Thank you guys very much for the last reviews! I will post some comments on them below this chapter. ENJOY!
After the meeting with Daenerys, Sam wandered out of the castle and towards the cliffs. She did not particularly like Dragonstone, but she loved standing atop the high edge, her body battered by wind, and the smell of salt in the air around her. The one good thing about her having left Highgarden was that she always seemed to be near the ocean.
As she closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh air, she suddenly realised that there was one monumental advantage of having revealed her true identity: she was able to go swimming whenever she wanted now. A big smile stretched across her face as she quickly turned towards one of the many steep paths leading down to the ocean. The water here was significantly colder than the one in the Mander, but she did not care.
She carefully descended the seemingly never-ending steps until she reached the beach. The castle was not visible from the small bay she had landed in, and Sam looked around for guards. When it seemed like no one was anywhere near, she kicked off her boots and coat, discarding them at the edge of the beach, where they would not get wet. The sand felt good underneath her bare feet, and she savoured every step she took towards the waves. The girl decided to take off her travel breeches, but leave on the thin undershirt she was wearing.
The first waves lapped around her calves as she stepped toward the water, and Sam giggled at the sensation. She stood waist-deep, staring out onto the horizon for a while, getting used to the water's temperature. Then, with a deep inhale, she lunged forward and submersed herself in the blissful silence one could only hear underwater.
Sam came up for air with a smile on her face. The currents and waves were strong, but she had always been a good swimmer, so she ventured out a little further. She needed this distraction. Her sister was angry at her for not bringing back a submissive King in the North, and she made her even angrier when she refused to travel to the heart of Dorne. This short relief was the only small break Sam would get before she had to go on another mission. Again.
She swam back to the shore only after the temperature of the water had turned her skin into goosebumps. However, Samaya did not feel cold. In fact, she never felt cold these days. She wondered why that was.
Sam was so lost in her thoughts that she did not notice the dark figure standing on the beach watching her. When she stepped out of the sea, it started walking towards her. As she was shaking out the water from her hair, she finally noticed it. Immediately, Sam took a defensive position, but relaxed when she recognised Jon Snow. He walked up to her, carrying her cloak and boots in his hands.
"Isn't it a little cold for a dip?" he asked with a crooked smile. Samaya was painfully aware of her semi-naked state as she took the garments from him.
"Thank you. And no, the temperature is quite alright," she answered hurriedly while turning her back to him. After she had put on clothes to cover most of her skin, she turned back around.
"What brings you here?" she asked him while they started walking towards the direction of the castle.
"I was looking for the dragonglass cave," he said and she gave him an expectant look.
"I found it. It's just around that bend behind us. It is quite… something," he said and now she was intrigued. She stopped walking and grinned invitingly.
"Show me," she said and Jon Snow returned her smile. What a sight she was. Her hair wet, wearing nothing but a coat, boots in hand, barefoot in the sand. After all the events of today, she seemed light-hearted and free. A little Southern wildling. He turned around and gestured towards the cave.
"After you," he said and she beamed at him before she turned around and started running. Jon blinked in surprise before he quickly followed. She was laughing loudly now, racing him across the beach. Jon was smiling still, she had caught him unaware and it took him a few moments before catching up. He grabbed her hand and tried to force her to stop, but she just tugged on it, and as a result, they both tumbled down. Limbs were flailing and laughter turned into grunts of pain as they crashed down together. Jon swallowed a significant amount of sand as he fell face first onto the ground. His fall was mainly stopped by her body though, and he quickly got up to see if she had gotten hurt.
Samaya however, lay on her back blinking up at the sky before another fit of laughter erupted from her. Jon looked at her with a puzzled expression. Had she gone mad? She saw him staring and quieted down. Taking his hand, she forced him to lie down next to her.
"Don't look so serious, Jon Snow. Enjoy this tiny moment of lightness," she said hoarsely and looked at him. Sand was scattered around her face, and her green eyes glimmered with mischief.
"I find that hard to do with everything that's going on," he replied, his expression concerned once again. Sam sighed and propped herself up on her elbow.
