LongRider

But lots of new daggers could present lots of new opportunities for violence. Tempers can run high in a tourney, so it remains to be seen.

Agree with the bolded. LF hired the sellswords, he did not indicate that they were working together, only that they were introduced to Sansa at the same time. Brie was actively looking for Sansa, which was why Shadrich may have offered for the them to throw in together. He might be willing to share a 'plumb bag of gold' with one other (or try to cheat her), but two others? I don't think the gold bag is that plump. I'm not convinced he's one of Vary's mice either. He's a sellsword, a free agent.

Awwww, thanks Wizz-Kidd! :cheers:

Thank you Rapsie for your comment! Gotta agree with you, Sam and Gilly do add a bit of sweetness to this story. :wub:

Thanks for the kind words SeanF! The vows for celibacy don't work out very well in story; the Kingsguard has example of parmours and bastards, the Citadel as Sam notes "He reflects that the Citadel ‘did not permit novices to keep wives or paramours, at least not openly." and the NW has molestown. The breaking of the celibacy vows does bring some great tension and angst for Sam and Jon Snow, not so much for Jaime tho', so it's been interesting to follow their stories as they work out how that particular vow works out. And 'fat pink mast' is funny as you noted. :P

Thanks Elba! I do like Sam and Gilly's story and there is quite a bit too them really once one digs into their stories. The groom giving the bride his cloak in the formal weddings of Westeros is a beautiful custom in my view and I've grown to like it. Of course, it had to be pointed out to me that that was what was happening the various Sansa/Sandor scenes where this occurs, so once I became aware of that I found that symbolism is all over S&G. Gilly starts out as frightened little mouse (with good reason!) and grows into quite a woman, it's been a pleasure to read and write about.

When Gilly first contacted Sam and then Jon about leaving Craster's, she offered both of them "I could be your wife." This was I think her offer to be a sex slave in order to leave her father and his abuse and to save her unborn babe. We see this with Theon and the ship captain's daughter when she offers to be his salt wife, again as a way to better her situation. (good thing for her that Theon said no) This is a sad offering from one who is desperate and has nothing else to give. However, on the Cinnamon Wind, Gilly the woman strongly declares "I am your wife." So different from the pleading of a frightened girl in a desperate situation. Gilly the woman, taking things in hand. She instinctively knew that if their relationship was to progress, Sam would need a push. And Sam says "Yes" The love sick fool! I'd like to see her telling Sam's family of his exploits as well. His mother would really love that!

Love your comments TWE! Yes, one look at that 'fat pink mast' and she hoisted up her sails and pumped out the ballast! LOL! This is an important theme with some of GRRM's female characters, we see them grow and reach for agency. Here with Gilly we have a girl who is doing what she may have thought she never could. Her marriage to Craster was an 'arranged' marriage just as the marriages and betrothals we see in Westeros. But that Gilly, she pushed the envelope; she approaches Sam at Craster's Keep when to do so was dangerous for her and him. One step at time and she makes a free choice, her choice in the man she wants as husband, and beds him too! Without Jon and the NW Sam would not have the opportunity for growth that has changed him, and his relationship with Gilly takes that even further. What a great story really. Thanks for your post, you caught what I missed. :thumbsup:

Thanks Le Cygne! I have to say that while the actual writing of an essay can be a bit difficult, it pays off as one gets to know the characters and situations they're in so much better and can see the small details and can bring them out. That's the case with Sam and Gilly, a love story that doesn't get that much attention from the fans. GRRM however, paid attention to the details and themes, large and small and it's really a fine, sweet love story. I'm glad to have had the opportunity to look deeper into their story. Love your last line! Perfect!

