"Did you hear? We have a new music teacher." Val informs him as she sits down beside him on the couch halfway through lunch. "He'll be here tomorrow."

"Shouldn't he be here today? It's the first day back." Sam furrows his brows.

Val shrugs, "He is here, but apparently, he's testing the instruments, and making lesson plans. According to Stannis, anyway."

As Sam looks around the teachers' lounge looking for the Principal and does not find him anywhere, he frowns, "And Principal Stannis allowed it? Shouldn't he have had it done before school began?"

"From what I've gathered, he only got here barely a week ago. Stannis is cutting him some slack."

"What's his name, then, this new music teacher?"

Val smiles as the bell rings signaling the end of lunch. "Jon Targaryen. His name is Jon Targaryen."

Sam is passing by the music room on his way to the staff room when he hears the sound of a hauntingly beautiful melody being played. When he peeks inside the room, he sees a dark haired young man playing the violin with his eyes closed. Sam stands there at the doorway captivated by the melody, and when the last note fades out, he starts clapping. The man snaps his eyes open and turns to look at the door, at him, and Sam is shocked into stupor by the sight of sheer devastation in the man's expression before his face quickly settles into blankness.

"I heard your music from outside. It's beautiful." Sam hastily tells him to fill the awkward silence.

"Thank you," The man bows his head slightly.

"I'm Sam, Samwell Tarly. I'm the English teacher here," Sam tells him.

The man looks at him warily, "Jon Targaryen. Newly appointed music teacher."

"It's very nice to meet you. Welcome to the school, and all that," Sam falters slightly before blurting out, "Actually I'm on my way to the staff room right now. You should come with me. I will introduce you to the rest of your colleagues."

The man, Jon, smiles at him apologetically, "Thanks for the offer, but I have to test the other instruments."

He picks up another violin and places the bow on its strings.

Sam knows a dismissal when he sees one, so he bids him a good day and continues on his way to the staff room. The sound of music follows him until he turns the hallway.

"I just met the new teacher," Sam tells Grenn, the PE teacher, as he takes a seat beside him on the staff room, "Jon Targaryen."

Grenn pauses in reading the newspaper to look at him, "How is he?"

Sam shrugs, "He's a nice enough bloke. Heard him playing from the hallway and went inside the music room to see. He plays good, actually."

Grenn snorts, "Stannis wouldn't hire him otherwise, would he?"

Sam has to give it to him, "No, he would not."

Sam rubs his forehead wearily, "No, Gilly. I am not assigning you The Hobbit as your assignment."

Gilly Craster frowns at him, a number of girls along with her doing the same. The boys snicker at them, and the girls glare right back.

Sam resists the urge to bang his head on the nearest surface. His fourth year girls and boys have some sort of rivalry going on between them, and they counter each other's words at every chance they get. They continue their feud even during every class they have, and his class is no different.

He grimaces before schooling his face into a hopefully stern expression, "You are to read To Kill A Mockingbird, and that's final."

The girls scowl, but then Ygritte Wilding calls out from among them, "Mr. Tarly, I heard that we have a new music teacher?"

Sam thanks the Seven for Ygritte, and smiles in relief at her, "Yes, we do. You will all meet him tomorrow. He is nice."

Olly Black calls out from the back, "Have you heard him play yet, sir?"

Sam pauses before answering, "Yes, I have actually. I daresay he plays the violin well," at the look of curiosity on his students' faces, he adds, "That's the only instrument I've heard him play."

"Is he handsome?" Elinor Tyrell giggles.

The boys shoot her disgruntled glances, but the girls all look eagerly at Sam. He sighs resignedly before answering, "Er, some would say so, I suppose."

The girls look like they want to ask more questions about the new teacher, but the bell rings signaling the end of class. They look between him and the door, ultimately choosing to go home as quick as they can. Saved by the bell, Sam laments.

As the students start to pour out of the class, Sam calls out to them, "Don't forget to get started on your assignment!"

As per rule, the teachers all stay in school for another hour. Some help the students with their extra-curricular activities, and some stay in the staff room to help should any student require it.

"So I hear you met the new teacher?" Val questions him the minute she comes in. As she takes a seat right beside him at the table, he grimaces.

"Where did you hear that from?" Val smirks at him, and Sam answers his own question with a drawn out sigh, "Of course, you heard from the students."

"So?" She continues, "I hear that you think he's handsome?"

Sam sputters for a moment before scowling at her, "I did not say that. The girls asked and I said he would be to some."

Val laughs at him, "Of course. Anyway, the kiddies said you heard him play as well?"

"Don't call them kiddies. It's mildly creepy," She raises her eyebrows at him and he sighs again, "Yes, I heard him play the violin. From what I've seen, he seems talented."

"Is he as good as Thorne was?"

"Better, I daresay," Sam admits dryly.

Val laughs loudly, drawing Davos and Melissandre's eyes momentarily from where they are speaking with the Principal. Val waves them off and they turn back to Stannis who has not noticed the slight lapse in their attention.

"Don't let the old coot hear that, or he might just come back from retirement to challenge him to a music duel."

Sam passes the music room again on his way home after school hours are over. He peeks inside curiously and discovers Jon in his office at the back of the room bowed over his papers. He hesitates for a moment before knocking on the door. Jon looks up, and when he sees Sam standing at the door, he waves him in. Sam looks around the music room in curiosity before crossing over into the small office. The room is neat and organized; the only sign of mess is a clutter of papers strewn over the desk.

"Settled in nicely, I hope?" Sam queries politely.

Jon smiles as he takes a picture frame out of his brown messenger bag and sets it on the desk, "Yes, all in a day's work."

Sam looks at the picture frame Jon just took out. It's a lovely picture of Jon and a young woman with their arms around each other. They are looking at each other instead of the camera with big smiles on their faces. They look happy, Sam thinks to himself.

"Girlfriend?" He asks, nodding at the young woman in the photograph.

Jon's lips stretch into a grin, "Fiancée, actually. Arya, her name is Arya."

"You make a lovely couple together, Mr. Targaryen," Sam remarks sincerely.

Jon smiles amicably at him, "Call me Jon, please. And thank you."

An uncomfortable silence falls between them before Sam turns to leave, "Well, I'll be on my way then. Good day, Jon."

He's almost at the door when Jon calls out, "And a good day to you, Mr. Tarly."