Westeros
The 'A Song of Ice and Fire' Domain
GoT
EP205: The Ghost of Harrenhal
The end of the Baratheon rivalry drives Catelyn to flee and Littlefinger to act. At King’s Landing, Tyrion’s source alerts him to Joffrey’s flawed defense plan and a mysterious secret weapon. Theon sails to the Stony Shore to prove he’s worthy to be called Ironborn. In Harrenhal, Arya receives a promise from Jaqen H’ghar, one of three prisoners she saved from the Gold Cloaks. The Night’s Watch arrive at the Fist of the First Men, an ancient fortress where they hope to stem the advance of the wildling army.
Index
Recap
The wind howls in Renly’s camp, late in the evening. In his tent, the king speaks with Catelyn, who reassures him that her son Robb has no intention to claim the Iron Throne. Satiated with this, Renly says he sees no reason for there to be hostilities between them. Furthermore, he’s willing to allow Robb to call himself King in the North, and to rule over all the lands north of Moat Cailin, provided he swear fealty to Renly on the same terms as Eddard Stark swore it to Robert. Catelyn looks very dubious that Robb would do any such thing, but Renly tries to reassure her that the Starks and Baratheon fought together many times before. Catelyn attempts to persuade Renly to make peace with Stannis, but Renly refuses. As they talk, Brienne removes his armor. He finally asks Catelyn to take his terms to Robb, thinking they will be natural allies and that together they could end the war in a fortnight.
The wind grows wild, and a black cloud flows across the ground as Catelyn looks on. It forms into the shape of a man behind Renly, as he looks in a mirror and as Brienne turns and gasps. A black, shadowy blade punches through Renly’s back and out his chest. Brienne screams, and the blade and shadow melt away as Renly falls. Two guards enter the tent at Brienne’s scream, and find her over the king’s prone body. They attack her, blaming her for Renly’s murder, and ignore Catelyn as she tries to protest Brienne’s innocence. Brienne fights for her life, and kills both men. She then turns back to Renly’s body, falling to her knees in shock and weeping over his body. Catelyn insists that they must leave because Brienne will be hanged otherwise. Brienne refuses at first, but Catelyn informs her that she cannot avenge Renly if she’s dead. Brienne shows her a way out.
Littlefinger watches as Renly’s camp is in an uproar… and scores of Stannis’s ships are approaching from the sea. In Renly’s tent, his body has been laid out in state, his crown upon his chest. Loras kneels next to his body, grieving and ignoring his sister as Margaery insists they need to leave. Littlefinger enters, only to have Loras command him to leave. Baelish informs them that Stannis is only an hour away, and that Renly’s bannermen will fight among themselves to sell the Tyrells to Stannis. Loras draws his sword and threatens Littlefinger, but Margaery tells him to stop. Margaery says Brienne killed Renly… but Loras denies it, and says that Margaery knows it wasn’t her. Who gained most from Renly’s death, Loras asked? Stannis, Littlefinger answers. Loras wishes to avenge himself on Stannis. Littlefinger calls that the purest of motivations but notes Loras will not be able to kill Stannis this day. Margaery follows Littlefinger’s lead, telling Loras to fetch the horses. Ser Loras agrees at least, and leaves.
Margaery looks down on Renly’s body and notes he was very handsome. Littlefinger agrees, calling her your grace. Margaery echoes the words, and notes that calling yourself a king does not make you king… and if Renly was not king, she was not queen. Littlefinger asks if she wants to be a queen. Margaery says, “No. I want to be the queen.”
In King’s Landing, as Myrcella plays in the garden with other young ladies of the court, Cersei and Tyrion are in the castle watching them and discussing Renly’s death. Tyrion presents different rumors as to how it came about. Cersei is jubilant, but he warns her that all of Renly’s bannermen have flocked to Stannis, giving Stannis superior strength on land and sea. Cersei replies that Lord Baelish has said they can outspend Stannis three-to-one, to which Tyrion replies that their father raised her to have too much respect for money; Stannis is coming for them, sooner rather than later. Cersei wonders if he hasn’t other things to do, like stealing away Myrcella. Tyrion’s protest that she’ll be safer in Dorne is met by Cersei’s sneering remark that he’s so very concerned for her safety. Tyrion replies that he really is concerned: she’s a sweet, innocent girl and he doesn’t blame her for her mother. Cersei sarcastically calls him so clever with his schemes and plots—Tyrion notes that schemes and plots are the same thing—and informs him that Joffrey has taken personal charge of siege preparations. Tyrion asks what the king has in mind, but Cersei refuses to say, insisting that Joffrey has the right to keep information from the council. Tyrion leaves…
... and we see him in a diminutive palanquin in King’s Landing with Lancel and Bronn standing outside as a guard. Lancel informs him that Cersei is hiding the fact that she’s commissioned the Alchemists’ Guild to produce wildfire. Tyrion doubts Lancel’s veracity, and asks him that if the vile rumors about his sister and his brother are true, whether he thinks that would make Jaime more or less likely to kill him when Tyrion informs him of his relationship with Cersei. Lancel insists he’s telling the truth, saying that they have produced thousands of pots of it which they plan to fling at Stannis’s ships. He indicates that he overheard her, and saw her leave to meet the pyromancers in secret. Lancel swears—first on his life, but Tyrion doesn’t care, and then on the Seven—and Tyrion stops him mid-oath, finding torturing Lancel boring. He sends Lancel out. The young Lannister knight stumbles as he falls.. and Tyrion informs Lancel he should ask Bronn to kill him if anything happens to Tyrion. Lancel does so, and Bronn indicates it would be his pleasure.
At Renly’s former camp, Stannis is walking amidst the activity when Davos joins him. Davos gives the king his condolences, and wanted to let him know that his men grieve for Renly. “Fools love a fool,” Stannis replies, saying he grieves for him as well, but for the boy that he was and not the man that he grew to be. Davos then tells Stannis he needs to speak to him of what he saw in the cave—where Melisandre birthed the shadow that killed Renly—and Stannis refuses to hear him, saying he made it clear he wanted to know nothing of it and that he never knew Davos to need to hear a thing twice. Moving into Renly’s tent, Davos tries to persist, but Stannis stops him and says that all of Renly’s men are his, except the Tyrells. Soon he means to sit the Iron Throne. Davos tries to say that the Iron Throne isn’t worth what this will cost Stannis, but Stannis tells him he’ll hear no more about it. He looks at a map of the stormlands and King’s Landing when Davos asks when they’ll sail to King’s Landing. As soon as they consolidate their forces, Stannis means to move, sending his fleet to clear Blackwater Bay and then delivering his troops to the gates of King’s Landing.
