Chapter 493: Arrival at the Wall

After spending only a short time at Winterfell, Samwell departed.

The secrets hidden in the crypts were certainly tempting, but he had little time to explore them for now.

The King-Beyond-the-Wall was waiting for him beyond the Wall, and for Samwell, securing the wildlings was an urgent priority. If the White Walkers appeared and turned Hundred of thousands of wildlings into wights, it would spell disaster.

As for the anomalies in Winterfell's crypts, he decided to leave the matter to the Starks. Once they cleared the collapsed tunnels, Samwell could return to investigate further.

So, early the next morning, he bid farewell to the Starks, mounted his white dragon, and continued north.

Half a day later, Samwell finally caught sight of one of humanity's most magnificent constructions: the Wall.

From the skies, the Wall appeared as a vast blue-gray barrier stretching across the northern horizon, unbroken as it extended east and west until vanishing into the distance.

It seemed to proclaim to all that this is the end of the world.

Next to this towering marvel, Castle Black looked like a scattering of toys left on a snowy field.

In truth, Castle Black barely qualified as a castle. Apart from the Wall to its north, it had no other defensive walls and was vulnerable to attacks from the east, west, and south.

But there was no need to defend against attacks from those directions—the Night's Watch's enemies always came from the north.

The closer they got to the Wall, the more agitated the white dragon became. It seemed as though something beyond the massive ice barrier intimidated it, preventing it from advancing any further.

Not wanting to push his mount, Samwell patted its neck and directed it to land at Castle Black.

Standing on the ground and looking up at the Wall, Samwell was struck by an even greater sense of awe and oppression.

The towering ice seemed as though it might collapse and bury everything beneath it.

One day, if the Wall were to fall, the entire world might crumble with it.

This was perhaps the most ancient and tangible construct in existence, predating even the Seven Kingdoms.

"Your Majesty!"

The respectful call brought Samwell back to reality.

He turned away from the Wall and saw members of the Night's Watch approaching to greet him.

"Lord Eddard, we meet again," he said with a smile.

Eddard Stark, now Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, was filled with mixed emotions.

He vividly remembered their first meeting four years ago on the Trident. Back then, Samwell was a young lord rising to prominence. Now, he was the King of the Seven Kingdoms.

Time and fate had brought unimaginable changes.

The sight of Samwell, with a massive dragon at his back, only deepened the surreal feeling. It was as if a legend had materialized before him.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Eddard said with a bow. "We've been eagerly awaiting your arrival."

He then introduced Samwell to the officers of the Night's Watch.

"This is my illegitimate son, Jon Snow," he said, with a hint of hesitation.

Samwell's gaze lingered on Jon for a moment, and though he said nothing, Eddard couldn't shake the feeling that the king's eyes held some hidden knowledge.

Jon, for his part, respectfully bowed to the king but couldn't resist observing him in return.

The young man felt no compulsion to reveal his true lineage. Having joined the Night's Watch, royal blood meant little to him now. If anything, he longed more for the name of Stark than Targaryen.

After the introductions, Samwell asked:

"Where is Stannis Baratheon?"

Eddard looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Lord Stannis has taken his forces to Eastwatch-by-the-Sea."

Eastwatch was the Wall's easternmost castle.

Samwell understood immediately—Stannis didn't want to see him. That suited Samwell just fine; he had little interest in dealing with Stannis's prickly demeanor.

As long as Stannis stayed on the Wall to fight the White Walkers, Samwell saw no need to revisit old grudges.

The king then remembered another individual who had avoided him at the Wall: Jaime Lannister, the "Kingslayer."

He hadn't spotted Jaime in the welcoming crowd and assumed the man was lying low.

Cersei, now stripped of her power and position, likely hadn't reached the Wall yet, as she lacked dragons to hasten her journey. Jaime was surely still in Castle Black, waiting for her arrival.

Samwell hadn't executed Cersei for two reasons: to avoid further enraging the northern lords and, admittedly, out of a sense of morbid curiosity.

He wanted to see how the infamous Lannister twins fared in the frozen wasteland of the far north, stripped of all their former glory.

"Your Majesty, you must be tired. We've prepared hot food for you," Eddard said, gesturing toward the Great Hall.

As Samwell followed Eddard inside, he issued an order:

"Send word to Mance Rayder. I want to meet with him."

"King-Beyond-the-Wall might not dare to enter the Wall alone," someone remarked.

Samwell chuckled. "You underestimate his courage." He thought back to the time Mance had infiltrated his royal retinue, traveling undetected all the way to the Trident. "Notify him."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Just as they approached the hall, Samwell noticed a slim figure lingering at the end of the corridor.

It was a girl, perhaps seventeen or eighteen years old, with black hair and a delicate face that bore signs of hardship. Her wide brown eyes looked both innocent and frightened.

"Why is there a woman here?" Castle Black's Master-at-Arms, Alliser Thorne, followed Samwell's gaze and frowned deeply.

The girl froze under their stares, too frightened to move.

"She's one of the wildlings who fled Craster's Keep," Eddard explained. Then he turned to his eldest son, Robb. "Didn't I tell you to send her south?"

Robb hesitated, looking sheepish. "I'm sorry, Father. Gilly was too scared to travel south alone."

"Your name is Gilly?" Samwell asked, his tone gentle.

Hearing the king speak, Eddard refrained from further reprimanding his son.

"Yes," Gilly replied timidly, nodding.

As Samwell regarded her, a peculiar feeling stirred within him.

Had he not been transported to this world, the original Samwell Tarly would have come to the Wall as a member of the Night's Watch and fallen in love with this wildling girl.

But now, all of that had been rewritten.

With every flap of his metaphorical butterfly wings, Samwell had altered countless destinies.

Whether those changes were for better or worse, he couldn't say.

"Don't be afraid, Gilly," he said reassuringly. "Once I've reached an agreement with Mance Rayder, many wildlings will pass through the Wall. You can travel south with them."

Gilly nodded softly, sensing the king's kindness. Her lips curled into a small, shy smile, revealing two white teeth like those of a young rabbit.

Samwell returned her smile briefly before turning away. Whatever ties might have existed in another timeline, they no longer held sway over him.

With steady strides, he resumed his path into the Great Hall, ready to face the challenges ahead.

(End of Chapter)