An old fish arrives
Posted on Mon Mar 15th, 2021 @ 1:57am by
Mission:
The Great Council
Location: Riverhead House
Timeline: The evening of the day after the Funeral/Reception, and the morning after that.
Four knights in armour rode ahead of the carriage. Three more trailed them. Inside sat Samwell Tully, Lord Paramount of the Trident, Lord of Riverrun. An old man, quietly snoring in his carriage. One of his knights gently knocked on the glass window. "My lord, we've almost arrived." he called.
Samwell startled from his nap, blinking his eyes as the walls of the city rolled into sight. He felt old. For the last week and a half he rattled down the road in this bloody carriage. In the past he would have swung his leg over a horse, rode down to the city with a couple knights and have not thought about it for a second. But he wasn't young any more. He was truly an old man in the twilight years of his life.
His mind wandered for a moment back to Riverrun, and what he left behind. His beloved son, Lucas, laying on his sickbed. His son, his pride, his heir. And deep inside Samwell knew, he truly knew, that his son would not rise from the sickbed again. That would leave Preston, Samwell's older brother as his heir. Old Pres, missing a leg, gout taking him from neck to knee. He cursed his brother for never fathering any children of his own.
The carriage finally stopped rattling as they arrived the Tully home in King's Landing. An old house bought over a hundred years ago. Samwell painfully climbed out the carriage, one of his men aiding him down from the steps onto the road. "Maybe you should rest before we summon Lord Jonah?" the knight, an old friend to Samwell suggested. "Perhaps you're right Cotter." The old man whispered back as he let go of the knight's hand and stepped into the house.
It had been cleaned, aired, and staffed with locals. Samwell wasn't expecting to stay in the city for long enough to bring his own staff with him. "Cotter, please see to it that the men are cared for." The old man said, "I need my rest. Send a runner to Jonah's residence that I request his presence tomorrow for breakfast."
"Of course my lord. I'll see to it." Cotter said with a nod. The knight knew what his liege was planning. He did not approve of it. Cotter was of the opinion that there were better options than this, but then again he had never approved of him either.
A knight in Tully livery approached the gate later that evening. The guard at the gate called out to halt and identify themselves. "Ser Erik Hedgeless, a knight in service to Lord Samwell Tully." The knight replied as he stepped closer. "I carry a message from my lord to yours." he handed the sealed scroll to the guard. "Please see that it finds its way to him."
The guard accepted the scroll and nodded. "I'll bring it to Lord Jonah right away."
The guard had awoken his captain, Ser Joffrey the Green, instead of Lord Jonah directly. "Forgive me ser." The guard whispered to the knight. "I just received a note form a knight in Tully colours. He said it was a message for the lord."
Joffrey blinked the last remnants of sleep away as he looked at the guard. "Hand it to me." Joffrey said as he rose from his bed.
Early in the morning Jon rode down the street towards Riverhead House. Besides him was only a single knight with him as guard. The note had stated that he was summoned to Lord Samwell's house. It was not a request, but a direct command. This worried Jon. He had a good relationship with his liege, having served at Riverrun as a boy but also returning Jeremon's bones back from Essos to his father.
When the two men arrived their horses were taken by stablehands and they entered the home. In the small hallway Ser Cotter waited for them. "Lord Jonah, Lord Samwell is waiting for you in the gardens. Your man can wait here." There was a hint of steel in Cotter's voice, and Jon noticed that Cotter was wearing his mail under his tunic.
This gave Jon pause. Cotter had never been particularly friendly to Jon, but he had never been this hostile to him either. Jon traded a glance with his knight but the lord nodded. "Very well Ser Cotter." Jon said before passing by him through the home towards the gardens.
"My lord." Jon called as he entered the morning sun and approached the pair of chairs situated in under a porch. "You sent for me?"
"Ah, Jonah, my boy." Samwell said in a tired voice as he rose of his chair with difficulty. Jon sank to his knee before his liege but Samwell quickly ordered him up. "We're not at court, Jon. No need to stand on the formalities. Please, sit." and Samwell gestured to the chair next to his.
Jon rose and then sat down in the offered chair after his liege sunk back into his own. A young woman stepped around to produce two large cups of water and some fruit for the two lords. She worked in silence, and Samwell didn't speak until she was gone again.
Samwell took a sip of his cup before speaking. It was a quiet voice, meant to keep the conversation as private as could be. "Jon. Lucas is dying. He has taken ill some weeks ago and he has not been improving." Samwell explained. "Maester Doff can't help him, and the Citadel has no idea what to do either."
Jon's face fall from smile into deep worry. He had been fond of Lucas Tully since his time at Riverrun, and always enjoyed sharing a cup of wine when they met. "Samwell, I am so very sorry to hear. Is there any way I can help?"
"When Lucas dies, I do not have an heir. Neither of my brothers have produced a child, not even a bastard that I know of. And my sister is a septa. I also do not have grandchildren. " Samwell explained, and it pained him to be remembered about how his family was failing in their biggest duty. "So I have no grandchild, no niece or nephew, or sibling to leave Riverrun to when I pass. That is why I have called for you."
"Do you need me to search for distant relatives?" Jon asked, "I'm not sure I'd be the best suited to it, but I'll gladly help you."
"No, my boy." Samwell said. A sad smile had formed on the old man's face as he patted Jon's hand. "What I need from you, is to be my heir if Lucas dies."
"I..." Jon fell silent for a long moment. "I see. Are you sure you'd want me?"
Samwell nodded as he spoke. "You're a Tully right and proper, just like me. You've a good reputation among my bannermen. Yes, Jon. I need you to be my heir as both Lord of Riverrun, and Lord Paramount of the Trident. Will you follow this command from your liegelord?"
"Of course, my lord." Jon said.
