In the Riverlands, Arya Stark continues to pose as a boy while traveling north with Yoren and his Night's Watch recruits. She urinates privately to conceal that she is a girl. Arya is drawn to the caged prisoners containing Jaqen H'ghar, Rorge and Biter.
Arya's lips twitched slightly.
Jaqen asks her for water and introduces himself. A pair of Gold Cloaks approach the party and Arya hides, believing that they have come for her. They deliver a warrant for Gendry, one of Robert Baratheon's bastard children, but Yoren intimidates them into leaving empty-handed. They promise to return with more men.
"Threatening the Night's Watch?" Ned growled. "That was just the tip of the ice berg" Sansa said in a dark tone.
Arya asks Gendry why he is wanted and he admits that he does not know. He tells her that he was questioned by Lord Jon Arryn and Lord Eddard Stark in the months before he fled King's Landing. He questions why she thought that they had come for her and tells her that he has seen through her disguise. Arya reveals her identity to him and swears him to secrecy.
"This one's a good lad" Ned said. "Aye. A grand fighter as well" Jon nodded. "You met him?" Ned asked and even Arya looked interested. "Aye. We went beyond the wall together. Knows how to use a hammer" he said with a smile. "Great we have another Robert in the making" Stannis grumbled but Ned could tell that he was actually complimenting the kid.
In King's Landing, Varys discovers Shae living with Tyrion Lannister in the Tower of the Hand and makes implied threats about revealing her presence. Tyrion warns Varys not to underestimate him. Alton Lannister delivers King Robb Stark's peace terms to the small council and Queen Regent Cersei Lannister rejects them. Grand Maester Pycelle relays a message from the Night's Watch requesting manpower and warning of wights. Tyrion is the only one to take the warning seriously.
"I mean without any actual proof no one would believe that threat. It is after all a fairy tale or was" Tyrion said. "Then why did you?" Jaime asked his brother. Tyrion shrugged, "I trusted the black brothers. They wouldn't sink low to use false threats for man power".
Ros struggles to continue her work as a prostitute after having witnessed the murder of Mhaegen's infant daughter Barra, one of Robert Baratheon's bastard children. Petyr Baelish threatens her with a tale about selling an unhappy girl to a depraved customer in order to recoup his investment. He orders her to return happy after a night off.
Catelyn made a face of pure disgust. He was not the man she had known and she would gladly slit his throat when they meet.
Tyrion has Lord Janos Slynt for dinner and questions him about the massacre of the royal bastards. Janos freely admits his involvement but will not reveal who ordered the attack. Tyrion has Janos arrested and exiled to the Night's Watch and installs Bronn as Commander of the City Watch in his place. Cersei confronts Tyrion about his actions. He warns that she is losing the support of the people but she claims that she does not care. He concludes that Joffrey ordered the massacre, having initially suspected that it was Cersei. He jokes about her relationship with Jaime and she says that he has always been funny. She ends the discussion with the barb that his finest joke was killing their mother when he was born.
"Love you too sister" Tyrion raised his chalice and downed his drink in one go. Tywin looked at his youngest son stoically. Jaime has surely gotten his battle prowess from him but what he excels in the most, his mind, it was inherited by his youngest. Maybe it was time he began seeing him as a human, for a start.
On Dragonstone, Davos recruits the LysenesellsailSalladhor Saan and his fleet of thirty ships to King Stannis Baratheon's cause. His son Matthos Seaworth encourages him to learn to read so that he can study the holy texts of the Lord of Light but Davos is happy to put his faith solely in Stannis.
Stannis' lips curved ever so slightly, almost like an upward twitch.
Melisandre seduces Stannis with the promise of a son. At first, Stannis hesitates, explaining he has a wife, but Melisandre still manages to successfully seduce Stannis.
Stannis' face then contorts into one of disgust. "I can't believe" Robb began but a hand on the shoulder and shake of a head from his father silenced him.
Theon Greyjoy travels to the Iron Islands on a merchant ship and sleeps with the Captain's daughter. He tells her that he is expecting a warm reception and is crushed when there is no one to meet him when he disembarks in Lordsport.
"Knowing Balon, he probably thinks Theon has sided with the north and hence betrayed him" Ned sighed.
A woman offers him a ride to Pyke and he attempts to seduce her throughout the journey. He is further disappointed when his father Balon questions his loyalty and his memory of his roots having spent nine years as a ward of House Stark.
Ned shook his head in disappointment. Balon Greyjoy was not a good man. Not to his children. At least not to Theon anyways.
He delivers Robb Stark's letter suggesting an alliance against House Lannister, for which Robb will make Balon King of the Iron Islands again. His guide enters and he is shocked to realize that she is his sister Yara when Balon greets her warmly.
"That must have been a shock and a nightmare for young seaweed" Mance chuckled.
Balon rejects the proposal and compares Theon unfavorably to his sister. He insists that he will follow the ironborn tradition of paying the iron price and says that no one will give him his crown. When Theon warns his father that he will not defeat the Lannisters, Balon retorts that he has no intention of fighting the Lannisters. Daenerys Targaryen and her khalasar lie exhausted in the heat, their water dwindling as they wait for the return of her bloodriders. Rakharo's horse returns riderless and Ser Jorah Mormont discovers his head and severed braid in its saddle bag. He surmises that Rakharo was caught and killed by a rival khalasar. Irri is devastated by the death and believes the mutilation will prevent Rakharo from entering the Night Lands, the Dothraki land of the dead. Daenerys promises to hold a funeral for Rakharo.
"It was the only way knew I could act" Dany explained when Jon looked at her. Jon just nodded his head, a hand on her hand. Rhaegar looked at the two with a small smile and a silent prayer that the two didn't do what he thinks they did.
Samwell Tarly rescues one of Craster's wives, Gilly, from Ghost when he bothers her for food. She confides her desire to flee from the keep because of her fear for what Craster will do if her unborn child is a boy. Sam takes her to Jon and she begs him to take her with them on the ranging but will not say what she is afraid of. Jon tells Gilly it is not possible for her to come with them because they are going deeper into wildling country. After Gilly leaves, Sam and Jon argue about the impracticality of taking Gilly with them.
"The boy fell for her" Jeor said in a bored drawl. "Aye he did" Jon chuckled and smiled at the scene.
Jon notices Craster taking a baby into the woods at night. He follows him and sees him leave the child to the White Walkers. Jon goes to the child but before he can intervene, Craster surprises him and knocks him out.
"Unbelievable" Jeor mouthed. "He is offering more people to the Night king's army!" Mance growled.