Back in the King's Landing, Mira was reading another letter from her mother, while in the corridor, listening people talking about Tommen being coronated and mocking that he was too young and soft to be a king, while implicating that that was Tyrion's plan all along. Mira ignored these insults, knowing that Tyrion would not be so stupid to poison Joffrey. She walked down the corridor with Tom following her, no doubt updating her on the latest news.

"What is it, Tom?" Mira asked.

"Remember that warning you'd heard from Rodrik…" Tom reminded.

Mira nodded as she turned to him. "About Whitehill's contact. Did you find anything?"

"Only whispers… but your brother's right. Ludd Whitehill—" Tom stopped, when a Lannister guard passed by them before continuing and lowering his voice as they leaned onto the windowsill. "Ludd Whitehill is sending a great deal of gold to someone here in King's Landing. He's definitely up to something. Something big. But I don't know what."

Mira shook her head. "That's all you found out? I already knew that much."

"It's the best I could do." Tom protested. "The only people I'm even certain he deals with are those ironwood merchants."

Mira nodded. "Lord Morgryn and Lord Andros."

"They'll both be at the feast after Tommen's coronation today. Maybe you can learn something."

Mira sighed. "I can't go. Margaery's… she's not exactly happy with me right now. I've been uninvited."

"Couldn't Sera help? Ask her to get you in. She'd do it, right?" Tom suggested. "Don't handmaidens look out for each other?"

That wasn't that much of a bad idea, although it could end badly easily enough. "We are friends. I'm sure she'd help if I asked her."

Tom nodded. "It's a good plan, then."

They heard the bell ring out as Mira looked around. "It's nearly time."

Tom bowed before her. "Just be careful, Lady Mira. King's Landing seems to have it in for you."

He left and Mira walked off in the other direction. She certainly knew well enough that she had made a lot of enemies in the King's Landing by now

Back in Castle Black, Gared was locked in the storage, freezing. It felt unfair for him to be executed for self-defense. How was he going to fulfill his promise to Lord Gregor?

"'Ey, what are you doin' out there? There's leftover honeycake in the kitchens."

"Have to guard this one. Locked him up in the old store room until morning."

Gared heard the guards talking about him as one of them peeked through gaps in the wooden door. "That the one who killed Britt? He's not going anywhere. Come on. You'll be back before anyone notices."

"All right. Maybe just a quick bite. He's likely to freeze out to death here anyway."

As soon as the guards left, Gared stared at the page from Lord Gregor's journal and examined the door before noticing that the stones, on which the hinges were, were a bit loose. Maybe he could pry them out. Gared found a rusty trowel and a sack of food, realizing he could use them. Gared attempted to pry out the stones before noticing Cotter outside the door.

"Gared!" Cotter hissed.

"Cotter? What are you doing here?" Gared whispered.

"I heard 'em talking – you're to be executed in the morning." Cotter explained.

Gared's eyes widened. "What about Finn? He told them—"

Cotter shook his head, looking sad. "Nobody believes him. Or don't want to. They think he's covering for you. Some are even saying he helped you do it."

Gared shook his head. Of course they would think that. "I have to get out of here."

Cotter nodded. "That's why I came. I wanna help."

Gared stared. "You'd be executed too. Why would you want to help me?"

Cotter gave him a reassuring smile. "I told you my secret, and you said you were my friend… What kind of friend would I be if I left you to die here? So I'm getting you out of here. I don't want to hear any complaining. All right?"

Gared smiled as he got up to his feet. "You're a good man. You know that?"

"Don't go singin' my praises yet." Cotter then lowered his voice. "I want you to take me with you. To the North Grove." Gared considered. "You know I can't stay here. I'm leaving Castle Black… but I'd rather not go it alone. So if you're going north, I'm coming with you."

Cotter had a point. Considering that he was a wildling, it was only a matter of time before he would slip and someone would notice that he was not local. Besides, Gared could use his help beyond the Wall.

Gared sighed. "Well, I'm not going anywhere unless I can get out of this bloody store room first."

"I can try and pick the lock, but I'm not sure it'll work. It's rusted a bit inside. I can try, but… may not do any good. Can you see any other way out?"

"There's a loose stone over there. Can you see it?" Gared pointed.

"Yeah." Cotter nodded, trying to push it. "It's not moving though."

"Keep trying. Let me see what I can do." Gared picked the trowel, trying to chip away the stone.

"I can see it! I-It's coming loose." Cotter said.

"I'm gonna try to push it out. You pull, all right?" Gared said. Cotter nodded as they worked together to pull the stone out but as they did, they made a noise as they made a gap in the door.

Cotter looked around frantically. "I hope no one heard that." He turned to Gared. "Hey! Can you fit through?"

