A Song of Fire and Ice
George R.R. Martin
Summary comes from SparkNotes
PROLOGUE
Chett is a disenfranchised steward of the Night’s Watch, and he has decided to kill his commanders and flee the service. He was sentenced to the Night’s Watch after he murdered a girl named Bessa, who insulted him. Chett watches over the kennels, but he is tired of the cold and hard work, and he has a premonition that the ancient fort where they've set up, called the Fist of the First Men, will be attacked. He has conspired to desert with a number of others, and Chett is specifically assigned the task of killing Samwell Tarly, the clumsy and overweight keeper of the ravens. But before he can execute the plan, he hears three horn blasts, which signal an invasion by the Others. The Others are ghostly corpses that have not been seen for centuries. The Night’s Watch prepares for battle, and Chett’s plan is foiled.
1. Jaime Lannister is held prisoner in a boat, which is sailing downriver. According to an arrangement, Jaime will be traded for the Stark daughters, Sansa and Arya. Jaime’s guards are Brienne, a woman who wishes to be a knight, and a knight named Ser Cleos. Jaime is manacled and incapable of escape, and he consistently insults Brienne for being ugly and masculine. They find the site of a peasant massacre, and after some debate, decide to bury the corpses. Before they can finish, a warship floats down the river and the trio is forced to row away. Captaining the warship, Ser Robyn Ryger plans to take Jaime and bring him back to the Starks, but Jaime and his captors manage to escape.
2. Catelyn Stark released Jaime on condition that he send her daughters back when he gets back to King's Landing, but her family did not authorize the deal. Catelyn is dubbed a traitor and placed under house arrest. Catelyn is allowed to care for her sick and dying father, but she does not understand when he mutters “Tansy” over and over. Catelyn’s brother Edmure reveals that he plotted to capture Jaime back, ruining Catelyn’s deal. Catelyn fears she will never see her daughters again.
3. Arya has just fled the fortress of Harrenhal with her friends Gendry and Hot Pie. As they travel through the open woodland, they are vulnerable to ambush and abduction. The three companions argue about which direction to travel. Arya has a vivid dream about slaughtering members of the Brave Companions, a gang of mercenaries who are likely tailing them. Twelve-year-old Arya already has a list of people she would like to kill for past crimes against her family and friends, and she relishes this dream.
4. During the epic Battle of Blackwater, the dwarf Tyrion fought bravely for the House of Lannister, but he was critically wounded. His nose is grotesquely damaged, and much of his body is hurt. As he recovers, Tyrion believes he is under surveillance in his own home, and he asks fellow courtiers for updates on the war. Tyrion finally faces his father Tywin and seeks gratitude for his courage and strategy in battle. But Tywin disregards Tyrion, chastising him for his love of prostitutes and only promising Tyrion a vague reward.
5. After miraculously surviving the Battle of Blackwater, Ser Davos is stranded on a small island, hurt and barely alive. Davos swore to fight for Stannis Baratheon, one of the new kings of the Seven Kingdoms, but because of numerous tactical errors, their fleet was destroyed, and many of Davos’s sons drowned or were burned alive in wildfire. At first Davos expects to die, but then a passing ship rescues him. Luckily, the crew also owes allegiance to King Stannis.
6. Until recently, Sansa Stark was betrothed to the cruel King Joffrey Baratheon, but due to some political maneuvering, Joffrey will now marry Margaery Tyrell. Sansa receives an invitation to dine with Margaery and the Tyrells, and she is anxious about this meeting, particularly because of the intimidating Olenna Redwyne, or “Queen of Thorns,” who will attend. When they dine, Olenna tells the jester to sing loudly so they can have a private conversation and not be overheard. Sansa reveals that Joffrey is abusive and cruel.
7. Before he died, Qhorin Halfhand gave a final order to Jon Snow to investigate the wildlings. Jon promised to pretend to abandon the Night’s Watch and join the wildling ranks. Jon already has a wildling prisoner, Ygritte, when he arrives at the massive wildling camp. Here he meets Mance Rayder, a former brother of the Night’s Watch who left to join the wildlings, whom he calls the “Free Folk.” The wildlings are deeply suspicious of Jon’s motives, and when they ask why he has betrayed his people, Jon cites his bastardry and alleges poor treatment by the Stark family.
8. On the ship Balerion, Daenerys plans to reach the city of Astapor with her advisors, Ser Jorah and the squire Arstan Whitebeard. Her ultimate goal is to raise a loyal army to help her reconquer the Seven Kingdoms, from which her family was exiled many years earlier. Ser Jorah is suspicious of Whitebeard because he says he's a servant but speaks eloquently and has courtly manners, and he warns Daenerys of spies and assassins. In private, Ser Jorah also encourages Daenerys to buy an army of Unsullied, eunuch slave warriors who are renowned soldiers. Abruptly, Ser Jorah kisses Daenerys, which surprises and confuses her.
9. Young Bran is traveling in secret with his protectors, Meera, Jojen, and Hodor. As a son of the Stark family, Bran is in constant danger of abduction or murder. Bran is a warg, which means he can inhabit other bodies, notably that of his direwolf, Summer. He spends time inside Summer's mind, fighting a wolf pack and feasting on their kill, but then he is awoken from the trance and told to eat their meager rations. Bran was crippled in an accident, and entering the wolf’s mind is an opportunity to move freely. But Jojen warns Bran not to spend too much time in a wolf's skin, or else he will lose himself. They debate where to go next, and Bran mourns the deaths of so many friends and family. He asks to see a crow, because he wants “to fly.”
10. When he arrives in port, Davos meets with his friend Salladhor Saan, a pirate who also fought for King Stannis at the Battle of Blackwater. Davos openly blames the loss of the battle on the priestess Melisandre, who has great power over King Stannis and believes Stannis is the messiah Azor Ahai. At first Salladhor warns him getting revenge is too dangerous, and finally he rejects Davos and rescinds their friendship. Davos goes to the castle with the intention of killing Melisandre, but instead he is apprehended and thrown in a dungeon.
11. Brienne, Ser Cleos, and Jaime arrive at the Inn of the Kneeling Man, where they seek room and board. But the original owners are dead and a dubious family has taken over the establishment. They learn that the waterways will soon become clogged with war debris, and after a long negotiation with the new tavern keeper, Brienne offers to buy three horses for an exorbitant price. Jaime insults Brienne throughout as stupid and ugly, but she refuses to harm him, because of her promise to Catelyn deliver him safely. The innkeeper recommends a road, but Jaime and Brienne take the opposite road, expecting that the innkeeper is leading them into a trap.
