[Stannis has Davos' son, Matthos, draft a letter to send across the Seven Kingdoms]
MSMatthos Seaworth
"And I declare upon the honour of my House that my beloved brother Robert le—"
He wasn't my beloved brother. [pause; Matthos looks up] I didn't love him, he didn't love me.
Davos SeaworthA harmless courtesy, Your Grace.
A lie. [to Matthos] Take it out.
[Matthos scratches off the word "beloved" and continues reading the letter aloud]
MSMatthos Seaworth
"That my brother Robert left no trueborn heirs; the boy Joffrey, the boy Tommen, and the girl Myrcella, being born of incest between Cersei Lannister and her brother Jaime Lannister. By right of birth—"
Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer. Call him what he is.
[Matthos adds in "the Kingslayer" and continues reading. Davos notices Maester Cressen slip something into his cup of wine]
MSMatthos Seaworth
"And her brother Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer. By right of birth and blood, I do this day lay claim—"
Make it Ser Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer. Whatever else he is, the man's still a knight.
MSMatthos Seaworth
"Ser Jaime Lannster, the Kingslayer. By right of birth and blood, I do this day lay claim to the Iron Throne of Westeros. [pause; Stannis nods] Let all true men declare their loyalty."
When Eddard Stark learned the truth, he told only me. I'll not make the same mistake. Send copies of that letter to every corner of the Realm, from the Arbor to the Wall. The time has come to choose. Let no man claim ignorance as an excuse.
Davos Seaworth
Your Grace, the Lannisters are the true enemy. If, for the time being, you could make peace with your brother—
I'll not make peace with Renly while he calls himself King.
Davos Seaworth
Well, many have already declared for him; Mace Tyrell, Randyll Tarly...
Stannis does not need to beg this lord or that lord for support. The Lord of Light stands behind him.
Davos Seaworth
And how many ships has the Lord of Light got in his fleet?
He has no need for ships.
Davos Seaworth
I'm sure he doesn't, but we do if we're going to war. [to Stannis] If not Renly, Your Grace, join forces with Robb Stark.
Who would steal the northern half of my kingdom. I've always served thieves according to their desserts–as you well know, Ser Davos. Joffrey, Renly, Robb Stark; they're all thieves. They'll bend the knee or I'll destroy them.
MCMaester Cressen
[stands up] I owe you an apology, my King. My duty is to serve. You have chosen the new God over the Old Gods. May the Lord of Light watch over us all. Shall we drink together.
Davos Seaworth
[whispering] Don't.
[Cressen picks up the poisoned wine cup and walks over to where Melisandre is sitting]
MCMaester Cressen
A cup of wine to honour the one true God.
[Melisandre gets up while everyone at the table reaches for their own wine cups. Cressen takes a sip of the poisoned wine and offers it to Melisandre. Davos nervously watches her take the cup. Suddenly, Cressen stumbles and begins bleeding from his nose. Melisandre takes a long sip of the poisoned wine. Davos and several others look on in shock as Cressen falls to the floor dead. Melisandre appears to be fine, completely unphased by the poison.]
The night is dark and full of terrors, old man. But the fires burn them all away.
SSSalladhor Saan
One thing. I want the Queen.
Davos Seaworth
The Queen?
SSSalladhor Saan
Cersei. I want her. I'll sail with your fleet, all thirty of my ships, and if we don't drown at the bottom of Blackwater Bay, I'll fuck this blond queen and I'll fuck her well.
MSMatthos Seaworth
This war isn't about you. We're not attacking King's Landing so that you can rape the Queen!
SSSalladhor Saan
I'm not going to rape her, I'm going to fuck her.
MSMatthos Seaworth
As if she would just let you.
SSSalladhor Saan
You don't know how persuasive I am. I never tried to fuck you.
MSMatthos Seaworth
Stannis is the rightful King and the Lord of Light!
SSSalladhor Saan
I've been all over the world, my boy, and everywhere I go people tell me about the "true god". They all think they found the right one. The one true God is what's between a woman's legs, and better yet a Queen's legs. [Matthos walks away as Salladhor turns to Davos] I never thought you'd have a true believer for a son.
Davos Seaworth
Ah, he's young yet. I promise you the gold. I promise you the glory. I cannot promise you the Queen.
SSSalladhor Saan
You believe your king can win?
Davos Seaworth
He is the one, true king.
