SAMWELL TARLY
Samwell Tarly is the eldest son of Randyll and his wife Melessa Tarly; born a year before the started. Unlike his father Samwell is shy, he loves to read, and is overweight. A disappointment to his father. Randyll and Melessa do not see eye to eye on Randyll's treatment of Sam and she often has to protect Sam from him. They have a daughter after Samwell and then a son who is everything Randyll hopes for in a son. The practice yard echoes with the sound of wood on wood as the sword Master tries to teach Sam the sword. "Pathetic!" Randyll declares in a loud voice shaming his son. "Dickon show him how it is done..."
Samwell stands to the side as Dickon and Sword Master Faukyn practice. Randyll walks up to him, "If I knew it wouldn't break your mother's heart I would plunge my sword into you right now...How in seven hells could you be my son..."
"I'm sorry father..."
He mocks him, "I'm sorry father...Go find a book to read..."
Sam walks away in shame. He puts away his sword and goes to the library. After an hour Sam goes to the main hall for dinner. "First to arrive and last to leave the table...If only you would..."
"Randyll that is enough!" Melassa says interrupting.
"The boy can afford to miss a meal or three..."
"He's your son..."
"The gods are punishing me for losing the war against the Usurper..."
The only time Sam has peace from his father's ridicule is when he goes hunting or is distracted by family business. It is during this time that Melessa comforts and encourages Sam as much as she can. "Why does father hate me so?"
"He doesn't hate you...He is a hard man."
"I don't want to be this way..."
"You are my son and I love you...The gods made you perfect..."
"Thank you mother..."
Sam's eighteenth name day comes and a huge feast is held. Most of the people that attend are friends of Dickon. Samwell does his best to ignore their secret jokes and sniggering. "Come with me we are going hunting..." Randyll says to Samwell.
The last hunting trip they went on was a disaster as the game got away because of Sam. "Is that wise father?"
"You are coming..." Early the next morning they ride away from Hornhill. "I bought you out here to inform you of my decision...You are of age now and by the laws of men my heir...But I will not have it...You are a craven...A book worm...A weakling...I cannot have such a person follow me as the heir of Hornhill...So you will renounce your titles and join the Night's Watch...Perhaps they can make a man of you..."
"What about mother? What of Talla…"
"You will say nothing to them...Write a letter saying that you wish to join...If you do not the next time we go hunting...You will fall and break your neck..."
Sam returns home, goes straight to his room and locks the door. He sits on the bed thinking about his life, his relationship with his father, mother sister, and brother. As the wheels turn in his head Sam comes to a decision. "I will not join the watch..." He bravely whispers to himself. "I will live my life on my terms...not his..." He wish he could stand up to his father and say it to his face. But running away and leaving a letter is the next best thing.
To my beloved Mother
I am leaving...to make my own way...Find my own path in life...I can no longer take my father's abusive words or his unloving attitude towards me...Someday I will return perhaps after father has left this world...Give Talla and Dickon my love
With Love your Son
Samwell Tarly
He leaves the letter on the pillow. Then he sneaks food from the kitchen, takes some gold, and uses the secret passage to leave the castle. It takes all night to reach a nearby farm where he buys a horse. With a horse Sam is able to put many miles between him and Hornhill. he stops at High Garden as his family is close friends with the Tyrells, the Lords of the Reach.
"Well bless my soul..." Olenna Tyrell says, "Samwell Tarly...Last time I saw you...you were a fat little boy chasing my granddaughter around the rose garden..."
"Now I am fat man..."
"More of you to love my boy...How is your family..."
"Fine as far as I know...I ran away from home."
"Oh I see...Fathers...The idiots...Seven help you if the son is nothing like the father...They are either good friends or the worst of enemies..."
Sam always liked Olenna, she accepted people not based on their looks but their character. And she always spoke her mind. "You can stay as long as you want..."
"No I...Actually I don't know where I will go..."
"Go on an adventure...See the world...You are young...Live...Visit a brothel...And to the seven hells with your prickly old father..."
"Lady Olenna!" Sam shyly says in shock.
"Mother!" Bellows the voice of Mace Tyrell.
"I know what this is about...Hide son..."
"Yes ma'am..."
Sam hides behind a statue in the garden and listens, "Have you seen Samwell Tarly..."
"Why would Samwell Tarly be here?"
Loras and the Maester are with him, "I received a Raven from Lord Tarly...apparently Sam ran away from home..."
"You don't say!"
"He left a letter...The guards say they let him in...He asked to speak with you..."
