grrm.astormofswords-第241部分
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e only fruit and never flesh。 The butterfly spirits sacred to their Lord of Harmony protected their isle against those who would do them harm。 Many conquerors had sailed on Naath to blood their swords； only to sicken and die。 The butterflies do not help them when the slave ships e raiding； though。 〃I am going to take you home one day； Missandei；〃 Dany promised。 If I had made the same promise to Jorah； would he still have sold me？ 〃I swear it。〃
〃This one is content to stay with you； Your Grace。 Naath will be there； always。 You are good to this…to me。〃
〃And you to me。〃 Dany took the girl by the hand。 〃e help me dress。〃
Jhiqui helped Missandei bathe her while Irri was laying out her clothes。 Today she wore a robe of purple samite and a silver sash； and on her head the three…headed dragon crown the Tourmaline Brotherhood had given her in Qarth。 Her slippers were silver as well； with heels so high that she was always half afraid she was about to topple over。 When she was dressed； Missandei brought her a polished silver glass so she could see how she looked。 Dany stared at herself in silence。 Is this the face of a conqueror？ So far as she could tell； she still looked like a little girl。
No one was calling her Daenerys the Conqueror yet； but perhaps they would。 Aegon the Conqueror had won Westeros with three dragons； but she had taken Meereen with sewer rats and a wooden cock； in less than a day。 Poor Groleo。 He still grieved for his ship； she knew。 If a war galley could ram another ship； why not a gate？ That had been her thought when she manded the captains to drive their ships ashore。 Their masts had bee her battering rams； and swarms of freedmen had torn their hulls apart to build mantlets； turtles； catapults； and ladders。 The sellwords had given each ram a bawdy name； and it had been the mainmast of Meraxes…formerly Joso's Prank that had broken the eastern gate。 Joso's Cock； they called it。 The fighting had raged bitter and bloody for most of a day and well into the night before the wood began to splinter and Meraxes' iron figurehead； a laughing jester's face； came crashing through。
Dany had wanted to lead the attack herself； but to a man her captains said that would be madness； and her captains never agreed on anything。 Instead she remained in the rear； sitting atop her silver in a long shirt of mail。 She heard the city fall from half a league away； though； when the defenders' shouts of defiance changed to cries of fear。 Her dragons had roared as one in that moment； filling the night with flame。 The slaves are rising； she knew at once。 My sewer rats have gnawed off their chains。
When the last resistance had been crushed by the Unsullied and the sack had run its course； Dany entered her city。 The dead were heaped so high before the broken gate that it took her freedmen near an hour to make a path for her silver。 Joso's Cock and the great wooden turtle that had protected it； covered with horsehides； lay abandoned within。 She rode past burned buildings and broken windows； through brick streets where the gutters were choked with the stiff and swollen dead。 Cheering slaves lifted bloodstained hands to her as she went by； and called her 〃Mother。〃
In the plaza before the Great Pyramid； the Meereenese huddled forlorn。 The Great Masters had looked anything but great in the morning light。 Stripped of their jewels and their fringed tokars； they were contemptible； a herd of old men with shriveled balls and spotted skin and young men with ridiculous hair。 Their women were either soft and fleshy or as dry as old sticks； their face paint streaked by tears。 〃I want your leaders；〃 Dany told them。 〃Give them up； and the rest of you shall be spared。〃
〃How many？〃 one old woman had asked； sobbing。 〃How many must you have to spare us？〃
〃One hundred and sixty…three；〃 she answered。
She had them nailed to wooden posts around the plaza； each man pointing at the next。 The anger was fierce and hot inside her when she gave the mand； it made her feel like an avenging dragon。 But later； when she passed the men dying on the posts； when she heard their moans and smelled their bowels and blood 。 。 。