"The way I see it, we are doing the best we can to stop bad things from happening. However, that does not mean that we should not enjoy ourselves a little. With all that you've told me, we could be dead in a few moons. Personally, I do not want to die having forgotten what laughter felt like. Do you?" she asked him earnestly. Jon stared at her in amazement. He had spent so much time at the Wall, he had almost forgotten what warmth felt like, let alone laughter.
"Did your husband make you laugh?" he replied, and even as he said it, he did not know why. Her expression changed at his question, sadness sweeping over her features.
"Mostly, he made me furious. But yes, he also made me laugh. He made me happy," she answered silently. Jon's heart broke at her declaration, and he brought up a hand to rest against the side of her face. What he really wanted to do was grab her, and hold her close, and tell her that everything would be alright. But he could not, never. She leant her cheek against his rough hand and closed her eyes for a moment, revelling in the feeling.
"I am sorry he died," Jon finally said and she looked at him again.
"So am I," she confessed and the two shared a tender moment of silence. Distant voices disrupted them a short while later, and a group of Dothraki guards made their way towards them. They looked angry at what they were seeing.
"Horseshit," Sam cursed and they both got up from the ground. As they were trying to brush the sand off their bodies, the guards closed in and started shouting at them in Dothraki.
"Alright, alright, we will come with you," Sam finally announced with a loud voice and threw her hands in the air. They tried to grab her by the elbow, but she shrugged them off and gave them a mean scowl. Silently, they escorted them back to the castle.
"I don't appreciate being handled like a prisoner by your sister," Jon said quietly as they walked through the gate.
"Trust me, I don't like it any more than you do. I will talk to her about it," Sam said and headed for the staircase that led to her chambers. One of the Dothraki grabbed her then and gestured to the Throne room.
"Seven Hells!" she swore, but followed. All she wanted was to take a bath and wash the dirt and sand off her body, but it seemed she would not be granted that. They arrived to find Daenerys standing in the middle of the room, waiting. Her mouth turned into a frown as she took in their appearance. They were still covered in sand, both their heads of hair messy and dishevelled. Her sister was barefoot, and both had guilty looks on their faces.
"Lord Snow, I do not think I gave you permission to nose around places you have no right being in?" she started talking and the Northerner gave her an angry look.
"Your Grace, I was not nosing around. I tried to make the most out of my 'visit'," he answered in a defiant tone.
"Running around this island with my sister is doing that, then?" the Queen replied and Sam had enough.
"If you have to know, your Grace," she started, addressing her with a little annoyance in her tone. "Lord Snow got word from a reliable source that Dragonstone sits on a mountain of dragonglass. It is one of the few things that kills White Walkers. He was looking for that source when he came upon me," she explained.
"And what were you doing out there alone?" her sister asked her.
"I just went for a swim," Samaya said and that made her sister blink in surprise. She started walking towards them then, slowly and deliberately.
"You are a Targaryen, Samaya. People will always look for a weakness. You are not allowed to do reckless things like that anymore. And I speak as your Queen, not your sister," she exclaimed, giving the older girl a hard look. Samaya gritted her teeth and balled her fists at her side. It seemed she still could not do as she pleased, but she had to admit that her sister only had her best interest at heart.
"I am sorry, your Grace," she finally said, which made the Queen smile.
"Now, I am sure you have preparations to do before you leave tomorrow? I will see you at dinner," she told her and after bowing shortly, Samaya left the room.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" Daenerys then turned to Jon Snow, who was staring after her sister angrily. He did not understand what the Queen meant. Why would Samaya leave again? They had just arrived here today. He wanted to go after her and ask for answers, but the Queen was talking to him now.
"Yes, I did. If your Grace accepts, I would like to show you," he said after having regained his composure. She nodded shortly.
"Tomorrow. And then you will explain what you mean to do with it," she concluded and turned away. The King in the North exited the room as well, leaving only her, Missandei and the guards. The Queen's most trusted advisor stepped up and spoke silently.
"I think I was right," she said, to which Daenerys sighed.
"I think you were. They are falling in love with each other."
