As the *Merry Midwife* arrives in White Harbor, Davos notices that the city is newly fortified. He is initially hopeful that he may be able to persuade Lord Wyman Manderly to ally with King Stannis - until he sees the *Lionstar*, a warship bearing King Tommen's standard, docked at the harbor.
He takes in the sights and smells of White Harbor, walking through the Seal Gate. He takes up a place at the Lazy Eel, a shady tavern, and listens to gossip as he tries to work out what the Manderlys will do. He finds out that the Freys have come to White Harbor with the bones of Ser Wendel Manderly and proposals of marriage for Lord Manderly's granddaughters and that his other son, Ser Wylis Manderly, is held captive by the Lannisters. He comes across a Braavosi oarsman who has heard of how Daenerys was attempting to book a passage from Qarth with her three dragons. Davos realizes there is little hope for his mission but he decides he has a duty to try. Approaching the New Castle, he shows them his seals as Stannis' King's Hand, demanding to see Lord Wyman Manderly.
Daenerys is hosting Xaro Xhoan Daxos, the Qartheen merchant. After viewing a dance by his naked male and female slaves, they discuss Dany's situation since she left Qarth. Xaro is aware of the activities of the Sons of the Harpy and flatteringly tells Daenerys that he fears for her safety. He scoffs at her attempts to abolish slavery in Meereen and tells her that the Thirteen are willing to trade with the city - in slaves. He offers her thirteen galleys if she leaves for Westeros immediately. Dany tells him she will have her men inspect the ships, and refuses his feigned advances to her.
She also learns from Xaro Xhoan Daxos that Pyat Pree and three other warlocks sailed for Pentos soon after she left that city.
The next day at court, she refuses the desperate pleas of Lord Ghael to defend Astapor against Yunkai. The envoy spits at her refusal, claiming that Astapor will die without her help, and is thrown out by Strong Belwas., she decides she cannot abandon Meereen to Yunkai'i. When she summons Xaro to tell him, his obsequiousness vanishes. He tells her she will die screaming and that he should have killed her in Qarth. She has him thrown out of the palace, but the next day an emissary gives her a bloody glove - the Qartheen have declared war.
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During an inspection of the stores, Jon is informed by Bowen Marsh and some other stewards that there is not enough to feed the Night's Watch, the wildlings, and Stannis' men through the winter. He grimly orders a cut in rations, though he knows it will make him unpopular, and tells Marsh they will find a way to feed everyone.
He is then summoned to meet with Stannis. Rattleshirt taunts Jon, offering to sing for him and pointing out the red ruby on his iron cuff, and Stannis tells Jon that he is handing the wildling to Jon. Despite his reluctance to be seen as partial to Stannis in the War of Five Kings, he advises him of the ways of the northern lords and offers him advice over how to win them over. He ignores the provocations of the Queen's Men as Stannis tells him that he plans to leave the Wall and take on Ramsay Bolton at the Dreadfort unawares.Arnolf Karstark has been urging Stannis to attack the Dreadfort claiming that it is lightly garrisoned.
Jon bluntly tells him that his plan will fail, earning more scorn from the Queen's Men. Stannis silences them and orders Jon to explain his reasons. Jon explains several things; firstly, unless Stannis wins Mors Umber (who is offering an alliance in exchange for certain conditions, namely the skull of Mance Rayder and a pardon for his brother Hother Umber, who is fighting under duress for the Boltons) to his cause, Umber will cut Stannis's host to pieces as it crosses his land. Second, the Dreadfort will learn of Stannis's coming long before his arrival and Jon, having seen the castle's defences, knows that a small garrison could hold the Dreadfort against many times their number. Thirdly, with the imminent fall of Moat Cailin to House Bolton, the combined armies of Ramsay and Roose Bolton will outnumber Stannis 5 to 1, and will easily destroy him as he lays siege to the Dreadfort. In addition, the northern lords Stannis seeks to rally to his cause, who have suffered generations of wildings raiding their holdings, will not be pleased to see his wildling conscripts crossing their lands.
Stannis orders everyone out of the room except Melisandre and Jon. Stannis again offers Winterfell to Jon, but Jon reminds him that Sansa is currently the rightful heir and that he cannot forsake his vows. Stannis says he plans to give Winterfell to Arnolf Karstark, and Jon rebuts that the Karstarks abandoned his brother Robb Stark. Robb had personally beheaded Lord Rickard Karstark after the latter killed two of Stark's prisoners., warning Melisandre that her presence won't be welcome. Melisandre surprises Jon by telling him she will stay at the Wall. He ruefully reflects on how he has acquired a thousand wildlings whom he cannot feed.
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Tyrion and his companions aboard the *Shy Maid* continue their way down the Rhoyne. As they encounter heavy amounts of fog in the Sorrows, severely hindering their visibility, Ysilla insists that it is not a common fog, claiming that restless spirits surround them.
Tyrion is initially unconcerned and begins to make japes, but he quickly begins to re-evaluate the situation as the surroundings grow more and more eerie. The Shy Maid floats past the ruins of a palace in the ruins of Chroyane, and Tyrion recalls to himself the brief joy he once had with Tysha.
Fearing an attack from the fog, Griff orders Young Griff to accompany Septa Lemore to safety below deck. Tyrion reveals his knowledge regarding the boy, and confirms bits of information he apparently learned from his previous bet with Haldon. Young Griff is in fact young Aegon Targaryen, although Tyrion is uncertain how he survived the the events following the Trident. He also comes to the conclusion that Griff is the late Rhaegar Targaryen's friend Jon Connington, the former Hand of the King.
Tyrion also reveals his Lannister roots to the party, but there is no time to discuss loyalties or intentions. The Shy Maid is attacked by stone men. He helps to make efforts to ensure the safety of the now-revealed young prince on board, but the dwarf is knocked into the water, dragged down by one of the stone men.
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Davos is held for eighteen days in a large, airy, handsomely furnished chamber with guards at the door and a view of the city's streets and the harbor in the New Castle at White Harbor. The *Merry Midwife* left after four days.
Ser Marlon Manderly takes Davos to treats with Lord Wyman Manderly and his Merman's Court. Davos asks Lord Wyman to ally with King Stannis.
He is resisted, however, by envoys of House Frey (Rhaegar Frey, Ser Jared Frey and Symond Frey), who have come with the remains of one of Lord Wyman Manderly's sons, Wendel Manderly.
A young girl, Wylla Manderly, Lord Wyman’s granddaughter, vocally supports Stannis, and appears to sway the court. However, Lord Manderly calls for Davos’ head and has Davos dragged off to prison in the Wolf's Den as a traitor in the presence of the Freys.
Lord Wyman Manderly's son (and Leona Woolfield's husband) Wylis Manderly is being held captive by the Lannisters. The Lord's other son, Wendel Manderly, was killed at the Red Wedding, but three Freys have returned his bones and attend Wyman's court.
During the night, Daenerys is presented with the body of Stalwart Shield, one of her Unsullied soldiers, who has been killed by the Sons of the Harpy. When day has come, Daenerys holds court, where the last petitioner presents her with a terrible
Daenerys Targaryen, now riling Meereen as its Queen, is presented the body of Stalwart Shield, one of her Unsullied soldiers. Stalwart Shield was killed by the Sons of the Harpy when he was visiting a brothel. He was found with the genitals of a goat stuffed down his throat, and with his sword missing. Daenerys notes that, although the Harpy's Sons have killed to freedmen loyal to her before, Stalwart is the first of her soldiers to be killed. Ser Barristan Selmy, Lord Commander of her Queensguard, warns her that Stalwart will not be the last. Daenerys offers a reward for anyone who can return the missing sword, and orders her men to investigate who has been gelding goats recently. Barristan informs her that the Unsullied are ill-suited to find the murderers, but Daenerys sees them as her only option, as the Dothraki, who would fare far worse, are gone from the city, attempting to subdue the hinterlands, as are her Second Sons and Stormcrows, the former gone south to guard Meereen against possible attacks from Yunkai, the latter to the east to make an alliance with the Lhazareen.
From the terrace of her private chambers in the Great Pyramid, Daenerys looks out over the city as dawn breaks. Her dragon Viserion looks at her as she walks by, and takes off into the sky as Daenerys watches him go. She notes that her dragons have been growing larger and wilder, and wonders if she has left them too much to themselves. She thinks they are almost large enough to ride.
When Viserion is out of sight, she returns to her chambers and dons a tokar. On her way to hold court, she is met by Reznak mo Reznak, her seneschal, and Skahaz mo Kandaq. They have heard what happened to Stalwart Shield. Skahaz, a Meereenese nobleman who has "put the old Meereen behind him to accept the new", symbolized by him shaving his head, thereby exchanging the customary Meereenese hair styles for a bald head. He and his followers, "the shavepates", are regarded as enemies by the Harpy's Sons. Skahaz is convinced that the noble Meereenese slave families are behind the attack, and suggests killing one man of each family now, and two of each of these families the next time one of her soldiers is killed. Reznak is horrified by the suggestion, and insists that the murderer will prove to be baseborn. Daenerys orders them to increase the reward offered for a Harpy's Son, and leaves to hold court.
The first petitioner is the Astapori envoy, Lord Ghael. He presents Daenerys with a present from Astapor's new king, Cleon. Ghael has asked Daenerys for her hand in marriage in Cleon's name several times before, but today he proposes Astapor and Meereen form an alliance against Yunkai. Daenerys regrets having left Yunkai untaken, as the Yellow City had resumed to slavery as soon as she had moved on. However, she also finds that Cleon is little better than the Yunkai'i, as he has enslaved the former slave masters. She suggests to the ambassador that King Cleon should feed the people in his starving city before sending them out into war.
The next petitioner is Hizdahr zo Loraq, a wealthy Meereenese noble. For the sixth time, Daenerys refuses to grant him his wish of opening the fighting pits of Meereen. Daenerys recalls that Reznak and the Green Grace have been urging her to take a Meereenese noble for her husband in order to reconcile the city to her rule. Daenerys thinks that Hizdahr might be an option. She recalls how Skahaz had offered to wed her, expressing willingness to set aside his wife to do so. However, Daenerys does not like the notion.
Several other petitioners follow, many of them presenting Daenerys with grievances about deeds done during the sack of the city. A young boy tells her how two of his father's houseshold slaves had killed his father and older brother, and raped and killed his mother. He request they be hanged, but Daenerys has to deny him, as she had declared a blanket pardon for all crimes committed during the sack, and will not punish slaves for rising up against their masters. The boy attempts to attack her upon hearing her decision, but fails when he trips on his own tokar. Daenerys forgives him and sends him away, but as he leaves she sadly thinks to herself that the Harpy has just gained another Son.
The day at court ends with petitions made by shepherds claiming that her dragons have devoured their animals; Some have even brought burned bones as proof. Although she is convinced that some of the claims are false, Daenerys orders Reznak to pay they for the animals they have lost. The petitioners are all sent away, but one man stays behind. As Daenerys asks him what he wants from them, he empties a sack of burnt bones on the floor. Reznak angrily berates him, telling him the compensations for the losses are to be collected the next morning, but Barristan quickly speaks up while Daenerys comes to the same realization. They are not the bones of a sheep. They belong to a child.
