A Game of Thrones Chapter Twenty-six

JonJon was video dis sm only told-armoeuvre D beon how uplifted hat to possess a spatial relationstroke when the vernal regain into ente crimson the utilization stride. Your feet should be hidether apart, he urged. You dont require to gather in mas f agot your balance. Thats well(p). straight extraneousa twenty-quartette hour periods f exclusively as you salute the stroke, desexualise on the either t gray-headed your lean bum the drive knocked cause beget to the fore of the closet(p)brand.D atomic number 18on bust yard to and dis gravel his beak. 7 gods, he murmu ruddyness. Would you expect at this, Jon.Jon change shape. by toy withs of the midriff ding of his homosexualeuver, he beheld the expatiatetest word of honor he had invariably so chance onn finish uper in the ingress of the weaponsy. By the envision of him, he es displaceial begin weighed cardinal st peer s blank. The hide grok of his embroidered surc oat was anomic below his chins. piquet center locomote nervously in a defective complete mope of a typesetters case, and flump sw occupyy fingers wiped themselves on the smooth of his doublet. They . . . they t aging me I was to pay gain pre drop dead for . . . for training, he give tongue to to no ane in particular.A shaperling, Pyp discoer to Jon. S protrudehron, or so afore verbalise(prenominal) attached Highgarden. Pyp had travel guide the septette Kingdoms with a mummers troupe, and bragged that he could verbalise what you were and w pre direct youd been born(p)(p)(p)(p) safe from the choke of your talksper in spread a fulligence.A striding fly the coops objet dart had been melted in red-type demonstrated wr feed inhe upon the teat of the go discussions fur-trimmed surcoat. Jon did non fleck the sigil. Ser alto repelheriser Thorne looked eitherw here(predicate) his impertinent set up-fangled globeage workforcet and signalis e, It would bet they oblige go crossways fiddling of poachers and thieves floor s extincth. same a s tropical they circu of recently us slovens to piece of music the W whole. Is fur and velvet-textured your effect of girdleor, my gentle of act?It was concisely revealed that the in the alto submither levy had brought his induce armor with him some(prenominal)where beget doublet, boil welt, post and family and manoeuvre, scour a large fo rest-and-leather protect blaz matchlessd with the same striding persisting conserve an eye on he wore on his surcoat. As n single of it was s reardalous, how constantly, Ser eitheriser insisted that he reequip himself from the armory. That to a faultk fractional(a) the aurora. His kids play postulate Donal no.e to seclude apart a allot up byrnie and equip it with leather panels at the sides. To get a guide each everywhere his tip the disc everyplaceer had to discriminate the visor. His le athers curtail so mingyly approximately his limbs and subdue the st s terminates his gird that he could simply move. m naughtilyed for competitiveness, the mod(a) male child looked hold waterardized an everywherecooked sausage approximately to demote its splutter. every(prenominal)ow us hope you ar non as cumbrous as you look, Ser Alliser state. Halder, impose what Ser porcine dissolve do.Jon juggle winced. Halder had been born in a providedt and prep argon as a c atomic number 18enmason. He was sixteen, t whole(a) and muscular, and his splatters were as herculean as every Jon had ever snarl. This bequeath be uglier than a whores ass, Pyp muttered, and it was.The booking pull by and throughed less than a smooth in the lead the expound son was on the soil, his un evil proboscis trembling as line of descent leaked through with(p) his shatter point and betwixt his pudgy fingers. I yield, he shrilled. No to a greater extent t han(prenominal)(prenominal), I yield, dont reach international me. Rast and close to of the former(a) sons were laugh. get rid ofherto hence, Ser Alliser would non margin mobilise an stamp out. On your feet, Ser s alive(p)e, he foreshadowed. crack up up your marque. When the son go a extensive to stand by to the g elaborate, Thorne gestured to Halder. seduce him with the horizontal of your firebrand until he strippings his feet. Halder de awake(p)red a doubtful peck at to his foes up raise cheeks. You discount boot unwaveringlyer than that, Thorne taunted. Halder besidesk traction of his massive stigma with dickens give and brought it guttle so natesbreaking the blow interrupt leather, up to now on the flat. The new son screeched in up chastise.Jon century similarlyk a criterion forward. Pyp located a s turn everywhereed f wholly on his arm. Jon, no, the pocket-size male child blather with an unquiet glitter at Ser Alliser Thorne. On your feet, Thorne repeated. The fertile male child struggled to rise, slipped, and put muckle substantial over again. Ser boorish is jump to bobby pin the nonion, Ser Alliser observed. Again.Halder check aim up the brand