We open this week's episode in the dark and gloomy hall of the House of Black and White. Arya is sweeping the floor, watching Jaqen give a cup of water to a man from an open well. She can stand it no longer and asks Jaqen why she is doing this pointless task, why is she there, she came to be his apprentice. He silences her by telling her all men must serve, all men must serve the many faced god, a girl knows his name and all men know his gift. Jaqen leaves, and 2 servants come in and carry off a body on a stretcher.
Wedding bells ring in King's Landing. Tommen and Margaery are now man and wife. She knows how to play him well, a night of sex and flattery leaves Tommen ripe for manipulation as only Margaery knows how to do. She begins by asking Tommen if Cersei is happy in King's Landing, how much Cersei loves him and how he will always be her baby boy. She compliments Cersei on her generosity, in spite of all that she's gone through--losing her husband, her eldest son, her father. No wonder she is so protective of Tommen, no wonder she never lets him out of her sight. The seed has been planted--Tommen no longer wants to be seen as a boy, but as a man out from under his mother's thumb.
Tommen and Cersei are on a stroll around the battlements of King's Landing. He asks her if she ever misses Casterly Rock, he wants her to be happy, wouldn't she be happier there? Cersei begins to see Margaery's influence at work in her son.
Margaery is chatting with her ladies about her wedding night with Tommen, the enthusiasm with which he approached his first experiences with sex, wanting to set a record. Margaery pokes fun at him. Cersei approaches, wanting Margaery to know she will help her with anything she needs. Margaery rubs it in her face that she is now the queen--what should she call her? Queen Mother? Queen Dowager? With the king's 'enthusiasm' maybe soon Queen Grandmother? Cersei leaves, but hears the giggling of Margaery's ladies.
Reek walks past a gruesome line of flayed bodies hanging on the walls of Moat Caelin. Upstairs, Roose and Ramsey are discussing just that thing. Roose tells his son they can't hold the North on terror alone. The wardens of the North refuse to ally with them. They only honor the Starks. It is agreed that their defiance could be solved no other way. Roose tells Ramsey that he has not enough men to hold the North if the other houses rise up against them. Their pact was with Tywin Lannister, and their army is a 1000 miles away, and if Ramsey thinks they'll send it, he's a fool. The best way to forge a lasting alliance is marriage. Roose tells him he's found the perfect girl.
Sansa and Littlefinger look down on Moat Caelin from a high hilltop. She finally realizes that he is taking her home to be married off. Horrified, she lashes out at Littlefinger--he murdered my father! Littlefinger tells her she will not be marrying Roose, she will be marrying his son. Sansa protests hysterically for a short while, but Littlefinger tells her she needs to stop running, there is no justice in the world. She will have more of a chance at justice as the wife of Ramsey. But he won't force her. He kisses her forehead. Sansa takes a moment alone, you can see her resolve stiffening her, and she turns and goes on with Littlefinger to Moat Caelin.
Bri and Pod have also arrived at the hilltop overlooking Moat Caelin. Pod wonders how they will ever be able to get through. He also tells Bri a little of how he came to be a squire, and she tells him how she became a knight. Her father had taken her to a ball, where all the young men fawned over her, and then snickered about her calling her ugly and a lumbering beast. Renly came to her rescue, he saved her, and she couldn't save him in return. One day she will avenge him. Pod wonders how she will defeat a shadow. Brienne says it was a shadow with Stannis' face, and a man can be killed.
Jon and Stannis are meeting, jon informs him he will refuse his offer and stay with the Night's Watch. Stannis tells him he is as honorable as his father, but honor got his father killed. Jon asks how long he plans on staying, the Wildllings and Stannis' army are bringing hardship down on them, they can't keep them fed much longer. Stannis tells him they will be leaving in a fortnight. He tells Jon he will leave the Wildlings to him. He warns him about his many enemies, and suggests he send Ser Alliser to the East Watch by the sea. Davos remains behind to tell Jon that he sees something in him, and that Stannis is the one true king, he should help him out. Jon tells him he has sworn to stay out of politics, but Davos brings up part of the oath Jon took--I am the shield that guards the realms of men--that is what he swore to be. He goes on to say that as long as the Boltons rule the north, the north suffers.
Arya is fiddlling with her coin in a room, sitting on a stone shelf when a girl walks in. Each time she asks Arya who she is, and she replies-no one- the girl slaps her until Jaqen appears and says she is not ready to be a faceless man. A man wonders why she clings to her silver, her clothes, her sword. Arya goes to the water and throws away her silver and her clothes, but she can't throw away Needle. She buries her sword and covers it with rocks. Back she goes to the hall to continue her endless sweeping. Another body is carried out. Jaqen comes for her and leads her back to a room where the girl waits. They undress the body and begin to wash it.
Littlefinger and Sansa ride into Moat Caelin where they are welcomed by Lord Bolton and introduced to his son Ramsey. Sansa is led to her room by a servant who welcomes her home and tells her --the north remembers.
Jon is at a meeting and names Ser Alliser First Ranger. He also asks Lord Jellas to go to Grey Guard and restore it. When Jellas refuses, Jon tells him it is a command, not an offer, but Jellas tells him to stick it up his a**. Jon has his men take him outside, find him his sword, then steels himself and chops his head off cleanly as Stannis watches from above.
The High Septon is enjoying the delights of the brothel when several Sparrows rush in, grab him, strip him naked, and force him to march through the streets. He goes to Cersei to protest his treatment at their hands, and demands that they be arrested, thrown in jail, and that the High Sparrow, their leader be executed. Cersei goes to find the High Sparrow. She goes down a stinking crowded alley to find him ministering to the poor there, just as poor as they are. Cersei tells him the High Septon wants him executed, but she has thrown him in jail, that faith and the crown are the two pillars that hold up the world, they must do whatever they can to protect one another.
Cersei goes to give Qyburn instructions on sending a letter to Littlefinger--making sure he knows the meaning of the word regency. She asks how his work is coming. After she leaves, as Qyburn is writing the letter, we see a covered body behind him begin to thrash.
Ramsey looks down on Sansa as she walks below him in the courtyard. He tells Littlefinger he'll never hurt her, he has his word. Littlefinger tells Roose she is still a virgin, and that he delivered on everything he promised. The Lannisters are not to be feared and Queen Margaery adores Sansa. Roose questions Littlefinger's motives. He hands him the letter from Cersei, which has been opened. How can he trust him if he's working with the Queen Mother? Now he's in the north undermining them? Littlefinger tells him -every ambitious move is a gamble. You gambled when you put a dagger through Robb Stark. It paid off, you're the Warden of the North. Bolton asks him--who supports me now, you? Littlefinger tells him that the Aerie is his, and allied with the wardens of the north they have brought down a dynasty.
Varys and Tyrion are still hiding in the wagon, but Tyrion is going crazy being cooped up. They are in Volantis and he insists on leaving even though there is a risk of being recognized. They roam the streets, past a red priestess telling the people to follow the mother of dragons. She spots Tyrion, and gives him a strange look. They leave and find their way to a brothel. where Tyrion finds that he can't do it with the whores (thoughts of Shea). Jorah is seen drinking in the background, and overhears enough between Tyrion, the whore, and Varys to know who he is. When Tyrion goes outside to p***, Jorah eases in behind him, binds, gags, and puts a sack over his head. He tells him--I'm taking you to the queen.
