Donal Noye and Jon have done the best they could to fortify Castle Black from the impending attack of Styr and his raiders. The castles along the Wall were designed defenseless, as the Night's Watch was not meant to be able to repel a force from the South. Castle Black was meant specifically to be protected from wildlings by the Wall itself. When Styr, the Magnar of the Thenns, and his men attack, many of the defenders die, while Jon and Satin fire arrows from one of the roofs. At one point, Jon has Ygritte in his sights but he cannot loose an arrow at her. 

Finally Donal Noye fires the powder kegs he had placed along the lower staircase of the Wall. The Magnar and the rest of his men perish as the staircase and a section of ice from the Wall crushes them. Amidst the destruction, Jon finds Ygritte, shot through the chest with a crossbow by someone else, and the woman he loved dies in his arms.

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Salladhor Saan tells King Stannis Baratheon of the Red Wedding, how the Freys sewed the head of Robb Stark's direwolf, Grey Wind, on the king's shoulders and nailed a crown on its head. Catelyn Starkwas slain and thrown naked into the river. Queen Selyse and Axell Florent declare that it was the hand of R'hllor that killed the usurpers, but Stannis knows it was Lord Walder Frey's handiwork. When Stannis wants to send word that he will pardon any ironman or northman who swears fealty, Melisandre tells him that her flames revealed that new kings will pick up where the old ones died. The Seven Kingdoms must be shown a sign, but Stannis has heard enough talk of stone dragons, knowing of all the follies the Targaryens caused by trying to return the dragons to life. 

Davos Seaworth persuades the king by asking Melisandre why she needs Edric Storm's life to raise the stone dragon. He also inquires how her leeches were responsible for two kings' deaths, when one was killed by Walder Frey and the other, Balon Greyjoy, fell from a bridge. He also points out that only two of the three false kings are dead so far. The Red Woman has answers, but Stannis sends her away. Still not completely satisfied that he should spare Edric's life, the king sends Davos away as well. 

The Onion Knight seeks out Maester Pylos, who has been teaching him how to read. Davos begins to slowly read a letter that arrived some time before from the Wall. The missive speaks of Lord Jeor Mormont's defeat at the Fist, and Maester Aemon's fear that the wildlings may conquer the Wall. Pylos reveals that he showed the letter to Alester, but the king and Melisandre are not aware of the warning's existence.

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Tyrion and Sansa spend a joyless meal together, with both not talking much. Sansa takes a joke Tyrion makes about the quality of the food as him criticizing her, but he assures her that it's not her fault and that he has more serious matters to worry about. Besides Joffrey, Cersei and his father, what bothers him most are the 300 Dornishmen visiting for the King's wedding. He has settled them in a cornerfort of the Red Keep, as far away from the Tyrells as possible, yet there has already been a brawl between Tyrell and Gargalen soldiers at Flea Bottom, leaving one dead, and a confrontation in the yard where Olenna Redwyne called Ellaria Sand "the serpent's whore", while Oberyn Martell keeps asking for justice concerning the death of his sister Elia and her children every time he sees Tyrion. However, Tyrion sees no point in bothering his already troubled young wife with any of this. After the meal, Sansa asks for leave for her nightly visit to the godswood. Although Tyrion finds Sansa's piety excessive, he allows it, even offering to accompany her some time. She immediately objects to this, telling him he would be bored, as praying to the old gods is mainly done in silence and without adornments. She knows him better than he imagined, he thinks. He is tempted to ask what she prays for, but is afraid of what the answer would be.

He gets back to his tedious tasks as Master of Coin, trying to make sense of some of the complicated numbers in the ledgers Petyr Baelish left him. He considers some of Littlefinger's investments highly suspicious. Tyrion now regrets that he consented so easily to the execution of the Antler Men, as he has since learned that some of them owed the Crown large sums and suspects that having Bronn try locating their heirs will be a futile effort. Ser Boros Blount arrives, delivering a summons from Lord Tywin. Tyrion is glad to leave the books. Outside, rain is in the air, making Tyrion concerned Sansa will get soaked at the godswood.

When he arrives at the Hand’s solar, he finds King Joffrey, Queen Regent Cersei, Ser Kevan and Grand Maester Pycelle there as well, besides his father. Joffrey is obviously elated, Cersei smiles smugly, yet Lord Tywin is his usual grim self and Tyrion wonders whether his father can smile at all. Tyrion asks what has happened and is shown a roll of parchment. The message reads: "Roslin caught a fine fat trout. Her brothers gave her a pair of wolf pelts for her wedding." Checking the seal, Tyrion realizes that the message comes from The Twins. He asks whether Lord Walder Frey thinks he is being poetic. He realizes that "trout" refers to Edmure Tully, but before he can speculate on the meaning of the "pair of wolf pelts", Joffrey announces that the message implies that Robb Stark is dead.

