Plot

To Cersei's dismay, Tyrion takes up his post as acting Hand at King's Landing. At Dragonstone, Stannis proclaims allegiance to Melisandre's new god, lays public claim to the Iron Throne, and reveals Joffrey's bastardy. Joffrey orders the soldiers to slaughter Robert's bastards, one of whom, named Gendry, manages to escape King's Landing along with Arya. Having won three victories, Robb offers the Lannisters peace in exchange for the North's independence and Sansa's return. He sends Theon to gain the support of Balon Greyjoy, his father, and Catelyn to seek alliance with Renly Baratheon, who also claims the throne. Beyond the Wall, the Night's Watch finds shelter with Craster and his daughters/wives. In Essos, as her people slowly die in the Red Waste, Daenerys sends out riders to conduct reconnaissance.

Plot

Returning to his home of Pyke after nine years as the Starks' ward, Theon is reunited with his sister, Yara, and his father, Balon, who despises Theon for his Northern ways and intends to win back his crown by force. Cersei rejects Robb's terms, and Tyrion exiles Slynt, head of the Gold Cloaks, to the Wall, and promotes Bronn to Commander of the Watch. On the road to the Wall, Arya reveals her true identity to Gendry. North of the Wall, Tarly is approached by one of Craster's daughters, Gilly, who is pregnant and fears for her unborn son; Snow is reluctant to help her despite Tarly's pleas. In the Red Waste, one of the horses returns to Daenerys with the severed head of its rider in a pouch, a message from one of her enemies. In Dragonstone, Davos, Stannis' henchman, recruits the pirate Salladhor Saan to Stannis' side, and Stannis has sex with Melisandre to obtain the son his wife cannot give him. Snow discovers that Craster sacrifices his sons to the White Walkers; Craster sees him spying and knocks Snow unconscious.

Plot

Catelyn arrives at Renly's camp to negotiate an alliance, watching the female warrior Brienne of Tarth winning the right to join Renly's guard. Renly has recently married Margaery, Loras's sister, but doesn't have sex with her due to his feelings for Loras. In the Iron Islands, Balon makes a plan to attack the North, led by Yara. After burning a letter warning Robb of Balon's impending attack, Theon re-joins the Greyjoys in a water-based ceremony. In King's Landing, Tyrion crafts a plan to find who is in Cersei's confidence; he finds it is Pycelle and imprisons him. Tyrion assigns his lover, Shae, as handmaiden to Sansa. Beyond the Wall, Craster demands the Night's Watchmen leave. Snow finds out that Jeor already knew about Craster's felonies. On the road to the wall, the band of Night's Watch recruits are attacked by Lannister soldiers. Yoren is killed, and Arya is taken prisoner. Arya states that Gendry was the boy the soldiers had killed.tends to win back his crown by force. Cersei rejects Robb's terms, and Tyrion exiles Slynt, head of the Gold Cloaks, to the Wall, and promotes Bronn to Commander of the Watch. On the road to the Wall, Arya reveals her true identity to Gendry. North of the Wall, Tarly is approached by one of Craster's daughters, Gilly, who is pregnant and fears for her unborn son; Snow is reluctant to help her despite Tarly's pleas. In the Red Waste, one of the horses returns to Daenerys with the severed head of its rider in a pouch, a message from one of her enemies. In Dragonstone, Davos, Stannis' henchman, recruits the pirate Salladhor Saan to Stannis' side, and Stannis has sex with Melisandre to obtain the son his wife cannot give him. Snow discovers that Craster sacrifices his sons to the White Walkers; Craster sees him spying and knocks Snow unconscious.

Plot

Catelyn tries to convince the Baratheon brothers to abandon their quarrel and unite against the Lannisters, but Stannis demands Renly submit to his command. Baelish visits her and offers a trade of Jaime for her daughters. Melisandre gives birth to a shadow creature. Sansa is abused by Joffrey in revenge for Robb's victories. Tyrion intervenes and in return, Joffrey is cruel to the prostitutes Tyrion sends him as "gifts". Tyrion releases Pycelle, but fires him from the Small Council. Tyrion also finds out about the incestuous relationship between Cersei and their cousin, Lancel, and forces the latter to spy on her by threatening to reveal it to Joffrey. Arya and Gendry are taken as captives to the castle of Harrenhal, where prisoners are tortured until death. Tywin arrives, stops the torture, and picks Arya as his servant without knowing her true identity. After her exhausting journey through the desert, Daenerys arrives at the gates of the prosperous city of Qarth, where Daxos, a member of the Council of Thirteen, convinces the others to let her caravan enter the city.

