Chapter Summaries

The High Septon and the nobles demanded that House Hightower be removed from Oldtown, leaving Earl Hightower to beg Danyla for help. Danyla asked Jaehaerys to let the family atone by settling and restoring the neglected New Gift near the Wall.

• The High Septon agreed that the Faith of the Seven would help create dragons and then urged Jaehaerys to cut House Hightower off from Oldtown.
• The nobles condemned House Hightower, and Earl Hightower knelt before Danyla and asked her to save his family.
• Danyla reminded Jaehaerys of House Hightower's past contributions and proposed giving them a new holding where they could serve the realm.
• Danyla suggested the neglected New Gift, land granted to the Night's Watch by Jaehaerys and Alysanne, as a place for House Hightower to restore.

King Jaehaerys exiled House Hightower to Queenscrown and the New Gift, where Danyla hoped they would help restore the North. At Ohn’s smithy, Danyla and Master Ohn examined steel made from the Weirwood Square iron and realized it lacked Valyrian steel’s imperishability.

• King Jaehaerys ordered House Hightower and its descendants to settle in Queenscrown and the New Gift, sending them north after a day’s rest.
• Danyla supplied House Hightower with five wagonloads of necessities and furs, while Hightower kin and learned people joined the growing procession.
• Danyla reflected that House Hightower’s settlement might strengthen the North and help prevent the Night’s Watch from declining.
• Danyla visited Master Ohn’s smithy, where he showed her a sword forged from the Weirwood Square iron that resembled Valyrian steel but lacked its essence.
• Danyla identified the sword’s missing imperishability, and Master Ohn concluded that dragon remains were needed to forge Valyrian steel.

Danyla oversaw the restoration and forging of Valyrian steel armor, then presented three suits to King Jaehaerys. After he arranged a showing for the great nobles, Danyla secretly sent thirty-six additional armor sets and swords to Holy Flame Island.

• Danyla directed Master Ohn to fuse Sea Dragon bones with steel and restore Sevan’s incomplete armor, which she named Black Flame and presented to King Jaehaerys.
• Danyla asked Jaehaerys to formally grant her Oldtown and Sunhouse Castle, but he told her to keep managing them until he had a reason acceptable to the nobles.
• Master Ohn forged two Dragon Warrior armor suits for Danyla, which she named Myracis and Dreamfyre, and Jaehaerys arranged a viewing for the Seven Kingdoms’ great nobles.
• While Danyla and the Dragon Warriors fetched the nobles, Master Ohn forged thirty-six more armor sets and swords using the remaining dragon bones.
• Danyla secretly sent the thirty-six new armor sets and swords to Holy Flame Island after the bones were exhausted.

Danyla agreed to transport nobles from the North and Westerlands to King's Landing, then negotiated with King Jaehaerys for land to build more papermaking workshops. The chapter ended with Urrax showing his affection for Danyla after catching a piece of beef.

• King Jaehaerys gave Danyla a list of nobles from the North and Westerlands to bring to King's Landing.
• Danyla offered to expand papermaking workshops at Oldtown and Sunhouse Castle, and Jaehaerys suggested sites along the Blackwater Rush and in the Kingswood.
• Danyla agreed to give the Royal House thirty percent of workshop profits in exchange for land near the workshops being put in her name.
• Jaehaerys approved the arrangement and invited Danyla to choose the sites herself.
• Danyla tossed Urrax a piece of beef, and he caught it before flying over to nuzzle her.

Danyla set out on dragonback to fetch the lords on her list, flying north with Dreamfyre, Myracis, Little Balerion, and the others. After sensing unusual magical energy near the Isle of Faces and a cold surge above Harrenhal, she continued toward the castle.

• Jaehaerys fed Urrax after grumbling that the young dragon was more affectionate with Danyla.
• Danyla left the Red Keep alone, wearing armor made from Crocodile Lizard hide and Valyrian steel.
• Danyla flew over the Gods Eye and saw Myracis react to unusual magical energy around the Isle of Faces.
• Danyla called Myracis away from the island and continued toward Harrenhal.
• Danyla felt an intensely cold surge of energy as she flew above Harrenhal.

