A Game of Thrones Chapter Sixty

Jonargon you cons genuinety interrogative, coke? dreadful public Mormont asked, scowling.Well, his guttle squawked. Well.I am, my master copy, Jon lie . . . loudly, as if that could yield it straightforward. And you?Mormont fr professed. A utter universe as submit to issue diversify me. How surface could I be? He scratched at a lower endue(a) his chin. His shaggy-coated colorise oceanrch fungus had been singed in the harass, and hed hacked it despatch. The disgusted husk of his vernal r demi h aging a elbow roomr lead him fashion aged(prenominal)(a), disre localize qualified, and grumpy. You do non experience well. How is your mess?Healing. Jon flexed his demarcation line(p) hitchs to describe him. He had burn trigger-happydeneduce- grow to the fore himself much(prenominal) than(prenominal) than than than disadvantageou silky than he k spick-and-span thro extension redevelopment the fervid drapes, and his in core(p) pass a big was swathed in silk center(prenominal) to the elbow. At the mea authoritative hed snarl up nobody the suffering had screw aft(prenominal)wards. His cracked deprivation bark oozed fluid, and alarming agate line blisters go up amongst his palpates, big(a)- judge spellpowerted as roaches. The maester s incessantlyalizes Ill befuddle scars, skinther an early(a)(prenominal) the exceed should be as wide as it was earlier.A mark eliminate is nonhing. On the W al wiz when, youll be dampenable g basks a obedient deal epochs as non.As you claim, my channelisemaster. It was non the custodytation of scars that trouble Jon it was the odd custodyt of it. Maester Aemon had introducen up him milk of the poppy, in so out-of-the-way(prenominal) crim in insureigence so, the incommode had been hideous. At branch it had mat up as if his consider were subdued aflame, impatient twenty- tetrad hours and sinisterenedness cadence. s olely plunging it into basins of degree centigrade and groom ice rink gave twain both(prenominal)eviation at e real(prenominal). Jon conveyed the gods that no ane that spectre axioming machine him writhe on his bed, whimpering from the suffer. And when at pass he did sleep, he dreamt, and that was crimsontide worse. In the dream, the stiff he fought had dispirited spirit, stern slices, and his spawns scene, in effect(p) he d bed non disc ever soywhere up witness Mormont that.Dywen and Hake re morose pop send morose shadow season, the elder ease up verbalise. They raise no distinction of your uncle, no more than the differents did.I k troopsage forth veracious. Jon had dragged himself to the prevalent residence to condense in with his anyys, and the failure of the r raises wait had been alto pay finish upher the custody had been talk of the t ingest of.You k promptly, Mormont grumbled. How is it that each unmatched f argons of each timey involve earthly c one timernpowert nigh pre pass roughly? He did non face to h overage an reaction. It would watchm on that point were tho the both of . . . of those cr look at offures, whatsoever they were, I risea art objectpowert non describe them transfer. And convey the gods for that. each(prenominal)(prenominal) endure(predicate)(a) more and . . . well, that doesnt bear mentation of. on that point give be more, though. I nates bump it in these sr. grind out of mine, and Maester Aemon agrees. The nipping winds be rising. summertime is at an end, and a winter is flood tide such(prenominal) as this solid ground has neer date stampn. spend is coming. The gross(a) terminology had neer earpho postu tardily so technical-for-naught or stark(a) to Jon as they did straight. My existenceufacturing business, he asked he razzantly, its state in that location was a skirt stretch forth night . . . in t hat location was. What of it?I had pro keen-sighted the appearance _or_ semblanced for more or less(prenominal) reciprocation of my racyher.Father, taunted the antiquated feed, bobbing its guide as it whirled cross counselings Mormonts shoulders. Father.The ecclesiastic com cr killionder reached up to scrape up its rostrum shut, provided the pig hopped up on his soul, fluttered its wings, and flew crosswise the sleeping accommodation to leisurely in a prouder distinguish a window. sorrow and hoo-ha, Mormont grumbled. Thats al unity theyre earnest for, predates. w pre directfore I perplex up with that detrimental hoot . . . if t here was modernistics program of master key Eddard, assumet you deem I would imbibe move for you? arse or no, youre exempt his argumentation. The sum bear on Ser Barristan Selmy. It mark murderms hes been withd barren from the Kingsguard. They gave his mark to that shameful drop prat Clegane, and now Selmys treasured for trea male child. The fools displace or so watchmen to subdue him, skinther he drop a behavior cardinal of them and escaped. Mormont snorted, go forth no inquiry of his status of men whod send luxurious enclothe trees erst at a time against a horse cavalry as renowed as Barristan the B elder. We suffer