The disappearance of First Ranger Benjen Stark was only the beginning. More than a dozen rangers sent to find him also vanished north of the Wall. In response, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont of the Night's Watch decided he had to lead an expedition himself. He gathered three hundred of his best men and marched north to uncover the truth.
They made camp at the Fist of the First Men, an ancient ringfort deep in the wilderness. But as night fell, they were ambushed by an army of the dead—wights and their masters, the White Walkers. The Night's Watch suffered terrible losses and the survivors were forced to flee back to the relative safety of Craster's Keep.
Their relief was short-lived. Craster, the wildling who owned the keep, refused to give the fleeing brothers enough food. Anger and hunger festered among the ranks, leading to a bloody mutiny. The rebels, who outnumbered the men still loyal to the Lord Commander, turned on their own.
They murdered Lord Commander Mormont as he tried to restore order, and then they killed Craster, the man they despised. With their leaders dead, the mutineers burned Craster's Keep to the ground, stole what little food and horses remained, and raced back toward the Wall.
Amid the chaos, a terrified Samwell Tarly clutched the Lord Commander's body, unsure of what to do. After the mutineers had gone, Craster's many wives found Sam. They gave him a horse and supplies, begging him to take Gilly and her newborn son with him.
Sam fled south with Gilly and the baby, but they were soon attacked by a wight. Just as they were about to be killed, they were saved by an unexpected figure: Benjen Stark, now a cold and lifeless rider on a great elk.
Benjen escorted them to the base of the Wall. There, he taught Sam an ancient prayer of the Night's Watch. When Sam recited the words, a hidden, magical door appeared in the ice. Through this gate, Sam was able to bring Gilly and her child safely to the other side.
The news of Lord Commander Mormont's death sent shockwaves through the Night's Watch. Ser Denys Mallister, the commander of the Shadow Tower, and Cotter Pyke, commander of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, brought their men to Castle Black. The election for a new Lord Commander was about to begin.
While the Night's Watch was in turmoil, a far greater tragedy unfolded in the south. At the wedding of Edmure Tully to one of Walder Frey's daughters, the Freys betrayed their guests. They murdered Robb Stark, the King in the North, his mother, Lady Catelyn, and nearly every northern lord who had accompanied them.
The Lannisters, Freys, and Boltons had secretly planned it all. After the massacre, Roose Bolton led his own forces, along with Frey soldiers, to attack the now leaderless northern army. The remaining northern soldiers were defeated, and most bent the knee to Roose Bolton, whom King Joffrey had just named the new Warden of the North. The Boltons were now one of the most powerful houses in Westeros.
With the northern army crushed, Roose Bolton marched his men back toward the North to secure his new domain. He brought with him his own soldiers, what was left of the northern army, and two thousand Frey men. He also sent Robb Stark's body to Tywin Lannister, who was waiting at Harrenhal.
At The Twins, Lord Walder Frey felt a deep sense of satisfaction. He had finally gotten his revenge on the young wolf, Robb Stark, who had dared to humiliate him. As part of their victory, Edmure Tully, the new Lord of Riverrun, was now Walder Frey's prisoner. Just like the Boltons in the North, House Frey had become the new rulers of the Riverlands.
When Robb Stark's body arrived, Tywin Lannister was pleased. He turned to his son, Jaime, who looked on in disbelief.
"You see, Jaime?" Tywin said, his voice calm and cold. "Sometimes, what you can't win on the battlefield can be achieved with just a few letters. Don't always think your sword can solve every problem. You should try using your mind more often."
Jaime Lannister stared at the body in the coffin. This was the Young Wolf, the boy who had defeated him in battle and taken him captive. Now, Jaime was alive, and Robb was dead. He swallowed hard, but felt no joy. He would have rather faced Robb on the battlefield and defeated him honorably. That chance was now gone forever.
With the northern threat eliminated, Tywin decided to lead his army south to King's Landing. Word had arrived that Stannis Baratheon's fleet had entered Blackwater Bay and was preparing to attack the capital.
Meanwhile, in Starfire City, Jason was dealing with his own duties when he heard the news. He wasn't surprised at all. He had warned Robb Stark not to break his marriage pact with the Freys, but Robb had stubbornly married a girl from a minor house instead.
It was no shock that the politically naive Starks had been outmaneuvered by the cunning Tywin Lannister. Robb, young and flush with early victories, had grown arrogant. After defeating the Lannister armies and being crowned King in the North, he believed he was invincible.
Even his own mother, Lady Catelyn, had begged him not to throw away a powerful ally for one woman. But how did Robb respond? He had dismissed her, pulling rank. "I am the King in the North," he had told her, "not some boy who knows nothing." With those words, he silenced her and anyone else who dared to question him.
Lady Catelyn couldn't change his mind, and neither could the other northern lords. Jason knew that even if he had been there, his own words would have been useless. Robb's string of victories had blinded him. He saw any advice that went against his desires as a challenge to his royal authority.
Jason figured the young king probably only regretted his stubbornness in his final moments, as the Frey crossbow bolts tore into him. But what was done was done, and it was no longer Jason's concern.
With Robb and most of the northern lords dead, the North was weak and vulnerable. The cavalry scouts Jason had sent out had been keeping a close watch on the entire northern border, as well as the situation at The Twins. Because of this, he learned of the massacre almost as soon as it happened.
Kent entered his chambers with an urgent report. "My lord, the scouts monitoring the Dreadfort have sent word. Roose Bolton's bastard son, Ramsay, is gathering soldiers. He's preparing to attack Winterfell."
Jason stood, his face set like stone. He looked at Lena and Bella, who were standing nearby. "Help me with my armor."
As they fitted the plates of his stab-proof suit into place, Jason gave his orders. "Tell the First and Second Northern Corps to assemble at the barracks immediately. We're going to march on the Boltons. We will avenge Robb and Lady Catelyn!"
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