"I agree with the idea of sending you to High Hermitage to negotiate an alliance, but I am utterly against you going on your own," Tyrion Lannister commented once again as he walked out of the castle with Samaya the next day. She had donned her travelling attire, a small bundle of belongings on her back, bow in her hand.
"Daenerys sent a raven to Casterly Rock, if the Unsullied have taken it as planned, they will send a small garrison on their way to aid me immediately," Samaya explained.
"Yes, I know, I was the one that suggested that, but it will take them significantly longer to reach the stronghold then you. What if Darkstar has killed you by then? You know your husband was often heard saying that he believed him to be the most dangerous man in Dorne? That means something, having come from Oberyn," he continued, his voice tense and urgent. Samaya stopped in her tracks and gave him a stern look.
"If I was able to manage Oberyn Martell, I can manage Gerold Dayne," she concluded and then turned away again. Tyrion let out a long sigh and followed. These two sisters were even more stubborn than him, it seemed.
As they walked out onto the grounds, Samaya's gaze was searching for Jon Snow. She had wanted to talk to him again last night, but he had taken dinner in his room, and the guards would not let her leave her own chambers after nightfall. She had not liked being restricted, and was happy to escape to a place where she would be her own master.
Her sister was waiting for her with Missandei, Greyworm and Varys. Jon Snow stood to the side of them, not looking happy at all. Samaya walked over and said her goodbye to Daenerys, which was rather sombre. Rhaegal landed behind them with a thud, and Sam was still surprised at how intelligent and intuitive the dragon was. How did it know that she was leaving? Questions that she would most likely never find an answer to. Samaya turned to Jon Snow now, and they started walking towards Rhaegal together. The dragon greeted them both by letting them pet his snout.
"You said I would not be alone in Dragonstone, but now you're leaving," Jon spoke up, looking at her with an unreadable expression. Sam sighed and dropped her gaze to the floor.
"I know, and I hate to break that promise. I thought about asking you to join me, but you need to stay here. Make the best out of it," she answered, and he gave her a questioning look.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"My sister needs time to trust people. I know she will come to value you as much as I do, and believe in what you have to say. Before your envoy arrives, find that time. Let her know you, make her understand," Samaya told him, her voice quiet and sad, but with an urgent tone. They looked at each other for a long moment, until Jon took her hand and squeezed it assuringly.
"I will miss you, Lady Sam," he finally said and she gave him a small smile.
"Our paths will cross again. Be safe until then," she returned and let go of his hand, although unwillingly. Sam then climbed on the back of Rhaegal, and together, they took off. This time, she looked back at the small group until her head was in the clouds.
"What did Jaime Lannister want to talk about with you?" Dickon Tarly asked his father as he returned to their lodgings in King's Landing.
"Alliances, loyalties. He wants us to fight for them, not the Tyrells. He wants us to renounce our oath as bannermen," his father answered grumpily.
"His sister killed almost all the Tyrells, though," the younger man replied.
"Yes, and truth be told, if I were Olenna Tyrell, I'd want revenge for that as well. No wonder she's joined that Targaryen Queen," Randyll Tarly said as he poured himself a cup of ale.
"But the savages… I do not want them to rape our women, to poison our land," his son went on, disgust etched on his face.
"If she has a good head on her shoulders, she won't use them in that way. She'll use the Tyrell and Dornish army first. It was obvious that Cersei was going to play on their status as foreigners, so if she's clever, she'll use them only when fighting the Lannister force," Lord Tarly replied, taking a deep sip after.
"Are we to join the Targaryen side then? There are still three Tyrells left in Highgarden. And if the rumours are true, Samaya is alive as well," Dickon asked. His father mulled it over for a long moment.
"A cripple, a simpleton, an old woman, and a bastard Targaryen," he mused. "House Tyrell's seen better days."
