Hidden | Jon Snow

VIII

Emily saw their confused faces, and found herself feeling hopeless.

"The Night's Watch has never had a lady join before, why change that?" the Lord Commander asked Emily.

"Because I can fight better than half the men you already have here."

There was silence when a knock was heard on the door.

"Come in" the Lord Commander stated. A round man walked in awkwardly. When she looked at him, she thought he should be anywhere else besides the Wall. His brown eyes were soft and innocent, but something about him was familiar.

The Lord Commander excused the other guard when the other man in black came through the door way.

"Sam right now is not the time," the Lord Commander signed, trying to get rid of the man who entered.

Sam.

As a child she remembered a round faced boy who was always getting yelled at by his father. A boy who was always sad. A boy who always was close to his mother's side. Emily was sitting next to her parents during a party one night back in Fort Castor. She remembers seeing a young, awkward boy getting yelled at by what she assumed his father. After his father walked away, she could see he was upset so she approached him.

"Hello, what's your name" a young Emily asked The round faced boy.

"Samwell Tarly, and yours?"

"Mine is Emily Castor, why was your papa yelling at you?"

Sam sniffled, "My father found out I read to my mother while she sewed at nights. I mean where is the harm in that. My father wants to destroy everything I enjoy in this world."

Emily pitied the young boy.

Emily turned around to face an older version of the once young, sad boy she meet years ago.

"Sam? Samwell Tarly? You most likely don't remember me." She said looking at him, pointing to herself. He looked at her confused.

"I'm Emily Castor, you would read to your mother at nights...while she sewed. You were crying one night... after your father had yelled at you," she tried to explain, she felt awkward like it wasn't her place to be saying these things.

Finally recognizing her, his face glowed, and then it dropped into a confused frown. "What in the gods' name are you doing here at the Wall?" He asked her.

"It's a very long story."

"I'm sure it is," the Lord Commander said firmly, reminding her, he was still here.

"Sam, you know this girl," he questioned with his eyebrows furrowed, and getting up out of the desk to stand next to Sam.

"I mean she looks a lot different then what I remember, but I definitely remember that night at Fort Castor. It feels like yesterday," he said still looking at Emily. He sent her a small smile.

"Please elaborate," he asked Sam.

"Well you see Jon, both our houses are loyal to the Lannister's and, we lived close by, so our parents were neighbors. Emily and I weren't really friends, but I remember her," he said.

The Lord Commander seemed to be thinking about Sam's words. He turned around and looked at her. "So you, m'lady, are a Castor?"

"That's what I thought until three weeks ago...when my father said he picked me out of Flea Bottom in King's Landing. He raised me as his own finally telling me the truth when he was imprisoned by King Robb. That's why I'm here...this is my last place to go. My father pretty much disowned me because he thought I slept with King Robb so I have no connections, and to be quite frank, I never was a big fan of the Lannister's," she spoke quickly just wanted to conversation over with.

Emily looked the Lord Commander in his eyes. "Listen well Lord Commander, I may not be a man but I can fight like one, even better than one. My life has been a lie, and now I want to start over. I...I was never the type of woman to sit, gossip, and sew. If you turn me away you will be losing a great fighter, and here at the wall you can use all the help you can get. I. Just. Want. To find my place in this war." She said looking at him dead in the eye.

A few seconds went by. He seemed hesitant and stared at me back. He turned to Sam and said... "the men will either hate me or love me for this," he gave Emily one last glance and walked out the door.

Emily turned to Sam, "so does that mean yes or..."

"I think he likes you," Sam said being amused.