12. Feeling alienated, Tyrion tries to eke information out of Varys, a eunuch and master of spies in the royal court. Tyrion asks Varys to arrange a rendezvous with his mistress, Shae, who is now a maid in the Lannister home. Varys makes the arrangement, despite the danger, and Tyrion meets secretly with Shae. He intends to encourage Shae to leave the house for a safer place, but instead they have sex and Shae shrugs off his warnings. Tyrion leaves the tryst feeling anxious. When the singer Symon Silver Tongue threatens to blackmail Tyrion about his relationship with Shae, Tyrion suggests that the sellsword Bronn should kill Symon and dispose of his body in a meat shop.
13. As Arya forages in an abandoned garden, three men appear and threaten her. They coerce Arya and her companions to go with them. They also arrive at the Inn of the Kneeling Man, but after Jaime and Brienne have departed. Arya’s temper grows, especially when a group of soldiers arrives. Panicking, Arya breaks the nose of one of the men. Before she can escape, the soldiers enter, but Arya recognizes Harwin, a guard who once served her family. Harwin recognizes her as well and reveals her identity. For a moment, Arya believes she has been saved.
14. Robb Stark returns from a series of successful battles and meets with his mother, Catelyn. Robb pardons her for releasing Jaime. He then confesses that he has broken his promise to marry a daughter of Walder Frey and instead will marry Jeyne Westerling. This choice alarms his mother because she knows it will anger the Freys. At first Catelyn’s brother, Edmure, is critical of Robb, but then Robb illustrates why Edmure’s strategies in the war were flawed. They worry about future military challenges and resolve to win back the support of the Freys.
15. Jon surveys the vast wildling army. When he meets with Mance Rayder, Jon is forced to reveal intelligence about the Wall and the Night’s Watch. Jon starts to doubt the efficacy of his plan, and he finds cultural habits among the Free Folk shocking. When his motivations are called into question, Ygritte insists that they share a sexual relationship. This claim satisfies the wildlings, but Jon has misgivings, because he vowed a life of chastity when he joined the Watch. Ygritte convinces him to sleep with her, which makes Jon further conflicted.
16. Sansa is fitted for a new gown for King Joffrey’s wedding. When she has a chance, she again warns Margaery that Joffrey is cruel and abusive. Margaery appreciates the warning but disregards it. Sansa thinks she will have to marry Ser Willas Tyrell, Margaery's disabled brother, and she convinces herself that this is a suitable and desirable union. She tells the knight Ser Dontos Hollard, who is shocked by the news and protests, insisting that the Tyrells only want Sansa for her inheritance. But Sansa is determined to make the marriage work.
17. Arya is devastated to learn that Harwin is no longer loyal to the Stark family, and his companions are the Brotherhood Without Borders, an outlaw band. Once they were knights loyal to the Starks, but now they have no royal patronage and are wanted men. After traveling some distance, Arya realizes that they are not going to Riverrun to see her family, and instead the outlaws are taking her to Beric Dondarrion, the leader of their Brotherhood. Arya tries to escape, but she is caught and forced to continue on their way to Beric.
18. After the Others destroyed the Fist of the First Men, Samwell and a handful of survivors were forced to flee into the snowfields. Exhausted and feeling defeated, Samwell only wishes to collapse and sleep, or even die. His comrades urge him onward, until they are attacked by one of the Others, here called a “wight.” The cowardly Sam manages to draw his knife, which is made of obsidian, and he stabs the wight. Until now, the undead Others have seemed invincible to all but fire, but when Samwell uses the knife, the obsidian destroys the creature. Samwell and the others continue their torturous march to Craster’s Keep.
19. Tyrion joins a meeting with his family as they divvy up the spoils of war. Each member of the court receives land and property, but Tyrion is only made the new master of coin. Tyrion doesn't like the post, and he suspects that the Lannister family is destined for financial ruin. Meanwhile, Tywin wants his daughter, Cercei, to marry Willas Tyrell. Cercei vehemently objects to this arrangement, partly because of her ongoing incestuous affair with her twin brother, Jaime. Tywin ignores her objections. Finally, Tywin commands Tyrion to marry Sansa, which startles Tyrion.
20. Lord Rickard Karstark and his men are brought before Robb, Catelyn, and some of Robb's bannermen. Jaime Lannister had killed two of Karstark's sons in battle and he wanted Jaime executed, but when Catelyn let Jaime free he decided to take revenge by killing two Lannister allies that Robb and his men held as prisoners. The two were just boys. Karstark says it was vengeance, but Robb calls it treason and orders Karstark and his men executed. After failing to hear back from potential allies, Robb seems to lose hope that he can win the wars and keep his kingdom together, and then he ultimately executes Karstark himself. Catelyn has a conversation with Jeyne and tells her that Robb needs an heir.
21. Highwaymen attack Jaime and Brienne on the road, and Ser Cleos is killed. Once Jaime and Brienne deflect the attack, they start to bicker. Jaime grabs hold of a sword, and they duel. Jaime is astonished by Brienne’s fighting abilities, and soon they are wrestling on the ground. A second group of highwaymen surround and threaten them. They are the Brave Companions, also known as the Bloody Mummers, led by Vargo Hoat. After some coarse words, the Brave Companions cut off Jaime’s right hand.
22. The Brotherhood Without Borders travels through the ruins of villages and finally arrives at Acorn Hall, the home of Lady Smallwood, where they stay for a time. Arya does not like being treated like a little girl, but she eventually appreciates Lady Smallwood’s kindnesses, including a new set of clothes. They ask about Lord Beric, who is rumored to have been killed several times and in different ways, from hanging to stabbing through the eye. Arya also learns that her mother released Jaime, but she is not certain why.
23. Dearnerys meets the slaver Kraznys mo Nakloz, who describes the brutal background and training of the Unsullied. Speaking through a translator, Kraznys explains that the Unsullied are selected at age five, they enter a rigorous training schedule, and only one in three survives. The Unsullied are castrated and feel little pain. Daenerys expresses disdain for slavery, and Whitebeard tries to talk her out of buying slaves, but Daenerys recognizes the need for an army, no matter the cost. She continues the debate with Ser Jorah.