"So we are fighting for the Lannisters?" his son continued, disbelief on his face. He had always like the Tyrells, and his father had even hinted at a possible marriage between him and Samaya a few times. Of course that was before the events of the last few moons…
"Jaime Lannister offered Wardenship of the South, son. If we join them and defeat the last Tyrells, our House would be grander than ever before," the older man concluded. Dickon swallowed heavily. He knew what that tone meant. His father had made his decision, and no one could sway that. And as always, he was supposed to do as father said… like the good son he was.
"Sansa, where's Jon gone?" Arya finally asked her sister as they walked back out of the crypts in Winterfell. She had finally returned home, and was relieved to see her sister. Sansa gave her a short glance before she answered, still walking at brisk pace.
"He went South to meet with the Targaryen queen," she answered at last.
"Daenerys Targaryen? Is she gonna fight Cersei with us?" Arya asked, but Sansa shook her head.
"It is not because of Cersei he met with her, it is because of the threat beyond the Wall. Bran can tell you more about that," she explained. Arya gave her a critical look.
"You are annoyed with him," she concluded. Sansa stopped walking and looked at her little sister.
"I am annoyed that he flew away on the back of a bloody dragon while all his bannermen are left to me. They did not take likely to him going South so willingly. Lord Glover has already threatened to leave with his men more than once," she sighed. Arya looked into the distance, deep in thought. The first thing she heard when she arrived in Winter Town was talk about the dragon and the beautiful girl that had whisked the King in the North away. Arya wished she had been here when it happened. Not only to see the dragon, but to look into Samaya Tyrell's eyes and determine whether she was every bit the woman people made her out to be.
"I am certain you can calm their nerves, sister. You seem to have matured a lot since I last saw you," Arya finally said, eyeing Sansa up and down.
"I have. For a price," was the only thing her sister answered before she led her away to re-unite her with Bran.
As Olenna Tyrell watched everything she had worked for her whole life being destroyed, she was too tired to even shed a single tear. The Lannister army had moved in swiftly, and without mercy, and from the high tower she was lodged in, she watched as they massacred her whole army and people.
The door to her room flung open, and her grandson stumbled in, panic across his face. She looked at him in a calm manner.
"Where's Garlan?" she asked.
"Cut down by Randyll Tarly," Willas answered, tears evident in his eyes. Olenna swallowed down her grief.
"This is the end of our House," she commented and sat down on a chair. Willas limped over to her, he had lost his walking cane amidst the chaos.
"Samaya is still alive," he commented, but he looked as defeated as her. Olenna was about to answer, when the door opened again. She had expected to find Lannister soldiers, but it was Dickon Tarly that panted heavily as he entered.
"We need to get you out of here," he said hastily, grabbing Willas by the elbow.
"Wait, what are you doing? Stop, I will not leave my grandmother!" the other man protested, but could not defend himself much against the soldier. Olenna observed the scene and then shushed him.
"Will you stop it, you fool? Can you not see that not all of the Tarlys have turned against us? Go, and find your sister. Keep your head down, and pray that House Tyrell will survive this war," she said and Willas finally stopped resisting. She hoped the Tarly boy really meant what he said, but Dickon had always been a little soft. Not as much as his older brother, but still. She suspected he could not bear to kill one of his oldest friends.
The two men had left the room just a few moments before Jaime Lannister walked in. Olenna prayed to all the Gods, old and new, that Willas had remembered the secret passageway behind the tapestry on this floor. As the Kingslayer closed the door, she took a deep breath and put on her mask. This day was the day she was going to die. But she would never leave this world without a bang…
Here we are... I know some of you have wondered whether Highgarden would be spared the attack, but NO... I was cruel. But it will all be for a reason, trust me ;)
Marvelymyra: thank you so much for your continued reviews! and yes, I am not liking Daenerys very much either in the show (or the books, for that matter), so I understand what you mean! And Jon's envoy is riding to White Harbor from Winterfell, and then taking a ship to Dragonstone. They will arrive in the next chapter ;) Concerning your Dorne comment, I really do not think the people would follow Sam, so Arianne is definitely the best choice there.
Nicolaclair: thank you so much! that really made me smile :) hope you will continue following it!
What do you think will happen next? Will Jon fall for Daenerys? Leave me a review, I'd love to hear your opinions :) xx