July 8, 2018

Last Hearth receives a raven. Arya has an unexpected reunion. Bronn makes his move. Melisandre seeks vision.

EXT. GODSWOOD - DAY

BRAN STARK sits alone in the Winterfell godswood. We push in close on his face, his eyes warg white...

INT. LAST HEARTH - NED UMBER'S CHAMBER - DAY

...and pull out on the face of a RAVEN, sitting perched upon a bedpost. It opens its beak and caws urgently at:

Young NED UMBER -- sitting up in bed, disheveled, looking down at a raven scroll in his hands. The boy has just been urgently woken up. The MAESTER OF LAST HEARTH stands nearby, looking grave.

MAESTER OF LAST HEARTH

Little lord...

NED UMBER

Everyone wanted this castle taken from us. Jon Snow gave it back.

Ned looks up at his maester.

NED UMBER

He gave it to me to hold it.

MAESTER OF LAST HEARTH

And now he's asking you to ride for Winterfell.

NED UMBER

I can't.

He lifts his chin bravely, but is unable to stop tears from leaking out, undercutting the strength of his words.

NED UMBER

I am Lord of Last Hearth. This castle is mine to defend.

MAESTER OF LAST HEARTH

This castle will be your tomb if you stay.

Ned looks up at him plaintively.

MAESTER OF LAST HEARTH

(sitting down on the bed)

Listen to me, Ned. You are more than the Lord of Last Hearth. You are the last Umber. If you die, your house dies with you. I know this is your home. But in the end, it's just a big stone house, and houses can be rebuilt. But not by dead men.

2.

Ned stares at him.

EXT. LAST HEARTH COURTYARD - DAY

Chaotic activity abounds as everyone in Last Hearth hurriedly prepares to leave. A trickle of people is already filtering out of the gates, some on horseback, some on foot. Others are loading basic provisions onto horses and carts.

Ned Umber hangs back, seeing everyone out of the gate.

Finally it's just him and his maester, standing alone in the courtyard. Ned is holding his own horse by the reins. He looks up at his maester.

NED UMBER

Where's your horse?

MAESTER OF LAST HEARTH

I gave her away. To one of the kitchen girls.

Ned gives him a confused, apprehensive look. The maester crouches down so that he is eye-to-eye with the boy.

MAESTER OF LAST HEARTH

Ned. You are Lord Eddard of House Umber. You are more than this castle. But I am the maester of Last Hearth. I am sworn to serve whomever holds her. My oaths are not to any lord or lady, but to this castle. I am a part of her, and I cannot leave her, no more than the stones in her foundation could leave her.

NED UMBER

I won't leave you.

MAESTER OF LAST HEARTH

You must. Farewell, little lord.

Ned stares at his maester, not wanting to believe that he really intends to stay behind. The maester meets his gaze steadily, and as Ned sees his resolve and understands that this is all truly happening, he starts to cry.

3.

Ned goes to his maester, arms outstretched, and the man gathers the boy into his arms. In that moment, Ned is not a lord or the heir to a noble house. He is a frightened child, a refugee of war, terrified and weeping.

EXT. NORTHERN COUNTRYSIDE - DAY

JORAH MORMONT is striking a tent, together with HADORRO, a young Dothraki rider with an inquisitive face.

JORAH

(in Dothraki, subtitled)

How do you like the North?

HADORRO

(broken English)

Too much white thing.

JORAH

"Snow."

HADORRO

Snow. Is very... lain?

JORAH

"Beautiful."

HADORRO

Beautiful. But is...

He mimes shivering.

JORAH

"Cold."

HADORRO

Cold. Beautiful but cold. Like khaleesi, zhey Jora Andahli, sek?

He laughs and gives Jorah a brotherly thump on the shoulder, as Jorah ties the folded tent onto a packhorse. Jorah does his best to smile with good humor, but there's a pained quality to it.

A commotion of hooves and shouting makes Jorah turn his head. DOTHRAKI RIDERS are letting off steam, racing each other, firing arrows from horseback.

