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[Jon looks over towards the knife. The Wildlings get their weapons ready]
"Don't be an idiot!" Lyanna hissed. There was no way for him to get out without being cut down. He had what he needed, he needed to return, fast.
"Ah! Oh, that's why you're here. I reckon you could do it before any of them could stop ya. They'd kill you, of course, they'd kill ya slow, but ya knew that when you came in here. Are you capable of that, Jon Snow? Killing a man in his own tent when he's just offered ya peace? Is that what the Night's Watch is? Is that what you are?"
"Offered you his ale... would that count as bread and salt?" Bran asked.
"It's eating and drinking the food and drinks the host offers him. So yes, that should count as well" Ned murmured in reply.
Jon wouldn't do it. He knew his son well enough to know that he would not do it.
[A horn blows in the distance. Everyone scrambles, MANCE draws a knife to JON'S neck]
Brandon and Ned sat up, surprised.
"Reinforcements?" Brandon the Elder questioned.
"From where?" Ned asked.
"You attacking us?"
"No, it's like you said, we don't have the men."
[The Wildlings run around frantically. Men on horseback ride toward them. The horsemen continue toward the Wildlings, killing all in their path. The Wildlings fight back, clearly outnumbered]
"Stand down! I said my people have bled enough and I meant it."
[STANNIS BARATHEON and DAVOS SEAWORTH ride up toward MANCE RAYDER.]
"Thank you," Lyanna said with full earnestness. "Thank you for coming to my son's rescue."
"I- no doubt the red witch had a hand in this" Stannis said awkwardly. Truth be told, it felt good to be appreciated for something he did, to be thanked for doing his duty.
Lyanna smiled still before looking away.
"You did good, brother" Robert patted him on the shoulder.
Stannis knew well enough that the gratitude from Robert was for making Lyanna Stark smile, not because of any other reason. That he did not care for.
[They get off their horses. MANCE disarms himself]
"You're the king beyond the wall?"
[MANCE nods]
"You know who I am?"
"Never had the pleasure."
"This is Stannis Baratheon, the one true king of the seven kingdoms."
"We're not in the seven kingdoms and you're not dressed for this weather."
"You really are not" Robb commented on the armour and tunic Stannis wore. HE'll freeze in the weather of the North in that.
"It is customary to kneel when surrendering to a king."
"We do not kneel."
"I'll have thousands of your men in chains by nightfall, I'll have nowhere to put them and nothing to feed them. I'm not here to slaughter dogs. Their fate depends on their king."
"All the same, we do not kneel."
"Arrogant" Renly clicked his tongue.
"You say arrogant, I say principled" Robert replied. "They made him their King for this purpose, the stubbornness to hold on to their beliefs no matter what."
"At the expense of his men's lives?' Renly frowned.
"Especially that. They made the man who was the best of them their King, to lead them out of the terror that is the White walkers."
Renly's frown did not leave him. He saw no reason in what Robert said.
"What are men of the Night's Watch doing in a Wildling camp?"
"I was sent to discuss terms with the king beyond the wall."
"You're speaking to the one true king boy. You'll address him as your grace."
"I know he's the king. My father died for him. My name is Jon Snow, your grace. I'm Ned Stark's son."
"Your father was an honourable man. What do you think he'd have done with him?"
"I was this man's prisoner once. He could've tortured me, he could've killed me, but he spared my life. I think my father would've taken him prisoner, listened to what he had to say."
Ned nodded. He would have done exactly that.
"Very well."
[STANNIS turns to DAVOS]
"Take him."
"Your grace. If my father'd seen the things that I've seen, he'd also tell you to burn the dead before nightfall. All of them."
"No doubt the witch has told Stannis to do much and the same" Brandon the Elder muttered. This was why she was there, right? The fight against the Great Other.
[KING'S LANDING]
[QYBURN is seen closely analyzing GREGOR'S body. He's in PYCELLE'S lab with CERSEI]
"I would suggest milk of the poppy to ease his pain but he is completely insensate.'
"Bloody Martells."
"The cause appears to be manticore venom. I've read a good deal about it. It's a horrible poison, usually Mantari in origin. Oh! Yes, yes. There's nothing to be done."
Oberyn smiled smugly. Good, that monster was going to suffer before his death. It was as much as he deserved.
Elia spat in disgust. She was glad that Gregor was going to die and would suffer as he did so, but it was not worth the cost of losing her brother. She was already dead and no amount of vengeance would bring her or her children back. She'd rather Oberyn went on to die of natural causes than leave his family over something as meaningless as vengeance.
"Yes, there is."
"No..." Oberyn whispered horrified.
"May I ask what you think you're doing?"
"Saving him."
"Your grace. I wish it were otherwise, but Ser Gregor is beyond saving. Well, well beyond. This man is not even a Maester, let alone Grand Maester."
"That's for the best. No Maester knows how to save him."
"That is exactly the sort of arrogance that had him expelled from the citadel, your grace. His curiosity was deemed dangerous and unnatural. Rightly so in my opinion."
"You're dismissed, Grand Maester."
"Your grace. This is my laboratory!"
"Not anymore."
"Serves you right, your grey rat bastard" Tyrion spat venemously. All his boot-licking and ass-eating would do him no good now.
[PYCELLE leaves the laboratory angrily as QYBURN tries to save GREGOR'S body]
"You can save him?"
"Difficult to say, your grace, but if my past work is any guide. We stand a chance."
"Do everything you can. Come to me with anything you need."
"Thank you, your grace. You should know, the process may change him, somewhat."
"Will it weaken him?"
"Oh no."
"Very well then."
[CERSEI leaves as QYBURN drains GREGOR'S blood.]
"No... no... NO!" Oberyn stood outraged, angry eyes staring at the vision. "I killed him! I made him suffer! You can't bring him back! Not after all I sacrificed!"
"Your vengeance is hollow" Doran said softly and Oberyn turned his angry eyes at his brother.
"I did something! I did something while you plotted and waited! I made Elia's killer suffer!"
"Load of good that did" Doran snorted. "You died, widowed our paramore, orphaned your girls, and the great lump would stand once more while you'd rot in the soul" Doran glared at his brother. "You have always been impatient, hot-blooded and quick to action. Look at what it has done to you now. I have implored and begged for you to sit, think and then strike when the time is right. But your arrogance and immaturity have led to this. Gregor Clegane will live, a shadow of himself maybe but he will live and you will have died a fruitless death!"
Oberyn fell back as his brother's words hit him. His vengeance... was for naught. He'd died for nothing...
"What plan?" Elia whispered to Doran once he had calmed himself.
Doran eyed his sister then the rest. They were all looking at him, curious every last one of them. Damn Oberyn...
"If it does not get revealed here, I'll tell you," the Prince of Dorne said instead.
Elia nodded softly, unsure of what to make of it. Doran was unlike Obryn as the sun was unlike to the moon. Doran plotted and waited, like a predator waiting, and when the time was right he pounced.
Something that Elia found bothersome. Doran waited too long, took too much time, and when his chosen pawns fell he reset the board. Which meant he hardly if ever sprang to action.
That was why Elia was curious. Had the initial board somehow made it or did Doran have to redo his board?