24. Bran hikes toward the Wall with his companions. Travel is slow and difficult because of the terrain. Meera tells Bran the story of the Knight of the Laughing Tree. Jojen is convinced that Bran has already heard the story, but he has not. The Knight of the Laughing Tree is a mysterious knight who appears at a tournament and defeats a group of bullying contestants. Instead of demanding ransom for their loss, he commands the knights to teach their squires to be honorable. Bran dreams of visiting the legendary Isle of Faces, home to the magical Children of the Forest, who he imagines will grant his wish to walk again.
25. Melisandre visits Davos in his cell, and she explains the cosmic battle between her god, R’hllor, and his opposite, an evil god whose name can never be spoken. Soon after, a noble named Lord Alester Florent is also thrown in the dungeon, because he attempted to make peace with the Lannister family. He and Davos debate current events, and Davos restates his commitment to Stannis. Feeling hopeless, Alester weeps.
26. One starry night, Jon meets his direwolf, Ghost, and tells him to go back to the Wall. When Jon is summoned to speak with Styr, a principal wildling warrior, Jon explains more of the logistics of the Wall, particularly how the sentries take shifts and how many there are. When Jon returns to Ygritte, he finds her deep inside a cave. She tells the story of Gendel, a wildling who allegedly dug beneath the Wall and disappeared. Ygritte expresses how effectively Jon pleasures her.
27. Daenerys offers to buy all of the Unsullied slave soldiers from Kraznys mo Nakloz, which is a surprise to everyone involved. After a long negotiation, Daenerys finally offers to trade one of her dragons, Drogon, along with a great sum of treasure, which doubles the surprise. The translator between Kraznys and Daenerys is a slave girl named Missandei, who confesses in private that three of the Unsullied are her brothers. The night before the exchange, Daenerys hears a ghostly female presence in her room who gives her a cryptic message. “To go north, you must go south,” she says. The figure vanishes without further explanation. The next day, Daenerys meets Kraznys in the Plaza of Pride, where she pays for the Unsullied. But once the transaction is made, she commands Drogon to breathe fire on Kraznys, and she orders the Unsullied to rebel against their former masters. The slaves revolt, calling out, “Dracarys!” or “Freedom!”
28. Her gown now ready, Sansa prepares to meet her groom. But Cersei reveals that Sansa is to marry Tyrion, a shocking and revolting revelation to Sansa. They commence with the ceremony, but both Tyrion and Sansa are lackluster about the event. Joffrey and Margaery lead the dance, during which Joffrey and Sansa briefly become dance partners, and Joffrey threatens to force Sansa to sleep with him. Sansa and Tyrion retire to their chambers, and after much drinking and general discomfort, Tyrion finally promises never to consummate their marriage unless Sansa wishes to.
29. At the town of Stoney Sept, Arya hears news about the war and sees prisoners dying in public cages. Arya tries to give them water, but Anguy, one of the members of the Brotherhood, kills the prisoners with a crossbow. They arrive at an inn that doubles as a brothel, and Arya meets a gregarious prostitute named Bella. She ponders escape, but decides against it. In the night, another prisoner is brought forth, and Arya overhears that he is a Lannister. Arya sees Sandor Clegane, known as the Hound, and is thrilled to see he has been captured.
30. Jon watches the wildlings attempt to scale the Wall, led by a warrior named Jarl. This is a difficult task, because the Wall is so high. When they near the top, the wall cracks and a chunk of the icy masonry falls away, killing the entire climbing team. Jon recalls a saying that “the Wall defends itself.” Ygritte starts to weep, because the wildlings have not yet found the Horn of Winter, a legendary instrument reputed to have the power to shatter the Wall.
31. Brienne and Jaime are tied together and remain prisoners for many days. Brienne urges Jaime to live, even though he wishes to die. After much marching, during which Brienne and Jaime are routinely threatened with rape and disfigurement, they finally arrive at the fortress of Harrenhal, and Jaime and Brienne are delivered to Lord Bolton. Jaime learns that the Freys have abandoned the Starks. Lord Bolton expresses displeasure over Vargo Hoat’s treatment of Brienne and Jaime. Brienne is stripped of her weaponry, but otherwise she and Jaime are treated like guests, and Jaime receives medical treatment from Maester Qyburn.
32. As the new master of coin, Tyrion surveys the destruction the wars have wrought and grows increasingly angry. He resents cleaning up the mess, and he is frustrated with his despondent new wife, Sansa. Tyrion decides to address Symon Silver Tongue’s blackmail, because he still threatens to expose Tyrion’s relationship with Shae. Tyrion suggests he leave for the Free Cities, but after some negotiation, Tyrion pretends to offer Symon a chance to perform at Joffrey’s wedding. Instead he tells Bronn to secretly kill Symon and make his body disappear. When Tyrion later meets with his father, Tywin showcases two new swords that he plans to give to Joffrey and Jaime. They’re made of Valyrian steel, which is exceedingly rare, and it’s unclear where Tywin got the material for the swords. When the sword smith leaves, Tyrion complains that his father offered no sword to him. In response, Tywin chastises Tyrion for not consummating his marriage, and then reveals that Willas Tyrell refused to marry Cersei. As they talk, Maester Pycelle arrives to inform Tywin that the Wall may be vulnerable. Tywin refuses to reinforce the Wall, insisting that it is a northern matter.
33. At Craster’s Keep, Samwell’s friend Gilly gives birth in a loft, and a garrison of the Night’s Watch recuperates after a long retreat. Craster is a cruel man with many wives, Gilly among them, but he offers simple room and board to the Watchmen. The men insist that Samwell is a hero for killing an Other and call him “Slayer,” but Samwell feels unworthy of the nickname. Commander Mormont interrogates Samwell about the incident and insists that they need more obsidian weapons. The next day, when the Watchmen demand more food from Craster, a mutiny breaks out. Several men are killed, including Craster and Commander Mormont. Before dying, Mormont orders Samwell to return to the Wall and spread his knowledge. Samwell also promises to care for Gilly and her newborn child. They escape from the Keep together.
34. In a secret refuge, Arya and the Brotherhood meet with the priest Thoros of Myr. They interrogate their prisoner, Sandor, who denies any wrongdoing, and an ad hoc trial commences. The Brotherhood accuses Sandor of many war crimes and murders, but Sandor is unmoved. Unable to determine guilt or innocence, Beric Dondarrion challenges Clegane to trial by combat. After a long swordfight, which includes magic fire, Sandor defeats and kills Beric, seeming to prove his innocence. After the fight, though, Sandor confesses to all his crimes, but he is already absolved. Strangely, Beric appears again, alive and bloody, and it turns out he has been resurrected many times before.