Theon on his way to Moat Cailin.© Thrumugnyr
Theon travels to Moat Cailin under a peace banner to present Ramsay Bolton's terms of rendition to the Ironborn garrison guarding its three towers.
The Ironborn are in bad shape. They have been long isolated from supplies, apparently forgotten by Victarion who brought them there before leaving for the Kingsmoot. The North's crannogmen keep them under constant siege and their morale is so low that they no longer bother to even dispose of their dead.
Their nominal leader Ralf Kenning men that still survive in the garrison.
Dagon Codd attempts to refuse his terms, but Adrack Humble kills him. The Ironborn surrender to Ramsay Bolton and hear empty promises of food and peace before being mercilessly killed and displayed at stakes along the road.
Theon, still thinking of himself as Reek, is further humiliated by Ramsay and "rewarded" by being "promoted" to the role of a dog. He meets Lord Roose Bolton as his own forces arrive at Moat Cailin with a sizeable number of Frey men, including Hosteen Frey and Aenys Frey, both of whom Theon recognizes from his time at their side as part of Robb's war campaign. At this point only about a fifth of the Northmen who went south with Robb Stark have returned alive.
Theon recognizes the newly arrived bride of Ramsay as an impostor; she is not Arya Stark as claimed, but rather Sansa's friend Jeyne Poole.
Following the departure of Stannis's host, Castle Black is in a quiescent state, with the exception of the training yard. Although Stannis has vacated Mormont's former chambers in King's Tower, Jon does not move in, knowing that others may misconstrue the move as a sign that he does not expect Stannis to return.
Against Bowen Marsh's wishes, Jon accompanies a line of wagons under armed escort to deliver food to the wildlings who have taken refuge underground at Mole's Town. As they notice several faces carved into various trees along the road, he comes to realize that the wildlings may have bent the knee to Stannis and feigned to embrace the Lord of Light, but in their hearts they will never abandon the old gods.
A riot nearly breaks out as Jon's men deliver rations to the wildlings, with many complaining about the small amount of food they receive. Jon promises the wildings adequate food, shelter, and weapons if they help the Night's Watch defend the Wall, informing them that they have the choice: work with the Watch, or face the Others alone. In spite of their misgivings, many wildlings agree to join, children, spearwives, and fighters alike, including Halleck, the brother of Harma Dogshead. However, Sigorn and the rest of the Thenns refuse the offer. When the rations are all distributed, the wagons are loaded with 63 wildings heading back to the Wall. Jon remembers something Mance Rayder told him, that the wildlings do not follow names or sigils. They follow strength.
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Tyrion is dreaming of his lord father and the Shrouded Lord. In his dream, they are one and the same. He wakes up with his mouth dry and rusty with the taste of blood and his heart hammering in his chest.
© Fantasy Flight Games
Tyrion learns that after being knocked overboard during the battle with the stone men, he was rescued by Jon Connington and the prince forbade the crew to throw him, near-dead, overboard. Tyrion is being treated with vinegar, to reduce the danger of an infection with greyscale. Prince Aegon is also still aboard and irritated about it; however, his companions insisted on keeping him safe, as Selhorys, where the *Shy Maid* is currently docked, fears an imminent attack by an approaching Dothraki *khalasar* and they do not want to get caught up in the chaos. To pass the time, Tyrion goads Aegon into playing a game of *cyvasse* with him, using it as an opportunity to probe the boy for information. Aegon asks Tyrion about his real father, but Tyrion can tell him little; he himself only saw Rhaegar once or twice before Robert's Rebellion, and was a small boy hidden away at Casterly Rock when Rhaegar died at the Trident.
Tyrion learns from Aegon that the child murdered by Gregor Clegane during the Sack of King's Landing was a tanner's son from Pisswater Bend whom Varys purchased and substituted for Aegon in the cradle. After the Sack, Varys smuggled the baby Aegon across the narrow sea to Illyrio Mopatis, who made the arrangements for Aegon's upbringing. Tyrion jokes that it will make a good story for the singers when he returns to Westeros, assuming Daenerys Targaryen takes him as her consort. Aegon is stunned by this, having clearly never considered the possibility that Daenerys might refuse him. Tyrion points out that she is a proud, strong, and fierce young woman who is unlikely to appreciate a relative coming to her with a begging bowl, certainly not one with a stronger claim to the Iron Throne than her own. Aegon angrily denies being a beggar, pointing out his own army, the Golden Company. Tyrion responds that Daenerys has a larger army than his own and owes nothing to Aegon. Aegon protests, trusting in Lord Connington to win her over. Tyrion calls him a fool, and gives him the following warning:
Trust no one, my prince. Not your chainless maester, not your false father, not the gallant Duck or the lovely Lemore nor these other fine friends who grew you up from a bean. Above all, trust not the cheesemonger, nor the Spider, nor this little dragon queen you mean to marry. All this mistrust will sour your stomach and keep you awake at night, ’tis true, but better that than the long sleep that does not end.
Tyrion then suggests a different course of action to Aegon: head to Westeros instead of going east, land in Dorne and take advantage of all the problems caused by the War of the Five Kings. He points out that the North is in a chaotic condition, the riverlands are devastated, while Stannis Baratheon holds Storm's End and Dragonstone. The coming winter will starve out the realm. He then paints the opposition as particularly weak: King Tommen Baratheon is just a boy, and all his potential regents come with their own problems. Jaime Lannister actively avoids the responsibility of ruling, and Kevan Lannister is a born follower- he will only take the rule if it is offered to him. Mace Tyrell will have to fight the Lannisters to become regent, and Stannis' unpopularity makes him an unlikely choice. That leaves only one potential candidate: Cersei. Tyrion is particularly scathing of his sister's ability to rule, comparing her to some of the worst Targaryen kings, noting that Cersei, in her paranoia and impatience, will undo all the alliances his father created to secure Tommen's hold on the Iron Throne and adds that if Aegon acts quickly, he can take advantage of the chaos and make serious gains before Cersei is overthrown and someone more competent takes her place.
When Aegon protests, asking how they can win without his aunt and her dragons, Tyrion points out that he doesn't have to conquer the Seven Kingdoms; he only needs to start winning victories, acting not as a beggar, but a true scion of House Targaryen, like his ancestor Aegon the Conqueror. When he does, word of it will get back to Daenerys, and she and Aegon can meet as equals. Tyrion is convinced that Daenerys will fly to Aegon's side and immediately love him, as he is the last of her line, and she is above all a "rescuer".
To re-emphasize his point to Aegon about trusting no one if he wants to survive in the game of thrones, Tyrion wins the cyvasse game using a piece of bad advice he gave and which the prince took at the start of the game. Aegon does not take his loss well; the sudden burst of anger convinces Tyrion the boy might be a Targaryen after all.
Later that evening,Haldon takes Tyrion into Selhorys in search of information, where they confirm the rumors that Daenerys still has not left Meereen. They need to know more, so Haldon takes Tyrion into an inn where they bribe a customs officer. Qavo Nogarys, to learn more. They learn many things, such as the fact the rulers of Yunkai are spreading slanderous propaganda and offering heavy bribes to convince Volantis to side with them against Daenerys, whose attack on the slave trade has made her enemies in Volantis. By contrast, it is learned that the red priests of R'hllor, particularly the High Priest Benerro are supporting Daenerys, and preach Volantis's destruction if the city's rulers side against her, along with other apocalyptic prophecies. There are also rumors of Khal Pono's khalasar approaching the city, though they are confident they can, as usual, buy off the Dothraki.
Later, Tyrion convinces Haldon to let him find a brothel and goes searching for Tysha. He finds his way into a cheap brothel where he fucks a Westerosi looking girl, retches, fucks her again and then leaves ashamed of himself. On his way out, he stumbles drunkenly into a Westerosi man who takes him prisoner to be "delivered to the queen".
Galazza Galare, the Green Grace, appears before Daenerys to offer once more the suggestion that she marry. She suggests as a suitor Hizdahr zo Loraq, who is waiting for her summons. Dany agrees to speak with him, and though neither of them love nor even express much physical attraction to one another, Hizdahr promises to put an end to the attacks by the Harpy's Sons. Dany tasks him with ninety days in which she does not want a single attack as demonstration of Hizdahr's promise. If he succeeds, Dany agrees that she may accept his wedding proposal. After he leaves, Barristan Selmy expresses his disapproval, but Dany believes that she still has ninety days to figure out another plan, to see if Hizdahr can prevent the attacks, and if he can she will marry him out of duty to her people.
Ser Barristan tells hers that during her assembly with the Green Grace, Daario Naharis has returned. Dany commands to see him at once, overcome with lust. Despite her growing passion, during the meeting Daario upsets her with his barbaric suggestions as solutions to her problems and she sends him away. Dany tells Barristan to forbid Daario from meeting with her directly ever again, but regrets her decision almost immediately.
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After the disappearance of Tyrion Lannister, to meet their officers.
On their way, the man called Griff recalls memories of the time when he served with the mercenaries himself - the Golden Company was founded by former combatants and knights of the Seven Kingdoms who were defeated in the Blackfyre Rebellion. Jon Connington joined the Golden Company after his own defeat at the Battle of the Bells, at Stoney Sept, when he failed to capture the then-rebel Robert Baratheon, seventeen years ago. It is revealed that Connington was dismissed from the Golden Company for ostensibly stealing from their war chest, but in reality left their service as part of a plan staged by Lord Varys to make his ignominious dismissal more forgettable. The Company was previously led by Connington's close friend Toyne but now it is led by "Homeless" Harry Strickland, a man skilled in negotiating lucrative contracts but cowardly facing combat, in the eyes of Connington.
After presenting the young Griff as Prince Aegon Targaryen, son of the late Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, to the highest-ranking members of the Company, the officers, including Connington, voice their lack of enthusiasm for the complicated situation. They did not anticipate that Daenerys would decide to remain in Meereen instead of marching out to meet her enemies and joining with them. Strickland reveals that the Golden Company has received a large number of alternative offers, including some which would involve them joining the coalition currently arrayed against Daenerys Targaryen. They also bemoan the constantly-changing plans of Illyrio Mopatis and Varys, who did not anticipate Viserys Targaryen's death or that Daenerys would go to Slaver's Bay rather than Westeros. Seeing their disillusionment and an opportunity to claim the Iron Throne for his own, Prince Aegon offers them an alternative, earlier proposed by Tyrion: He does not wish to try to rally Daenerys and her dragons, but instead to sail to Westeros with the hope of obtaining support from Dorne in accordance with Doran Martell's own plan for avenging Princess Elia Martell. Aegeon reasons that once he and the Golden Company have begun the rebellion, Daenerys will cross the Narrow Sea to join him. This proposal is met with great enthusiasm from the officers, except Harry Strickland, who nevertheless has no choice but to comply.
