War grips the continent of Westeros. In King's Landing, Tyrion becomes acting Hand of the King, much to Cersei's dismay, and tries to take his strong-willed nephew in hand. At Dragonstone, Stannis Baratheon launches his own campaign for the Iron Throne with the help of a mysterious priestess: proclaiming allegiance to Melisandre's God of Light, he claims the crown and reveals Joffrey's bastardy. Joffrey orders all of King Robert's bastards slaughtered; one of them, Gendry, has escaped the city along with the disguised Arya and is being taken to Castle Black.
Robb Stark, proclaimed King in the North after winning three victories, offers the Lannisters peace in exchange for the North's independence and the safe return of Sansa and Arya; he sends Theon to win Balon Greyjoy's support and Catelyn to seek an alliance with Renly Baratheon, who also claims the crown. Beyond the Wall, the Night's Watch seeks the aid of a wildling, sheltering with Craster and his daughters, who are also his wives. In Essos, as her people slowly die in the desolate Red Waste, Daenerys dispatches three riders to conduct reconnaissance.