35. Catelyn’s father is now dead, and the Starks send him away on a funeral ship, which is designed to be set ablaze with a burning arrow. Catelyn’s brother Edmure is given the honor of firing the arrow, but he misses the first time. Afterward, Lothar Frey arrives to negotiate a new agreement between the Starks and Freys. Privately, Robb informs Catelyn of Sansa’s unfortunate marriage to Tyrion. Catelyn suggests that Robb could surrender to the Lannisters for amnesty, but Robb patently refuses. When they return to Lothar, he offers a 16-year-old Frey daughter, Roslin, to Edmure. This offer discomfits Edmure, who seems unready to marry a stranger, but he finally agrees.
36. Davos is taken from his cell to the Chamber of the Painted Table, where he finally meets with King Stannis, with Melisandre present. Stannis’s knight, Ser Axell, unveils a plan to attack Claw Isle. The goal is to punish past traitors and demonstrate the might of King Stannis’ armies. Davos argues against the plan, and when Stannis dismisses Axell, he asks why Davos wishes to kill Melisandre. Stannis insists that Melisandre is innocent of meddling in the Battle of Blackwater, and he promotes Davos to Hand, an office Davos feels unfit for. Melisandre then reads the future in a fire and names their enemies.
37. Jaime and Brienne share a bathtub, to their mutual discomfort, but they talk about current events, and Jaime describes a battle he fought at King’s Landing, when he killed King Aerys. According to Jaime, he slew Aerys before the king could use wildfire to destroy the entire city, burning everyone alive. This revelation about why Jaime killed Aerys surprises Brienne. Soon after, Jaime passes out in the tub, but he is revived without harm. He dines with Lord Bolton, who promises to return Jaime to the Lannisters as long as he promises not to accuse Bolton of cutting off his hand. Bolton also reveals to Brienne that Sansa and Tyrion are married, which ruins her sworn exchange of prisoners.
38. A van of Dornishmen arrives at King’s Landing, and Tyrion quizzes his squire, Podrick, on the many different banners and coats-of-arms. When Tyrion meets their leaders, the anticipated Prince Doran is not among them, substituted by Prince Oberyn. Oberyn is openly hostile to Tyrion, and he recalls that when he met Tyrion as a baby, he was disappointed that Tyrion was not more monstrous. Oberyn demands justice for Gregor Clegane’s crimes against Dorne. The meeting turns sour, but Tyrion is unconvinced that the Dornishmen could defeat the Lannisters.
39. During a night attack, the Brotherhood Without Banners destroys a garrison of Brave Companions. The survivors are tried and mostly executed. Arya wonders how Beric survived the trial by combat. At first Beric claims he was only wounded, but it’s apparent from the condition of his body that he’s been revived from death six times. Gendry wishes to join the Brotherhood, and Beric knights him. Arya feels further abandoned by her friends, and she angrily parts ways with Gendry.
40. Bran and his companions arrive at an abandoned village and find a causeway that leads beneath an adjacent lake. They spot a rider they can’t identify, and they wonder who might be pursuing them. Hodor, who only ever says his name when he speaks, starts to say “Hodor” over and over, despite Bran’s attempts to quiet him. Finally Bran tries to enter Hodor’s mind and stop him from speaking. They spot a camp, but they can’t identify the group. Bran enters the mind of his direwolf, Summer, and tries to spy on them.
41. A group of wildlings has moved South of the Wall, with Jon among them. At a towerhouse, Jon and Ygritte debate their differences. Ygritte believes her Free Folk are a better people, because the world belongs to everyone, and she resents the people of the Seven Kingdoms, who divvy up and control their lands. They continue to move, until the wildlings find an old man and demand that Jon kill him. Jon hesitates, and when they accuse him and Ygritte of conspiring, Ygritte kills the old man. Jon uses the confusion to kill some wildlings and escape, but he is wounded in the leg, which slows his pace. He heads back to the Wall, but he feels torn between two lives.
42. Daenerys arrives at the city of Yunkai with her massive army. She meets with three different groups: the leaders of the Stormcrows, a band of mercenaries contracted to protect Yunkai; the head of another band of mercenaries called the Second Sons; and finally a representative of the Yunkai’i. She tells the first two that they have until the morning to decide whether to join her, and to the last she says the city has three days to turn out its slaves and surrender to her. Daenerys, meanwhile, has planned a surprise attack for that same night. But before they can launch the attack, one of the Stormcrow leaders, Daario Naharis, enters the camp and gives Daenerys the heads of the other two Stormcrow leaders. He swears his allegiance to Daenerys and pledges the support of his company. The surprise attack then begins. Daenerys remains in camp and asks Whitebeard about her late brother, Rhaegar. Her army is victorious, and Daenerys enters the city of Yunkai, where free slaves shout and call her “mother.”
43. The Brotherhood Without Banners make camp, and Thoros and Beric reminisce near around a fire as Arya eavesdrops. An old dwarf woman joins them and tells of her dreams and portents. She mentions something about a castle called the Twins and some sort of wedding. She meets a youth named Ned who claims to be the “milk brother” of Jon Snow, because Jon’s mother, Wylla, nursed him. Ned reveals that he is Edric Dayne, a lord, and that Wylla was his wet nurse. He also tells of his Aunt Ashara Dayne, who met Arya’s father Eddard and threw herself into the ocean “for love.” Later, the priest Thoros tells Arya of his vision that the Lannisters will burn the castle of Riverrun. Arya tries to flee, but Sandor kidnaps her before she can escape and carries her away from the safety of the Brotherhood party.
44. Steelshanks Walton escorts Jaime from Harrenhal and back toward the House of Lannister with several hundred men. Jaime is anxious about returning home with a severed hand. After a draught of dreamwine, Jaime has a vivid and symbolic nightmare, in which all of the important people in his life play a part, including Brienne. Concerned for her safety, Jaime convinces Steelshanks to return to Harrenhal so they can rescue her. When they arrive, Jaime sees that Vargo Hoat has Brienne fighting a bear in a pit with only a blunted sword. Vargo Hoat’s ear is also mutilated, because he tried to rape Brienne, so she ripped his lobe with her teeth. Jaime leaps into the pit and helps Brienne, and ultimately Steelshanks’ archers shoot the bear to death. Seeing no point in a battle, Vargo Hoat lets them leave without a fight. When Brienne asks why Jaime returned to save her, he admits he dreamt of her.
