The Dragon Cub| Game Of Thrones

MY DRAGON LOVES ME, SHE LOVES ME NOT

Highgarden 295 AC.

Sam.

Spending time with his family was just as he had expected it would be, his father's disappointment made all too clear, with his mother's happiness to see him being the bright spot. Dickon still talking of things Sam really had no interest in and Talla just happy to hear him tell her tales of life at the Citadel. Being brought into his father's room and being made stand in front of him while he worked on papers, was something he knew all too well, and so was not a surprise to him.

Thankfully though because of Marwyn, he was better able to handle it, the Maester showing it for what it was, a way to belittle and make you feel small. The Mage had pointed it out to him in the Citadel, showed him how Theobold and Ryam especially did this often, while Ebrose and others had no time for silly games.

"You will be going back to the Citadel." his father said simple and directly and Sam raised his head having been lost in a dream and thinking about the ride back all the while.

"Of course father." he said and his father just nodded and looked back down to his papers.

"You have coin?" his father asked not looking back up at him.

"I do." he said smiling.

"Very well, say your goodbyes to your mother, brother, and sister before you leave." his father said and Sam noticed that he'd left himself out of it.

"Goodbye father." he said softly and walked out of the room, receiving no reply or acknowledgment from his father as he did so.

Marwyn had left with the Lannisters and Jon Snow, Ser Jon now, along with Prince Oberyn and the Lords of the West. He had thought he'd be going with him but the Maester and Jon had come to speak to him before they left, and told him he would not.

"Would you not like to spend some more time with your family Sam?" Jon asked.

"Aye, I would, some of them anyway Ser Jon." he said and Jon chuckled.

"I already hate that." Jon said and Sam couldn't help but smirk at the annoyed look on his face.

"If I'm not to go with you then how am I to make it back?" he asked turning to Marwyn.

"Jon has arranged for you to travel as part of his family's accompaniment, they will treat you far better than I did when we traveled here together Samwell." Marwyn said.

"I enjoyed our travel Maester." he said genuinely.

"But not my snoring, eh Samwell." Marwyn said and they both laughed.

"Sam there is something I need you to do for me." Jon said and he looked to Jon and then to Marwyn who nodded at him.

He had agreed to do what Jon asked, it was simple enough. All he had to do was just watch the Maesters as he had been doing for Marwyn, they would arrange someone to contact him in Oldtown, and that was it. After saying his goodbyes to the Maester, for now at least, Jon had introduced him to his family and despite his initial shyness he had enjoyed spending time with them.

He had spent a little time with Sansa and Margaery too after Jon's departure, surprisingly finding that it was Margaery more than Jon's sister who seemed more put out that he had left. When the time came for his own departure, he felt some tension when the king's party was to ride with them, though a lot of that disappeared he felt when Lord Baelish said he'd instead make his own way to Kings Landing.