Roose Bolton returns to the Dreadfort with his bride, one of Walder Frey's daughters, and chastises Ramsay for torturing and castrating Theon, devaluing him as a hostage. Theon, who has degenerated into a subservient persona called "Reek", discloses that Bran and Rickon are alive and threaten Roose's legitimacy as Warden of the North; Roose orders Ramsay to reclaim the territories under Ironborn occupation, promising a reward if he succeeds, and sends Locke to capture Bran and Rickon. North of the Wall, Bran sees where they must go. In Dragonstone, Stannis loses patience with Davos as Melisandre sacrifices three people, including Stannis's brother-in-law, burning them to death as a tribute to the Lord of Light, delighting Queen Selyse and disgusting Davos and Princess Shireen.
To protect Shae from his family, Tyrion arranges to send her to Pentos across the Narrow Sea, leaving her distressed, while Bronn secretly trains Jaime to fight with his left hand. King Joffrey and Margaery Tyrell are wed; during the royal wedding feast, Joffrey publicly humiliates Tyrion and taunts Sansa just before he fatally succumbs to poisoned wine. A distraught Cersei accuses Tyrion of the murder and has him arrested, while Ser Dontos Hollard, Joffrey's fool and a former knight, persuades Sansa to leave the feast with him for her protection.