Chapter Seventy-Five - Samwell 4 - A Storm of Swords | A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF)

Sam and Gilly have made to Castle Black. Gilly has taken on a second baby to feed. Sam has a crafty idea to ensure Gilly and son are cared for. Janos Slynt is making waves in the vote for Lord Commander. Mackelly and Simon consider voter fraud to keep Slynt out of the top spot.

Chapter Review:
Samwell Tarly, Gilly, and Gilly’s baby have finally made it to Castle Black. Gilly has begun feeding Mance and Dalla’s newborn son. Dalla’s sister Val has heard that Melasandre plans to burn Mance and asks that he be allowed to see his son first. Jon Snow says he’ll ask.

Later, Jon asks Sam about his feelings for Gilly. Sam says he knows there’s no future for them but tells Jon of a plan to send Gilly and the baby to Sam’s mother at Horn Hill. Sam will lie and say that the boy is his. Jon thinks it could work, but it depends on the type of man the boy grows up to be. It is killing Sam to keep a secret from Jon. Sam knows that Bran is alive but swore multiple times not to reveal it, and he holds true to his word.

That night the men vote on a new Lord Commander. Nobody is close to the two-thirds vote necessary to win. Denys Mallister and Cotter Pyke are the front-runners but Janos Slynt continues to climb in the voting. Sam knows that if Mallister and Pyke could agree on only one of the men running, they’d be very close to having the numbers. However, Sam is too craven to raise the idea to his superiors.

Characters/Places/Names/Events:
Samwell Tarly - Brother of the Night’s Watch, friend to John Snow. Slayer of Others.
Gilly - Wildling daughter/wife of Craster.
Jon Snow - Bastard son of Ned Stark. Member of the Night’s Watch.
Stannis Baratheon - Lord of Dragonstone, rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms.
Denys Mallister - Commander of the Shadow Tower.
Cotter Pyke - Commander of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea.
Janos Slynt - New recruit to the Night’s Watch. Formerly commander of the Gold Cloaks in King’s Landing and briefly Lord of Harrenhal.
Mance Rayder - The King Beyond the Wall, a former brother of the Night’s Watch.
Val - Sister to Mance’s woman Dalla.