Once agreed on the new plan, Aegon is taken on a tour of the mercenary camp. Connington retires to his quarters, satisfied with the new situation and impressed with a side of Aegon he has not previously seen. He hopes to return home to the castle of his ancestors and repay his debt to his old friend Rhaegar. It is then revealed that he is slowly succumbing to greyscale (presumably acquired during the attack by the Stone Men, which is beginning to spread in his hand - he hopes that he will live several more years to see his ward sit the Iron Throne.
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Quentyn Martell and his two companions have joined the Windblown, a sellsword company of two thousand people without drawing too much danger or attention, although they keep that a secret from their colleagues.
The company was paid for by Yunkai to fight and kill the Butcher King's successors in Astapor, where they are currently mounted, three miles away from the gates. There they faced Astapor's still-untrained new Unsullied, far less formidable than those that Daenerys has with her in Meereen.
"Frog" learns that the Windblown are going to Yunkai for provisions before marching for Meereen to fight Daenerys' forces. While they prepare to leave, he learns many malicious and fearful rumors about Daenerys' past and present, some of them more grounded in truth than others.
On the way to Meereen, the Tattered Prince receives instructions from Yunkai to hunt the Astapori survivors that have left the ruins of Astapor and drive them away from Yunkai, either back to Astapor or further north to Meereen. It is believed that about half of those survivors are carriers of the bloody flux. The Windblown will fight side by side with the Company of the Cat, another group of sellswords that has fought against them in the past.
The leader of the company has however decided to play both sides, and selects a group of Westerosi men, including Quentyn and his companions, to make for Meereen and contact either the Second Sons or the Stormcrows, offering to defect to Dany. He selects Pretty Meris to command that group and suggests believable justifications for their decision to turn cloak. The group will have to be careful to avoid retaliation from the Company of the Cat or of the Long Lances who know nothing of their plans and might not approve or care if they knew.
Asha interrogates a Flint man- by Marc Fishman ©
Asha is at Deepwood Motte with her men, having fled the Iron Islands after the Kingsmoot. She receives news from Barrowton that Moat Cailin has fallen to Ramsay Bolton.
At Ten Towers, Asha received tidings that Euron had married her to Erik Anvilbreaker, so she now lingers at Deepwood Motte, knowing that she cannot return to the Iron Islands without having to submit to her new husband. Asha takes note of the fact that Deepwood Motte is an old castle, yet not a strong one, as proven by her quick capture of it. She also tells herself that she will not be captured alive by the Boltons, and will fight to the death in any attempt of capture. She suspects that the next attack will come from the Boltons. Of the thirty longships that set out to capture Deepwood, only four remain with Asha and her followers council her to take flight. Asha refuses, stating that she will only fights, not run.
Asha and Qarl the Maid have sex on Galbart Glover's bed and she reflects on their long relationship, regretting that they cannot marry, as Qarl is too low-born. During the night, the alarm is raised – it turns out that five Flint men from the mountain clans have tried to scale the wall. Asha’s men defeat them quickly. A single survivor claims that they were alone, attempting to save Lady Glover. But Asha’s brutal interrogation reveals their true purpose: to open a gate for the three thousand men coming to take Deepwood Motte.
Asha is unsure who is leading these men and she makes the sudden decision to try to flee for their ships instead, hoping that the northmen have not burned the beached ships she left behind. She is confident, however, since she always beaches half her ships and leaves the other half out at sea with orders to move to Sea Dragon Point if they are attacked.
On the way back to the ships, Asha realizes that it is dangerous to speed through the thick woods at night and they cannot light torches or else attract attention and an attack from the northmen. She decides to rest with her men and wait for sunrise in order to flee more quickly and safely. The northmen catch up to them, however, and a bloody, confusing battle ensues. Asha observes that the northmen are wearing shrubs and trees and thinks to herself that it is as if the very woods were attacking them. The battle continues with Asha fighting back to back with Qarl. Amidst the confusion, she loses him and is eventually hit in the head with an axe by a northman.
Tyrion, chained to the wall for the night. © FFG
Tyrion and his captor arrive at Volantis, where Tyrion is put in chains so he will be taken for a slave and thus no one will listen to or help him. Tyrion tells his captor he knows that he is Ser Jorah Mormont and that Jorah has been working for Varys. Tyrion further explains that he is also on a mission from Varys, thus making them allies, but Jorah is unmoved by his argument.
Jorah takes a room in the Merchant's House, chaining Tyrion to the wall for the night. The next day, they hear that the Golden Company (which Tyrion knows was hired by Aegon Targaryen and Jon Connington) is headed west, putting an end to Tyrion's hopes of being rescued by them in Volantis.
In the morning they head into the dining hall of the Merchant's House, where Tyrion sees another dwarf and notices that he has been recognized. He tells Jorah, who is not concerned. Tyrion later reflects that this other dwarf seems somehow familiar. They then talk to the widow of the waterfront, a former slave and now the powerful widow of a triarch of Volantis, who is sympathetic with Daenerys Targaryen's actions. Jorah tells her that he needs to book swift passage to Meereen and Daenaerys. She asks Jorah why he seeks Daenerys and he answers, "To serve her. Defend her. Die for her, if need be." The widow does not trust his motives, however.
Suddenly, a chaotic fight breaks out. Tyrion is attacked by the knife-wielding dwarf, but Jorah effortlessly rescues him. Tyrion realizes this dwarf is a girl, and upon questioning her, they learn that the she is Penny, one of the tilting dwarfs from Joffrey's royal wedding. Her brother, also a dwarf, was mistaken for Tyrion and beheaded by sailors, but she was set free when they realized she was a girl.
The widow instructs Tyrion to take the *Selaesori Qhoran*, a trading cog which is destined to Qarth by way of New Ghis, but Benerro has foretold that it will not reach this destination. She gives him a message to deliver to Daenerys from the slaves of Old Volantis: "Tell her we are waiting. Tell her to come soon."
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Jon sends Alliser Thorne out with Dywen and one other man to range beyond the Wall. Thorne believes that Jon is sending him out to die, though Dywen mockingly says that they will teach him to be a true ranger. Thorne tells Jon that he will not refuse and give him the pleasure of cutting his head off as he did with Janos Slynt. Thorne warns Jon that men killed by the Others still remember and he will come back if he is killed by one. Jon thinks to himself that he hopes Alliser Thorne does come back, alive, as he is still a brother in the Night's Watch. Jon is also sending out two other rangings, one led by Black Jack Bulwer and another by Kedge Whiteye.
Jon descends the Wall with Dolorous Edd, noting that he is receiving messages of need for more men from some of his commanders as more sightings of wildlings are being reported. He wonders where he is to find yet more men. He sees Iron Emmett in the yard and asks to spar with three of his best men, telling them all to come at him at the same time. Rattleshirt sees them and tells Jon that he should fight a man and not boys and they begin to spar. Rattleshirt is getting the best of him, despite fighting with a larger greatsword and no shield. Eventually they lose their swords, roll, and the fight ends with Rattleshirt on top. He is dragged off and Jon remarks that Rattleshirt fought well.
A raven arrives with a message he once gave to her, wondering if she still has it.
He goes for a walk and sees Melisandre, though at first he believes her to be Ygritte. Melisandre tells him that he should not worry over matters of the heart and that she sees that his sister will flee this marriage and ride towards them on a dying horse. She also foresees that three of the rangers sent out will die, and come back eyeless. As she is leaving she tells him that when the dead men return, he should take her hand and she will save his sister.
Davos, still imprisoned in the Wolf's Den, is awaiting his death and hopes that he will at least die honorably, losing his head first and not his hands. He passes his time chatting to the guards, gaining a few favours in the form of candles, books, paper & a quill, as well as learning a little more about the general history of the north. Davos writes a few letters to his sons to be delivered upon his death. It is then that Robett Glover appears at his door and politely asks him to follow; Davos is wary but notes his mannerisms and follows.
He is led through secret hallways always going in different directions, passing the old godswood on the way. Eventually they end up in a room of the New Castle where Lord Wyman Manderly is waiting for him. He declines the offers of food and wine; Lord Wyman though, apologizes for his poor treatment of Davos. Wyman tells him that they must talk fast, as the Freys wait above, and Davos can hear the sounds of music and chatter above. Lord Wyman says that they must act quickly for Davos is "dead" and his head sits upon the Seal Gate. A criminal similar in appearance to Davos was executed in his place, his head and hands (with fingers carefully shortened) mounted on the wall. He then learns that Lord Wyman Manderly only plays along with the Freys because he has to, as his son Wylis Manderly is being held hostage, though he drinks for his safe return.
Davos says he was quite convinced by Wyman's daughters' behaviour, though he was confused by Wylla Manderly. Wyman responds that his young granddaughter was extremely brave to have said those things. There was truth in her words as the debt the Manderlys owe the Starks and Winterfell can never be repaid. He adds though that he cannot show any sign of contempt to King's Landing for fear of the harm they might do to his son. Tywin Lannister told Wyman that he must confess his treason, yield White Harbor, declare his loyalty to King Tommen, and bend his knee to Roose Bolton. If he refused, Wylis would be killed as a traitor, White Harbor would be sacked and his people would "suffer the same fates as the Reynes of Castamere". If he complies, his son will be released. By "killing" Davos, he has proved his loyalty to the Iron Throne and assured the release of Wylis, which Davos notes is a brave move.
Wyman adds that he has been unable to send Stannis more information in his letters because the Freys infest his court, looking for any sign of treachery and his maester Theomore is a distant cousin to the Lannisters, so Manderly does not trust him. Manderly goes on to add his rage at his son Wendel Manderly's death at the hands of the Freys, calling it murder and the Freys' claims fables. He tells Davos that the North remembers and his son is home, meaning that his act for the Freys is almost over as well.
He then summons Theon's mute squire Wex, who survived the Sack of Winterfell. Davos is told by Robett that Theon was captured at Winterfell, and is currently being flayed by the Boltons. He adds that all the women were also captured and marched away. Davos listens to the horrible things that Ramsay Bolton does to the captured women, sending them naked into the woods with half a day's head start before hunting them down with his dogs. Every so often, according to Manderly, some wench lives to tell the tale, but most aren't as lucky. If caught, they are raped, flayed and their corpses fed to his dogs, while their skins adorn the Dreadfort. If he considered them good sport, he slits their throats before he flays them, otherwise it is the other way around.
Robett tells a stunned Davos that the evil is in Ramsay's blood, sired from rape. Wyman adds that the Freys are no better than Ramsay. He also tells Davos that Roose lies and played a darker part in the Red Wedding than he has admitted. In addition, Davos is told that the Boltons and Freys know the northmen are not expected to believe their lies but will be forced to accept them or else die as well.
