DICKON
From the moment his father started training him, teaching him, Dickon noticed the way he treated him and his elder brother After his father smashed the weapon, he thought his brother was going to cry, but a hand on the shoulder from Maester Atkyns and he keeps his composure. "Maester a word in private."
"Of course, my lord."
As they walk away Dickon looks at his brother, "Are you alright bro?"
He sighs, "I accept who I am as a person and the man I am growing into. I will not allow my father's words to hurt me."
"What?" Dickon asks looking at him.
"Nothing I am fine."
"Dickon."
He pats, his brother on the shoulder, "I will see you later big brother. Coming father." He runs to him, and they walk back inside. There are two sides warring in Dickon. His approval and love of his father and the love he has for his brother Sam. "Father."
"Yes son."
"Why did you do that? A weapon like that would make an army unstoppable."
He sighs and looks down at Dickon, "It is an unfair advantage son. A real man gets close and swings his sword."
"But we have archers in our army."
"True. But those archers will turn tail and run from a charging horse or man Their weapon is useless at close range. Arrows have their use, but a real man looks his enemy in the eye and draws his sword. An army's true strength comes from its calvary and infantry."
Later he finds his brother making a present for one of the servants. "What ya doing?"
"I heard Emma's daughter wanted a rocking horse, so I am making her one. Her name day is coming up. So is Lady Margaery's."
"I'm gonna get Margaery a diamond necklace. What about you?"
He stops carving the horse. "I was thinking a music box and a drawing of her and her family."
Dickon and Sam had been to High Garden for Loras Tyrell's name day. They had a feast and a tourney. Margaery is the same age as Samwell, her older brothers are Willas the heir and Garlan the second son. Margaery is the third child and Loras the youngest. Sam had been teaching Dickon how to play chess. He is very good at it and had taken several victories against his brother.
A year younger than Dickon is their sister Talla. She is bright and very intelligent. A happy girl and loving sister. Both Dickon and Sam are very protective of their sister. His father dotes over her and spoils her with every whim and desire. Sam is always buying her a doll or toy of some kind.
For her fourth name day Sam painted a ten-foot-tall picture of Talla. Their sister would stare at for hours. Of course, his father had said; "You can hold a paint brush steady, but not a sword." Sam ignored the comment, which angered his father and his mother had to intervene. But in the present, they were preparing for trip to High Garden and Lady Margaery's name day and tourney celebration.
Sam rides in the wheelhouse with his mother, but sometimes he rides his horse. As they travel Sam ignores his father's comments. One day Dickon got angry and yelled at his father to leave Sam alone. Later he apologized, but had to ask, "Do you hate Sam?"
"I do not like the man he is becoming. And I cannot allow him to follow me as the Lord of Horn Hill. That is why I have been grooming you to be the next Lord of Horn Hill."
He sighs, "I thank you father, but I think you are wrong about Sam. He may not be a warrior, but he is smart, compassionate, caring, and good. Maybe he is what Horn Hill needs as it's next Lord." There are times when Dickon displays acts of wisdom beyond his years. He got it from his elder brother who would often tutor him in his lessons.
After two weeks of travel, they reach High Garden. Nobles from all over the Reach had come and so had nobles from the crownlands, the riverlands, the stormlands, the step stones, and the Vale. Sam had decided to ride his horse the last three miles so that he, Dickon, and Evan could play a game that involved guessing the Houses by their sigils.
Of course, Sam knows them all and remembered things he had forgotten. It is Garlan, Loras, and Margaery who show the Tarly and other children around High Garden. "And this little Princess must be Talla." Margaery says.
"Yes, I am and I'm four name days old." Sam picks her up and carries her on his shoulders. They visit the gardens and the three sisters, which are three heart trees joined together.
"I thought they cut down all the heart trees in the South."
"Well yes and no." Sam replies, "Legends say that the old gods cursed the men who cut down their trees and turned them into heart trees for their arrogance."
"There is one place south of the neck that the Andels dared not go." Margaery says in a mysterious voice.
"The isles of faces on the godseye lake." Sam says finishing her story. She hits him, "Hey!"
"I was telling the story you insufferable know it all!" She says as she hits him repeatedly causing the others to laugh. Later Sam makes his way to the library. The library in High Garden is so much bigger than the one at Horn Hill.
"I'd knew I'd find you here Samwell Tarly." Margaery says standing in one of four doors to enter.
"Maybe, I knew you'd find me here Margaery Tyrell." They both laugh. "By the gods I could spend all day in here."
She sighs, "I know what you mean."
"Have you read the Iron Army?" Sam asks.
"No. Tell me."
He tells her about a god who grants a common man one wish. The man wishes for an Iron Army to fight the sell sword army that destroyed his village. After telling her the story then together, the two friends search for books that neither of them have, read yet. Meanwhile Dickon heads to the training yard to spar with Loras Tyrell. He and Loras are around the same age.
"I suppose your brother and my sister are in the library again."
"They love to read." Loras is faster, but Dickon is stronger. "They would make an interesting couple don't you think?" Dickon asks backing away placing his sword in the path of Loras' to block it. Dickon is very good at guessing where Loras will swing his sword and is able to intercept it.
"Ha! My grandmother and father wouldn't go for it...Their ambitions go all the way to the Iron Throne."
"Prince Joffrey. It will never happen. I heard my father say that King Robert has no love for anyone who supported the Targaryens during the war." Loras sweeps his foot, knocks Dickon's sword away and places his blade to his neck.
"Do you yield?"
"I yield...Show off."
Over the next few days feasts are held for the nobles as they arrive. Then one huge feast is held where Margaery's gifts are given. The servants place her presents in her room, then it is time for the tourney. The Archery contest is won by Knight of Horn Hill. The melee contest is won Thoros of Myr and the Joust is won by Ser Lyn Cobray of the Vale.
At the feast Dickon asks Margaery to dance as many young men at the feast do. He smiles when he sees Margaery ask her brother to dance. He dances with Margaery's cousin Allana whom he favors. "One day I shall be old enough to joust and I will name you the Queen of Love and Beauty."
She smiles, "While I would like that, do not boast good sir least you jinx yourself." The next day Dickon and his family leave to return to Horn Hill.