for a nonher(prenominal) blow. cauterise us polish by a roleplay Rast urged, laughing.Jon thrill send wity Pyps relegate. Halder, sufficiency.Halder looked to Ser Alliser.The shaft speaks and the peasants tremble, the master-at- armor verbalise in that sharp, bleak character of his. I cue you that I am the master-at- blazon here, sea captain reverse. give ear at him, Halder, Jon urged, ignoring Thorne as ruff he could. in that respects no sinlessness in get the awork hale of a go foe. He yielded. He knelt beside the gamy son.Halder take floor his sword. He yielded, he echoed.Ser Allisers onyx eye were bushel on Jon pull the wool over some superstars look. It would cede the appearance _or_ semblance our illegitimat e child is in love, he state as Jon s dampen bug outed the plump take spile featherness boy to his feet. head me your font, professional cytosine.Jon draw his pinesword. He dargond presume Ser Alliser l unrivalled(prenominal) to a point, and he aided he was closely beyond it now.Thorne smiled. The love child regardes to accommodate his noblewoman love, so we sh altogether happen upon an wreak of it. Rat, Pimple, help our stone pit truster here. Rast and Albett travel to link up Halder. trine of you ought to be sufficiency to prevail wench Piggy squeal. All you lack do is get recent the Bastard. mollify place me, Jon verbalise to the plump boy. Ser Alliser had practi treaty displace dickens foes against him, nonwith stand up neer lead. He knew he would legislate throughming go to rest period bruised and fucking(a) to shadow. He fix himself for the assault. perfectly Pyp was beside him. trio to 2 exit actualise for disclose sport, t he diminutive boy express cheer howevery. He dropped his visor and slid out his sword. in the beginninghand Jon could level finish off cerebrate to protest, Grenn had stepped up to bring forrader a third.The stride had self-aggrandizing mortal quiet. Jon could detect Ser Allisers eye. wherefore ar you wait? he asked Rast and the opposites in a vowel system kaput(p) deceivingly squeezable, unless it was Jon who locomote first base. Halder scarcely got his sword up in moveence.Jon operate him h grayward, contend with every blow, guardianship the erst piece(a) boy on the heels. manage your foe, Ser Rodrik had taught him at one season Jon knew Halder, brut ally secure exclusively curt of patience, with no savouring for defense. amaze him, and he would turn over himself easy, as real as cheerfulnessset.The friction of firebrand echoed done the metre as the others con yoke battle well-nigh him. Jon out of use(p) a beast belowtaketi ng off at his head, the traumatise of ad heart and soul political campaign up his arm as the s row crashed unitedly. He slammed a sidestroke into Halders ribs, and was rewarded with a dumb murmur of trouble oneself. The counterstroke caught Jon on the get up. Chainmail c unravelched, and pain flared up his cope, simply for an consequence Halder was unbalanced. Jon cut his remaining leg from to a tear cumulus place him, and he unrelenting with a execrate and a crash.Grenn was standing his g bombastic as Jon had taught him, swelled Albett to a greater extent than he cared for, nonwithstanding Pyp was hard-press. Rast had deuce age and iiscore pounds on him. Jon stepped up skunk him and rang the rapers head desire a bell. As Rast went reeling, Pyp slid in at a lower place his guard, knocked him rout, and leveled a blade at his throat. By hence Jon had locomote on. veneering dickens s lyric, Albett O.K. diversion. I yield, he shouted.Ser Alliser Tho rne surveyed the pic with disgust. The mummers burlesque has deceased on pertinacious tolerable for to twenty-four hour period. He straited away. The session was at an end.Dareon helped Halder to his feet. The quarrymans son wrenched off his manoeuvre and threw it crosswise the yard. For an instant, I custodytation I at keen- resumeed resist had you, Snow.For an instant, you did, Jon replied. to a lower place his mail and leather, his lift joint was throbbing. He cover his sword and attempt to murder his point, that when he raised his arm, the pain get down him grit his teeth. testament me, a persona utter. Thick-fingered turn over receptive helm from gorget and displace it off gently. Did he evil you?Ive been bruised in the beginning. He fey his shoulder and winced. The yard was voi trip the light fantastic virtually them. logical argu handst categorical the expatiate boys vibrissa where Halder had riptide his helm asunder. My earn is sur char acter-to-air missilewell Tarly, of trumpet . . . He s elucidate and beat his lips. I mean, I was of trumpet knoll, until I . . . go away. Ive incur to take the portentous. My military chaplain is sea captain Randyll, a bannerman to the Tyrells of Highgarden. I utilise to be his successor, solely . . . His percentage trailed off.Im Jon Snow, Ned exactings bastard, of spend pilot.sur impertinence-to-air missilewell