45. Robb, Edmure, Catelyn, and 3,500 bannermen leave for the castle known as the Twins to celebrate the marriage of Edmure and Roslin. Robb leaves Jeyne behind. They struggle with rainy weather and a difficult river to ford. Catelyn insists that Robb name an heir until Jeyne can have a son. Robb thinks of naming Jon Snow his heir, but Catelyn doesn’t approve and suggests Jon Snow can’t be trusted. They argue until Robb walks off. In the following days, Robb continues to make battle plans, as he expects to win back his alliance with the Freys. When Catelyn asks how she can help, Robb tells her to stay safe, a passive role that Catelyn resents.
46. Samwell and Gilly arrive in the abandoned village of Whitetree. Samwell walks while Gilly, still in pain from childbirth, rides their horse. They make camp, feeling exhausted and miserable. Samwell sings a sweet song, and he remembers that his stern father detested the lyrics. Suddenly they are attacked by the reanimated corpse of Small Paul, one of the Night’s Watch, who has come back as a wight. Samwell tries to use the obsidian dagger, but it shatters on Small Paul’s armor. Finally Samwell is able to set him on fire, but outside he finds Gilly surrounded by wights. Out of nowhere a rider on a giant elk calls Sam, and when he and Gilly mount up with him, Samwell sees that he has black, frozen hands.
47. Sandor and Arya, who is now Sandor’s prisoner, travel a great distance. They reach a river, which Arya guesses is Blackwater Rush. Sandor conscripts a ferryman to take him across, but because he has little money, he threatens the ferryman with violence. The boat hits a fallen tree and a boatman falls into the river, probably drowning in the rapids. Sandor gives the ferryman a promissory note, which the ferryman calls worthless. After an argument with Arya, Sandor reveals that the river is not the Blackwater, but the Trident. While Arya guessed that Sandor was taking her to the Lannisters, he is actually taking her to the Twins, where he intends to ransom her to the Starks.
48. Making his way back to the Wall, Jon warns the people of Mole’s Town that an army of wildlings approaches. When he reaches the Wall, the first to identify Jon is Donal Noye, the blacksmith. Rumors have spread that Jon has defected, but Jon explains his orders from Qhorin Halfhand. He receives medical treatment from Maester Aemon and learns that Commander Mormont died in a scuffle at Craster’s Keep. Jon relates his intelligence, but also admits to breaking his vow by sleeping with Ygritte. Jon is informed that Winterfell was destroyed and Bran and Rickon are dead, but Jon does not believe the news, because he saw Bran’s direwolf not long ago and it knew him.
49. Robb and his entourage finally arrive at the Twins. Catelyn cautions Robb to be careful around Lord Walder, because he is easily insulted. When they arrive, Robb’s direwolf, Grey Wind, growls at the Frey lords, making a bad impression. Robb learns that the Twins cannot accommodate his retinue of bannermen, so they will be housed in three feast tents outside the castle. Lord Walder introduces the Starks to his many daughters, most of whom are unpleasant and many he cannot name. Then Walder introduces his daughter Roslin, and her beauty surprises and pleases Edmure. He privately expresses to Catelyn his excitement about the marriage. They meet with Lord Bolton, who shows them a sliver of skin from Theon Greyjoy, who allegedly killed Bran and Rickon. They debate whether or not to keep Greyjoy alive, resolving at last to keep him as a hostage. Robb makes war plans with Catelyn and Lord Bolton. They intend to march as soon as Edmure weds Roslin.
50. As Clegane approaches the Twins, he tells a knight that he brings salt pork for the wedding, which helps him enter the perimeter with Arya. Clegane knows he cannot enter the castle, for fear of being arrested by the Starks and Freys, so he decides to wait outside as the wedding commences. The music seems unusually loud inside the castle. Arya looks for someone she recognizes in the festival crowd, in vain.
51. The wedding feast begins, and the music is noticeably loud. Catelyn observes that Edmure and Roslin seem very comfortable with each other, but she does not approve of the quality of food. Robb is angered that Grey Wolf is not allowed to attend the wedding ceremony, but Walder reminds Robb that the direwolf growled at him when they first arrived. Walder seems increasingly distracted as the wedding ceremony starts. Eventually, Edmure and Roslin are escorted away with a large crowd cheering them on to consummate their marriage. Catelyn senses that something is terribly wrong. Suddenly the musicians draw crossbows and start shooting the celebrants. Robb is wounded, and Catelyn finds a dagger and grabs Jinglebell the jester, who is one of the Frey children. She threatens to kill him if they’re not released, but an assassin stabs Robb through the heart. Catelyn slashes Jinglebell’s throat and then is killed herself.
52. Outside the wedding, Arya can tell that something is wrong. Suddenly the feast tents erupt with fighting, and the Freys begin to massacre the Stark bannermen. Arya tries to run for the castle to save her brother and mother, but Clegane knocks her out with the flat of his axe.
53. Tyrion shares another miserable dinner with Sansa. When Sansa starts to leave for her devotions in the sept, Tyrion offers to join her, but she declines. Tywin, Joffrey, and Cersei meet Tyrion to share a message from the Twins, and Tyrion learns about the deaths of Robb, Catelyn, and their bannermen. Tyrion gets into a heated argument with Joffrey, and he subtly threatens Joffrey’s life. When Joffrey loses his temper and insults Tywin, Tywin excuses Joffrey and chastises Cersei, then excuses her. When they are alone, Tyrion concludes that Tywin helped the Freys arrange the massacre. Tywin and Tyrion also discuss how to appease Oberyn Martell, who wants Gregor Clegane dead. Tywin intends to lie and say it was someone else who killed Martell’s sister and her children, but Tyrion isn’t convinced it will be enough. They also discuss the deal Tywin made with Walder Frey to murder the Starks and the strategic value of their deaths to the Lannisters.
54. Davos and King Stannis learn of the Stark massacre, which is now being called the Red Wedding. Now that the Starks are destroyed, Stannis considers his next move. He ignores all advice from Melisandre, until she suggests sacrificing Edric Storm, the bastard son of Robert Baratheon (Stannis’s older brother and the previous king of Westeros). Melisandre believes that sacrificing Edric to the god R’hllor will help turn the tide of war. Davos begs Stannis to spare Edric, but Stannis is steadfast. Davos speaks to Salladhor Saan, and it comes out that Davos has been secretly finding allies against Melisandre. After, Davos goes to his reading lesson with Maester Pylos, who shows Davos a letter from the Wall about the oncoming wildling invasion. Davos asks him not to mention it to Stannis.