I've finished Sam and Gilly part 2. My apologies for taking so long! Sam and Gilly. Part 2. “No happy choices and no happy endings.” Samwell Tarly. Part one was the story of Sam and Gilly journeying from Craster’s Keep to the Wall. While they had many terrors and hardships along the way, they discovered their courage and that love can come to any one; even the craven. After sometime spent at Castle Black, Sam and Gilly journey again, but this journey is very different from the last. This is not a journey of discovery, but a passage to misery. It is an unexpected voyage; Sam sent away to the Citadel in Oldtown to earn a Maester’s chain, something he does not want. Maester Aemon and Gilly sent away with Dalla’s boy to protect the old man and babe from Melisandre’s fires. At Eastwatch, they are joined by Dareon, a singer whose task is to sing about the NW in hopes of gaining recruits. They travel by the NW ship, the Blackbird to Braavos. A journey filled with Gilly’s tears and grief, Maester Aemon’s increasingly frail health and Dareon growing drunkenness and hostility. Gilly’s constant grief is something Sam does not understand until blind Maester Aemon tells him what Sam cannot see; she was forced to leave her babe at the Wall and bring Dalla’s boy to protect him. Sam learns that even good men like Jon must make hard choices that make no one happy. Once they land in Braavos the misery continues. Maester Aemon becomes too weak to travel and their money is quickly spent. Dareon sings to earn coin but spends more and more of it on wine and whores. The situation comes to a head when Sam hunts the winesinks and brothels in search of him. He’s saved from some pompous bravos by a waif selling clams who also tells him where to find Dareon. Once he’s found, he and Sam have a fistfight as Dareon refuses to return with Sam and tells him he’s leaving the NW. The fight ends when Sam is dumped in a canal. He almost drowns but is saved by a big man from the Summer Isles; Xhondo. Xhondo tells Sam all he has heard about dragons. When this is told to Maester Aemon, he becomes very animated and revived. Xhondo helps them negotiate passage to Oldtown on the ship Cinnamon Wind. It is when they are traveling on the Cinnamon Wind luck turns. There is a Change on the Wind. Their situation gets worse before it gets better tho. Maester Aemon’s recovery was brief and he soon became even more weak and frail till at last he dies. Sam gives an eulogy ending with the poignant phrase “And now his watch has ended.” The crew of the Cinnamon Wind gathered for Sam’s words and after saying them he cried deep sobs for his old friend leaning on Gilly‘s shoulder. The ship is a trade ship from the Summer Islands and they honor the dead a bit differently than the Westerosi traditions. After he cries for a bit, Xhondo says “Black Sam said good words. Now we drink his life.” The custom of celebrating the life of Maester Aemon had begun. Spiced rum is served and Sam and Gilly both try their first tastes of rum. They quietly share stories together of Maester Aemon and Gilly wants to name Dalla’s boy after him. They decide the name will be ‘Aemon Steelsong’. “When he is two,” she promised, “not before.” Sam wonders where the babe is and Gilly tells him, the Captain’s daughter, Kojja Mo has taken him for a time. They drink several more cups of rum until Gilly says she’s dizzy and Sam helps her down to the cabin. He bangs his head on a lantern, Gilly says “Are you hurt? Let me see.” She leans in close and plants a big ole kiss on Sam’s mouth! He’s kissing her back and she’s tugging at his laces and he says “We can’t” and Gilly insists “We can.” And they do! She bares her breasts for him and puts a nipple in his mouth. Mother’s milk and rum for a Sweet Amore cocktail. The sweetness was tempered with a bit of guilt of course, but then Sam discovers he’s very hard and exposed and Gilly knew just to do. She whispers “I am your wife now.” and Sam could only say “Yes.” After the loving they fell asleep in each others arms… The next morning Sam awakes alone in his own bunk and is consumed with guilt and shame. He goes topside to his ship chores and the hard work of avoiding Gilly. He is not able to reconcile his love for Gilly, the very human gift of physical intimacy she has shared with him and his vows of the Night Watch. Sam spends the day working on avoiding Gilly. If she came topside, he went below. If she came forward, he went aft. If she smiled at him, he would look away. But they weren't alone on the ship and at the end of the work day Xhondo took Sam by the scruff of the neck and delivers him to Kojja Mo. She points to the coast of Dorne and tells Sam he can swim there, or go to Gilly. Sam protests and Kojja Mo then tells Sam; “…you honored your dead, and the gods who made you both. ..All you Westerosi make a shame of loving. There is no shame in loving. If your septons say there is, your seven gods must be demons. In the isles we know better. Our gods