grrm.astormofswords-第244章

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　〃He　lied　to　me　about　his　name。　You　sold　my　secrets　to　the　men　who　killed　my　father　and　stole　my　brother's　throne。〃
　〃I　protected　you。　I　fought　for　you。　Killed　for　you。〃
　Kissed　me；　she　thought；　betrayed　me。
　〃I　went　down　into　the　sewers　like　a　rat。　For　you。〃
　It　might　have　been　kinder　if　you'd　died　there。　Dany　said　nothing。　There　was　nothing　to　say。
　〃Daenerys；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　loved　you。〃
　And　there　it　was。　Three　treasons　will　you　know　Once　for　blood　and　once　for　gold　and　once　for　love。　〃The　gods　do　nothing　without　a　purpose；　they　say。　You　did　not　die　in　battle；　so　it　must　be　they　still　have　some　use　for　you。　But　I　don't。　I　will　not　have　you　near　me。　You　are　banished；　ser。　Go　back　to　your　masters　in　King's　Landing　and　collect　your　pardon；　if　you　can。　Or　to　Astapor。　No　doubt　the　butcher　king　needs　knights。〃
　〃No。〃　He　reached　for　her。　〃Daenerys；　please；　hear　me　。　。　。〃
　She　slapped　his　hand　away。　〃Do　not　ever　presume　to　touch　me　again；　or　to　speak　my　name。　You　have　until　dawn　to　collect　your　things　and　leave　this　city。　If　you're　found　in　Meereen　past　break　of　day；　I　will　have　Strong　Belwas　twist　your　head　off。　I　will。　Believe　that。〃　She　turned　her　back　on　him；　her　skirts　swirling。　I　cannot　bear　to　see　his　face。　〃Remove　this　liar　from　my　sight；　〃　she　manded。　I　must　not　weep。　I　must　not。　If　I　weep　I　will　forgive　him。　Strong　Belwas　seized　Ser　Jorah　by　the　arm　and　dragged　him　out。　When　Dany　glanced　back；　the　knight　was　walking　as　if　drunk；　stumbling　and　slow。　She　looked　away　until　she　heard　the　doors　open　and　close。　Then　she　sank　back　onto　the　ebony　bench。　He's　gone；　then。　Myfather　and　my　mother；　my　brothers；　Ser　Willem　Darry；　Drogo　who　was　my　sunand…stars；　his　son　who　died　inside　me；　and　now　Ser　forah　。　。　。
　〃The　queen　has　a　good　heart；〃　Daario　purred　through　his　deep　purple　whiskers；　〃but　that　one　is　more　dangerous　than　all　the　Oznaks　and　Meros　rolled　up　in　one。〃　His　strong　hands　caressed　the　hilts　of　his　matched　blades；　those　wanton　golden　women。　〃You　need　not　even　say　the　word；　my　radiance。　Only　give　the　tiniest　nod；　and　your　Daario　shall　fetch　you　back　his　ugly　head。〃
　〃Leave　him　be。　The　scales　are　balanced　now。　Let　him　go　home。〃　Dany　pictured　Jorah　moving　amongst　old　gnarled　oaks　and　tall　pines；　past　flowering　thornbushes；　grey　stones　bearded　with　moss；　and　little　creeks　running　icy　down　steep　hillsides。　She　saw　him　entering　a　hall　built　of　huge　logs；　where　dogs　slept　by　the　hearth　and　the　smell　of　meat　and　mead　hung　thick　in　the　smoky　air。　〃We　are　done　for　now；〃　she　told　her　captains。
　It　was　all　she　could　do　not　to　run　back　up　the　wide　marble　stairs。　Irri　helped　her　slip　from　her　court　clothes　and　into　more　fortable　garb；　baggy　woolen　breeches；　a　loose　felted　tunic；　a　painted　Dothraki　vest。　〃You　are　trembling；　Khaleesi；〃　the　girl　said　as　she　knelt　to　lace　up　Dany's　sandals。
　〃I'm　cold；〃　Dany　lied。　〃Bring　me　the　book　I　was　reading　last　night。〃　She　wanted　to　lose　herself　in　the　words；　in　other　times　and　other　places。　The　fat　leather…bound　volume　was　full　of　songs　and　stories　from　the　Seven　Kingdoms。　Children's　stories；　if　truth　be　told；　too　simple　and　fanciful　to　be　true　history。　All　the　heroes　were　tall　and　handsome；　and　you　could　tell　the　traitors　by　their　shifty　eyes。　Yet　she　loved　them　all　the　same。　Last　night　she　had　been　reading　of　the　three　princesses　in　the　red　tower；　locked　away　by　the　king　for　the　crime　of　being　beautiful。
　When　her　handmaid　brought　the　book；　Dany　had　no　trouble　finding　the　page　where　she　had　left　off；　but　it　was　no　good。　She　found　herself　reading　the　same　passage　half　a　dozen　times。　Ser　forah　gave　me　this　book　as　a　bride's　gift；　the　day　I　wed　Khal　Drogo。　But　Daario　is　right；　I　shouldn't　have　banished　him。　I　should　have　kept　him；　or　I　should　have　killed　him。　She　played　at　being　a　queen；　yet　sometimes　she　still　felt　like　a　scared　little　girl。　Viserys　always　said　what　a　dolt　I　was。　Was　he　truly　mad？　She　closed　the　book。　She　could　still　recall　Ser　Jorah；　if　she　wished。　Or　send　Daario　to　kill　him。
