June 14, 2019

Death marches closer.

ext. Riverlands landscape - green fork - DAY

A wide landscape shot establishes us in the Riverlands. Snow falls softly from an overcast sky.

The Green Fork rushes swift and cold between snowy banks edged with ice. A small village sits quietly within sight of the southwestern bank. Smoke rises gently from its chimneys.

Ext. Green fork riverbank - day

Fighting the pull of a fishing line, a TROUT thrashes wildly just off the ice that's formed along the riverbank. Pieces break off as the fish struggles.

An ELDERLY ANGLER reaches for the trout with a long-handled landing net, keeping tension on his rod with his other hand. The ice extends several feet out over the water's surface -- the man braces one foot lightly against it for balance, not quite committing his weight.

ANGLER

Alright, up you come.

He brings the trout out of the river and onto the snow-covered bank. It's a big, beautiful specimen. The angler beams appreciatively as he extricates his prize from the net, holding it by the gills.

ANGLER

Aren't you a beauty.

He holds the fish against the ground, gripping it between his knees to limit its wriggling. He whacks it sharply between the eyes with a stick. The trout jerks spasmodically, then goes still in the snow.

The old man extracts his hook. He baits it, and casts his line out into the river once more. He settles down onto a three-legged stool with a heavy sigh, and waits for something to bite.

19.

A few quiet moments pass, uneventfully. The old man's breath steams in the wintry air. Behind him, the village is peaceful and idyllic, like a Thomas Kinkade painting. Light glows warmly from cottage windows.

A cold gust ruffles the man's thinning hair. He shivers and lifts one mittened hand from his fishing rod to warm it with his breath.

Snow continues falling from the sky into the river, quite thickly now. The water flows cold beneath the uneven edge of the riverbank ice. Rafts of slush drift downstream. The overcast sky darkens as the cloud cover thickens.

EXT. GREEN FORK - FAR BANK - CONCURRENT

Across the river, an indistinct HUMAN FIGURE emerges from the blowing snow.

EXT. GREEN FORK RIVERBANK - ANGLER MOMENT

The old fisherman squints bemusedly at the mysterious stranger across the river, trying to see through the snow and the gloom. His eyes aren't as good as when he was younger.

Angler's POV: the figure stands alone on the far bank, uncanny in its utter stillness.

EXT. GREEN FORK - FAR BANK - NIGHT KING MOMENT

The NIGHT KING gazes at the angler from across the freezing river. His blue eyes are terrible in their dispassion.

He moves forward, and steps out onto the ice.

Cold emanates from him, freezing the ice thicker and farther beneath his feet, spreading outward in a slowly widening circle.

He takes another step, and another, unhurried and unstoppable as ever. The river freezes beneath him as he walks slowly across its surface.

EXT. GREEN FORK RIVERBANK - ANGLER MOMENT

The old man stumbles backward out of fearful reflex, trying to make sense of this unsettling sight.

20.

At his feet, the prize trout lays frozen and forgotten in the snow.

EXT. GREEN FORK - FAR BANK - NIGHT KING MOMENT

The Night King is halfway across the river now, an ever-widening bridge of ice forming beneath him as he walks.

As he draws nearer, the ARMY OF THE DEAD suddenly comes into view, emerging out of the storm in their countless thousands, lining the far riverbank as far as the eye can see.

Ext. GREEN FORK RIVERBANK - ANGLER MOMENT

The old man's fishing rod drops from his fingers. He turns and flees for the nonexistent safety of his doomed village.

Ext. Dragonstone island - night

Moonlight glints off the waves of Dragonstone's harbor and the angular lines of its castle.

INT. DRAGONSTONE - LORD'S CHAMBER - NIGHT

Jon is lying in bed on his side, close to the edge, staring dully at some invisible point on the wall.

The door opens, and Dany comes in. Jon looks up at her without moving. He acknowledges her with a soft smile, then goes back to staring at the wall.

Dany quietly changes into a nightgown. As she changes, her barely-there baby bump is briefly visible.

She climbs under the covers and settles in, facing Jon, who hasn't moved or turned toward her. She watches the back of his head for a bit, opens her mouth, thinks better of it, then rolls onto her back. She settles back against the pillow with a sigh and stares up at the ceiling.