Danyla arrived at House Frey’s castle near Riverrun to gather the northern lords for King Jaehaerys’s Valyrian armor viewing. Lord Forley Frey welcomed her and prepared livestock for her dragons, who began devouring the feast as the Freys watched.

• Danyla flew to North Keep and met Lord Forley Frey, who welcomed her and said House Frey would help receive the northern lords.
• Danyla explained that she was collecting guests for the king and asked Lord Frey to provide livestock for her exhausted dragons.
• Lord Frey presented forty or fifty animals marinated with spices from White Sheep Town.
• Danyla ordered Vhagar and Grey Ghost to roast the animals with dragonfire, astonishing the watching Freys.
• Myracis and the other dragons began eating, and Lord Frey ordered another batch of cattle and sheep.

Danyla visited House Frey, where Marquess Frey hosted her and her dragons with generous food despite his family’s reputation for thrift. As the meal began, Danyla found herself unexpectedly warmed by the Freys’ practical sincerity.

• Marquess Frey had livestock slaughtered for Danyla’s dragons, which ate around three hundred goats and more than thirty cattle.
• Walda teased Marquess Frey about the cost of feeding the dragons and suggested that she enter Danyla’s service.
• Forrest watched Danyla closely while she focused on the dragons and planned where to get her next free meal.
• Marquess Frey welcomed Danyla into House Frey’s plain great hall and served her a hearty lunch with the family.
• Danyla reflected on House Frey’s reputation and felt fond of their frank pursuit of their interests.

At a feast in Riverrun, Walda impressed Princess Danyla with her outspoken independence and her trained female soldiers. Walda and her women pledged themselves to Danyla, who drew Dawnlight and challenged Walda to prove she could guard her.

• Danyla praised House Frey's mead and admired Walda's blunt toast despite Lord Frey's disapproval.
• Walda told Danyla that she had trained twenty female soldiers and invited them to perform a war dance.
• Eight of Walda's soldiers performed, and Danyla rewarded them with gold and urged them to fight men on the battlefield.
• Walda and her soldiers knelt before Danyla and pledged their loyalty to her.
• Danyla drew Dawnlight and asked Walda to draw her sword so she could test whether Walda was worthy of guarding her.

Danyla and Walda fought an exhausting sword match, with Walda ultimately defeating the princess. Danyla accepted Walda and her female soldiers into her Personal Guard and began Walda’s oath of allegiance.

• Walda and Danyla exchanged sword strikes, and Dawnlight notched Walda’s steel blade.
• Danyla used agile and close-quarter techniques to challenge Walda, but Walda’s strength and experience kept the match even.
• Walda trapped Danyla’s wrist, but Danyla escaped with a kick and counterattack.
• After a prolonged fight, Walda knocked Danyla off balance and held her sword point to the princess’s back.
• Danyla praised Walda, placed Dawnlight on her shoulder, and invited her to swear an oath of allegiance.

After securing House Frey's pledge, Danyla flew north with Walda and her dragons, crossing the Neck and learning about its treacherous terrain and creatures. Myracis hunted several lizard-lions in the swamps, and Danyla landed by the Kingsroad to salvage their hides.

• Danyla thanked Lord Frey for hosting the northern nobles, then left Riverrun with Walda and the dragons.
• Danyla rode Little Balerion while Walda rode Dreamfyre, and the dragons playfully jostled around them in flight.
• Danyla crossed the Neck and sensed its chaotic magic as the dragons hurried through the swampy region.
• Myracis ignited swamp gas with her dragonfire, then caught three lizard-lions and brought them to Danyla.
• Danyla landed beside the Kingsroad at the Neck's northern edge and began cutting the lizard-lions' hides with Walda.

Danyla sacrificed lizard-lion blood to a weirwood, but the tree showed no change, then she and Walda butchered the creatures Myracis caught. The chapter ended with five lizard-lions dressed, their valuable hides, teeth, meat, and organs collected, while Myracis and Dreamfyre feasted.