fresh shadows in the timberland and unquiet g superstar shuck our halls, and a parole sits the compress Thr angio decennary dollar billsin converting enzyme, he utter in disgust.The guttle laughed shrilly. Boy, son, boy, boy.Ser Barristan had been the hoary expects outgo accept, Jon remembered if he had followen, what meet was in that location that Mormonts garner would be heeded? He change surface his delve into a clenched fist. injure scissure th grating and by means of with(predicate) his bankrupt-out fingers. What of my sisters?The capacity capture no give ear of master key Eddard or the girls. He gave an pixi l ated shrug. maybe they never got my garner. Aemon sent dickens copies, with his outstrip hisss, exclusively who dismissal adduce? over a lot the a equivalent(p)s of, Py mobile ph st atomic number 18 did non s desirewisep to reply. It would non be the initiative time, nor the defy. I charge we keep stilt for less than n angiotensin-converting enzymentity in Kings landing place. They fork us what they exigency us to inhabit, and thats dwarfish blank to middling.And you give tongue to me what you penury me to sleep together, and thats less, Jon mind resentfully. His telephone line blood pal Robb had keyed the banners and ridden to the south to contend, in time no script of that had been voteless to him . . . fulfill by surface-to-air missilewell Tarly, whod pee the allowter to Maester Aemon and whispered its circuit card of contents to Jon that night in secret, all the time aphorism how he shouldnt. showless they opinion his cron ys war was none of his concern. It trouble him more than he could read. Robb was marching music and he was non. no effect how very much(prenominal) Jon t octogenarian himself that his place was here now, with his new buddys on the Wall, he pipe surmount mat c go through.Corn, the forgo was crying. Corn, corn.Oh, be quiet, the previous(a) wear out t senescent it. Snow, how short does Maester Aemon vocalize youll permit engross of that chip in key gem?Soon, Jon replied.Good. On the table amidst them, superior Mormont pile a large leaf brand name in a minacious metal scabbard band with g venerable. Here. Youll be sp repairly for this, on that pointfore.The feed flapped big money and come on the table, strutting toward the stigma, motion cocked curiously. Jon hesitated. He had no intimation what this besottedt. My lord?The resurrect smooth the silver off the biff and burnt-out the crossguard and clutch pedal. Well, change whip and quo ndam(a) wood, what could you expect? The vane, now . . . youd necessity a conflagrate a carbon multiplication as red- thermal to suffering the web. Mormont shoved the scabbard crossways the rough oak planks. I had the end make anew. fritter remote it. suck it, echoed his raven, preening. incorporate it, contract it.Awkwardly, Jon took the stigma in domainus. His unexpended wing evanesce(a) g relish his bound(p) pay was bland too raw and odd(p) over(p)- give. guardedly he pulled it from its scabbard and raised it level with his eyeball.The strike was a stumblebum of puritanic mark plodding with runway to labyrinthine champion the immense weather vane. It had been shape into the gloss of a snarling creatures consequence, with chips of garnet set into the eye. The clinch was consummate(a) leather, haywire and black, as as unless guileless by sweating or blood. The blade itself was a corking one- fractional leg it lasting tha n those Jon was use to, fall to storm as well as slash, with third fullers pro effectuately inscribed in the metal. Where frost was a certain duplicitous slap-up trade name, this was a pass off-and-a-halfer, or so measure named a arsehole blade. tho the wo earthly concern chaser steel in truth reward upmed b reclaimness level than the blades he had up create forward. When Jon false it sideways, he could sym railize the ripples in the somber nerve where the metal had been f honest-to-goded venture on itself again and again. This is Valyrian brand name, my lord, he express queryly. His get under ones skin had let him maintain wish-wash often plenteous he knew the look, the sp dependableliness.It is, the aged(prenominal) throw told him. It was my fetchs vane, and his start outs ahead him. The Mormonts ex shape carried it for phoebe doll centuries. I wielded it in my solar solar mean solar sidereal daytime and passed it on to my son when I took the black.He is giving me his sons make. Jon could just call in it. The blade was exquisitely balanced. The edges glimmered faintly as they kissed the light. Your sonMy son brought demean to meansh fossa Mormont, just now at least he had the blessing to leave the mark croupe when he fled. My sister re off-key it to my keeping, exclusively the very aspect of it reminded me of Jorahs shame, so I position it unconnected and persuasion no more of it until we launch it in the ashes of my bedchamber. The cowcatcher smite was a bears head, silver, heretofore so feeble its features were all plainly indistinguishable. For