gave us legs to run with, noses to smell with, hands to touch and feel. What mad cruel god would give a man eyes and tell him he must forever keep them shut, and never look at all the beauty in the world? Only a monster god, a demon of darkness.” She puts her hand between Sam’s legs and tell him “The gods gave you this for…fucking. For the giving of pleasure and the making of children. There is no shame in that.” Sam protests that he took a vow to “…take no wife, father no children. I said the words.” Then Kojja Mo tells Sam “She knows the words you said…She knows why you wear the black, why you go to Oldtown. She knows she cannot keep you. She wants you for a little while is all. She lost her father and her husband, her mother and her sisters, her home, her world. All she has is you, and the babe. So you go to her, or swim” So Sam goes to Gilly, tells her if he could, he would take her as wife, he can't because he “…said the words before a heart tree.” And the ever sweet and understanding Gilly replies “The trees watch over us. In the forest they see all…but there are no trees here. Only water Sam. Only water.” As they approach Oldtown they see the effects of Euron’s raiders and Sam realizes that there could be war coming this way. He ponders what to do with Gilly. Keep her at Oldtown with him? Send her away with the Cinnamon Wind or send her to Horn Hill? He decides as planned, to send her to his mother at Horn Hill. Discussion and Analyses. As noted this journey starts out terribly for Sam and Gilly. Gilly’s despondency over the switching of the babies and the loss of her own son affects everyone. In Braavos their situation is worsened by the continued wailing of Gilly and babe, Maester Aemon’s worsening illness and Daeron’s increasing hostility and final abandonment of them. Once on the Cinnamon Wind Maester Aemon dies and Sam and Gilly get caught up in the drinking of rum to celebrate Maester Aemon’s life. But then, down in the Women’s Quarters, Gilly's kiss, turns into more and Sam and Gilly make sweet, although brief love. Later, Sam is so wracked with guilt he thinks of jumping in the sea but instead spends the whole day doing everything he can avoid Gilly. The Southern Islanders see this and take matters into their own hands and tell Sam about their ways of mourning the dead. Thanks to Kojja Mo, Sam realizes that Gilly has given him a gift; of intimacy, love and affection. She only wants the same in return and knows his responsibilities to the NW still apply. But Sam also now understands, that he needs to respect the physical aspect of her gifts in the spirit it was given and goes to Gilly. He confesses his shame and worry about his vows, and here Gilly gives him another gift. She understands, accepts that reality and forgives him. Sam’s story is part of Martin’s continuing comment on the absurdity and extreme difficulty of keeping vows of chastity and celibacy. Sam slams into the reality of just how unrealistic this type of vow is. He is very attracted to Gilly from the first time he meets her and as he spends more time with her it becomes inevitable that his ability to keep this vow will be challenged. After the misery of the voyage to and time spent in Braavos, his defenses completely breakdown in the wake of the grieving of Maester Aemon’s death. The Summer Islanders however, are there to educate Sam that the breaking of this vow, at this time, is not the sin he thinks it is. He deserves Gilly’s love and wants to return that love as well. Kojja Mo wisely informs him that sex can be a gift from the gods, one best when freely given and accepted and returned with grace. Gilly knows this brief interlude is temporary, but is willing to take the chance anyway. So Sam and Gilly consummate their love with the knowledge that the future is uncertain but that the present matters too. When the ships docks at Oldtown, our our ever responsible Sam, knows time to do his duty at the Citadel for the NW and tears himself away from Gilly. This journey, one so difficult and times is seemingly so endless in its gloom and despair, ends quite brightly. Sam experiences physical love for the first time and must confront the breaking of his vows. He learns that vows are fine but some can only go far and like Jon Snow, he must learn to live with that dichotomy. Kojja Mo is there to guide the way for Sam and he learns that for the rest of the journey, he can relax and love Gilly. But what of Gilly? Gilly experiences grief, fear, and a deep loneliness. The journey is so difficult and the worst happens, she is separated from the child of her body and her grief knows no bounds. Maester Aemon cares but cannot assuage her grief. Sam and Daemon are oblivious and so she is left alone with a stranger; a babe she must suckle and care for as her own. As her grief abates she learns to love the child in her arms, and sees that Sam has been there for her too, as best that he can. She realizes she loves him too. So Gilly, the simple