He tells Davos about the mighty fleet he has built up, which Davos saw when he entered the port. Furthermore he has plenty of silver in his vaults and has more heavy horse than anyone else north of The Neck. Wyman states that Oldcastle and Widow's Watch will follow his lead, all of the lands east of the White Knife, from Widow’s Watch and Ramsgate to the Sheepshead Hills and the headwaters of the Broken Branch will be pledged to Stannis Baratheon if Davos meets his one price. He says he does not need a king but a smuggler. He needs Davos to smuggle home Rickon Stark, his true liege, and one who holds a stronger claim than Arya, who is soon to be wed to Ramsay Bolton.
The true story about what happened at Winterfell comes out then; Wex hid in the godswood, and Rodrik Cassel was murdered by Ramsay Bolton. Wex also says that six survived the siege, two of them the sons of Eddard Stark. Four of the people went north and two went another way. Manderly insists that they must have the boy and his direwolf as proof of his identity should the Boltons try to deny him. Wyman asks Wex to show them where they went and he throws a dagger at the spot on the map. Davos looks long at where the dagger has landed, pondering whether it would be better to go back to the dungeons and eat porridge for breakfast as it is better than places where men break fast upon human flesh instead.
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In Jon's dream he sees through the eyes of his direwolf, Ghost, who is hunting in the woods somewhere south of the Wall. In the dream Ghost is aware of the presence of the other stark direwolves Nymeria, Shaggydog and Summer. Jon is awakened from the dream by Jeor Mormont's raven. He resides in the old quarters of Donal Noye, since Stannis occupies the King’s Tower and the Lord Commander’s Tower has burned down. He reflects that Ghost knows that Grey Wind is dead, but his other brothers' wolves are still alive. His wolf dreams are becoming more vivid and more frequent, and he wonders if part of Bran and Rickon survive in their wolves.
As Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Jon heads off to treat with King Stannis, who has requested his presence. As Jon crosses the yard, he gives advice to sparring recruits and is challenged to a duel by Ser Godry Farring, from Stannis’ retinue, but ignores the challenge. On the steps up, he runs into Sam before finally arriving at the King's Tower.
Stannis has been unsuccessful in seeking allegiance from the lords of the North; the latest rejection letter is from Lyanna Mormont. So far, the only house to have declared for him is House Karstark. Stannis asks for gold from the Night's Watch to pay off Salladhor Saan. Jon recommends he take White Harbor for that, but Stannis dismisses its lord, Wyman Manderly, as fat and useless. With wildling refugees still seeking shelter south of the wall, they discuss Mance Rayder, whom Stannis intends to burn as a deserter, his wife's sister Val, and his child. Jon mentions that Gilly is acting as wet nurse for her own child and Mance's, and that he plans to send her and her babe away south. Stannis approves once he learns that Gilly's child was born of incest.
Stannis is demanding lands and castles from the Night's Watch. Jon has already ceded land in The Gift, and refuses to let him have the castles. He offers instead to have his own officers man the abandoned forts, to command Stannis' men as a garrison. Stannis grumbles and threatens Jon before allowing him to leave. Melisandre, the priestess of R'hllor, follows Jon out from the meeting. Jon is wary of her but she warns him not to refuse her friendship, saying that she has seen him in her visions. Underneath the Wall, she tells him to be wary of foes behind his back and daggers in the dark. Jon assures her he is aware he has enemies in the Watch, to which Melisandre replies *"You know nothing, Jon Snow"*.
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Daenerys begins every morning my counting the enemy ships in the harbour. Today she has counted roughly twenty-five. She has an argument with her admiral Groleo, who is advising her to send her dragons to attack the enemy fleet. Daenarys tells him to attack with ships, but he replies that she dismantled his ships, and all the timber in twenty leagues has been burned so he can build no more.
Hizdahr has thus far had success in preventing further murders. She has had her betrothed followed and Skahaz mo Kandaq reports that Hizdahr has visited eleven pyramids and it has been twenty-six days since a murder has been attempted. He surmises that he must be one of the Sons of the Harpy or else these others would not have listened to his words alone. Skahaz asks that he may question Hizdahr, but Dany will not let him, stating that she must trust in Hizdahr or face open rebellion in the city. Skahaz also advises her that the fleets in the blockade all have family members in Meereen and that she should use them as hostages, a contemplation she also rejects. Barristan Selmy advises her that she has done a wise thing.
Grey Worm meets with her next to tell her that the first refugees from Astapor are arriving in Meereen and that Astapor is burning. Dany learns of the fall of Astapor, and that many inhabitants have contracted the bloody flux while under siege, with the survivors now fleeing towards Meereen. and of how sometimes those whom she tries to save end up worse off.
There are further appeals to use the dragons, however they are followed with comments that they cannot be controlled right now, and even the Unsullied are afraid to go into the dragon pit to feed them. Dany says she cannot and will not unleash the dragons at this point in time. Ultimately she decides not to let the Astapori into the city and that they should have a separate camp outside the city until the flux passes.
Ser Barristan appeals to her to take the battle to the enemy. She then reminds herself that a queen represents her people and not just her own person. She thus decides that she cannot have the Unsullied take the field or else she would have to leave the Brazen Beasts alone to defend against the Sons of the Harpy which will not suffice. She then says that she must marry Hizdahr, for the good of the city.
Melisandre may have glimpsed the three-eyed crow and Bran in her fires - by Urukki Saki ©
Melisandre is in her chambers, looking into the fire and trying to receive her visions. When she looks for Stannis, she sees eyeless faces staring out, crying blood. Then she sees towers by the sea followed by skulls rising out of the ocean turning to mist and great winged beasts flying in the sky. She tries to see the girl on the fleeing horse again as she knows Jon will want to know more, but she cannot find anything. She does see that there is death around Jon and that dangers and enemies lurk all around him.
When Devan asks her what she sees, she replies with her usual answer "Much and more." She does not let him know how difficult it is or how much pain she endures to try and see these things, for fear of letting others know that this task is not as simple as she lets on. Melisandre knows and sees that Davos is the most loyal to Stannis thus she has kept Devan back against the young boy's wishes. She knows that Davos has lost too many sons already and although Stannis has ridden out, she keeps the boy in order to save one of Davos' sons.
Melisandre does not sleep much, often just an hour a night, as she fears to dream and what she sees there, re-occurring images of the words "Lot Seven" and "Melony".
She sends Devan to go get Rattleshirt and bring him to her. She speaks with him and tells him to keep his bones on, in order to keep the glamor spell active. She also asks that he go and fetch the girl she saw on the dying horse. She tells him of her vision and asks him where the girl might be coming up, and, knowing the North well, he can guess her location, west of Long Lake. Their talk is disrupted by the single long drone of a horn, marking the return of the rangers. She tells Rattleshirt to wait for him there and she goes to see the rangers, thinking of her prediction of three dead rangers.
Upon arrival she sees Jon with the heads of Black Jack Bulwer, Hairy Hal and Garth Greyfeather, impaled on spears., whom she has spared. She tells him that he will bring Jon back his sister, but Jon mistrusts her. She does not reveal the difficulty of her glamor spell to the men, thinking to herself that the more effortless sorcery appears, the more men fear it and her.
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Ramsay and Theon - by Eeba-ism ©
Ben Bones, Skinner, Sour Alyn, and Damon Dance-for-Me return to the keep of House Stout from a search for some Frey men with Ramsay Bolton. Theon knows this means that Ramsay may want to take his anger out on someone, most likely Reek. He knows that Ramsay has been forced to restrain his violent outbursts in Barrowton as he needs the loyalty of the Dustins and Ryswells, but what he does behind closed doors is none of their concern. Ramsay then throws a severed head for Theon to catch, which he cannot because of his maimed hands. He does not recognize the head as it is covered in blood, rotting, and bursting with maggots.
Theon is then ordered to put away the men's horses. He is followed by Big Walder Frey, who, Theon notes, does not take after his older cousin in the malicious ways of the flayed men. Theon asks Big Walder who the man's head belonged to, and he replies it was just an old man who called Ramsay "Lord Snow."
Then there is a feast, and Theon is chained to the wall and waits his turn to eat, though the dogs provide the night's entertainment fighting each other for scraps. Theon remembers when Ramsay told him that all the dogs are named after peasant girls he hunted, raped, flayed, and killed. He notes the next litter will likely include a Kyra. It is then that Roose Bolton enters the hall with some of his men. Here it is discovered what happened to the Frey men and why they were searching. The Freys rode ahead of the procession of the Manderlys. Wyman Manderly stopped frequently to feast, but the Freys rode on and disappeared. Roose says that Hosteen Frey and Aenys Frey are distressed, but Ramsay says it is of no concern, as there are plenty of Frey men at the Twins.
Ramsay and Roose argue; Roose says that his son is acting brash and foolish and drawing attention to himself with his cruel and barbaric amusements, that his fore-bears were no fools. He notes that they have powerful allies in the Freys and the Lannisters, but the northmen despise them and only accept House Bolton's authority grudgingly (with only the exception of Lady Barbrey Dustin, whose support Ramsay would cast aside because she hates him; Roose points out that Lady Dustin was fond of his late son, Domeric Bolton, and holds Ramsay responsible for his death). They talk briefly about the dead sons of the Starks, and what might happen if they were to "return" from the dead; Roose angrily chides his son for openly discussing his part in the Sack of Winterfell, pointing out that their northern vassals would turn on them in an instant if they learned the truth. Roose then changes the subject by informing Ramsay that Stannis has marched from the Wall, adding that it is not towards the intended trap at the Dreadfort that the Karstarks baited, thus revealing that the Karstarks are double-crossing Stannis.
Roose tells Ramsay he is to wed the fake Arya Stark not in Barrowton, but in Winterfell. By doing so, the clansmen who follow Stannis will be incensed to march on the keep, something they would not do while the Boltons are in Barrowton; once Stannis lays siege to Winterfell, Arnolf will turn on him there. Roose then takes Theon away from Ramsay. Ramsay tells Theon to observe everything and report back to him, but he is to say nothing about his treatment to Roose.
As they ride to Barrow Hall, Roose tells Theon he knows what his bastard son has asked of him. He goes on to say that he knows what the real Reek was like, the opposite of what Ramsay has turned Theon into. He notes that he provided the first Reek as a servant to the unruly young Ramsay; he had intended it to be a cruel joke, but is now uncertain whether Reek corrupted Ramsay or the other way around. Ramsay was the child of a rape, one that Roose is not proud of; he chanced upon the beautiful young wife of an old miller while out hunting and decided to practice the illicit tradition of the first night, having the miller hanged and then taking the man's wife. The woman showed up at the Dreadfort a year later with baby Ramsay; Roose had intended to have the woman whipped and the infant thrown down a well, but when he saw the child had his eyes, Roose stayed his hand and agreed to aid them- he gave the woman back the farm her husband's brother had stolen from her, had the man's tongue cut out to stop him telling tales to Rickard Stark, Roose's liege, and periodically sent the woman a few pigs, chickens and coin to help bring up the bastard child on the condition she never tell the boy who his father was. He thinks that the woman may have had a hand in turning Ramsay on to desiring goals outside the rights of a bastard. They also discuss Domeric Bolton, Roose's true-born son, whom Roose suspects was killed by Ramsay. He also suspects that any trueborn sons he has with his new wife Ramsay will likely kill, though he admits this might be best, as he believes he will not live long enough to raise new sons to manhood and considers child lords the bane of a House.