SSSalladhor Saan
You Westerosi are funny people. A man chops off your fingers and you fall in love with him! I'll sail with you, Davos Seaworth. You're the most honest smuggler I ever met. Make me rich.
Davos Seaworth
Get me to the gates of King's Landing, and I will.
Davos Seaworth
I understand why the older families look down at me.
Davos Seaworth
My father was a crabber.
Davos Seaworth
Sons of lords don't like to break bread with sons of crabbers; our hands stink.
And where were those lords when Storm's End starved?!
Davos Seaworth
Many fought bravely for your brother. Many fought for the Mad King.
You defend these men who insult you behind your back.
Davos Seaworth
Some are happy to do it to my face.
We were forgotten. Robert and Ned Stark, they were the heroes, the glorious rebels. Marching from battle to battle, liberating towns from the yoke of the Mad King while I held Storm's End with five hundred men.
Davos Seaworth
No one's forgotten, Your Grace.
No? Robert did. He gave Storm's End to Renly after the war. Renly never fought a day in his life!
Davos Seaworth
He was only a boy.
Then, why give him Storm's End? First, we ate the horses. We weren't riding anywhere, not with the castle surrounded. We couldn't feed them, so fine. The horses, then the cats. I've never liked cats, so fine. I do like dogs, good animals, loyal, but we ate them, too. Then, the rats. The night before you slipped through, I thought my wife was dying. She couldn't speak anymore, she was so frail. And then you made it through the lines, slipped right through in your little black sail boat with your onions...
Davos Seaworth
And some potatoes. Some salted beef, I believe.
Every man at Storm's End wanted to kiss you that night.
Davos Seaworth
I was relieved they did not.
Robert told me to hold Storm's End, so I held it. Then, he told me he was giving it to Renly, so I gave it up. Insult or no, I gave it up because Robert was my older brother and he was the King and I've always done my duty. But now, I am the rightful king by every law of Westeros. And when I sit the Iron Throne, you will be my Hand.
Davos Seaworth
Your Grace, I pray I serve you well.
I expect you'll be the first crabber's son to wear the badge.
Davos Seaworth
Your Grace, you are the rightful king. Not only by blood. You're an honorable man, a just man. And there is still a war to fight.
Davos Seaworth
By burning prisoners alive?
MMelissandre
How would you punish the infidels, Ser Davos?
Davos Seaworth
I do not judge people for the gods they worship. If I did, I'd have thrown you in the sea before you ever set foot on Dragonstone.
MMelissandre
I'm not your enemy.
Davos Seaworth
You are my enemy.
MMelissandre
Was it me you fought on Blackwater Bay? Did I set your ships ablaze? I wasn't there when the wildfire killed our men by the thousands. I could have saved those men. You would have taken the city, Stannis would now sit upon his rightful throne, and you would stand beside him. But I wasn't there because you convinced your king to leave me behind. Do you hear them screaming? All those burning men in the water crying for their mothers, for their gods for help? Until the moment the Blackwater swallowed them. Don't despair, Ser Davos. What I told your son is true. Death by fire is the purest death.
[Davos pulls out a knife and tries to stab Melissandre, but is restrained by the guards.
Davos Seaworth
This woman is evil! She's the mother of demons.
Take him to the dungeon and lock him in a cell.
Davos Seaworth
Your Grace!
MMelissandre
You've chosen the darkness, Ser Davos.
Davos Seaworth
She will destroy us all!
MMelissandre
I will pray for you.
Davos Seaworth
[in a cell] Your Grace!
Davos Seaworth
Two meals a day: cold for breakfast, hot for supper. I cannot complain.
You don't belong in a place like this.
Davos Seaworth
Well, sad to say, but I've seen worse.
I'm sorry about your son. I never got the chance to tell you before. Good lad, loyal lad. Melisandre's returned.
Davos Seaworth
I didn't know she'd been gone.
Came back with a bastard boy, Robert's bastard boy.
Davos Seaworth
Why?
She says "power in king's blood."
Davos Seaworth
She's going to kill him.
Davos Seaworth
Forgive me, Your Grace, I'm not a learned man, but is there a difference between kill and sacrifice? The boy's your nephew.
What of it? We're at war. Why should I spare the son of some tavern slut Robert bedded one drunken night?
Davos Seaworth
Because he has your blood in his veins.
Davos Seaworth
Renly wronged you. Renly declared himself king when the throne belonged to you. He raised an army, stole your bannermen. This boy's done you no harm. He's an innocent.