wilding girl, the girl raised her whole life knowing her father was to be her husband and father of her children, a girl with no choices in these matters, makes a woman’s choice; a choice of her own. She chooses Sam. Sam speaks a touching eulogy for Maester Aemon after which he and Gilly drink spiced rum and remember the departed Maester. So under the effects of rum, the funeral and the Southern Islanders she takes matters into her own hands and chooses this moment to show her love to Sam. The wilding girl has become a woman. So, did this part of their story have a happy ending or no? Ah, yes and no. Sam and Gilly have strengthened their relationship through sexual intimacy and learning that not all things are permanent, but to be enjoyed in the moment. Sam also learns that not all peoples feel shame in sex. He realized too, that in a situation such as his and Gilly’s, this approach to love and life can have meaning, if only for a short time, even for one such as him. So not a ‘happy’ ending, but one that is bittersweet. Do Sam and Gilly continue to have sex during the rest of the journey? I believe they do. The ship is sailed by a people who have a very different approach to sex then the Westerosi so in that environment, he would not be shamed if he and Gilly continued. Plus, the text is subtle but he wrestles with doubts the rest of the voyage. He reflects that the Citadel ‘did not permit novices to keep wives or paramours, at least not openly. He thinks “Besides, if I stay with Gilly very much longer, how will I ever find the strength to leave her?” He had to leave her, or desert. “I said the words, if I desert it will mean my head, and how will that help Gilly?” Also, when Sam departs for the Citadel she gives him a kiss for luck. But if Sam and Gilly continued to have sex as I believe, does Gilly have Sam’s bastard in her belly? Alas, we are left with questions that must wait to be answered. In Part 1 I discussed the wedding cloak imagery that begins with their first meeting. As they make love Gilly whispers “I am your wife.” and Sam answers “Yes.” Also in Part 1, Sam sings to Gilly a hymn about the gods protecting the little children. As difficult as it was, Sam did what he could to protect and keep safe the little child that is Dalla’s babe. Are these small foreshadowing of a future marriage of Sam and Gilly? Will Sam have a little child of his own to protect some day? Well, I certainly hope so! So Sam and Gilly’s relationship has moved forward. But Sam, like Jon returns to his NW responsibilities alone. But the parting is made with planning for Gilly’s future with Sam’s family, not a parting as full of the traumas and regrets as the partings Jon and Ygritte. Gilly is last seen waiting on the boat for Sam’s return the next day to start her next trip to Horn Hill. Does the Cinnamon Wind stay in port if Sam doesn't return the next day? Marwyn rushed from the Citadel to join the boat for the return trip, does the boat leave earlier than expected? In the end both Sam and Gilly have grown, in their love, in their knowledge of each other and their shared life experience. But Oldtown is where they must part ways, so their journey’s end is bittersweet. ******** Yeah, I’m Going There… I have to mention the one phrase that most people think of when/if they think of Sam or Sam and Gilly. “And suddenly his cock was out, jutting upward from his breeches like a fat pink mast. It looked so silly standing there he might have laughed, but Gilly pushed him back onto her pallet, hiked her skirt up around her thighs, and lowered herself onto him with a little whimpery sound.” (my italics) Sam, the shy virgin gets the surprise of his life from the love of his life and he just doesn't know what to think of himself. His father had told him before he joined the NW that he expected Sam to die ’a maid.’ Well, some parts of Sam and Gilly just didn't agree. One other thing, the fandom enjoys the ’trope busting’ from GRRM and lets face it ’fat pink mast’ busts the many tropes for describing an erection. Very unlike Tyrion’s “purple bulbous head’ for example, which is more inline with descriptions of such things. So GRRM’s simple ‘fat pink mast’ has blown many minds with it’s humble description. I personally think it is quite funny and a bit of surprising description on first read. Once Sam gets his, um, sea legs, he may think quite differently about this part of his anatomy. Gilly didn't seem to think it was funny tho, and she knew just what to do with it! Last Word; I think that chapters in AFFC were so bleak and wretched, that these chapters affected how many in the fandom feel about Sam and caused them to dislike the him more than many already did. Really, it’s a shame in my view as Sam and Gilly’s story is really rather sweet but gets lost in the doldrums of such boring and grim episodes. The ‘fat pink mast’ was distracting to the story for many and is all that they remember. It’s too bad. ****** Thank you for reading!

