A TIME TO MOURN

SAM

The poison Sam had made acted in two ways. It constricts the throat when someone is eating and it attacks the heart. Death looks like the victum had choked on his food. Because he choked Maester Atkins did not examine the body. Randyll's body is placed on a shield and carried by an honor guard. Then the silent sisters prepare his body for burial.

As the body is prepared, Sam, Melessa, Dickon, and Talla meet with Septon Hawkens. "My condolences on your loss My Ladies and Lords."

"Thank you Septon." Melessa replies in tears.

"The last will and testament of Randyll Tarly. I Randyll Tarly Lord of Horn Hill leave my wife Melessa five hundred thousand gold Dragons. To my daughter Talla, it is my prayer to see her marry. That I be able to walk her down the isle, but if not. I leave her a dowry of one hundred thousand gold Dragons, in addition to whatever her mother placed in her hope chest.

I also leave her two cows, ten chickens, one rooster, two pigs male and female six goats, five horses, and the rug in my office she always liked." When he mentions that it was his father's wish to walk Talla down the isle Sam breaks down and cry, along with Talla. "To my pride and joy Dickon Tarly. I name my son Dickon Lord of Horn Hill and bequeath him Heart's Bane. The sword of Horn Hill. May it serve you as well as it has me."

"Is that it?" Melessa asks wiping her eyes.

"I'm afraid so my lady."

"What about Sam?" Both Dickon and Talla ask at the same time.

"It's alright..." Sam says, but Dickon cuts him off.

"No! No, it's not alright Sam. You are my brother, and you are the eldest, by the laws of gods and men, you should be Lord of Horn Hill."

"It's alright Dickon...All I ask is that you give me a keep for myself."

"Father taught me honor and this is dishonorable. I renounce the title and give it to my eldest brother Samwell Tarly. May you all bare witness."

He loved his brother for saying that and part of Sam wanted to say no, but another part wants Randyll Tarly to roll in his grave knowing that the son he rejected is Lord of Horn Hill. "Dickon are you sure?" Sam asks.

"I am. With all my heart big brother."

"Wel, if that is your wish my lord. You must sign this and write void Lord Dickon to nullify the will. When you present yourself to Lord Tyrell and then the King, you must present them with this document Lord Samwell Tarly."

With that done Sam is now the Lord of Horn Hill. Everyone in the castle stands in the courtyard as the body of Randyll Tarly is carried on a shield. The family silently walks behind the men carrying the former Lord of Horn Hill. Talla starts singing a song called the Hand of the Stranger.

Melessa places a rose over his body, while the sarcophagus is still open. Sam places a book Randyl once read to him as a child. Dickon places the dagger his father had given him for his name day. Talla places a pendant with the Tarly sigil on it; it was the last thing he gave her for her twelfth name day.

They seal the sarcophagus and the Septon speaks. "Lord Randyll Tarly was a hard man. A man of faith. He was a military man and so he often prayed to the warrior to protect his family. He was well known for his victory over Robert Baratheon during the war. He is with the gods now and I feel he will be accepted by the father, the mother, the maiden, the crone, the blacksmith, and the warrior."

"Farewell my love." Melessa says.

Sam stands on a raised platform with his family to address the people of Horn Hill. "I thank you all for your words of encouragement and your heartfelt condolences. Some of you may already know this and for those of you who do not, my father wanted my brother Dickon to take his place as Lord of Horn Hill. Some of you may even feel that I am not up to the task or unworthy of it.

All I ask is a chance to earn your respect and your trust. I swear I will do all to ensure that people of Horn Hill are prosperous, healthy, and strong. First in Battle!"

"FIRST IN BATTLE!" They all repeat.

Afterwards Sam meets with his mother, brother, sister, the Castellan who is the equivalent of the Hand of the King in many Houses, the Steward, Maester Atkyns, Ser Reedon and his son Evan, and the Man at arms, Ser Kable. "I am naming my mother chief advisor. Her word will be second only to mine. I am naming my brother Lord Commander of Horn Hill. My sister until I marry will be acting Lady of Horn Hill.

"Arnald you will remain Castellan. Mason what is the status of the treasury, minus the inheritances?"

"We stand at one and half million gold Dragons."