One of the riders playfully takes aim and sends an arrow whizzing within inches of Jorah's body, only to deliberately miss and bury itself harmlessly in the ground. The riders laugh at Jorah's flinch, and Hadorro laughs along with them. Jorah shoots him a brief look, nursing his bruised pride.

4.

HADORRO

I am happy we here. No good, Dothraki too long no fight.

JORAH

I heard you had some fighting in the South.

Hadorro snorts derisively.

HADORRO

No fight. Frightened sheeps.

JORAH

Well, you won't be facing frightened sheep up here. Dead men don't know fear.

Hadorro nods and mounts up on his horse.

HADORRO

Good.

He rides off. Jorah mounts up as well and follows after him.

Around them, other riders are breaking camp and saddling horses. And in their midst:

ARYA STARK crouches on the ground, rolling up her bedroll.

Arya picks up the bedroll and starts fastening it to the back of her saddle. She hears the sound of galloping hooves and looks up to see:

THE HOUND galloping toward her across the snowy countryside.

Arya stares at him in shock, her hands held paused on her saddle.

The Hound slows to a trot as he approaches, then pulls up to a stop by Arya's horse. He looks down at her as she stares up at him.

HOUND

Arya Fucking Stark.

She stares at him another beat, then breaks eye contact and finishes up with her bedroll and saddle.

ARYA

(avoiding his eyes)

Thought you were dead.

5.

HOUND

Not yet. Suppose I should be thanking you for that. Remember? How you walked away, while I screamed and begged for you to kill me?

(off her silence)

Cold-hearted bitch.

Arya hesitates, looking guilty and unsure of herself.

ARYA

I'm sorry.

HOUND

No, you're fucking not.

Arya mounts up on her horse and starts riding. The Hound falls in beside her.

ARYA

What are you doing out here?

HOUND

What does it look like I'm doing? I'm helping you.

Arya glances furtively at him, then stares straight ahead once again.

HOUND

I couldn't stand another moment in your shit castle. Heard you were out here. Figured I might as well get some fresh air before we all die.

They ride on in silence for a bit, looking ahead, not making eye contact.

ARYA

I'm glad you're not dead.

The Hound looks at her a moment, then out ahead again.

HOUND

Yeah. You too.

Arya and the Hound ride on in companionable silence, north across the snowy landscape -- two oddly-matched figures amongst the sprawling Dothraki khalasar.

6.

EXT. KING'S LANDING - DAY

A wide aerial tells us we're in King's Landing.

EXT. KING'S LANDING DOCKS - DAY

A MAN IN A CLOAK pulls a small handcart along the cobblestone dockside, bearing a chest. His cloak is roughspun and nondescript. Its hood is pulled up, obscuring the man's face.

The cart hits a bump. There's a clink of coins in the chest.

All around, SAILORS and LONGSHOREMEN are at work, loading and unloading ships. They push past the man, never sparing him a second glance.

A ship captain stands on a dock, supervising while barrels, crates, and other items are loaded onto his ship. He's a dark-haired Volantene man.

BRONN (O.S.)

When's this ship leaving harbor?

The VOLANTENE CAPTAIN looks up with an irritated expression. He's not an unkind man, but he's busy, and he doesn't welcome this interruption.

Captain's POV: the cloaked man is BRONN, looking down at him from the dockside.

VOLANTENE CAPTAIN

(Volantene accent)

Too soon for you to get aboard.

BRONN

Where's she sailing?

VOLANTENE CAPTAIN

I am busy. Go away.

Bronn reaches inside his cloak and draws out a small drawstring pouch. He tosses it, and the captain catches it. He gives Bronn a look, loosens the drawstring, and draws out a gold coin. He hesitates, looking down into the pouch. His expression suggests that this is generous fare. He sighs.

VOLANTENE CAPTAIN

East. Across the Narrow Sea.

BRONN

Good.

7.

Bronn walks toward the captain's ship, towing his chest behind him. The captain looks down at the gold in his hand.