Dany put the glass aside； frowning。 It was just。 It was。 I did it for the children。
Her audience chamber was on the level below； an echoing highceilinged room with walls of purple marble。 It was a chilly place for all its grandeur。 There had been a throne there； a fantastic thing of carved and gilded wood in the shape of a savage harpy。 She had taken one long look and manded it be broken up for firewood。 〃I will not sit in the harpy's lap；〃 she told them。 Instead she sat upon a simple ebony bench。 it served； though she had heard the Meereenese muttering that it did not befit a queen。
Her bloodriders were waiting for her。 Silver bells tinkled in their oiled braids； and they wore the gold and jewels of dead men。 Meereen had been rich beyond imagining。 Even her sellswords seemed sated； at least for now。 Across the room； Grey Worm wore the plain uniform of the Unsullied； his spiked bronze cap beneath one arm。 These at least she could rely on； or so she hoped 。 。 。 and Brown Ben Plumm as well； solid Ben with his grey…white hair and weathered face； so beloved of her dragons。 And Daario beside him； glittering in gold。 Daario and Ben Plumm； Grey Worm； Irri； Jhiqui； Missandei 。 。 。 as she looked at them Dany found herself wondering which of them would betray her next。
The dragon has three heads。 There are two men in the world who I can trust； if I can flnd them。 I will not be alone then。 We will be three against the world； like Aegon and his sisters。
〃Was the night as quiet as it seemed？〃 Dany asked。
〃It seems it was； Your Grace；〃 said Brown Ben Plumm。
She was pleased。 Meereen had been sacked savagely； as new…fallen cities always were； but Dany was determined that should end now that the city was hers。 She had decreed that murderers were to be hanged； that looters were to lose a hand； and rapists their manhood。 Eight killers swung from the walls； and the Unsullied had filled a bushel basket with bloody hands and soft red worms； but Meereen was calm again。 But for how long？
A fly buzzed her head。 Dany waved it off； irritated； but it returned almost at once。 〃There are too many flies in this city。〃
Ben Plumm gave a bark of laughter。 〃There were flies in my ale this morning。 I swallowed one of them。〃
〃Flies are the dead man's revenge。〃 Daario smiled； and stroked the center prong of his beard。 〃Corpses breed maggots； and maggots breed flies。〃
〃We will rid ourselves of the corpses； then。 Starting with those in the plaza below。 Grey Worm； will you see to it？〃
〃The queen mands； these ones obey。〃
〃Best bring sacks as well as shovels； Worm；〃 Brown Ben counseled。 〃Well past ripe； those ones。 Falling off those poles in bits and pieces； and crawling with 。 。 。〃
〃He knows。 So do L〃 Dany remembered the horror she had felt when she had seen the Plaza of Punishment in Astapor。 I made a horror just as great； but surely they deserved it。 Harsh justice is still justice。
〃Your Grace；〃 said Missandei； 〃Ghiscari inter their honored dead in crypts below their manses。 if you would boil the bones clean and return them to their kin； it would be a kindness。〃
The widows will curse me all the same。 〃Let it be done。〃 Dany beckoned to Daario。 〃How many seek audience this morning？〃
〃Two have presented themselves to bask in your radiance。〃
Daario had plundered himself a whole new wardrobe in Meereen； and to match it he had redyed his trident beard and curly hair a deep rich purple。 It made his eyes look almost purple too； as if he were some lost Valyrian。 〃They arrived in the night on the Indigo Star； a trading galley out of Qarth。〃
A slaver； you mean。 Dany frowned。 〃Who are they？〃
〃The Star's master and one who claims to speak for Astapor。〃
〃I will see the envoy first。〃
He proved to be a pale ferret…faced man with ropes of pearls and spun gold hanging heavy about his neck。 〃Your Worship！〃 he cried。 〃My name is Ghael。 I bring greetings to the Mother of Dragons from King Cleon of Astapor； Cleon the Great。〃
Dany stiffened。 〃I left a council to rule Astapor。 A healer； a scholar； and a priest。〃
〃Your Worship； those sly
