grrm.astormofswords-第141章

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ould　Robb　have　returned　to　the　north？
　Jon　shook　his　head。　He　had　no　answers。　It　was　too　hard　to　think　。　。　。　about　the　wolf；　the　old　man；　Ygritte；　any　of　it　。　。　。
　Clumsily；　he　slid　down　off　the　mare's　back。　His　wounded　leg　buckled　under　him；　and　he　had　to　swallow　a　scream。　This　is　going　to　be　agony。　The　arrow　had　to　e　out；　though；　and　nothing　good　could　e　of　waiting。　Jon　curled　his　hand　around　the　fletching；　took　a　deep　breath；　and　shoved　the　arrow　forward。　He　grunted；　then　cursed。　It　hurt　so　much　he　had　to　stop。　I　am　bleeding　like　a　butchered　pig；　he　thought；　but　there　was　nothing　to　be　done　for　it　until　the　arrow　was　out。　He　grimaced　and　tried　again　。　。　。　and　soon　stopped　again；　trembling。　Once　more。　This　time　he　screamed；　but　when　he　was　done　the　arrowhead　was　poking　through　the　front　of　his　thigh。　Jon　pushed　back　his　bloody　breeches　to　get　a　better　grip；　grimaced；　and　slowly　drew　the　shaft　through　his　leg。　How　he　got　through　that　without　fainting　he　never　knew。
　He　lay　on　the　ground　afterward；　clutching　his　prize　and　bleeding　quietly；　too　weak　to　move。　After　a　while；　he　realized　that　if　he　did　not　make　himself　move　he　was　like　to　bleed　to　death。　Jon　crawled　to　the　shallow　stream　where　the　mare　was　drinking；　washed　his　thigh　in　the　cold　water；　and　bound　it　tight　with　a　strip　of　cloth　torn　from　his　cloak。　He　washed　the　arrow　too；　turning　it　in　his　hands。　Was　the　fletching　grey；　or　white？　Ygritte　fletched　her　arrows　with　pale　grey　goose　feathers。　Did　she　loose　a　shaft　at　me　as　I　fled？　Jon　could　not　blame　her　for　that。　He　wondered　if　she'd　been　aiming　for　him　or　the　horse。　If　the　mare　had　gone　down；　he　would　have　been　doomed。　〃A　lucky　thing　my　leg　got　in　the　way；〃　he　muttered。
　He　rested　for　a　while　to　let　the　horse　graze。　She　did　not　wander　far。　That　was　good。　Hobbled　with　a　bad　leg；　he　could　never　have　caught　her。　It　was　all　he　could　do　to　force　himself　back　to　his　feet　and　climb　onto　her　back。　How　did　I　ever　mount　her　before；　without　saddle　or　stirrups；　and　a　sword　in　one　hand？　That　was　another　question　he　could　not　answer。
　Thunder　rumbled　softly　in　the　distance；　but　above　him　the　clouds　were　breaking　up。　Jon　searched　the　sky　until　he　found　the　Ice　Dragon；　then　turned　the　mare　north　for　the　Wall　and　Castle　Black。　The　throb　of　pain　in　his　thigh　muscle　made　him　wince　as　he　put　his　heels　into　the　old　man's　horse。　I　am　going　home；　he　told　himself。　But　if　that　was　true；　why　did　he　feel　so　hollow？
　He　rode　till　dawn；　while　the　stars　stared　down　like　eyes。
　
　CHAPTER　42
　DAENERYS
　
　Her　Dothraki　scouts　had　told　her　how　it　was；　but　Dany　wanted　to　see　for　herself。　Ser　Jorah　Mormont　rode　with　her　through　a　birchwood　forest　and　up　a　slanting　sandstone　ridge。　〃Near　enough；〃　he　warned　her　at　the　crest。
　Dany　reined　in　her　mare　and　looked　across　the　fields；　to　where　the　Yunkish　host　lay　athwart　her　path。　Whitebeard　had　been　teaching　her　how　best　to　count　the　numbers　of　a　foe。　〃Five　thousand；〃　she　said　after　a　moment。
　〃I'd　say　so。〃　Ser　Jorah　pointed。　〃Those　are　sellswords　on　the　flanks。　Lances　and　mounted　bowmen；　with　swords　and　axes　for　the　close　work。　The　Second　Sons　on　the　left　wing；　the　Stormcrows　to　the　right。　About　five　hundred　men　apiece。　See　the　banners？〃
　Yunkai's　harpy　grasped　a　whip　and　iron　collar　in　her　talons　instead　of　a　length　of　chain。　But　the　sellswords　flew　their　own　standards　beneath　those　of　the　city　they　served：　on　the　right　four　crows　between　crossed　thunderbolts；　on　the　left　a　broken　sword。　〃The　Yunkai'i　hold　the　center　themselves；〃　Dany　noted。　Their　officers　looked　indistinguishable　from　Astapor's　at　a　distance；　tall　bright　helms　and　cloaks　sewn　with　flashing　copper　disks。　〃Are　those　slave　soldiers　they　lead？〃
　〃In　large　part。　But　not　the　equal　of　Unsullied。　Yunkai　is　known　for　training　bed　slaves；　not　warriors。〃
　〃What　say　you？　Can　we　defeat　this　army？〃
　〃Easily；〃　Ser　Jorah　said。
　〃But　not　bloodlessly。〃　Blood　aplenty　had　soaked　into　the　bricks　of　Astapor　the　day　that　city　fell；　though　little　of　it　belonged　to　her　or　hers。
　〃We　might　win　a　battle　here；　but　at　such　cost　we　cannot　take　the　city。〃　