Davos then asks if Lady Melisandre will accompany them, and warns him that the victory will be hers if she’s there. Stannis asks Davos what the hard truth is, and Davos replies that she is a foreigner, with a foreign religion, and some believe that what she whispers Stannis obeys. Stannis asks what Davos believes, and Davos replies that Stannis won those bannermen from Renly… but he shouldn’t lose them to her. Stannis decides to not bring Melisandre, but then informs Davos that he’ll have him command the fleet that attacks King’s Landing. Davos tries to protest lack of experience and that the bannermen won’t like it, but Stannis says hard truths cut both ways: those bannermen should be glad he hasn’t hanged them.
In the streets of King’s Landing, Tyrion and Bronn walk together as Tyrion complains about how much more strength Stannis has. Bronn notes he has his mind, but Tyrion replies he hasn’t been able to kill anyone with it. Bronn then asks about Tywin, but he’s informed by Tyrion that they haven’t heard from him in weeks as he’s very busy being humiliated by Robb Stark. They stop as a wandering septon preaches about the corruption in the Red Keep, the fornication of brother and sister in the bed kings bringing forth a rotten king. Tyrion remarks that it’s hard to dispute his assessment… and Bronn notes agreement, after what Joffrey did to Tyrion’s “birthday present”, the two prostitutes Ros and Daisy. Tyrion declares Joffrey a lost cause. The septon goes on, noting that the king dances down his halls to the tune of a “twisted demon monkey”, to the laughter of the crowd and Tyrion’s amusement—until Bronn informs him that he’s speaking about Tyrion himself. Tyrion is shocked to learn that the people blame him as puppetmaster to the king, and protests that he’s only trying to save them.
At the Iron Islands, Theon is at the harbor looking out to where his ship, the Sea Bitch, is anchored. His crew arrive, and roundly ignore him until he yells at them to stop. One of the men, Black Lorren, asks where they’re headed. Theon informs them that they’ll go to the Stony Shore, to raid the villages. He promises spoils and women to those who do well. Lorren asks who decides if they’ve done well, and Theon replies that’d be him, as their captain. Lorren walks up to Theon and informs him he’s been raping and reaving since before Theon was born. He doesn’t have much need for Theon, or a captain, and could be a captain if he had a ship. Theon’s left speechless at first as Lorren turns his back on him, but then says he’d hunt him down, bring him back in chains, and hang him for a traitor. The ironborn crew laugh mockingly, when Asha arrives and makes more of a joke of it: “Stop! We yield.” It’s clear the men know her. She congratulates him on his first command, and reveals she’s only passing through to Red Harbor where her thirty ships wait. Theon notes that she’d best hurry, as the crew might leave without her, but she says that won’t happen: her crew would wait a year on deck if she asked them.
His men, however, are already rowing away. She leaves him, as another ironman arrives. He introduces himself as Dagmer, the ship’s first mate, and says he’ll row him across. Dejected, Theon asks if they’ve sent him to drop him into the sea half way out. Dagmer tells him that they’ll respect him only after he proves himself, something he can’t do raiding piss-poor villages. Theon replies that that’s the task his father gave him to prove he’s a true Iron Islander. Dagmer replies that his men are true Iron Islanders, and they don’t do as they’re told, they do as they like. Theon thinks and then suggests that the Stony Shore isn’t far from Torrhen’s Square, seat of the Tallharts. Dagmer likes the sound of it, but notices Theon’s uncertain expression. Theon agrees they can take it, but they can’t hold it for more than a few days—not when Winterfell responds by sending their men to take it back. He starts to say more… and then stops, and both men are conspiratorial as they prepare to go the ship.
At Harrenhal, Arya is acting as cup-bearer while Lord Tywin holds a council. Reginald Lannister says that the Starks are over-extended, and now that summer is over they’ll have a hard time of feeding men and horses. Tywin doubts that, saying that the Starks won’t be beaten by cold. Ser Amory Lorch says that the northern lords are growing discontent, according to spies, but Tywin replies that spies in his own camp would inform the northmen of the same discontent among southern lords; it’s war, no one is content. Tywin states that they’ve underestimated Robb Stark—he has a good mind for war, and his men worship him. So long as Robb keeps winning battles, they’ll believe he’s King in the North. Tywin indicates Robb won’t fail without their help, and asks how they do that. Reginald complains that they’ve worked all night and could profit from sleep. Tywin doesn’t doubt it… and because he’s his cousin, he might even let him wake from that sleep. He orders him to Lannisport, sending him away, telling him that if his name weren’t Lannister he’d have had him scrubbing pots in the kitchens.
Arya arrives with wine, but Tywin stops her, telling her that they’ll want water. Then he asks her to say where she’s from. Arya claims Maidenpool, but he disproves it when she doesn’t know their arms. He then guesses that she’s a northerner, and she confirms that, stating she’s from Barrowton where the Dustin’s rule. Tywin then asks her what they say of Robb. She replies that they call him the Young Wolf, that he rides on the back of a giant wolf, that he can turn into a wolf when he wants, and that he can’t be killed. Tywin asks if she believes them. Arya says no… anyone can be killed, as she stares at Tywin. He locks eyes with her, knowing what she means to imply, and then sends her to fetch water. When she goes out, however, she sees Jaqen H’ghar in the armor of a Lannister guard. She goes to confirm it… and he enters, having seen her. He talks in secret with her, informing her that he always knew she was a girl and that he did not want to spoil her secrets. She’s angry that he’s a Lannister man now, but he notes that she fetches water for a Lannister now. They both had choices, he says, and here they are.
He then informs her that he pays his debts: he owes three lives, as she denied the red god the three men who were going to die in fire. Only death can pay for life, and that they must give three lives back. He tells her to name three names, and he will kill them. Arya asks him to kill the torturer, but Jaqen says he must have a name. She says she doesn’t know it, but that they call him the Tickler. That, Jaqen says, is enough.
The Night’s Watch trudges through the frozen landscape beyond the Wall. Jon and Mormont discuss Qhorin Halfhand. Jon says Benjen used to tell him stories, and that he had heard Qhorin spent half the winter north of the Wall. Mormont corrects him—all winter, as he had been trapped north of the Skirling Pass when the snows fell. Jon says it’s possible then, to survive alone for a winter, and Mormont says it’s possible… for the Halfhand. As they go on, Samwell remarks how beautiful it is and that Gilly would love it. Dolorous Edd complains that there’s nothing more disgusting than a man in love.
