Though King Robb was already facing difficult challenges, matters only grow worse when he
learned that his bannerman Rickard Karstark, furious over Catelyn Stark’s release of
Jaime Lannister, killed the two Lannister children they held in captivity, claiming
the right of vengeance for the death of his son at the hands of the kingslayer.
Robb was so outraged by his actions he hanged all involved except karstark who was arrested.
All of his advisors told Robb to keep Karstark as a hostage to ensure the loyalty of his
men but Robb refused and executed the traitor himself, causing nearly half his army to abandon
him and return North.
Needing to rethink his strategy, Robb decided the strongest move he left was to attack Casterly
Rock, the seat of Tywin Lannister.
To do so he needed more men and so sought to win back the loyalty of House Frey, by
arranging for Lord Edmure Tully to marry Roslin Frey at the Twins.
Starting to see a possible path towards victory, Robb was further encouraged by the news his
wife Talisa was pregnant.
Further south Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth made their way to King’s Landing,
but were captured by a man named Locke and his the men who served House Bolton.
Though they had grown increasingly hostile to each other, Jaime saved Brienne from being
raped by her captors by telling them she was the daughter of Selwyn of Tarth, Lord of the
"Sapphire Isle," and lying that he who would pay her weight in sapphires if she was returned
unharmed.
Unfortunately, Jaime’s constant attempts to offer them money greatly annoyed Locke,
who decided to cut off his sword hand and allowed the wound to grow infected.
Starving, dehydrated, and in constant pain, Jaime was ready to give up and die, but Brienne
convinced him to keep fighting for survival.
When locke at last delivered Jaime to Roose Bolton at Harrenhal, the Lord sent Qyburn
to treat his arm before offering him freedom, saying that all he wanted in return was for
Jaime to tell Tywin he had nothing to do with taking his sword hand.
During his time in Harrenhal Jaime grew increasingly close to Brienne of Tarth, opening up about
the truth of his crime, and how he Killed King Aerys II only because he was planning
to blow up the city with wildfire.
When Jaime departed for King’s Landing, he said goodbye to Brienne who remain a prisoner,
but on the road learned that Locke rejected an offer of 300 gold dragons and would rather
use her for entertainment.
Unwilling to allow it, Jaime forced them to return to Harrenhal, where he rescued Brienne
from a bear pit, before they returned to the capital together.
Near to the capital, Davos Seaworth, who was thrown into the water during the battle of
blackwater bay, was rescued by Sallador Saan, and returned to Dragonstone where he lashed
out and attacked the red priestess Melisandre before being arrested.
Informing Stannis about a ritual involving king’s blood, Melisandre then left Dragonstone
to go on a secret mission, while Davos remained in prison, receiving occasional visits from
the King’s daughter Shireen, who liked the Onion Knight and offered to teach him to read.
Meanwhile in the Riverlands, after escaping captivity in Harrenhal, Arya, Gendry and Hot
Pie encounter a band of outlaws that called themselves the Brotherhood without Banners,
made up of former Baratheon loyalists led by Beric Dondarion.
Though Arya was posing as a boy named Arry, her true identity was exposed when she was
recognized by Sandor Clegane, who was arrested by the Brotherhood.
Gendry and Arya then left with the outlaws while Hot Pie remained behind at the Inn of
the Crossroads to work as a cook.
Once in their hideout, Sandor was accused of many crimes, but most he did personally
commit, and so stood trial for the murder of the boy Micah, to which Arya was a witness.
Choosing to decide the matter through Trial by Combat, Sandor fought and killed Beric
Dondarrion, winning his freedom.
However The Red Priest Thoros of Myr performed a ritual to revive the Lightening Lord, saying
that while they cannot explain why this was occurring, it was the 6th time he was resurrected.
After the Hound’s departure it was decided Gendry would stay to work as a blacksmith
while Arya would be ransomed to her family.
But plans quickly change when the red priestess Melisandre arrived to purchase Gendry for
gold, as he was the bastard son of Robert Baratheon and therefore possessed the Kings
blood she required.
Shocked to learn that Thoros now had the power of resurrection, she soon departed, leaving
Arya enraged by the Brotherhood’s betrayal, running away only to be captured by Sandor
who planned to sell her back to her family.
Back on Dragonstone, Stannis started to have second thoughts about sacrificing the life
of his own nephew, and went to Davos in his cell for council.
The Onion knight succeeded in convincing him to spare the boy and was then released from
prison.
Disappointed, Melisandre was left to perform a lesser ritual, using three leeches to take
blood from Gendry, and then burning them in fire while saying the names of 3 rival kings,
calling for the deaths of Robb Stark, Joffrey Baratheon and Balon Greyjoy.
With Davos now literate he presented Stannis with a letter from the night’s watch, suggesting
that they forget about the South for now and go North to answer the call for reinforcement,
thereby demonstrating their loyalty to the realm.
Despite her animosity towards Davos, Melisandre agreed with this idea, as the battle against
the darkness would happen in the north and so that was where Stannis belonged.
Returning to the Riverland, King Robb and his army made their way to the Twins to attend
the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey.
However, despite being protected by the ancient tradition of Guest Right, the Starks found
themselves betrayed at the event later known as the Red Wedding.
After Edmure and Roslin retired for the bedding ceremony, the Freys and Boltons turend against
the Starks, massacring their forces resulting in the death of many, including King Robb,
his mother Catelyn, his pregnant wife Talisa, and the Direwolf Grey Wind, while Edmure Tully
was captured and Brynden the Blackfish went missing.
Though Arya was nearby during the attack and tried to run to her family, Sandor knocked
her unconscious and carried her away, thereby saving her life.
Devastated by the death of her brother and mother, Arya attacked and killed the first
Freys she found on the road.
With the massacre finished, and the Stark defeated, Roose Bolton was left as Lord of
Winterfell and Warden of the North, while Walder Frey was given Riverrun.
In the North, after being betrayed and knocked unconscious by his own men at Winterfell,
Theon Greyjoy awoke a captive of unidentified assailants, subject to torture until rescued
by a servant, claiming to be an agent of his Sister Yara.
Though his new ally seemed to be leading him to freedom, the entire escape and pursuit
was an elaborate game for the servant, who was in fact Theon’s torturer Ramsay Snow.
Once recaptured, the torture continued, as he was cut, beaten, skinned and castrated
until left so broken and terrified he responded to the nickname Reek, rather than his actual
name.
His father Balon and sister Yara learned of his capture when Ramsay sent him parts of
Theon’s body along with a demand that they withdraw from the North.
Though Yara was horrified and set out to rescue him, King Balon was unmoved and offered no help.