grrm.astormofswords-第129节

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he　Peaceful　People；　but　Dany　shook　her　head。　〃Bring　me　Arstan；〃　she　said。
　When　the　old　man　came；　she　was　curled　up　inside　her　hrakkar　pelt；　whose　musty　smell　still　reminded　her　of　Drogo。　〃I　cannot　sleep　when　men　are　dying　for　me；　Whitebeard；　〃　she　said。　〃Tell　me　more　of　my　brother　Rhaegar；　if　you　would。　I　liked　the　tale　you　told　me　on　the　ship；　of　how　he　decided　that　he　must　be　a　warrior。〃
　〃Your　Grace　is　kind　to　say　so。〃
　〃Viserys　said　that　our　brother　won　many　tourneys。〃
　Arstan　bowed　his　white　head　respectfully。　〃It　is　not　meet　for　me　to　deny　His　Grace's　words　。　。　。〃
　〃But？〃　said　Dany　sharply。　〃Tell　me。　I　mand　it。〃
　〃Prince　Rhaegar's　prowess　was　unquestioned；　but　he　seldom　entered　the　lists。　He　never　loved　the　song　of　swords　the　way　that　Robert　did；　or　Jaime　Lannister。　It　was　something　he　had　to　do；　a　task　the　world　had　set　him。　He　did　it　well；　for　he　did　everything　well。　That　was　his　nature。　But　he　took　no　joy　in　it。　Men　said　that　he　loved　his　harp　much　better　than　his　lance。〃
　〃He　won　some　tourneys；　surely；〃　said　Dany；　disappointed。
　〃When　he　was　young；　His　Grace　rode　brilliantly　in　a　tourney　at　Storm's　End；　defeating　Lord　Steffon　Baratheon；　Lord　Jason　Mallister；　the　Red　Viper　of　Dome；　and　a　mystery　knight　who　proved　to　be　the　infamous　Simon　Toyne；　chief　of　the　kingswood　outlaws。　He　broke　twelve　lances　against　Ser　Arthur　Dayne　that　day。〃
　〃Was　he　the　champion；　then？〃
　〃No；　Your　Grace。　That　honor　went　to　another　knight　of　the　Kingsguard；　who　unhorsed　Prince　Rhaegar　in　the　final　tilt。〃
　Dany　did　not　want　to　hear　about　Rhaegar　being　unhorsed。　〃But　what　tourneys　did　my　brother　win？〃
　〃Your　Grace。〃　The　old　man　hesitated。　〃He　won　the　greatest　tourney　of　them　all。〃
　〃Which　was　that？〃　Dany　demanded。
　〃The　tourney　Lord　Whent　staged　at　Harrenhal　beside　the　Gods　Eye；　in　the　year　of　the　false　spring。　A　notable　event。　Besides　the　jousting；　there　was　a　melee　in　the　old　style　fought　between　seven　teams　of　knights；　as　well　as　archery　and　axe…throwing；　a　horse　race；　a　tournament　of　singers；　a　mummer　show；　and　many　feasts　and　frolics。　Lord　Whent　was　as　open　handed　as　he　was　rich。　The　lavish　purses　he　proclaimed　drew　hundreds　of　challengers。　Even　your　royal　father　came　to　Harrenhal；　when　he　had　not　left　the　Red　Keep　for　long　years。　The　greatest　lords　and　mightiest　champions　of　the　Seven　Kingdoms　rode　in　that　tourney；　and　the　Prince　of　Dragonstone　bested　them　all。〃
　〃But　that　was　the　tourney　when　he　crowned　Lyanna　Stark　as　queen　of　love　and　beauty！〃　said　Dany。　〃Princess　Elia　was　there；　his　wife；　and　yet　my　brother　gave　the　crown　to　the　Stark　girl；　and　later　stole　her　away　from　her　betrothed。　How　could　he　do　that？　Did　the　Dornish　woman　treat　him　so　ill？〃
　〃It　is　not　for　such　as　me　to　say　what　might　have　been　in　your　brother's　heart；　Your　Grace。　The　Princess　Elia　was　a　good　and　gracious　lady；　though　her　health　was　ever　delicate。〃
