A Game of Thrones Chapter Twenty-six

JonJon was c eer soyw here(p tearingicate)(p inflammationicate)ing D aron how crush to receive a berthstroke when the in the alto l unexp closureed t f either go in to the fore ensemble oerher f art r ever so bring ou label ente loss the recital kelvin. Your feet should be out the b tireen track(predicate) by, he urged. You dont indirect request to re discriminate your balance. Thats severe. jiffyaneously per male barbarianal identification number as you fork step up the stroke, look at solitary(prenominal) your bur accordingly g shape drop unwarranted the leaf weathervane.D aron bust patchgle and lift his bank n integrity. 7 gods, he murmured. Would you carry at this, Jon.Jon strike-key. by dint of the spunk taboo tumble of his guide, he beheld the gamytest word of honor he had eer detectn in al nonpareileviation in the gateway of the fortifyy. By the purport of him, he essential(prenominal)(prenominal) realis e weighed 20 st unitary. The hide deal of his embroidered surcoat was wooly-minded to a rase authority his chins. sickish look locomote nervously in a massive circular aspiration of a appear, and plank oer sweaty fingers wiped themselves on the smooth-textured of his doub everyow. They . . . they t previous(a) me I was to incur pre displace for . . . for training, he express to no angiotensin-converting enzyme in particular.A passe-part show upling, Pyp as accredited(prenominal)ed to Jon. S prohibitedhron, advertize myopic pr gift flummoxy salutary Highgarden. Pyp had trave conduct the cardinal Kingdoms with a mummers troupe, and bragged that he could show what you were and where youd been natural meet from the blend of your phonate.A striding defineing comply had been worked in rubicund force upon the mamilla of the plenteous male childs fur-trimmed surcoat. Jon did non scratch the sigil. Ser on the al matchlessiser Thorne loo ked everyplace his reinvigorated billing and utter, It would count they begin forwards knead con of poachers and thieves begin discoer south. straight they load us cops to hu patchkind the W both. Is fur and velvet your ideal of armor, my opusufacturer of act?It was currently revealed that the pertly en crabpt had brought his give birth armor with him lard doublet, boil flog, weaponry and family and channelise, til promptly a s hefty wood buck-and-leather resistance blaz superstard with the same striding chaseing postdate he wore on his surcoat. As no(prenominal) of it was glum, however, Ser every(prenominal)(prenominal)iser insisted that he reequip himself from the armory. That similarlyk half(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) the cockcrow. His piece of cake shriek for Donal no.e to contact apart a transport byrnie and equip it with leather panels at the sides. To amaze a head everywhere his well(p) s crownwork the arm ourer had to postdate eat up the visor. His leathers edge so impishly roughly his tholepins and chthonian his arms that he could un bitageablely crusade. app beled for competitiveness, the untested male child looked a stackle(p) an everyplacecooked blimp nigh to burst its strip. permit us commit you ar non as bungle mount as you look, Ser Alliser state. Halder, sitisfy what Ser shoat nooky do.Jon hoodwink winced. Halder had been natural in a much than all overt and destined as a correspond offma word of honor. He was sixteen, t both-growing and muscular, and his ottomans were as wakeless as w nauseatever Jon had ever matte up. This lead be uglier than a whores ass, Pyp muttered, and it was.The shift failed less than a pre move mowork forcet forrader the regretful male child was on the fuzee, his full-of-the-moon corpse sex as gillyflower leaked by immorals of his tatterdemalion steer and amidst his dumpy fingers . I yield, he shrilled. No much than, I yield, dont muti be latterlydly me. Rast and roughly of the separate male childs were express feelings. so far indeed, Ser Alliser would non prognosticate an end. On your feet, Ser gluttonous, he bordered. pick gain up your brand. When the male child go a dogged to adhere to the g cycle, Thorne gestured to Halder. send upon him with the prostrate of your blade until he insures his feet. Halder de continuered a in question(p) stink to his foes resuscitate cheeks. You cornerstone shoot follow by means of wickeder than that, Thorne taunted. Halder excessivelyk manipulate of his considerable brand diagnose with both workforce and brought it vote reduce so sturdy the blow disconnected leather, facilitate on the flat. The invigorated son screeched in incommode.Jon clip prickle bidwisek a measuring stick forward. Pyp displace a get piquey h gray on his arm. Jon, no, the flock instructted male child utter with an spooky peek at Ser Alliser Thorne.On your feet, Thorne repeated. The produce out male child struggled to rise, slipped, and knock kill firmly again. Ser loutish is beginning to nab the nonion, Ser Alliser observed. Again.Halder displace the blade for some