The Watch reaches the ancient Fist of the First Men. There, as they make camp, Samwell goes on about its history, how the First Men were there thousands and thousands of years before, all through the Long Night. Dolorous Edd they must have been stupid, as smart people don’t find themselves in a place like this. Then Jon says he thinks they were afraid, trying to get away from something… and he didn’t think it worked. Then a single horn blast sounds. Everyone stops, and Grenn wonders if it’s wildlings. Jon says one blast is rangers returning, and two for wildlings. So they wait. Samwell adds that a third blast is for White Walkers, which none of the others knew. He claims it’s been a thousand years, but that’s the only time they blow three horns. Samwell reveals he read it in a book. Then Jon sees movement, and says that it’s Qhorin Halfhand, with a smaller group of Night’s Watch marching with him. Dolorous Edd is not particularly thrilled.
In King’s Landing, Tyrion examines a glass jar with a luminous green liquid in it. Hallyne the pryomancer warns him to be careful. Tyrion informs Hallyne of a sailor’s saying he read once, that if you try to urinate on wildfire it’ll climb up to burn off your member. Hallyne has never made the experiment, but it could well be true: the “substance” burns so hot that it will melt stone, wood, even steel. It will even melt flesh like tallow. Hallyne then lectures, indicating that after the dragons died, wildfire was key to Targaryen power. Bronn complains that he’s seen many old men pushing carts around camps making wild claims, but Hallyne insists that the substance is fire given form, and that his order has been perfecting it since the days of Maegor the Cruel. Bronn asks what they’ll use it for, and Hallyne says that the jars can be placed in catapults and flung at the enemy. Tyrion asks how many pots they have, and Hallyne leads them to where they’re stored.
Bronn argues that even with real soldiers—all of which are gone to fight with Tywin—they’d at best hit one in ten of their targets, and worse still, while they’re flinging wildfire at Stannis, he’ll be lobbing missiles at them, and men will be killed or will panic and run, which means that wildfire pots will fall within the city walls and burn the city. Hallyne complains that Bronn wouldn’t dare to insult his order so if Aerys still lived, and Bronn replies that he’s not alive, and that all of Aerys’s pots of wildfire didn’t save him. Hallyne opens the vault… and Tyrion discovers thousands pots of wildfire: 7,811 to be exact, the result of the pyromancers working day and night since Cersei commanded them to produce the wildfire. Hallyne swears this is enough to born Stannis’s fleets and army both. Bronn repeats that it’s a terrible idea, and Tyrion concurs… but from now on, the pyromancers will be making wildfire for him instead of Cersei.
In Qarth, Daenerys and Doreah watch as her black dragon listens to Dany’s command, “Dracarys”. After a false start that ends in smoke, Drogon blows a little flame at a cube of raw meat, roasting it—and now he eats it, showing that his meat must be cooked before he’ll eat it. Doreah tries to feed him more, but Dany tells her he needs his sleep, and Doreah takes him to his cage. Dany remarks that the dragon loves her. Irri listens, seeming jealous, and then informs Daenerys that she has been repairing her Dothraki clothing. Doreah instead notes that Xaro has had a beautiful gown made for Daenerys, and notes that he’s the wealthiest man in Qarth. Irri agrees, saying it is known. Doreah adds that if Qarth is the wealthiest city in Essos…. but Daenerys notes that the last time she received a dress from a rich man, it was from Illyrio as he sold her to Drogo. Irri interrupts, offering a Dothraki prayer for the khal. After that, Daenerys says that they know very little about Xaro, and tells Doreah that she should try to learn more…. and suggests that men like to talk about other men, when they are “happy”. Doreah understands.
The Lyseni woman then tells Dany that she will look like a princess in the gown, only for Irri to angrily reply in the Common Tongue that Dany is not a princess, she is a khaleesi. Daenerys is silent, thinking on that, until Irri finally says that she should wear the gown as it would be rude not to do so as a guest. At a garden party afterward, Dany is indeed wearing the gown. The Dothraki stand about awkwardly as Daenerys speaks with a Qartheen woman who tells her that Qarth has the greatest night market, better even than that of the Meereenese, and that she would be pleased to take Dany to it personally. Dany sees Doreah conversing with several Qartheen men, but is distracted when she hears Jorah Mormont speaking loudly to two of the Dothraki. Daenerys goes over and learns from him that the older Dothraki warrior Malaqo insists a golden peacock statue is too heavy to carry, but Kovarro claims he is an idiot and that they can pry out the gems, and cut apart the soft gold to whatever amount they can carry, or even melt it easily. Daenerys tells them they will not steal Xaro’s statue. Kovarro insists he did not mean to steal it then—only when they leave—but Daenerys puts her foot down, and the Dothraki are forced to agree. As he leaves, Kovarro takes up a cup from a passing servant’s tray… and throws out the wine, admiring the golden cup.
Daenerys claims Viserys said that the Dothraki were only good at stealing things better men had built, and Jorah notes they’re also good at killing better men. Dany insists that’s not the sort of queen she means to be. Then Pyat Pree, a warlock and member of the Thirteen, arrives. He presents a large gem to her, and makes her look into its facets… and suddenly there’s another him a few yards back, who speaks, and everyone in the garden is amazed. Pyat Pree informs her that the warlocks would be pleased to have the Mother of Dragons as a guest at the House of the Undying, if she grows tired of Xaro’s baubles and trinkets. He departs, and the crowd applauds. Xaro arrives and apologizes that he had to invite Pyat Pree. When Dany asks what the House of the Undying is, and he informs her it’s where the warlocks read dusty books and drink shade of the evening, which turns their lips blue and their minds so soft that they believe their parlor tricks are magic. He leads her away, while Jorah watches silently.
Then a mysterious, masked woman moves nearer to Jorah and informs him that he watches over her. Jorah asks if he knows her, and she says no, but she knows him: Jorah Mormont of Bear Island. She does not reveal her own identity, but says that Dany is the Mother of Dragons and needs true protectors, now more than ever. She says that those who sees the dragons will lust for them, for dragons are fire made flesh, and fire is power. She then departs, and disappears from Jorah’s sight.
