December 9, 2018

Sansa holds the North.

INT. WINTERFELL GREAT HALL - night

Sansa sits alone at the high table in Winterfell's Great Hall, which is empty now except for a dozen or so UNSULLIED GUARDS standing at attention along the walls. An empty chair sits before her, facing the high table.

The door opens, and LORD GLOVER enters, escorted by GREY WORM. Glover balks a few feet into the hall, casting a wary eye about, noting the Unsullied guards.

SANSA

My lord. Thank you for accepting my summons at this late hour.

Glover looks behind him. Grey Worm is standing there, stony-faced, blocking his path to the door.

LORD GLOVER

(pointed, re: Unsullied)

I was told you wished to speak with me alone , Lady Stark.

SANSA

Please. Come sit.

Glover stares at her. Grey Worm closes the door and puts a hand on Glover's shoulder. Glover brusquely shrugs it off and begins walking toward Sansa on his own, slowly, like a man walking to the gallows. She watches him serenely.

SANSA

Do I frighten you?

LORD GLOVER

(haltingly)

Pardons, my lady. This is a strange meeting.

He sits in the chair that's been set out for him, facing Sansa.

LORD GLOVER

If I may beg the courtesy of being informed as to the topic (of this meeting--)

SANSA

(interrupting)

You know why you're here. Why else would you be so afraid?

Glover stares back at her.

33.

SANSA

You wish for me to spell it out for you? Very well. You've been conspiring against my brother. You've named him a liar. You're working to instill doubts among his bannermen, doubts that would undermine our war efforts and doom us all to death and worse.

LORD GLOVER

My lady, I beg your pardon for the offense I've given, but whatever you've heard, I meant no harm. I intended to bring my concerns to you as soon as possible.

SANSA

I doubt that. But in any case, first you brought them to Lord Royce. First you brought them to Lord Manderly. First you sought to gather support, so that you could have forced me to act against my own brother whether I wanted to or not, on threat of losing the Northern army.

LORD GLOVER

My lady, everything I did was out of loyalty to you, for your own (good--)

SANSA

(interrupting)

Do not insult me, my lord. I am not a child. I am not an idiot. I am the Lady of Winterfell, and I do not have time for your denials and your excuses. You will speak to me plainly and truthfully, or you will speak not at all.

Glover stares at her. There's a long, tense silence.

LORD GLOVER

Which of them told you?

SANSA

I do not owe you that knowledge.

LORD GLOVER

It was Royce, wasn't it.

34.

SANSA

(more cold)

I do not owe you that knowledge.

(beat)

You're scared. I understand that, I'm scared too. But not as scared as you. You were willing to believe a very complicated falsehood, because you were too scared of the simpler truth, which is that my brother is exactly what he appears to be. And what's coming now is exactly what he says is coming.

(condescending)

I understand that all of this is very frightening. But I can't have you spreading lies about my brother.

LORD GLOVER

What are you going to do with me?

SANSA

That's a good question.

She eyes him appraisingly, as a wolf eyes its dinner.

SANSA

I could execute you. Expose your conspiracy and sentence you for treason.

Glover is trying his best to conceal his fear.

SANSA

But if I do that... what better way to breathe life into your stories? Right now, these lies are only whispers, traded in dark corridors between a small number of frightened men.

She eyes him for another beat, letting him sweat in the suspense. Then:

SANSA

We're sending half the queen's Unsullied south to Torrhen's Square. We're over-garrisoned here, and should the attack become a seige, we will need a reserve force to lift it.

35.

Lord Glover frowns in confusion. This seems like a non sequitur, but he knows better than to interrupt.

SANSA

Tomorrow morning, I shall announce for all to hear that you have been granted the honor of leading this force. I will tell everyone that you and Royce and Manderly departed before dawn to prepare the way.

(beat)

But first, tonight, you shall surrender to me your horses, your banners, your armor, and your clothes. I shall give them to others, to ride in your guise. You and your co-conspirators shall remain in my custody. Not in the darkness of a dungeon. But in a tower, with a good view.

(beat)

Maybe you'll turn out to be right. Maybe my brother is secretly the most skillful liar who ever lived, and you'll see his wildling host fall upon us. Or maybe he's not, and you'll see something much worse. We'll all know soon enough. Grey Worm will be escorting you from now on.

Glover knows he's been checkmated. He heaves a defeated sigh and gives Sansa a look.

LORD GLOVER

May I speak my mind, my lady? Just once, before I'm dragged off to my secret cell?

Sansa regards him a moment. Then nods.

LORD GLOVER

You love your brother. It makes you blind. You don't see how dangerous he is.

SANSA

Jon is who he says he is.

LORD GLOVER

And you know this because your little brother received a vision from a tree.

36.

SANSA

Bran's visions are real. And Samwell Tarly found proof at the Citadel.

LORD GLOVER

So you gave away your kingdom on the word of Jon Snow's best friend.

Sansa narrows her eyes at him.

SANSA

I know Jon better than you ever could.

LORD GLOVER

Do you?

SANSA

He would never lie about this. He is Rhaegar Targaryen's trueborn son.

LORD GLOVER

Even if that's true, he's still a bastard. He'll always be a bastard. In his heart, if not in name. Do you think he has great love for us? The people who looked down on him all his life? Do you think his queen has great love for the people who chased her into exile?

(beat)

Perhaps you're imagining that they'll rule over us in peace? You imagine they'll honor our great houses and our traditions?

Sansa stares back at him dispassionately, not letting him see that he's getting to her. Grey Worm is glaring at Lord Glover.

LoRD GLOVER

No. I don't think so. They'll burn it to the ground. And whatever world they build from the ashes... I'll bet my life it won't be as pleasant for people like you and me.

SANSA

(growing angry)

Jon has fought for the good of his people over and over again.

37.

LORD GLOVER

Oh, aye. They both have. Daenerys Targaryen, the Breaker of Chains, who crucified the rich to gain favor with the poor. Jon Snow, hero-savior to the wildling horde, who hanged every officer of the Night's Watch when they dared protest the invasion of their homeland.

(beat)

They'll rule well for their people, I'm sure. And you're a fool if you think that means you.

Sansa is trembling now with suppressed rage.

SANSA

Take him.

Grey Worm comes forward. He removes Glover's cloak. Glover chuckles as his hands are bound behind his back, as a different cloak is draped over him -- rough-spun, oversized, concealing. He laughs until a gag is shoved into his mouth. Grey Worm pulls the hood of the cloak over Glover's head, concealing his face, and leads him away.