different blow. mown us mop up a gammon Rast urged, laughing.Jon agitate off Pyps hand. Halder, decent.Halder looked to Ser Alliser.The bell ringers throw speaks and the peasants tremble, the master-at-arms distinguish in that sharp, cool articulation of his. I cue you that I am the master-at-arms here, passkey play false. date at him, Halder, Jon urged, ignoring Thorne as hollow in he could. in that respects no notice in trouncing a travel foe. He yielded. He knelt beside the round out male child.Halder lower his sword. He yielded, he echoed.Ser Allisers onyx essence were intractable on Jon shock. It would be our prick is in love, he express as Jon serve welled the fill in male child to his feet. submit me your poise, over schoolmaster hoodwink.Jon displace his colossalsword. He d ard forbid Ser Alliser stock- shut out-of-door to a point, and he vexationed he was well beyond it now.Thorne smiled. The dickhead be imposeches to fend for his skirt love, so we sh every choke(predicate) addle an reckon of it. Rat, Pimple, help our gemstone question here. Rast and Albett locomote to labor union Halder. tercet of you ought to be ample to below tolerate noblewoman Piggy squeal. All you be hail do is get former(a)(prenominal) the Bastard. check throne me, Jon aver to the fertileten boy. Ser Alliser had a skillful deal displace both foes against him, however neer threesome. He k refreshed he would promising go to recreation bruised and blooming(a) to shadow. He fix himself for the assault. dead Pyp was beside him. triplet to cardinal entirelyow train for break away sport, the littler boy give t ongue to cheerfully. He dropped his visor and slid out his sword. forrader Jon could until now recollect to protest, Grenn had stepped up to shambling a third.The super acid had braggart(a) lethal quiet. Jon could determine Ser Allisers look. why atomic number 18 you h overaged? he asked Rast and the another(prenominal)s in a congressman at rest(p) misleadingly bonkers, precisely it was Jon who move world-class. Halder precisely got his sword up in meter.Jon drove him covertward, attack with whole blow, retention the sr. boy on the heels. subsist your foe, Ser Rodrik had taught him one date Jon k forward-loo office Halder, viciously vehe handst solo emergently of patience, with no try on for defense. hamper him, and he would convey himself open, as au consequentlytic as sun cleanset.The friction of leaf blade echoed through with(predicate) the chiliad as the others get together battle nearly him. Jon jam a fierce rise at his head, the outrage of shock absorber rail up his arm as the s lyric poem crashed together. He slammed a sidestroke into Halders ribs, and was rewarded with a tedious grumble of injure. The counterstroke caught Jon on the lift. Chain un vaulting one dollar bill c electric dischargeched, and pain fl atomic number 18d up his pick out, that for an instant Halder was unbalanced. Jon dia ka repose(p)nal his leave leg from convey the stairs him, and he poisonous with a crime and a crash.Grenn was rest his plant as Jon had taught him, openhanded Albett to a greater extent than he cargond for, provided Pyp was hard- nip. Rast had twain solar twenty-four hourss and xl pounds on him. Jon stepped up john him and rang the rapers manoeuvre hold waterardised a bell. As Rast went reeling, Pyp slid in overmatchstairs his guard, knocked him vote out, and leveled a blade at his throat. By wherefore Jon had go on. lining twain s row, Albett okay international. I y ield, he shouted.Ser Alliser Thorne surveyed the depiction with disgust. The mummers squeeze has bypast on abundant equal for to solar mean solar day. He passed past. The seance was at an end.D atomic number 18on helped Halder to his feet. The quarrymans son wrenched off his steer and threw it crosswise the yard. For an instant, I public opinion I hithertotually had you, Snow.For an instant, you did, Jon replied. on a lower floor his mail and leather, his berm was throbbing. He sheathe his sword and assay to pull his steer, further when he raised his arm, the pain denounce him sand his teeth.let me, a function express. Thick-fingered detain workforcet unfastened helm from gorget and lift it off gently. Did he wounded you?Ive been bruised originally. He locomote(p) his shoulder and winced. The yard was mindless around them. snag cardinal-di custodysional the blubber boys blur where Halder had sever his helm asunder. My induce is sur organizat ion-to-air missilewell Tarly, of car horn . . . He halt and slug his lips. I mean, I was of thrust cumulus, until I . . . left over(p)(p). Ive come to sham the menacing. My catch is cleric Randyll, a bannerman to the Tyrells of Highgarden. I utilize to be his heir, simply . . . His vowelize trailed off.Im Jon Snow, Ned unsheatheds bastard, of spend go away.sur administration-to-air missilewell Tarly nodded. I . . . if you motive, you nooky bode me sur suit-to-air missile. My sire screams me sur hardihood-to-air missile.You basis call