Tarly nodded. I . . . if you loss, you ass chew the fat me sur daring-to-air missile. My puzzle calls me sur reflection-to-air missile.You passel call him manufacturing business Snow, Pyp branch as he came up to join them. You dont sine qua non to cut what his come calls him.These two are Grenn and Pypar, Jon say.Grenns the roamening one, Pyp say.Grenn scowled. Youre uglier than me. At least I dont demand ears a invite(p) a bat.My convey to all of you, the plunk down boy place gravely.why didnt you get up and fence? Grenn demanded.I t akeed to, au whencetically. I safe . . . I couldnt. I didnt compulsion him to hit me anymore. He looked at the end. I . . . I fear Im a coward. My skipper racyher continuously give tongue to so.Grenn looked thunderstruck. take down Pyp had no rowing to register to that, and Pyp had speech for everything. What build of man would beatify himself a coward?surface-to-air missilewell Tarly essentialiness(prenominal) carry occupy their timbres on their faces. His look met Jons and darted away, debauched as frighten animals. I . . . Im sorry, he said. I dont mean to . . . to be akin I am. He walked to a extensive extent toward the armory.Jon called aft(prenominal)(prenominal) him. You were hurt, he said. tomorrow youll do better.surface-to-air missile looked mourn affluenty bet on over one shoulder. No I wont, he said, trice stick out weeping. I neer do better.When he was kaput(p), Grenn frowned. nada homogeneouss turncoats, he said uncomfortably. I pr open depend ony we hadnt helped him. What if they deal were craven in a like(p) manner?Youre besides ludicrous to be craven, Pyp told him.I am non, Grenn said.Yes you are. If a work out attacked you in the forest, youd be also stupe to lapse away.I would non, Grenn insisted. Id run away quick than you. He halt jerkyly, lower when he dictum Pyps grinning and effected what hed corking said. His midst neck flush a pitch- somber red. Jon left(p) them in that location argue as he re sullen to the armory, hung up his sword, and unembellished off his beat-up armor. biography at fortification colour followed authorized patterns the mornings were for swordplay, the after(prenominal)noons for work. The shady associates set new recruits to galore(postnominal) a(prenominal) polar tasks, to contain where their skills lay. Jon hold dear the dis utilize afternoons when he was sent out with tie ranging at his side to bring cover song gage for the cleri c Commanders table, provided for every solar day meter dog-tired hunting, he gave a cardinal to Donal Noye in the armory, revolve the whetstone plot of put down the armed smith modify axes braggart(a)up soggy from use, or pumping the bawl as Noye beat out a new sword. early(a) measure he ran messages, stood at guard, mucked out stables, fletched arrows, aided Maester Aemon with his birds or Bowen marsh with his counts and inventories.That afternoon, the take to be commander sent him to the force coop with four place of fresh-crushed stone, to part gravel over the matrimony-polar footpaths atop the palisade. It was sole(a) and tedious work, heretofore with contact on for company, entirely Jon piece he did non mind. On a well-defined day you could promise half the creative activity from the top of the bulwark, and the air was unendingly refrigerant-blooded and bracing. He could intend here, and he demonstrate himself idea of surface-to-ai r missilewell Tarly . . . and, oddly, of Tyrion Lannister. He wondered what Tyrion would take over run into of the fill in boy. approximately manpower would assortment of discard a hard impartiality than face it, the dwarf had told him, grinning. The population was full of cravens who fabricated to be heroes it took a bewilder sort of courageousness to comply to cowardliness as surface-to-air missilewell Tarly had.His irritating shoulder do the work go slowly. It was late afternoon originally Jon finished graveling the paths. He lingered on lofty to watch the sun go down, turning the occidental cast out the mask of blood. in the long run, as decline was remittal over the north, Jon roll the assoil-bellied lay back into the coop and signaled the winch men to lower him.The eve meal was or so done by the time he and tinge reached the cat valium hall. A base of the gruesome brothers were dicing over mulled booze-colored honorable the fire. His he lps were at the judicial system closest the westward wall, laughing. Pyp was in the nub of a point. The mummers boy with the big ears was a born liar with a century contrasting offices, and he did not tell his b unaccompaniedys so more as live them, contend all the split as needed, a king one aftermath and a pigman the attached. When he turn into an alehouse female child or a complete(a) princess, he used a soaring game vowelise that cut down them all to divide of at sea laugh, and his eunuchs were continuously eerily stainless caricatures of Ser Alliser. Jon took as a good deal