A Storm of Swords

Bran’s party arrives at an abandoned village called Queenscrown, which Bran knows how to navigate thanks to Old Nan’s stories. The group takes shelter in the holdfast to avoid an oncoming storm. Later, they observe a lone rider entering the village and taking shelter at the inn.

The storm reaches the village, terrifying Bran’s servant Hodor, who has intellectual disability. The lone rider is captured by armed men who are likely to hear Hodor’s noise. Bran uses his warg abilities to enter Hodor’s mind and silence him. While waiting for the armed men to leave the village, Bran enters Summer’s mind to see who they are.

Ygritte asserts that the Wall was built by the Southern lords to privatize the world. Jon suggests that Mance does not have the power to succeed against them, let alone eliminate private property. Ygritte reminds him that Mance is fighting for him too, unless he is still a ranger. She declares that she will be content to die as long as she gets to live first.

After descending the other side of the Wall, the wildlings arrive at Queenscrown. The wildlings apprehend the lone rider at the inn, an old man. Styr orders Jon to kill the old man.