| Catelyn III | ||||||
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| A Storm of Swords chapter | ||||||
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| POV | Catelyn | |||||
| Place | Riverrun | |||||
| Page | 225 UK HC (Other versions) | |||||
| Chapter chronology (All) | ||||||
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Catelyn II ↑ | ||||||
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↓ Catelyn IV | ||||||
Robb executes Rickard Karstark for his murders of Willem Lannister and Tion Frey.
Synopsis
Robb Stark, King in the North, stands with all his bannermen attending as the bodies of Willem Lannister and Tion Frey are laid before him in the Great Hall of Riverrun. The Greatjon brings Lord Rickard Karstark and four of his men to Robb as prisoners.
Rickard, who was overcome with grief and anger, sought vengeance for the loss of his two younger sons, Eddard and Torrhen, at the hands of Ser Jaime Lannister in the Whispering Wood. After Catelyn Stark released Jaime from captivity, Rickard and his men murdered Willem and Tion in their cells at Riverrun, killing Delp and Elwood, two House Tully guards, in the process. Robb orders Rickard's accomplices to be hanged.
Within the hall's private audience chamber, Ser Brynden Tully reports that the rest of the Karstark men have already departed Riverrun, as Rickard has promised the hand of his daughter Alys in marriage to whomever brings him Jaime's had. Ser Edmure Tully urges Robb to hold Lord Karstark hostage and not to let word get out to the Freys or Lannisters about the deaths of the two squires. Robb feels he has been betrayed by the murders, however. They have sent letters to Catelyn sister, Lysa Arryn, at the Eyrie, but Lysa has not responded. Robb decides to sentence Rickard to death for honor's sake.
Robb carries out the sentence in the rainy godswood of Riverrun at dawn the next morning. He takes a polexase from Long Lew, deciding to perform the execution himself, as both the Starks and Karstarks are descended from the First Men. Rickard accuses Robb of kinslaying, citing the connections between their two families. Robb kills Rickard before the heart tree with a single blow, though it takes him three swings to sever Rickard's head.
Brynden leads a hundred men in search of the departed Karstarks. Catelyn visits her dying father, Lord Hoster Tully, in his solar. Maester Vyman visits them at night, revealing that Hoster will not last much longer. That night, Jeyne comes to Catelyn for advice in comforting Robb. Jeyne says that her mother has been giving her a posset to make her fertile, and the young woman promises that she will soon bear twins if the gods answer her prayers.
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References and Notes
- The synopsis was copied from AOL member vbkorik27 previously at [1].
- A first-time reader's summary and commentary of the chapter, by Leigh Butler.
- Re-read Catelyn III: To End the Night's Dark Dance. Summary and analyses of the chapter in the course of a 10th reread by Slynt.