"You will remain as Steward." He looks at Atkyns, "Maester your wisdom is always welcomed after my family I trust you the most."

"Thank you, my lord."

He looks at the Captain of the House Guard, "Ser Reedon...You are dismissed from your post as Captain of the House Guard."

He jumps up from his chair, "What?"

"Evan my friend...I trust you and name you Captain of my House Guard. Ser Reedon will serve under you."

"If you think..."

"Be careful what comes from your mouth Ser." Sam says interrupting him, "You were my father's man and I suspect that you did not speak out when he named my brother over me. I do not trust you for you are too much like my father. My friendship with your son is the only reason I haven't thrown you out of my castle."

He sits down, "Ser Kable your skills are legendary. I need you to keep training our army."

He nods, "My Lord."

"I need to send Ravens to the King, Lord Tyrell, the High Septon and the Citidel. We will all meet again in three days. That is all."

HIGH GARDEN

MACE TYRELL

Mace was in his solar when his Maester bought the raven message from Horn Hill. "Mother."

"What is it Mace?"

"A message from Horn Hill. Randyll Tarly is dead."

"What!" She takes the scroll from him."

To Lord Mace Tyrell

I write this message with a heavy heart. My father is dead, after choking while at evening meal. It was his wish that my brother Dickon take his place as Lord of Horn Hill, but my brother thinks it dishonorable and has named me Lord of Horn Hill. After I have properly mourned my father, I will come to High Garden and swear fealty to you.

With Regards

Samwell Tarly Lord of Horn Hill

"Randyll Tarly dead. It's hard to believe." Mace says.

"It is...We must send our condolences." Olenna replies.

OLENNA

Later she summons her granddaughter Margaery to tell her. "Yes grandmother, you asked to see me?"

"I did...Lord Tyrell is dead. He choked to death on some food while at meal."

She gasps, "How are the Tarlys doing? How is Sam?"

"They ask for time to grieve. Dickon Tarly was supposed to be the Lord of Horn Hill, but he has returned the heirship to his brother."

"Sam is my friend. I would like to do something special for him."

"Of course."

KING'S LANDING

ROBERT BARATHEON

Robert had gone hunting when the raven arrived. He had been gone three days. Upon returning Jon Arryn is waiting. "Randyll Tarly...dead. Choked on his food. That is not the way a great warrior should leave this life." Robert says later in his solar with his Hand Jon Arryn.

"How would you like to go?" Jon asks.

"In battle of course or old and grey in my bed with firm breasted woman at my side."

"Well, if you keep eating, drinking, and womanizing the way you do. You will get your wish." Robert laughs slapping his thigh with his hand.

SAM

Sam meets with his Household council. "Let us begin. I want to build this." He says unrolling a scroll of a drawing. The drawing is of a building, a factory.

"What is this for?" Evan asks.

"To build and mass produce bolt casters. While under construction Maester Atkyns and I will teach people to build these. I want to bring a hundred with me to show Lord Tyrell and sell him."

"Who will you sell these to?" Dickon asks.

"The Lords of the Reach and across the sea in the cities of the east."

"How much?" Talla asks.

"Two hundred gold dragons a piece." Dickon whistles. "Arnald, I want you to find someone to travel the Reach, demonstrate and take orders. I will speak to whomever you chose and make a final decision. Make sure you chose someone honest and trustworthy."

"Of course, my lord. I already have four people for you to consider."

"Good." He unrolls another large design, "I also want to build this." It is a large metal device with two tanks. One tank is heated, and they are connected to pipes that will run through the entire castle. "Maester Atkyns and I have built a small model to show you how this works." Two men enter with a cut out model of Horn Hill, but with the pipes running through the castle.

They watch in awe as the water runs through the transparent pipes to the kitchen. With the turn of a nob cold water runs into a large ben. In one of the rooms a large bathing tub is placed, and the water can run onto someone to bathe or as Sam calls it shower.

"This is extraordinary." Melessa says, "If only your father could..." she gets emotional unable to finish her statement. Sam puts his arm around her.

Sam and Maester Atkyns have three teams working on the new building at eight-hour shifts. Meanwhile both he and Atkyns train men and women to make and build the bolt casters. After a month of work Sam has a hundred and two bow casters. It was time to head to High Garden.