"I think." Gared said, pushing the door and going out through the gap.

Gared and Cotter took cover behind some barrels to avoid the guards on patrol and hiding behind some carts as well but as they snuck towards an armory, one of the members of the Watch pulled out a sword.

"Oh, shit!" Cotter swore but Gared relaxed to see Finn.

"Aren't you two idiots lucky I'm not Frostfinger?" Finn chuckled. "Thought you were being sly, eh? I figured you'd try something like this."

Cotter shrugged. "It worked, didn't it?"

Gared sighed in relief. "Oh, Finn… am I glad to see you."

"I'm a sword in the darkness, helping a fellow brother keep his head." Finn assured, while handing a sword to Gared. "You'll need this. Now let's go."

Cotter shook his head. "You're not coming with us, Finn."

"What are you on about? Frostfinger already thinks I'm helping you. What do you think he's gonna do when he hears you've run off with potato-fucker over here?" Finn gestured at Cotter before looking at Gared pleadingly. "I'd rather take my chances with you. And I'm good in a fight. You know that."

"Yeah, good at starting them anyway." Cotter sneered.

"You'll need another blade at your side. Three's better than two. Admit it." Finn said.

Gared knew Finn had a point, besides, he was already risking enough by backing up Gared, when they sentenced him to die. No way he could leave Finn behind. "Having another ranger along couldn't hurt."

Cotter snorted. "'Til he stabs you in the back."

"We'll talk later. Move!" Gared ordered.

They snuck out of Castle Black and ran down the woods until they panted out and stopped at the weirwood tree, making Gared remember the vows he had made. Well, he knew what was he getting into and he knew that searching for the North Grove would most likely mean breaking his vows.

"There's no turning back now." Cotter said as he looked at the weirwood tree. "We're deserters for sure. We're breakin' our vows."

Finn shrugged. "I've taken plenty of oaths… broken plenty too. Words don't mean shit."

"There'll be a price on our heads. Or worse." Cotter said grimly.

Gared didn't mean for it to come this far and he did his best to keep both his promise to Lord Gregor and to the Watch. They turned their backs on him, despite that he had explained himself and had a justifiable reason to kill Britt in self-defense. He turned to the weirwood tree resentfully. "The words I said here – I meant them. I was a brother. But the Night's Watch betrayed me. That's on them."

They heard a bell ring out in the distance as Cotter paled. "They know we're gone now."

"Then how fast can you run?" Gared asked. Not hesitating, they ran off, trying to keep as big distance from the Castle Black and the Night's Watch as possible.

Rodrik, Elaena, Arthur and his men had returned to Ironrath and saw the smallfolk with devastated faces, pale and on the ground, clearly starved and tired.

"It's worse than I thought, isn't it?" Elaena whispered.

"Rodrik!" Elissa approached him. "There you are."

"Lady Forrester?" Elaena asked.

"What's wrong, Mother?" Rodrik asked, dreading what Gryff has done now.

"It's Gryff. He was arguing with the Maester, and… things got out of hand." Elissa said sadly.

Rodrik glared, clenching his cane. "I'm coming."

"What do you mean to do?" Arthur asked. "Th-This could be our chance."

"He's right." Elaena nodded.

That was it. No more. "He's going to see what happens when you harm a member of my family." Rodrik vowed.

"And mine." Arthur nodded, gesturing to his men. "The rest of my men are still in the grove. They could be here in minutes."

"Make sure they're ready to do some damage." Rodrik ordered.

Arthur smirked. "Sounds like a good time." He turned to his men. "Let's go."

Rodrik turned to Arthur's men. "Listen for my signal." He raised his cane. "I'll strike my cane when I want you to enter."

"We'll be ready." Arthur nodded as they tried to sneak into the Great Hall.

"I'm coming with you." Elaena said.

Rodrik shook his head. "It's not safe. You should wait for your brother."

"I don't care if it isn't safe." Elaeana snapped. "Gryff thinks I belong to him. I need to show him I don't."

Rodrik nodded and smiled, holding her hand. "Together, then."

They walked into the Great Hall as the smallfolk looed at them in admiration.

Rodrik heard punching and groaning and Lady Elissa's and Maester's Ortengryn's protests.

"I tried to heal it, but the wound didn't res—" Ortengryn groaned as Rodrik heard what seemed to be a punch.

"Stop this at once!" Elissa shouted.

"You let that bite fester." Gryff snarled.

"No, I tried a salve…"

Rodrik entered to see Ortengryn restrained by Gryff's men, while being beaten up.

"You'd have tried harder for a Forrester." Gryff said as one of his men struck the bruised Maester, who turned to Rodrik.

"My lord. Please—" Ortengryn screamed in pain as Gryff hit him in the face with his knee and Ortengryn fell down.