In Westeros, Catelyn and Brienne are near to Robb’s camp when Brienne says that the shadow looked like Stannis. Catelyn says it just looked like a shadow in the shape of a man, but Brienne responds that it was the shape of Stannis. Brienne asks how long Catelyn means to stay in Robb’s camp, but she means to leave for Winterfell after informing Robb of what she saw. She says she’s been away from Bran and Rickon for far too long. Brienne reveals she never knew her mother, and Catelyn says that her own mother died in the birthing bed when Catelyn was young. They move near to a fire, and Brienne remarks that the birthing bed is a bloody business. Catelyn replies that what comes after is even harder. Brienne then asks that when Catelyn is safe among her people, she asks if Catelyn will give her leave to go, having sworn a vow to avenge Renly. Catelyn tries to dissuade her, noting that Stannis will have his army around him, and guards sworn to keep him safe. Brienne replies she’s as good as any of them, and that she should not have fled. Catelyn insists that Renly’s death was no fault of hers. Brienne, saddened, remarks she only ever held Renly the once as he was dying. Catelyn stands and tells her that Brienne serves nothing and no one by following him in death, and that Renly’s enemies are Robb’s enemies as well.
Brienne says she doesn’t know Robb… but she can serve Catelyn, if Catelyn will have her; she admires her woman’s kind of courage, and she thinks that when the time comes Catelyn will not hold her back from Stannis. Catelyn swears. Brienne unsheathes her sword and lays it at Catelyn’s feet, swearing a vassal’s oath of fealty. Catelyn accepts the oath by giving an oath of her own, to always give her a place and that she will not ask any service that will bring her dishonor.
In Winterfell, Rickon is cracking nuts with a stone as Bran tries to listen to a petitioner who is losing sheep to thieves and wolves because his sons are fighting with Robb. Bran tells the man that they can give him two orphans from the winter town, if he will give them room and board. The man thanks him, saying his wife had always prayed for more children. There’s an uproar outside, and then Rodrik Cassel enters with news that Torrhen’s Square is under siege. Luwin says it’s barely 40 leagues away, and wonders how the Lannisters could strike so far north. Ser Rodrik suggests that it might be the Mountain, or perhaps sellswords paid by Lord Tywin. He asks for two hundred men, and though Luwin protests it, Bran stops him and asks how they can expect their bannermen to protect them if they do not protect their bannermen in turn. Bran gives Rodrik all the men he needs, and Ser Rodrik adds that it wont’ take long. Bran watches him go, troubled.
Bran is carried out by Hodor to go for a ride, while he asks Osha what his dream of a three-eyed raven means. Osha denies knowing anything about it, which Bran suggests is a lie. She then notes that Bran himself claimed he didn’t dream and that he’s now lying. She asks him what else he saw in his dream, and Bran said he saw the sea pouring into Winterfell, through the gates and over the walls, and that there were drowned men in the courtyard—Ser Rodrik among them. Osha is troubled, but insists that the sea is hundreds of miles away. Osha insists she has to go to the kitchens… and Bran stops her, asking her about the three-eyed raven and what they say of it north of the Wall. “They say all kinds of crazy things, north o the Wall,” she replies.
Qhorin points out something in the distance to Lord Commander Mormont, but neither he nor Sam (who says he doesn’t see very well) or anyone else seems able to see it… until Jon speaks up: it’s a fire on the next mountain over, intended to be used as a signal by wildlings that Mance Rayder has placed as lookouts. From what Qhorin can tell, all the wildlings have joined Mance. Mance means to make his move, marching south to safety. Qhorin says they can’t march against them directly, they can’t wait at the Fist, and Mormont wonders if he means they need to fall back. Qhorin replies that Rayder has taught the wildlings to be more disciplined like the Night’s Watch… so they should be more like wildlings. He proposes to sneak in, kill Mance, and scatter the wildlings. But before they can do that, they need to get rid of the watchers. Qhorin calls on three men—Harker, Stonesnake, and Barber (or perhaps Bobbi)—when Jon volunteers to join “Lord Qhorin”. Halfhand he remarks he’s never been called that before. Lord Commander Mormont tells Jon that he’s only a steward… and Jon replies he killed a wight. Qhorin heard of that, and asks if Jon’s the one. Mormont nods, but also says that Craster beat him and took his sword, only to have Qhorin admit that Craster is a tough old goat. Mormonts lets Jon go on to the mission, after Samwell insists he can take over Jon’s duties while he’s gone. He tells Jon that he hopes he’ll make a better ranger than he does a steward.
In Qarth, Xaro asks Dany how long Jorah has loved Dany. She insists he’s neither servant nor in love with her, that he’s her advisor and friend. Xaro doubts that, saying he can almost always tell what a man wants. He finds women complicated, however, and wants to know what Dany wants. She says she wants to take the Iron Throne. When he asks why, she replies that she promises her khalasar that she’d take them to a safe home. Xaro seems dubious of that explanation, and then Dany says it’s because the Iron Throne is hers by right. “A conqueror,” Xaro remarks, and then Dany indicates his palace and wealth and wonders if someone gave it to him. He says no, that he came to the docks of Qarth with nothing, with no one caring about him. Dany then interjects that he, too, is a conqueror then, wanting more than he had and taking it. She then asks Xaro what he wants, and why he stood outside the gates and insisted they let Dany and her people in.
He takes her to a vault made of “Valyrian stone”. The greatest locksmiths and thieves of Qarth were unable to open it despite a rich reward, and Xaro reveals that the pendant he wears is the only key. Behind it is the vast wealth of the richest man in Qarth. Dany then says that all of it could be hers. He’s surprised by that, but does say she can have half, more than enough for horses, ships, armies… and all she has to do is marry him. She sarcastically remarks that that was very romantic, but Xaro says he married once for love, and the gods took her away. He had nothing, his parents hadn’t even enough for shoes, but if Dany marries him he’ll give her the Seven Kingdoms, and their children will be princes and princesses. He informs her that the time is right: Robert Baratheon is dead, news she hadn’t heard before.
Then in her chambers, she and Jorah argue. She insists that now is the time, with four false kings fighting one another, but Jorah is doubtful. He insists that rich men will give her what she wants… and then they’ll own her forever. He says that moving carefully is hard, but that it’s right. She replies that if she had listened to that advice outside of Qarth, they’d be dead. When she asks Jorah what he wants, he says he wants to see her on the Iron Throne because her claim is good… but also because she has a gentle heart, however much she covers up or denies it. He believes she’d be respected, feared, and loved. He feels someone who can and should rule is rare, and he still can’t believe she’s real at times when he looks at her. She’s moved by that… and by the realization, perhaps, that he does in fact love her. She then formally asks his advice. He tells her to find her own ship—she needs only one—and that the allies they need are in Westeros, not Qarth. He offers to find the ship, with a good captain. She accepts, and Jorah departs while she looks troubled.
