grrm.astormofswords-第24节

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he　other　two；　while　her　handmaids　Irri　and　Jhiqui　clutched　the　rail　desperately　and　retched　over　the　side　at　every　little　swell。　The　rest　of　Dany's　tiny　khalasar　remained　below　decks；　preferring　the　pany　of　their　nervous　horses　to　the　terrifying　landless　world　about　the　ships。　When　a　sudden　squall　had　enveloped　them　six　days　into　the　voyage；　she　heard　them　through　the　hatches；　the　horses　kicking　and　screaming；　the　riders　praying　in　thin　quavery　voices　each　time　Balerion　heaved　or　swayed。
　No　squall　could　frighten　Dany；　though。　Daenerys　Stormborn；　she　was　called；　for　she　had　e　howling　into　the　world　on　distant　Dragonstone　as　the　greatest　storm　in　the　memory　of　Westeros　howled　outside；　a　storm　so　fierce　that　it　ripped　gargoyles　from　the　castle　walls　and　smashed　her　father's　fleet　to　kindling。
　The　narrow　sea　was　often　stormy；　and　Dany　had　crossed　it　half　a　hundred　times　as　a　girl；　running　from　one　Free　City　to　the　next　half　a　step　ahead　of　the　Usurper's　hired　knives。　She　loved　the　sea。　She　liked　the　sharp　salty　smell　of　the　air；　and　the　vastness　of　horizons　bounded　only　by　a　vault　of　azure　sky　above。　It　made　her　feel　small；　but　free　as　well。　She　liked　the　dolphins　that　sometimes　swam　along　beside　Balerion；　slicing　through　the　waves　like　silvery　spears；　and　the　flying　fish　they　glimpsed　now　and　again。　She　even　liked　the　sailors；　with　all　their　songs　and　stories。　Once　on　a　voyage　to　Braavos；　as　she'd　watched　the　crew　wrestle　down　a　great　green　sail　in　a　rising　gale；　she　had　even　thought　how　fine　it　would　be　to　be　a　sailor。　But　when　she　told　her　brother；　Viserys　had　twisted　her　hair　until　she　cried。　〃You　are　blood　of　the　dragon；〃　he　had　screamed　at　her。　〃A　dragon；　not　some　smelly　fish。〃
　He　was　a　fool　about　that；　and　so　much　else；　Dany　thought。　If　he　had　been　wiser　and　more　patient；　it　would　be　him　sailing　west　to　take　the　throne　that　was　his　by　rights。　Viserys　had　been　stupid　and　vicious；　she　had　e　to　realize；　yet　sometimes　she　missed　him　all　the　same。　Not　the　cruel　weak　man　he　had　bee　by　the　end；　but　the　brother　who　had　sometimes　let　her　creep　into　his　bed；　the　boy　who　told　her　tales　of　the　Seven　Kingdoms；　and　talked　of　how　much　better　their　lives　would　be　once　he　claimed　his　crown。
　The　captain　appeared　at　her　elbow。　〃Would　that　this　Balerion　could　soar　as　her　namesake　did；　Your　Grace；〃　he　said　in　bastard　Valyrian　heavily　flavored　with　accents　of　Pentos。　〃Then　we　should　not　need　to　row；　nor　tow；　nor　pray　for　wind。〃
　〃Just　so；　Captain；〃　she　answered　with　a　smile；　pleased　to　have　won　the　man　over。　Captain　Groleo　was　an　old　Pentoshi　like　his　master；　Illyrio　Mopatis；　and　he　had　been　nervous　as　a　maiden　about　carrying　three　dragons　on　his　ship。　Half　a　hundred　buckets　of　seawater　still　hung　from　the　gunwales；　in　case　of　fires。　At　first　Groleo　had　wanted　the　dragons　caged　and　Dany　had　consented　to　put　his　fears　at　ease；　but　their　misery　was　so　palpable　that　she　soon　changed　her　mind　and　insisted　they　be　freed。
