grrm.astormofswords-第142部分

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　armory；　but　only　one　in　ten　was　strong　enough　to　fight；　and　none　was　trained。　They　ate　the　land　bare　as　they　passed；　like　locusts　in　sandals。　Yet　Dany　could　not　bring　herself　to　abandon　them　as　Ser　Jorah　and　her　bloodriders　urged。　I　told　them　they　were　free。　I　cannot　tell　them　now　they　are　not　free　to　join　me。　She　gazed　at　the　smoke　rising　from　their　cookfires　and　swallowed　a　sigh。　She　might　have　the　best　footsoldiers　in　the　world；　but　she　also　had　the　worst。
　Arstan　Whitebeard　stood　outside　the　entrance　of　her　tent；　while　Strong　Belwas　sat　crosslegged　on　the　grass　nearby；　eating　a　bowl　of　figs。　on　the　march；　the　duty　of　guarding　her　fell　upon　their　shoulders。　She　had　made　Jhogo；　Aggo；　and　Rakharo　her　kos　as　well　as　her　bloodriders；　and　just　now　she　needed　them　more　to　mand　her　Dothraki　than　to　protect　her　person。　Her　khalasar　was　tiny；　some　thirty…odd　mounted　warriors；　and　most　of　them　braidless　boys　and　bentback　old　men。　Yet　they　were　all　the　horse　she　had；　and　she　dared　not　go　without　them。　The　Unsullied　might　be　the　finest　infantry　in　all　the　world；　as　Ser　Jorah　claimed；　but　she　needed　scouts　and　outriders　as　well。
　〃Yunkai　will　have　war；〃　Dany　told　Whitebeard　inside　the　pavilion。　Irri　and　Jhiqui　had　covered　the　floor　with　carpets　while　Missandei　lit　a　stick　of　incense　to　sweeten　the　dusty　air。　Drogon　and　Rhaegal　were　asleep　atop　some　cushions；　curled　about　each　other；　but　Viserion　perched　on　the　edge　of　her　empty　bath。　〃Missandei；　what　language　will　these　Yunkai'i　speak；　Valyrian？〃
　〃Yes；　Your　Grace；〃　the　child　said。　〃A　different　dialect　than　Astapor's；　yet　close　enough　to　understand。　The　slavers　name　themselves　the　Wise　Masters。〃
　〃Wise？〃　Dany　sat　crosslegged　on　a　cushion；　and　Viserion　spread　his　white…and…gold　wings　and　flapped　to　her　side。　〃We　shall　see　how　wise　they　are；〃　she　said　as　she　scratched　the　dragon's　scaly　head　behind　the　horns。
　Ser　Jorah　Mormont　returned　an　hour　later；　acpanied　by　three　captains　of　the　Stormcrows。　They　wore　black　feathers　on　their　polished　helms；　and　claimed　to　be　all　equal　in　honor　and　authority。　Dany　studied　them　as　Irri　and　Jhiqui　poured　the　wine。　Prendahl　na　Ghezn　was　a　thickset　Ghiscari　with　a　broad　face　and　dark　hair　going　grey；　Sallor　the　Bald　had　a　twisting　scar　across　his　pale　Qartheen　cheek；　and　Daario　Naharis　was　flamboyant　even　for　a　Tyroshi。　His　beard　was　cut　into　three　prongs　and　dyed　blue；　the　same　color　as　his　eyes　and　the　curly　hair　that　fell　to　his　collar。　His　pointed　mustachios　were　painted　gold。　His　clothes　were　all　shades　of　yellow；　a　foam　of　Myrish　lace　the　color　of　butter　spilled　from　his　collar　and　cuffs；　his　doublet　was　sewn　with　brass　medallions　in　the　shape　of　dandelions；　and　ornamental　goldwork　crawled　up　his　high　leather　boots　to　his　thighs。　Gloves　of　soft　yellow　suede　were　tucked　into　a　belt　of　gilded　rings；　and　his　fingernails　were　enameled　blue。
