Chapter Summaries

Sansa attended King Joffrey’s Name Day tourney, reflecting on the comet, her abuse, and the ruin of her former life. She arrived at the royal box as Tommen announced that he would compete.

• Ser Arys Oakheart escorted Sansa to the tourney and claimed the comet foretold Joffrey’s triumph.
• Sansa concealed the bruises Joffrey had caused and remembered how Ser Arys had once protested an order to beat her.
• Ser Arys told Sansa that Cersei was absent and that Tywin was marching toward Harrenhal despite the Queen Regent’s command.
• Sansa saw the small crowd and the royal family at the tourney grounds, where Sandor Clegane announced her arrival.
• Tommen eagerly told Sansa that he was going to compete.

Sansa watched Joffrey’s Name Day tourney while hiding her hatred for the king and remembering her father’s death. The contests continued with Ser Horas Redwyne winning his match, as the injured Morros Slynt survived a gruesome fall.

• Sansa greeted King Joffrey, who told her that Viserion had died when the Dothraki crowned him with molten gold.
• Joffrey joked about fighting Robb himself, while the Hound dismissed the tourney’s competitors as unworthy.
• Ser Meryn Trant unhorsed Ser Horas Redwyne in their second pass, and Ser Horas’s twin hurried to help him.
• Ser Balon Swann struck Morros Slynt from his horse, and the fallen squire was dragged across the field before the attendants freed him alive.
• Ser Horas Redwyne defeated an old knight in his next match, prompting Joffrey to call the knight dreadful.

At Joffrey Baratheon’s Name Day tourney, Sansa talked the king out of killing Ser Dontos by urging him to make the knight his jester instead. Joffrey let Tommen take a turn at the quintain, where the boy was thrown from his pony as the king laughed.

• Joffrey ordered Ser Dontos drowned after the drunken knight failed to mount his horse and yielded.
• Sansa begged Joffrey to spare Dontos until after his Name Day, and the Hound supported her excuse.
• Sansa suggested that Dontos become a jester, and Joffrey assigned him to perform in motley and sleep with Moon Boy.
• Joffrey ended the tourney, but let Tommen joust against the quintain after Tommen and Myrcella protested.
• Tommen struck the dummy’s shield, was knocked from his pony by its padded mace, and landed as Joffrey laughed.

Tyrion Lannister returned to the Red Keep with a rough band of followers and reunited with Tommen and Myrcella before greeting Joffrey and Sansa. After warning Joffrey about the kingdom’s troubles, Tyrion comforted Sansa and went to report to the Queen Regent and her councilors.

• Sansa urged Joffrey to comfort Tommen after the boy fell from his pony, but Joffrey dismissed her suggestion.
• Tyrion Lannister rode into the Red Keep with Lannister soldiers, Free Riders, knights, and barbarians.
• Tommen and Myrcella joyfully greeted Tyrion, who then knelt before Joffrey and exchanged sharp remarks with him.
• Joffrey told Tyrion that Jaime had been captured by the Starks and that Riverrun had been lost.
• Tyrion spoke privately with Sansa, reassured her that he would not bully her, and left to report to the Queen Regent and her councilors.

Tyrion and the Lannister commanders learned that Robb Stark had lifted the siege of Riverrun after a night assault destroyed Jaime’s divided forces. The messenger described the defeat and the deaths of several lords, while the fate of Jaime remained unknown.

• Tywin Lannister heard that his son had been captured, and Tyrion realized their forced march south had come too late to save the siege.
• Ser Kevan explained why Jaime had needed to divide his army among three camps around Riverrun.
• The messenger said the Blackfish led a surprise attack on the northern camp while Jaime was away dealing with Malkor Piper’s band.
• Lord Brax tried to cross the river to aid the burning camp, but the current and Riverrun’s trebuchets capsized the rafts, drowning him and his men.
• The messenger described Stark cavalry attacking the camp between the rivers as the Tullys opened Riverrun’s gates and Tytos Blackwood struck the Lannister rear.

Victarion Greyjoy led the Invincible Ironborn in an assault on a fleet of southern ships and fought Ser Talbert Serry aboard his vessel. The Ironborn won the battle as the surviving southern ships fled up the Mander River.

• The Invincible Ironborn rammed a ship bearing the White Rose and Red Shield Sigil, and Victarion Greyjoy led the boarding attack.
• Victarion and his men killed the White Rose warriors as the battle spread across the enemy deck.
• Victarion fought Ser Talbert Serry, disarmed him, and threw him overboard.
• Victarion defeated the remaining defenders, while the surrounding sea filled with wreckage and corpses.
• More than a dozen southern longships fled into the Mander River, and Victarion let them escape to spread news of the defeat.

After Ned’s execution, Sansa shut herself away in grief and repeatedly considered ending her life. Joffrey forced her to appear at court as his fiancée, and she left terrified and obedient after he had Ser Meryn strike her.

• Sansa withdrew to her chamber, refused food, and relived Ned’s execution in nightmares.
• Grand Maester Pycelle examined Sansa and gave her medicine, but she continued to sleep and suffer from visions of Ser Ilyn Payne.
• Joffrey entered Sansa’s chamber and ordered her to wash and dress for court, threatening to have Sandor Clegane force her.
• Sansa begged Joffrey to let her go home and reminded him that she had obeyed the Queen, but he insisted she remain and marry him.
• After Sansa said she hated him, Joffrey ordered Ser Meryn Trant to strike her, and she submitted to the king’s command.
• Sandor Clegane urged Sansa to obey Joffrey and explained that he wanted her to smile, praise him, love him, and fear him.

