grrm.astormofswords-第74部分

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k。　〃It　is　too　much；　but　the　Good　Masters　are　being　generous　and　your　need　is　being　great。〃
　Two　thousand　would　never　serve　for　what　she　meant　to　do。　I　must　have　them　all。　Dany　knew　what　she　must　do　now；　though　the　taste　of　it　was　so　bitter　that　even　the　persimmon　wine　could　not　cleanse　it　from　her　month。　She　had　considered　long　and　hard　and　found　no　other　way。　It　is　my　only　choice。　〃Give　me　all；〃　she　said；　〃and　you　may　have　a　dragon。〃
　There　was　the　sound　of　indrawn　breath　from　Jhiqui　beside　her。　Kraznys　smiled　at　his　fellows。　〃Did　I　not　tell　you？　Anything；　she　would　give　us。〃
　Whitebeard　stared　in　shocked　disbelief。　His　hand　trembled　where　it　grasped　the　staff。　〃No。〃　He　went　to　one　knee　before　her。　〃Your　Grace；　I　beg　you；　win　your　throne　with　dragons；　not　slaves。　You　must　not　do　this　thing…〃
　〃You　must　not　presume　to　instruct　me。　Ser　Jorah；　remove　Whitebeard　from　my　presence。〃
　Mormont　seized　the　old　man　roughly　by　an　elbow；　yanked　him　back　to　his　feet；　and　marched　him　out　onto　the　terrace。
　〃Tell　the　Good　Masters　I　regret　this　interruption；〃　said　Dany　to　the　slave　girl。　〃Tell　them　I　await　their　answer。〃
　She　knew　the　answer；　though；　she　could　see　it　in　the　glitter　of　their　eyes　and　the　smiles　they　tried　so　hard　to　hide。　Astapor　had　thousands　of　eunuchs；　and　even　more　slave　boys　waiting　to　be　cut；　but　there　were　only　three　living　dragons　in　all　the　great　wide　world。　And　the　Ghiscari　lust　for　dragons。　How　could　they　not？　Five　times　had　Old　Ghis　contended　with　Valyria　when　the　world　was　young；　and　five　times　gone　down　to　bleak　defeat。　For　the　Freehold　had　dragons；　and　the　Empire　had　none。
　The　oldest　Grazdan　stirred　in　his　seat　'　and　his　pearls　clacked　together　softly。　〃A　dragon　of　our　choice；〃　he　said　in　a　thin；　hard　voice。　〃The　black　one　is　largest　and　healthiest。〃
　〃His　name　is　Drogon。〃　She　nodded。
　〃All　your　goods；　save　your　crown　and　your　queenly　raiment；　which　we　will　allow　you　to　keep。　The　three　ships。　And　Drogon。〃
　〃Done；〃　she　said；　in　the　mon　Tongue。
　〃Done；〃　the　old　Grazdan　answered　in　his　thick　Valyrian。
　The　others　echoed　that　old　man　of　the　pearl　fringe。　〃Done；〃　the　slave　girl　translated；　〃and　done；　and　done；　eight　times　done。〃
　〃The　Unsullied　will　learn　your　savage　tongue　quick　enough；〃　added　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz；　when　all　the　arrangements　had　been　made；　〃but　until　such　time　you　will　need　a　slave　to　speak　to　them。　Take　this　one　as　our　gift　to　you；　a　token　of　a　bargain　well　struck。〃
　〃I　shall；〃　said　Dany。
　The　slave　girl　rendered　his　words　to　her；　and…hers　to　him。　if　she　had　feelings　about　being　given　for　a　token；　she　took　care　not　to　let　them　show。
　Arstan　Whitebeard　held　his　tongue　as　well；　when　Dany　swept　by　him　on　the　terrace。　He　followed　her　down　the　steps　in　silence；　but　she　could　hear　his　hardwood　staff　tap　tapping　on　the　red　bricks　as　they　went。　She　did　not　blame　him　for　his　fury。　It　was　a　wretched　thing　she　did。　The　Mother　of　Dragons　has　sold　her　strongest　child。　Even　the　thought　made　her　ill。
　Yet　down　in　the　Plaza　of　Pride；　standing　on　the　hot　red　bricks　between　the　slavers'　pyramid　and　the　barracks　of　the　eunuchs；　Dany　turned　on　the　old　man。　〃Whitebeard；〃　she　said；　〃I　want　your　counsel；　and　you　should　never　fear　to　speak　your　mind　with　me　。　。　。　when　we　are　alone。　But　never　question　me　in　front　of　strangers。　Is　that　understood？〃
　〃Yes；　Your　Grace；〃　he　said　unhappily。