　Dany　fled　from　the　choice；　out　onto　the　terrace。　She　found　Rhaegal　asleep　beside　the　pool；　a　green　and　bronze　coil　basking　in　the　sun。　Drogon　was　perched　up　atop　the　pyramid；　in　the　place　where　the　huge　bronze　harpy　had　stood　before　she　had　manded　it　to　be　pulled　down。　He　spread　his　wings　and　roared　when　he　spied　her。　There　was　no　sign　of　Viserion；　but　when　she　went　to　the　parapet　and　scanned　the　horizon　she　saw　pale　wings　in　the　far　distance；　sweeping　above　the　river。　He　is　hunting。　They　grow　bolder　every　day。　Yet　it　still　made　her　anxious　when　they　flew　too　far　away。　One　day　one　of　them　may　not　return；　she　thought。
　〃Your　Grace？〃
　She　turned　to　find　Ser　Barristan　behind　her。　〃What　more　would　you　have　of　me；　ser？　I　spared　you；　I　took　you　into　my　service；　now　give　me　some　peace。〃
　〃Forgive　me；　Your　Grace。　It　was　only　。　。　。　now　that　you　know　who　I　am　。　。　。〃　The　old　man　hesitated。　〃A　knight　of　the　Kingsguard　is　in　the　king's　presence　day　and　night。　For　that　reason；　our　vows　require　us　to　protect　his　secrets　as　we　would　his　life。　But　your　father's　secrets　by　rights　belong　to　you　now；　along　with　his　throne；　and　。　。　。　I　thought　perhaps　you　might　have　questions　for　me。〃
　Questions？　She　had　a　hundred　questions；　a　thousand；　ten　thousand。　Why　couldn't　she　think　of　one？　〃Was　my　father　truly　mad？〃　she　blurted　out。　Why　do　I　ask　that？　〃Viserys　said　this　talk　of　madness　was　a　ploy　of　the　Usurper's　。　。　。〃
　〃Viserys　was　a　child；　and　the　queen　sheltered　him　as　much　as　she　could。　Your　father　always　had　a　little　madness　in　him；　I　now　believe。　Yet　he　was　charming　and　generous　as　well；　so　his　lapses　were　forgiven。　His　reign　began　with　such　promise　。　。　。　but　as　the　years　passed；　the　lapses　grew　more　frequent；　until。　。。〃
　Dany　stopped　him。　〃Do　I　want　to　hear　this　now？〃
　Ser　Barristan　considered　a　moment。　〃Perhaps　not。　Not　now。〃
　〃Not　now；〃　she　agreed。　〃One　day。　One　day　you　must　tell　me　all。　The　good　and　the　bad。　There　is　some　good　to　be　said　of　my　father；　surely？〃
　〃There　is；　Your　Grace。　Of　him；　and　those　who　came　before　him。　Your　grandfather　Jaehaerys　and　his　brother；　their　father　Aegon；　your　mother　。　。　。　and　Rhaegar。　Him　most　of　all。〃
　〃I　wish　I　could　have　known　him。〃　Her　voice　was　wistful。
　〃I　wish　he　could　have　known　you；〃　the　old　knight　said。　〃When　you　are　ready；　I　will　tell　you　all。〃
　Dany　kissed　him　on　the　cheek　and　sent　him　on　his　way。
　That　night　her　handmaids　brought　her　lamb；　with　a　salad　of　raisins　and　carrots　soaked　in　wine；　and　a　hot　flaky　bread　dripping　with　honey。　She　could　eat　none　of　it。　Did　Rhaegar　ever　grow　so　weary？　she　wondered。　Did　Aegon；　after　his　conquest？
　Later；　when　the　time　came　for　sleep；　Dany　took　Irri　into　bed　with　her；　for　the　first　time　since　the　ship。　But　even　as　she　shuddered　in　release　and　wound　her　fingers　through　her　handmaid's　thick　black　hair；　she　pretended　it　was　Drogo　holding　her　。　。　。　only　somehow　his　face　kept　turning　into　Daario's。　If　I　want　Daario　I　need　only　say　so。　She　lay　with　Irri's　legs　entangled　in　her　own。　His　eyes　looked　almost　purple　today　。　。　。
　Dany's　dreams　were　dark　that　night；　and　she　woke　three　times　from　half…remembered　nightmares。　After　the　third　time　she　was　too　restless　to　return　to　sleep。　Moonlight　streamed　through　the　slanting　windows；　silvering　the　marble　floors。　A　cool　breeze　was　blowing　through　the　open　terrace　doors。　Irri　slept　soundly　beside　her；　her　lips　slightly　parted；　one　dark　brown　nipple　peeping　out　above　the　sleeping　silks。　For　a　moment　Dany　was　tempted；　but　it　was　Drogo　she　wanted；　or　perhaps　Daario。　Not　Irri。　The　maid　was　sweet　and　skillful；　but　all　her　kisses　tasted　of　duty。
　She　rose；　leaving　Irri　asleep　in　the　moonlight。　Jhiqui　and　Missandei　slept　in　their　own　beds。　Dany　slipped　on　a　robe　and　padded　barefoot　across　the　marble　floor；　out　onto　the　terrace。　The　air　was　chilly；　but　she　liked　the　feel　of　grass　between　her　toes　and　the　sound　of　the　leaves　whispering　to　one　another。　Wind　ripples　chased　each　other　across　the　surface　of　the　little　bathing　pool　and　made　the　moon's　reflection　dance　and　shimmer。
　She　leaned　against　a　low　brick　parapet　to　look　down　upon　the　city。　Meereen　was　sleeping　too。　Lost　in　dreams　of　kinder　days；　perhaps。　Night　covered　the　streets　like　a　black　blanket；　hiding　the　cor