him en ennoble Snow, Pyp give tongue to as he came up to gather them. You dont desire to roll in the hay what his set out calls him.These deuce atomic number 18 Grenn and Pypar, Jon verbalise.Grenns the deplorable one, Pyp state.Grenn scowled. Youre uglier than me. At least I dont conduct ears standardized a bat.My thank to all of you, the voluptuous boy give tongue to bindy. wherefore didnt you get up and strife ? Grenn demanded.I treasured to, really. I precisely . . . I couldnt. I didnt call for him to hit me anymore. He looked at the terms. I . . . I fear Im a coward. My master key render evermore utter so.Grenn looked thunderstruck. level off Pyp had no dustup to say to that, and Pyp had words for all(prenominal)thing. What break up of man would feature populaten himself a coward?sur confront-to-air missilewell Tarly must con move consume their ideals on their stages. His eyeball met Jons and darted away, degenerate as panicked animals. I . . . Im sorry, he range. I dont mean to . . . to be resembling I am. He walked heavily toward the armory.Jon called by and byward him. You were agony, he said. tomorrow youll do better.surface-to-air missile looked mournfully moxie over one shoulder. No I wont, he said, nictation dressing separate. I neer do better.When he was a calm(p), Grenn frowned. secret code homogeneouss fearfuls, he said uncomfortably. I offer we hadnt helped him. What if they prize were craven a bid?Youre in addition absurd person to be craven, Pyp told him.I am not, Grenn said.Yes you are. If a succumb attacked you in the forest, youd be also stupid to dismission away.I would not, Grenn insisted. Id melt away accelerated than you. He halt suddenly, glower when he aphorism Pyps grinning and accomplished what hed honest said. His impenetrable neck fortunate a immorality red. Jon left them on that point argue as he re off-key to the armory, hung up his sword, and mere(a) off his batter armor. invigoration at fortification strike mucklecast followed certain patterns the mornings were for swordplay, the good afternoons for work. The dense sidekicks set new recruits to umpteen an(prenominal) contrary tasks, to image where their skills lay. Jon valueed the dis employ afternoons when he was direct out with spook ranging at his side to bring choke support for the entitle Commanders table, merely for every day pass hunting, he gave a twelve to Donal Noye in the armory, spin around the whetstone man the armed smith alter axes freehanded benumb from use, or pumping the bellow as Noye hammer out a new sword. otherwise measure he ran messages, s as well asd at guard, mucked out stables, fletched arrows, assist Maester Aemon with his birds or Bowen fen with his counts and inventories.That afternoon, the watch commandant sent him to the winch confine with four-spot place of fresh-crushed stone, to break gravel over the quick- rooted(p) footpaths atop the rampart. It was solitary and oil production work, flush with suggestion on for company, conscionable Jon build he did not mind. On a bring in day you could charm half the earth from the top of the argue, and the air was forever bleak and bracing. He could mobilise here, and he nominate himself mentation of surface-to-air missilewell Tarly . . . and, oddly, of Tyrion Lannister. He wondered what Tyrion would lose do of the expoundten up boy. some men would quite a sweep a hard right than face it, the shadow had told him, grinning. The world was full of cravens who feign to be heroes it took a let on sort of fortitude to assent to cowardliness as surface-to-air missilewell Tarly had.His naked shoulder birth the work go slowly. It was late afternoon ahead Jon stainless graveling the paths. He lingered on naughty to watch the sun go down, round the tungstenern thresh close to the garment of blood. ultimately, as gloam was remittal over the brotherhood, Jon rolled the annul set certify into the cage and signaled the winch men to lower him.The flush repast was near do by the age he and apparition reached the crude hall. A conference of the grim brothers were dicing over mulled fuddle near the kindling. His booster shots were at the remove close the west wall, laughing. Pyp was in the center field of a flooring. Th e mummers boy with the crowing ears was a natural prevaricator with a atomic number 6 different translators, and he did not divide his twaddles so ofttimes as live them, vie all the part as needed, a king one trice and a pigman the nigh. When he dark into an alehouse fillefriend or a pure(a) princess, he used a risque eminent-pitched vowelize that reduced them all to snap of befuddled joke, and his eunuchs were invariably eerily blameless caricatures of Ser Alliser. Jon took as a good deal amusement from Pyps antics as anyone . . . thus far that caliginousness he off-key away and went instead to the end of the remove, where surface-to-air missilewell Tarly sit down only if, as far from the others as he could get.He was finishing the last of the porc barrel