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Jon jammed it open with his boot "I need to speak to hi will be too late"

Chett scowled "The ht Do you kno old he is?"

"Old enough to treat visitors with more courtesy than you," Jon said "Give him my pardons I would not disturb his rest if it were not important"

"And if I refuse?"

Jon had his boot wedged solidly in the door "I can stand here all night if I usted noise and opened the door to admit him "Wait in the library There’s wood Start a fire I won’t have thea chill on account of you"

Jon had the logs crackling merrily by the time Chett led in Maester Aemon The old man was clad in his bed robe, but around his throat was the chain collar of his order A maester did not remove it even to sleep "The chair beside the fire would be pleasant," he said when he felt the warmth on his face When he was settled cos with a fur and went to stand by the door

"I am sorry to have woken you, Maester," Jon Snow said

"You did not wake row older, and I ahosts, re times fifty years past as if they were yesterday The ht visitor is a welco at this strange hour?"

"To ask that Sa and accepted as a brother of the Night’s Watch"

"This is no concern of Maester Aeiven the training of recruits into the hands of Ser Alliser Thorne," the ently "Only he may say when a boy is ready to swear his vow, as you surely know Why then come to me?"

"The Lord Commander listens to you," Jon told hiht’s Watch are in your charge"

"And is your friend Samounded or sick?"

"He will be," Jon promised, "unless you help"

He told them all of it, even the part where he’d set Ghost at Rast’s throat Maester Aemon listened silently, blind eyes fixed on the fire, but Chett’s face darkened with each word "Without us to keep him safe, Sam will have no chance," Jon finished "He’s hopeless with a sword My sister Arya could tear him apart, and she’s not yet ten If Ser Alliser ht, it’s only a matter of time before he’s hurt or killed"

Chett could stand no more "I’ve seen this fat boy in the co, and a hopeless craven as well, if what you say is true"

"Maybe it is so," Maester Aemon said "Tell me, Chett, ould you have us do with such a boy?"

"Leave him where he is," Chett said "The Wall is no place for the weak Let him train until he is ready, no matter how many years that takes Ser Alliser shall ods will"

"That’s stupid," Jon said He took a deep breath to gather his thoughts "I remember once I asked Maester Luhy he wore a chain around his throat"

Maester Aeer stroking the heavy metal links "Go on"

"He told me that a maester’s collar is made of chain to re "I asked why each link was a different rey robes, I said Maester Luwin laughed A es his chain with study, he told , gold for the study of , iron for warcraft And he said there were other s as well The collar is supposed to remind a old and knights steel, but two links can’t make a chain You also need silver and iron and lead, tin and copper and bronze and all the rest, and those are farmers and smiths and merchants and the like A chain needs all sorts of metals, and a land needs all sorts of people"

Maester Aeht’s Watch needs all sorts too Why else have rangers and stewards and builders? Lord Randyll couldn’t make Sam a warrior, and Ser Alliser won’t either You can’t hammer tin into iron, no matter how hard you beat it, but that doesn’t mean tin is useless Why shouldn’t Sary scowl "I’m a steward You think it’s easy work, fit for cowards? The order of stewards keeps the Watch alive We hunt and farather firewood, cook the s up supplies froentler "Is your friend a hunter?"

"He hates hunting," Jon had to admit

"Can he plow a field?" the on or sail a ship? Could he butcher a cow?"

"No"

Chett gave a nasty laugh "I’ve seen what happens to soft lordlings when they’re put to work Set the butter and their hands blister and bleed Give thes, and they cut off their own foot"

"I know one thing Sam could do better than anyone"

"Yes?" Maester Aelanced warily at Chett, standing beside the door, his boils red and angry "He could help you," he said quickly "He can do sums, and he kno to read and write I know Chett can’t read, and Clydas has weak eyes Saood with the ravens too Aniht off There’s a lot he could do, besides fighting The Night’s Watch needs every man Why kill one, to no end? Make use of him instead"

Maester Aemon closed his eyes, and for a brief one to sleep Finally he said, "Maester Luwin taught you well, Jon Snow Your mind is as deft as your blade, it would seem"

"Does that mean"

"It means I shall think on what you have said," the maester told him firmly "And now, I believe I a brother to the door"