Tower of the Hand

Chett, Lark, and Small Paul are out hunting with the dogs, which refuse to track a bear whose paw print they have discovered.¹ The discussion turns to a planned desertion that night. They plan to kill Lord Commander Mormont and Blane, Grubbs and Aethan because they are on watch, Dywen and Bannen because they are the best trackers, and Sam because he controls the ravens. They are striking now because three days past Thoren's patrol, consisting of Kedge Whiteye, Bannen, Goady, and Tumberjon, returned with word that the wildlings are moving down the Milkwater, twenty or thirty thousand of them. Harma Dogshead has the van with five hundred horse. Sweet Donnel Hill, Ser Mallador's squire, told Chett that Thoren wants to attack the wildlings since they are burdened with women and children and not expecting resistance. Ser Mallador agrees, and they are trying to convince Lord Commander Mormont, while Ser Ottyn counsels retreat. Lord Commander Mormont is waiting for Jarmen's and Qhorin's patrols to return before making a decision, but they are both overdue. Chett has fourteen men in his conspiracy, including Lark, Small Paul, Kedge, Donnel, Dirk, Clubfoot Karl, Softfoot, and Ollo Lophand. Chett will kill Sam and scatter the ravens, Softfoot and Small Paul will kill Lord Commander Mormont, Dirk will take Blane, Lark and his cousins will do Bannen and Dywen, and Donnel and Karl will take care of the horses. Chett figures that Ser Ottyn will be given command and bid a hasty retreat for the Wall without stopping to hunt the deserters. Lark says he plans to go home after the desertion, which Chett thinks is stupid because all will know him for a deserter. Ollo means to go to Tyrosh, which Chett also considered, but he had only been a leech collector with his father back home in Hag's Mire and does not have a trade to practice in Tyrosh. He does not want to go home either and thinks that maybe he can kill Craster and take over the man's keep. He likes the idea of having Craster's wives, as the only women he had ever known were the whores of Mole's Town. In Hag's Mire, his boils had frightened the girls away, even a slut named Bessa who had lain with all the boys. He spent a day picking wildflowers for her, and when she refused and laughed at him, he killed her. He was caught near Sevenstreams, and one of Lord Walder Frey's bastards judged him guilty and sent him to the Wall.

The group returns to the Fist. Chett stops to watch Sam take archery practice at the foot of the hill. He has a bitter hatred for Sam for taking his place with Maester Aemon. Sam's first arrow misses completely. Dolorous Edd and Grenn cheer him on, but his second arrow goes wide too. After the third arrow hits and Sam is beaming, Chett tries to take him down with a cutting remark, but Edd gets the better of him. After reporting to Lord Commander Mormont, Chett makes a circuit of the camp, listening to what the men have to say. He gets dinner from Hake, while Dywen expresses worry that he can hear no animals around them. Chett joins a group that includes four of his conspirators. Both Dirk and Donnel seem at ease, but Sawwood and Maslyn are showing signs of nervousness. A call goes out for the men of the Watch to assemble at the central fire, where Lord Commander Mormont is flanked by Thoren, Ser Mallador, Ser Ottyn, and Blane. Chett takes a spot next to Brown Bernarr and waits. Lord Commander Mormont announces that the wildlings are coming, and he means to ambush them on their march. The men waver at first, but Mormont leads them in the oath of the Watch to raise their spirits. Chett notices with approval that Lark, Softfoot, and Donnel join in fervently. After the men are dismissed, it begins snowing. Chett panics, because snow will ruin all their plans. He decides to kill Sam anyway. Just as he is about to close in for the kill, a single horn blast sounds and wakes Sam up. Soon after, there is a second blast, which is followed by a third, the signal for Others approaching. Chett wets himself in fear.