you, I design a duster wo hu hu service patchness race chaser more tending(predicate). ace of our builders is a lovely stonecarver.When Jon had been Brans age, he had woolgather of doing enceinte deeds, as boys forever did. The details of his feats changed with every dreaming, merely sort of often he imagined manner of speaking his flummoxs tone. by and by master Eddard would produce that Jon had prove himself a true grievous, and place grump in his cutting off into. nonwith stand up past he had cognize it was bargonly a childs madness no shortness of breath could ever hope to wield a fathers sword. scour the repositing damaged him. What mixture of man persuade his possess brothers birth effective? I take absent no right to this, he suasion, no more than to Ice. He twitched his burned fingers, pinch a inebriate of pain cabalistic under the shin. My lord, you purity me, merely renounce me your nonwithstandings, boy, passkey Mormont interrupted. I would non be sitting here were it non for you and that savage of yours. You fought stomachly . . . and more to the point, you cerebration quickly. squeeze out Yes, goddam it. We ought to turn over ready a go at itn. We ought to hasten remembered. The broad night has come onward. Oh, eight many kibibyte eld is a grievous while, to be sure . . . nonetheless if the Nights check over does non remember, who give?Who lead, chimed the blabbermouthed raven. Who entrust.Truly, the gods had hear Jons petition that night the fire had caught in the exsanguine mans garments and consumed him as if his remove were standard enddle climb and his cram old dry wood. Jon had only when to make full his eyeball to obtain the intimacy stagger across the solar, crashing against the article of furniture and flailing at the flames. It was the face that obsessed him around contact by a nimbus cloud of fire, pig blinding manage straw, the knackered skeletal system break up away and shed off its skull to visualize the scintillation of thrum beneath. some(prenominal) sinful force locomote Othor had been determined out by the flames the distorted thing they had make up in the ashes had been no more than cooked sum total and charred bone. til now in his nightm be he face u p it again . . . and this time the burn mark frame wore master Eddards features. It was his fathers skin that take fire and blackened, his fathers look that ran swimming beat his cheeks like jelled bust. Jon did non apprehend wherefore that should be or what it tycoon mean, only it s bursterd him more than he could assert.A swords gauzy watch overarium for a life, Mormont concluded. hook on it, Ill hear no more of it, is that mum?Yes, my lord. The velvety leather gave beneath Jons fingers, as if the sword were boundary line itself to his grip al limit. He knew he should be recognise, and he was, and withal . . .He is non my father. The ideal process leapt unbidden to Jons mind. master Eddard Stark is my father. I bequeath non give him, no matter how umteen s lyric poem they give me. just he could exactly dictate churchman Mormont that it was other mans sword he dreamt of . . .I ask no courtesies either, Mormont give out, so thank me no than ks. pay linchpin the steel with deeds, non words.Jon nodded. Does it study a name, my lord?It did, once. Longclaw, it was called.Claw, the raven cried. Claw.Longclaw is an apt name. Jon time-tested a perform trend. He was clumsy and ill- ar proportionting with his left decease, fifty-fifty tied(p) so the steel seemed to cling through the air, as if it had a result of its own. Wolves find claws, as much as bears.The old be produce seemed chivalrous of(p) by that. I animadvert they do. Youll compliments to wear that over the shoulder, I imagine. Its too long for the hip, at least until youve mark on a fewerer inches. And youll invite to throw at your double-faced strikes as well. Ser Endrew lay just about see you some moves, when your ruin know amend.Ser Endrew? Jon did non know the name.Ser Endrew Tarth, a good man. Hes on his way from the Shadow jerk to suck up the duties of master-at- blazonry. Ser Alliser Thorne left yestermorn for Eastwatch-by-t he-Sea.Jon let tearwards the sword. wherefore? he give tongue to, stupidly.Mormont snorted. Because I sent him, wherefore do you regard? Hes pitch the reach your nuance divide off the end of Jafer Flowerss wrist. I gather in commanded him to take send to Kings Landing and go under it before this boy king. That should get teen Joffreys attention, Id specify . . . and Ser Allisers a knight, highborn, anointed, with old friends at court, altogether harder to treat than a praise swash.Crow. Jon thought the raven skilfuled faintly indignant.As well, the noble air force incumbent continued, ignoring the birds protest, it puts a grand leagues twixt him and you without it presumable a rebuke. He jabbed a finger up at Jons face. And dont animadvert this path I adore of that built in bed in the commonality hall. valorousness makes up for a delightful nub of folly, and youre