VOLANTENE CAPTAIN

(calling after Bronn)

Don't you want to know where in Essos?

Bronn either doesn't hear him or doesn't care.

INT. BRONN'S CABIN - DAY

The dockside is visible through a small porthole window.

Bronn lowers his hood. He crouches down on the floor of his cabin and opens the chest. He takes out several items of clothing and lays them aside, revealing a fortune in gold coins underneath.

Bronn runs his fingers across the coins. Precioussssss.

Bronn sits and admires his wealth for a while. Then he puts the clothing back into the chest, covering up the gold. His expression is more anxious now, almost fearful. He shuts the chest, padlocks it, and tucks the key into his pocket.

EXT. VOLANTENE SHIP - STERN - SUNSET

The ship is well under sail now.

Bronn paces anxiously back and forth across the stern of the ship, staring west toward the setting sun, toward King's Landing.

Bronn's POV: the Red Keep stands ominous and watchful. It's still far too near for comfort.

VOLANTENE CAPTAIN

You will wear a groove on my deck.

Bronn looks up. He snorts and resumes pacing. He's not really in the mood for chitchat.

VOLANTENE CAPTAIN

You are homesick already? What are you running to in such hurry?

Bronn ignores him.

8.

VOLANTENE CAPTAIN

Or maybe you are not running to anything. Maybe you are running from.

Bronn ignores this, but a faint crease of worry shows through his poker face. He was hoping to sneak off discreetly.

VOLANTENE CAPTAIN

Smart man. I hear foul rumors from the North. If they are true, Westeros is no place for living men.

Bronn breathes a small sigh of relief and nods his agreement. Yes, that's a good, anonymous cover story. It's even true.

VOLANTENE CAPTAIN

It is good you get aboard a ship while you still can. A cabin east will become very expensive very soon. You won't find me coming back this way. No, no. Time to go home.

BRONN

And where's that?

VOLANTENE CAPTAIN

Volantis. We'll stop at Pentos on the way, pick up food to sell. I hear the Golden Company's staying in Volantis. Twenty thousand hungry sellswords. You can get off at Pentos or come with me to Volantis, your choice.

Our own sellsword permits himself one look east, down the length of the ship toward the open sea. He contemplates his future. Then he turns back and looks west again, toward King's Landing, shrinking slowly with distance. He resumes his anxious pacing.

EXT. VOLANTIS - LONG BRIDGE - DAY

The Long Bridge tells us that we're in Volantis.

INT. LONG BRIDGE TAVERN - DAY

The tavern is rowdily crowded with GOLDEN COMPANY SELLSWORDS.

9.

Sitting at one of the tables is HARRY STRICKLAND -- the commander of the Golden Company, lounging languidly in his chair. Sitting with him is MARQ MANDRAKE -- one of his lieutenants. Marq is tense and preoccupied.

MARQ

I know a trader who swears he saw her dragons.

HARRY

(unimpressed)

I know a trader who swears he saw her cunt.

MARQ

(ignoring that)

He said the biggest one was like Balerion the Black Dread, born again.

HARRY

And how does he know that? Was he there when Aegon the Conqueror forged the Iron Throne?

MARQ

(this is serious)

Harry...

Harry looks at him: what.

MARQ

How are we going to defeat her dragons?

HARRY

It's not our job to defeat her dragons.

MARQ

Is it our job to burn alive?

HARRY

Queen Cersei says she has a way of killing them.

Marq is skeptical.

HARRY

Marq. This is the best contract we've had in years. The entire company, for well above our asking rates. You've been eating, drinking, and fucking, off the advance she paid us. So quit your whinging, and drink the ale that lovely Queen Cersei has bought you.

10.

Harry picks up a tankard and bangs it down onto the table in front of his lieutenant, to punctuate his point.

Marq takes a reluctant sip.

MARQ

(allowing a smirk)

I'd sooner the dragon queen bought me a drink.