She touches her head, "Oh where is my mind...My memory comes and goes...He left...I sent him on his way..."
"Mother!"
"I swear on the seven..." As Mace walks away Loras wags his finger at her and she winks.
She puts Sam in one of the guest rooms, then the next morning she sneaks him out of the Castle through a secret passage; after giving him a bag of gold to add on to the money he already has. By sunset Sam is halfway between High Garden and Cider Hall home of the Fassoways. Their sigil is that of a red Apple on a yellow field. Their words the Seed is Strong. Sam finds a farm and pays the family for a bed to sleep in. By sunrise he is up and on the move. After several weeks of riding Sam makes it to King's Landing shocking himself. His confidence growing everyday he is on his own.
He buys a room in one of the fancy inns. And gets up the courage to visit a brothel. "We have a wide variety My Lord pick one..." The proprietor says.
Sam shyly points to a young woman with long hair and big breasts. "This way my Lord..." The woman says leading Sam to a private room.
Sam walks out many hours later with a smile on his face and a pep in his step. The next morning he decides to pay the brothel another visit, but when he arrives he spots his father's men asking the proprietor about him. He sneaks away and rushes to the inn, He pays the man to tell anyone who comes asking about him that he left days ago. Sam has his horses saddled and he quickly leaves the city. One horse is a supply horse carrying food and gold, the other he rides. When Sam reaches the road he breaks into a gallop and runs the horses until they can't run anymore.
He stops by a stream to rest the horses and so that they can drink water. As they drink he pulls out a map. Sam looks North, "Brindlewood is a few miles that way...And Duskendale a few miles that away..." he looks at the horses, "Duskendale it is..."
He stops in the village of Brindlewood to rest. Then it is on to Duskendale. Two miles from the village Sam is ambushed by Hornhill Men. "Thought you could get away did you fat boy?"
"I am your Lord's son..."
The captain punches him in the face knocking Sam off his horse, "Shut your fat mouth. You have caused us all kinds of problems..."
"Are you going to kill me?" Sam nervously asks lying on his side on the ground.
The Captain draws his dagger and dismounts his horse. "We will tell your Lady Mother a group of bandits fell on you..."
That is when the Captain is struck in the neck by an arrow. Then a young man rides up on a black horse and strikes another man with his sword. We yield!" The other men yell dropping their weapons
"Who are you?" The young man demands.
"My name is Barten...I serve Lord Randyll Tarly of Hornhill..."
"Why are you attacking this young man?"
"I'm Samwell Tarly..."
The young man helps Sam up, "Are you alright..."
"I am now thanks to you..."
"Why were you trying to kill Lord Tarly's son..."
"Because my father hates me...And I ran away from home to escape his cruelty..."
"I'm Jon Stark of Winterfell...So Sam...What do you want us to do with them..."
"Spare us My Lord...We were only doing what Lord Tarly told us..."
Sam looks at Jon and his men then at his father's men, "If I tell them to let you go what will you tell my father?"
"We will say you are dead..."
"Give me your word that you'll tell him I died fighting..."
"We swear My Lord..." They all make the oath.
Sam nods satisfied, "Let them go..."
Jon nods, "This is Donovan, Roland, Martlyne, and Able..."
"Nice to meet you and thank you for saving my life..."
"So where are you going Sam..." Jon asks as the men ride off.
"Duskendale…"
"We are heading that way...Why don't you ride with us?"
As they travel Sam and Jon talk about their lives growing up at home. "I would like to see Winterfell one day..."
"You would love it...Winterfell has the second largest library in Westeros..." When they camp in the Wild Sam does not have to take a watch, but eventually he volunteers. And Roland teaches Sam how to use the bow. They practice every morning and evening. "I can't I'm just not a warrior..."
"Yes you can..." Jon says speaking up, "The bow is the easiest weapon to Master...My little sister can shoot with the best of them...Keep practicing and you will master it before long..."
Soon they reach Duskendale the home of House Rykker. Their sigil is that of two black war-hammers crossing on a field of blue and white. Their words Life is War. "I was wondering something..." Sam says from his horse as they enter the town.
"What?"
"Why didn't you set sail from White Harbor?"
Jon smiles, "I have never been below the neck...And I wanted to see the countryside...Besides If I had not come south we would have never met..."
Sam nods, "I'm glad we met..."
After a week Jon finds a ship to take them to Dragonstone. After getting settled in their Cabins Jon takes Sam to speak with the Captain in private. "I have a business proposition for you Captain..."
"I always up for doing business as long as it puts gold in my pocket..."
"How you like to be rich?" Sam looks at Jon.