grrm.astormofswords-第30部分

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　change　course　for　Slaver's　Bay。〃
　Dany　was　not　certain　she　liked　the　sound　of　that　at　all。　Everything　she'd　ever　heard　of　the　flesh　marts　in　the　great　slave　cities　of　Yunkai；　Meereen；　and　Astapor　was　dire　and　frightening。　〃What　is　there　for　me　in　Slaver's　Bay？〃
　〃An　army；〃　said　Ser　Jorah。　〃If　Strong　Belwas　is　so　much　to　your　liking　you　can　buy　hundreds　more　like　him　out　of　the　fighting　pits　of　Meereen　。　。　。　but　it　is　Astapor　I'd　set　my　sails　for。　In　Astapor　you　can　buy　Unsullied。〃
　〃The　slaves　in　the　spiked　bronze　hats？〃　Dany　had　seen　Unsullied　guards　in　the　Free　Cities；　posted　at　the　gates　of　magisters；　archons；　and　dynasts。　〃Why　should　I　want　Unsullied？　They　don't　even　ride　horses；　and　most　of　them　are　fat。〃
　〃The　Unsullied　you　may　have　seen　in　Pentos　and　Myr　were　household　guards。　That's　soft　service；　and　eunuchs　tend　to　plumpness　in　any　case。　Food　is　the　only　vice　allowed　them。　To　judge　all　Unsullied　by　a　few　old　household　slaves　is　like　judging　all　squires　by　Arstan　Whitebeard；　Your　Grace。　Do　you　know　the　tale　of　the　Three　Thousand　of　Qohor？〃
　〃No。〃　The　coverlet　slipped　off　Dany's　shoulder；　and　she　tugged　it　back　into　place。
　〃It　was　four　hundred　years　ago　or　more；　when　the　Dothraki　first　rode　out　of　the　east；　sacking　and　burning　every　town　and　city　in　their　path。　The　khal　who　led　them　was　named　Temmo。　His　khalasar　was　not　so　big　as　Drogo's；　but　it　was　big　enough。　Fifty　thousand；　at　the　least。　Half　of　them　braided　warriors　with　bells　ringing　in　their　hair。
　〃The　Qohorik　knew　he　was　ing。　They　strengthened　their　walls；　doubled　the　size　of　their　own　guard；　and　hired　two　free　panies　besides；　the　Bright　Banners　and　the　Second　Sons。　And　almost　as　an　afterthought；　they　sent　a　man　to　Astapor　to　buy　three　thousand　Unsullied。　It　was　a　long　march　back　to　Qohor；　however；　and　as　they　approached　they　saw　the　smoke　and　dust　and　heard　the　distant　din　of　battle。
　〃By　the　time　the　Unsullied　reached　the　city　the　sun　had　set。　Crows　and　wolves　were　feasting　beneath　the　walls　on　what　remained　of　the　Qohorik　heavy　horse。　The　Bright　Banners　and　Second　Sons　had　fled；　as　sellswords　are　wont　to　do　in　the　face　of　hopeless　odds。　With　dark　falling；　the　Dothraki　had　retired　to　their　own　camps　to　drink　and　dance　and　feast；　but　none　doubted　that　they　would　return　on　the　morrow　to　smash　the　city　gates；　storm　the　walls；　and　rape；　loot；　and　slave　as　they　pleased。
　〃But　when　dawn　broke　and　Temmo　and　his　bloodriders　led　their　khalasar　out　of　camp；　they　found　three　thousand　Unsullied　drawn　up　before　the　gates　with　the　Black　Goat　standard　flying　over　their　heads。　So　small　a　force　could　easily　have　been　flanked；　but　you　know　Dothraki。　These　were　men　on　foot；　and　men　on　foot　are　fit　only　to　be　ridden　down。
　〃The　Dothraki　charged。　The　Unsullied　locked　their　shields；　lowered　their　spears；　and　stood　firm。　Against　twenty　thousand　screamers　with　bells　in　their　hair；　they　stood　firm。
　〃Eighteen　times　the　Dothraki　charged；　and　broke　themselves　on　those　shields　and　spears　like　waves　on　a　rocky　shore。　Thrice　Temmo　sent　his　archers　wheeling　past　and　arrows　fell　like　rain　upon　the　Three　Thousand；　but　the　Unsullied　merely　lifted　their　shields　above　their　heads　until　the　squall　had　passed。　In　the　end　only　six　hundred　of　them　remained　。　。　。　but　more　than　twelve　thousand　Dothraki　lay　dead　upon　that　field；　including　Khal　Temmo；　his　bloodriders；　his　kos；　and　all　his　sons。　On　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day；　the　new　khal　led　the　survivors　past　the　city　gates　in　a　stately　procession。　One　by　one；　each　man　cut　off　his　braid　and　threw　it　down　before　the　feet　of　the　Three　Thousand。
　〃Since　that　day；　the　city　guard　of　Qohor　has　been　made　up　solely　of　Unsullied；　every　one　of　whom　carries　a　tall　spear　from　which　hangs　a　braid　of　human　hair。
　〃That　is　what　you　will　find　in　Astapor；　Your　Grace。　Put　ashore　there；　and　continue　on　to　Pentos　overland。　It　will　take　longer；　yes　。　。　。　but　when　you　break　bread　with　Magister　Illyrio；　you　will　have　a　thousand　swords　behind　you；　not　just　four。〃
　There　is　wisdom　in　this；　yes；　Dany　thought；　but　。　。　。　〃How　am　I　to　buy　a　thousand　slave　soldiers？　All　I　have　of　value　is　the　crown　the　Tourmaline　Brotherhood　gave　me。〃
