Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Ice and Fire Novels, Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon TV shows. However, I decided to have a little play around with the characters. I do not earn any money from writing these stories, it is for my entertainment and is something I like to share.
Sam IV
The return journey from Storm's End had been quieter than the one going out there. This time Sam was travelling alone. The trip was a little longer as the weather had been wet and windy which was typical because he just wanted to get home to see Gilly and the children. He had a bad feeling not all was going to be well. His mission had been a complete failure, although he suspected Bran was already aware of that fact. Not only had Arya disappeared, but so had Bronn, he had allegedly gone to look for Arya, but Sam suspected that wasn't truly the case and he was probably up to something potentially more nefarious than hunting an assassin. When he finally pulled into the gates of the red keep, he was not only exhausted, but excited to see Gilly, however upon his arrival Brienne was waiting for him. Sam managed to get out of the wheelhouse and down the steps provided and faced the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
"Ser Brienne." Sam smiled. "How can I help?"
"The King would like to see you." she replied.
"Oh yes, where is he?" Sam asked. "I'll go straight to him at once."
"He's in the small council chamber. I've been asked to escort you there myself." Brienne insisted.
"It's no problem. I know where it is." Sam offered.
"I have orders."Brienne made it clear in no uncertain terms he was going to be taken by the tall and frankly intimidating woman.
They made their way up the elevator and into the meeting room where to Sam's surprise, the King wasn't alone.
At the head was the King in his usual seat, next to him was a woman who Sam couldn't stop looking at. He'd seen beautiful women, not that he paid much attention to them, after all the most beautiful woman to him was Gilly, however this woman took his breath away. Her long silken hair hair was as black as a raven, her pale white skin had an ethereal look to it and her eyes were sapphire blue, which reminded him of the whitewalkers. She was dressed in a silver dress silk dress with lace embellishments. The only hint of colour was around her neck where she wore a silver choker with alternating sapphires emeralds, which although smaller, it was not too dissimilar to the one the Lady Melisandre wore, a reminder which immediately put him on edge.
"Your Grace." Sam bowed his head.
"Welcome home Sam, this is the Lady of Lys, our new Mistress of Whisperers." Bran introduced them.
"I've got me ball." Sam smiled, fumbling about in his pocket as he entered, before placing the ball into its dish and heading over to the beautiful woman. "Pleased to meet you Mistress Lady of Lys." he said awkwardly, not quite knowing what to call her.
"Please, call me Serenei." she smiled gracefully, unnerving Sam even more.
"Well...pleased to meet you Serenei." he nodded, sitting down. "Is it just us?" he asked.
"Bronn seems to be missing." Bran said in his monotone voice.
"My spies tell me he is heading north in search of Princess Arya." Serenei told him.
"She's gone north?" Sam frowned.
"She's gone to Winterfell." Bran told him. "However I don't want Bronn in Winterfell, I'm sending Lady Brienne to get him. Had events not have taken a turn, then I would have let him go there." he said. "But I cannot predict the actions of a dragon." he shook his head.
"Why, what's happened?" Sam asked.
"My sister wed the King beyond the Wall." Bran told him. "I saw it, or conversations around the Godswood discussing the marriage moments after it happened and the morning afterwards.
Sam frowned. "King beyond the..." his eyes widened. "Jon married Sansa? Isn't that a bit weird, incestuous and all."
"He fucked his aunt. Why should his cousin be a problem?" Serenei looked at him curiously.
"Because they were raised as siblings." Sam frowned.
"Aegon is a Targaryen, it is in their blood. They always find their own attractive, although never seen it happen with the non-Targaryen side." she shrugged.
"But Sansa..." Sam started.
"She's a Queen, she doesn't care about Jon Snow. It is Aegon Targaryen she wants. His name is a powerful draw to women. I wouldn't be surprised if almost every woman from north of the wall to Dorne wants to fuck him, even without seeing him. His looks and personality are irrelevant." Serenei said.
"He didn't need to become Aegon Targaryen to have women wanting to bed him. I suspect there would've queued from north of the wall to Dorne." Sam admitted. "But Sansa's not like that. I doubt they'd even..." he lowered his eyes.