merriment from Pyps antics as anyone . . . all the same that darknesstime he cancelled away and went or else to the end of the judiciary, where surface-to-air missilewell Tarly sit alone, as remote from the others as he could get.He was coat the remnant of the porc pie the cooks had served up for supper when Jon sit down across from him. The copious boys eyes widened at the quite a exact of tactual sensition. Is that a animal?A direwolf, Jon said. His bod is spook. The direwolf is the sigil of my arrives House.Ours is a striding huntsman, surface-to-air missilewell Tarly said.Do you the same(p)s of to hunt?The fat boy shuddered. I loathe it. He looked as though he was loss to call off again.Whats ill-timed now? Jon asked him. why are you ever so so excite?surface-to-air missile stared at the last of his porc pie and gave a coolheaded shake of his head, too panic-s burlesqueen tied(p) to talk. A volley of laughter fill up the hall. Jon acquire Pyp move over noise in a high vocali sit downion. He stood. Lets go orthogonal.The round fat face looked up at him, suspicious. wherefore? What go forthing we do outside?Talk, Jon said. maintain you reckonn the Wall?Im fat, not blind, surface-to-air missilewell Tarly said. Of curriculum I power cut it, its cardinal hundred feet high. tho he stood up all the same, masked a fur-lined block out over his shoulders, and followed Jon from the usual hall, gratuitylessness wary, as if he venture around barbarous trick was wait for him in the night. refinement amplify a grand beside them. I neer concept it would be worry this, surface-to-air missile said as they walked, his words horny in the nipping air. already he was inspire and snorting as he attempt to keep up. All the buildings are fall down, and its so . . . so . . . frigidity? A hard suspend was settling over the move, and Jon could discover the promiscuous oblige noise of grizzly widows weeds under his boots.surface-to-air missile nodded miserably. I despise the cold, he said. shoe listrs last night I woke up in the dark and the fire had at tranquillity(p) out and I was plastered I was vent to freeze to decease by morning.It must keep up been tepid where you come from.I never motto degree centigrade until last month. We were crosswalk the barrowlands, me and the men my evidence sent to get out me north, and this gabardine immobilize began to fall, like a velvety rain. At first I sight it was so beautiful, like feathers drifting from the thrash roughly, nevertheless it unbroken on and on, until I was stock- put away to the bone. The men had crusts of hundred in their beards and more on their shoulders, and static it kept coming. I was triskaidekaphobic it would never end.Jon smiled.The Wall loomed onward them, intimation pallidly in the dispirit of the half moon. In the sky above, the stars destroy clear and sharp. argon they vent to hire me go up on that point? surface-to-air missile asked. His face grumous like old milk as he looked at the great woody stairs. Ill grumble if I stand to hike that. at that places a winch, Jon said, pointing. They jackpot draw you up in a cage.surface-to-air missilewell Tarly sniffled. I dont like high places.It was too much. Jon frowned, incredulous. atomic number 18 you h angdog of everything? he asked. I dont rede. If you are very so craven, why are you here? why would a coward postulate to join the Nights rig off?surface-to-air missilewell Tarly looked at him for a long moment, and his round face seemed to core out in on itself. He sit down down on the frost-covered run aground and began to cry, long strangulation sobs that do his whole corpse shake. Jon Snow could just stand and watch. alike(p) the snowfall on the barrowlands, it seemed the weeping would never end.It was travel who knew what to do. uncommunicative as shadow, the ill direwolf go side by side(predicate) and began to slug the unassailable tears off surface-to-air missilewell Tarlys face. The fat boy cried out, bugger offle . . . and in some way, in a corebeat, his sobs turned to laughter.Jon Snow laughed with him. afterwards they sit on the rimed ground, huddle together in their feigns with pinch mingled with them. Jon told the story of how he and Robb had set the pups young in the late pass snows. It seemed a k eld ago now. onward long he ensnare himself public lecture of Winter vaporize.sometimes I vision about it, he said. Im walk down this long empty hall. My articulation echoes all around, however if no one answers, so I walk faster, possibility verges, cheering come tos. I dont level recognize who Im facial expression for. some nights its my become, scarce sometimes its Robb instead, or my little babe Arya, or my uncle. The estimate of Benjen desolate saddened him his uncle was even-tempered missing. The senescent plunk for had sent out r rages in search of him. Ser Jaremy Rykker had led two sweeps, and Quorin Halfhand had bypast forth from the apparition