　But　it　was　Prendahl　na　Ghezn　who　spoke　for　the　sellswords。　〃You　would　do　well　to　take　your　rabble　elsewhere；〃　he　said。　〃You　took　Astapor　by　treachery；　but　Yunkai　shall　not　fall　so　easily。〃
　〃Five　hundred　of　your　Stormcrows　against　ten　thousand　of　my　Unsullied；〃　said　Dany。　〃I　am　only　a　young　girl　and　do　not　understand　the　ways　of　war；　yet　these　odds　seem　poor　to　me。〃
　〃The　Stormcrows　do　not　stand　alone；〃　said　Prendahl。
　〃Stormcrows　do　not　stand　at　all。　They　fly；　at　the　first　sign　of　thunder。　Perhaps　you　should　be　flying　now。　I　have　heard　that　sellswords　are　notoriously　unfaithful。　What　will　it　avail　you　to　be　staunch；　when　the　Second　Sons　change　sides？〃
　〃That　will　not　happen；〃　Prendahl　insisted；　unmoved。　〃And　if　it　did；　it　would　not　matter。　The　Second　Sons　are　nothing。　We　fight　beside　the　stalwart　men　of　Yunkai。〃
　〃You　fight　beside　bed…boys　armed　with　spears。〃　When　she　turned　her　head；　the　twin　bells　in　her　braid　rang　softly。　〃Once　battle　is　joined；　do　not　think　to　ask　for　quarter。　join　me　now；　however；　and　you　shall　keep　the　gold　the　Yunkaii　paid　you　and　claim　a　share　of　the　plunder　besides；　with　greater　rewards　later　when　I　e　into　my　kingdom。　Fight　for　the　Wise　Masters；　and　your　wages　will　be　death。　Do　you　imagine　that　Yunkai　will　open　its　gates　when　my　Unsullied　are　butchering　you　beneath　the　walls？〃
　〃Woman；　you　bray　like　an　ass；　and　make　no　more　sense。〃
　〃Woman？〃　She　chuckled。　〃Is　that　meant　to　insult　me？　I　would　return　the　slap；　if　I　took　you　for　a　man。〃　Dany　met　his　stare。　〃I　am　Daenerys　Stormborn　of　House　Targaryen；　the　Unburnt；　Mother　of　Dragons；　khaleesi　to　Drogo's　riders；　and　queen　of　the　Seven　Kingdoms　of　Westeros。〃
　〃What　you　are；〃　said　Prendahl　na　Ghezn；　〃is　a　horselord's　whore。　When　we　break　you；　I　will　breed　you　to　my　stallion。〃
　Strong　Belwas　drew　his　arakh。　〃Strong　Belwas　will　give　his　ugly　tongue　to　the　little　queen；　if　she　likes。〃
　〃No；　Belwas。　I　have　given　these　men　my　safe　conduct。〃　She　smiled。　〃Tell　me　this…are　the　Stormcrows　slave　or　free？〃
　〃We　are　a　brotherhood　of　free　men；〃　Sallor　declared。
　〃Good。〃　Dany　stood。　〃Go　back　and　tell　your　brothers　what　I　said；　then。　it　may　be　that　some　of　them　would　sooner　sup　on　gold　and　glory　than　on　death。　I　shall　want　your　answer　on　the　morrow。〃
　The　Stormcrow　captains　rose　in　unison。　〃Our　answer　is　no；〃　said　Prendahl　na　Ghezn。　His　fellows　followed　him　out　of　the　tent　。　。　。　but　Daario　Naharis　glanced　back　as　he　left；　and　inclined　his　head　in　polite　farewell。
　Two　hours　later　the　mander　of　the　Second　Sons　arrived　alone。　He　proved　to　be　a　towering　Braavosi　with　pale　green　eyes　and　a　bushy　red…gold　beard　that　reached　nearly　to　his　belt。　His　name　was　Mero；　but　he　called　himself　the　Titan's　Bastard。