　〃I　am　not　a　child；〃　she　told　him。　〃I　am　a　queen。〃
　〃Yet　even　queens　can　err。　The　Astapori　have　cheated　you；　Your　Grace。　A　dragon　is　worth　more　than　any　army。　Aegon　proved　that　three　hundred　years　ago；　upon　the　Field　of　Fire。〃
　〃I　know　what　Aegon　proved。　I　mean　to　prove　a　few　things　of　my　own。〃　Dany　turned　away　from　him；　to　the　slave　girl　standing　meekly　beside　her　litter。　〃Do　you　have　a　name；　or　must　you　draw　a　new　one　every　day　from　some　barrel？〃
　〃That　is　only　for　Unsullied；〃　the　girl　said。　Then　she　realized　the　question　had　been　asked　in　High　Valyrian。　Her　eyes　went　wide。　〃Oh。〃
　〃Your　name　is　Oh？〃
　〃No。　Your　Grace；　forgive　this　one　her　outburst。　Your　slave's　name　is　Missandei；　but　。　。　。〃
　〃Missandei　is　no　longer　a　slave。　I　free　you；　from　this　instant。　e　ride　with　me　in　the　litter；　I　wish　to　talk。〃　Rakharo　helped　them　in；　and　Dany　drew　the　curtains　shut　against　the　dust　and　heat。　〃If　you　stay　with　me　you　will　serve　as　one　of　my　handmaids；〃　she　said　as　they　set　off。　〃I　shall　keep　you　by　my　side　to　speak　for　me　as　you　spoke　for　Kraznys。　But　you　may　leave　my　service　whenever　you　choose；　if　you　have　father　or　mother　you　would　sooner　return　to。〃
　〃This　one　will　stay；〃　the　girl　said。　〃This　one　。　。　。　I　。　。　。　there　is　no　place　for　me　to　go。　This　。　。　。　I　will　serve　you；　gladly。〃
　〃I　can　give　you　freedom；　but　not　safety；〃　Dany　warned。　〃I　have　a　world　to　cross　and　wars　to　fight。　You　may　go　hungry。　You　may　grow　sick。　You　may　be　killed。〃
　〃Valar　morghuhs；〃　said　Missandei；　in　High　Valyrian。
　〃All　men　must　die；〃　Dany　agreed；　〃but　not　for　a　long　while；　we　may　pray。〃　She　leaned　back　on　the　pillows　and　took　the　girl's　hand。　〃Are　these　Unsullied　truly　fearless？〃
　〃Yes；　Your　Grace。〃
　〃You　serve　me　now。　is　it　true　they　feel　no　pain？〃
　〃The　wine　of　courage　kills　such　feelings。　By　the　time　they　slay　their　sucklings；　they　have　been　drinking　it　for　years。〃
　〃And　they　are　obedient？〃
　〃Obedience　is　all　they　know。　If　you　told　them　not　to　breathe；　they　would　find　that　easier　than　not　to　obey。〃
　Dany　nodded。　〃And　when　I　am　done　with　them？〃
　〃Your　Grace？〃
　〃When　I　have　won　my　war　and　claimed　the　throne　that　was　my　father's；　my　knights　will　sheathe　their　swords　and　return　to　their　keeps；　to　their　wives　and　children　and　mothers　。　。　。　to　their　lives。　But　these　eunuchs　have　no　lives。　What　am　I　to　do　with　eight　thousand　eunuchs　when　there　are　no　more　battles　to　be　fought？〃
　〃The　Unsullied　make　flne　guards　and　excellent　watchmen；　Your　Grace；〃　said　Missandei。　〃And　it　is　never　hard　to　find　a　buyer　for　such　fine　well…blooded　troops。〃
　〃Men　are　not　bought　and　sold　in　Westeros；　they　tell　me。〃
　〃With　all　respect；　Your　Grace；　Unsullied　are　not　men。〃
　〃If　I　did　resell　them；　how　would　I　know　they　could　not　be　used　against　me？〃　Dany　asked　pointedly。　〃Would　they　do　that？　Fight　against　me；　even　do　me　harm？〃
　〃If　their　master　manded。　They　do　not　question；　Your　Grace。　All　the　questions　have　been　culled　from　them。　They　obey。〃　She　looked　troubled。　〃When　you　are　。　。　。　when　you　are　done　with　them　。　。　。　Your　Grace　might　mand　them　to　fall　upon　their　swords。〃
　〃And　even　that；　they　would　do？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Missandei's　voice　had　grown　soft。　〃Your　Grace。〃
　Dany　squeezed　her　hand。　〃You　would　sooner　I　did　not　ask　it　of　them；　though。　Why　is　that？　Why　do　you　care？〃
　〃This　one　does　not　。　。　。　I　。　。　。　Your　Grace　。　。　。
　〃Tell　me。〃
　The　girl　lowered　her　eyes。　〃Three　of　them　were　my　brothers　once；　Your　Grace。〃