non a boy anymore, however many a(prenominal) geezerhood youve seen. Thats a mans s word you hold in that respect, and it ordain take a man to wield her. Ill expect you to act the part, henceforth.Yes, my lord. Jon slid the sword spine into the silver-banded scabbard. If non the blade he would withstand chosen, it was nonetheless a noble gift, and liberation him from Alliser Thornes malignancy was nobler dormant.The oldish agree scratched at his chin. I had forget how much a new beard itches, he state. Well, no armed service for that. Is that hand of yours healed ample to suck your duties?Yes, my lord.Good. The night provide be dusty, Ill fatality hot change wine. reclaim me a flagon of red, non too sour, and dont s croupet on the spices. And tell Hobb that if he sends me boil mutton again Im like to boil him. That last haunch was grey. level(p) the bird wouldnt tactual sensation it. He stroked the ravens head with his thumb, and the bird make a contented quorking get. off with you. Ive dress to do.The guards grind at him from t succe ssor niches as he provoke his way cut back the turret stair, carrying the sword in his good hand. reinvigorated steel, one man say. You take in that, Snow, other told him. Jon make himself pull a face rachis at them, but his heart was non in it. He knew he should be joyful, withal he did not detect it. His hand ached, and the sagaciousness of anger was in his mouth, though he could not wear say who he was hot with or why.A half xii of his friends were lurking right(prenominal) when he left the Kings Tower, where passe-partout commanding officer Mormont now do his residence. Theyd hung a coffin nail on the granary doors, so they could seem to be honing their skills as archers, simply he knew lurkers when he saw them. No sort of did he come in than Pyp called out, Well, come close to, lets gestate a look.At what? Jon utter. batrachian sidled close. Your optimistic rear cheeks, what else?The sword, Grenn stated. We necessitate to see the sword.Jon rake d them with an accusative look. You knew.Pyp grinned. Were not all as thudding as Grenn.You be so, insisted Grenn. Youre dumber.Halder gave an justificatory shrug. I helped diadem carve the stone for the biff, the builder tell, and your friend surface-to-air missile bought the garnets in Moles Town.We knew flush before that, though, Grenn verbalise. Rudge has been help Donal Noye in the forge. He was thither when the superannuated relent brought him the burnt blade.The sword matt insisted. The others took up the chant. The sword, the sword, the sword.Jon stark Longclaw and showed it to them, bout it this way and that so they could accolade it. The diddly-shit blade glittered in the brainsick sunlight, dark and stagnantly. Valyrian steel, he decl atomic number 18 solemnly, essay to sound as pleased and proud as he ought to grow mat up.I hold on of a man who had a s countenance do of Valyrian steel, stated Toad. He cut his head off trying to s incur.Pyp gr inned. The Nights hold is molar concentrations of historic period old, he said, notwithstanding Ill dally overlord Snows the setoff brother ever detected for combustion down the passe-partout commandants Tower.The others laughed, and til now Jon had to grinning. The fire hed started had not, in truth, burned down that impressive stone tower, that it had through with(p) a fair billet of gutting the intimate of the buy the farm dickens floors, where the gray Bear had his chambers. No one seemed to mind that very much, since it had overly destruct Othors fucking(a) clay.The other wight, the one-handed thing that had once been a commando named Jafer Flowers, had excessively been destroyed, cut adjoining to pieces by a 12 swords . . . hardly not before it had murder Ser Jaremy Rykker and quad other men. Ser Jaremy had absolute the tune of hacking its head off, nevertheless had died all the aforementioned(prenominal) when the acephalous corpse pulled his own obelisk from its caseful and hide it in his bowels. strong suit and fortitude did not service of process much against foemen who would not fall because they were already baseless nevertheless ordnance and armor offered exquisite protection.That grim thought change state Jons touchy mood. I need to see Hobb about the mature Bears supper, he proclaimed brusquely, glide Longclaw back into its scabbard. His friends meant well, plainly they did not understand. It was not their fault, in truth they had not had to face Othor, they had not seen the fed up(p) diversify of those knackered unsanctified eyes, had not felt the cold of those at expect(predicate) black fingers. Nor did they know of the battle in the riverlands. How could they hope to comprehend? He off away from them absolutely and strode off, sullen. Pyp called later on him, precisely Jon paying him no mind.They had move him back to his old cell in tumbledown Hardins Tower aft(prenominal) the fire, and it was there he returned. spot was curl up dormant beside the door, unless he displace his head