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Jon
Jon was breaking his fast on applecakes and blood sausage when Samwell Tarly plopped himself down on the bench "I’ve been summoned to the sept," SaI’m to be made a brother with the rest of you Can you believe it?"
"No, truly?"
"Truly I’m to assist Maester Aemon with the library and the birds He needs someone who can read and write letters"
"You’ll do well at that," Jon said, slanced about anxiously "Is it tie theiras they crossed the weed-strewn courtyard The day arm and sunny Rivulets of water trickled down the sides of the Wall, so the ice seereat crystal caught theand spread it in a rainbow on the altar Pyp’s ht of Sam, and Toad poked Grenn in the ribs, but no one dared say a word Septon Celladar inging a censer, filling the air with fragrant incense that reminded Jon of Lady Stark’s little sept in Winterfell For once the septon seeh officers arrived in a body; Maester Aerim, Lord Commander Mormont resplendent in a black wool doublet with silvered bearclaw fastenings Behind them came the senior members of the three orders: red-faced Bowen Marsh the Lord Steward, First Builder Othell Yarwyck, and Ser Jareers in the absence of Benjen Stark
Mor on his broad bald head "You caan, "poachers, rapers, debtors, killers, and thieves You came to us children You came to us alone, in chains, with neither friends nor honor You came to us rich, and you came to us poor Some of you bear the names of proud houses Others have only bastards’ names, or no names at all It makes no matter All that is past now On the Wall, we are all one house
"At evenfall, as the sun sets and we face the gathering night, you shall take your vows Froht’s Watch Your criiven So too you es, forget old wrongs and old loves alike Here you begin anew
"A ht’s Watch lives his life for the real, nor a lord, nor the honor of this house or that house, neither for gold nor glory nor a woman’s love, but for the realht’s Watch takes no wife and fathers no sons Our wife is duty Our mistress is honor And you are the only sons we shall ever know
"You have learned the words of the vow Think carefully before you say the back The penalty for desertion is death" The Old Bear paused for ayou ish to leave our coo now, and no one shall think the less of you"
No one ood," said Mormont "You may take your vows here at evenfall, before Septon Celladar and the first of your order Do any of you keep to the old gods?"
Jon stood "I do, my lord"
"I expect you ant to say your words before a heart tree, as your uncle did," Morods of the sept had nothing to do with him; the blood of the First Men flowed in the veins of the Starks
He heard Grenn whispering behind hiodswood"
"You wouldn’t see a herd of aurochs until they trampled you into the snow," Pyp whispered back
"I would so," Grenn insisted "I’d see the way off"
Mormont himself confirodswood Beyond the Wall the haunted forest stands as it stood in the Dawn Age, long before the Andals brought the Seven across the narrow sea You will find a grove of oods half a league froods as well"
"My lord" The voice lance back in surprise Samwell Tarly was on his feet The fat boy wiped his sweaty palo as well? To say my words at this heart tree?"
"Does House Tarly keep the old gods too?" Mormont asked
"No, h officers frightened hiht of the Seven at the sept on Horn Hill, as my father was, and his father, and all the Tarlys for a thousand years"
"Why would you forsake the gods of your father and your House?" wondered Ser Jareht’s Watch is my House now," Sam said "The Seven have never answered ods will"
"As you wish, boy," Morain, as did Jon "We have placed each of you in an order, as befits our need and your own strengths and skills" Bowen Marsh stepped forward and handed hian to read "Haider, to the builders," he began Haider gave a stiff nod of approval "Grenn, to the rangers Albett, to the builders Pypar, to the rangers" Pyp looked over at Jon and wiggled his ears "Sa at his broith,a scrap of silk "Matthar, to the rangers Dareon, to the stewards Todder, to the rangers Jon, to the stewards"
The stewards? For a moment Jon could not believe what he had heard Mor He started to rise, to open his mouth, to tell them there had been ahim, eyes shiny as two flakes of obsidian, and he knew
The Old Bear rolled up the paper "Your firsts will instruct you in your duties May all the gods preserve you, brothers" The Lord Commander favored them with a half bow, and took his leave Ser Alliser ith him, a thin smile on his face Jon had never seen the ers with one Pyp was staring at Jon as he got slowly to his feet His ears were red Grenn, grinning broadly, did not see was amiss Matt and Toad fell in beside them, and they followed Ser Jaremy from the sept
"Builders," announced lantern-jawed Othell Yarwyck Haider and Albett trailed out after him
Jon looked around him in sick disbelief Maester Aeht he could not see The septon was arranging crystals on the altar Only Saerand him
Lord Steward Bowen Marsh rubbed his pluether "Samwell, you will assist Maester Ae to the kennels, to help with the hounds You shall have his cell, so as to be close to the ood care of him He is very old and very precious to us
"Dareon, I ah lord’s table and shared theiryou to Eastwatch It may be your palate will be so We are paying too dear for salt beef and pickled fish, and the quality of the olive oil we’re getting has been frightful, Present yourself to Borcas when you arrive, he will keep you busy between ships"
Marsh turned his smile on Jon "Lord Commander Mormont has requested you for his personal steward, Jon You’ll sleep in a cell beneath his chambers, in the Lord Commander’s tower"
"And ill my duties be?" Jon asked sharply "Will I serve the Lord Commander’s meals, help him fasten his clothes, fetch hot water for his bath?"
"Certainly" Marsh frowned at Jon’s tone "And you will run his e his sheets and blankets daily, and do all else that the Lord Coht require of you"
"Do you take me for a servant?"
"No," Maester Aemon said, from the back of the sept Clydas helped hiht’s Watchbut perhaps rong in that"
It was all Jon could do to stop hi out Was he supposed to churn butter and sew doublets like a girl for the rest of his days? "May I go?" he asked stiffly