"Sansa will do anything to ensure her realm stays safe and powerful. It is her duty. Oh and the septon confirmed there was a consummation and it was witnessed." she smiled as Sam's jaw opened in shock.
"What she hasn't counted on is how much of a threat the two combined nations now prove to Westeros." Bran told him. "Unless they commit their first born son as an heir to Westeros, it could be seen as an act of war."
"We don't know if a child will be needed." Serenei smiled at Bran.
"Arya said no." Sam told them.
"We aren't talking about Arya. We are talking about me." Bran said.
"I am also a healer. I have experience with this sort of thing. It will require certain commitments." Serenei explained.
"Serenei and I are to be wed." Bran told him.
"We have tested my healing abilities and what I use on the King seems to work well. There is no reason why he should not be able to father children. However I cannot guarantee male heirs and a Queen would destabilise the realm should the northern Targaryens have a son." Serenei said.
"It is to be a small ceremony in the Godswood." Bran told him. "The masses will have a day of celebration, we will have whoever is available from the small council."
Sam looked around. "Just me and Brienne?" he asked.
Bran nodded. "No point in having a big wedding, it costs money which the country doesn't have. A celebration day will put money into the pockets in Kings Landing. Speaking of which, now Dragonstone is free, we can explore the island, see what riches it beholds."
"What if Drogon comes back?" Sam asked.
"He won't." Bran shook his head. "The Unsullied are descending on Winterfell as we speak. The dragon will not be going anywhere, not until it starts to get hungry, then it will need to feed."
"I do hope he doesn't feed on the Unsullied, or they might find it necessary to retaliate with their special scorpions." Serenei added.
"But Jon is your brother." Sam looked at Bran in horror.
"King Aegon is not my brother." Bran reminded Sam in a voice which left no room to argue. "The reason I mentioned Dragonstone is because I would like you to help me with a matter after the marriage. I can for a short while manage without you attending small council meetings. I need you to go elsewhere. I have contacted the Citadel and they are happy to grant my request."
"Dragonstone?" Sam asked.
Bran nodded."Yes, Dragonstone. There is no Maester there, and I want the island inspected thoroughly and whatever is found recorded before one is given a permanent position. I believe there are valuable artefacts on Dragonstone which I do not wish to fall into the wrong hands. The problem is that they are hidden." Bran explained.
"What kind of artefacts?" Sam asked.
"Mainly books. It is believed there is a secret library which existed during the Dance, belonging to Maester Gerardys. Some of those books contain information I need. want need you to search the island, firstly for the books, then for what the books tell you is there." Bran told him.
"What about Gilly?" Sam frowned.
"Gilly and the babes will stay here in Kings Landing. We need to keep them safe." Serenei smiled sweetly.
"Why me?" Sam asked.
"If Aegon does return, he will not kill his old friend. He might even be inclined to help you. Give him no reason to distrust you. When he leaves get me the books." Serenei told him.
"How will I know which ones?" Sam frowned.
"You'll know when you read them." Bran nodded.
"What about Gilly, can she and the babes come?" Sam frowned.
Serenei shook her head. "I need them here, to be kept with me."
A terrible thought went through Sam's mind. "Are you holding Gilly hostage?" he asked.
"Now why would we need to do that if I can trust you?" Bran asked. "Why don't you go see your family, I'm sure you've missed them." he offered as Sam got up and bowed. "You'll be leaving them again soon, enjoy your time home."
"Thank you Your Grace, I am desperate to see them." he nodded, still not happy with Bran's answer but grateful to be leaving this very strange conversation.
Half an hour later Sam was walking through the door and almost instantly attacked by Little Sam. "Daddy." he cried as Sam almost wept with joy when he saw his children. Gilly waddled in, five months pregnant but looking like she was much further gone.
"You're home. Thank god Sam, I've missed you. Don't leave me again!" Gilly demanded, wrapping her arms around him.
"I'll...well." Sam smiled hugged her back.
"Have you seen her?" Gilly whispered.
"Who?" Sam asked, although he suspected he knew.
