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[CASTLE BLACK-NIGHT]
[Members of the Night's Watch escort MANCE to STANNIS.]
"Mance Rayder, you've been called the King Beyond the Wall. Westeros only has one king."
"Aegon the Conqueror never brought the lands beyond the Wall under his reign... would they be part of the King's domain still?" Shireen whispered. It was a little presumptuous to assume it was.
"Bend the knee, I promise you mercy."
[MANCE looks at the Free Folk, including TORMUND, the Night's Watch have chained up. Then he looks at JON SNOW.]
"Kneel and live."
"This was my home for many years. I wish you good fortune in the wars to come."
[STANNIS nods. His men take MANCE onto the burning funeral pyre and tie him to it. MELISANDRE walks to the front of the pyre and picks up a torch. She lights the pyre. MANCE starts panicking as the fire reaches his legs. JON SNOW walks up to a high point and shoots MANCE in the heart with an arrow, killing him.]
An act of mercy, no doubt. But how will it be perceived by all that were present?
[EXT. BRAAVOS - SEA]
[ARYS approaches the coast in the ship. The Titan of Braavos looms over the vessel.]
"She's arrived safely" Ned whispered in relief, while Catelyn relaxed beside him. Both had feared the worst might happen on that ship, from where Arya would have nowhere to escape. But she was safe.
But for how long....
"In the old times, whenever Braavos stood in danger, the titan would step with fire in his eyes. He'd wade into the sea and smash the enemies."
"He's just a statue" Arya muttered in confusion.
"It's probably folklore of old, that the statue came to life to protect Braavos when it is in danger" Jon explained.
[A horn blows as they approach the statue. ARYA clutches her chest and the man laughs.]
"Don't be afraid. He's announcing our arrival."
"I'm not afraid."
"It's okay to admit that you are afraid," Robb said kindly to his sister.
Daenerys doubted that the girl was afraid, not after everything she'd seen before boarding the ship.
[EXT. BRAAVOS - RAGMAN HARBOR]
[ARYA and the man are in a row boat. The man rows them to shore as they pass various street merchants. The man rows past them and soon arrives at THE HOUSE OF BLACK AND WHITE.]
Oberyn inhaled sharply. So they had been right. That faceless man had found potential in the young Stark and wished to recruit her....
"Here, I leave you."
[He helps ARYA get off the boat and onto the dock.]
"Thank you for bringing me."
"Any man of Braavos would have done the same. Valar Morghulis."
"Valar Dohaeris."
"Why? Is that man so well known?" Myrcella asked.
"It's not the man, but who he belongs to that holds the respect of the people of Braavos. Respect and fear" Oberyn explained.
"Oh... who does he belong to?" the girl asked.
"You'll find out soon enough" the man smiled tightly.
[ARYA knocks on the door, twice; the door opens while knocking the second time. An old man enters]
"Hello. Valar Morghulis."
[The old man continues to stare; ARYA takes out the coin.]
"Jaqen H'ghar gave me this."
"No one here by that name."
"Did he give me a fake name then?" Arya frowned, a little hurt.
"No, his people don't have a name. They adopt a new one every mission" Jon explained. He remembered covering the Faceless Men with Maester Luwin and Robb, who looked equally disturbed as Jon did.
"What do you mean?" Arya frowned.
"I- I'm not sure how to explain it. But I'm sure you'll learn more about Faceless Men as we watch."
Arya huffed. She knew about Faceless Men, or at least knew the name. She had read that name from a book but didn't know too many details. All she knew was that they could change faces and were blades for hire.
"Please. I crossed the Narrow Sea. I have nowhere else to go."
"You have everywhere else to go."
[The Old Man shuts the door abruptly, ARYA turns around and sits on the top step.]
"Her resolve is being tested" Oberyn muttered. "They wouldn't take just anyone in their organization...'
Elia nodded. She knew all about these people... Not everything, but enough to make her skin crawl.
[HOUSE OF BLACK AND WHITE-NIGHT]
"Cersei, Walder Frey, The Mountain, Meryn Trant. Cersei, Walder Frey, The Mountain, Meryn Trant."
[ARYA repeats the four names until the break of dawn as rain pours outside.]
[HOUSE OF BLACK AND WHITE-DAY]
"...The Mountain, Meryn Trant."
[ARYA gets up and throws the coin into the sea.]
"Persistent thing" Olenna chuckled. She liked the fight in that one.
[THE VALE-INN]
[BRIENNE rides into the stable outside the inn on horseback, with PODRICK walking next to her.]