After being beaten, Sansa cleaned up and was escorted by Ser Meryn to watch Joffrey pass cruel judgments in court. Joffrey later praised her appearance and made her walk with him, leaving her hurt by his insults and convinced she was only a Little Bird repeating what others taught her.

• Sansa bathed, covered her bruises with powder, and chose the green silk gown she had worn at the tourney.
• Ser Meryn escorted Sansa to court, where she watched Joffrey order punishments, including mutilation, a duel to the death, and imprisonment.
• Joffrey forced a tavern singer to perform a song mocking Robert and offered him the choice of losing his fingers or his tongue.
• After court, Joffrey complimented Sansa's appearance and ordered her to walk with him.
• Joffrey told Sansa that Cersei had called her stupid and mocked the possibility of their children inheriting her stupidity.

Tyrion Lannister heard that Robb Stark had broken the siege of Riverrun and that Jaime Lannister had been captured after a surprise attack on his divided forces. The council learned how the ambush unfolded, leaving the Lannisters facing the loss of Riverrun and Earl Brax.

• Tywin Lannister told his commanders that his son was in enemy hands, and a messenger confirmed that Robb Stark had lifted the siege of Riverrun.
• Tyrion recalled the exhausting march south and realized it had been pointless because Riverrun had already been relieved.
• Kevan Lannister explained why Jaime had divided his army into three camps around Riverrun.
• The messenger said the Blackfish led a night attack on the northern camp while Jaime was away pursuing Malkor Piper.
• The messenger described Earl Brax’s failed attempt to cross the river and aid the attacked camp, whereupon Tully catapults and Stark troops overwhelmed the survivors.
• Ser Gregor Clegane condemned the scouts for failing to detect the Stark army, while Flement Brax learned that his father had drowned.

Joffrey forced Sansa to view the heads of her father and Septa Mordane on the Red Keep battlements, then threatened to kill her brother and had Ser Meryn strike her. Sandor gently wiped the blood from Sansa’s split lip as she struggled to hide her despair.

• Joffrey led Sansa to the battlements and made her look at her father’s severed head.
• Joffrey showed Sansa Septa Mordane’s head and called her a traitor.
• Joffrey told Sansa he planned to raise an army after his Name Day and kill her brother.
• Sansa said her brother might give her Joffrey’s head, and Joffrey ordered Ser Meryn to teach her a lesson.
• Ser Meryn struck Sansa twice, and Sandor crouched before her to gently wipe the blood from her lip.

Jon Snow deserted Castle Black and rode south, determined to reach Robb and fight beside his brother despite the cost of breaking his vows. As he left the Wall behind, he accepted that he would have to live as an exile and conceal his identity.

• Jon Snow saddled his mare, ignored Samwell Tarly's plea to stay, and rode out of Castle Black with Ghost.
• Jon left Longclaw behind and reflected on his betrayal of Commander Mormont and the consequences of desertion.
• Jon continued south along the Kingsroad, planning to change his black clothing and avoid capture.
• Jon rejected the idea of seeking refuge at Winterfell and remembered the family and home he had left behind.
• Jon resolved to find Robb and avenge his father, imagining how his brother would react when he revealed himself.

Jon rode south from Castle Black, troubled by his doubts about belonging to the Stark family and his fear of being captured and executed. After Ghost disappeared, Jon hid from a group of Night’s Watchmen searching for him, and their horses stopped nearby.

• Jon recalled his father executing a deserter and wondered whether Robb would welcome him if he returned, before deciding he would rather die fighting than be beheaded.
• Jon rode past Mole’s Town and stopped to cool himself and the mare, while Ghost vanished into the woods.
• Jon called for Ghost and waited, then ate some food as he hoped the Direwolf would catch up.
• Jon heard several riders approaching from the north, led the mare off the road, and hid among the trees.
• Grenn, Pyp, Todder, and Hoder discussed which way Jon might have gone until Hoder heard a noise and the riders stopped.

Jon visited the gravely injured Bran to say goodbye before leaving for the Night's Watch, despite Catelyn's hostility. He then reunited with Robb in the snowy courtyard and departed, hoping they would meet again soon.

• Jon entered Bran's room and asked Catelyn to let him see his brother.
• Jon saw Bran's frail, unconscious state, apologized for not visiting sooner, and kissed him goodbye.
• Catelyn told Jon that it should have been him lying injured, then broke down in tears.
• Jon returned to the courtyard, where Robb was organizing the preparations to leave Winterfell.
• Robb reassured Jon that Bran would survive, hugged him, and promised they would meet again soon.

Jon tried to leave the Night’s Watch to join the war after his father’s murder, but his brothers stopped him and brought him back to Castle Black. He still planned to escape again, and Mormont spoke to him about how love could destroy a person.

• Jon’s companions heard Ghost in the woods and caught Jon as he tried to ride away.
• Pyp, Grenn, Hoder, Toad, and Maester recited their Night’s Watch vows and persuaded Jon to return rather than fight them.
• Pyp led Jon and the others back to Castle Black before dawn, while Jon planned another escape.
• Samwell Tarly greeted them at the stables, and Pyp asked him to take care of the horses.
• Jon brought breakfast and lemon ale to Mormont, who reminded him that love could destroy what a person loved.