At the end of A Feast for Crows Jaime had received Cersei’s letter and chosen not to respond. He secured the surrender of Riverrun and is now arriving at Raventree Hall, the last holdout of those who swore for Robb. It is complicated by an historic feud between the Blackwoods and Brackens.

Jaime discovers what Bracken will accept and goes to treat with Blackwood. He reaches a settlement that both will accept but that neither is very happy with. He takes one of the Blackwood boys as a hostage and starts back for King’s Landing.

The boy is very knowledgeable about the feud between the families and the tales he tells Jaime indicate that they are fighting over the crown to a kingdom that hasn’t existed for a thousand years. They stop at a village. All the villagers are hiding in a holdfast and won’t come out. Jaime makes camp.

Then a woman comes riding in. It is Brienne. She says she’s found Arya and he must come quickly as the Hound will kill her.

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TRAP!!! No, Jaime, don’t go. I knew Brienne wasn’t dead – all that pretending to kill people isn’t convincing anymore.

I’m glad Brienne didn’t get killed. This is clearly Catelyn trying to kill Jaime instead.