How many boys live in Westeros? How many girls? How many men? How many women? "The darkness will devour them all", she says, "the night that never ends." Unless I triumph. I never asked for this - no more than I asked to be King. We do not choose our destiny, but we must do our duty, no? Great or small, we must do our duty. What's one bastard boy against a kingdom?
Davos Seaworth
Your Grace, why did you come to see me, today?
I came to free you. If you swear to never raise your hand to the Lady Melisandre again.
Davos Seaworth
I swear it. I can't swear never to speak against her.
You have little regard for your own life.
Davos Seaworth
Quite little, Your Grace. Verging on none. You could've freed me yesterday, or tomorrow... but you came to me now, before this boy is put to the knife, because... you knew I'd counsel restraint. You came to hear me say it, because you believe it yourself. You're not a man who slaughters innocents, for gain or glory. When my son was five, he said to me, "I don't ever want to die." I wanted to say to him, "You won't child- you won't ever." I hated the idea of him lying awake in the dark, afraid. I think mothers and fathers made up the Gods... because they wanted their children to sleep through the night.
I saw a vision in the flames. A great battle in the snow... I saw it. And you saw whatever she gave birth to. I never believed, but when you see the truth, when it's right there in front of you, as real as these iron bars... how can you deny her God is real?
Davos Seaworth
Westeros is not the world, Your Grace. We need to look east for ships and men. 10,000 skilled soldiers fight for the Golden Company.
[disgusted] The Golden Company?
Davos Seaworth
They've never broken a contract.
Davos Seaworth
We're willing to use blood magic to put you on the throne, but we're not willing to pay men to fight? Now the Red Woman's magic is real. Her visions and prophecies may be, too, but I've never heard of visions and prophecies winning a war. Soldiers win wars. Soldiers on the ground. It's dirty on the ground.
Davos Seaworth
Not yet.
If I do not press my claim, my claim will be forgotten. I will not become a page in someone else's history book. I'm running out of time, Ser Davos. Which means you're running out of time.
TNTycho Nestoris
Welcome to the Iron Bank. Please...sit. What can we do for you, Lord Stannis?
Davos Seaworth
This is Stannis of the House Baratheon, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm!
TNTycho Nestoris
The Iron Throne is currently occupied by Tommen of the House Baratheon, King of the Andals and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm.
He shares no blood with me. He was a bastard born of incest, as was his brother before him.
TNTycho Nestoris
Yes, we've heard this story.
It's not a story! It's the truth!
TNTycho Nestoris
The King's grandfather tells a different story: a story about a jealous uncle, whose attempts to usurp the throne from the rightful King cost the Seven Kingdoms dearly, in blood...and gold.
TNTycho Nestoris
And you feel your blood gives you a claim on our gold?
More than any man living.
TNTycho Nestoris
Across the Narrow Sea, your books are filled with words like "Usurper", "Madman" and "blood right". Here, our books are filled with numbers. We prefer the stories they tell, more plain, less... open to interpretation. How many fighting men remain loyal to you?
TNTycho Nestoris
And how many ships do you have? The ones still afloat, Ser Davos, not at the bottom of Blackwater Bay.
Davos Seaworth
Thirty-two.
TNTycho Nestoris
And, how much wheat and barley and beef and pork do you produce on Dragonstone to feed your... four thousand men, on your thirty-two ships?
TNTycho Nestoris
You can see why these numbers seem unlikely to add up to a happy ending, from our perspective. I'm afraid we must...respectfully decline your request. But we thank you for paying us the honor of your visit. (Stannis glares at Davos; they stand up. Stannis moves away, but Davos steps towards the table)
Davos Seaworth
My lord-
TNTycho Nestoris
I'm not a lord, Ser Davos Seaworth. You would not be either here. In Braavos, thieves are not rewarded with titles.
Davos Seaworth
Well, strictly speaking, I didn't do the thieving. That would be the pirates. I just moved what they stole from one place to another. [shows his mutilated hand] This is the payment that was demanded by King Stannis for my crimes. I consider it an honest accounting. He's an honest man and he's your best chance to get back the money you've sunk into Westeros. Which is a lot, I imagine. Wars are expensive.
TNTycho Nestoris
The war is over.
Davos Seaworth
As long as Stannis lives, the war is not over. Who's the real power in King's Landing?
TNTycho Nestoris
Ser Davos.
Davos Seaworth
Humor me.
