[INTRO — COUNCIL OUTLAW | measured 4/4 ~92 BPM | DREADNOUGHT | TELECASTER | FIVE-STRING BASS | sparse LOW PIANO] [MALE BARITONE — third-person narrator throughout, clear, conversational] Verse 1 — Five at the Table Morning put five people Round the Winter table. Sarah. Mara. Jack. Silas. Della Veyne. Maps covered scars in old oak. Three black shadows crossed the yard. Sarah looked across at Della. “You have a claim. I won't deny it.” Della waited. Sarah continued: “I don't want the Iron Chair. I don't much care who sits it— long as their name ain't Lester.” Silas raised an eyebrow. “Present company?” Sarah: “Especially present company.” Verse 2 — Ten Thousand [STEADIER GROOVE] Sarah tapped Crown Junction. “I can't take it with what I've got.” Della answered, “I have ten thousand riders coming north.” Silas added, “By sea to East Port.” Della smiled. “And three Stormcrows.” Outside— [ELECTRIC CRACK] something large objected to being left out. Mara glanced toward the window. “Those things are yours?” Della: “Mostly.” Jack slapped one hand upon the table. “Stop.” [HARD STOP] Chorus — The Chair [LONG-DARK RESONATOR: 1–♭2–♭3–4–♭5–5–6] “If we don't stop what's coming south, None of this means a damn. Winter. Lester. Veyne. The Chair. Who owns what piece of land. You can fight about Crown Junction When there's someone left to rule. Otherwise whoever wins that chair Presides over millions of corpses.” Nobody answered. Jack pointed north. “That's the war.” Verse 3 — What They Need [DRIVING 4/4] “Two thousand Crows won't stop them. Ten thousand riders won't. Sarah's army won't. Together— still not enough.” Sarah leaned across the table. “What do you need?” Jack answered: “Guns.” “How many?” “Two hundred thousand.” Mara whistled. “And black glass. Hundreds of wagonloads.” Silas looked at the map. “Obsidian.” Jack nodded. “Nearest quarry?” Silas touched one place. Crown Junction. Sarah laughed once. “Of course it is.” Verse 4 — Truce Jack said, “We need a truce.” Sarah stared at him. “With the Lesters?” “With Crown Junction.” “They murdered Father.” “I know.” “They're trying to destroy us.” “I know.” “And you want me to stop?” Jack held her eyes. “Long enough to stay alive.” [PAUSE] Della spoke quietly. “He's right.” Sarah leaned back. She didn't like it. That wasn't the same as disagreeing. Silas finally said: “I might be able to broker it.” Verse 5 — Proof Sarah looked at him. “With whom?” “Someone who can get us heard.” “They'll believe you?” “No.” Silas almost smiled. “Would you?” Jack asked what would make them listen. Silas tapped the northern map. “Proof.” “What kind?” Silas looked around the table. “Bring them one.” Silence. Mara: “One what?” “One of the dead.” Sarah stared. “You want to walk an undead man into Crown Junction?” Silas shrugged. “I doubt a letter will suffice.” Verse 6 — Nell [PIANO ONLY | RHYTHM FALLS AWAY] Sarah studied Silas. “Your contact. Nell?” Silas went still. “No.” “Why not?” “She's dead.” Sarah's face changed. “How?” Silas looked away. “I found her in my father's bed.” [PAUSE] “I killed them both.” Sarah stood so quickly Her chair struck the floor. “You did what?” Silas looked up. Sarah's voice went cold. “She was buying me time.” Verse 7 — What Nell Did [BARE DREADNOUGHT + LOW PIANO] Silas said nothing. Sarah stepped toward him. “She took me out dressed as a wool merchant's wife. Made me promise we'd keep moving till dark. Said she'd keep Gus occupied as long as she could.” Silas stopped breathing. Sarah: “We were thirty miles north before anyone followed.” [LONG PAUSE] “She wasn't betraying you. She was saving me.” Silas sat down. No joke. No clever answer. Nothing. Verse 8 — Back to the Dead [LOW TOM RETURNS] Sarah was still furious. Silas couldn't meet her eyes. Mara watched them both. Della put one hand near Silas but didn't touch him. Jack finally spoke. “We can hate each other later.” Sarah turned on him. Jack didn't move. “Nell is dead. Father is dead. Coley is dead. And more dead men are walking toward us.” [RESONATOR: ♭2→1] “We work together now, or none of them mattered.” Silence held the room. Then Jack looked at Silas. “How do we catch one?” Outro [DRIVING PULSE RETURNS] Silas slowly raised his head. Grief would have to wait. Outside, three Stormcrows walked the Winter yard. Inside, five enemies and allies leaned across one map. The Iron Chair could wait. The family wars could wait. [RESONATOR: ♭5→5→6] First— they needed a dead man alive. [CUT]