And I forgot that too, Longie. I never picked up on the cloak symbolism with Gilly and Sam. And Sam bestows it earlier. I was totally lulled by the sweet act, it is cold outside, and there is so much cloak stuff in the series, I should have learned to look for it. LOL! But it is like his relationship with Jon. He bonds with you early, and you know he is true from the get go, with his love and caring and friendship. You really bring out the small but meaningful details bookie, always worth reading.

Thank you Elba, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I agree with your last line, but didn't find much in the text from Sam and Gilly about that. Just spent too much time trying to survive I guess.

I think this is where she backs up into him and he asks "Does my face frighten you so much?" What an opening. What I like about Sam and Gilly is GRRM takes things slow with them and lets the feelings grow as they progress through the story. One of the reasons I like it so much.

Thank you booknerd2! Looking forward to your comments. :cheers: Also, thank you as well Doglover. Your comment of " I think you managed to hit the defrost button on my frozen heart ." What a nice thing to say! ^_^ This actually is true, as she mentioned this to me one time. It helped me learn the difference between 'shipping' which I would now define as 'fanfic' and 'romance' which is literature. That's why I like this thread, we look for and discuss the romances in this incredible piece of literature. Lucky us! :read:

Thank you Le Cygne! I'm glad that you and Doglover started these threads as they are terrific! And to be included with an essay of one of my favorite romances really means alot. A Journey to Romance Sam and Gilly Part 1. Unlike other romances in ASOIAF, the romance of Sam and Gilly begins off page. We’re there when Jon meets Ygritte and when Sandor and Sansa meet, but not when Sam and Gilly do. Sam and Gilly’s meeting has a bit of drama tho, as it is dangerous for them to talk with each other while at Craster’s Keep. This meeting happens because both step out of their comfort zones; Gilly to ask for help and Sam to make an effort to help her. Samwell Tarly is not the usual male character for romance; he’s physically unattractive being very fat and soft. Unlike most of the other males in the story, he has few martial skills, is clumsy and fearful. He enjoys reading, singing and dancing. He was abused by his lord father for his inherent gentle nature and suffered physical and emotional abuse at his father’s hands as Lord Tarly tried to make Sam (his eldest son and heir) into something he was not. Later, a second son was born to the family after three girls, and as he grows he shows the traits his father desires for a son and takes to martial training and other stereotypical masculine pursuits. Near Sam’s 15th nameday, his father informs he has two choices; take the black and give up his inheritance, or face an hunting ‘accident‘. Sam chooses to take the black and so although an unlikely recruit, eventually finds his place there. He makes friends among his black brothers, especially Jon Snow and Maester Aemon. The other half of the match is a young wilding woman, Gilly. Gilly is a daughter/wife of the wilding Craster. Craster is an old wilding man who lives only with his daughter/wives and their female offspring. While Gilly is shy young woman but there is a inherent strength in her character. When we meet Gilly she is also noticeably pregnant. Her life has been one of isolation, physical and sexual abuse. In spite of her life, she is good natured and helpful. Sam and Gilly meet as she wants to leave with the NW to save her unborn child. She knows that if it is a boy as predicted, Craster will ‘Give it to the God’s’ by leaving it exposed in the forest for the White Walkers. Fear for her child has given her the bravery to approach Sam when Craster is sleeping off a hard drunk and won‘t be up for hours. Sam is obviously touched by the young woman’s story and her plea. He knows that coming to him was very risky for her and the NW. And yet, he could not send her away without trying to help her. Greatly affected by her plight he sends her to Jon for help. She explains her predicament to Jon and although moved, he knows it’s impossible and that the NW cannot take her and tells her so. Later when he talks to Sam he finds that Sam has promised Gilly that the NW will take her when they return. Jon tells Sam that is also doubtful and that the NW may not come this way on the way back. Some members of the NW do make it back to Craster’s Keep, however, it was not at they planned. Sam was one of forty-four survivors who had been attacked by wights and White Walkers on the Fist of The First Men. Not long after his arrival Gilly is heard up in the loft screaming and groaning while giving birth. As Gilly births her child, Sam reflects on their