TNTycho Nestoris
Tywin Lannister.
Davos Seaworth
How old is Tywin Lannister?
Davos Seaworth
67. And when he dies, who's in command? A half-grown boy, the product of incest? Cersei Lannister, a queen whose people despise her? Jaime Lannister, a man best known for killing the king he was sworn to protect? When Tywin's gone, who do you back?
TNTycho Nestoris
That is a problem for another time.
Davos Seaworth
Begging your pardon, I think it's a problem for now. There's only one reliable leader left in Westeros. Stannis. He's got the birthright. He's in his prime. He's a tried and tested battle commander. And he doesn't just talk about paying people back, he does it.
[stopping in front of Mance and Jon, to Mance] You're the "King Beyond the Wall"? [Mance nods] Do you know who I am?
MRMance Rayder
Never had the pleasure.
Davos Seaworth
This is Stannis Baratheon, the one true King of the Seven Kingdoms.
MRMance Rayder
We're not in the Seven Kingdoms, and you're not dressed for this weather.
[pause] It is customary to kneel when surrendering to a King. [long pause, then Mance smiles and shakes his head]
MRMance Rayder
We do not kneel.
I'll have thousands of your men in chains by nightfall. I have nothing to feed them and nowhere to put them. I'm not here to slaughter beaten dogs. their fate depends on their King.
MRMance Rayder
All the same, we do not kneel.
Davos Seaworth
[to Jon] What's a man of the Night's Watch doing in a Wildling camp?
I was sent to discuss terms with the King Beyond the Wall.
Davos Seaworth
You're speaking to the one true King, boy. You will 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 honorable 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 instead he spared my life. I think my father would've taken him prisoner and listened to what he had to say.
Very well, then. [turns to Davos] Take him prisoner.
Your Grace? [Stannis turns back to him] If my father had seen the things that I've seen, he'd also tell you to burn the dead before nightfall - all of them.
Davos Seaworth
Forty horses died in the night. We'll lose more, come sunset. We're runnnin' out of food, we can't open the supply line until the snow clears.
Davos Seaworth
The Stormcrows rode off last night.
Five hundred men. Sellswords - loyal to nothing but gold.
Davos Seaworth
We still have a hard march to Winterfell, and we have a hard march in this weather.
Davos Seaworth
This isn't our time. We should head back to Castle Black, and when the snow clears...
I retreated from King's Landing, Ser Davos. If I retreat again, I become "the King who ran".
Davos Seaworth
Your Grace.
Winter is coming. Those aren't just the Stark words, that's a fact. If we march back to Castle Black, we winter at Castle Black and who can say how many years this winter will last?
Davos Seaworth
It's better to wait for the right time than risk everything.
This is the right time and I will risk everything, because if I don't, we've lost. We march to victory, or we march to defeat. But we go forward. Only forward.
Davos Seaworth
You sent for me, Your Grace?
Find some healthy horses and a few knights to guard you. I'm sending you back to Castle Black. Tell the Lord Commander his King commands him to send food, supplies, fresh horses. In return, when I take the Throne, I'll make sure the Night's Watch has all the men it requires. He can guard all nineteen castles on the Wall, if he so wishes.
Davos Seaworth
Your Grace, you named me your Hand.
Davos Seaworth
The King's Hand should never abandon the King, especially in times of war.
You're not abandoning me, you're obeying a command.
Davos Seaworth
A boy with a scroll could deliver this message.
And if Jon Snow refuses the boy with the scroll, what does the boy say? I didn't name you hand for your expertise in military matters. Ride for Castle Black, and don't come back empty-handed.
Davos Seaworth
Your Grace, perhaps Queen Selyse and Princess Shireen could accompany me.
Davos Seaworth
At least let me take Shireen! The siege is no place for a little girl.
Davos Seaworth
I assume you know why I'm here.
Davos Seaworth
It's about the Lord Commander.
The former Lord Commander.
Davos Seaworth
Does he have to be?
Davos Seaworth
Do you know of any magic that could help him? Bring him back.
If you want to help him, leave him be.
Davos Seaworth
Can it be done?
There are some with this power.
Davos Seaworth
How?
Davos Seaworth
Have you seen it done?
I met a man who came back from the dead, but the priest who did it...it shouldn't have been possible.
Davos Seaworth
But it was. It could be, now.
Davos Seaworth
Not for you? I saw you drink poison that should've killed you. I saw you give birth to a demon, made of shadows.