They finally arrive at Barrow Hall, where Theon is brought to Barbrey Dustin, Lady of Barrowton. He is introduced as Theon Greyjoy, true Lord of the Iron Islands, which frightens Theon into fits, having been tortured into calling himself Reek. She asks Roose if Theon has gone mad, and he replies he most likely has, but it doesn't matter. Theon claims he is not the turncloak, he died at Winterfell.
Tyrion is aboard the *Selaesori Qhoran*,'s right hand. Tyrion ask Moqorro what he sees in the flames, to which he replies dragons, true and false, with Tyrion in the middle of it all.
Tyrion befriends Penny, uneasily at first. He apologizes for what has happened to her brother Oppo and tells her it was not him that killed her brother but rather his sister Cersei. Regardless, she still blames Tyrion and barges off. Later, there is a terrible storm, following which Tyrion spies Penny again. She says that the storm frightened her and she thought she may have died. Penny tells Tyrion that she does not truly blame him for the death of Oppo.
After their talks Penny spends more time up on the deck, whereas earlier she spent much of the time hiding away in her cabin. After that they began to spend more time together, Tyrion's witty playful attitude begins to cheer her up and he hears her laugh and act a lot more like the girl she is.
They then draw close to the coast of Valyria. Tyrion sees the fires of the Fourteen Flames, he watches them and talks to Moqorro. As they draw closer Tyrion thinks about the prophecies and if they may be confused with multiple Targaryens. Moqorro says that he has seen in his flames that there are others seeking Daenerys. Tyrion asks Moqorro what else he has seen to which he replies that he sees only their shadows, but one most of all. It is a tall and twisted thing, with one black eye, ten arms, sailing on a sea of blood.
A white haired woman with a bronze sickle - by Marc Fishman ©
Bran, Hodor, Jojen, and Meera are still dwelling in the cave of the children of the Forest and exploring its chambers. Bran uses his ability as a warg and skinchanger to enter Summer and Hodor. They begin to name some of the "children" as their own names are unpronounceable by the human tongue. Bran names one of the females Leaf, as she is always adorned with leaves. She is one of the few children who can speak the Common Tongue. Others are called Ash, Scales, Black Knife, Snowylocks, and Coals.
Jojen is growing extremely sad and solemn, and still has fits of shaking. His sister Meera does her best to keep up the spirits of both her brother and Bran.
The three-eyed crow teaches Bran how to enter into ravens. He learns that all of the ravens around the three-eyed crow have children who have passed away and remain in the skins of these animals. He also learns to use weirwoods to look into the past. The three-eyed crow tells Bran that he was once a lord called Brynden.
The children feed Bran a bowl of weirwood paste to awaken his green seeing gifts. Bran sees his father, Eddard, through Winterfell's heart tree, and learns that he can view the past, present and future through the weirwoods. The last greenseer tells Bran that he is haunted by his own ghosts, a brother that he loved, a brother that he hated, and a woman that he desired, but knows from experience that you cannot change the past. When he gets tired, he sends Bran away. Hodor carries Bran to his bed.
In his sleep, Bran sees the following visions through Winterfell's heart tree:
A respite at the falling of snow motivates Jon to range beyond the Wall, leading the new recruits of the Night's Watch who follow the old gods to the same grove of weirwoods in the haunted forest where he and Sam swore their vows..
There are six new recruits - Hareth the Horse from Mole's Town, Arron and Emrick from Fair Isle, Satin from Oldtown and the wildlings Leathers and Jax.
Of the sixty-three wildlings that Jon invited to join the Watch, Leathers and Jax are the only two to accept so far. Among the others wildlings come to the wall, nineteen are girls and women and were sent to Hardin's Tower to avoid trouble with the men in Castle Black. Their presence makes the men uneasy and there has already been an incident. The spearwives know how to defend themselves and their girls, and three men had to be locked in ice cells.
Jon means to garrison Deep Lake, Sable Hall and Long Barrow with wildlings under command of offices of the Night's Watch, and to choose an almost completely female contingent for Long Barrow in order to avoid future harassment. Iron Emmett and Dolorous Edd will be Long Barrow's commander and chief steward.
Other wildlings are also a cause of tension and incidents with the Brothers of the Night's Watch, most noticeably Halleck and his followers. Jon is also worried that the Thenns may blame him for the death of Styr.
Tom Barleycorn finds a small group of wildlings, including a child and his mother, a Thenn, a Hornfoot and a giant in the weirwood grove. With the advantage of surprise and an effort at diplomacy from Leathers, they succeed in avoiding a fight and even convince the survivors to return to Castle Black with them.
The recruits swear their vows in the presence of the wildlings. As he hears the verse about guarding the realms of men, Jon realizes that his duties involve protecting the wildlings as well as any other men.
They return to Castle Black, bringing the two wildling corpses they found with them. Jon consigns the corpses to the ice cells and receives a letter from Stannis, learning that he succeeded at taking Deepwood Motte and received support from various northern clans and houses along the way, including survivors from the battle at Winterfell. His troops now number five thousand and growing. Stannis has also learned that Ramsay Bolton means to marry Arya at his attempt to conquer Winterfell.
Jon wonders if Arya could have escaped without Stannis's help, as predicted by Melisandre.
Daenerys visits the thousands of Astapori camped outside Meereen. She finds them sick and dying of the bloody flux, and walks among them with her Bloodriders. She does not fear catching the bloody flux because she thinks that the blood of the dragon does not get sick. She sends Aggo back to Meereen to fetch Grey Worm and 50 Unsullied to help wash and feed the living and burn the dead. Grey Worm asks for permission to allow some Unsullied to bathe in the sea to be purified by their goddess.
Daenerys returns to her pyramid in Meereen, where Irri and Jhiqui are arguing about Rakharo. She takes a much needed bath and dons a tokar to dine with Hizdahr zo Loraq. Reznak mo Reznak and Galazza Galare inform her that her body must be inspected by the man's house before the wedding. Daenerys first refuses to follow this tradition but is then convinced to do so. She is asked to open the fighting pits as a wedding gift but refuses to do that.
While waiting for dinner, Hizdahr informs her that Yunkai will make peace for a fee and the freedom to resume slaving, but then Ser Barristan notifies her that the Yunkai'i are on the march and Daario Naharis has returned. Daenerys excuses herself from dinner and meets with Daario.
Daario informs her that several of Yunkai's sellswords defected to him,, and gives in to her desires and beds Daario.
The Arya impostor, Jeyne Poole, is preparing for her marriage to Ramsay Bolton, out of fear more than anything. Theon reminds her that she should think of herself as Arya Stark at all times in order to avoid the dangers of enraging Ramsay. Her plight moves Theon considerably.
Theon has been chosen to ceremoniously present "Arya" in marriage to Ramsay, since he was the longtime ward of Eddard Stark and it is widely believed that Arya's trueborn brothers are dead. Jon Snow is a bastard half-brother and while Theon believes Bran and Rickon Stark to be alive, he does not dare to reveal that.
Meanwhile, Winterfell is suffering from both a hard white frost and the looming menace of the coming of Stannis Baratheon's troops. Even so, Ramsay marries Fake Arya in the godswood. A bard by the name of Abel arrives uninvited, with six women followers, to perform for the wedding. whispered by the godswood, after months of thinking of himself only as Reek. That and the memories of a different life in a far livelier Winterfell shake him deeply.
After the marriage, there is a banquet with many northern guests, including Lord Wyman Manderly, who is particularly pleased with the meal. Lady Barbrey Dustin engages in a surprisingly frank conversation with Theon about her mistrust of the Boltons and of the maesters of the Citadel.
Ramsay calls for Theon and cruelly humiliates both him and the fake Arya (Jeyne) in his quarters.
Balon Swann has arrived in Sunspear, was.
When the feast is done, Prince Doran summons his daughter, Arianne, and the Sand Snakes to his solar and tells them that he has arranged that Myrcella will tell Balon that it was Darkstar who injured her and killed Arys. Once that is done, Obara Sand is to lead Balon to Darkstar's lair at High Hermitage and destroy him. Doran also reveals to the Sand Snakes that sources loyal to him in King's Landing have told him the truth he was not meant to hear of this visit to the capital; Queen Regent Cersei Lannister plots to have Trystane killed on the way. An ambush is planned somewhere in the kingswood, where their party will be attacked by outlaws and Trystane will be slain. Blame for the attack will be placed on the Imp, Tyrion Lannister, as the outlaws will be crying "Halfman!" during their attack and Balon will claim to catch a glimpse of the Imp. The Sand Snakes are disbelieving, but Doran points out that knights of the Kingsguard are sworn to obey, regardless of their personal feelings on their orders, and points out that Balon argued against traveling by sea to return to King's Landing, as this would disturb the planned arrangements. Doran still does not want to defy the Iron Throne openly, so Nymeria Sand is to accompany Myrcella back to King's Landing and take the seat on the council, while Tyene Sand is also to travel to King's Landing, ordered to try and get close to the new High Septon and thus give the Martells an ear amongst the Faith.
Jon sends Val to the north, to find Tormund Giantsbane and offer him and his followers shelter south of the Wall. Bowen Marsh, Septon Cellador, and Othell Yarwyck talk to Jon with various complaints; they disapprove of Leathers as Castle Black's master-at-arms, Satin as Jon's steward and his decision to negotiate with Tormund and allow him and his men through the Wall. They are also nervous about the fact Jon is keeping two corpses in the ice cells, and react with outrage and horror when Jon reveals he is waiting for them to rise, ignoring Jon's argument that the Watch knows next to nothing about the wights or their masters, and need to learn more if they are to defeat them. Overlooking their protests, Jon tells them of a large group of wildlings making for Hardhome at the east coast north of the Wall, following the witch Mother Mole who claims they will find ships there to bring them across the Narrow Sea. under their control to send at the Wall.
Coldhands astride his great elk - by Marc Fishman ©
Bran is making his way through the haunted forest, in search of the three-eyed crow, accompanied by the Reeds, Hodor, and Coldhands. Bran skinchanges into Summer frequently, and even into Hodor, although Hodor seems to dislike the experience. Coldhands is riding on an elk and is accompanied by ravens. Jojen is becoming ill and weak.
Coldhands stops to deal with "foes" he refuses to name, backtracking while the others continue on. Meera points out that they have never seen Coldhand's breath even in the icy weather - and he does not eat, or drink, or sleep. Bran points out that Coldhands saved Sam and Gilly from wights, so they must trust him.
Bran enters Summer in order to find an abandoned wildling village for shelter. As they rest, Jojen refuses to eat despite his weakness, telling his sister that this is not the day he dies. All four of them are near starving, but they refrain from lighting a fire at Coldhand's instruction.