"I am the only lord who matters here!" Gryff growled before turning to Rodrik, smirking. "Rodrik, tell your dog to obey his new master. And while you're at it—" He stopped upon noticing Eleana at Rodrik's side, looking confused. "Eleana Glenmore?" He then looked infuriated, eying her like a toy that was stolen from him. "What are you doing with him? You're supposed to be marrying me."

Eleana poked Gryff, sneering in disgust. "You? I'd rather marry a dead horse."

"You watch your bloody tongue." Gryff gestured at the beaten Ortengryn. "Or I'll give you what I'm giving the Maester."

"Let the Maester go, Gryff." Rodrik ordered.

"Not until he's learned his lesson." Gryff eyed Rodrik in disgust and resentment as he neared him. "He's disobedient. Just like you are, Rodrik." He stepped on Ortengryn's hand as the maester screamed in pain. "So now he's paying the price."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Ortengryn sobbed before another one of Gryff's men kicked him like a wounded dog.

"Don't believe you." Gryff said.

That was enough. Rodrik neared Gryff, glaring right into his face. "You're not the lord here, Gryff. And I'm tired of you pretending you are."

Gryff glared back, burning holes into Rodrik's forehead. "You think I'm fucking pretending? You know what I think?" He turned his back on Rodrik briefly as Rodrik and Eleana glanced to see Arthur and his men taking cover and ready to attack.

"My brother is ready." Eleana whispered.

"I think you need another lesson in humility. Just like your Maester here." Gryff cracked his fists. "I've let you off too fucking easily, Rodrik." He smirked at Eleana. "You can watch if you like. Then you'll see who's the man and who's the cripple."

"Go ahead! Come at me, Gryff!" Rodrik taunted.

"My fucking pleasure." Gryff threw a punch but using the move Royland had taught him, Rodrik dodged and struck Gryff in the leg with his cane, causing for him to fall down as Gryff glared, infuriated. "You fucking—You're dead, Rodrik!"

"I doubt that." Rodrik smirked.

Gryff got up to his feet, turning to his men. "Grab him! Don't just stand there! He's not the lord!"

Rodrik slammed his cane onto the ground and on cue, Arthur and his men burst in, confusing Gryff and the Whitehill soldiers.

"What the hell is this?!" Gryff demanded as they were surrounded, while Arthur and his men notched arrows.

"What are your orders?" Arthur asked.

"I'm the only one here who gives the orders." Gryff growled before turning to his men. "What are you waiting for?"

"Kill anyone that moves!" Rodrik ordered.

One of Gryff's men backed away but Arthur shot him in the head. "You heard him!" Another one of Gryff's men reached for his sword but stopped upon Arthur notching another arrow. "Stand down!"

Gryff looked around, infuriated. "You can't do this."

"Now then. About humility…" Rodrik said.

Arthur's men restrained Gryff, holding him by his arms as he tried to shake them off. "Get your hands off me!"

"Maester, are you all right?" Elissa asked, helping Ortengryn on his feet.

"Yes, I think so." Ortengryn groaned as Elissa accompanied him out.

"My father will go straight to Roose Bolton! He'll flay you, and your sister, and your whole fucking family!"" Gryff shouted, trying to struggle out from the hold of Arthur's men.

"I did warn you, Gryff." Rodrik said, inches away from Gryff's face.

"You gonna hurt me? Your friends won't be around forever, Rodrik. And when they're gone, I will see that you pay for this." Gryff taunted. Rodrik punched Gryff, who groaned, a bruise forming on his cheek and Gryff laughed. "Is that it?" Rodrik struck him again as Gryff turned to Eleana. "Is this the man you'd rather have? This cripple."

"I think he wants more." Eleana said.

Rodrik whacked Gryff in the face with his cane as Elissa gasped, shocked to see her son do something so brutal. "Rodrik!"

"Enough! That's enough. Are you satisfied?" Gryff grunted.

Rodrik was tempted to beat Gryff into submission but at seeing his bruised and bloodied face, he realized he didn't want to stoop down to Gryff's level. Plus, if Ludd or the Boltons were to find out what happened, this wouldn't end well for the Forresters.

Rodrik backed away as Gryff glared. "Is that it, then?"

"You're lucky you didn't get worse." Rodrik sneered.

"Fuck you, Rodrik." Gryff said.

Rodrik turned to Arthur. "Confine the Whitehills to the cellars. No one gets in or out."

Arthur's men dragged Gryff and his men away as they heard Gryff's shouts. "This isn't over, Rodrik!"

Rodrik and Elissa and Eleana looked at each other. Well, that was one problem solved. Now, perhaps they could use Gryff as a bargaining chip for Ryon's life.