Everything I believed, the great victory I saw in the flames, all of it was a lie. You were right all along. The Lord never spoke to me.
Davos Seaworth
Fuck him, then. Fuck all of them. I'm not a devout man, obviously. Seven gods, drowned gods, tree gods, it's all the same. I'm not asking the Lord of Light for help. I'm asking the woman who showed me that miracles exist.
Davos Seaworth
Have you ever tried?
[Davos finds Jon, resurrected by Melisandre's spells]
Davos Seaworth
Easy, easy! Easy.
[Melisandre enters the room and stares at Jon, shocked]
Davos Seaworth
What do you remember?
They stabbed me. Olly... he put a knife in my heart. I shouldn't be here.
Davos Seaworth
The Lady brought you back.
Afterwards... after they stabbed you, after you died. Where did you go? What did you see?
Nothing. There was nothing at all.
The Lord let you come back for a reason. Stannis was not the Prince who was Promised, but someone has to be.
Davos Seaworth
Could you give us a moment? [Melisandre leaves] You were dead...and now you're not. And it's completely fucking mad, seems to me. I can only imagine how it seems to you.
I did what I thought was right. And I got murdered for it. Now I'm back. Why?
Davos Seaworth
I don't know. Maybe we'll never know. What does it matter? You go on. You fight as long as you can, you clean up as much of the shit as you can.
I don't know how to do that. I thought I did, but... I failed.
Davos Seaworth
Good. Now, go fail again.
[Davos storms into the great hall of Winterfell and throws Shireen's burnt stag figurine to Melisandre]
Davos Seaworth
Tell him! Tell him who it belonged to.
Davos Seaworth
Tell him what you did to her! TELL HIM!
We burnt her at the stake.
[Jon looks horrified]
Davos Seaworth
[tearfully] Why?
The army was trapped, the horses were dying! It was the only way.
Davos Seaworth
You burned a little girl alive!
I only do what my Lord commands me!
Davos Seaworth
If he commands you to burn children, your Lord is evil!
We are standing here because of him. Jon Snow is alive because the Lord willed it.
Davos Seaworth
I loved that girl! Like she was my own! She was good, she was kind and you killed her!
So did her father. So did her mother. Her own blood knew it was the only way!
Davos Seaworth
The only way for what?! They all died anyway! You told everyone Stannis was the one, you had him believing it, all of them fooled, and you lied!
I didn't lie! I was wrong.
Davos Seaworth
Aye. You were wrong. How many died because you were wrong? [to Jon] I ask your leave to execute this woman for murder. She admits to the crime.
Do you have anything to say for yourself?
I've been ready to die for many years. If the Lord was done with me, so be it, but he's not. You've seen the Night King, Jon Snow. You know the great war is still to come. You know the army of the dead will be upon us soon. And you know I can help you win that war.
[stares at Melisandre for a moment] Ride south today. If you return to the North, I'll have you hanged as a murderer.
Davos Seaworth
If you ever come back this way, I'll execute you myself!
[Daenerys has learned of the fall of Highgarden and the death of Olenna Tyrell from Tyrion and Varys]
Davos Seaworth
You'll want to discuss this amongst yourselves. Perhaps...
You will stay! All my allies are gone. They've been taken from me while I've been sitting here on this island.
You still have the largest army.
Who won't be able to eat because Cersei has taken all the food from the Reach!
Call Grey Worm and the Unsullied back. We still have enough ships to ferry the Dothraki to the mainland. Commit to the blockade of King's Landing. We still have a plan, it's the right plan.
The right plan? Your strategy has lost us Dorne, the Iron Islands and the Reach!
If I have underestimated our enemies...
Our enemies? Your family, you mean. Perhaps you don't want to hurt them after all. [Daenerys sees her dragons flying over the sea] Enough with the clever plans. I have three large dragons. I am going to fly them to the Red Keep.
My enemies are in the Red Keep! What kind of queen am I if I'm not willing to risk my life to fight them?
[Daenerys turns to Jon]
What do you think I should do?
I would never presume to...
I'm at war. I'm losing. What do you think I should do?
I never thought that dragons would exist again. No one did. The people who follow you know that you made something impossible happen. Maybe that helps them believe that you can make other impossible things happen. Build a different world from the shit one they've always known. But if you use them to melt castles and burn cities, you're not different...you're just more of the same.
Game of Thrones · 356 quotes