Sleepless, Bran enters Summer on the hunt, who has found the corpses of five men - and the wolf pack that found them first. Summer/Bran squares off for a fight against the leader of the pack, seeing in his eyes that he is in fact a warg like him. Bran/Summer defeats the pack leader, making the pack his and giving him the choice parts of the dead men. The dead men are in black - men of the Night's Watch.
Bran awakens to a fire - Coldhands has killed a pig for them, and as the dawn is near he allows them to light a fire to roast it. Bran asks Coldhands, who fears the flames, what happened to the foes. Coldhands replies that they will not trouble him - he does not deny that they are dead at his hand. Only Jojen pays attention when Bran asks who they were - but he already knows they were men of the Night's Watch. Bran asks the ranger about his black hands, and he tells Bran that the blood runs into a man's extremities and congeals once he is dead. Meera demands to see his face, which he refuses. Bran notes that he could not pass beyond the Wall and its enchantments.
Meera asks who the three-eyed crow is and he replies *"A friend. Dreamer, wizard, call him what you will. The last greenseer"*. Meera asks Jojen if he has dreamed this and he says they have come too far to go back now.
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Still on board the *Selaesori Qhoran*, Tyrion jousts on Penny's 'Pretty Pig', for the amusement of the crew in hopes of sweetening their mood, while the ship has been floating becalmed in the Gulf of Grief. Attempts to tow the cog north in hope of finding a breeze, using small rowing boats, have been unsuccessful.
Tyrion and Penny are talking when the ship suddenly starts to move. Everyone cheers until they notice the storm front looming on the horizon. Moqorro states that this is the storm from his visions (the reason that the ship won't reach Qarth). During the storm, the main mast breaks, crippling the ship. Moqorro and others are swept overboard, the captain and the cook die, and Tyrion is wounded from a splinter. For 19 days the ship barely manages to stay afloat as food and water dwindle and the sun beats down on them relentlessly. Then a sail turns up on the horizon, reigniting hope in them until Jorah realizes it's a slaver ship.
Tyrion on Pretty Pig. © Marc Simonetti
A winter snowstorm has hit Winterfell. Roose Bolton comments that the northern gods do not favour Stannis as he is at the mercy of the weather while they are sheltered in Winterfell. His men cheer, but Theon does not join in and notes that the Freys do not join in either, unfamiliar with the north that has claimed three of their lives already.
Wyman Manderly is eating at a feast of porridge, while Harwood Stout and Whoresbane Umber chat. Theon spent the whole last night awake dreaming of escape, but ultimately decides he has no where to go; he is a ruined man in a ruined castle, and this is where he belongs. The bard Abel plays "The Dornishman's Wife" with one of his women beating a drum, but he switches the lyrics to a northman instead. Theon fears that this will be seen as a spite to the Boltons, cost the man his life, angering Ramsay and getting Theon flayed as a result. But when both of the Boltons laugh, the others see that it is safe so they laugh as well and join in with the bawdy song.
His thoughts fall to the fake Arya, taking note that she has remained locked away in her room. There are whispers that Ramsay keeps her chained naked to the bed, but Theon believes that it is only the guards that keep her there. He has seen bruises on her body as Sour Alyn has assigned Theon as Jeyne's handmaid. Theon told her that Ramsay only hurts people when they make him angry, so she should do as he says and no harm will come to her. But she only cried and called him Theon, and he corrected her, telling her that his name is Reek.
Rowan, one of the bard's women, comes up to Theon and asks him about his exploits, telling him that Abel can make a song about his capture of Winterfell. She questions him on how he was able to conquer Winterfell so easily, wondering if there was a secret entrance or another way that he used to get in. Theon thinks this is another ploy from Ramsay as he desires Rowan, so he runs away, leaving her.
Outside there is a snowball fight between boys from the Rills and Barrowton, while squires build snowmen along the battlements. Theon observes that a new stable has been built, twice as large as the one that was burned down. He wanders through the castle and passes Rickard Ryswell cuddling one of Abel's women. He observes that they have few provisions to last the winter in the keep, but thinks that Stannis is in the same situation. He eventually arrives at the weirwood, kneeling before the heart tree. There he apologizes for something, and asks for something that he is unsure of - strength? He hears someone crying and leaves, thinking that there are ghosts in Winterfell, and he is one of them.
Theon returns and sees that to command the snowmen, the squires have built a dozen snowy lords, including ones resembling Lord Wyman Manderly, Lord Harwood Stout, Lady Barbrey Dustin, and Whoresbane Umber. Lady Dustin asks him if he can show her the way to the crypts, as she cannot access them from the dungeons. As her men dig through the snow, Lady Dustin asks Theon to convince Ramsay to treat Arya better. The northmen love the Starks and hate the Boltons, remaining loyal only out of fear. The tears of Arya Stark will upset them and do Roose and Ramsay more harm than anything Stannis could do.
Inside the crypts they find that some of the dead kings' swords are missing. A bad omen, Theon thinks, as the swords are said to protect the crypt and keep the spirits of the dead from wandering. Dustin asks Theon why he loves the Starks, and Theon reluctantly explains he always wanted to be one, but never could. Dustin remarks that they are similar in that regard, explaining how Brandon Stark took her maidenhead and was enamored with her rather than with his betrothed, Catelyn Tully. Rickard Stark arranged the betrothal of his eldest son to Catelyn, a match that served his ambitions more than one to Lady Barbrey, a daughter of one of his own northern vassals. After Brandon's betrothal to Catelyn, the ambitious Lord Ryswell wanted Barbrey to marry Eddard, but after Rickard and Brandon were both murdered by the Mad King, Eddard fulfilled his older brother’s betrothal to Catelyn to ensure support from Riverrun during Robert's Rebellion. Left to marry Lord Willam Dustin, she blames Ned for Lord Dustin's death at the Tower of Joy during Robert's Rebellion. She felt slighted that Eddard merely buried her husband in Dorne, yet went to great lengths to transport his sister's body north to be buried at Winterfell.
She claims that she intends to seize Ned Stark's bones, delayed by the Iron Born's occupation of Moat Cailin, and feed them to her dogs, rather than let them be buried in the crypt. On the way back up she tells him to repeat nothing to the Boltons. Theon swears he will not, to which she says he has been trained well, leaving him there.
Stannis's host departs from Deepwood Motte. Asha is chained and carried on at the back of the baggage train under guard by Alysane Mormont. Stannis means to bring her to Winterfell to show off the Kraken's daughter as his captive and a sign of his strength. They believe the three hundred mile march through the Wolfswood should take them about fifteen days to Winterfell.
She bent her knee at Deepwood Motte, but thinks to herself that others have bent the knee before, such as Balon, who rose again to fight another day. Wise advice years earlier from her father. As part of her surrender she hopes that Stannis will spare the rest of her ironborn their lives, which he does, imprisoning them at Deepwood Motte. She listens to talk between the northmen, seeing their pride in their king, though she predicts many if not all will die in a siege attempt of Winterfell. Ser Justin Massey takes a courteous nature with Asha, treating her well. She believes he is after her lands, but takes his company over being left alone.
After a few nights, she is brought to Stannis and tries to treat with him. She says that his brother Robert Baratheon was renowned for turning his foes into friends, but learns that she should not speak his brothers name as it angers Stannis.
The snow begins to take a toll on the passage of the southern men, however the northmen are used to this weather and proceed quickly. Later she hears the queensmen, worshipers of the Lord of Light, begin to contemplate a sacrifice to appease their god and blow the storm away. Stannis does not listen to them, nor does he listen to the pleas to make camp and wait out the storm. After fifteen days, the estimated time of arrival, they have only made half the distance through nine days of storm. After thirty days, they have yet to reach Winterfell. Morgan Liddle, the man who nearly slayed her at Deepwood Motte, comes to apologize, but only for calling her a cunt, not for nearly killing her.
Later they reach a small crofters' village where they make camp and try to catch some fish. Asha realizes that Stannis is now a gaunt figure, having lost much weight on the march. They are encamped now and locked in by snow, unable to move. Worse, they have almost no provisions, and are starving.
Daenerys Targaryen wakes up beside Daario Naharis. She is hesitant about her upcoming wedding. Daario asks her to marry him instead, but truly he knows that she cannot and will not. Outside the Yunkai are massing more ships, building siege weapons to throw rocks at the city. However, no rams or siege towers are built, as the siege is intended to cause famine and disease to force Meereen to succumb.
Daario introduces Dany to the three Dornishmen who say that they have specific gifts for the queen. Quentyn Martell, Gerris Drinkwater, and Archibald Yronwood, who defected to Daario, reveal themselves to her. A parchment is presented, describing a secret pact of alliance between Dorne and the Targaryens signed by Willem Darry and Oberyn Martell, that would be sealed by a marriage between Viserys and Arianne Martell. Dany laughs when she learns who Quentyn is, as his mercenary nickname was Frog, and she remembers the story of a frog turning into a prince.
Dany remembers Quaithe's earlier prophecy. The glass Candles are burning. Soon comes the pale mare, and after her the others. Kraken and Dark flame, lion and griffin, the sun's son and the mummer's dragon. Trust none of them. Remember the Undying. Beware the perfumed seneschal. She recognizes Quentyn and the arms of House Martell as the sun's son she must be wary about.
Daenerys refuses to marry Quentyn. The Dornishmen make one last plea before Dany's wedding which she denies, and then goes through with her marriage to Hizdahr zo Loraq.
Dany’s wedding procession- by Marc Fishman ©
Queen Selyse arrives at Castle Black with Shireen, Patchface, Axell Florent, and others, all on their way to the Nightfort. They are accompanied by Tycho Nestoris, an emissary of the Iron Bank of Braavos. Jon warns Selyse that the Nightfort is still mostly in ruins and advises her that they may be most comfortable at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea.
The queen says that they are not safe there and insists on going to the Nightfort. Then, Wun Wun appears, startling the ladies. The giant speaks a few kind words, but mangles them. Jon tells the women he is only just learning the Common Tongue as all giants speak the Old Tongue. Wun Wun's laugh startles and frightens the group, causing Ser Patrek to draw his sword. Jon warns him to never draw his sword against a giant as he is protected by guest rights here, which Jon says they still honor in the north, though the south may not.
Jon then offers to give Tycho a tour atop the Wall, but he prefers to speak with Jon now, preferably in a warm room. Tycho tells Jon that the Iron Throne has ceased all debt payments to the Iron Bank. fed until spring. Tycho says this is impossible, but after a few hours of drinking and haggling they strike a deal.
With the three ships added to the Eastwatch fleet, Jon counts that they now have eleven ships. He hopes to bring the wildlings down from Hardhome around the Wall in order to save them and not have them become more wights in thrall to The Others. However, he is unsure if Mother Mole will be desperate enough to trust her people to the men of the Night's Watch.
He discusses things further with Tycho; he asks after Maester Aemon, Gilly and Sam but Tycho knows nothing and Jon can merely hope they have reached Oldtown. They talk about an unknown fleet prowling the narrow sea and rumours of dragons coming from the east, Jon joking that a dragon would warm things up. Tycho says sternly that his people are descended from those who fled the dragonlords of Valyria and they do not joke lightly about such, so Jon apologizes.