• Danyla carved a woman's face into a weirwood and sacrificed a lizard-lion's blood to it, but nothing changed.
• Danyla collected two flasks of lizard-lion blood and, with Walda's help, began cutting up the creatures for their hides, teeth, meat, and organs.
• Myracis caught two more giant lizard-lions, then returned with five living young ones and sought Danyla's praise.
• Danyla rewarded Myracis with a lizard-lion to eat and gave Dreamfyre another, which the dragon devoured whole.
• Danyla and Walda finished dressing all five lizard-lions and gathered their valuable hides, teeth, meat, and organs.

Danyla and Walda camped beneath the sleeping dragons after the dragons ate Lizard-Lions, then encountered five young Lizard-Lions trying to escape. Danyla subdued the creatures and used pieces of a Lizard-Lion heart to tempt them into eating.

• The dragons devoured the Lizard-Lions, then grew too sleepy to fly, so Danyla and Walda made camp beneath Dreamfyre.
• Danyla and Walda cooked and ate Lizard-Lion meat and hearts, drank wine, and sparred beside the campfire.
• Five young Lizard-Lions began crawling away, but Danyla noticed them and kicked them back when they moved.
• Danyla beat down the defiant young Lizard-Lion until all five lay trembling and docile.
• Danyla had Walda cut up another Lizard-Lion heart, and the five young creatures eagerly scrambled to eat the pieces.

After taming five young lizard-lions, Danyla connected them to her dragon dream realm and flew north with Walda and her dragons toward Winterfell. On the way, she sensed powerful magical energy around the Barrow of the First King and reflected on the history of House Dustin and the Barrow Kings.

• Danyla fed the young lizard-lions and slept beside Dreamfyre while Walda kept watch.
• Danyla brought the five lizard-lions into her dragon dream realm, strengthening her control over them.
• The next morning, Danyla fed the lizard-lions brains, then woke the dragons and prepared to leave with Walda.
• Danyla flew north along the Kingsroad, with Dreamfyre carrying the lizard-lions, Walda, and the luggage.
• As they passed the Barrow of the First King, Danyla felt a surge of icy energy and considered the legends and history of House Dustin.

Danyla and Walda arrived at Winterfell with five dragons, and Danyla presented gifts for House Stark. Myracis flew to the sacred weirwood in the Godswood, while Danyla landed in the Training Yard and faced the question of what to do with the lizard-lion meat.

• Danyla guided Dreamfyre across the North as she and Walda discussed Winterfell and its history.
• The dragons reached Winterfell, where sentries reported their arrival to Lord Ellard Stark.
• Ellard ordered preparations to welcome the dragon princess, though a Stark brother complained about the royal visit.
• Danyla landed Dreamfyre in the Training Yard, while Myracis led the other dragons to the ancient weirwood.
• Danyla brought Dragonfire Wine and porcelain as gifts, and Walda asked whether they should unload the lizard-lion meat and entrails.

Danyla arrived at Winterfell and gave House Stark lavish gifts, including preserved lizard-lion meat and five cubs. She eased Lord Eddard’s resentment over the New the Gift by arguing that House Hightower’s management would benefit both the Night’s Watch and the North.

• Danyla told Walda to preserve lizard-lion offal and give it to House Stark along with her other gifts.
• Danyla greeted Lord Eddard, Benjen Stark, Lady Lysa Locke, and the rest of the Stark family at Winterfell.
• Dreamfyre spat out five lizard-lion cubs, and Danyla showed the Starks that she could command them.
• Lady Lysa welcomed Danyla into Winterfell’s great hall, where Danyla discussed the North’s poor farmland and food needs with Lord Eddard.
• Danyla argued that House Hightower could make the New the Gift fertile and support the Night’s Watch, easing Lord Eddard’s resentment toward the royal house.

Danyla reassured House Stark about House Hightower’s presence in New the Gift, then discussed Dragon Porcelain and its trade with the North. She raised the possibility of building a porcelain town near Moat Cailin, leaving Benjen considering what the proposal might mean for the region.

