Game of Thrones Page #8

JAIME:

He plays the hand he was dealt.

His gaze floats over Cersei’s shoulder, to Robert.

JAIME:

As do we all.

Tyrion lurches past Ned on the main floor, nearly bumping

into him. Ned extends a hand to steady the little man but

Tyrion brushes past him, not wanting any help, heading for

the exit.

Ned turns; for a second, from where Jon Snow is sitting, it

seems Ned is staring right at him.

Jon smiles at his father, eager for acknowledgement. A wink

would suffice.

But Ned wasn’t looking at him at all; his eyes are on the

table of trueborn children that lies between Jon and Ned. Ned

heads over to break up the Arya/Bran foodfight.

Slightly bitter, more than slightly drunk, Jon takes a large

hunk of honeyed chicken from his trencher and chucks it under

the table to his dire wolf puppy, GHOST. The way Ghost

devours it in seconds is cute -- until we remember the size

of his mother.

One of the boys at the table is filling wine cups from a

flagon. Jon nods for another cup and gulps from it while

watching his pup lick the chicken bones clean.

JON SNOW:

You never stop eating, do you?

BENJEN (O.S.)

Is this one of the direwolves I’ve

heard so much about?

Jon looks up happily as his uncle BENJEN STARK (40s) ruffles

his hair.

38.

Benjen is sharp-featured and gaunt, but there’s always a hint

of laughter in his eyes. He wears the black garb of a sworn

brother of the Night’s Watch.

JON:

His name is Ghost.

One of the squires at the table makes room. Benjen straddles

the bench, takes the cup from Jon’s hand and sips.

BENJEN:

How many cups have you had?

(off Jon’s guilty smile)

As I feared. Well, I believe I was

younger than you the first time I

got truly and sincerely drunk.

Benjen grabs a roasted onion from a nearby trencher and bites

into it. He watches Ghost as he chews.

BENJEN:

Don’t you usually eat with your

brothers?

JON:

(flat, sardonic)

Most times. But Lady Stark thought

it might insult the royal family to

seat a bastard among them.

BENJEN:

I see.

Benjen glances over his shoulder at the elevated table, where

Ned returns to sit with Catelyn.

BENJEN:

My brother doesn’t seem so festive

tonight.

JON:

He’s sad about Jon Arryn.

Jon’s eyes go to the queen.

JON:

The queen is angry. Father took the

king down to the crypts this

afternoon. She didn’t want him to

go.

Benjen gives Jon a careful, measuring look.

39.

BENJEN:

You don’t miss much, do you?

(beat)

We could use a man like you on the

Wall, someday.

JON:

(a sudden rush)

Take me with you when you go back.

Father will let me go if you ask

him. I know he will.

BENJEN:

The Wall is a hard place for a boy.

JON:

I turn seventeen on my next name

day. And Maester Luwin says

bastards grow up faster.

BENJEN:

(frowning)

That’s true enough.

Benjen fills the wine cup and takes a long swallow.

JON:

I want to serve in the Night’s

Watch. I’m ready to swear your

oath.

BENJEN:

You don’t understand what you’d be

giving up. We have no families.

None of us will ever father sons.

JON:

I don’t care about that!

BENJEN:

You might, if you knew what it

meant. Come talk to me after you’ve

dipped your wick a few times.

He stands, grips his nephew’s shoulder, and takes his leave.

Frustrated, Jon drains his cup, slams it on the table and

rises from the bench. Too late he realizes how drunk he

really is-- he lurches into a SERVING GIRL, sending a flagon

of wine crashing to the floor.

Laughter booms all around. Jon flushes and runs for the door.

Ghost follows at his heels.

40.

EXT. WINTERFELL - COURTYARD - NIGHT

The yard is quiet and empty. High on the battlements of the

inner wall, a lone SENTRY takes brief notice of Jon as he

storms from the banquet hall with Ghost close behind.

The music and song spilling through the hall’s open windows

seem to taunt Jon as he walks away from the feast.

TYRION (O.S.)

Boy.

Jon turns to see Tyrion Lannister sitting like a gargoyle on

the ledge above the door to the great hall. Tyrion is drunk

like Jon, only more so.

TYRION:

Is that animal a wolf?

JON:

A direwolf. His name is Ghost.

(beat)

What are you doing up there? Why

aren’t you at the feast?

TYRION:

I learned long ago that it’s

considered rude to vomit on one’s

brother. Might I have a closer look

at your wolf?

Jon hesitates, nods--and gasps as Tyrion pushes himself off

the ledge, falls twelve feet to the ground and lands roughly.

Ghost flinches and backs away behind Jon’s legs.

Tyrion stands and dusts himself off.

TYRION:

I’ve frightened the beast. My

apologies.

JON:

He’s not afraid.

TYRION:

He is! I am terrifying!

He is not. Jon commands his wolf:

JON:

Ghost, come here. Come on, boy...

41.

The pup comes back around front, keeping a wary eye on

Tyrion. When Tyrion reaches out to pet him, Ghost bares his

fangs in a silent snarl. Tyrion hesitates.

JON:

Sit, Ghost.

(Ghost sits; to Ghost)

Hold.

(to Tyrion)

You can touch him now. He won’t

move. I’ve been training him.

Tyrion kneels and ruffles the white fur between Ghost’s ears.

TYRION:

Nice wolf. Niiiiice wolf.

JON:

He’s not. If I wasn’t here, he’d

have your throat out.

Tyrion c*cks his head and looks Jon over, possibly impressed

by the boy’s bravado. Ghost is still far too small to tear

out anyone’s throat.

TYRION:

In that case, you’d best stay

close.

He stands and looks up at Jon.

TYRION:

I am Tyrion Lannister.

JON:

I know who you are.

TYRION:

You’re Ned Stark’s bastard, aren’t

you?

Jon presses his lips together and says nothing.

TYRION:

Did I offend you? Sorry.

(beat)

You are the bastard, though.

JON:

Lord Eddard Stark is my father.

Tyrion steps in closer and examines Jon’s face.

42.

TYRION:

Yes... you have more of the north

in you than your brothers.

Jon tries to hide his pleasure at this observation.

JON:

Half brothers.

Tyrion’s mouth is fixed in a sardonic grin, but his eyes burn

with intensity as he speaks.

TYRION:

Let me give you some advice,

bastard. Never forget what you are--

the rest of the world will not.

Make it your strength, and it can

never be your weakness. Wear it

like armor, and it can never be

used to hurt you.

Jon is in no mood for anyone’s advice.

JON:

What do you know about being a

bastard?

TYRION:

All dwarfs are bastards in their

father’s eyes.

Tyrion saunters back into the feast, whistling to himself.

When he opens the door, the light from the hall throws

Tyrion’s shadow clear across the yard.

INT. CATELYN’S BEDCHAMBER - NIGHT

Ned opens the room’s high narrow windows.

A blast of cold night air blows into the chamber. On the bed,

Catelyn pulls the furs up to her chin. Ned breathes deeply,

taking the cold into his lungs, staring out into the dark.

Then he turns back to face her.

NED:

I’ll refuse him.

CATELYN:

You cannot. You must not.

NED:

You said yourself I could tell him

no. I’m a northman.

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