A Storm of Swords

At the Fist of the First Men, a disgruntled Night’s Watch ranger named Chett conspires to assassinate Lord Commander Jeor Mormont and desert.

Jeor shares a plan to ambush the wildling army of King-Beyond-the-Wall Mance Rayder before they can breach the Wall. Jeor emboldens the rangers by reminding them of their oaths. Chett worries that his plan to kill Jeor will fail, but decides he will still kill Samwell Tarly, whom he resents for taking his place as Maester Aemon’s steward. Just as Chett reaches Sam’s tent, they hear two horn blasts, which means that the wildlings are about to attack. Then, they hear a third horn blast, which means that it isn’t the wildlings, but the Others—an army of undead winter warriors—who are coming.

Catelyn Stark, mother of King-in-the-North Robb Stark, frees the captured Ser Jaime Lannister, father and uncle to King Joffrey Baratheon. Catelyn hopes to prompt the safe release of her daughters, Sansa and Arya, in return. Jaime sails out of Riverrun with his cousin, Ser Cleos Frey, and Catelyn’s sworn sword, Brienne of Tarth. Jaime and Brienne antagonize each other, bickering over Brienne’s identity as a female knight and Jaime’s lack of honor.