55. The wildlings burn Mole’s Town, but Jon is satisfied that he alerted the Night’s Watch. Jon feels frustrated that the Watch has been abandoned by the Seven Kingdoms, concerned that his men are underprepared, and disturbed that the wildlings are attacking from the south. The wildlings attack at night, and after a long and bloody battle, a stairway collapses and a wildling leader, Styr, dies. Many of Jon’s comrades die or are wounded in the battle. Jon finds Ygritte struck by an arrow, and she dies in his arms.
56. Bran and his companions explore the Nightfort, an abandoned castle along the Wall. They are concerned that the castle is haunted, given its famously bloody history. It is revealed that Bran’s direwolf, Summer, may have been hurt in a battle against the wildlings, because Bran entered the wolf’s mind and caused him to enter the fray. They explore the castle, but find little. Meera tries to climb a wall, which makes Bran nostalgic for the days he himself was able to walk and climb. Hodor drops a rock into the darkness, and it falls a long distance before hitting a moist surface, so they decide to stay where they are. When they ready for sleep, Bran senses something in the dark. He tries to enter Hodor’s mind, but is unsuccessful. When the figure emerges, Meera stabs it. The figure is actually Samwell, who is frightened but unharmed by the stabbing. Samwell is with Gilly, and he explains that the mysterious Coldhands rescued them. Within the structure is the Black Gate, an ancient passage built into the Wall. By now they have discovered that Summer the direwolf is alive. They descend together into the bowels of the Nightfort, until they reach a magical door that only opens when Samwell recites his oath to the Night’s Watch.
57. Deanerys and her army arrive at the city of Meereen. A single warrior named Oznak zo Pahl leaves the city and invites a challenger to single combat. Deanerys knows that someone must fight Oznak, so she selects a former gladiator named Strong Belwas. Although Oznak rides a horse and Belwas is on foot, Belwas defeats Oznak and cuts off his head. Still, Daenerys is uncertain how to attack such a fortified city. After some strategizing, she learns that there is a sewer system that runs beneath the walls. Daenerys ponders her options and ventures into her own camp. An assassin appears, and Daenerys recognizes him as Mero, the sellsword commander from Yunkai. Whitebeard slays Mero in single combat and saves Daenerys’ life. When Ser Jorah returns from a scouting mission, Daenerys is angry that he did not inform her that Mero had escaped the last battle. When Deanerys insists on knighting Whitebeard, he confesses that he is already a knight, and that his real name is Barristan Selmy. When pressed, Whitebeard also reveals that he once served Daenerys’ father, but he betrayed him. He adds that Ser Jorah has spied on Daenerys for the Iron Throne, and Jorah reluctantly confesses. Enraged and confused, Daenerys sends them both away.
58. Tyrion delivers the news of the Red Wedding to Sansa, but Sansa does not reveal her emotions to Tyrion. One night, Tyrion sneaks away from their bedchamber and has a tryst with Shae. He fears for her life and is disappointed by what little he can offer Shae. He resolves to marry her to Ser Tallad, another knight at King’s Landing, who is known for his height.
59. On the day of Joffrey’s opulent wedding, Sansa feels numb and sad, believing that her entire family is extinct. She and Tyrion attend Joffrey’s wedding to Margaery Tyrell. After the ceremony, Joffrey opens wedding gifts, but when he receives a valuable history book from Tyrion, he scorns it. Joffrey also receives a sword of Valyrian steel from Tywin and names it Widow’s Wail. He then uses the sword to chop Tyrion’s book to pieces. When Tyrion and Sansa enter a litter, Tyrion tries to engage Sansa in conversation about their families, but she replies neutrally. When Tyrion offers details about the Red Wedding, Sansa declines to learn how Robb and Catelyn perished.
60. Tyrion witnesses the wedding ceremony with disinterest, and he drinks copious amounts of wine. Tyrion offers to take Sansa away to Casterly Rock, so they can escape the claustrophobic House of Lannister, but Sansa is ambivalent. Tyrion and Sansa retire to dress in their chambers, where Shae requests to serve at the feast. Sansa declines the request. When they join the feast, Tyrion silently begrudges the extravagance of the meal, which includes 77 courses of food. After a variety of entertainments, Joffrey calls for a jousting show. The two jousters are dwarves, who ride a pig and a dog. This show infuriates Tyrion, and Joffrey and Tyrion parley with insults. Joffrey finally flings wine in Tyrion’s face. Joffrey bullies Tyrion by forcing him to refill the cup. The moment is interrupted when Tywin asks Joffrey to cut the wedding pie, which is full of live doves. Joffrey asks Ser Ilyn Payne for his sword so he can cut the pie, and Sansa realizes that Payne’s sword used to be Ice, her father’s sword. It was reforged into its current shape. Tyrion tries to leave with Sansa, but Joffrey mockingly demands they stay. Joffrey starts to eat the pie and suddenly begins to choke. In horror and clutching at his throat, Joffrey collapses and dies. Cersei screams that Joffrey has been poisoned, and the palace guards arrest Tyrion.
61. Sansa flees the feast when Joffrey begins choking. Inwardly, she rejoices that the king has died. She examines her hairnet and notices that an amethyst stone is missing. She recalls that Ser Dontos told her the hairnet was magical and would bring her home, and Sansa suspects foul play. Dontos appears and smuggles her through the castle, and then they descend a secret staircase on the outer wall. They board a boat, where Sansa recognizes Petyr Baelish. When Dontos asks for payment for delivering Sansa, Petyr has Dontos killed with crossbow bolts. Petyr explains that Dontos was a selfish drunk and would reveal their plot. He also reveals that the idea for the jousting dwarfs was his. He assures Sansa that she is now safe with him.
62. When Jaime rides toward King’s Landing, he hears news of Joffrey’s death, as well as the many rumors of murder. Brienne is uncertain what she will do next, now that Jaime is safe and Catelyn is dead. When Jaime enters King’s Landing, he realizes that the city does not mourn Joffrey’s death, and the people are indifferent to his arrival. When they reach the castle, a Northman named Ser Loras accuses Brienne of murdering King Renly Baratheon. (In A Clash of Kings, readers learned that it was Melisandre and Stannis who killed King Renly, using an animated shadow, but many blamed Brienne for the crime). To protect Brienne, Jaime pulls rank and has her arrested. Jaime finds Cersei at the sept, where she mourns the death of Joffrey, who is secretly Jaime’s son as well. Cersei insists that Tyrion killed Joffrey. Jaime seduces Cersei, and they make love in the sept, next to Joffrey’s coffined body. When Jaime proclaims his love, Cersei is frightened and sends him away. Jaime meets with his father, and Tywin commands him to reside in Casterly Rock, where he will train young Tommen, Joffrey’s younger brother and the future king, now that Joffrey is dead. Tywin also offers Margaery to Jaime, but Jaime refuses all his father’s commands, insisting that he only wishes to command the Kingsguard. Tywin icily complies.
