your Grace. Wouldn't it be better to wait? When Jon Snow returns with the wildlings, we could have thousands more men."
"Optimistic, but unnecessary. No wildling would bend the knee" Brandon the Elder spoke.
"With the promise of protection from the White Walkers and lands to live on? Most might be tempted" Catelyn pointed out.
Brandon shook his head.
"Too proud. These people do not bend nor do they bow. They follow a leader of their choosing because they earn their loyalty. They won't do it for anyone else."
Catelyn clicked her tongue. Pride... what was pride before survival? It was not like she didn't understand pride. She was the daughter of a noble hose and the wife of another. Her stature was on the high end of things, so she understood pride well enough.
But if it came to the survival of her family and her, she would swallow it easily to make sure her family survived.
"If Jon Snow returns with the wildlings."
"He will return" Lyanna muttered confidently, but it was also a small prayer that her son does return from his mission.
"We can't wait that long. We have the advantage, more men, more horses, all fed and rested. But every day we wait, the odds shift in Bolton's favour. This could turn to winter at any moment. We have to act now. Give the order. We march at sunrise.
"I'll choose a dozen men to stay and guard the queen and the princess."
"No need, they're coming with us."
"A good choice" Robb muttered. The watch was filled with criminals, who would not hesitate to touch a girl.
"It's a tough road ahead, Your Grace. Won't they be safer-"
"Here? Half these watchmen are killers and rapists. No, they march with us."
Robb nods.
[COURTYARD-THE NEXT MORNING]
[STANNI'S men prepare to ride out. SAM and GILLY watch. GILLY holds baby SAM. OLLY, EDD, and some other watchmen are also shown watching. SHIREEN speaks from horseback.]
"Do you think Father will let me go down into the crypt?"
"Beg your pardon?"
"At Winterfell. All the Kings in the North are buried there. Bran the Builder and King Dorren and-"
"We could take you there once we return" Bran spoke. "Come visit us and we'll show you around."
Shireen's eyes widened and she turned to her father.
Stannis nodded.
Shireen grinned and turned back to Bran.
Bran was grinning too.
"First things first. It's a long march ahead. And then we have to take the castle."
"Is there going to be a battle?"
"Aye, princess, but you won't be anywhere near-"
"That's enough talk of battle, Ser Davos. You'll scare the child."
"The child seems less scared than the mother" Renly mused.
"Selyse is... delicate about such matters" Stannis explained.
"I'm not scared."
"Well, I am. When the battle comes, promise you'll protect me."
"He's a good man" Lyanna smiled.
"He is" Daenerys nods.
[SHIREEN looks back at GILLY. SELYSE catches her, and she looks down and away. JON walks through the courtyard. He and STANNIS meet on some stairs. They converse. JON watches STANNIS walk away and get on his horse. He makes eye contact with MELISANDRE, but she looks away.]
"She has no interest in Jon now" Robb snorted.
"Probably because Jon refused to fuck her" Sansa deadpanned, to the shock of her parents and the amusement of her brothers. The usually lady like Sansa Stark would never use such language.
[MEEREN; GREY WORM'S ROOM]
[MISSANDEI watches over GREY WORM. He suddenly gets up, startling her.]
"He's alive!" Daenerys exclaimed in relief. Her trusted men wouldn't all leave her...
[DAENERYS'S CHAMBERS]
[MISSANDEI and DAENERYS stand, talking.]
"Now you have given the Masters what they deserve."
"If I give everyone what they deserve, I'll have no one left to rule. Ser Barristan counselled mercy when I took this city right up to the morning he died. Daario Naharis thinks I should kill the former Masters and let the rest of the city fend for itself. What do you think?"
"Spoken like the sellsword he is" Oberyn shook his head. Sell Swords, very short term in terms of vision.
"Your Grace, I think that I am not fit to have an opinion on these matters."
"You are as fit as anyone I know. You know why I'm here. And you know who will suffer the most if this all falls apart. So what do you think?"
MISSANDEI: I can only tell you what I have seen, Your Grace. (Sitting down). I have seen you listen to your counsellors. I have seen you lean on their experience when your own was lacking and weigh the choices they put before you. And I have seen you ignore your counsellors because there was a better choice. One that only you could see.
[DUNGEONS]
[DAENERYS is led by Unsullied to a room in a dungeon. The door is opened to reveal HIZDAHR She enters, and he kneels before her.]
"My, my queen, please do not do this."
"What about Valar Morghulis?"
"I did not want to die a coward. Apparently, I do not want to die at all"
"The true nature of men reveal themselves in the face of death" Jaime mused. "Which was why the execution of one of them was necessary."
Joanna nods.
Myrcella still looked uneasy.
"It takes courage to admit fear. And to admit a mistake. I came here to tell you that I was wrong. I was wrong and you were right. About tradition. About bringing the people of this city together. I will reopen the fighting pits. To free men only. Slavery will never return to Meereen, not while I live."
"Freed men fighting by choice" Oberyn smirked. He'd fought in the pits before, he knew how dedicated the fighters were. No doubt some of the Harpy Sons were disgruntled pit fighters.
"And in order to forge a lasting bond with the Meereenese people, I will marry the leader of an ancient family. Thankfully a suitor is already on his knees''
"Not the worst idea... an alliance forged by marriage is a good way to integrate yourself with the people" Jon Arryn mumbled.
Rhaegar on the other hand was not too pleased. Daenerys was wasting herself by marrying another unimportant man. She should be looking to Westeros to forge an alliance that would benefit her cause...