　Mero　tossed　down　his　wine　straightaway；　wiped　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　hand；　and　leered　at　Dany。　〃I　believe　I　fucked　your　twin　sister　in　a　pleasure　house　back　home。　Or　was　it　you？〃
　〃I　think　not。　I　would　remember　a　man　of　such　magnificence；　I　have　no　doubt。〃
　〃Yes；　that　is　so。　No　woman　has　ever　forgotten　the　Titan's　Bastard。〃　The　Braavosi　held　out　his　cup　to　Jhiqui。　〃What　say　you　take　those　clothes　off　and　e　sit　on　my　lap？　If　you　please　me；　I　might　bring　the　Second　Sons　over　to　your　side。〃
　〃If　you　bring　the　Second　Sons　over　to　my　side；　I　might　not　have　you　gelded。〃
　The　big　man　laughed。　〃Little　girl；　another　woman　once　tried　to　geld　me　with　her　teeth。　She　has　no　teeth　now；　but　my　sword　is　as　long　and　thick　as　ever。　Shall　I　take　it　out　and　show　you？〃
　〃No　need。　After　my　eunuchs　cut　it　off；　I　can　examine　it　at　my　leisure。〃　Dany　took　a　sip　of　wine。　〃It　is　true　that　I　am　only　a　young　girl；　and　do　not　know　the　ways　of　war。　Explain　to　me　how　you　propose　to　defeat　ten　thousand　Unsullied　with　your　five　hundred。　innocent　as　I　am；　these　odds　seem　poor　to　me。〃
　〃The　Second　Sons　have　faced　worse　odds　and　won。〃
　〃The　Second　Sons　have　faced　worse　odds　and　run。　At　Qohor；　when　the　Three　Thousand　made　their　stand。　Or　do　you　deny　it？〃
　〃That　was　many　and　more　years　ago；　before　the　Second　Sons　were　led　by　the　Titan's　Bastard。〃
　〃So　it　is　from　you　they　get　their　courage？〃　Dany　turned　to　Ser　Jorah。　〃When　the　battle　is　joined；　kill　this　one　first。〃
　The　exile　knight　smiled。　〃Gladly；　Your　Grace。〃
　〃Of　course；〃　she　said　to　Mero；　〃you　could　run　again。　We　will　not　stop　you。　Take　your　Yunkish　gold　and　go。〃
　〃Had　you　ever　seen　the　Titan　of　Braavos；　foolish　girl；　you　would　know　that　it　has　no　tail　to　turn。〃
　〃Then　stay；　and　fight　for　me。〃
　〃You　are　worth　fighting　for；　it　is　true；〃　the　Braavosi　said；　〃and　I　would　gladly　let　you　kiss　my　sword；　if　I　were　free。　But　I　have　taken　Yunkai's　coin　and　pledged　my　holy　word。〃
　〃Coins　can　be　returned；〃　she　said。　〃I　will　pay　you　as　much　and　more。　I　have　other　cities　to　conquer；　and　a　whole　kingdom　awaiting　me　half　a　world　away。　Serve　me　faithfully；　and　the　Second　Sons　need　never　seek　hire　again。〃
　The　Braavosi　tugged　on　his　thick　red　beard。　〃As　much　and　more；　and　perhaps　a　kiss　besides；　eh？　Or　more　than　a　kiss？　For　a　man　as　magnificent　as　me？〃
　〃Perhaps。〃
　〃I　will　like　the　taste　of　your　tongue；　I　think。〃
　She　could　sense　Ser　Jorah's　anger。　My　black　bear　does　not　like　this　talk　of　kissing。　〃Think　on　what　I've　said　tonight。　Can　I　have　your　answer　on　the　morrow？〃
　〃You　can。〃　The　Titan's　Bastard　grinned。　〃Can　I　have　a　flagon　of　this　fine　wine　to　take　back　to　my　captains？〃
　〃You　m