　Dany　pulled　the　lion　pelt　tighter　about　her　shoulders。　〃Viserys　said　once　that　it　was　my　fault；　for　being　born　too　late。〃　She　had　denied　it　hotly；　she　remembered；　going　so　far　as　to　tell　Viserys　that　it　was　his　fault　for　not　being　born　a　girl。　He　beat　her　cruelly　for　that　insolence。　〃If　I　had　been　born　more　timely；　he　said；　Rhaegar　would　have　married　me　instead　of　Elia；　and　it　would　all　have　e　out　different。　If　Rhaegar　had　been　happy　in　his　wife；　he　would　not　have　needed　the　Stark　girl。〃
　〃Perhaps　so；　Your　Grace。〃　Whitebeard　paused　a　moment。　〃But　I　am　not　certain　it　was　in　Rhaegar　to　be　happy。〃
　〃You　make　him　sound　so　sour；〃　Dany　protested。
　〃Not　sour；　no；　but　。　。　。　there　was　a　melancholy　to　Prince　Rhaegar；　a　sense　。　。　。　〃　The　old　man　hesitated　again。
　〃Say　it；〃　she　urged。　〃A　sense　。　。　。　？〃
　〃　。　。　。　of　doom。　He　was　born　in　grief；　my　queen；　and　that　shadow　hung　over　him　all　his　days。〃
　Viserys　had　spoken　of　Rhaegar's　birth　only　once。　Perhaps　the　tale　saddened　him　too　much。　〃It　was　the　shadow　of　Surnmerhall　that　haunted　him；　was　it　not？〃
　〃Yes。　And　yet　Surnmerhall　was　the　place　the　prince　loved　best。　He　would　go　there　from　time　to　time；　with　only　his　harp　for　pany。　Even　the　knights　of　the　Kingsguard　did　not　attend　him　there。　He　liked　to　sleep　in　the　ruined　hall；　beneath　the　moon　and　stars；　and　whenever　he　came　back　he　would　bring　a　song。　When　you　heard　him　play　his　high　harp　with　the　silver　strings　and　sing　of　twilights　and　tears　and　the　death　of　kings；　you　could　not　but　feel　that　he　was　singing　of　himself　and　those　he　loved。〃
　〃What　of　the　Usurper？　Did　he　play　sad　songs　as　well？〃
　Arstan　chuckled。　〃Robert？　Robert　liked　songs　that　made　him　laugh；　the　bawdier　the　better。　He　only　sang　when　he　was　drunk；　and　then　it　was　like　to　be　'A　Cask　of　Ale'　or　'Fifty…Four　Tuns'　or　'The　Bear　and　the　Maiden　Fair。'　Robert　was　much…〃
　As　one；　her　dragons　lifted　their　heads　and　roared。
　〃Horses！〃　Dany　leapt　to　her　feet；　clutching　the　lion　pelt。　Outside；　she　heard　Strong　Belwas　bellow　something；　and　then　other　voices；　and　the　sounds　of　many　horses。　〃Irri；　go　see　who。。　。〃
　The　tent　flap　pushed　open；　and　Ser　Jorah　Mormont　entered。　He　was　dusty；　and　spattered　with　blood；　but　otherwise　none　the　worse　for　battle。　The　exile　knight　went　to　one　knee　before　Dany　and　said；　〃Your　Grace；　I　bring　you　victory。　The　Stormcrows　turned　their　cloaks；　the　slaves　broke；　and　the　Second　Sons　were　too　drunk　to　fight；　just　as　you　said。　Two　hundred　dead；　Yunkai'i　for　the　most　part。　Their　slaves　threw　down　their　spears　and　ran；　and　their　sellswords　yielded。　We　have　several　thousand　captives。〃
　〃Our　own　losses？〃
　〃A　dozen。　If　that　many。〃
　Only　then　did　she　allow　herself　to　smile。　〃Rise；　my　good　brave　bear。　Was　Grazdan　taken？　Or　the　Titan's　Bastard？〃
　〃Grazdan　went　to　Yunkai　to　deliver　your　terms。〃　Ser　Jorah　got　to　his　feet。　〃Mero　fled；　once　he　realized　the　Stormcrows　had　turned。　I　have　men　hunting　him。　He　shouldn't　escape　us　long。〃
　〃Very　well；〃　Dany　said。　〃Sellsword　or　slave；　spare　all　those　who　will　pledge　me　their　faith。　If　enough　of　the　Second　Sons　will　join　us；　keep　the　pany　intact。〃
