As Roman departed, the garrison gradually emerged from their defensive positions. After confirming the area was safe multiple times, they retrieved the letter from the spear.
Lord Tarly stared at it with narrowed eyes. "What is Roman doing? Charging Rosby alone just to deliver a letter? Or was it for that worthless son of mine?"
The Lord of Horn Hill simply did not believe Roman would take such a risk without gaining something in return.
"Is he scouting? Have our defensive weaknesses already been exposed?"
Lord Tarly remained deep in thought, but his subordinates exchanged uncertain glances as they looked at Samwell Tarly standing outside the city.
Fat Sam was both a brother of the Night's Watch and Lord Tarly's eldest son. The soldiers truly did not know how to handle the situation.
"Sam? Let him come if he wants. Are you all frightened by a cowardly fat boy?"
One guard hesitated. "My lord, he is your eldest son…"
Lord Tarly said nothing. He simply fixed the man with his cold, somber gaze. Realizing he had spoken out of turn, the guard quickly left to escort Sam inside.
Sam rode along the road. He had not seen his father for a long time. Part of him hoped for the meeting, but another part feared the familiar berating that always followed.
The soldiers of Rosby knew Sam was their lord's eldest son. Even though he now wore the black cloak of the Night's Watch, they still did not dare neglect him.
Sam kept his head down, eyes fixed on the green grass rushing past beneath the horse's hooves. He truly lacked the courage to look up at the walls of Rosby.
Although Sam knew his father must have hidden himself to avoid Roman's possible assassination attempt, he still did not want the reunion to happen so soon.
But no matter how much Sam agonized, the horse carried him steadily to the city gate.
He kept replaying the past in his mind—his father's harsh lectures and disappointed face.
When Sam reached the door to Lord Tarly's chamber, the attendant bowed and tactfully withdrew.
"Forget it. Just go in. He's my father. He won't do anything to me!"
Pushing open the door, he found Lord Tarly sitting at a table.
Sam watched his father cautiously. Lord Tarly looked exactly the same as ever—bald, stubbled, with a resolute and piercing gaze.
"I wondered who it was. So it's you. Are you here to act as a lobbyist for Roman Rivers?"
Sam stammered, "No, Father. I asked Lord Roman to bring me here because… our ravens couldn't get through."
Lord Tarly's voice was flat. "So you've joined House Whent after all—as a member of the Night's Watch?"
Sam shook his head quickly. "No, Father! Lord Roman is my friend. Or rather, since Lady Helaena of House Hoare, House Whent has been a friend to the Night's Watch."
Lord Tarly said nothing more. Instead, he studied Sam with a scrutinizing gaze, observing his palms, his gait, and his small nervous movements.
Finally, Lord Tarly pointed to a nearby chair.
"Sit."
From Sam's movements, Lord Tarly concluded he had not become a warrior. He spoke with clear dissatisfaction.
"I thought sending you to the Wall would lead to some improvement, but look at you—still so fat!"
"You actually managed to maintain this physique in an environment like the Wall? You haven't become a warrior at all, have you?"
At this time the Others had not yet approached the Wall, and Sam had not yet had the chance to demonstrate his wisdom. Naturally, he had no achievements to speak of.
Seeing his son like this, Lord Tarly knew there was no hope. Once again the father showed a look of deep disappointment.
He asked himself how much energy he had invested in Sam, and how much disappointment he had reaped in return.
"So, what are you doing here as a member of the Night's Watch?"
Sam swallowed. "I… I wanted to see you, and then head south…"
"South?!"
Sam nodded. "Yes, south—to study at the Citadel and become a maester. A maester of the Night's Watch. Maester Aemon at the Wall is getting old, and I need…"
"So you're running away again, aren't you?!" Lord Tarly's voice suddenly rose.
"I thought the Night's Watch could teach you to be strong and make you a real man, but now you want to bury yourself in books."
"You say Roman Rivers is your friend. Then look at him! Though he's a bastard for letting wildlings into Westeros, he has controlled them and made them serve him. Many of my soldiers died at the hands of his wildlings, while you…"
Lord Tarly pointed at Sam's head, speaking with a mixture of anger and sorrow.
"You only know how to study the legendary heroes in stories, while that Roman is becoming a legend of his own generation!"
Sam was very angry by now. He did not understand why his father wanted him to be a warrior so badly. Even if he could not become one, he had other paths, yet his father simply looked down on him.
Ultimately, the fact that the eldest son of a military noble was cowardly and incompetent was likely the root of Lord Tarly's rage.
As for Sam liking books? If the eldest son of a noble became a maester to serve others, it would be an utter disgrace. It was better to let Sam join the Night's Watch.
Lord Tarly wanted to say more, but seeing Sam's hesitant, anxious, and angry expression, he let out a long sigh.
The Lord of Horn Hill leaned back in his chair, head resting against the backrest as he stared up at the ceiling.
After a long while, he said slowly, "You are clearly very angry, yet you don't even have the courage to refute me. In this regard, you are not even as good as your sisters."
Lord Tarly pulled out the letter and handed it to Sam. "Take a look."
Sam looked at the letter Roman had written to his father in confusion, then timidly took it.
As he read, Lord Tarly spoke.
"Roman explained your purpose for coming in the letter. He actually told me he saw qualities of resilience and wisdom in you. Roman said that after you study at the Citadel, you will surely become a renowned wise man, so he asked me to trust you more."
Lord Tarly laughed in anger as he spoke.
"I didn't know you could cast a spell to make a talent like Roman speak on your behalf."
Sam replied softly, "Father, you know I can't."
Lord Tarly nodded. "Indeed, which is why I find it so absurd. Unless Roman's head was caught in a door, his words suggest you really do have talents I haven't discovered."
"So, this time I'll allow you to go to the Citadel to study. But if you fail to make something of yourself in the future, don't even think about returning to Horn Hill for the rest of your life! Since you've failed the expectations of both myself and Roman, I will definitely cut you down with Heartsbane!"
Sam remembered what Roman had said to him before he left. Roman had told him to study hard at the Citadel, because Harrenhal would need Sam's advanced knowledge in the future.
Samwell Tarly's heart was filled with a mix of emotions. On one hand, he was happy that his father had finally shown trust in him again.
At the same time, he felt angry that his father would rather believe Roman than look at him properly.
Furthermore, he felt deep gratitude and admiration for Roman. Roman was one of the very few people—or dragons—willing to speak for him and believe in him.
Sam had secretly sworn that from now on, as long as it did not violate his Night's Watch vows, he would fully support Roman wherever he was needed.