A Feast for Crows-Chapter 35

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Samwell IV
A Feast for Crows chapter
POV Samwell Tarly
Place sailing off the coast of Dorne
Page 519 UK HC (Other versions)
Chapter chronology (All)
Samwell III
Cat of the Canals  ← Samwell IV →  Cersei VIII

Samwell V


The Cinnamon Wind is somewhere off the coast of Dorne as Sam leads a prayer service to mourn the passing of Aemon Targaryen. Xhondo's information on the three dragons had given Maester Aemon a second wind, but it was not enough. Sam recalls some of the ancient maester's words during the sea voyage from Braavos, "No one ever looked for a girl. It was a prince that was promised... Rhaegar, I thought... The error crept in from the translation. Dragons are neither male nor female... Daenerys is the one, born amidst salt and smoke... Lady Melisandre has misread the signs. Stannis has some of the dragon blood in him, yes... Rhaelle, Egg's little girl, she was how they (the Baratheons) came by it... They must send her a maester. Daenerys must be counseled, taught, protected..." Aemon begged Sam to convince the archmaesters of this, and later rambled some of the following (perhaps prophetic) lines: "a glass candle that could not be lit; eggs that would not hatch; the sphinx was the riddle, not the riddler."

Gilly and Sam sit together after the eulogy, drinking rum. Gilly points out that had Aemon remained on the Wall, Melisandre might have sacrificed him for his king's blood. Jon must have known this, and sent the old maester, as well as Dalla's boy, to save them from the Red Woman's fires. Gilly then says that she will name the boy Aemon Steelsong once he reaches the age of two. Below decks, Sam and Gilly have sex, although he is consumed by guilt for forsaking his vows. Afterwards, Sam tries to avoid Gilly, but Kojja corners him and tells him that what he and Gilly did was considered holy in the Summer Islands, a way of honoring the dead by celebrating life. Kojja advises Sam that Gilly knows they can never be man and wife, but there was nothing wrong with them comforting each other on the long journey. Sam is persuaded, but perhaps it is because Kojja threatens to throw him overboard if he does not continue sleeping with Gilly.

References and Notes