At Harrenhal, Gendry finishes forging a sword while Arya watches. She looks at him sidelong—perhaps because the young armorer’s shirtless?—and then when he swings the sword about, she tells him he should stand sideface—sideways—to practice properly. He insists he’s not practicing, but she says he is, and he should practice right. Then there’s a thump in the yard, and a scream. Arya and Gendry go to see what happened, and find people gathered about the body of the Tickler, his neck twisted around. Arya looks up… and sees Jaqen on the walls. He raises one finger to his eye, indicating the first death. Arya looks back to the Tickler, and smiles faintly.
Recap
The wind howls in Renly’s camp, late in the evening. In his tent, the king speaks with Catelyn, who reassures him that her son Robb has no intention to claim the Iron Throne. Satiated with this, Renly says he sees no reason for there to be hostilities between them. Furthermore, he’s willing to allow Robb to call himself King in the North, and to rule over all the lands north of Moat Cailin, provided he swear fealty to Renly on the same terms as Eddard Stark swore it to Robert. Catelyn looks very dubious that Robb would do any such thing, but Renly tries to reassure her that the Starks and Baratheon fought together many times before. Catelyn attempts to persuade Renly to make peace with Stannis, but Renly refuses. As they talk, Brienne removes his armor. He finally asks Catelyn to take his terms to Robb, thinking they will be natural allies and that together they could end the war in a fortnight.
The wind grows wild, and a black cloud flows across the ground as Catelyn looks on. It forms into the shape of a man behind Renly, as he looks in a mirror and as Brienne turns and gasps. A black, shadowy blade punches through Renly’s back and out his chest. Brienne screams, and the blade and shadow melt away as Renly falls. Two guards enter the tent at Brienne’s scream, and find her over the king’s prone body. They attack her, blaming her for Renly’s murder, and ignore Catelyn as she tries to protest Brienne’s innocence. Brienne fights for her life, and kills both men. She then turns back to Renly’s body, falling to her knees in shock and weeping over his body. Catelyn insists that they must leave because Brienne will be hanged otherwise. Brienne refuses at first, but Catelyn informs her that she cannot avenge Renly if she’s dead. Brienne shows her a way out.
Littlefinger watches as Renly’s camp is in an uproar… and scores of Stannis’s ships are approaching from the sea. In Renly’s tent, his body has been laid out in state, his crown upon his chest. Loras kneels next to his body, grieving and ignoring his sister as Margaery insists they need to leave. Littlefinger enters, only to have Loras command him to leave. Baelish informs them that Stannis is only an hour away, and that Renly’s bannermen will fight among themselves to sell the Tyrells to Stannis. Loras draws his sword and threatens Littlefinger, but Margaery tells him to stop. Margaery says Brienne killed Renly… but Loras denies it, and says that Margaery knows it wasn’t her. Who gained most from Renly’s death, Loras asked? Stannis, Littlefinger answers. Loras wishes to avenge himself on Stannis. Littlefinger calls that the purest of motivations but notes Loras will not be able to kill Stannis this day. Margaery follows Littlefinger’s lead, telling Loras to fetch the horses. Ser Loras agrees at least, and leaves.
Margaery looks down on Renly’s body and notes he was very handsome. Littlefinger agrees, calling her your grace. Margaery echoes the words, and notes that calling yourself a king does not make you king… and if Renly was not king, she was not queen. Littlefinger asks if she wants to be a queen. Margaery says, “No. I want to be the queen.”
In King’s Landing, as Myrcella plays in the garden with other young ladies of the court, Cersei and Tyrion are in the castle watching them and discussing Renly’s death. Tyrion presents different rumors as to how it came about. Cersei is jubilant, but he warns her that all of Renly’s bannermen have flocked to Stannis, giving Stannis superior strength on land and sea. Cersei replies that Lord Baelish has said they can outspend Stannis three-to-one, to which Tyrion replies that their father raised her to have too much respect for money; Stannis is coming for them, sooner rather than later. Cersei wonders if he hasn’t other things to do, like stealing away Myrcella. Tyrion’s protest that she’ll be safer in Dorne is met by Cersei’s sneering remark that he’s so very concerned for her safety. Tyrion replies that he really is concerned: she’s a sweet, innocent girl and he doesn’t blame her for her mother. Cersei sarcastically calls him so clever with his schemes and plots—Tyrion notes that schemes and plots are the same thing—and informs him that Joffrey has taken personal charge of siege preparations. Tyrion asks what the king has in mind, but Cersei refuses to say, insisting that Joffrey has the right to keep information from the council. Tyrion leaves…
... and we see him in a diminutive palanquin in King’s Landing with Lancel and Bronn standing outside as a guard. Lancel informs him that Cersei is hiding the fact that she’s commissioned the Alchemists’ Guild to produce wildfire. Tyrion doubts Lancel’s veracity, and asks him that if the vile rumors about his sister and his brother are true, whether he thinks that would make Jaime more or less likely to kill him when Tyrion informs him of his relationship with Cersei. Lancel insists he’s telling the truth, saying that they have produced thousands of pots of it which they plan to fling at Stannis’s ships. He indicates that he overheard her, and saw her leave to meet the pyromancers in secret. Lancel swears—first on his life, but Tyrion doesn’t care, and then on the Seven—and Tyrion stops him mid-oath, finding torturing Lancel boring. He sends Lancel out. The young Lannister knight stumbles as he falls.. and Tyrion informs Lancel he should ask Bronn to kill him if anything happens to Tyrion. Lancel does so, and Bronn indicates it would be his pleasure.
At Renly’s former camp, Stannis is walking amidst the activity when Davos joins him. Davos gives the king his condolences, and wanted to let him know that his men grieve for Renly. “Fools love a fool,” Stannis replies, saying he grieves for him as well, but for the boy that he was and not the man that he grew to be. Davos then tells Stannis he needs to speak to him of what he saw in the cave—where Melisandre birthed the shadow that killed Renly—and Stannis refuses to hear him, saying he made it clear he wanted to know nothing of it and that he never knew Davos to need to hear a thing twice. Moving into Renly’s tent, Davos tries to persist, but Stannis stops him and says that all of Renly’s men are his, except the Tyrells. Soon he means to sit the Iron Throne. Davos tries to say that the Iron Throne isn’t worth what this will cost Stannis, but Stannis tells him he’ll hear no more about it. He looks at a map of the stormlands and King’s Landing when Davos asks when they’ll sail to King’s Landing. As soon as they consolidate their forces, Stannis means to move, sending his fleet to clear Blackwater Bay and then delivering his troops to the gates of King’s Landing.
