Jefferson Hall

Ned looks to a book for clues to the death of his predecessor, and uncovers one of King Robert's bastards. Robert and his guests witness a tournament honoring Ned. Jon takes measures to protect Sam from further abuse at Castle Black; a frustrated Viserys clashes with Daenerys in Vaes Dothrak; Sansa imagines her future as a queen, while Arya envisions a far different future. Catelyn rallies her husband's allies to make a point, while Tyrion finds himself caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Incensed over news of Daenerys' alliance with the Dothrakis, Robert orders a pre-emptive strike on the Targaryens that drives a wedge in his relationship with Ned. A captive Tyrion helps Catelyn, but receives a cold reception at the Eyrie from her sister, John Arryn's widow Lysa. Sansa is charmed by the dashing Ser Loras Tyrell, a.k.a. the Knight of Flowers. Arya overhears a plot against her father.

Beowulf gets to work re-building the town’s defences - a need that becomes even greater when iron-miner Greff, is attacked by one of the most dangerous Mudborn creatures known to humans – a Troll. Usually able to keep these deadly creatures at bay, such an unprovoked attack spells unquantifiable danger for the people of the Shieldlands and must therefore be investigated immediately by Beowulf. Elsewhere, Slean’s frustrations and impotence about his impending marriage to Kela escalate further when he misconstrues a private conversation between Elvina and Beowulf; tensions spill over, leading the men to blows. It’s the last straw for Slean who leaves for Bregan to see Abrecan - marking an end to his loyalties to Rheda. With the threat of the Mudborn creature looming, Beowulf heads to the forest with Breca and Greff to steer off any further attacks. Beowulf soon discovers that the Trolls, who are usually fed salt to keep them equable, have been deprived of it, in an act that reeks of treachery against Herot. First things first however, with the Trolls on the rampage thirsting for salt, they’ll soon come looking for human blood which means Beowulf must act now to placate the threat - and then unravel the traitor working against Rheda. Unaware of Beowulf’s revelation, Slean arrives in Bregan to meet with his uncle Abrecan. Tensions are high but their deliberations are cut short as Bregan falls under attack leaving Slean forced to pick where his loyalties lie…

With Slean and his uncle Abrecan failing to warn Herot about the Wulfing Raider attack, the marauders arrive at the peripheries of an unsuspecting Herot and set their Barghest wolves free to terrorise the town. As Herot's townspeople flea in all directions, Beowulf rushes to action, but whilst he's saving lives in the smelting pits, one of our characters is abducted from the bosom of Herot and, later, Rheda agrees to meet old enemy Jogan to negotiate an exchange for the hostage. With tensions at boiling point as the exchange takes place, an unexpected turn of events forces Beowulf and Varr to join forces and face the threat head on before Rheda loses authority and control of her town. Meanwhile, with Slean en route back to Herot, armed with his uncle's treacherous plot against his mother, Abrecan begins to question his nephew's nerve to do what must be done against Rheda…