　Even　Captain　Groleo　was　glad　of　that；　now。　There　had　been　one　small　fire；　easily　extinguished；　against　that；　Balerion　suddenly　seemed　to　have　far　fewer　rats　than　she'd　had　before；　when　she　sailed　under　the　name　Saduleon。　And　her　crew；　once　as　fearful　as　they　were　curious；　had　begun　to　take　a　queer　fierce　pride　in　〃their〃　dragons。　Every　man　of　them；　from　captain　to　cook's　boy；　loved　to　watch　the　three　fly　。　。　。　though　none　so　much　as　Dany。
　They　are　my　children；　she　told　herself；　and　if　the　maegi　spoke　truly；　they　are　the　only　children　I　am　ever　like　to　have。
　Viserion's　scales　were　the　color　of　fresh　cream；　his　horns；　wing　bones；　and　spinal　crest　a　dark　gold　that　flashed　bright　as　metal　in　the　sun。　Rhaegal　was　made　of　the　green　of　summer　and　the　bronze　of　fall。　They　soared　above　the　ships　in　wide　circles；　higher　and　higher；　each　trying　to　climb　above　the　other。
　Dragons　always　preferred　to　attack　from　above；　Dany　had　learned。　Should　either　get　between　the　other　and　the　sun；　he　would　fold　his　wings　and　dive　screaming；　and　they　would　tumble　from　the　sky　locked　together　in　a　tangled　scaly　ball；　jaws　snapping　and　tails　lashing。　The　first　time　they　had　done　it；　she　feared　that　they　meant　to　kill　each　other；　but　it　was　only　sport。　No　sooner　would　they　splash　into　the　sea　than　they　would　break　apart　and　rise　again；　shrieking　and　hissing；　the　salt　water　steaming　off　them　as　their　wings　clawed　at　the　air。　Drogon　was　aloft　as　well；　though　not　in　sight；　he　would　be　miles　ahead；　or　miles　behind；　hunting。
　He　was　always　hungry；　her　Drogon。　Hungry　and　growing　fast。　Another　year；　or　perhaps　two；　and　he　may　be　large　enough　to　ride。　Then　I　shall　have　no　need　of　ships　to　cross　the　great　salt　sea。
　But　that　time　was　not　yet　e。　Rhaegal　and　Viserion　were　the　size　of　small　dogs；　Drogon　only　a　little　larger；　and　any　dog　would　have　outweighed　them；　they　were　all　wings　and　neck　and　tail；　lighter　than　they　looked。　And　so　Daenerys　Targaryen　must　rely　on　wood　and　wind　and　canvas　to　bear　her　home。
　The　wood　and　the　canvas　had　served　her　well　enough　so　far；　but　the　fickle　wind　had　turned　traitor。　For　six　days　and　six　nights　they　had　been　becalmed；　and　now　a　seventh　day　had　e；　and　still　no　breath　of　air　to　fill　their　sails。　Fortunately；　two　of　the　ships　that　Magister　Illyrio　had　sent　after　her　were　trading　galleys；　with　two　hundred　oars　apiece　and　crews　of　strong…armed　oarsmen　to　row　them。　But　the　great　cog　Balerion　was　a　song　of　a　different　key；　a　ponderous　broad…beamed　sow　of　a　ship　with　immense　holds　and　huge　sails；　but　helpless　in　a　calm。　Vhagar　and　Meraxes　had　let　out　lines　to　tow　her；　but　it　made　for　painfully　slow　going。　All　three　ships　were　crowded；　and　heavily　laden。
　〃I　cannot　see　Drogon；〃　said　Ser　Jorah　Mormont　as　he　joined　her　on　the　forecastle。　〃Is　he　lost　again？〃
　〃We　are　the　ones　who　are　lost；　ser。　Drogon　has　no　taste　for　this　wet　creeping；　no　more　than　I　do。〃　Bolder　than　the　other　two；　her　black　dragon　had　been　the　first　to　try　his　wings　above　the　water；　the　first　to　flutter　from　ship　to　ship；　the　first　to　lose　himself　in　a　passing　cloud　。　。　。　and　the　first　to　kill。　The　flying　fish　no　sooner　broke　the　surface　of　the　water　than　they　were　enveloped　in　a　lance　of　flame；　snatched　up；　and　swallowed。　〃How　big　will　he　grow？〃　Dany　asked　curiously。　〃Do　you　know？〃