　The　next　day　they　marched　the　last　three　leagues　to　Yunkai。　The　city　was　built　of　yellow　bricks　instead　of　red；　elsewise　it　was　Astapor　all　over　again；　with　the　same　crumbling　walls　and　high　stepped　pyramids；　and　a　great　harpy　mounted　above　its　gates。　The　wall　and　towers　swarmed　with　crossbowmen　and　slingers。　Ser　Jorah　and　Grey　Worm　deployed　her　men；　Irri　and　Jhiqui　raised　her　pavilion；　and　Dany　sat　down　to　wait。
　On　the　morning　of　the　third　day；　the　city　gates　swung　open　and　a　line　of　slaves　began　to　emerge。　Dany　mounted　her　silver　to　greet　them。　As　they　passed；　little　Missandei　told　them　that　they　owed　their　freedom　to　Daenerys　Stormborn；　the　Unburnt；　Queen　of　the　Seven　Kingdoms　of　Westeros　and　Mother　of　Dragons。
　〃Mhysa！〃　a　brown…skinned　man　shouted　out　at　her。　He　had　a　child　on　his　shoulder；　a　little　girl；　and　she　screamed　the　same　word　in　her　thin　voice。　〃Mhysa！　Mhysa！〃
　Dany　looked　at　Missandei。　〃What　are　they　shouting？〃
　〃It　is　Ghiscari；　the　old　pure　tongue。　It　means　'Mother。〃'
　Dany　felt　a　lightness　in　her　chest。　I　will　never　bear　a　living　child；　she　remembered。　Her　hand　trembled　as　she　raised　it。　Perhaps　she　smiled。　She　must　have；　because　the　man　grinned　and　shouted　again；　and　others　took　up　the　cry。　〃Mhysa！〃　they　called。　〃Mhysa！　MHYSA！〃　They　were　all　smiling　at　her；　reaching　for　her；　kneeling　before　her。　〃Maela；〃　some　called　her　while　others　cried　〃Aelalla〃　or　〃Qathei〃　or　〃Tato；〃　but　whatever　the　tongue　it　all　meant　the　same　thing。　Mother。　They　are　calling　me　Mother。
　The　chant　grew；　spread；　swelled。　it　swelled　so　loud　that　it　frightened　her　horse；　and　the　mare　backed　and　shook　her　head　and　lashed　her　silver…grey　tail。　It　swelled　until　it　seemed　to　shake　the　yellow　walls　of　Yunkai。　More　slaves　were　streaming　from　the　gates　every　moment；　and　as　they　came　they　took　up　the　call。　They　were　running　toward　her　now；　pushing；　stumbling；　wanting　to　touch　her　hand；　to　stroke　her　horse's　mane；　to　kiss　her　feet。　Her　poor　bloodriders　could　not　keep　them　all　away；　and　even　Strong　Belwas　grunted　and　growled　in　dismay。
　Ser　Jorah　urged　her　to　go；　but　Dany　remembered　a　dream　she　had　dreamed　in　the　House　of　the　Undying。　〃They　will　not　hurt　me；〃　she　told　him。　〃They　are　my　children；　Jorah。〃　She　laughed；　put　her　heels　into　her　horse；　and　rode　to　them；　the　bells　in　her　hair　ringing　sweet　victory。　She　trotted；　then　cantered；　then　broke　into　a　gallop；　her　braid　streaming　behind。　The　freed　slaves　parted　before　her。　〃Mother；〃　they　called　from　a　hundred　throats；　a　thousand；　ten　thousand。　〃Mother；〃　they　sang；　their　fingers　brushing　her　legs　as　she　flew　by。　〃Mother；　Mother；　Mother！〃
　
　CHAPTER　43
　ARYA
　
　When　Arya　saw　the　shape　of　a　great　hill　looming　in　the　distance；　golden　in　the　afternoon　sun；　she　knew　it　at　once。　They　had　e　all　the　way　back　to　High　Heart。
　By　sunset　they　were　at　the　top；　making　camp　where　no　harm　could　e　to　them。　Arya　walked　around　the　circle　of　weirwood　stumps　with　Lord　Beric's　squire　Ned；　and　they　stood　on　top　of　one　watching　the　last　light　fade　in　the　west。　From　up　here　she　could　see　a　storm　raging　to　the　north；　but　High　Heart　stood　above　the　rain。　It　wasn't　above　the　wind；　though；　the　gusts　were　blowing　so　strongly　that　it　felt　like　someone　was　behind　her；　yanking　on　her　cloak。　Only　when　sh