The Prince of Thorns

⚖The Trial⚖

King's Landing Small Council room.

Oberyn meets with Cersei, Varys, Mace Tyrell and Pycelle.

OBERYN: "These meetings aren't always going to be this early, are they? I was up late last night. So, does this mean I am a master of something now? Coins, ships?"

MACE: "Lord Tywin and I already determined that I shall be the Master of Ships long before you-"

OBERYN: "Wow your truly nothing like your son."

Tywin enters and everyone rises, save Oberyn. Tywin sits and the head of the table.

MACE: "Lord Tywin, it's a great honor to have been granted a seat on this council. I--"

Everyone sits.

TYWIN: "The trial begins this afternoon. We only have the morning for affairs of state. Shall we begin?"

VARYS: "Sandor Clegane has been spotted in the Riverlands, my lord."

CERSEI: "A coward and a traitor."

VARYS: "My birds tell me the Hound slaughtered five of our soldiers. I believe the phrase "fuck the king" was uttered."

PYCELLE: "Disgraceful."

TYWIN: "What would it take to make the common soldier stupid enough to try his luck with the Hound?"

VARYS: "10 silver stags seems a generous bounty."

TYWIN: "Make it 100. What else?"

VARYS: "More whispers from the east, my lord."

TYWIN: "The Targaryen girl?"

VARYS: "Daenerys has taken up residence in Meereen. She has conquered the city and rules as its queen."

CERSEI: "Conquered with what?"

VARYS: "She commands an army of Unsullied, my queen. Some 8,000 strong. She has a company of sellswords-- the Second Sons. She has two knights advising her-- Jorah Mormont and Barristan Selmy. And she has three dragons."

CERSEI: "Baby dragons. Larger every year, Your Grace."

PYCELLE: "Mormont is spying on her for us."

VARYS: "No longer. He appears to be fully devoted to her. As for Ser Barristan, it would seem he took his dismissal from the Kingsguard a bit harder than anticipated."

CERSEI: "He's an old man. He wasn't fit to protect my son."

TYWIN: "Joffrey didn't die on his watch. Dismissing him was as insulting as it was stupid."

CERSEI: "Don't tell me you're worried about a child halfway across the world."

VARYS: "A child with two seasoned warriors counseling her and a powerful army at her back, Your Grace."

OBERYN: "Lord Varys is right. I have been to Essos and seen the Unsullied firsthand. They are very impressive on the battlefield. Less so in the bedroom."

TYWIN: "Dragons haven't won a war in 300 years. Armies win them all the time. She must be dealt with."

PYCELLE: "How, my lord? By force?"

TYWIN: "Eventually, if it comes to that. Can your little birds find their way into Meereen?"

VARYS: "Most certainly, my Lord Hand."

TYWIN: "Mmm. Lord Tyrell, be a good man. Fetch my quill and paper."

Mace stands to retrieve them and exits.

The Iron Throne room

VARYS: "Prince Oberyn."

OBERYN: "Lord Varys..."

VARYS: "Only Varys. I'm not actually a nobleman. No one is under obligation to call me lord."

OBERYN: "And yet everyone does."

VARYS: "You seem quite knowledgeable about the Unsullied. Did you spend much time in Essos?"

OBERYN: "Five years."

VARYS: "May I ask why?"

OBERYN: "'Tis a big and beautiful world. Most of us live and die in the same corner where we were born and never get to see any of it. I don't want to be most of us."

VARYS: "Most of us aren't princes."

OBERYN: "You are from Essos. Where? Lys? I have an ear for accents."

VARYS: "I've lost my accent entirely."

OBERYN: "I have an ear for that as well. How did you get here?"

VARYS: "It's a long story."

OBERYN: "One you don't like telling people."

VARYS: "People I trust."

OBERYN: "My paramour Ellaria, she would find you very interesting. You should come to the brothel and meet her. We brought our own wine, not the swill they serve here. We have some lovely boys on retainer, but..."

Varys doesn't answer.

OBERYN:" You did like boys before?"

VARYS: (shakes his head)

OBERYN: "Really? Girls? Hmm. I hope you won't be offended when I say I never would have guessed."

VARYS: "Not at all. But I was never interested in girls, either."

OBERYN: "What then?"

VARYS: "Nothing."

OBERYN: "Everybody is interested in something."

VARYS: "Not me. When I see what desire does to people, what it's done to this country, I am very glad to have no part in it. Besides, the absence of desire leaves one free to pursue other things."

OBERYN: "Such as?"

Varys doesn't answer but looks over to the throne instead. He exits. Oberyn ponders.