A quiet moment passes.

Dany looks over at Jon again. He still hasn't moved. Finally, she can't stand it. She rolls up onto one elbow, reaches out, and touches his shoulder.

DANY

Jon...

He turns his head and looks at her over his shoulder: yes?

21.

She hesitates, then moves in for a kiss.

He lets her, though he does not reciprocate much. Finally he breaks it off, gently, and gives her a chaste nuzzle. He turns his head away again.

Dany is pained. She hesitates, then turns his face toward her again and kisses him with more passion. She presses her body against his. Her hand moves to his chest, then reaches under his shirt to touch his stomach.

He breaks off the kiss and stops her there.

JON

Not now.

Dany studies his face. She backs down, respectfully, and lays against her pillow once more.

A beat.

DANY

I spoke with Melisandre again.

Jon's eyes go wary. Speaking with Melisandre is a strictly day-ruining activity, in Jon's experience. He braces himself for whatever new doom Dany is about to pronounce.

DANY

She says I'm carrying a girl.

That takes him by surprise. His eyes light up, and he looks her full in the face finally: really? She holds his gaze: yes, really.

She moves in again, tentatively, and this time he reciprocates. He shifts his body around and puts both arms around her as they kiss.

Their kissing grows more passionate. It takes on an urgent, desperate quality, like they can't get enough, fast enough.

Suddenly, he breaks away, and jerks up into a sitting position. He stares straight ahead at the far wall, breathing hard.

Dany slowly sits up as well, watching him carefully.

JON

(tight)

I'm sorry.

DANY

Shhh. It's alright.

22.

Jon is breathing very deliberately. In and out. In and out. In and out.

DANY

What do you need?

He looks at her. He looks rather lost. His gaze shifts away, staring straight ahead without seeing anything.

He gets out of bed, abruptly, and moves to the door. He disappears out of the room.

Dany stares at the door, suddenly alone.

She scoots backward to the head of the bed, leans back against the headboard, and draws up her knees. She stares up at the ceiling.

She looks down at the empty half of the bed. A spasm of grief crumples her face before she reins it back in. She leans her head back against the headboard and closes her eyes.

INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE THEIR ROOM - CONCURRENT

Jon moves urgently through the hallways, half-blind to his surroundings, not really knowing what he's looking for.

He stumbles upon a small deserted balcony, goes outside, and bars the door behind him.

EXT. DRAGONSTONE BALCONY - CONTINUOUS

Jon slumps against the balcony door and has a panic attack.

INT. DRAGONSTONE - TYRION'S CHAMBER - NIGHT

Tyrion tosses restlessly in bed, similarly unable to sleep.

He finally gets up and goes to the window for fresh air. A bright moon illuminates the night sky. Drogon and Rhaegal are silhouetted against it, soaring and singing to each other. One of them swoops playfully at the other.

Tyrion watches the two dragons dance. Then turns his head and looks back into his own room.

His rumpled bed stares back at him -- empty and lonely.

Tyrion looks up at the dragons once more. Then slowly retreats from his window, disappearing into the darkness of his room.

23.

INT. DRAGONSTONE - LORD'S CHAMBER - MORNING

A grey morning light filters in through the window of Jon and Dany's room. Dany lays in bed, alone, having finally managed an uneasy sleep.

The door creeps open and Jon comes in, moving quietly. He closes the door softly, crosses the room, and climbs into bed. He shifts close to Dany and starts to gather her into his arms.

She wakes with a sudden gasp and clutches at him.

JON

Shhh.

He takes her arms and holds them firmly by the wrists with one hand, holding them still. He holds her face with his other hand, stroking her cheek with his thumb. Very slowly, he goes in for a kiss. She kisses back with a desperate urgency.

JON

Easy.

He breaks off the kiss and draws back, looking her in the face, eyes soft.

He presses his forehead against hers and closes his eyes. He draws a deep breath, and lets it out slowly. Then again, and again, until she matches him and goes quiet.

Finally, he goes in again, and they kiss -- slowly, lazily, like they have all the time in the world.