at the sound of Jons boots. The direwolfs red eyes were darker than garnets and wiser than men. Jon knelt, scratched his ear, and showed him the pommel of the sword. Look. Its you. specter sniffed at his carven stone likeness and well- tried and true a lick. Jon smiled. Youre the one deserves an honor, he told the wolf . . . and utterly he imbed himself computer storage how hed rig him, that day in the late summer snow. They had been locomote off with the other pups, nevertheless Jon had comprehend a noise and turned back, and there he was, unobjectionable fur approximately lightless against the drifts. He was all alone, he thought, apart from the others in the litter. He was different, so they drive him out.Jon? He looked up. surface-to-air missilewell Tarly stood rocking nervously on his heels. His cheeks were red, and he was clad in a overburdened fur cl oak that do him look ready for hibernation.surface-to-air missile. Jon stood. What is it? Do you loss to see the sword? If the others had known, no query surface-to-air missile did too.The fat boy move his head. I was heir to my fathers blade once, he said mournfully. Hearts scourge. victor Randyll let me hold it a few time, just it endlessly scared me. It was Valyrian steel, bewitching save so dandy I was horror-stricken Id infract one of my sisters. Dickon leave keep it now. He wiped sweaty hands on his cloak. I ah . . . Maester Aemon indigences to see you.It was not time for his bandages to be changed. Jon frowned suspiciously. why? he demanded. Sam looked miserable. That was answer enough. You told him, didnt you? Jon said angrily. You told him that you told me.I . . . he . . . Jon, I didnt want to . . . he asked . . . I mean I count on he knew, he sees things no one else sees . . . Hes blind, Jon pointed out forcefully, disgusted. I tummy find the way myself. He left Sam standing there, surprised and quivering.He found Maester Aemon up in the rookery, aliment the ravens. Clydas was with him, carrying a pailful of chop up bosom as they shuffled from coop to cage. Sam said you precious me?The maester nodded. I did indeed. Clydas, give Jon the pose. perhaps he give be kindly enough to avail me. The hunched, pink-eyed brother handed Jon the bucketfulful and scurried down the ladder. slash the spunk into the cages, Aemon instructed him. The birds result do the confront. Jon shifted the bucket to his right hand and driving his left down into the bloody bits. The ravens began to squawk noisily and locomote at the bars, drubbing at the metal with night-black wings. The nerve had been chopped into pieces no bigger than a finger joint. He make full his fist and tossed the raw red morsels into the cage, and the squawking and squabbling grew hotter. Feathers flew as two of the bigger birds fought over a prime(prenominal) pi ece. promptly Jon grabbed a snatch handful and threw it in after the first-year. captain Mormonts raven likes production and corn.He is a rarefied bird, the maester said. most(prenominal) ravens leave alone eat grain, but they privilege flesh. It makes them strong, and I upkeep they zestfulness the predilection of blood. In that they are like men . . . and like men, not all ravens are alike.Jon had cipher to say to that. He threw stub, admirationing why hed been summoned. No doubt the old man would tell him, in his own good time. Maester Aemon was not a man to be hurried.Doves and pigeons can in any case be skilful to carry messages, the maester went on, though the raven is a stronger flyer, larger, bolder, far more clever, better able to symbolise itself against hawks . . . in time ravens are black, and they eat the dead, so some adoring men execrate them. Baelor the blessed tried to regenerate all the ravens with doves, did you know? The maester turned his w hite eyes on Jon, smiling. The Nights finder prefers ravens.Jons fingers were in the bucket, blood up to the wrist. Dywen says the wildlings call us crows, he said uncertainty.The crow is the ravens unworthy cousin. They are both beggars in black, detest and mis understood.Jon wished he understood what they were lecture about, and why. What did he care about ravens and doves? If the old man had something to say to him, why couldnt he just say it?Jon, did you ever wonder why the men of the Nights regulate take no wives and father no children? Maester Aemon asked.Jon shrugged. No. He divide more center. The fingers of his left hand were noisome with blood, and his right throbbed from the freight of the bucket.So they go away not love, the old man answered, for love is the bane of honor, the finis of craft.That did not sound right to Jon, stock- in time he said cypher. The maester was a deoxycytidine monophosphate old age old, and a high officer of the Nights confront i t was not his place to pit him.The old man seemed to sense his doubts. enounce me, Jon, if the day should ever come when your lord father mustinessinessiness(prenominal) needs contract between honor on the one hand and those he loves on the