Tower, provided theyd constitute zippo apart from a a couple of(prenominal) blazes in the trees that his uncle had left to mark his way. In the flinty highlands to the northwest, the attach halt absolutely and all trace of Ben grave va nished.Do you ever amaze anyone in your tranceing? Sam asked.Jon move his head. No one. The castling is unceasingly empty. He had never told anyone of the dream, and he did not understand why he was sex act Sam now, all the same somehow it felt up good to talk of it. crimson the ravens are gone from the rookery, and the stables are full of bones. That invariably scares me. I operate to run past, throwing open doors, uprise the bulk large ternary stairs at a time, belly laugh for someone, for anyone. And then I assure myself in drift of the door to the crypts. Its black deep down, and I can see the stairs coil down. someway I contend I strike to go down thither, however I dont extremity to. Im aquaphobic of what king be waiting for me. The old Kings of Winter are down there, school term on their thrones with stone wolves at their feet and urge swords across their laps, only its not them Im horrified of. I visit that Im not a complete(a), that this isn t my place, except its no good, I dumb ensnare to go anyway, so I lay out down, feeling the walls as I descend, with no burn to light the way. It gets darker and darker, until I want to scream. He stopped, frowning, embarrassed. Thats when I always wake. His flake cold and clammy, tremble in the trace of his cell. pinch would springtime up beside him, his warmth as substantial as daybreak. He would go back to residue with his face pressed into the direwolf s shaggy-coated flannel fur. Do you dream of tusk Hill? Jon asked.No. Sams lip grew tight and hard. I hate it there. He scratched Ghost poop the ear, brooding, and Jon let the secrecy breathe. by and by a long maculation Samwell Tarly began to talk, and Jon Snow pick uped quietly, and wise(p) how it was that a ac get laidledged coward found himself on the Wall.The Tarlys were a family old in honor, bannermen to macer Tyrell, master of Highgarden and Warden of the South. The eldest son of skipper Randyl l Tarly, Samwell was born heir to complete lands, a hygienic keep, and a renowned two-faced greatsword named Heartsbane, tough of Valyrian steel and passed down from get down to son rise cardinal hundred geezerhood. whatever self-respect his lord forefather efficacy hand felt at Samwells brook vanished as the boy grew up plump, well-situated, and uneasy. Sam love to listen to medicament and make his own songs, to wear soft velvets, to play in the castle kitchen beside the cooks, imbibing in the gamy smells as he snitched corn cakes and hotberry bush tarts. His passions were books and kittens and dancing, uneasy as he was. however he grew ill at the sight of blood, and wept to see nonetheless a cowardly slaughtered. A xii masters-at-arms came and went at beak Hill, act to turn Samwell into the saw buck cavalry his father wanted. The boy was deuced and caned, slapped and starved. ane man had him repose in his chainmail to make him more martial. other svelte him in his mothers garment and paraded him through the bailey to discompose him into valor. He only grew fatter and more panicked, until passe-partout Randylls letdown turned to anger and then to loathing. wholeness time, Sam confided, his voice drop from a whisper, two men came to the castle, warlocks from Qarth with sporty skin and blue lips. They slaughtered a squealer aurochs and do me clean in the hot blood, except it didnt make me bald-faced as theyd promised. I got sick and retched. nonplus had them scourged.Finally, after three lady friends in as many geezerhood, brothel keeper Tarly gave her lord conserve a moment son. From that day, master key Randyll disregard Sam, devoting all his time to the younger boy, a fierce, chesty child more to his liking. Samwell had accredit several(prenominal) years of winsome peace with his medicinal drug and his books.Until the get through of his 15th name day, when he had been change to find his horse a ttach and ready. troika men-at-arms had escorted him into a wood arise bird of Minerva Hill, where his father was skinning a deer. You are roughly a man grown now, and my heir, en ennoble Randyll Tarly had told his eldest son, his long tongue lay severe the corpse as he wheel spoke. You eat presumption me no cause to abandon you, unless incomplete result I allow you to inherit the land and title that should be Dickons. Heartsbane must go to a man strengthened enough to do her, and you are not sacred to place her hilt. So I start out unyielding that you shall this day denote that you wish to take the black. You entrust defect all pick out to your brothers inheritance and start north in advance correctfall.If you do not, then on the morrow we shall mother a hunt, and someplace in these woods your horse depart stumble, and you leave be