first meeting and how he had given her his cloak for her meeting with Jon. Thinking of his vows of “guarding the realms of men he thinks “We should help her. We should.” and silently prays that the child is a girl. But alas, later Sam is outside when Craster announces he has a son. When Craster complains that his son is just one more mouth to feed, Sam squeaks that the NW could take the child. This earns him LC Mormonts wroth and he and Mormont go back inside. Craster feeds the NW on roast horse meat and bread and the men begin to complain that Craster is ‘niggardly’ with his food which angers him and he threatens with an ax. This earns him a cut throat and a violent mutiny erupts. In the end, LC Mormont is killed along with several of the NW men. Some escape but Sam stays until Momont passes. Two women and Gilly convince Sam to leave with her and the babe on two garrons and so their first journey together begins. Several days out they find shelter in a longhall in an abandoned wilding village and settle in for the night. Gilly asks Sam for a song and he sings the hymn “The Song of the Seven”, a gentle hymn about how the various aspects of the Gods care for the little children. It gets colder so Sam brings in the garron into the longhall for the night. Sam and Gilly have been sleeping under Sam’s cloak with the babe between them and as he falls asleep Sam notes how warm and comfortable it is sleeping this way with Gilly so near. Sam dreams of his boyhood home, Horn Hill, where he is the lord feasting his friends from the NW. He carves the meat for them with his father’s greatsword Heartsbane. Once the feast is done he goes up to the room he had shared with his sisters to find Gilly, wrapped only in furs and leaking milk from her breasts, in his bed. Later that night they are attacked by wights and Sam kills the wight that was once Small Paul. Outside the wights are attacked by a flock of ravens at the weirwood tree where the wights have Gilly pinned. While the raven attack is going on, they are rescued by Coldhands. With Coldhands, they travel to the Nightfort where even Bran, Meera and Jojen notice that he cares for her. They take Bran and his party to meet up with Coldhands then they travel to Castle Black. Here Gilly becomes the wet nurse for Dalla’s orphaned boy and is visited frequently by Sam. It’s noted on one occasion that he squeezes her hand tells her he’ll back after supper when he and Jon Snow leave. As they leave the nursery Jon asks Sam “You’re more than fond of Gilly, aren’t you?” Sam reddened “Gilly’s good. She’s good and kind.” He thinks about being glad to be back at Castle Black…”but some nights, alone in his cell, he thought of how warm Gilly had been when they curled up beneath the furs with the babe between them. “She…she made me braver, Jon. Not brave but…braver.” “You know you cannot keep her,” Jon said gently, “no more than I could stay with Ygritte. You said the words, Sam, the same as I did. The same as all of us.” “I know. Gilly said she would be a wife to me, but…I told her about the words, and what they meant. I don’t know if that made her sad or glad, but I told her.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sam and Gilly begin their journey together after a horrible tragedy. It’s filled with hardships, cold, terror and bravery. This is a confusing time for Sam. He’s trying to survive and protect Gilly and the babe. Here they begin to help each other. Sam knows he needs to go South to find the wall and tries hard to find the way. After his garron dies of exhaustion, he has Gilly and the babe ride the remaining one while he walks. Now Sam must shoulder the responsibility of getting not just himself, but Gilly and her babe to the safety of the Wall. Even more so than when he killed the wight, each step he takes is a step towards manhood. He cares for them and tries not to let them see his worry. He must rely on himself and the skills he has learned as a man of the NW. He cannot dissolve in fear and fall on the ground to have someone stronger pick him up When he can’t make fire or bind a wound, Gilly does it for he and he respects her skills as person. He finds shelter, not just in a hut, but in Gilly’s quiet bravery and determination for making a better life for her and hers. She doesn’t whine, she doesn’t cry in fear, she just keeps going and let’s Sam know she’s relying on him to get them through. Someone relying on Sam in this way if very new to him and he steps up as best he can. His growing love for Gilly puts Sam in a similar dilemma to what Jon had with Ygritte. He’s falling in love, his love is near and his vows prohibit him from acting directly on his feeling. And the NW vows are very important to Sam. He had been sent to the NW against his will, he expected to die and instead, found friends, mentors and a place for himself where he could use his talents and develop new