June 17, 2018

Jon and Dany swear an oath.

INT. WINTERFELL GREAT HALL - NIGHT

Winterfell's Great Hall is packed with NORTHERN BANNERMEN. Their uneasy voices clamor as they argue with each other, animated and afraid.

Jon's voice rises up and cuts through the chatter.

JON

This isn't the time to panic. It's time to prepare.

36.

Jon stands at the head of the room, just in front of the high table, where Sansa is seated.

LORD GLOVER stands up.

LORD GLOVER

They have a dragon!

JON

And we have two.

A pause.

LORD GLOVER

Is it true you bent the knee?

JON

It is.

Uneasy murmuring in the crowd. Lord Glover hesitates.

JON

Speak freely, Lord Glover.

Lord Glover frowns. Jon encourages him with a nod.

LORD GLOVER

I thought you would lose your head in the South, your grace. Truly I did. I'm impressed that you didn't. I'm impressed with the army you've brought back.

(beat)

But at what price? The dragon queen gives us an army and demands our freedom as sacrifice. Our independence.

JON

She didn't demand it, I gave it.

LORD GLOVER

Why?

Jon takes a breath and gathers himself for a speech.

JON

When I first arrived at Dragonstone, Daenerys Targaryen asked me to bend the knee. I refused her. I told her we didn't have time for her war with Cersei. I told her the dead were coming for us all.

37.

(beat)

She didn't believe me. If she were her father, she would have burned me alive on the spot for the insult.

(beat)

Instead she helped me. A stranger, who had given her no assurances. She helped me mine the dragonglass. And later, when my men and I were trapped beyond the Wall, she came and she saved us.

(beat)

She risked her own life to do that. She lost a dragon doing that, one of her own children. She's already fought for the North, bled for the North. And now she's pledged all her strength to the North, to help us win the Great War.

(beat)

She could've gone back to where she came from, after she saw the Army of the Dead. Instead, she's come here, to the most dangerous place in the world. Not because she has to. But because it's right.

More murmuring in the crowd.

JON

I know none of you will ever trust a Targaryen you don't know. I'm not asking you to. I'm asking you to trust me . You might not agree with this choice. But you did choose to follow me.

(longer beat)

The Night's Watch chose to follow me, once. But after I let the Free Folk through our gates, my officers lost confidence. They expressed it by ambushing me in my courtyard and stabbing me to death.

Silence. This is a widely-known legend in the North, but few have heard Jon speak of it himself.

38.

JON

There's no need for that. If you have lost confidence in me, you will say it with words, here and now. You will choose another king, or no king at all, whatever suits you. But as long as I am your leader, I will do what's best for the North, as best as I can.

(beat)

If we survive this war, it will be because we had aid from the South. And if we survive this war, it won't be the last time in our history that we will need aid from the South. With Daenerys as queen, we will have it. Now and always.

(beat)

I know we're a proud people. But survival is more important than pride. The North is stronger with the other kingdoms than we are apart from them. That is why I bent the knee.

Jon lets the silence sit for a good moment, scanning the room for reactions.

JON

Does anyone have anything to say?

The murmuring starts up again in the crowd. Jon scans the whole room, making eye contact with individuals in turn.

Finally LYANNA MORMONT stands up.

LYANNA MORMONT

We know no king but the King in the North, whose name is Stark. We chose you , your grace. We didn't choose her.

(beat)

If what you say is true, Daenerys Targaryen is a good queen. But she's a southern queen, and I can't follow her.

There's a pause, as Lyanna and Jon share eye contact.

LYANNA MORMONT

But I can follow you . If you say this is the way, House Mormont stands behind you.

39.

She remains standing. There's more murmuring, more animated now. After a while, LORD MANDERLY stands up as well.

LORD MANDERLY

House Manderly stands behind House Stark.

More murmuring. A shorter beat this time, then Lord Glover stands up as well. He gives a nod, no words necessary.

One-by-one, the rest of the room stands up, reaffirming their allegiance to Jon, until everyone is standing.

Jon pauses for one beat longer, giving the room one last chance to speak up. Then he gives a small, subtle smile.

JON

It's time to meet your new queen.

He nods and the door opens, to Jon's left at the far end of the room. Tyrion and Missandei enter. They walk to the center aisle and stand on either side of it, facing Jon from the far end of the room.

Tyrion and Sansa share a look. This is the first time they've seen each other since King's Landing.

Finally Dany enters. She's dressed in white furs. Amidst the darkly-clad Northerners, she practically illuminates the room.

Dany walks to the center aisle and stands at the end of the hall, with Tyrion and Missandei flanking her. Every eye is turned upon her, transfixed.

