Brienne and Cleos take Jaime, who Catelyn has released for his oath that he will return Arya and Sansa back to Kings Landing. Although she annoys him, he is impressed with her honesty. Tully men catch up, but Brienne destroys their boat and they escape. Cleos is killed when they are attacked by outlaws at which Jaime attacks Brienne with his sword. He expects wo win easily, but is amazed that she is stronger than him and she has beaten him when the Brave Companions catch them fighting and chop of Jaime's sword hand. He decides to die until Brienne accuses him of cowardice. He reminds Vargo she is a noble to stop her from being raped and suffers for it. He sees Freys at Harrenhall, who talk bitterly of Stark betrayal and refuses to let Qyburn amputate his arm or give him milk of the poppy. He tells her how he killed Aerys to save King's Landing from his madness. They talk with Roose. He tells them Robb has lost and should bend knee. Jaime agrees to say Roose was blameless in his maiming. He sends Jaime on and keeps Brienne in Harrenhall. Jaime tells Roose to give his regards to Robb before leaving. On the way, he dreams of Brienne and decides to go back for her. She is in the bear pit and he jumps in, forcing Bolton's men to kill the bear to save him.

When Robb returns to Riverrun, the Freys leave and Catelyn learns he is married. She encourages him to send away Jeyne's uncle, Ser Rolph when she learns Grey Wind doesn't like him. Robb is furious with Edmure for attacking Tywin and ruining his plans. Willem Lannister and Tion Frey are murdered by Rickard Karstark, who is executed by Robb, losing the Karstark men. Lord Hoster dies and Edmure agrees to marry a Frey to salvage their alliegence. Robb tells Catelyn Jon is to be his heir and had his lords fix their seal to his decision on who is to succeed him. He sends some of his men north as part of his plan to retake Moat Cailin.

Sansa visits Maergery. While Butterbumps makes a lot of noise, she tells Ollena the truth about Joffrey. They say they wish to marry her to Willas. She worries that Loras will kill Joffrey if he hurts Maergery and of course, blabs to Dontos she is to marry Willas.

Tyrion wakes and sets Bronn to find out about Ser Mandon. He visits Tywin and asks to be acknowledged as heir. Tywin refuses. He learns Tywin has had Alayaya whipped. He visits Shae and learns Symon has being playing to Lollys. To win the vale, Petyr agrees to marry Lysa and miss Joffrey's wedding. Tyrion is set as Master of Coin. When it is revealed that Sansa and Willas are to wed, Tyrion is told to marry Sansa and Cersei to marry Willas. He offers to let her marry Lancel instead if she wishes, but she's sees any Lannister as bad as another. She embarrases him at the ceremony, by making him climb up to kiss her and Joffrey tells her he'll have her anyway and insists on a bedding ceremony. Tyrion refuses and threatens to geld him. He decides to wait until Sansa is ready and willing before consumating the marriage. Symon tries to blackmail Tyrion and he sends Bronn to kill him. The Tyrells refuse to marry Cersei. Tywin suggests Janos as Lord Commander of the Nightwatch. Bronn, Pod and Tyrion meet the Dornishmen. Tyrion is dismayed that Oberyn has come, not Doran and that he has brought Ellaria. Oberyn says he is there for justice.

At the Twins, Grey Wind growls at the Freys and is left outside. Black Walder and Ser Ryman are unfriendly. Edmure likes Roslin, but she is not happy. They learn Perwyn and Olyvar, her full siblings who had spent a lot of time with Robb are away. Lord Bolton arrives. After the bedding, the Freys turn. Robb is killed as is Catelyn after she murders Jinglebells, one of Lord Frey's grandchildren.

Tyrion suspects Petyr may have been embezzeling money as the accounts are too complex.. Joffrey and Tywin argue. Tywin says Petyr has found Arya and is to marry Ramsey. He gives Joffrey a rare book, lives of the four kings as a wedding gift, which Joffrey destroys. Joffrey is given a Vallyrian sword, made after ice was melted down and names it Widow's Wail. Tyrion realises Joffrey tries to have Bran killed. At the wedding, the guests are entertained by dwarves. Garlan compliments Tyrion who insults Joffrey. Joffrey makes him serve. Joffrey chokes and Tyrion empties the wine in the floor. Cersei orders Tyrion's arrest. Dontos takes Sansa away and is killed by Lothor Brune at Petyr's order. She meets Petyr who marries Lysa. He suggests Ollena poisoned Joffrey because she knew that Loras would likely become a second Kingslayer. At the Eyrie, he kisses Sansa, sending Lysa into a rage. He is forced to kill her and blames Marillion, who had already tried to force himself on Sansa.

On their arrival in Kingslanding, Loras demands Brienne's arrest. Jaime refuses to leave the kingsguard to be Tywin's heir. He checks out the other kingsguard members and annoys Cersei by refusing to have sex in the Lord Commander's rooms. He tells Ser Boras to be a food taster and they almost come to blows. He tells Loras to talk to Brienne. Tyrion tries to tempt Bronn to fight Gregor for him, but learns Cersei has offered him marriage to Lollys. The trial goes badly, with many witnesses telling rumour and lies and Tyrion not allowed to question them. Kevan tells him Cersei has brought Gregor to be her champion should Tyrion choose trial by combat and suggests he pleads guilty and go to the wall. Oberyn offers to be his champion as he wants to kill Gregor because Gregor killed his sister. Shae testifies against him, telling many lies and he decides on trial by combat. Tyrion is far from confident when Oberyn says he will use a spear, though suspects the blade to be poisoned. Oberyn is beating Ser Gregor until Gregor admits raping and killing Ellia. Oberyn is overconfident and loses concentration and is killed, though Gregor seems likely to die from his wounds. Jaime sends Brienne to look for Sansa giving her a Vallyrian sword, Oathkeeper, also made from Ice and telling her the Arya sent to marry Ramsey is a fake. Jaime frees Tyrion with Varys' help. In a crisis of conscience, Jaime tells him the truth about Tysha, that she was genuine and not a whore he found for Tyrion and they argue, Tyrion claiming to have killed Joffrey. Tyrion kills Shae, who was sleeping with Tywin when she calls him her "Lord of Lannister" and Tywin after Tywin keeps calling Tysha a whore.