skills. Later, Jon puts into words what needs to be said aloud and does it gently and with compassion. After all, he’s been through it himself. Sam explains that he has told Gilly about his vows and she seems to have accepted them. An yet…. Sam still has to deal with his growing feelings for her, and this is a vast uncharted territory for him. Also, as a fat man he’s been humiliated and treated so disrespectfully by so many, I think his low self esteem had given him low expectations of being able to find love from a woman. And yet, here she is. Also Sam later notes that Gilly had offered to be his wife, he also thinks “he was a Tarly of Horn Hill, he could never wed a wilding.” So in this romance there are many obstacles to overcome including the vows of the Night Watch and class differences. And yet Sam continues to fall in love with the wilding girl. This realities of the situation create a deep conflict. The NW has given him a new life, he’s learning self respect and the joys of friendship, hell, he even killed an Other! But love for a woman is not what he expected. He doesn’t want to desert or give up the NW, but doesn’t want to give up Gilly either. He discusses with the Jon the idea of telling his Lord father that he has gotten a bastard child on Gilly and sending her to Horn Hill to be servant there. He and Jon discuss this idea and then move on. Some ASOIAF motifs; When Sam and Gilly first meet, Sam puts his cloak on Gilly so she can visit Jon Snow safely. This is quite interesting because this is their first meeting and Sam acts out the symbolism of an Westeros marriage ceremony. To extend that thought, in longhall it’s noted that they are sleeping under Sam’s cloak. So twice it’s noted that Gilly is under Sam’s cloak. Is this foreshadowing a future marriage? Just wink to say ‘pay attention here-romance going on!’ Or something different? Gilly asks for a song and again the bonding motif of singing a sweet song is used as Sam sings a hymn about loving and protecting little children. This is a song that relates directly to their budding feelings as Sam is trying very hard to save the little child in their midst, and his mother too. The song put the baby to sleep and Gilly tells Sam “That was pretty Sam. You sing good.” A sincere complement. So the song establishes warmth, empathy and a rapport between them. A very different reaction to his singing than the cruel yelling and belittling from his father. After the song he sleeps and dreams and I think his dream shows his growing maturity and his desire to be the master of his own fate. He is the master of his house and is the one serving his friends a fine meal. Finding Gilly in his dream bed, warm, leaking milk and dressed only in fur shows that Sam is also developing sexual longing and feelings for her. I see this as a traditional type of romance, but also a romance based on discovery. Sam discovers that he has feelings for a woman that goes beyond his NW vows. His feelings of protection and empathy grow slowly into awareness and sexual awakenings. He soon realizes that he loves the wilding girl and now what? The journey ends at Castle Black and so Sam visits Gilly and babe and must face his growing feelings of love, and the reality that as a man of the NW he cannot keep her. And Gilly? I think it’s safe to presume in the culture of Craster’s Keep, her future of becoming a wife to Craster was always known to her. Craster shows us that he is cruel to his wives; he beats and berates them and treats them as his possessions. In her travels with Sam, she discovers a man who shows kindness, concern and true compassion towards her. His respect towards her as a person is something new to her. And as he went out of his way to help a stranger, he is very different from the man she knows as husband/father. Their first journey has ended with the romance unresolved. Sam respects his vows but now must learn to live his feelings for Gilly. New feelings he’d like to explore even more, but as a brother of the Night Watch, he must keep those feelings restrained. Sam tries to find a place for Gilly in his family as Gilly is learning to live in a strange new world. The last issue I’d like to mention is about Gilly offering Sam to “be his wife.” She makes this offer to Sam and also makes this same offer to Jon when she first talked to him about leaving Crasters. I find this interesting. Is she offering up herself as basically as sex slave as a way of leaving her current situation? Being Craster’s wife was a form of slavery in my mind. She had little choice, very limited knowledge of the outside world and was beaten and abused to assure compliance with Craster’s wishes. So does being a ‘wife’ means giving up her autonomy for the perceived protection of a husband? I get the idea that this offer is made without much thought or feeling behind it, but that changes as the story progresses.