HARRY

If she'd offered, I would have gladly entertained her advances. But she didn't.

MARQ

The Second Sons switched sides for her. Back when she took Yunkai.

HARRY

(sharp)

The Second Sons broke their contract. Daario Neharis isn't a soldier, he's a romantic with a sword. We're the Golden Company. We don't break contract. We don't fight for romance. We fight for gold.

It's clear from his tone that this discussion is at an end. Marq sighs and drinks his ale. Then puts the ale back down.

MARQ

(getting up to go)

I need to take a piss.

EXT. LONG BRIDGE PISSING SPOT - DAY

Marq pisses off the Long Bridge into the Rhoyne River, much as Tyrion had done, some seasons ago. He stares moodily into the water, contemplating his career choices.

Marq shakes himself dry and puts away his cock. He continues gazing into the river. His eyes follow the river downstream to where it opens into the harbor. A number of ships are docked there, with another sailing in now.

11.

EXT. VOLANTIS DOCKSIDE - DAY

MELISANDRE disembarks from her ship. She gazes up at the Long Bridge.

EXT. VOLANTIS - RED TEMPLE - DUSK

KINVARA, Flame of Truth, Light of Wisdom and First Servant of the Lord of Light, stands before the doors of the Red Temple of Volantis -- the world's largest and most glorious temple of the Lord of Light. She watches dispassionately as Melisandre approaches, climbing the temple steps.

KINVARA

(in Valyrian, subtitled)

You're back.

MELISANDRE

(in Valyrian, subtitled)

Yes, sister.

KINVARA

(cold)

I am not your sister.

MELISANDRE

We are all brothers and sisters before the eyes of our Lord. Even those of us who stray far afield.

Kinvara just looks at her. We don't know the history between these two, but it has evidently not always been entirely friendly.

KINVARA

What are you doing here, Melisandre of Asshai?

MELISANDRE

The Long Night is here.

(quoting prophecy)

"Only the one who was promised can bring the dawn."

KINVARA

"The one who was promised." Daenerys Stormborn.

MELISANDRE

(nodding assent)

I believe she has a role to play.

12.

KINVARA

But once you believed in another. You ignored my counsel, sailed across the Narrow Sea, and whispered false prophecies into the ear of Stannis Baratheon. And when he fell, the non-believers seized upon your mistake to make mock of our faith.

MELISANDRE

Yes. I was wrong.

Three words Kinvara had never expected to hear from this woman. She regards Melisandre in silence for a moment.

KINVARA

That doesn't explain why you're here.

MELISANDRE

This is our Lord's holiest temple. I have come to gaze into the flames of His most sacred fire. To pray.

KINVARA

"To pray."

Melisandre nods.

KINVARA

Just to pray?

MELISANDRE

You say that like it is an easy thing.

KINVARA

And what do you pray for, Melisandre of Asshai?

MELISANDRE

For clarity. For vision and guidance.

(beat)

And for forgiveness.

Kinvara eyes her. She still doesn't fully trust Melisandre. But it's clear that Melisandre is not the same priestess that she was the last time Kinvara saw her.

Kinvara nods and steps to one side. Melisandre walks past her and enters the temple.

13.

INT. RED TEMPLE MAIN HALL - CONTINUOUS

Melisandre walks slowly into the cavernous main hall of the Red Temple. An unseen fire sends flickering light dancing across her face.

Said fire becomes visible to us now. An enormous roaring bonfire, housed in a brazier many feet in diameter. It dominates the space, sending glowing embers upward toward a ceiling so high it is lost in darkness. There are no other lights in this hall -- no torches, no candles. Just this one great fire.

Melisandre approaches this fire with almost fearful reverence. She's not the self-important, supremely confident seer she once was. She's doing this for duty, not glory. And she's more afraid than eager about what she might see.

She stares into the flames. If fire is the source of sacred visions, then this fire is the HD, plasma-screen, fiber-optic source of sacred visions.

MELISANDRE

(whispering)

Show me.

The fire roars and flickers.