Davos then asks if Lady Melisandre will accompany them, and warns him that the victory will be hers if she’s there. Stannis asks Davos what the hard truth is, and Davos replies that she is a foreigner, with a foreign religion, and some believe that what she whispers Stannis obeys. Stannis asks what Davos believes, and Davos replies that Stannis won those bannermen from Renly… but he shouldn’t lose them to her. Stannis decides to not bring Melisandre, but then informs Davos that he’ll have him command the fleet that attacks King’s Landing. Davos tries to protest lack of experience and that the bannermen won’t like it, but Stannis says hard truths cut both ways: those bannermen should be glad he hasn’t hanged them.
In the streets of King’s Landing, Tyrion and Bronn walk together as Tyrion complains about how much more strength Stannis has. Bronn notes he has his mind, but Tyrion replies he hasn’t been able to kill anyone with it. Bronn then asks about Tywin, but he’s informed by Tyrion that they haven’t heard from him in weeks as he’s very busy being humiliated by Robb Stark. They stop as a wandering septon preaches about the corruption in the Red Keep, the fornication of brother and sister in the bed kings bringing forth a rotten king. Tyrion remarks that it’s hard to dispute his assessment… and Bronn notes agreement, after what Joffrey did to Tyrion’s “birthday present”, the two prostitutes Ros and Daisy. Tyrion declares Joffrey a lost cause. The septon goes on, noting that the king dances down his halls to the tune of a “twisted demon monkey”, to the laughter of the crowd and Tyrion’s amusement—until Bronn informs him that he’s speaking about Tyrion himself. Tyrion is shocked to learn that the people blame him as puppetmaster to the king, and protests that he’s only trying to save them.
At the Iron Islands, Theon is at the harbor looking out to where his ship, the Sea Bitch, is anchored. His crew arrive, and roundly ignore him until he yells at them to stop. One of the men, Black Lorren, asks where they’re headed. Theon informs them that they’ll go to the Stony Shore, to raid the villages. He promises spoils and women to those who do well. Lorren asks who decides if they’ve done well, and Theon replies that’d be him, as their captain. Lorren walks up to Theon and informs him he’s been raping and reaving since before Theon was born. He doesn’t have much need for Theon, or a captain, and could be a captain if he had a ship. Theon’s left speechless at first as Lorren turns his back on him, but then says he’d hunt him down, bring him back in chains, and hang him for a traitor. The ironborn crew laugh mockingly, when Asha arrives and makes more of a joke of it: “Stop! We yield.” It’s clear the men know her. She congratulates him on his first command, and reveals she’s only passing through to Red Harbor where her thirty ships wait. Theon notes that she’d best hurry, as the crew might leave without her, but she says that won’t happen: her crew would wait a year on deck if she asked them.
His men, however, are already rowing away. She leaves him, as another ironman arrives. He introduces himself as Dagmer, the ship’s first mate, and says he’ll row him across. Dejected, Theon asks if they’ve sent him to drop him into the sea half way out. Dagmer tells him that they’ll respect him only after he proves himself, something he can’t do raiding piss-poor villages. Theon replies that that’s the task his father gave him to prove he’s a true Iron Islander. Dagmer replies that his men are true Iron Islanders, and they don’t do as they’re told, they do as they like. Theon thinks and then suggests that the Stony Shore isn’t far from Torrhen’s Square, seat of the Tallharts. Dagmer likes the sound of it, but notices Theon’s uncertain expression. Theon agrees they can take it, but they can’t hold it for more than a few days—not when Winterfell responds by sending their men to take it back. He starts to say more… and then stops, and both men are conspiratorial as they prepare to go the ship.
At Harrenhal, Arya is acting as cup-bearer while Lord Tywin holds a council. Reginald Lannister says that the Starks are over-extended, and now that summer is over they’ll have a hard time of feeding men and horses. Tywin doubts that, saying that the Starks won’t be beaten by cold. Ser Amory Lorch says that the northern lords are growing discontent, according to spies, but Tywin replies that spies in his own camp would inform the northmen of the same discontent among southern lords; it’s war, no one is content. Tywin states that they’ve underestimated Robb Stark—he has a good mind for war, and his men worship him. So long as Robb keeps winning battles, they’ll believe he’s King in the North. Tywin indicates Robb won’t fail without their help, and asks how they do that. Reginald complains that they’ve worked all night and could profit from sleep. Tywin doesn’t doubt it… and because he’s his cousin, he might even let him wake from that sleep. He orders him to Lannisport, sending him away, telling him that if his name weren’t Lannister he’d have had him scrubbing pots in the kitchens.
Arya arrives with wine, but Tywin stops her, telling her that they’ll want water. Then he asks her to say where she’s from. Arya claims Maidenpool, but he disproves it when she doesn’t know their arms. He then guesses that she’s a northerner, and she confirms that, stating she’s from Barrowton where the Dustin’s rule. Tywin then asks her what they say of Robb. She replies that they call him the Young Wolf, that he rides on the back of a giant wolf, that he can turn into a wolf when he wants, and that he can’t be killed. Tywin asks if she believes them. Arya says no… anyone can be killed, as she stares at Tywin. He locks eyes with her, knowing what she means to imply, and then sends her to fetch water. When she goes out, however, she sees Jaqen H’ghar in the armor of a Lannister guard. She goes to confirm it… and he enters, having seen her. He talks in secret with her, informing her that he always knew she was a girl and that he did not want to spoil her secrets. She’s angry that he’s a Lannister man now, but he notes that she fetches water for a Lannister now. They both had choices, he says, and here they are.
He then informs her that he pays his debts: he owes three lives, as she denied the red god the three men who were going to die in fire. Only death can pay for life, and that they must give three lives back. He tells her to name three names, and he will kill them. Arya asks him to kill the torturer, but Jaqen says he must have a name. She says she doesn’t know it, but that they call him the Tickler. That, Jaqen says, is enough.
The Night’s Watch trudges through the frozen landscape beyond the Wall. Jon and Mormont discuss Qhorin Halfhand. Jon says Benjen used to tell him stories, and that he had heard Qhorin spent half the winter north of the Wall. Mormont corrects him—all winter, as he had been trapped north of the Skirling Pass when the snows fell. Jon says it’s possible then, to survive alone for a winter, and Mormont says it’s possible… for the Halfhand. As they go on, Samwell remarks how beautiful it is and that Gilly would love it. Dolorous Edd complains that there’s nothing more disgusting than a man in love.