[THE VALE-INN]
[PODRICK and BRIENNE are seated at a table. A barmaid approaches and pours ale for BRIENNE.]
Stannis sucked in a sharp breath.
"Father?" Shireen frowned.
"I'm alright" he waved her concern off.
That barmaid... resembled his mother. It was a small resemblance, mostly the shape of her eyes and the smile, but it was there.
[The barmaid approaches another table; SANSA and LITTLEFINGER'S]
"Oh, they are in the same inn" Catelyn perked up. Brienne found her daughter!
[Back to PODRICK and BRIENNE]
"My lady!"
"What is it?"
"Sansa Stark."
[BRIENNE begins to turn around but PODRICK stops her]
"Don't look!"
"You sure?"
"She's dyed her hair, but it's her. She's sitting with Petyr Baelish."
"Littlefinger?"
"A bunch of knights with him."
"Bunch? What's a bunch? 100? 6? 20?"
"10, I think. Too many. My lady, I don't think this is the right-"
"Ready the horses."
"She wouldn't attack, and Baelish won't start a scene," Renly said with finality. There was little risk here.
"No, but she might draw attention. The woman's hardly discreet about anything she does" Robert grunted.
Yes, that could be an issue...
[BRIENNE shows up and BAELISH'S knights get in her way]
Catelyn tensed. They wouldn't do anything out in the open. Baelish wouldn't want that attention on him or Sansa, especially considering how he's harbouring her right now from the crown...
"Lord Baelish, Lady Sansa, my name is Brienne of Tarth."
"We've met. With Renly Baratheon. What did he say about you? He said, "You're a loyalty that comes free of charge." Someone appears to have paid quite a bit for it since then."
[BAELISH gestures to the knights to welcome her; BRIENNE goes through and takes a knee in front of SANSA]
"Lady Sansa, before your mother's death, I was her sworn sword. I gave my word I would find you and protect you. I will shield your back and keep your counsel, and give my life for yours if need be. I swear it by the old gods and the new."
"Please, Lady Brienne. No need for such formality."
"She was not speaking to you" Sansa muttered, slightly angry.
"You are Catelyn Stark's sworn sword?"
"I was."
"Strange. I knew Cat from the time we were children. She never mentioned you."
"Because by then you'd shown your true face to me and I knew not to trust you" Catelyn snarkled angrily.
"It was after Renly's murder."
"Ah, yes. You were accused of killing him."
"I tried to save him."
"But you were accused."
"By men who didn't see what happened."
"Then what did happen?"
"He was murdered by a shadow. A shadow with the face of Stannis Baratheon."
"It's odd how we would just believe it now, but if we had no knowledge of all of this, we would scoff, spit and throw her in the dungeons" Tyrion mused.
"Such is the blessing of knowledge, no?" Jaime smirked.
"Those words do not suit you...
Jaime snorted.
"A shadow! With a face! This woman swore to protect Renly, she failed. She swore to protect your mother, she failed. Why would I want somebody with your history of failure guiding Lady Sansa?"
"Because it is not on you to choose who protects her" Catelyn snarled. She had been the one to choose Brienne, her words outweighed the weasel by everything.
"Why should you have any say in her affairs?"
"Because I am her uncle. I married her Aunt Lysa shortly before my beloved's untimely death."
"Murder, you mean" Brandon said coldly. He did not like Lysa Tully either, but this weasel was even less liked by him.
"We're family now, and you're an outsider. Forgive me, Lady Brienne, but experiences made me wary of outsiders."
"Lady Sansa, if we can have a word alone-"
"No."
"Please, my lady. If I could explain-"
"I saw you at Joffrey's wedding bowing to the king."
"Ah, I forgot about that" Catelyn muttered. Sansa would not trust her now, no matter what she had to say.
"Neither of us wanted to be there. Sometimes we don't have a choice."
"And sometimes we do."
"Yes, openly choose not to bow and get beheaded. A whole lot of good that would do her and everyone" Arya muttered with a roll of her eyes.
"You should leave."
"We don't want our new friend wandering the countryside alone. The roads in these parts aren't safe. Why don't you stay?"
[BRIENNE walks away, only to be stopped by one of the Knights.]
"He asked you to stay."
"Brute" Catelyn spat.
[BRIENNE elbows him in the face after two of the knights attempt to get in her way.]
Catelyn looked pleased, not too much but just enough. Bloody weasel and his lackeys.
[BRIENNE rushes out of the inn to the stables. She frees some horses and then rides away with PODRICK.]