I always loved this passage. See Gendry, now that you know she's highborn does she treat you any different? LOL!

Well said, I'm looking forward to some great "coming together" moments in the next books, especially from the "Romance" folks. So many of the romance stories have separated couples and I want to them come together.

:agree: Good job Bookie!

I'm not sure Gendry would make a good leader, he's too moody and he seemed to really resent high-born folk, as they treat the small folk poorly and small folk bastards even worse. But, little highborn Arya didn't treat Gendry that way. She learned about bastards by having one of her most loved sibling being identified as one. He was treated a bit differently from her full sibs, but still had basically a high-born life and training. She treated Gendry more like she saw Jon Snow, as an equal. Arya on the other hand, was pretty blind to many of the nuances of class. That was one of the reasons she was able to survive the Riverlands. But her suggestion of going to Riverrun and having Gendry work as a smithy there did not set well with Gendry, she couldn't see to the 'why' he wasn't for that idea. Staying with the BWB was a unique opportunity for him. It really upset Arya and when she lost her temper and ran away, well, she disappeared from the BWB and from Gendry. Will they ever see each other again? Westeros is primed for a civil war and a war against foreign enemies, human and supernatural, so how the culture will shake out remains to be seen. How that will affect Gendry and Arya, if they meet up again, remains to be seen.

I saw GWTW on the big screen last year for the first time, and it was fantastic! The only way to watch that film I think. Scarlet and Arya are both survivors and both are strong women in many ways. And both had negatives too; Scarlett was so fixed on herself she lost the man she loved the most, and Arya is so fixed on revenge she is losing herself. Hopefully, Arya will be able to get back to home and family and let that need for revenge fade. She really does have leadership qualities and is whip smart too. But there are hints that Arya is still with us; Needle she hid instead of throwing away, she couldn't kill the Hound and wasn't he the first on her list? She doesn't think of Gendry or Hot Pie, but if she lands in Westeros I hope she and Gendry meet up. He can remind her that she is a Wolf girl and she can remind him that he works the forge and to give up that silly fire worship thingie. Thanks for the post Bookie! I haven't listened to the pod cast yet, will try for this weekend.

Squee!!! Can't wait to hear them! :cheers:

Thanks for the essay Dog Lover, very interesting history. Loras is no Piers, but I think he had some ambitions when King Robert died. Alas, all went to heck when Renly died.

Beautiful essay DogLover. Ser Loras's grief and devastation over Renly's death is truly touching and sad, but beautifully written. I think your essay captured alot of that. Well done.