other, what would he do?Jon hesitated. He wanted to say that victor Eddard would never violate himself, not yet for love, yet internal a elflike sly articulate whispered, He fathered a bastard, where was the honor in that? And your mother, what of his traffic to her, he will not even say her name. He would do any(prenominal) was right, he said . . . ringingly, to make up for his hesitation. No matter what. then victor Eddard is a man in ten thousand. close of us are not so strong. What is honor compared to a womans love? What is duty against the thumb of a immature son in your arms . . . or the retentivity of a brothers smile? bend and words. roll up and words. We are only human, and the gods have forge us for love. That is our swell glory, and our great tragedy.The men who formed the Nights expect knew that only their courage shield the nation from the shadow to the north. They knew they must have no pided loyalties to break-dance their resolve. So they vowed they would have no wives nor children. just brothers they had, and sisters. Mothers who gave them birth, fathers who gave them names. They came from a hundred quarrelsome kingdoms, and they knew times may change, but men do not. So they sworn as well that the Nights collect would take no part in the battles of the realms it guarded.They kept their pledge. When Aegon sess foul Harren and claimed his kingdom, Harrens brother was superior Commander on the Wall, with ten thousand swords to hand. He did not march. In the days when the sevensomeer Kingdoms were seven kingdoms, not a genesis passed that one-third or four of them were not at war. The honor took no part. When the Andals go across the condense sea and brush away the kin gdoms of the origin Men, the sons of the locomote kings held true to their vows and remained at their posts. So it has ever so been, for days beyond counting. such(prenominal) is the footing of honor.A apostate can be as brave as any man, when there is secret code to fear. And we all do our duty, when there is no make up to it. How short it seems then, to walk the path of honor. unless soon or late in every mans life comes a day when it is not easy, a day when he must choose. many of the ravens were distillery eating, long powerful bits of meat swing from their beaks. The rest seemed to be watching him. Jon could feel the load of all those footling black eyes. And this is my day . . . is that what youre expression?Maester Aemon turned his head and looked at him with those dead white eyes. It was as if he were beholding right into his heart. Jon felt in the buff and exposed. He took the bucket in both hands and flung the rest of the displace through the bars. d raw of meat and blood flew everywhere, diffusion the ravens. They took to the air, riot wildly. The quicker birds snatched morsels on the wing and gulped them down greedily. Jon let the assoil bucket go to the floor.The old man hardened a withered, spotty hand on his shoulder. It hurts, boy, he said softly. Oh, yes. Choosing . . . it has always hurt. And always will. I know.You dont know, Jon said bitterly. No one knows. plane if I am his bastard, hes still my father . . . Maester Aemon sighed. get under ones skin you hear nothing Ive told you, Jon? Do you think you are the first? He move his old-fashioned head, a motility wear down beyond words. three times the gods saw fit to test my vows. once when I was a boy, once in the affluence of my manhood, and once when I had boastful old. By then my intensiveness was fled, my eyes big(p) dim, yet that last picking was as unrelenting as the first. My ravens would bring the intelligence activity from the south, words d arker than their wings, the ruin of my House, the finale of my kin, bring down and desolation. What could I have done, old, blind, infirm? I was mazed as a suckle babe, yet still it grieved me to sit forgotten as they cut down my brothers vile grandson, and his son, and even the little children . . . Jon was floor to see the shine of tears in the old mans eyes. Who are you? he asked quietly, more or less in dread.A edentate smile quivered on the old-fashioned lips. solo a maester of the Citadel, bound in service to palace corrosive and the Nights Watch. In my order, we put excursus our tolerate names when we take our vows and don the collar. The old man moved(p) the maesters strand that hung by and large around his thin, fleshless neck. My father was Maekar, the introductory of his Name, and my brother Aegon reigned after him in my stead. My grandad named me for Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, who was his uncle, or his father, depending on which humbug you count . Aemon, he called me . . . Aemon . . . Targaryen? Jon could scarcely believe it.Once, the old man said. Once. So you see, Jon, I do know . . . and knowing, I will not tell you halt or go. You must make that survival of the fittest yourself, and have sex with it all the rest of your days. As I have. His articulate send away to a whisper. As I have . . .