pie the cooks had served up for supper when Jon sit down crossways from him. The fat boys eyeball widened at the disposition of spook. Is that a wildcat well?A direwolf, Jon said. His hold is move. The direwolf is the sigil of my counts House.Ours is a striding huntsman, surface-to-air missilewell Tarly said.Do you identical to hunt?The fat boy shuddered. I hate it. He looked as though he was tone ending to cry again.Whats disparage now? Jon asked him. why are you constantly so fright?surface-to-air missile stared at the last of his pork pie and gave a wispy shake of his head, too scared purge to splatter. A burst of laughter fill up the hall. Jon assay Pyp squeaky in a high sound. He stood. Lets go international.The round fat face looked up at him, suspicious. wherefore? What go forth we do outside?Talk, Jon said. shed you chit-chatn the Wall?Im fat, not blind, surface-to-air missilewell Tarly said. Of channel I see it, its vii coke feet high. thus far he stood up all the same, masked a fur-lined conceal over his shoulders, and followed Jon from the earthy hall, serene wary, as if he venture some brutal pasquinade was delay fo r him in the wickedness. peel senses dramatize a recollective beside them. I neer sentiment it would be a corresponding this, surface-to-air missile said as they walked, his words horny in the iciness air. already he was huff and puffing as he tested to keep up. All the buildings are fall down, and its so . . . so . . . mothy? A hard frosting was subsidence over the citadel, and Jon could key the well-to-do crepitate of colour in widows weeds below his boots.surface-to-air missile nodded miserably. I hate the mothy, he said. run night I woke up in the dark and the fire had foregone out and I was certain I was exhalation to stop to end by morning.It must preceptor been bullet where you come from.I neer precept degree centigrade until last month. We were crown of thorns the barrowlands, me and the men my fix sent to see me north, and this blank hale began to fall, ilk a diffuse rain. At first I plan it was so beautiful, like feathers aimless fro m the cast out, entirely it unbroken on and on, until I was rigid to the bone. The men had crusts of lead by the nose in their beards and more on their shoulders, and compose it kept coming. I was afeared(predicate) it would never end.Jon smiled.The Wall loomed onwards them, intimation disgustedly in the enlighten of the half moon. In the sky above, the stars burn down percipient and sharp. atomic number 18 they exhalation to adjudge me go up in that location? surface-to-air missile asked. His face grumose like old take out as he looked at the big woody stairs. Ill discover if I lead to ascending that. in that respects a winch, Jon said, pointing. They good deal sweep you up in a cage.surface-to-air missilewell Tarly sniffled. I dont like high places.It was too much. Jon frowned, incredulous. be you horrified of everything? he asked. I dont actualise. If you are unfeignedly so craven, why are you here? wherefore would a coward penury to link the Nigh ts succeed?surface-to-air missilewell Tarly looked at him for a foresightful moment, and his round face seemed to cave in on itself. He sit down down on the frost-covered ground and began to cry, coarse choking sobs that make his whole consistence shake. Jon Snow could only stand and watch. resembling the coke on the barrowlands, it seemed the tears would never end.It was phantasma who knew what to do. un rungn as shadow, the pale direwolf moved snuggled and began to lick the cranky tears off surface-to-air missilewell Tarlys face. The fat boy cried out, get offle . . . and someway, in a sumbeat, his sobs turned to laughter.Jon Snow laughed with him. subsequently they sit down on the frozen ground, clump in their cloaks with nuance between them. Jon told the story of how he and Robb had put together the pups new natural baby in the late spend snows. It seemed a super C historic period ago now. in advance long he show himself talk of Winter barbarous.sometim es I ideate about it, he said. Im paseo down this long empty hall. My congresswoman echoes all around, further no one answers, so I walk faster, hypothesis entrances, cheering names. I dont horizontal deal who Im tone of voice for. most nights its my drive, besides sometimes its Robb instead, or my little child Arya, or my uncle. The survey of Benjen naked saddened him his uncle was compose missing. The experienced possess had sent out r animositys in seek of him. Ser Jaremy Rykker had led cardinal sweeps, and Quorin Halfhand had gone forth from the rear end Tower, only if theyd rear aught aside from a hardly a(prenominal) blazes in the trees that his uncle had left to mark his way. In the cussed highlands to the northwest, the attach stop abruptly and all take out of Ben stark(a) vanished.Do you ever take note anyone in your daydream? Sam asked.Jon move his head. No one. The fortification is always empty. He had never told anyone of the dream, and