63. As Melisandre recites incantations for Edric’s sacrifice, Davos enters the chambers of Edric Storm and escorts him away. Maester Pylos is complicit in the rescue, and Davos greatly respects him for his help. Maester Pylos smuggles Edric onto a ship and he disappear into the night. Davos stays behind to face King Stannis. While he awaits the king, he reflects on his modest needs and wants, and he wishes to return to a simpler life. When Stannis and Melisandre meet Davos, they demand Edric, but Davos informs them that the boy is gone and admits his responsibility. He claims that sending Edric away was part of his duty to the throne. Facing possible execution, Davos draws a letter from his cloak and reads it.
64. Jon awakens to find the vast wildling army arrayed for battle outside the Wall. He realizes that they will try to break down a gate at the bottom of the Wall, which yields to a narrow corridor. If the gate opens, the wildlings can pass through the Wall and invade. Noye goes to defend the gate and the tunnel, and he leaves Jon in command, a decision that shocks Jon. As the battle ebbs and flows, Jon fulfills the role of commander and leads the Night’s Watch. After the battle, Jon inspects the gate, where he finds Noye and many other men dead. He concludes that they were killed fighting a giant, who is also dead. They begin to repair the gate, but Jon realizes that he is in command of the Wall indefinitely.
65. Sandor wanders the countryside, hoping that someone will offer a ransom for Arya. They find a wounded archer and offer a mercy killing. Arya begs Sandor to return to the Twins to see whether any Starks survived the massacre, but Sandor refuses. They arrive in a village and remain for two weeks. At first Sandor decides they should stay permanently, but then the villagers recognize Sandor and implore him to leave. Arya suggests going to the Wall to see Jon, but Sandor rejects the idea.
66. Tyrion faces trial for Joffrey’s murder, but he cannot find a single witness for his defense. Knowing himself to be innocent, Tyrion thinks Sansa must have plotted the poisoning. Tyrion hopes for a trial by combat, but he learns that Cersei has picked the enormous Gregor Clegane as the prosecution’s champion. After a disheartening conversation with the sellsword Bronn, Tyrion believes that a trial by combat will be impossible, since the odds are bad and he can offer no reward. In court, Tyrion pleads innocent. After a parade of witnesses for the prosecution, Tyrion starts to lose hope. He consults his uncle, Ser Kevan, who suggests pleading guilty and perhaps joining the Night’s Watch. Finally, Prince Oberyn Martell visits Tyrion and says he believes Tyrion is innocent. Tyrion reveals that Gregor raped and killed Oberyn’s sister Elia, and that he will be the champion to be faced in a trial by combat. Oberyn in turn offers to become Tyrion’s champion.
67. Jaime takes office as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard in the White Sword Tower and examines the tome containing the Kingsguard’s history, known as the White Book. Looking over the deeds of his forebears, Jaime feels despondent and alienated. He holds a meeting with members of the Kingsguard and discusses their various roles and relationships. He has a fierce conversation with Ser Loras. Loras believes that Brienne killed Renly, and Jaime insinuates that Loras had a role in Joffrey’s murder. Loras finally shows doubt about Brienne’s guilt. When he leaves, Jaime ponders having a prosthetic hand made of gold.
68. Sansa is surprised to learn her destination is Petyr’s meager estate. Here Petyr reveals that he will marry Sansa’s aunt, Lady Lysa, whom Sansa has never met. Because Sansa is now a wanted woman, Petyr renames her Alayne. Going forward, Sansa must pretend to be Petyr’s bastard daughter. They eat, and Petyr explains how he arranged Joffrey’s poisoning. Days later, Lysa arrives, and she insists on marrying Petyr immediately. As they consummate their marriage, a minstrel named Marillion tries to seduce Sansa, but a knight named Ser Lothor Brune intervenes. The next morning, Lysa reveals that she now knows Sansa’s identity. Lysa then offers her sickly young son, Robert, to be Sansa’s husband once Tyrion has been executed for Joffrey’s murder. Under pressure, Sansa accepts the proposal.
69. After leading the Night’s Watch through lengthy battles, Jon finally allows himself to sleep. When he awakens, the Watch must defend the Wall from a moving enclosure, almost like a fortress, called a “turtle.” They manage to destroy it and scatter the garrison housed within. Jon sleeps again, but when he awakens, Ser Alliser Thorne and Janos Slynt accuse Jon of treason and arrest him.
70. Tyrion considers confessing guilt. When he goes to trial, he listens to Shae testify against him. Her stories are mostly false or exaggerated. Tyrion interrupts her to confess his guilt, but not to murdering Joffrey: He confesses to “being born a dwarf.” He demands trial by combat and names Oberyn his champion. Before the battle, Oberyn tells Tyrion about his close relationship with his sister. He drinks wine and boasts of using a spear instead of a sword for the ordeal. Tyrion notices his hands are slick and suspects the spear tip is poisoned. During the fight, Oberyn calls out Gregor’s crimes over and over and deals him numerous minor injuries. Eventually Oberyn seriously wounds Gregor, but he lets his guard down, and Gregor kills Oberyn first. Tyrion thus loses his trial, and he is taken to the black cells, where condemned men await execution.
71. Ser Jorah and Barristan (formerly Whitebeard) lead an expedition into the sewers, and they manage to open the city gates from the inside. Daenerys’s army successfully takes the city and liberates the slaves. She brutally executes many of the citizens of Meereen. Her victory is bittersweet, however, when Daenerys learns that the cities of Yunkai and Astapor are now becoming chaotic, and many freemen are selling themselves back into slavery. Barristan admits his guilt to Daenerys, and she pardons him. Ser Jorah pleads his innocence, but Daenerys can’t forgive him and banishes him. Deciding not to press on to Westeros, Daenerys resolves to stay in Meereen and rule as queen.
72. Jaime is bored by the administrative work he has to do as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. He sees Steelshanks Walton before Walton departs to see Roose Bolton, and Walton presents a girl he says is Arya Stark. Jaime, however, doesn’t believe it’s really Arya. Jaime meets with Cersei, and he professes his love for her. But Jaime’s plan for them to get married terrifies Cersei, and they leave each other angry. Jaime has Brienne sent to see him, and he gives her the sword Tywin gave him. He says the weapon was recast from the steel of Ned Stark’s sword, and Brienne should use it to protect Sansa, wherever she is. He tells her to name it Oathkeeper, then sends her away. Jaime goes back to the White Book and ponders his future.