　〃In　the　Seven　Kingdoms；　there　are　tales　of　dragons　who　grew　so　huge　that　they　could　pluck　giant　krakens　from　the　seas。〃
　Dany　laughed。　〃That　would　be　a　wondrous　sight　to　see。〃
　〃It　is　only　a　tale；　Khaleesi；〃　said　her　exile　knight。　〃They　talk　of　wise　old　dragons　living　a　thousand　years　as　well。〃
　〃Well；　how　long　does　a　dragon　live？〃　She　looked　up　as　Viserion　swooped　low　over　the　ship；　his　wings　beating　slowly　and　stirring　the　limp　sails。
　Ser　Jorah　shrugged。　〃A　dragon's　natural　span　of　days　is　many　times　as　long　as　a　man's；　or　so　the　songs　would　have　us　believe　。　。　。　but　the　dragons　the　Seven　Kingdoms　knew　best　were　those　of　House　Targaryen。　They　were　bred　for　war；　and　in　war　they　died。　It　is　no　easy　thing　to　slay　a　dragon；　but　it　can　be　done。〃
　The　squire　Whitebeard；　standing　by　the　figurehead　with　one　lean　hand　curled　about　his　tall　hardwood　staff；　turned　toward　them　and　said；　〃Balerion　the　Black　Dread　was　two　hundred　years　old　when　he　died　during　the　reign　of　jaehaerys　the　Conciliator。　He　was　so　large　he　could　swallow　an　aurochs　whole。　A　dragon　never　stops　growing；　Your　Grace；　so　long　as　he　has　food　and　freedom。〃　His　name　was　Arstan；　but　Strong　Belwas　had　named　him　Whitebeard　for　his　pale　whiskers；　and　most　everyone　called　him　that　now。　He　was　taller　than　Ser　Jorah；　though　not　so　muscular；　his　eyes　were　a　pale　blue；　his　long　beard　as　white　as　snow　and　as　flne　as　silk。
　〃Freedom？〃　asked　Dany；　curious。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃In　King's　Landing；　your　ancestors　raised　an　immense　domed　castle　for　their　dragons。　The　Dragonpit；　it　is　called。　It　still　stands　atop　the　Hill　of　Rhaenys；　though　all　in　ruins　now。　That　was　where　the　royal　dragons　dwelt　in　days　of　yore；　and　a　cavernous　dwelling　it　was；　with　iron　doors　so　wide　that　thirty　knights　could　ride　through　them　abreast。　Yet　even　so；　it　was　noted　that　none　of　the　pit　dragons　ever　reached　the　size　of　their　ancestors。　The　maesters　say　it　was　because　of　the　walls　around　them；　and　the　great　dome　above　their　heads。〃
　〃If　walls　could　keep　us　small；　peasants　would　all　be　tiny　and　kings　as　large　as　giants；〃　said　Ser　Jorah。　〃I've　seen　huge　men　born　in　hovels；　and　dwarfs　who　dwelt　in　castles。〃
　〃Men　are　men；〃　Whitebeard　replied。　〃Dragons　are　dragons。〃
　Ser　Jorah　snorted　his　disdain。　〃How　profound。〃　The　exile　knight　had　no　love　for　the　old　man；　he'd　made　that　plain　from　the　first。　〃What　do　you　know　of　dragons；　anyway？〃
　〃Little　enough；　that's　true。　Yet　I　served　for　a　time　in　King's　Landing　in　the　days　when　King　Aerys　sat　the　Iron　Throne；　and　walked　beneath　the　dragonskulls　that　looked　down　from　the　walls　of　his　throne　room。〃
　〃Viserys　talked　of　those　skulls；〃　said　Dany。　〃The　Usurper　took　them　down　and　hid　them　away。　He　could　not　bear　them　looking　down　on　him　upon　his　stolen　throne。〃　She　beckoned　Whitebeard　closer。　〃Did　you　ever　meet　my　royal　father？〃　King　Aerys　II　had　died　before　his　daughter　was　born。
　〃I　had　that　great　honor；　Your　Grace。〃
　〃Did　you　find　him　good　and　gentle？〃
　Whitebeard　did　his　best　to　hide　his