A Clash of Kings Theon’s Assault on Winterfell-The Escape from Winterfell Summary & Analysis

Summary: Bran

In his sleep, Bran inhabits Summer, who can hear and smell intruders at Winterfell but is penned up along with Shaggydog and cannot defend the castle. Bran awakes and realizes that Jojen is right, that he is a warg. Most of the men from Winterfell have gone to defend Torrhen’s Square from Dagmer Cleftjaw. A man breaks down Bran’s door. Theon walks in and tells Bran that he has taken Winterfell. Jojen’s dream has come true—the men from the sea have overwhelmed Winterfell. To protect his people, Bran yields Winterfell to Theon, who announces that his father claims the north by right of conquest. Reek swears fealty to Theon in exchange for his freedom. Osha also offers her allegiance if Theon will make her a fighter again. Theon grants both requests.

Summary: Arya

The Brave Companions bring a group of Roose Bolton’s men from the north to Harrenhal as captives. Arya tells Gendry that they need to kill the guards, free the northmen, and escape, but Gendry refuses. Arya hones her agility and her sword skills using a wooden sword she made from a broom. Jaqen comes to her, revealing that he knows her true identity. She asks for his help in her plan, but he reminds her that he only owes her one more death. She tells him the final name: Jaqen H’ghar. He falters, and offers to help her free the captives if she will unsay his name. Jaqen tells Arya to prepare hot broth in the kitchen. The other prisoners Arya freed alongside Jaqen come and have her help them carrying the cauldrons of steaming broth to the cells. They attack the guards, throwing the hot broth in their faces and cutting them down. Jaqen wipes his bloody sword on Arya’s shirt.

With the northmen free, Arya releases Jaqen from his debt. Jaqen tells her that his time is done. He passes his hand over his face and his appearance changes entirely. He tells Arya that if she wants to learn how he did that, she needs to come with him across the narrow sea. Arya says she has to go to Winterfell. Jaqen gives her a strange coin and tells her that if she needs to find him again, she should give the coin to any man from Braavos and say the words “valar morghulis.” Jaqen disappears. Roose Bolton arrives at Harrenhal to take command of it and his men. Roose makes Arya, who says her name is Nan, his personal page.

Summary: Daenerys

Daenerys goes to the warlock Pyat Pree at the House of the Undying Ones, the mysterious ruined building where warlocks live. Pree tells her to enter alone and to always take the door to the right. Inside, Daenerys passes through a bizarre series of rooms that contain a mix of sights from her past and macabre spectacles. Daenerys winds up in a room full of warlocks, who surround her and show her terrible visions. Her dragon Drogon drives them back with breath of fire, and she bursts out of the house. Outside, Pyat Pree attacks Daenerys with a knife, but Jorah and Daenerys's men subdue the warlock.

Summary: Tyrion

Tyrion sends his clansmen to harass Stannis’s army. Preparations continue in King’s Landing for the imminent battle. Tyrion has the buildings surrounding the city walls burned down so that Stannis’s men cannot use them to climb the walls. Tyrion thinks that he should be happy about Theon’s conquest of Winterfell since it will make Robb march north, but he dislikes the idea of Winterfell controlled by someone other than the Starks. The pyromancers inform him that the magic needed to make wildfire has grown strong, which has allowed them to make more than they anticipated. Jacelyn returns to King’s Landing and tells Tyrion that the plan to capture and protect Tommen has succeeded.

Summary: Theon

Theon discovers that Bran, Rickon, Jojen, Meera, Hodor, Osha, and the direwolves escaped Winterfell in the night. Theon tries to get the people of Winterfell to tell him where they went, but no one will. Theon takes Reek, Luwin, the Freys, several other men, and the castle hounds to search for the escapees. The trail, first of footprints and then of scent, leads into the wolfswood. Luwin asks Theon to be merciful when he finds them. Theon agrees, but then wonders if that makes him look weak.

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