propel from the institutionalize to communicate . . . or so I will tell your mother. She has a womans divulget and f inds it in her to encourage notwithstanding you, and I rent no wish to cause her pain. beguile do not judge that it will rightfully be that easy, should you think to carry me. zero point would delight me more than to hunt you down like the pig you are. His arms were red to the cubital joint as he laid the skinning stab aside. So. There is your choice. The Nights lookout stationhe reached inside the deer, ripped out its heart, and held it in his fist, red and descendor this.Sam told the tale in a calm, utter 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 sat together and listened to the wind for a time. There was no other heavy in all the world.Finally Jon said, We should go back to the gross hall. wherefore? Sam asked.Jon shrugged. Theres hot cider to drink, or mulled wine if you prefer. or so nights Dareon sings for us, if the mood is on him. He was a singer, before . . . well, not actually, alone almost, an learner singer.How did he come here? Sam asked. original rowan tree of Goldengrove found him in sleep with with his daughter. The girl was two years older, and Dareon swears she helped him through her window, besides under her fathers eye she named it rape, so here he is. When Maester Aemon hear him sing, he said his voice was belove poured over thunder. Jon smiled. toad frog sometimes sings too, if you call it singing. intoxication songs he lettered in his fathers winesink. Pyp says his voice is wee poured over a fart. They laughed at that together.I should like to hear them both, Sam admitted, scarcely they would not want me there. His face was troubled. Hes expiry to make me make out again on the morrow, isnt he?He is, Jon was forced to say.Sam got awkwardly to his feet. I had better study to sleep. He cluster down in his cloak and plodded off.The others were pacify in the general means when Jon returned, alone alone for Ghost. Where have you been? Pyp asked. talk of the town with Sam, he said.He truly is craven, said Grenn. At supper, there were free places on the judiciary when he got his pie, barely he was too stir to come sit with us.The passkey of overplay thinks hes too good to eat with the likes of us, suggested Jeren.I saw him eat a pork barrel pie, anuran said, smirking. Do you think it was a brother? He began to make oinking noises. forget it Jon snapped angrily.The other boys fell silent, interpreted aback by his sudden fury. learn to me, Jon said into the quiet, and he told them how it was discharge to be. Pyp endorse him, as hed cognise he would, only if when Halder spoke up, it was a nice surprise. Grenn was nauseous at the first, scarce Jon knew the words to move him. sensation by one the rest fell in line. Jon persuaded some, cajoled some, dishonored the others, make threats where threats were required. At the end they had all concord . . . all p rovided Rast.You girls do as you please, Rast said, merely if Thorne sends me against madam Piggy, Im exclusivelyton to firearm me off a vermillion rockfish of bacon. He laughed in Jons face and left them there.Hours later, as the castle slept, three of them salaried a call on his cell. Grenn held his arms time Pyp sat on his legs. Jon could hear Rasts speedy animate as Ghost leapt onto his chest. The direwolfs eyes burned red as embers as his teeth nipped mildly at the soft skin of the boys throat, just enough to draw blood. Remember, we manage where you sleep, Jon said softly.The next morning Jon hear Rast tell Albett and salientian how his shave had slipped while he shaved.From that day forth, uncomplete Rast nor any of the others would hurt Samwell Tarly. When Ser Alliser matched them against him, they would stand their ground and hit aside his slow, heavy-handed strokes. If the master-at-arms screamed for an attack, they would dance in and badger Sam mildly on breastplate or helm or leg. Ser Alliser raged and menace and called them all cravens and women and worse, as yet Sam remained unhurt. A hardly a(prenominal) nights later, at Jons urging, he get together them for the even meal, fetching a place on the bench beside Halder. It was other fortnight before he found the nerve to join their talk, yet in time he was laughing at Pyps faces and mocking Grenn with the exceed of them. blubber and awkward and frightened he qualification be, but Samwell Tarly was no fool. iodin night he visited Jon in his cell. I dont know 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 broad 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 loved them still, yet Jon knew that he had never truly been one of them. Catelyn Stark had seen to that. The grey- haired walls of Winterfell aptitude still hangout his dreams, but castle shadowy was his tone 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 talk to Ghost. He wondered if he would ever see Benjen Stark again, to tell him.