MISSANDEI

(to the room)

You stand in the presence of Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen. Rightful heir to the Iron Throne. Rightful queen of the Andals and the First Men. Protector of the Seven Kingdoms. The Mother of Dragons. The Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea. The Unburnt. The Breaker of Chains.

Dany takes a step forward. Tyrion and Missandei start to follow, but Dany gives them a look, and they hang back. Dany walks alone to the center of the room and stops.

Jon walks down the center aisle and joins her there, eyes locked on hers. He draws Longclaw and holds it up.

40.

Jon and Dany stand face-to-face together in the middle of the room. Then Jon puts the point of his sword on the ground and kneels, head bowed.

Seeing him kneel, everyone else in the room kneels as well, starting tentatively with a few individuals closest to the center, then rippling outward like a wave, all the way to the walls, as Dany watches.

Dany turns her gaze back to Jon and begins to speak. Jon looks up at her as she does.

DANY

Jon Snow, son of Eddard Stark. I swear to you this sacred oath. Your people are my people, to protect. Your lands are my lands, to defend. Your honor is my honor, to uphold. I swear to hear your counsel, hold your trust, and rain justice upon those who would harm you and yours. I swear it by the old gods and the new.

Jon gazes up at her, still kneeling, and speaks his part of the oath.

JON

Daenerys Targaryen, first of your name. I swear to you this sacred oath. Your allies are my allies. Your enemies are my enemies. Your word is my law. I swear to obey you, defend you, and come to your aid whenever called upon. I swear it by the old gods and the new.

Jon picks up his sword, holds it horizontally across both hands, and slowly lays it down at her feet.

DANY

Rise.

Jon stands up, and the room stands with him. He and Dany clasp forearms. Tentative clapping begins, then gradually grows and fills the room. The significance of the moment is reflected on the faces of the people present: Tyrion, Sansa, Missandei, Davos, various bannermen.

Alone in their own moment, Jon and Dany look at each other, the applauding crowd blurred into the background.

41.

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE DANY'S CHAMBER - NIGHT

JON

Your Unsullied seemed to struggle on the Kingsroad.

Jon and Dany walk together down the hallway.

DANY

They've never seen snow before.

JON

Hm. We'll have to get them used to it. Teach them proper Northern fighting.

They've reached Dany's chamber.

INT. DANY'S CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS

JON

Our weather here is as dangerous as any army. It's said that the North can never be held by southerners.

Dany closes the door behind them as Jon continues.

JON

It's too big and too wild, and if the Northmen don't kill you, the (snows will--)

Dany pushes Jon aggressively against the wall and kisses him, hard.

Jon laughs, a little taken aback by her intensity.

JON

Dany, what--

She kisses him again and starts taking off his clothes.

CUT TO:

Dany and Jon are naked in bed, tangled up in a postcoital embrace, breathing hard as they catch their breath.

Some sudden thought makes Jon smile.

DANY

What's funny?

42.

JON

Some girls like flowers. You seem to prefer kingdoms.

She laughs.

DANY

Did your last girl swoon for flowers?

JON

No, she wasn't the swooning sort.

DANY

Hm, neither am I. But. When a man kneels for me, and a whole kingdom kneels with him...

Jon smiles.

DANY

...I admit that does carry a certain appeal.

JON

I'll have to find you more kingdoms.

Dany grins. They kiss.

JON

I should go.

(off her look)

People might get suspicious.

DANY

Of what?

Jon sighs at her, though he looks more amused than exasperated.

JON

I said a lot of nice things about you tonight. Gave sensible, kingly reasons for bending the knee. We don't want my people to suspect... less kingly reasons.

He gets out of bed and starts putting his clothes back on.

43.

Dany rolls onto her belly, chin propped on one elbow, watching him.

Dany's POV: our gaze lingers lovingly over Jon's body as he gets dressed.

DANY

Does it bother you that you can't call yourself king anymore?

JON

(pulling on a shirt)

You keep forgetting that I'm just a bastard.

DANY

You've come a long way.

JON

So have you.

Dany smiles.

Jon finishes putting his clothes on. He un-dishevels his hair and starts making for the door.

DANY

Jon.

She gets out of bed. She's still naked. Our gaze lingers lovingly over her body.

She comes up to him, presses him against the wall, and herself against him, and kisses him again.

DANY

Stay.

JON

(deadpan)

You really like kingdoms.

She smiles and starts to lean in again. Jon puts a hand against her chest and stops her.

JON

How's this. Marry me, and I'll warm your bed whenever you want. Until then...

He peels her hands off himself and imprisons them together in his own hands. He gives her a smile and a peck on the cheek, then leaves.