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Arya and Sandor try to reach the castle. Arya notices that the gate is opened and armed riders are beginning to come out from the castle toward the pavilions where the Stark host is celebrating the wedding. She hears a wolf howling and music she faintly recognizes. The pavilions that the Stark host are celebrating in have been rigged to collapse. The riders from the castle attack the northmen, collapsing the pavilions and setting them on fire. Arya and The Hound are spotted by the Frey men and have to defend themselves. Arya wants to go the castle where her mother and her brother are but the Hound tells her they are already dead. Arya tries to run to the castle but the Hound rides her down, bringing his great axe down upon her head.

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Catelyn listens to the continuous pounding noise of the drums the musicians in the hall are playing. She is seated between Ryman Frey and Roose Bolton during the wedding feast. She remarks to herself how joyless the wedding is, and watches as Robb dances with several of the Frey maids and Edmure dotes on his soon to be wife, Roslin. Catelyn becomes more wary when she learns that Olyvar, Perwyn, and Alesander Frey are all not in attendance at the wedding. She notices Merrett Frey trying to drink the Greatjon under the table, and finally Lord Walder Frey calls for the bedding. Robb does not participate as the Greatjon carries a weeping Roslin to the bed chamber.

Suddenly, things grow more ominous in the hall as Dacey Mormont goes up to Edwyn Frey and asks him if he wants to dance, but he pushes her away violently. The musicians begin to play a new song, which Catelyn recognises to her horror as "The Rains of Castamere" and sees Edwyn leaving. She takes off after him, and when she grabs his arm, she feels the rings of chain mail beneath. Suddenly, it all makes sense to her; the Freys missing from the wedding and Roslin crying. 

The musicians turn out to be crossbowmen, and the wedding becomes a slaughter. Catelyn watches in horror as a crossbow bolt pierces Robb's shoulder and another his leg, and he topples over. Smalljon throws a table over him to save him from three more bolts. Robin Flint is surrounded by Freys, their daggers rising and falling. Ser Wendel Manderly is felled by a quarrel through the mouth. Smalljon bludgeons Ser Raymund Frey across the face with a leg of mutton, but when he reaches for his swordbelt, a crossbow bolt drives him to his knees. Lucas Blackwood is cut down by Ser Hosteen Frey. One of the Vances is hamstrung by Black Walder as he wrestles with Ser Harys Haigh. Crossbows take Donnel Locke, Owen Norrey, and half a dozen more. Young Ser Benfrey Frey seizes Dacey Mormont by the arm, who smashes him in the face with a wine flagon. She runs for the door, but Ser Ryman comes through with Frey men-at-arms and sinks his axe into Dacey's stomach.

Northmen begin pouring through the other door, and Catelyn takes them for rescue for half a heartbeat, until one of them decapitates Smalljon. Catelyn realizes that she must try to intervene and save her son’s life, she sees a dagger on the floor and crawls toward it, determined to kill Lord Walder. Then Robb stumbles to his feet, an arrow in his chest in addition to the other two. Lord Walder who, in the midst of slaughter, sits on his throne watching greedily, signals a halt to the music and mocks Robb. Catelyn grabs Jinglebell Frey and puts a dagger to the halfwit’s throat. She begs Walder to spare her son, trade a son for a son. But the old man says, "that's a grandson... and he never was much use."

A man in dark armor and a pale pink cloak spotted with blood steps up to Robb, saying "Jaime Lannister sends his regards." He thrusts his longsword through Robb's heart, and twists. Catelyn keeps her promise and slits the poor halfwit's throat, and then begins to laugh and shout, while someone says, "she’s lost her wits,". Someone else says, "Make an end," she is grabbed from behind and feels steel drawn across her own throat

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Sandor and Arya arrive at the Twins where Sandor hopes to ransom Arya to her family. To get there The Hound had robbed a farmer of his wagon and casks to disguise themselves as simple farmers who have come to bring pork to the feast. The castle is closed so they are sent to the pavilions instead where the common soldiers are. Arya recognizes a few coats of arms but there is nobody she knows. The soldiers drink to the health of Queen Jeyne whose name is unfamiliar to Arya. As Sandor wants to ransom Arya they head to the castle.

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Robb's host approaches the Twins in the rain. Robb rides at the head with Catelyn, Edmure beside him, and Ser Raynald bearing his banner. Catelyn cautions Robb again about offending Lord Walder Frey, and advises him to ask for food and wine as soon as they arrive to secure the guest right. They are met by a contingent headed by Ser Ryman Frey, Lord Frey's grandson, and three of Ryman's sons: Edwyn, Black Walder, and Petyr Pimple. When they come near, Grey Wind begins to growl and leaps forward, causing Petyr's horse to throw him. Ser Ryman is angered that Queen Jeyne is not among them and Catelyn offers her apologies, but Black Walder says that Lord Walder will be displeased. The Freys tell them they have rooms prepared for Robb, Catelyn, and Edmure, and their bannermen at the Water Tower, but Robb's army is to cross the bridge to the far end and join the men of Lord Frey and Lord Roose Bolton beneath pavilions erected for the wedding. 