Chett and Lark discuss killing Jeor, believing Ottyn Withers would then take the rest back to the wall and they could flee. They are attacked by the Others before they can do anything. Sam kills one of them with his Dragonglass dagger. Some make it to Craster's where a fight breaks out over the amount he gives them. Craster is killed, as is Lord Mormont. He asks Sam to ask Jorah to take the black. Sam leaves, taking Gilly before the white walkers come. He breaks the Dragonglass dagger on a wight and is rescued by a man he thinks of as Coldhands riding an Elk and controlling many ravens. He takes Bran to meet Coldhands before returning to Castle Black after promising not to reveal that Bran is alive.

Davos returns to Dragonstone and is arrested by Ser Axell as he intends to kill Melisandre. She visits him in his cell and they talk. Ser Alester joins him for trying to negotiate a surrender and to marry Shireen to Tommen. Axell takes Davos from the cell and threatens him so he will say Axell should be Hand. Davos says Axell's plan to attack Lord Celtigar is cowardice. He is made a Lord and also Hand, so learns to read. Melisandre wants to burn Edric, but Stannis refuses and they throw leeches on a fire to represent the false kings. The kings die and Stannis agrees to burn Edric. Davos, Pylos and others send him away and instead reads Stannis the letter from the watch.

Jon meets Mance and is accepted after claiming he never felt accepted at Winterfell. He rides south with Tormund to keep away from Rattleshirt. Ygritte joins him. He is attacked by Orells's eagle and sent on ahead with Styr's raiding party. Some of them fall from the wall as they climb it. He and Ygritte become lovers to avoid suspicion. South of the wall, Ygritte kills an old man who sees them. They are attacked by Summer and Jon escapes, being wounded in the process. He warns Mole Town telling them to go north and goes back to Castle Black, where he learns only 12 men made it back. The raiders attack and Jon helps defend the castle. Ygritte and Styr are killed. Donal Noye is killed defending the gate from the North, leaving Jon in charge. He holds it for three days but is arrested when Ser Alliser and Janos Slynt arrive, who have decided they are in charge. He attacks Ser Alliser. They send him to kill Mance to prove himself, knowing it will mean his death. He learns Mance believes he has found the Horn of Winter, which they think will cause the wall to collapse. When they are talking, Stannis arrives. The wildlings are defeated and Stannis offers Jon Winterfell as long as he abdandons the old gods. he considers this till Ghost returns and he realises Ghost's eyes are thoe of a weirwood. Sam convinces Ser Denys and Cotter Pike to name Jon the New Lord Commander, to make sure it is not Janos or each other.

Arya dreams she is a wolf, killing mummers. She encounters Anguy and other members of the Brotherhood and are taken to an inn. Harwin arrives and she reveals who she truly is, at which they decide she is a hostage. Hot Pie stays to cook when they leave. She gives water to men she sees in cages and they are killed, as mercy. Gendry refuses to sleep with a whore he meets, who seems to be his sister, thugh neither realise. Other men return with Sandor as a prisoner. They have no crime to accuse him of till Arya brings up Mycah. Beric decides on trial by combat, asking R'hllor to take sides. He cuts himself and his sword takes fire. He is winning until his sword breaks and Sandor kills him, being burnt in the process. Thoros brings Beric back. Sandor is proclaimed innocent. The Brotherhood attack a group of Brave Compaions and Gendry decides to stay with them, and is knighted. Arya sees a woman who claims to have visions from the old gods. She is scared of Arya. Arya escapes but is caught by Sandor. He takes her to the twins but is forced to flee when fighting breaks out, where he rescues her violently. She blames him at first for not saving Robb and her mother, but after dreaming of pulling a dead Catelyn from a river as a wolf, she accepts she is dead. They meet Polliver and the tickler and fight. She kills the Tickler, but Polliver wounds Sandor before being killed. She takes Needle back off him. She considers killing Sandor, but when she realises it is what he wants she leaves him to suffer. She uses the coin Jaqen gave her to go to Braavos

Jorah tries to put Dany off of Barristan, who tells her of Rhaegar. Jorah suggests they go to Astapor to buy Unsullied. She agrees to buy them all for all her possesions and a dragon, to Barristan's disgust. Once the transaction is complete she sets her dragons and the unsullied on the slavers, killing them. She takes the city, frees the slaves and kills the remaining slavers. She goes on to Yunkai. She gives them 3 days to release the slaves or she will conquer them as well. She gets one of the sellsword companies defending the city drunk and convinces one of the leaders of the others to switch sides. She defeats the Yunkai defenders and goes on to the city, where she is met by a stream of slaves, so leaves the city alone. Belwas kills Mereen's champion. On the way into the city, they see children nailed up. Barristan saves Dany from Mero and is forced to reveal his identity when he refuses to let Jorah knight him. He reveals Jorah has been spying on Dany. She sends both through the sewers to attack Merreen. She talks to them after. Barristan is forgiven, but Jorah is not repentant enough and is sent away. She decides to stay in Mereren and rule while her dragons grow.

Catelyn is resurrected and with the Brotherhood. They kill Merrett Frey after questioning him about Arya and Sandor.

The Library