Having accepted his new role as King’s Hand, Ned leaves Winterfell with his daughters Sansa and Arya, while Catelyn stays behind to tend to Bran. The unconscious Bran is attacked by an assassin, but his direwolf saves him. Catelyn decides to go to King’s Landing to tell Ned about the attempt and suspected Lannister involvement. Jon Snow, Ned’s illegitimate son, heads north to join the brotherhood of the Night’s Watch, protectors of the Wall that keeps the White Walkers and the wildlings from entering civilized Westeros. As a parting gift, Jon had given Arya a thin sword she later names “Needle.” Tyrion Lannister, Cersei’s brother, decides to forgo the trip south with his family and instead accompanies Snow’s entourage to the Wall. When Joffrey threatens Arya and her friend, Arya’s direwolf defends her, provoking a conflict between the Starks and the Lannisters. To resolve the conflict, Cersei demands that Robert order Ned to execute Arya’s direwolf, but as Arya has sent it away, to save it from retribution, Sansa’s direwolf is killed in its stead. In Winterfell, Brandon awakens from unconsciousness. Meanwhile, Daenerys focuses her attention on learning how to please Drogo.