When they reach the gatehouse, Grey Wind refuses to continue and howls. Lame Lothar comes up, saying he must fear the water and offering to give him over to the master of hounds, but Robb has Ser Raynald stay with Grey Windinstead. Robb enters the great hall, where Lord Walder and his eighth wife, Joyeuse, await. Lord Walder is relentless in his veiled insults against Robb, making it clear that the king betrayed him by breaking his solemn oath. Robb apologizes, and then Roslin is brought out. She is by far the most beautiful of Walder's get. After Edmure meets his soon-to-be-bride, Catelyn asks the Lord of the Crossing for some food and he says, "bread and salt ... of course", and the old man welcomes them as guests to his table. 

When Lord Bolton joins them, Robb finds out more of what happened at Winterfell. His bannerman tells him that Ramsay rescued many of the women and has been fighting the ironmen. Lord Bolton again states that his bastard son’s blood is tainted, but maybe his deeds will atone for the crimes he committed. He tells them that Ramsay is holding Theon Greyjoy hostage, and he shows them a piece of Theon's skin, his son having been flaying the captive Greyjoy. Roose explains that as Balon Greyjoy's sole surviving son, Theon's uncles (Euron, Victarion, and Aeron) will want him dead as his claim to the Seastone Chairis greater than theirs, and that they can demand concessions from the ironborn as the price of Theon's execution; Robb reluctantly agrees for Theon to remain imprisoned at the Dreadfort. Roose lost men crossing the Trident when Gregor Clegane's army attacked at the ruby ford. Roose has brought mostly his own Bolton men as well as Karstarks, leaving Kyle Condon and Ronnel Stout to guard the Trident against Gregor.

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Gared, Will, and Ser Waymar Royce, three rangers from the Night's Watch, are tracking a band of wildling raiders in the haunted forest. Will has reported on wildlings that he found, claiming they are all dead. Gared, an older man who has been in the Night's Watch for decades, is uneasy, and insists that they turn back to the Wall; they have eight or nine days of travel ahead of them, which can turn into a fortnight if it snows. Waymar, a noble-born youth of eighteen, however, has the command, and after making light of Gared's fears he asks Will again for the details of what he saw.

Will explains that he saw the wildlings' encampment. Their lean-to was covered by snow, they had no fire, and none of the wildlings moved the entire time he was watching. They were lying on the ground as if dead, but no blood was visible. Waymar suggests they might have been sleeping, but Will insists they are dead. There was also a woman up in a tree, but she did not move either. Gared suggests the wildlings must have been killed by the cold, but Waymar points out that the weather has not been cold enough to freeze men like that. He asks Will to lead them to the dead wildlings.

With night falling, the rangers ride back to the wildling camp. Both Will and Gared sense something is wrong, but Waymar mocks them again and commands Gared to stay behind to guard the horses. When Gared suggests starting a fire, Waymar sardonically orders him not to. Will fears that Waymar's insolence will provoke Gared into drawing his sword, but Gared eventually acquiesces and no fire is lit.

Will and Waymar climb up the ridge, Waymar much noisier than Will. When Will reaches his previous vantage point, he sees that the bodies are gone. Waymar, walking upright, reaches the top of the ridge and stands in plain sight. Will warns Waymar to get down, but Waymar just laughs. Determined to find the wildlings and make his first ranging a success, Waymar orders Will to climb a tree and look for a fire.

Will reluctantly climbs a nearby sentinel tree. Below him, Waymar challenges an unseen foe. Will thinks he sees a white shadow moving below, but is not sure. He is about to call down a warning, but stops, unsure. Waymar calls to Will with unease in his voice as he turns in a circle with his sword drawn, and he asks about the sudden cold, which Will also feels.

Waymar Royce faces off against an Other, by Jon Neimeister © Fantasy Flight Games

An Other emerges from the woods: tall, gaunt, and white, dappled with a gray-green shimmer. Waymar nervously commands it to come no further and prepares himself for battle, challenging the Other to "dance" with him. Will notes that Waymar, in that moment, is no longer a boy, but truly a man of the Night's Watch. When more Others appear among the trees, Will considers calling out a warning, but decides not to do so, as it would require him to reveal his position. The sword of the first Other is made of inhumanly-sharp translucent crystal. Waymar is able to check the oncoming blows until his parry comes a bit too late and the Other's sword cuts through the mail under his arm. Waymar screams "For Robert!" and charges, but as his blade strikes the Other's sword, it shatters. One of the shards hits Waymar's left eye and he falls to his knees, blinded. All of the Others move in and slash at him mercilessly.

Will turns his head away for a long time before looking back to see that the Others are gone. When he finally dares, Will climbs down, examines Waymar's body, then picks up the knight's twisted and broken sword. He decides to bring it back to show to their commanders, hoping Gared is still with the horses. When Will stands up again, Waymar has risen and is standing over him. His remaining eye has turned blue. With an icy cold touch, Waymar's hands go around Will's throat.

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