The Watch reaches the ancient Fist of the First Men. There, as they make camp, Samwell goes on about its history, how the First Men were there thousands and thousands of years before, all through the Long Night. Dolorous Edd they must have been stupid, as smart people don’t find themselves in a place like this. Then Jon says he thinks they were afraid, trying to get away from something… and he didn’t think it worked. Then a single horn blast sounds. Everyone stops, and Grenn wonders if it’s wildlings. Jon says one blast is rangers returning, and two for wildlings. So they wait. Samwell adds that a third blast is for White Walkers, which none of the others knew. He claims it’s been a thousand years, but that’s the only time they blow three horns. Samwell reveals he read it in a book. Then Jon sees movement, and says that it’s Qhorin Halfhand, with a smaller group of Night’s Watch marching with him. Dolorous Edd is not particularly thrilled.
In King’s Landing, Tyrion examines a glass jar with a luminous green liquid in it. Hallyne the pryomancer warns him to be careful. Tyrion informs Hallyne of a sailor’s saying he read once, that if you try to urinate on wildfire it’ll climb up to burn off your member. Hallyne has never made the experiment, but it could well be true: the “substance” burns so hot that it will melt stone, wood, even steel. It will even melt flesh like tallow. Hallyne then lectures, indicating that after the dragons died, wildfire was key to Targaryen power. Bronn complains that he’s seen many old men pushing carts around camps making wild claims, but Hallyne insists that the substance is fire given form, and that his order has been perfecting it since the days of Maegor the Cruel. Bronn asks what they’ll use it for, and Hallyne says that the jars can be placed in catapults and flung at the enemy. Tyrion asks how many pots they have, and Hallyne leads them to where they’re stored.
Bronn argues that even with real soldiers—all of which are gone to fight with Tywin—they’d at best hit one in ten of their targets, and worse still, while they’re flinging wildfire at Stannis, he’ll be lobbing missiles at them, and men will be killed or will panic and run, which means that wildfire pots will fall within the city walls and burn the city. Hallyne complains that Bronn wouldn’t dare to insult his order so if Aerys still lived, and Bronn replies that he’s not alive, and that all of Aerys’s pots of wildfire didn’t save him. Hallyne opens the vault… and Tyrion discovers thousands pots of wildfire: 7,811 to be exact, the result of the pyromancers working day and night since Cersei commanded them to produce the wildfire. Hallyne swears this is enough to born Stannis’s fleets and army both. Bronn repeats that it’s a terrible idea, and Tyrion concurs… but from now on, the pyromancers will be making wildfire for him instead of Cersei.
In Qarth, Daenerys and Doreah watch as her black dragon listens to Dany’s command, “Dracarys”. After a false start that ends in smoke, Drogon blows a little flame at a cube of raw meat, roasting it—and now he eats it, showing that his meat must be cooked before he’ll eat it. Doreah tries to feed him more, but Dany tells her he needs his sleep, and Doreah takes him to his cage. Dany remarks that the dragon loves her. Irri listens, seeming jealous, and then informs Daenerys that she has been repairing her Dothraki clothing. Doreah instead notes that Xaro has had a beautiful gown made for Daenerys, and notes that he’s the wealthiest man in Qarth. Irri agrees, saying it is known. Doreah adds that if Qarth is the wealthiest city in Essos…. but Daenerys notes that the last time she received a dress from a rich man, it was from Illyrio as he sold her to Drogo. Irri interrupts, offering a Dothraki prayer for the khal. After that, Daenerys says that they know very little about Xaro, and tells Doreah that she should try to learn more…. and suggests that men like to talk about other men, when they are “happy”. Doreah understands.
The Lyseni woman then tells Dany that she will look like a princess in the gown, only for Irri to angrily reply in the Common Tongue that Dany is not a princess, she is a khaleesi. Daenerys is silent, thinking on that, until Irri finally says that she should wear the gown as it would be rude not to do so as a guest. At a garden party afterward, Dany is indeed wearing the gown. The Dothraki stand about awkwardly as Daenerys speaks with a Qartheen woman who tells her that Qarth has the greatest night market, better even than that of the Meereenese, and that she would be pleased to take Dany to it personally. Dany sees Doreah conversing with several Qartheen men, but is distracted when she hears Jorah Mormont speaking loudly to two of the Dothraki. Daenerys goes over and learns from him that the older Dothraki warrior Malaqo insists a golden peacock statue is too heavy to carry, but Kovarro claims he is an idiot and that they can pry out the gems, and cut apart the soft gold to whatever amount they can carry, or even melt it easily. Daenerys tells them they will not steal Xaro’s statue. Kovarro insists he did not mean to steal it then—only when they leave—but Daenerys puts her foot down, and the Dothraki are forced to agree. As he leaves, Kovarro takes up a cup from a passing servant’s tray… and throws out the wine, admiring the golden cup.
Daenerys claims Viserys said that the Dothraki were only good at stealing things better men had built, and Jorah notes they’re also good at killing better men. Dany insists that’s not the sort of queen she means to be. Then Pyat Pree, a warlock and member of the Thirteen, arrives. He presents a large gem to her, and makes her look into its facets… and suddenly there’s another him a few yards back, who speaks, and everyone in the garden is amazed. Pyat Pree informs her that the warlocks would be pleased to have the Mother of Dragons as a guest at the House of the Undying, if she grows tired of Xaro’s baubles and trinkets. He departs, and the crowd applauds. Xaro arrives and apologizes that he had to invite Pyat Pree. When Dany asks what the House of the Undying is, and he informs her it’s where the warlocks read dusty books and drink shade of the evening, which turns their lips blue and their minds so soft that they believe their parlor tricks are magic. He leads her away, while Jorah watches silently.
Then a mysterious, masked woman moves nearer to Jorah and informs him that he watches over her. Jorah asks if he knows her, and she says no, but she knows him: Jorah Mormont of Bear Island. She does not reveal her own identity, but says that Dany is the Mother of Dragons and needs true protectors, now more than ever. She says that those who sees the dragons will lust for them, for dragons are fire made flesh, and fire is power. She then departs, and disappears from Jorah’s sight.
In Westeros, Catelyn and Brienne are near to Robb’s camp when Brienne says that the shadow looked like Stannis. Catelyn says it just looked like a shadow in the shape of a man, but Brienne responds that it was the shape of Stannis. Brienne asks how long Catelyn means to stay in Robb’s camp, but she means to leave for Winterfell after informing Robb of what she saw. She says she’s been away from Bran and Rickon for far too long. Brienne reveals she never knew her mother, and Catelyn says that her own mother died in the birthing bed when Catelyn was young. They move near to a fire, and Brienne remarks that the birthing bed is a bloody business. Catelyn replies that what comes after is even harder. Brienne then asks that when Catelyn is safe among her people, she asks if Catelyn will give her leave to go, having sworn a vow to avenge Renly. Catelyn tries to dissuade her, noting that Stannis will have his army around him, and guards sworn to keep him safe. Brienne replies she’s as good as any of them, and that she should not have fled. Catelyn insists that Renly’s death was no fault of hers. Brienne, saddened, remarks she only ever held Renly the once as he was dying. Catelyn stands and tells her that Brienne serves nothing and no one by following him in death, and that Renly’s enemies are Robb’s enemies as well.
