January 6, 2019

Jaime offers unsolicited wisdom.

EXT. WINTERFELL battlements - later

Jon walks with JAIME LANNISTER along the top of Winterfell's outer wall. This time the walls are lined with scorpions, in varying stages of completion. Jon eyes one of the scorpions.

JON

They won't hit ours by accident?

JAIME

"Red flames, hold. Blue flames, fire." I make them repeat it constantly -- when they're drilling, when they're eating, when they're shitting...

As they walk, a dragon's cry pulls their attention to Dany, who is flying DROGON, some distance away from the castle. Drogon has been fitted with a leather harness, and a crew of four or five archers are strapped on, firing arrows at a target mounted high on a makeshift wooden scaffold.

Jon stops walking. He and Jaime watch the drill, as Dany makes a pass at the target. The archers are struggling. They may be the North's finest, but they are understandably unaccustomed to shooting from dragonback. Jaime studies Jon's face as Jon watches Dany.

JAIME

You know it won't get any better.

JON

What?

JAIME

Your feelings for her.

Jon casts him an annoyed glance and resumes walking. Jaime's expression grows sly as he watches Jon walk away. He's finally found something that gets under Jon's skin. He follows after him.

JAIME

Are you just going to torture yourself for the rest of your life? That sounds... pointlessly pathetic. You're Targaryens . Nobody will blink an eye.

7.

Jon ignores him.

JAIME

It's expected of you, even. Seems a terrible waste not to (take advantage--)

JON

(interrupting)

Not about to discuss it with you .

JAIME

Who better?

Jon walks a bit faster, as though trying to escape this conversation.

JAIME

You're afraid of it, aren't you. And you're afraid to talk to me, because you're afraid you might start to like me. Afraid you'll stop being disgusted with me just because I fuck my own sister. And then where would that leave you?

JON

(correcting his tense)

"Fucked."

JAIME

Indeed.

JON

You fucked your sister. You don't anymore, and you never will again.

Jon stops walking, finally, and faces Jaime.

JON

How does that make you feel?

A difficult question.

JAIME

We don't choose whom we love.

(beat)

My sister is an evil woman. I know it. I think I've always known it. I still love her.

JON

Does Brienne know that?

8.

That pulls Jaime up short. He makes a "how do you know about that" face.

JAIME

Please don't tell me you've set your brother to spying on us.

JON

So there's an "us" now.

Jaime sighs.

JAIME

I tried to talk her out of it.

JON

Did you.

JAIME

(defensive)

She's not easy to dissuade. And yes, she knows.

Jon regards Jaime for a long moment.

JON

You've known your whole life what Cersei is. It's taken you over forty years to do anything about it. You threw my little brother from a tower for her. Because you love her.

Jaime nods. It's harsh but true.

JON

(bitter)

Why should I listen to anything you have to say?

JAIME

I never said you should. I only said that it won't get better.

(off his look)

Don't look at me that way. You're the one who told me to never lie to you. You regretting that now?

JON

(terse)

Thank you for your honesty, Ser Jaime. Do you have anything helpful to offer?

9.

JAIME

Daenerys isn't evil. You should count yourself lucky.

Jaime gives Jon a brotherly thump on the shoulder and resumes walking. Jon's eyes follow Jaime as he leaves, then he looks up again at Dany, flying on Drogon. He stares at her, conflicted.