Plot

H'ghar, one of the three caged prisoners Arya saved, pledges to kill three people of her choosing in order to repay his debt to her. She accepts and first chooses the Tickler, the man who mortally tortured the captives. After Renly's death at the hands of Melisandre's shadowy assassin, Catelyn and Brienne, who are accused of the murder, are forced to flee from the camp. Excluding the Tyrells, Renly's forces submit to Stannis. Brienne swears loyalty to Catelyn. Theon sails from Pyke prepared to prove that he is a true Ironborn, with plans to capture Winterfell while Robb is absent. Tyrion learns from Lancel about the wildfire, a burning substance mass produced to destroy Stannis' fleet and army during the upcoming siege. Tyrion takes control of the scheme. The Night's Watch arrives at an ancient fortress called the Fist of the First Men, where Jeor allows Snow to join the team led by a veteran named Halfhand, in order to kill the enemy leader. In Qarth, Daxos proposes marriage to Daenerys in exchange for providing her with the wealth to conquer the Seven Kingdoms. Jorah convinces her to gain the support of the Westerosi people instead.

Plot

Myrcella, Cersei's daughter, is sent away from King's Landing. Theon manages to take Winterfell and executes Cassel, a henchman, for insulting him. Osha, the captured Wildling, helps Brandon and Rickon escape. Robb reunites with the healer Maegyr. At the Fist of the First Men, Snow captures a Wildling named Ygritte, but gets separated from his patrol when she tries to escape and he is forced to chase her. Joffrey incites a riot at King's Landing, in which he is nearly killed and Sansa is nearly raped. Tywin allows Baelish to seek the allegiance of the Tyrells. An officer suspects Arya, and she has H'ghar kill him. Robb receives news of Theon's plans and sends men to retake Winterfell. At Qarth, Daenerys tries to procure a ship to take her people to Westeros, all the while keeping Daxos at bay. Daenerys' dragons are stolen.

Plot

Theon begins tracking Brandon and Rickon. Tywin begins searching Harrenhal for his officer's murderer. Ygritte continues her attempts to seduce Snow and, after a momentary lapse in Jon's concentration, she escapes and leads him into a trap. Still shaken from the riot, Sansa is horrified when she awakens to find that she has begun menstruating and can thus bear Joffrey's children. Cersei warns her to love no one but her children, not even Joffrey. In Robb's camp, a failed escape attempt by Jaime leaves a guard dead and some soldiers seeking retribution. In Qarth, the warlock Pree reveals to Daenerys that he stole her dragons, but gives her the opportunity to reunite with them before slaughtering the Council of Thirteen and establishing Daxos as the king. Theon presents to Luwin and his subjects the charred corpses of two boys, claiming that he has tracked down and killed Brandon and Rickon.

Plot

Robb learns that Catelyn has secretly freed Jaime, now escorted by Brienne, in order to ransom Sansa and Arya; Robb locks her in her tent and sends men to find them. He also enters into a romantic relationship with Talisa. Yara arrives at Winterfell to bring Theon back to Pyke, criticizing him for his actions. Tywin leaves Harrenhal to attack Robb, which leads Arya, Gendry, and their friend Hot Pie to attempt an escape with the help of H'ghar, who agrees in order for Arya to refrain from naming H'ghar himself as the third man to kill. In King's Landing, Cersei attempts to blackmail Tyrion by abducting Ros, whom the former believes to be his secret lover. On the way to King's Landing, Stannis promises Davos he'll make him his Hand of the King. Beyond the Wall, the Wildling leader "Rattleshirt" leads the captured Snow and Halfhand to his king, Rayder. At the Fist of the First Men, the brothers of the Night's Watch find a hidden cache of dragonglass. In Qarth, Jorah agrees to accompany Daenerys into the House of the Undying to retrieve her dragons. Brandon and Rickon are revealed to be alive and hiding in Winterfell.

Plot

Baratheon's fleet assaults King's Landing. Leading the defense, Tyrion destroys many of the attacking ships with an exploding ship full of wildfire, forcing the former to attack on land. Sandor leads the defense outside the gate, but is defeated and returns inside, denouncing Joffrey and leaving. Joffrey also escapes. Tyrion convinces the Gold Cloaks to fight with him. Baratheon's forces make it inside the castle, but Tyrion leads his men behind the Baratheon forces via underground tunnels and mounts a rearguard attack. Cersei goes to the throne room with Tommen, intending to kill him. Shae convinces Sansa to go to her chamber, where Sandor offers to take her back to Winterfell, but she decides to stay. As Tyrion lies wounded and Cersei is about to poison Tommen, Tywin's forces, joined by Loras, arrive and defeat Baratheon's forces, forcing the latter to retreat.

Plot

Joffrey sets Sansa aside in favor of marrying Margaery. Tyrion fears for his and Shae's safety now that Tywin has replaced him as Hand and relieved Bronn from his command. Melisandre gives Stannis a new hope. Brienne and Jaime are spotted by three Stark soldiers, whom she kills. Catelyn fails to dissuade Robb from marrying Talisa. In Qarth, Daenerys ventures into the House of the Undying and successfully retrieves her dragons, who kill Pree. She then seals Daxos inside his own vault and claims his wealth for herself. In Winterfell, Theon tries to convince his men to fight Robb's army, but they knock him unconscious and leave. A dying Luwin convinces Brandon's party to go to the Wall. Arya, having escaped Harrenhal with Hot Pie and Gendry, receives the gift of a valuable coin from H'ghar, who magically changes his face. North of the Wall, Halfhand forces Snow to kill him to prove his loyalty to the Wildlings. An army of White Walkers surrounds the Fist of the First Men.