73. Janos Slynt and Alliser Thorne realize that they cannot execute Jon, so they send him on a mission to murder Mance Rayder. Mance meets with Jon in the privacy of his own quarters, and he reveals a massive horn, which he claims is the Horn of Winter. Jon is still uncertain whether the horn could actually destroy the Wall, as prophesied. Mance admits he cannot destroy the Wall, because it is the only thing that will keep the Others at bay and he wants to see the wildlings through to the other side. Suddenly an army invades the wildling camp, and Jon realizes that the soldiers belong to King Stannis, who successfully defeats the wildling ranks.
74. Sandor takes Arya to an inn, where they spot Polliver and a man known as the Tickler, two of Gregor Clegane’s henchmen. Both men are on Arya’s hit list. The men want to take Sandor back to Gregor, and a fight breaks out. Sandor kills Polliver, and as he faces the Tickler, Arya sneaks up and stabs the Tickler to death. She also kills the men’s squire, and she recovers her sword, Needle. After they leave, Sandor, who was seriously wounded in the fight, is too weakened to go on. He begs Arya to kill him, but Arya leaves him to die slowly. She reaches the seaside town of Saltpans, where she sells her horse, but she makes little money. She hopes to take a ship away from Saltpans, but the captain at first refuses her passage. Then she takes out the iron coin she received from Jaqen H’ghar (in A Clash of Kings). She says the phrase Jaqen taught her, “Valar marghulis.” The captain recognizes the coin and phrase, and he takes her aboard his ship.
75. The battle is over, and Gilly and Samwell are safe with the Night’s Watch. Jon is exhausted from fighting, but he greets Samwell and reminds him that he cannot marry Gilly or share her child. Samwell tries to assure Jon that Janos will not become the new commander of the Night’s Watch, but Jon has already resigned himself to the likelihood. The men of the Watch begin voting on their new commander, but the choosing is inconclusive. Samwell’s comrades suggest that Samwell could do something about the election, but he feels too cowardly to do so.
76. Melisandre summons Jon from his sword practice to meet King Stannis. Stannis reviews the accusations of treason leveled against Jon and dismisses them. After Stannis explains his plan to become king of all Westeros, he offers to make Jon Lord of Winterfell. He plans to marry Jon to a wildling woman, to unite their realms. Jon hesitates and asks for time. Stannis allows this, but says he is not patient.
77. Jaime visits Tyrion’s cell. At first Tyrion think the call is social, but Jaime opens the gates. Before they can flee, Jaime admits to lying to Tyrion about his first wife, Tysha. At their father’s command, Jaime told Tyrion that Tysha was a whore, when really she was just a crofter’s daughter. Tywin had her raped repeatedly in front of Tyrion to punish Tyrion for marrying the girl. At the revelation, Tyrion flies into a rage and swears revenge against Jaime. Then he claims to have killed Joffrey, who he knows was Jaime’s son. The eunuch Varys helps Tyrion through the catacombs, but Tyrion stops to visit his father’s bedchamber. On the way he finds Shae, who claims to still love him, but Tyrion strangles her. He picks up a crossbow, then finds his father in the bathroom. He asks Tywin what happened to Tysha, but Tywin is indignant and cannot remember. Tyrion shoots him with the crossbow, killing him, and then flees.
78. Samwell attends a meeting between King Stannis and several men in the Night’s Watch. Stannis chastises Janos Slynt and makes it clear he doesn’t like the man, nor does he support him for Lord Commander. He goes on to say he wants the Gift, a piece of land just south of the Wall, and the men of the Watch are reluctant to give it over. Melisandre says they’re fighting a battle against darkness and tells them that Stannis is the messianic Azor Ahai come again. Stannis dismisses the men but asks Samwell and Maester Aemon to stay. He asks about Samwell killing the Other with the obsidian dagger and wants Samwell to show him the Black Gate. Afterward, Samwell and Maester Aemon talk about the upcoming election of the new Lord Commander, Samwell wonders what he can do. He then visits the two contenders for commander, Ser Pyke and Ser Denys, and tells each separately that Stannis will pick the other if the votes are inconclusive. He knows neither wants the other to be the new commander, and asks each whether they might support Jon Snow.
79. Jon is knocked out during sword practice, and while unconscious he remembers an incident from his childhood in Winterfell. After, he feels tormented as he thinks of Stannis’s offer. Suddenly Ghost, his direwolf, appears. Jon feels relieved, and thinking back on how he and the Starks found all the direwolves, he suddenly knows how he will answer Stannis. When he goes to supper, Jon is astonished to learn that he’s been proposed as the new Lord Commander. Janos Slynt is in a rage, and the men argue. When the voting is done, Jon has been overwhelmingly elected the new leader of the Night’s Watch. The men vow their support, and Jon accepts the office, realizing that Samwell was the one responsible.
80. At the castle in the Eyrie, Marillion continues to pester Sansa, but Lysa will not listen to her complaints. Sansa feels alone and homesick. One day, Sansa goes into the snow and builds a castle, modeling it after Winterfell. After watching her for a time, Petyr helps her sculpt the snow, then steals a kiss, to Sansa’s shock. Young Robert interrupts them and smashes the castle. Sansa admits to tearing Robert’s doll in two, so the destruction is an act of revenge. Later, Marillion takes Sansa to her aunt Lysa. Lysa accuses Sansa of enticing Petyr into kissing her. Sansa denies this, but Lysa flies into a rage and tries to push Sansa out the Moon Door, which opens to an immense drop. Petyr enters and implores Lysa to calm herself. Lysa madly expresses jealousy of her sister, Catelyn, who she believes had a secret relationship with Petyr. Petyr calmly listens to her, convinces her to release Sansa, and then pushes Lysa out the Moon Door, killing her. He frames Marillion for the crime.
EPILOGUE
Merrett Frey ventures into the woods to meet a band of kidnappers. He intends to trade gold for his relative Petyr Frey, but when he meets them, he finds that the kidnappers have already hanged Petyr. They take his gold and horse and then interrogate him. Merrett pleads innocence, until a woman appears, whom Merrett recognizes as Catelyn Stark. She cannot speak, but she nods, confirming that Merrett was among the Frey assassins at the Red Wedding. They hang him from a tree.