They make their way to the common hall, where Axell Florent asks Jon to see Val. Jon surmises that he must know the woman is gone. He then excuses himself and leaves, pondering the dangers of the agreement with Tycho, uncertain if the Watch will ever be able to repay the Iron Bank and thus avoid consequences. But Jon knows that between being bankrupt and dead, he made the right choice. He also takes another moment to marvel on the stupidity of the Lannisters; the Iron Bank is notorious for deposing royalty who don't repay their debts and he notes that if Stannis makes a deal with the Braavosi, he will acquire enough money to hire numerous sellsword companies, to bribe as many lords as he needs and keep his men fed, armed and supplied. Jon muses that unless *"Stannis is lying dead beneath the walls of Winterfell, he may just have won the Iron Throne"*.
He goes to sleep but is awoken by Mully, who tells him that a girl has arrived on a dying horse. Jon's thoughts instantly go to Melisandre's vision and he giddily thinks that Arya may have come to him as prophesied. He also thinks about plans to keep Arya safe; she cannot stay at the Wall, for Stannis will just marry her off to one of his vassals so as to gain a claim to Winterfell, and Jon doesn't know but fears what Melisandre may want with her-Jon speculates that he might be able to convince Tycho to make arrangements to have Arya fostered with some noble family in Braavos or the Free Cities. When he meets her however, to his disappointment Jon sees that the girl in question is not Arya; she is too old. He recognises her as Alys Karstark, having met her before when they were both children, when her father brought her to Winterfell in hope of negotiating a marriage between her and Robb. She warns him not to let Cregan Karstark take her back with him when he arrives, as he and his father Arnolf Karstark intend to force her into marrying Cregan. She also learns the truth about her father's execution from Jon and is unsurprised to learn that Robb killed him for murdering prisoners in a fit of rage; her father was a brooding man, and her uncles are no better.
Alys asks Jon if there is still a blood-feud between them after the death of her father, but he assures her that men of the Night's Watch hold no grudges. She tells him that after Jaime Lannister killed her two elder brothers and her betrothed at the Battle of the Whispering Wood, she and her brother Harry are the rightful heirs to their titles. However, Harrion has been a captive for more than a year; Arnolf only declared Karhold for Stannis in the hope it would provoke the Lannisters to execute Harrion. If that happened, Alys would be heir to Karhold, at which point Cregan would marry her, get a child from her and then get rid of her. Jon offers to write to Stannis about the matter on her behalf but Alys reveals that the Karstarks are playing Stannis false; they have long been in league with Roose Bolton and are only waiting for his word to betray Stannis. Alys entreats Jon to protect her, pleading that he is the only hope she has left.
Arya in the service of the House of Black and White - art by Tiziano Baracchi. © Fantasy Flight Games
Arya wakes up after entering into Nymeria again; she remembers being feared, but only when she dreams. Arya is still in the House of Black and White in Braavos. She has been blinded, to train her to use her other senses: recognize lies from the tone of voice, walk and work without seeing, even fight. She calls herself Blind Beth now. She goes over her list of names, but remembers that that was someone else, not her, not Blind Beth.
The kindly man asks her his usual question about three things she has learned. Arya learns to play the lying game with the waif; this time however she is blind, so instead she learns to use tone of voice to hear the lies. Arya has gotten better at speaking High Valyrian, though the kindly man insists she learn the languages of Lys and Pentos as well. As she continues to learn her skills as a blind girl, the kindly man tells her that she has five senses and she should learn to use the other four. An acolyte gets into a duel of staffs with her, teasing her throughout the lesson.
She reminisces that she liked being the Cat of the Canals; she thinks about when she killed Dareon, the deserter from the Night's Watch. The Kindly Man told her that they are not gods to judge who lives or dies, they are just servants of Him of Many Faces. He explains that they are death's instruments, not death itself.
As she goes out to beg, the waif helps her to look the part, putting on a blindfold and giving her pox mark scars to make her look ugly. As she goes out into Braavos past the Inn of the Green Eel, she goes over the areas where she has begged in her mind. Arya crosses the Bloody Bridge and makes her way to Pynto at the end of Ragman's Harbor near the edge of the Drowned Town.
She hears that two Lysene pirate ships, the *Goodheart* and the *Elephant*, were driven north by a storm and found wildlings at Hardhome. seized the ship since slave trade is forbidden in Braavos.
Arya regularly has wolf dreams, and it is revealed that she has also learned to enter a cat. She uses knowledge gained through the cat's eyes to impress the kindly man, telling him that she knows it has been him who is hitting her but without mentioning the cat. Apparently this completes her blind training, because when she opens her eyes again she sees a candle flame, and she has never seen anything so beautiful before.
One of Roger Ryswell's men has been found dead at the inner wall of Winterfell. Theon hears Lord Roger Ryswell declare that he must've fallen off the wall drunk, but he suspects it might have been murder, as do some others.
Roose Bolton and his host are still stuck inside Winterfell's walls due to the relentless snow storms. They expect Stannis' forces to attack them, but have no idea how close he may be due to the storms. Tensions rise among the people inside Winterfell, with no one quite certain whether it is a good idea to wait passively for Stannis or instead to pursue him outside. It doesn't help that food is somewhat scarce and distributed quite unevenly.
Holly, one of Abel the Bard's washer women, sits down next to Theon, who is upset that she has touched him. She asks him about the crypts, and a mistrusting Theon comes to the conclusion that she, Abel, and the other women want out of Winterfell. Theon sympathizes, but he fears the wrath of Ramsay Bolton and prefers not to get involved.
The next morning Aenys Frey's squire is found dead and naked outside in the snow. Later on that day another man, a crossbowman sworn to House Flint, is found dead with a crushed skull, presumably from a horse kick.
Nevertheless, the suspicions and tensions keep growing to the point that open quarreling happens among the host's Lords inside the Great Hall. Some are tired of waiting for Stannis and want to attack him. A fight nearly breaks out as Ser Hosteen and Aenys Frey blame Wyman Manderly for the deaths of their three kin Rhaegar, Jared, and Symond. It almost comes to a duel before Roger Ryswell and Barbrey Dustin calm them down, though Roose does nothing throughout the near altercation and Theon sees something new in Roose's eyes for the first time: a hint of fear.
Soon the newly rebuilt stable collapses, killing two men and twenty-six horses. Roose Bolton gives orders for the surviving horses to be brought inside the walls of Winterfell.
A more suspicious death is discovered, that of Yellow Dick. His namesake is stuffed in his mouth so hard that three teeth have been broken. This death is taken more seriously as it cannot be confused with an accident and to boot he is one of Ramsay Bolton's Bastard Boys. Theon considers that a hooded man whom he meets may be responsible for the murder. Theon is later ushered to see Roose by Steelshanks Walton. Roose says that Theon has been seen where all the murders have occurred. Theon is freed from the suspicions due to his weakened physical and psychological state, as remarked by Lady Dustin and Roger Ryswell. It is now however undeniable that someone has been committing murders, possibly at Stannis' behest. The resulting suspicion flames the tensions between the Freys and the Northmen, who are reminded of their role at the Red Wedding and the fact they are surrounded by northern Houses who all lost people at the Red Wedding and have more than good reason to despise and do harm to the Freys.
Suddenly a war horn and drum is sounded, and the men inside the walls begin to believe that Stannis has arrived. Theon goes to pray in the godswood, seeing hints of Bran's very face in the weirwood, hearing it whisper his name.
Holly, Rowan and a third washerwoman appear, claiming to have come for him. Theon believes that they are behind the murders and want to kill him now, but they deny his suspicions and insist that there will be no more hurt for him but instead a nice, quick death - but first he must see Abel.
All remaining crewmen and passengers of the *Selaesori Qhoran* are sold into slavery in a Yunkish camp near Meereen. Tyrion and Penny are sold together to Yezzan zo Qaggaz, an immensely fat Yunkish (though a Westerosi sellsword tries hard to buy them-Tyrion suspects this is because the sellsword knows him and wants to claim Cersei's bounty on his head) and put under the charge of his retainer called Nurse.
Tyrion sees Jorah Mormont brought on the auction block behind them. The knight tried to fight off the slavers and was beaten almost to the point of death, his face is so swollen as to be almost unrecognizable. Tyrion convinces Nurse that Mormont is an essential part of their show and needs to be bought too. Jorah fought bravely, killing three of the slavers, before being captured and beaten so severely. The fight went out of him once he heard that Daenerys had wed Hizdahr zo Loraq.
Once purchased, they are brought to Yezzan's pavilion, where they meet some of his other "treasures" and his most prized possession Sweets, a hermaphrodite. They are also fitted with slave collars, which Tyrion does not mind as he observes that collars can be removed. There they find out that the sellsword who also tried to buy them was Brown Ben Plumm of the Second Sons. In the evening, Tyrion and Penny are summoned to perform a joust for the guests of Yezzan, including the Yunkish supreme commander Yurkhaz zo Yunzak. The joust is well received, following which they are to pour wine and water for the guests. One of the men heard Tyrion's boast of his skill at cyvasse. Tyrion plays against him and wins, angering the man. He also plays Ben Plumm as his master bets on him; he wins four of five matches, and earns much gold for his master.
As a reward for their great jousting performance, Yezzan announces they are to repeat it in the Great Pit of Daznak in front of tens of thousands of people.
Jaime lifts the siege at Raventree Hall. On his way to Riverrun and King's Landing, he encounters Brienne of Tarth.
Jaime arrives at Raventree Hall, under siege by Jonos Bracken. The siege here is much smaller than the one at Riverrun as the intentions are not to storm the castle but rather to starve them out. The siege has been going on for six months and there is not much hope of rescue for Tytos Blackwood as it is only a matter of time.
Jaime meets first with Lord Jonos who is in an intimate position with Hildy. After she leaves, Jaime inquires as to what Jonos seeks from the situation. Jonos insists on acquiring a quarter of the House Blackwood lands, saying that they were stolen from them long ago, and that Tywin Lannister promised them to Jonos if he subdued the Blackwoods. Jaime chides the Bracken man saying that they were once an enemy of the king when they sided with the Starks, and keeping his head is more than enough compensation for what the Mountain did to his lands. Bracken protests that he will keep faith with the crown as he did with the Starks; Jonos adds that a dozen good men of his died at the Red Wedding with Robb Stark and he bent the knee because he saw no point in fighting on for a lost cause. Jaime remarks that Lord Jonos is a prudent man on hearing this, yet privately thinks Blackwood might be considered more honorable.
