Reaching the Nightfort, Bran recalls all the horror tales he’s heard about this castle, such as the stories of the Rat Cook, Mad Axe, and the Night's King. Before it was abandoned by the Watch some two hundred years before, the Nightfort had once been the greatest castle along the Wall. However, Meeraand Jojen Reed are unafraid of the ancient castle. They sleep that night in the kitchens, near a seemingly bottomless well. Deep in the night, Bran is woken by footsteps coming from the well. He awakens Meera, and then takes control of Hodor’s body as he does when he enters Summer.

But it is only Sam and Gilly who emerge from the well, carrying Gilly’s infant son. Gilly asks them if they are the ones Coldhands was sent to find, but Bran has no idea what she is speaking of. Meera asks them how they got past the Wall, and Sam reveals that Coldhands had led them to the Black Gate, which only a brother of the Night’s Watch can open. Sam describes Coldhands as dressed all in black like a sworn brother, but his skin and the cold from his body reminded Sam of a wight. But Coldhands could speak, his eyes did not burn blue, and he and his ravens had saved them from the wights. When the Reeds inquire why Coldhands wasn’t with them, Sam tells them that the Wall was more than just ice and stone, there were ancient spells woven into it, and the Wall would not let Coldhands pass. Jojen tells Sam that Bran is the one Coldhands seeks. Tarly realizes who Bran is, but promises not to tell anyone of Bran’s whereabouts on his honor and his friendship with Jon. 

Jojen has Sam bring them to the Black Gate, which is an ancient white weirwood growing beneath the Wall and the Nightfort. The face in the weirwood speaks, and Sam answers by reciting his oath; the weirwood permits them to pass by opening its mouth, and as Bran and the others leave Sam behind, the boy feels a drop of water fall on him, a drop as salty as a tear…

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Reaching the Nightfort, Bran recalls all the horror tales he’s heard about this castle, such as the stories of the Rat Cook, Mad Axe, and the Night's King. Before it was abandoned by the Watch some two hundred years before, the Nightfort had once been the greatest castle along the Wall. However, Meeraand Jojen Reed are unafraid of the ancient castle. They sleep that night in the kitchens, near a seemingly bottomless well. Deep in the night, Bran is woken by footsteps coming from the well. He awakens Meera, and then takes control of Hodor’s body as he does when he enters Summer.

But it is only Sam and Gilly who emerge from the well, carrying Gilly’s infant son. Gilly asks them if they are the ones Coldhands was sent to find, but Bran has no idea what she is speaking of. Meera asks them how they got past the Wall, and Sam reveals that Coldhands had led them to the Black Gate, which only a brother of the Night’s Watch can open. Sam describes Coldhands as dressed all in black like a sworn brother, but his skin and the cold from his body reminded Sam of a wight. But Coldhands could speak, his eyes did not burn blue, and he and his ravens had saved them from the wights. When the Reeds inquire why Coldhands wasn’t with them, Sam tells them that the Wall was more than just ice and stone, there were ancient spells woven into it, and the Wall would not let Coldhands pass. Jojen tells Sam that Bran is the one Coldhands seeks. Tarly realizes who Bran is, but promises not to tell anyone of Bran’s whereabouts on his honor and his friendship with Jon. 

Jojen has Sam bring them to the Black Gate, which is an ancient white weirwood growing beneath the Wall and the Nightfort. The face in the weirwood speaks, and Sam answers by reciting his oath; the weirwood permits them to pass by opening its mouth, and as Bran and the others leave Sam behind, the boy feels a drop of water fall on him, a drop as salty as a tear…

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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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