Brienne says she doesn’t know Robb… but she can serve Catelyn, if Catelyn will have her; she admires her woman’s kind of courage, and she thinks that when the time comes Catelyn will not hold her back from Stannis. Catelyn swears. Brienne unsheathes her sword and lays it at Catelyn’s feet, swearing a vassal’s oath of fealty. Catelyn accepts the oath by giving an oath of her own, to always give her a place and that she will not ask any service that will bring her dishonor.
In Winterfell, Rickon is cracking nuts with a stone as Bran tries to listen to a petitioner who is losing sheep to thieves and wolves because his sons are fighting with Robb. Bran tells the man that they can give him two orphans from the winter town, if he will give them room and board. The man thanks him, saying his wife had always prayed for more children. There’s an uproar outside, and then Rodrik Cassel enters with news that Torrhen’s Square is under siege. Luwin says it’s barely 40 leagues away, and wonders how the Lannisters could strike so far north. Ser Rodrik suggests that it might be the Mountain, or perhaps sellswords paid by Lord Tywin. He asks for two hundred men, and though Luwin protests it, Bran stops him and asks how they can expect their bannermen to protect them if they do not protect their bannermen in turn. Bran gives Rodrik all the men he needs, and Ser Rodrik adds that it wont’ take long. Bran watches him go, troubled.
Bran is carried out by Hodor to go for a ride, while he asks Osha what his dream of a three-eyed raven means. Osha denies knowing anything about it, which Bran suggests is a lie. She then notes that Bran himself claimed he didn’t dream and that he’s now lying. She asks him what else he saw in his dream, and Bran said he saw the sea pouring into Winterfell, through the gates and over the walls, and that there were drowned men in the courtyard—Ser Rodrik among them. Osha is troubled, but insists that the sea is hundreds of miles away. Osha insists she has to go to the kitchens… and Bran stops her, asking her about the three-eyed raven and what they say of it north of the Wall. “They say all kinds of crazy things, north o the Wall,” she replies.
Qhorin points out something in the distance to Lord Commander Mormont, but neither he nor Sam (who says he doesn’t see very well) or anyone else seems able to see it… until Jon speaks up: it’s a fire on the next mountain over, intended to be used as a signal by wildlings that Mance Rayder has placed as lookouts. From what Qhorin can tell, all the wildlings have joined Mance. Mance means to make his move, marching south to safety. Qhorin says they can’t march against them directly, they can’t wait at the Fist, and Mormont wonders if he means they need to fall back. Qhorin replies that Rayder has taught the wildlings to be more disciplined like the Night’s Watch… so they should be more like wildlings. He proposes to sneak in, kill Mance, and scatter the wildlings. But before they can do that, they need to get rid of the watchers. Qhorin calls on three men—Harker, Stonesnake, and Barber (or perhaps Bobbi)—when Jon volunteers to join “Lord Qhorin”. Halfhand he remarks he’s never been called that before. Lord Commander Mormont tells Jon that he’s only a steward… and Jon replies he killed a wight. Qhorin heard of that, and asks if Jon’s the one. Mormont nods, but also says that Craster beat him and took his sword, only to have Qhorin admit that Craster is a tough old goat. Mormonts lets Jon go on to the mission, after Samwell insists he can take over Jon’s duties while he’s gone. He tells Jon that he hopes he’ll make a better ranger than he does a steward.
In Qarth, Xaro asks Dany how long Jorah has loved Dany. She insists he’s neither servant nor in love with her, that he’s her advisor and friend. Xaro doubts that, saying he can almost always tell what a man wants. He finds women complicated, however, and wants to know what Dany wants. She says she wants to take the Iron Throne. When he asks why, she replies that she promises her khalasar that she’d take them to a safe home. Xaro seems dubious of that explanation, and then Dany says it’s because the Iron Throne is hers by right. “A conqueror,” Xaro remarks, and then Dany indicates his palace and wealth and wonders if someone gave it to him. He says no, that he came to the docks of Qarth with nothing, with no one caring about him. Dany then interjects that he, too, is a conqueror then, wanting more than he had and taking it. She then asks Xaro what he wants, and why he stood outside the gates and insisted they let Dany and her people in.
He takes her to a vault made of “Valyrian stone”. The greatest locksmiths and thieves of Qarth were unable to open it despite a rich reward, and Xaro reveals that the pendant he wears is the only key. Behind it is the vast wealth of the richest man in Qarth. Dany then says that all of it could be hers. He’s surprised by that, but does say she can have half, more than enough for horses, ships, armies… and all she has to do is marry him. She sarcastically remarks that that was very romantic, but Xaro says he married once for love, and the gods took her away. He had nothing, his parents hadn’t even enough for shoes, but if Dany marries him he’ll give her the Seven Kingdoms, and their children will be princes and princesses. He informs her that the time is right: Robert Baratheon is dead, news she hadn’t heard before.
Then in her chambers, she and Jorah argue. She insists that now is the time, with four false kings fighting one another, but Jorah is doubtful. He insists that rich men will give her what she wants… and then they’ll own her forever. He says that moving carefully is hard, but that it’s right. She replies that if she had listened to that advice outside of Qarth, they’d be dead. When she asks Jorah what he wants, he says he wants to see her on the Iron Throne because her claim is good… but also because she has a gentle heart, however much she covers up or denies it. He believes she’d be respected, feared, and loved. He feels someone who can and should rule is rare, and he still can’t believe she’s real at times when he looks at her. She’s moved by that… and by the realization, perhaps, that he does in fact love her. She then formally asks his advice. He tells her to find her own ship—she needs only one—and that the allies they need are in Westeros, not Qarth. He offers to find the ship, with a good captain. She accepts, and Jorah departs while she looks troubled.
At Harrenhal, Gendry finishes forging a sword while Arya watches. She looks at him sidelong—perhaps because the young armorer’s shirtless?—and then when he swings the sword about, she tells him he should stand sideface—sideways—to practice properly. He insists he’s not practicing, but she says he is, and he should practice right. Then there’s a thump in the yard, and a scream. Arya and Gendry go to see what happened, and find people gathered about the body of the Tickler, his neck twisted around. Arya looks up… and sees Jaqen on the walls. He raises one finger to his eye, indicating the first death. Arya looks back to the Tickler, and smiles faintly.
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