　Then　I　hope　your　brothers　are　as　brave　and　clever　as　you。　Dany　leaned　back　into　her　pillow；　and　let　the　litter　bear　her　onward；　back　to　Balerion　one　last　time　to　set　her　world　in　order。　And　back　to　Drogon。　Her　mouth　set　grimly。
　It　was　a　long；　dark；　windy　night　that　followed。　Dany　fed　her　dragons　as　she　always　did；　but　found　she　had　no　appetite　herself。　She　cried　awhile；　alone　in　her　cabin；　then　dried　her　tears　long　enough　for　yet　another　argument　with　Groleo。　〃Magister　Illyrio　is　not　here；〃　she　finally　had　to　tell　him；　〃and　if　he　was；　he　could　not　sway　me　either。　I　need　the　Unsullied　more　than　I　need　these　ships；　and　I　will　hear　no　more　about　it。〃
　The　anger　burned　the　grief　and　fear　from　her；　for　a　few　hours　at　the　least。　Afterward　she　called　her　bloodriders　to　her　cabin；　with　Ser　Jorah。　They　were　the　only　ones　she　truly　trusted。
　She　meant　to　sleep　afterward；　to　be　well　rested　for　the　morrow；　but　an　hour　of　restless　tossing　in　the　stuffy　confines　of　the　cabin　soon　convinced　her　that　was　hopeless。　Outside　her　door　she　found　Aggo　fitting　anew　string　to　his　bow　by　the　light　of　a　swinging　oil　lamp。　Rakharo　sat　crosslegged　on　the　deck　beside　him；　sharpening　his　arakh　with　a　whetstone。　Dany　told　them　both　to　keep　on　with　what　they　were　doing；　and　went　up　on　deck　for　a　taste　of　the　cool　night　air。　The　crew　left　her　alone　as　they　went　about　their　business；　but　Ser　Jorah　soon　joined　her　by　the　rail。　He　is　never　far；　Dany　thought。　He　knows　my　moods　too　well。
　〃Khaleesi。　You　ought　to　be　asleep。　Tomorrow　will　be　hot　and　hard；　I　promise　you。　You'll　need　your　strength。〃
　〃Do　you　remember　Eroeh？〃　she　asked　him。
　〃The　Lhazareen　girl？〃
　〃They　were　raping　her；　but　I　stopped　them　and　took　her　under　my　protection。　Only　when　my　sun…and…stars　was　dead　Mago　took　her　back；　used　her　again；　and　killed　her。　Aggo　said　it　was　her　fate。〃
　〃I　remember；〃　Ser　Jorah　said。
　〃I　was　alone　for　a　long　time；　Jorah。　All　alone　but　for　my　brother。　I　was　such　a　small　scared　thing。　Viserys　should　have　protected　me；　but　instead　he　hurt　me　and　scared　me　worse。　He　shouldn't　have　done　that。　He　wasn't　just　my　brother；　he　was　my　king。　Why　do　the　gods　make　kings　and　queens；　if　not　to　protect　the　ones　who　can't　protect　themselves？〃
　〃Some　kings　make　themselves。　Robert　did。〃
　〃He　was　no　true　king；〃　Dany　said　scornfully。　〃He　did　no　justice。　justice　。　。　。　that's　what　kings　are　for。〃
　Ser　Jorah　had　no　answer。　He　only　smiled；　and　touched　her　hair；　so　lightly。　it　was　enough。
　That　night　she　dreamt　that　she　was　Rhaegar；　riding　to　the　Trident。　But　she　was　mounted　on　a　dragon；　not　a　horse。　When　she　saw　the　Usurper's　rebel　host　across　the　river　they　were　armored　all　in　ice；　but　she　bathed　them　in　dragonfire　and　they　melted　away　like　dew　and　turned　the　Trident　into　a　torrent。　Some　small　part　of　her　knew　that　she　was　dreaming；　but　another　part　exulted。　This　is　how　it　was　meant　to　be。　The　other　was　a　nightmare；　and　I　have　only　now　awakened。
　She　woke　suddenly　in　the　darkness　of　her　cabin；　still　flush　with　triumph。　Balerion　seemed　to　wake　with　her；　and　she　heard　the　faint　creak　of　wood；　water　lapping　against　the　hull；　a　footfall　on　the　deck　above　her　head。　And　something　else。
　Someone　was　in　the　cabin　with　her。
　〃Irri？　Jhiqui？　Where　are　you？〃　Her　handmaids　did　not　respond。　It　was　too　black　to　see；　but　she　could　hear　them　breathing。　〃Jorah；　is　that　you？〃
　〃They　sleep；〃　a　woman　said。　〃They　all　sleep。〃　The　voice　was　very　close。　〃Even　dragons　must　sleep。〃
　Sh