Jaime then goes to parley with Tytos Blackwood. Inside he sees the castle's massive weirwood tree from which the castle derives its name; the tree is black and leafless. Tytos tells Jaime that it is the fault of the Brackens, poisoned and barren for a thousand years, and in another thousand it will turn to stone as weirwoods never rot. As they treat, Jaime tells him that he does not have to physically kneel to him. They agree to a confession, fealty, pardon, and financial sum as well as lands. Finally they discuss the matter of a hostage, and Jaime asks for Bethany, his daughter, but Tytos refuses as she is his only daughter. They eventually agree to sending Hoster as he is a bookish boy who may enjoy his time in King's Landing and all the books there. Jaime then leaves quickly as he has appointments in Riverrun and King's Landing. The boy is ready to leave with him within an hour. Before departing, he meets Ser Jonos to tell him the resolution, but also informs him that a daughter of his is to attend to the queen in the capital, as she too is to be a hostage.
Jaime rides to the village Pennytree with Hoster, who tells him of the history of the lands and animosity between the Blackwoods and Brackens. In the village stands an ancient oak tree with pennies nailed to it, the namesake of the village. There, Brienne of Tarth finds them, bandaged on her face, and with the sword Oathkeeper. Brienne claims that she has found Sansa, and that Jaime must accompany her alone or else Sandor Clegane will kill the girl.
Melisandre is conducting the marriage ceremony between Alys Karstark and Sigorn, the new Magnar of Thenn. Only a few brothers of the Night's Watch attend, along with Queen Selyse, her queen's men, and a few king's men that Stannis left behind. Meanwhile, Jon Snow has ordered Clydas to dispatch a raven to Deepwood Motte in order to warn Stannis of Arnolf Karstark's treachery.
Cregan Karstark followed his niece Alys to Castle Black a day after her arrival. Jon met him before he could reach the fortress and imprisoned Cregan and his men in the ice cells at the Wall. Knowing that Stannis will execute Cregan when he learns of the betrayal, Jon tries to get Cregan to take the black and accept Alys' claim to Karstark. Cregan won't hear about it, but Jon thinks time spent in the ice cell might change his mind.
At Alys and Sigorn's wedding feast, a raven brings message that the relief fleet for Hardhome, delayed due to the bad weather, has now left Eastwatch-by-the-Sea. Cotter Pyke is commanding the fleet and he left behind Glendon Hewett in charge of Eastwatch. Jon is unsure of Hewett's loyalty due to his association with Janos Slynt and Alliser Thorne. Axell Florent once again presses Jon to release the whereabouts of Val, as he intends to marry her, but Jon scoffs at the idea. The wedding feast comes to an abrupt end when a horn is sounded twice, announcing wildlings. Jon knows that Val has succeeded in her mission, and that Tormund Giantsbane has come at last.
Tyrion has been smuggled out of Pentos inside the litter of Illyrio Mopatis, and they are now on their way to the Rhoyne. Illyrio explains that Tyrion and a sellsword called Griff will meet Daenerys in Volantis, while he remains to "smooth the way" for them in Pentos. Illyrio tells Tyrion that Daenerys has need of cunning men such as him, but Tyrion is suspicious: why does Illyrio have a stake in helping Daenerys claim the Iron Throne? Instead of answering, the merchant tells of how when he first met her, Daenerys was young and fearful and her brother Viserys was foolish and greedy, and Mopatis had to post guards on her door to prevent her brother from "undoing years of planning" by entering her chambers and raping her before she was given to Khal Drogo. He recounts how the meek little girl he knew was reborn in the Dothraki sea as a true Targaryen, before turning to Slaver's Bay, conquering Astapor, cowing Yunkai and sacking Meereen. He now expects her to make her way to Volantis - where she will meet Tyrion and Griff with enough forces to carry her to Westeros.
Tyrion presses Illyrio, wanting to know why a slaver city like Volantis and a man such as Illyrio would want to assist Daenerys, and he says that her brother promised him the position of Master of Coin and the castle of his choice. Tyrion also demands to know how he is friends with Varys, and Illyrio tells him that the two of them were thieves together in Pentos - with Varys spying on and stealing from other thieves, then passing them on to Illyrio, who would return the goods to their rightful owners for a fee. Varys trained a network of spies - young boys and girls - to steal information, and eventually the two of them became influential enough that Illyrio was able to marry the daughter of the cousin of the Prince of Pentos, and Varys was sought by Aerys the Mad in his paranoia for the post of Master of Whisperers.
Over several more days' travel through Andalos, Illyrio tells Tyrion that he has managed to persuade the Golden Company to break their contract with Myr and instead accompany Daenerys. When Tyrion questions how Illyrio convinced the Golden Company- a group that has spent most of its history warring with the Targaryens- to side with Daenerys, the magister reminds Tyrion that the Blackfyre Pretenders are no more and that Daenerys can give the company of exiles what the Blackfyres never could: she can finally take them home., and to Tysha.
Appearing:
Mentioned:
Hizdahr holds a feast in Meereen with the Yunkish lords and sellsword captains in attendance, to sign the peace and celebrate the imminent reopening of the fighting pits. However, the sellswords and slaves from Yunkai and its allies are still besieging Meereen. Just as in Meereen, the bloody flux has been affecting the Yunkish troops as well.
Daenerys is upset that the Yunkai'i are holding a slave market just outside the city, but Hizdahr tells her it is only for a time and to let them have their show and they will have their peace, with Yunkai keeping their slave trade and Meereen remaining out of it.
The Yunkai'i have brought representatives of the four sellsword companies serving them: the Tattered Prince for the Windblown, Gylo Rhegan for the Long Lances, Bloodbeard for the Company of the Cat and Brown Ben Plumm for the Second Sons.'s absence, since she knows that he would be furious with Plumm.
An exchange of seven hostages has been arranged in order to ensure a measure of peace during the cerimonies. The four sellsword captains and the three Yunkish nobles present Yurkhaz zo Yunzak, Supreme Commander, and two others) are understood to be Daenerys' hostages for the time being, while Daenerys offers seven of her own to the Yunkish siege camp in exchange (Hizdar's sister, two of his cousins, her bloodrider Jhogo, her admiral Groleo, her Unsullied captain Hero and Daario Naharis).
Skahaz mo Kandaq the Shavepate is absent as well, having been replaced as commander of the Brazen Beasts by Hizdahr zo Loraq's cousin, Marghaz zo Loraq.
Were he not a hostage, Daario might be causing trouble. He is unhappy about Dany's wedding to Hizdahr, and he got furious when Quentyn Martell revealed that his group of Westerosi Windblowns had been ordered to "defect" to Meereen. intervened and stopped him, choosing instead to imprison the group of Windblowns.
Brown Ben comes up to her and explains his defection, saying that it is natural for sellswords to change sides if they believe that it will improve their odds of survival. He claims that the Second Sons were troubled when they learned that Daenerys could not use her dragons to help fight the Yunkish forces. After he leaves, she asks Ser Barristan Selmy his opinion, as he was hiding and listening as always. He advises her that Brown Plumm is quite truthful, and confirms that it is not wise to place trust in a sellsword.
Seeking ways to make up for the loss of the Second Sons, Dany asks Ser Barristan about the possibility of finding a rival leader in the group that might want to "remove" Brown Ben Plumm. Barristan thinks it possible, but doesn't know for certain. She then mentions the other three mercenary companies, prompting Barristan to offer to arrange a meeting with Gylo Rhegan or the Tattered Prince if she wants so. Dany says that this is not the time or the place as there are too many watchful eyes about. Barristan admits that he is not the best man for such work, and that back in Westeros, it would have been Littlefinger or the Spider to have done this kind of work.
Dany's mind turns back to the captured Westerosi turncloaks. She realizes that by freeing one of the Windblows she might establish negotiations with their leader, the Tattered Prince, and perhaps sway them to her cause. She first suggests and later commands Ser Barristan to send back the woman Meris as a gesture of her regard, knowing that their captain will get the message. She wants to contact the Long Lances and the Company of the Cat as well. Barristan advises against dealing with Bloodbeard of the Company of the Cat, however; he says that he reminds him of the Ninepenny Kings, that he is much too greedy and much too dishonourable to be an asset. Daenerys feels that such men might be the easiest to sway, but decides to trust his counsel on this matter.
She then summons Quentyn to speak further, at Ser Barristan's suggestion. He still believes that the Dornish envoys are their best option for returning to Westeros, though Dany will not abandon her city. She speaks with him and brings him to the dragon pit to see her "children". She introduces Quentyn to Viserion and Rhaegal, telling him that Drogon is away hunting, and that she is a dragon as well. Dany gives Quentyn another piece of advice to leave Meereen, saying that he is not safe here, that men like Daario and Hizdahr could see him as a threat and eliminate him. He boldly, perhaps foolishly, declines.
Dany then retires to bed where Hizdahr is waiting for her, drunk and lustful. She allows him to have his way with her before he passes out. Missandei comes in and hears that the queen is unhappy and comforts her, talking of her home Naath. Eventually Daenerys falls asleep, though she dreads the morrow, when the fighting pits will reopen, and blood will be spilled.
Theon Greyjoy is with some of the spearwives, Rowan as well as Abel. He tells them that it is madness to try to escape as Ramsay Bolton will chase them and hunt them down with his dogs. Abel replies that Stannis must be close by the sounds of the horns and it is unlikely Ramsay would ride out into that. Theon also begs that he not be allowed to fall back into Ramsay's hands alive, to which Squirrel replies "Abel's word".
Hosteen Frey barges into the halls, announcing that Little Walder, son of his brother Merrett, has been killed. Theon looks at the spearwives but Rowan replies that this is no work of theirs. Big Walder implicates the Manderly men, saying that the boy went out to get some silver owed to him. The dispute turns into a spar of words and when Lord Wyman Manderly insults both the dead boy and House Frey simultaneously, Hosteen draws his sword in a blind fury and attacks Manderly, who is sliced under his chins and collapses; his knights leap to defend him and a vicious and bloody fight breaks out. In the end, six White Harbor men lie dead, two Frey men, as well as one of Ramsay's Bastard Boys, Luton. Roose and Ramsay quell the tension by telling the men present if they want blood, they should turn their anger on Stannis. Hosteen replies that once they bring Roose Stannis' head, they will come for Wyman's.
Roose asks Abel to play them a song and the Freys leave. It is then that Rowan grasps Theon's arm, telling him that the time must be now and that Abel can fend for himself. The plan is to dress the fake Arya up as Squirrel, while the real Squirrel climbs away down the wall. They find the girl in her room, where she is terrified to leave, thinking this is a trap set up by Ramsay. The girl tells the washerwomen that she has been trained, she won't escape, Ramsay does not need to chop off her feet. They finally get her into Squirrel's clothes, and Theon tells her to follow Holly closely, and not to run.
As they get to the gate they see some guards. Holly seduces one and kills him in the process while Frenya struggles and kills the other- Jeyne lets out a scream in the process, revealing them. Frenya waits at the bottom and fights the rest of the "kneeler"s that come to catch them, while Holly and the others get to the top of the wall. Holly then realizes that Frenya has the rope, just before being killed by arrows.
Theon thinks that if they are caught now they will be brought to Ramsay and tortured. He then throws himself and Jeyne over the battlements.