　〃Dragons　will　be　as　great　a　wonder　in　Astapor　as　they　were　in　Qarth。　it　may　be　that　the　slavers　will　shower　you　with　gifts；　as　the　Qartheen　did。　If　not　。　。　。　these　ships　carry　more　than　your　Dothraki　and　their　horses。　They　took　on　trade　goods　at　Qarth；　I've　been　through　the　holds　and　seen　for　myself。　Bolts　of　silk　and　bales　of　tiger　skin；　amber　and　jade　carvings；　saffron；　myrrh　。　。　。　slaves　are　cheap；　Your　Grace。　Tiger　skins　are　costly。〃
　〃Those　are　Illyrio's　tiger　skins；〃　she　objected。
　〃And　Illyrio　is　a　friend　to　House　Targaryen。〃
　〃All　the　more　reason　not　to　steal　his　goods。〃
　〃What　use　are　wealthy　friends　if　they　will　not　put　their　wealth　at　your　disposal；　my　queen？　If　Magister　Illyrio　would　deny　you；　he　is　only　Xaro　Xhoan　Daxos　with　four　chins。　And　if　he　is　sincere　in　his　devotion　to　your　cause；　he　will　not　begrudge　you　three　shiploads　of　trade　goods。　What　better　use　for　his　tiger　skins　than　to　buy　you　the　beginnings　of　an　army？〃
　That's　true。　Dany　felt　a　rising　excitement。　〃There　will　be　dangers　on　such　a　long　march　。　。　。〃
　〃There　are　dangers　at　sea　as　well。　Corsairs　and　pirates　hunt　the　southern　route；　and　north　of　Valyria　the　Smoking　Sea　is　demon…haunted。　The　next　storm　could　sink　or　scatter　us；　a　kraken　could　pull　us　under　。　。　。　or　we　might　find　ourselves　becalmed　again；　and　die　of　thirst　as　we　wait　for　the　wind　to　rise。　A　march　will　have　different　dangers；　my　queen；　but　none　greater。〃
　〃What　if　Captain　Groleo　refuses　to　change　course；　though？　And　Arstan；　Strong　Belwas；　what　will　they　do？〃
　Ser　Jorah　stood。　〃Perhaps　it's　time　you　found　that　out。〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　decided。　〃I'll　do　it！〃　Dany　threw　back　the　coverlets　and　hopped　from　the　bunk。　〃I'll　see　the　captain　at　once；　mand　him　to　set　course　for　Astapor。〃　She　bent　over　her　chest；　threw　open　the　lid；　and　seized　the　first　garment　to　hand；　a　pair　of　loose　sandsilk　trousers。　〃Hand　me　my　medallion　belt；〃　she　manded　Jorah　as　she　pulled　the　sandsilk　up　over　her　hips。　〃And　my　vest…〃　she　started　to　say；　turning。
　Ser　Jorah　slid　his　arms　around　her。
　〃Oh；〃　was　all　Dany　had　time　to　say　as　he　pulled　her　close　and　pressed　his　lips　down　on　hers。　He　smelled　of　sweat　and　salt　and　leather；　and　the　iron　studs　on　his　jerkin　dug　into　her　naked　breasts　as　he　crushed　her　hard　against　him。　One　hand　held　her　by　the　shoulder　while　the　other　slid　down　her　spine　to　the　small　of　her　back；　and　her　mouth　opened　for　his　tongue；　though　she　never　told　it　to。　His　beard　is　scratchy；　she　thought；　but　his　mouth　is　sweet。　The　Dothraki　wore　no　beards；　only　long　mustaches；　and　only　Khal　Drogo　had　ever　kissed　her　before。　He　should　not　be　doing　this。　I　am　his　queen；　not　his　woman。
　It　was　a　long　kiss；　though　how　long　Dany　could　not　have　said。　When　it　ended；　Ser　Jorah　let　go　of　her；　and　she　took　a　quick　step　backward。　〃You　。　。　。　you　should　not　have　。　。　。〃
　〃I　should　not　have　waited　so　Iong；　〃　he　finished　for　her。　〃I　should　have　kissed　you　in　Qarth；　in　Vaes　Tolorru。　I　should　have　kissed　you　in　the　red　waste；　every　night　and　every　day。　You　were　made　to　be　kissed；　often　and　well。〃　His　eyes　were　on　her　breasts。
　Dany　covered　them　with　her　hands；　before　her　nipples　could　betray　her。　〃I　。　。　。　that　was　not　fitting。　I　am　your　queen。〃
　〃My　queen；〃　he　said；　〃and　the　bravest；　sweetest；　and　most　beautiful　woman　I　have　ever　seen。　Daenerys　…
　〃Your　Grace！〃
　〃Your　Grace；〃　he　conceded；　〃the　dragon　has　three　heads；　remember？　You　have　wondered　at　that；　ever　since　you　heard　it　from　the　warlocks　in　the　House　of　Dust。　Well；　here's　your　meaning：　Balerion；　Meraxes；　and　Vhagar；　ridden　by　Aegon；　Rhaenys；　and　Visenya。　The　three…headed　dragon　of　House　Targaryen…three　dragons；　and　three　riders。〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Dany；　〃but　my　brothers　are　dead。〃
　〃Rhaenys　and　Visenya　were　Aegon's　wives　as　well　as　his　sisters。　You　have　no　brothers；　but　you　can　take　husbands。　And　I　tell　you　truly；　Daenerys；　there　is　no　man　in　all　the　world　who　will　ever　be　half　so　true　to　you　as　me。〃
　
　CHAPTER　9
　BRAN
　
　The　ridge　slanted　sharply　from　the　earth；　a　long　fold　of　stone　and　soil　shaped　like　a　claw。　Trees　clung　to　it