　〃That　is　ever　a　risk；　Khaleesi。　Astapor　was　placent　and　vulnerable。　Yunkai　is　forewarned。〃
　Dany　considered。　The　slaver　host　seemed　small　pared　to　her　own　numbers；　but　the　sellswords　were　ahorse。　She'd　ridden　too　long　with　Dothraki　not　to　have　a　healthy　respect　for　what　mounted　warriors　could　do　to　foot。　The　Unsullied　could　withstand　their　charge；　but　my　freedmen　will　be　slaughtered。　〃The　slavers　like　to　talk；〃　she　said。　〃Send　word　that　I　will　hear　them　this　evening　in　my　tent。　And　invite　the　captains　of　the　sellsword　panies　to　call　on　me　as　well。　But　not　together。　The　Stormcrows　at　midday；　the　Second　Sons　two　hours　later。〃
　〃As　you　wish；〃　Ser　Jorah　said。　〃But　if　they　do　not　e　…
　〃They'll　e。　They　will　be　curious　to　see　the　dragons　and　hear　what　I　might　have　to　say；　and　the　clever　ones　will　see　it　for　a　chance　to　gauge　my　strength。〃　She　wheeled　her　silver　mare　about。　〃I'll　await　them　in　my　pavilion。〃
　Slate　skies　and　brisk　winds　saw　Dany　back　to　her　host。　The　deep　ditch　that　would　encircle　her　camp　was　already　half　dug；　and　the　woods　were　full　of　Unsullied　lopping　branches　off　birch　trees　to　sharpen　into　stakes。　The　eunuchs　could　not　sleep　in　an　unfortified　camp；　or　so　Grey　Worm　insisted。　He　was　there　watching　the　work。　Dany　halted　a　moment　to　speak　with　him。　〃Yunkai　has　girded　up　her　loins　for　battle。〃
　〃This　is　good；　Your　Grace。　These　ones　thirst　for　blood。〃
　When　she　had　manded　the　Unsullied　to　choose　officers　from　amongst　themselves；　Grey　Worm　had　been　their　overwhelming　choice　for　the　highest　rank。　Dany　had　put　Ser　Jorah　over　him　to　train　him　for　mand；　and　the　exile　knight　said　that　so　far　the　young　eunuch　was　hard　but　fair；　quick　to　learn；　tireless；　and　utterly　unrelenting　in　his　attention　to　detail。
　〃The　Wise　Masters　have　assembled　a　slave　army　to　meet　us。〃
　〃A　slave　in　Yunkai　learns　the　way　of　seven　sighs　and　the　sixteen　seats　of　pleasure；　Your　Grace。　The　Unsullied　learn　the　way　of　the　three　spears。　Your　Grey　Worm　hopes　to　show　you。〃
　One　of　the　first　things　Dany　had　done　after　the　fall　of　Astapor　was　abolish　the　custom　of　giving　the　Unsullied　new　slave　names　every　day。　Most　of　those　born　free　had　returned　to　their　birth　names；　those　who　still　remembered　them；　at　least。　others　had　called　themselves　after　heroes　or　gods；　and　sometimes　weapons；　gems；　and　even　flowers；　which　resulted　in　soldiers　with　some　very　peculiar　names；　to　Dany's　ears。　Grey　Worm　had　remained　Grey　Worm。　When　she　asked　him　why；　he　said；　〃It　is　a　lucky　name。　The　name　this　one　was　born　to　was　accursed。　That　was　the　name　he　had　when　he　was　taken　for　a　slave。　But　Grey　Worm　is　the　name　this　one　drew　the　day　Daenerys　Stormborn　set　him　free。〃
　〃If　battle　is　joined；　let　Grey　Worm　show　wisdom　as　well　as　valor；〃　Dany　told　him。　〃Spare　any　slave　who　runs　or　throws　down　his　weapon。　The　fewer　slain；　the　more　remain　to　join　us　after。〃
　〃This　one　will　remember。〃
　〃I　know　he　will。　Be　at　my　tent　by　midday。　I　want　you　there　with　my　other　officers　when　I　treat　with　the　sellsword　captains。〃　Dany　spurred　her　silver　on　to　camp。
　Within　the　perimeter　the　Unsullied　had　established；　the　tents　were　going　up　in　orderly　rows；　with　her　own　tall　golden　pavilion　at　the　center。　A　second　encampment　lay　close　beyond　her　own；　five　times　the　size；　sprawling　and　chaotic；　this　second　camp　had　no　ditches；　no　tents；　no　sentries；　no　horselines。　Those　who　had　horses　or　mules　slept　beside　them；　for　fear　they　might　be　stolen。　Goats；　sheep；　and　half…starved　dogs　wandered　freely　amongst　hordes　of　women；　children；　and　old　men。　Dany　had　left　Astapor　in　the　hands　of　a　council　of　former　slaves　led　by　a　healer；　a　scholar；　and　a　priest。　Wise　men　all；　she　thought；　and　just。　Yet　even　so；　tens　of　thousands　preferred　to　follow　her　to　Yunkai；　rather　than　remain　behind　in　Astapor。　I　gave　them　the　city；　and　most　of　them　were　too　frightened　to　take　it。
　The　raggle…taggle　host　of　freedmen　dwarfed　her　own；　but　they　were　more　burden　than　benefit。　Perhaps　one　in　a　hundred　had　a　donkey；　a　camel；　or　an　ox；　most　carried　weapons　looted　from　some　slaver's　armory；　but　only　one　in　ten　was　strong　enough　to　fight；　and　none　was　trained。　They　ate　the　land　bar