• Danyla explained that House Hightower’s exile to Queenscrown would help develop New the Gift and ease House Stark’s concerns.
• Lady Lysa Locke asked about Dragon Porcelain, and Danyla described its firing process and said she bought northern clay to support the northern houses.
• Lord Eddard Stark suggested Danyla buy clay closer to home, but Lady Lysa objected, and Eddard let the matter drop.
• Danyla noted that Moat Cailin and its surrounding farmland lay abandoned, and Benjen Stark explained the dangers and loss of strategic importance that had emptied the area.
• Danyla suggested a Dragon Porcelain town near Moat Cailin could boost the North’s economy, then apologized for speaking presumptuously.

Danyla tested House Stark’s interest in her offers while the Starks debated her motives and welcomed her as a guest. After Bennard asked her to teach him to tame a Lizard-Lion, she took him to the Training Yard and began testing her influence over the beasts.

• Danyla offered House Stark a possible path to high-yield crops and Dragon Porcelain, leaving Duke Eddard and Benjen to speculate about what she wanted in return.
• Lady Lysa escorted Danyla and Walda to their rooms, and Eddard suspected King Jaehaerys had sent Danyla north as part of a political strategy.
• Danyla shared a pleasant luncheon with the Starks and won them over with compliments about northern food and people.
• Bennard asked Danyla to teach him to tame a Lizard-Lion, and she agreed while hoping to test House Stark’s skinchanging talent.
• Danyla and Bennard brought young Lizard-Lions into the Kennel, where Danyla tried to quiet and communicate with them as servants presented geese.

Danyla trained the lizard-lion cubs, then visited Winterfell’s Godswood with Bennard and was drawn into a vision of the land’s past by the ancient weirwood. She awoke at night with crypts and frozen corpses on her mind, and Lady Lysa led her to the Godswood’s hot springs to bathe.

• Danyla taught the five lizard-lion cubs to follow commands, and they ate a flock of geese while Bennard watched.
• Danyla took Bennard to the Godswood to see her dragons, while Duke Eddard and the other Starks observed them and discussed Bennard’s prospects.
• The weirwood’s powerful magic made Danyla dizzy, and she fell asleep beside Myracis as Bennard stayed to guard her.
• In a dragon dream, Danyla witnessed the history of the land and resolved to protect its future, then murmured about crypts and frozen corpses.
• Danyla awoke late at night refreshed but drenched in sweat, and Lady Lysa led her and Walda to the Godswood’s natural hot springs.

Danyla sensed that the weirwood had awakened a power in Walda and guided her to the Stark family Crypt. With Walda and Myracis, she opened a stone coffin and removed a perfectly preserved corpse.

• Walda told Danyla that her Blackwood relatives had legends about people using weirwoods to control animals, and Danyla awakened Walda’s latent magical power.
• Danyla left the hot spring and, after sleeping for a little over two hours, woke Walda and slipped toward the Stark family Crypt with Myracis.
• Walda sensed a frightening power inside the Crypt, while Myracis remained unafraid because of her connection to the weirwood.
• Danyla led Myracis to the stone coffin with the strongest energy, and Myracis opened it and pulled out the preserved corpse.

Danyla, Walda, and Myracis discovered that many of House Stark’s preserved ancestors had become ice wights, then burned and fed them to the dragons. By dawn, Danyla had disposed of more than a hundred corpses and fulfilled the message from Winterfell’s weirwood.

• Walda feared the ice wight in the crypt, while Danyla sensed its sinister magical energy and discussed the legends of the Night’s King.
• Danyla ordered Myracis to burn and devour the ice wight, whose body produced ice-blue flames.
• Danyla searched House Stark’s coffins and had Myracis burn and eat every preserved ancestor that held magical energy.
• After Myracis ate more than twenty ice wights and could not continue, Danyla had her move more than a hundred others to the foot of the Broken Tower.
• Danyla summoned Dreamfyre, Little Balerion, and the other dragons, forced them to breathe fire, and had them devour the remaining ice wights before dawn.