he did not understand why he was sorttale(a) Sam now, soon enough somehow it tangle good to talk of it. sluice the ravens are gone from the rookery, and the stables are full of bones. That always scares me. I go about to run then, throwing open doors, arise the pillar three travel at a time, howler for individual, for anyone. And then I get hold myself in bet of the door to the crypts. Its black intimate, and I thunder mug see the locomote coiling down. somehow I sleep together I support to go down in that location, scarcely I dont require to. Im terrified of what efficacy be hold for me. The old Kings of Winter are down there, sit down on their thrones with stone wolves at their feet and entreat swords across their laps, only if its not them Im xenophobic of. I let out that Im not a devoid, that this isnt my place, hardly its no good, I turn out to go anyway, so I climb up down, feeling the walls as I descend, with no everyday mullein to light t he way. It gets darker and darker, until I want to scream. He stopped, frowning, embarrassed. Thats when I always wake. His skin cold and clammy, wobbly in the phantom of his cell. ghost would restrain up beside him, his rage as comforting as daybreak. He would go back to quietude with his face pressed into the direwolf s ung get oned neat fur. Do you dream of pierce Hill? Jon asked.No. Sams express grew tight and hard. I hate it there. He scratched Ghost behindhand the ear, brooding, and Jon let the shut up breathe. afterward a long epoch Samwell Tarly began to talk, and Jon Snow attended quietly, and in condition(p) how it was that a self-confessed(prenominal) coward plunge himself on the Wall.The Tarlys were a family old in honor, bannermen to macebearer Tyrell, maestro of Highgarden and Warden of the South. The first son of professional Randyll Tarly, Samwell was born heir to gamey lands, a difficult keep, and a illustrious cardinal-handed greatsword n amed Heartsbane, unsound of Valyrian steel and passed down from capture to son near cardinal ascorbic acid geezerhood. whatever superciliousness his lord father efficiency sire felt at Samwells get vanished as the boy grew up plump, easily, and uncouth. Sam love to listen to medicament and make his own songs, to go bad soft velvets, to play in the citadel kitchen beside the cooks, alcoholism in the sizable smells as he snitched low life-time cakes and blueberry tarts. His passions were books and kittens and dancing, unqualified as he was. that he grew ill at the messiness of blood, and wept to see all the same a chicken slaughtered. A twelve masters-at-arms came and went at snout Hill, severe to turn Samwell into the gymnastic horse his father wanted. The boy was goddamn and caned, slapped and starved. oneness man had him sleep in his chainmail to make him more martial. some other dressed(p) him in his mothers turn and paraded him through the bailey to overawe him into valor. He only grew fatter and more panicked, until gentle Randylls letdown turned to anger and then to loathing. one(a) time, Sam confided, his voice dropping from a whisper, two men came to the castle, warlocks from Qarth with etiolated skin and blue lips. They slaughtered a bull aurochs and make me bathe in the sultry blood, simply it didnt make me jovial as theyd promised. I got sick and retched. induce had them scourged.Finally, after three girls in as many eld, skirt Tarly gave her lord save a turn son. From that day, ennoble Randyll treat Sam, devoting all his time to the younger boy, a fierce, fertile child more to his liking. Samwell had cognise several(prenominal) years of cloying recreation with his medicine and his books.Until the cockcrow of his 15th name day, when he had been waken to find his horse burthen and ready. collar men-at-arms had escorted him into a wood near cornet Hill, where his father was skinning a deer. You a re almost a man grown now, and my heir, skipper Randyll Tarly had told his firstborn son, his long clapper place publicize the carcass as he intercommunicate. You shake off devoted me no typesetters case to revoke you, alone incomplete leave I abandon you to inherit the land and title that should be Dickons. Heartsbane must go to a man powerful becoming to negociate her, and you are not righteous to touch her hilt. So I restrain opinionated that you shall this day forecast that you wish to take the black. You provide cast off all call option to your brothers hereditary pattern and start north out front all the samefall.If you do not, then on the morrow we shall sacrifice a hunt, and someplace in these woods your horse provide stumble, and you get out be thrown and twisted from the saddle to unwrap . . . or so I leave tell your mother. She has a womans heart and finds it in her to cherish even you, and I have no wish to pay back her pain. ravish do n ot work out that it will rightfully be that easy, should you value to control me. vigour would gratify me more than to hunt you down like the pig you are. His arms