"That woman with Bran. She's a witch." she told him.
"She's not." Sam shook his head. "She's a healer maybe, but that is all."
"Why would Bran want to be around a woman like her?" Gilly asked.
"Well she is beautiful..." Sam started, but changed tack when he saw the expression of Gilly's face. "I mean, if you like that sort of thing. Not my type really, not as beautiful as you." he smiled, but he knew he had to do better. "For a man who isn't involved she's very pretty, but a man who loves his woman, she'd fall short. Her personality isn't very nice." he frowned. "I can't put my finger on it."
"She's a witch!" Gilly insisted.
"She's a healer and Bran, well he has issues which she is trying to remedy." Sam explained.
"Is she going to stay?" Gilly asked.
"She's the Mistress of Whisperers and is now on the small council." Sam decided not to tell Gilly about the wedding, he hadn't been authorised to do so by Bran.
"I think we need to get out of Kings Landing. We need to go back north. Winterfell, Castle Black, anywhere." Gilly insisted.
"I can't. I'm Grand Maester." Sam shook his head and placed his hands on Gilly's arms. "I'm the Maester of the Red Keep, whoever is in charge I have to serve them whether I like them or not."
"Can't you ask to be moved to another castle?" Gilly asked. "Or you could leave and serve another Lord." her voice was hopeful.
"If I did, I'd no longer be Grand Maester." Sam said sadly. "But, I can be moved to another castle if the King wants me to." he told her nervously. "In fact he has asked me to go to one of his others castles, he's got work for me to do on there. Work he doesn't trust anyone else to do."
Gilly's eyes widened with curiosity. "Where?"
"Dragonstone." Sam told her. "He wants me to go to work on sone rare books."
"Isn't Drogon on Dragonstone?" she asked.
Sam shook his head. "He left, went north. Then came back and went north again. They think he's back in the north now."
"Is Jon alright?" Gilly asked slowly. "Did Drogon eat him?"
Sam shook his head. "Drogon didn't eat him, he got married. Jon that is."
"Jon got married?" Gilly looked happy. "Who to?"
"Sansa." Sam told her.
"Oh. I don't think Bran will like that." Gilly shook her head.
"Why not?" Sam decided to get her opinion. Gilly had a simplistic view of the world, not one caught up in the complications of politics, which meant she could often see things more clearly than those who were in the thick of it.
"Targaryens used to rule Westeros, and Jon is a Targaryen. Jon isn't mean and he knows how to make people loyal to him without trying, because he's good and does the right thing, even if it is wrong for him." she offered. "He'd have made a much better King than Bran."
Sam put his hands on Gilly's arms. "You shouldn't say those things Gilly, it is too dangerous. Bran is a good King"
"If Bran was a good King it wouldn't be dangerous to say those things." Gilly argued back. "It doesn't matter though because we're going to Dragonstone."
"Erm...I'm going to Dragonstone. The King and Lady of Lys need you back here." Sam told her.
"What for? To wash her smallclothes? She doesn't need me here Sam, they want to keep me and the babes here and send you away. Somethin isn't right. They're up to somethin. Jon and Sansa wouldn't have got married if they didn't have to. Why did they have to?" she asked.
"I don't know." Sam shook his head. "They even... you know. So it is a real marriage."
"Why wouldn't it be?" Gilly looked confused.
"Highborn people marry for political reasons, not love. Jon and Sansa have married for politics, not love." Sam sighed.
"That's sad." Gilly said. "But at least they do still love each other."
"I suppose." Sam shrugged.
"So why did she say she needed me here?" Gilly asked.
"She didn't say." Sam blushed.
"So you never asked her?" Gilly frowned.
"I was told to leave." Sam lowered his eyes.
"But you've only just got back. I don't think the King wants you around." Gilly frowned.
"He doesn't seem to want any of the small..." Sam stopped.
"What?" Gilly asked.
"None of the small council are around." Sam sighed. "I need to talk to Lady Brienne. We need to get you and the babes out of here."
"And go where?" Gilly asked.
"Castle Black." Sam said. "I just don't know how." he shrugged. "Let me think on it."
