<P> Jaime and Brienne reach King's Landing to find that Joffrey's younger brother Tommen Baratheon will inherit the throne; Tyrion is on trial; and the Tyrell bannermen blame Brienne for Renly Baratheon's death . Jaime's severed right hand becomes infected, but he is healed by former maester Qyburn, who was thrown out of the Citadel for forbidden experiments, earning Qyburn the admiration of Cersei . Jaime refuses to believe that Tyrion killed Joffrey, rejects Cersei's advances, and becomes Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, but refuses his father's offer of Casterly Rock, whereupon Tywin disinherits him . Jaime frees Brienne and gives her a sword reforged from Ice, Ned Stark's sword . He tells her to keep her oath to Catelyn, to find Arya and Sansa and return them home . Against Tyrion, Cersei recruits the spymaster Varys and Tyrion's lover, Shae . Tyrion is approached by Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne, who offers a trial by combat against Cersei's champion, Gregor Clegane, who he knows was responsible for the death of his sister Elia . Oberyn nearly emerges victorious, but is ultimately killed by Gregor, although the poison on Oberyn's spear leaves Gregor dying in agony . Tyrion is again condemned to death but is freed by Jaime and Varys . Jaime reveals that Tyrion's first wife Tysha, who Tywin had gang - raped by his garrison and forced Tyrion to participate, was not a prostitute as Tywin told him, and genuinely loved Tyrion . Outraged, Tyrion swears revenge on Jaime, Cersei, and Tywin, and tells Jaime he murdered Joffrey and that Cersei took other lovers while he was Robb Stark's captive . During Tyrion's escape, he strangles Shae and kills Tywin in his privy before fleeing Westeros . </P> <P> At the Eyrie, Littlefinger and Lysa are married, and Sansa remains hidden by pretending to be an illegitimate daughter of Littlefinger's, named Alayne Stone . Lysa reveals that Littlefinger had convinced her to poison Jon Arryn, her late husband, to prevent her son from being fostered to Stannis Baratheon, and to write to Catelyn that Arryn had been poisoned by the Lannisters, which was the catalyst for the events of A Game of Thrones . Lysa threatens to kill Sansa, thinking she is trying to seduce Littlefinger, but Littlefinger intervenes and, after revealing that he had only ever loved Catelyn, pushes Lysa to her death . </P> <P> The detachment of the Night's Watch under Lord Commander Jeor Mormont awaits word from Qhorin Halfhand and Jon Snow at their forward base . The Watch are attacked by undead wights and the Others, suffering heavy casualties; but Samwell Tarly kills one of the Others with a blade of dragonglass . Some of the Watch mutiny and kill Mormont, but Sam escapes with the help of one of Craster's daughter - wives, Gilly, and they and the girl's newborn child approach the Wall, assisted by a strange figure riding an elk, whom Sam calls Coldhands . Among the dead are most of the Watch's senior leadership . </P> <P> Bran Stark, his servant Hodor, Jojen and Meera Reed are guided north by Bran's dreams of a three - eyed crow . At the Wall, Sam guides them to Coldhands and returns to Castle Black, having sworn to keep Bran's survival secret even from Jon . </P>

A storm of swords steel and snow chapters