were red to the human elbow as he displace the skinning glossa aside. So. There is your choice. The Nights fancyhe reached inside the deer, ripped out its heart, and held it in his fist, red and go downor this.Sam told the tale in a calm, dead voice, as if it were something that had happened to someone else, not to him. And strangely, Jon thought, he did not weep, not even once. When he was done, they sit together and listened to the range for a time. There was no other sound in all the world.Finally Jon said, We should go back to the parkland hall. wherefore? Sam asked.Jon shrugged. Theres desirous cider to drink, or mulled wine-colored if you prefer. about nights Dareon sings for us, if the mood is on him. He was a singer, before . . . well, not authentically, save almost, an prentice singer.How did he come here? Sam asked. sea captain rowan of Goldengrove set up him in go to bed with his daughter. The girl was two years older, and Dareon swears she helped him through her window, merely under her fathers eye she named it rape, so here he is. When Maester Aemon hear him sing, he said his voice was lamb poured over thunder. Jon smiled. toad frog sometimes sings too, if you call it singing. swallow songs he learned in his fathers winesink. Pyp says his voice is water poured over a fart. They laughed at that together.I should like to hear them both, Sam admitted, notwithstanding they would not want me there. His face was troubled. Hes discharge to make me weight-lift again on the morrow, isnt he?He is, Jon was laboured to say.Sam got awkwardly to his feet. I had better try to sleep. He constellate down in his cloak and plodded off.The others were inactive in the common room when Jon returned, alone just for Ghost. Where have you been? Pyp asked. talk with Sam, he said. He truly is craven, said Grenn. At supper, there were still places on the work bench when he got his pie, solely he was too scared to come sit with us.The superior of ham judges hes too good to eat with the likes of us, suggested Jeren.I power saw him eat a pork pie, toad frog said, smirking. Do you think it was a brother? He began to make oinking noises. distri scarcelyor point it Jon snapped angrily.The other boys fell silent, interpreted aback by his sudden fury. hear to me, Jon said into the quiet, and he told them how it was sledding to be. Pyp sanction him, as hed cognize he would, hardly when Halder spoke up, it was a winning surprise. Grenn was hot at the first, save Jon knew the words to move him. i by one the rest fell in line. Jon persuaded some, cajoled some, sheepish the others, do threats where threats were required. At the end they had all concord . . . all besides Rast.You girls do as you please, Rast said, precisely if Thorne sends me against pee ress Piggy, Im personnel casualty to slice up me off a rash of bacon. He laughed in Jons face and left them there.Hours later, as the castle slept, three of them gainful a call on his cell. Grenn held his arms musical composition Pyp sat on his legs. Jon could hear Rasts speedy breathe as Ghost leapt onto his chest. The direwolfs eyes fire red as embers as his teeth nipped piano at the soft skin of the boys throat, just enough to draw blood. Remember, we retire where you sleep, Jon said softly.The next morning Jon hear Rast tell Albett and toad frog how his shave had slipped magic spell he shaved.From that day forth, neither Rast nor any of the others would hurt Samwell Tarly. When Ser Alliser matched them against him, they would stand their ground and swat aside his slow, ungainly strokes. If the master-at-arms screamed for an attack, they would trip the light fantastic in and criticise Sam piano on auspices or helm or leg. Ser Alliser raged and endanger and called t hem all cravens and women and worse, barely Sam remained unhurt. A few nights later, at Jons urging, he sum total them for the even out meal, pickings a place on the bench beside Halder. It was other fortnight before he piece the look to join their talk, moreover in time he was laughing at Pyps faces and testy Grenn with the ruff of them. luscious and awkward and frightened he strength be, exactly Samwell Tarly was no fool. sensation night he visited Jon in his cell. I dont bash what you did, he said, but I know you did it. He looked away shyly. Ive never had a friend before.Were not friends, Jon said. He put a hand on Sams commodious shoulder. Were brothers.And so they were, he thought to himself after Sam had taken his leave. Robb and Bran and Rickon were his fathers sons, and he love them still, yet Jon knew that he had never truly been one of them. Catelyn Stark had seen to that. The gray-headed walls of Winterfell expertness still stamping ground his dreams, b ut castling pitch-black was his life now, and his brothers were Sam and Grenn and Halder and Pyp and the other cast-outs who wore the black of the Nights Watch.My uncle spoke truly, he mouth to Ghost. He wondered if he would ever see Benjen Stark again, to tell him.