grrm.astormofswords-第94章

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nishment；　fronting　on　Astapor's　main　gate；　so　they　might　be　marched　directly　from　the　city　once　Daenerys　had　taken　them　in　hand。　There　were　no　bronze　statues　here；　only　a　wooden　platform　where　rebellious　slaves　were　racked；　and　flayed；　and　hanged。　〃The　Good　Masters　place　them　so　they　will　be　the　first　thing　a　new　slave　sees　upon　entering　the　city；〃　Missandei　told　her　as　they　came　to　the　plaza。
　At　first　glimpse；　Dany　thought　their　skin　was　striped　like　the　zorses　of　the　jogos　Nhai。　Then　she　rode　her　silver　nearer　and　saw　the　raw　red　flesh　beneath　the　crawling　black　stripes。　Flies。　Flies　and　maggots。　The　rebellious　slaves　had　been　peeled　like　a　man　might　peel　an　apple；　in　a　long　curling　strip。　One　man　had　an　arm　black　with　flies　from　fingers　to　elbow；　and　red　and　white　beneath。　Dany　reined　in　beneath　him。　〃What　did　this　one　do？〃
　〃He　raised　a　hand　against　his　owner。〃
　Her　stomach　roiling；　Dany　wheeled　her　silver　about　and　trotted　toward　the　center　of　the　plaza；　and　the　army　she　had　bought　so　dear。　Rank　on　rank　on　rank　they　stood；　her　stone　halfmen　with　their　hearts　of　brick；　eight　thousand　and　six　hundred　in　the　spiked　bronze　caps　of　fully　trained　Unsullied；　and　five　thousand　odd　behind　them；　bareheaded；　yet　armed　with　spears　and　shortswords。　The　ones　farthest　to　the　back　were　only　boys；　she　saw；　but　they　stood　as　straight　and　still　as　all　the　rest。
　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　and　his　fellows　were　all　there　to　greet　her。　Other　well…born　Astapori　stood　in　knots　behind　them；　sipping　wine　from　silver　flutes　as　slaves　circulated　among　them　with　trays　of　olives　and　cherries　and　figs。　The　elder　Grazdan　sat　in　a　sedan　chair　supported　by　four　huge　copper…skinned　slaves。　Half　a　dozen　mounted　lancers　rode　along　the　edges　of　the　plaza；　keeping　back　the　crowds　who　had　e　to　watch。　The　sun　flashed　blinding　bright　off　the　polished　copper　disks　sewn　to　their　cloaks；　but　she　could　not　help　but　notice　how　nervous　their　horses　seemed。　They　fear　the　dragons。　And　well　they　might。
　Kraznys　had　a　slave　help　her　from　her　saddle。　His　own　hands　were　full；　one　clutched　his　tokar；　while　the　other　held　an　omate　whip。　〃Here　they　are。〃　He　looked　at　Missandei。　〃Tell　her　they　are　hers　。　。　。　if　she　can　pay。〃
　〃She　can；〃　the　girl　said。
　Ser　Jorah　barked　a　mand；　and　the　trade　goods　were　brought　forward。　Six　bales　of　tiger　skins；　three　hundred　bolts　of　fine　silk。　jars　of　saffron；　jars　of　myrrh；　jars　of　pepper　and　curry　and　cardamom；　an　onyx　mask；　twelve　jade　monkeys；　casks　of　ink　in　red　and　black　and　green；　a　box　of　rare　black　amethysts；　a　box　of　pearls；　a　cask　of　pitted　olives　stuffed　with　maggots；　a　dozen　casks　of　pickled　cave　fish；　a　great　brass　gong　and　a　hammer　to　beat　it　with；　seventeen　ivory　eyes；　and　a　huge　chest　full　of　books　written　in　tongues　that　Dany　could　not　read。　And　more；　and　more；　and　more。　Her　people　stacked　it　all　before　the　slavers。
　While　the　payment　was　being　made；　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　favored　her　with　a　few　final　words　on　the　handling　of　her　troops。　〃They　are　green　as　yet；〃　he　said　through　Missandei。　〃Tell　the　whore　of　Westeros　she　would　be　wise　to　blood　them　early。　There　are　many　small　cities　between　here　and　there；　cities　ripe　for　sacking。　Whatever　plunder　she　takes　will　be　hers　alone。　Unsullied　have　no　lust　for　gold　or　gems。　And　should　she　take　captives；　a　few　guards　will　suffice　to　march　them　back　to　Astapor。　We'll　buy　the　healthy　ones；　and　for　a　good　price。　And　who　knows？　In　ten　years；　some　of　the　boys　she　sends　us　may　be　Unsullied　in　their　turn。　Thus　all　shall　prosper。〃
　Finally　there　were　no　more　trade　goods　to　add　to　the　pile。　Her　Dothraki　mounted　their　horses　once　more；　and　Dany　said；　〃This　was　all　we　could　carry。　The　rest　awaits　you　on　the　ships；　a　great　quantity　of　amber　and　wine　and　black　rice。　And　you　have　the　ships　themselves。　So　all　that　remains　is　。　。　。〃
　〃　。　。　。　the　dragon；〃　finished　the　Grazdan　with　the　spiked　beard；　who　spoke　the　mon　Tongue　so　thickly。
　〃And　here　he　waits。〃　Ser　Jorah　and　Belwas　walked　beside　her　to　the　litter；　where　Drogon　and　his　brothers　lay　basking　in　the　sun。　Jhiqui　unfastened　one　end　of　the　chain；　and　handed　it　down　to　her。　When　she　gave　a　yank；　the　black　dragon　raised　his　head；　hissing；　and　unfolded　wings　of　night　and　scarlet。　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz　smiled　broadly　as　their　shadow　fell　across　him。
　Dany　handed　the　slaver　the　end　of　Drogon's　chain。　In　return　he　presented　her　with　the　whip。　The　handle　was　black　dragonbone；　elaborately　carved　and　inlaid　with　gold。　Nine　long　thin　leather　lashes　trailed　from　it；　each　one　tipped　by　a　gilded　claw。　The　gold　pommel　was　a　woman's　head；　with　pointed　ivory　teeth。　〃The　harpy's　fingers；〃　Kraznys　named　the　scourge。
　Dany　turned　the　whip　in　her　hand。　Such　a　light　thing；　to　bear　such　weight。　〃Is　it　done；　then？　Do　they　belong　to　me？〃
　〃It　is　done；〃　he　agreed；　giving　the　chain　a　sharp　pull　to　bring　Drogon　down　from　the　litter。
　Dany　mounted　her　silver。　She　could　feel　her　heart　thumping　in　her　chest。　She　felt　desperately　afraid。　Was　this　what　my　brother　would　have　done？　She　wondered　if　Prince　Rhaegar　had　been　this　anxious　when　he　saw　the　Usurper's　host　formed　up　across　the　Trident　with　all　their　banners　floating　on　the　wind。
　She　stood　in　her　stirrups　and　raised　the　harpy's　fingers　above　her　head　for　all　the　Unsullied　to　see。　〃IT　IS　DONE！〃　she　cried　at　the　top　of　her　lungs。　〃YOU　ARE　MINE！〃　She　gave　the　mare　her　heels　and　galloped　along　the　first　rank；　holding　the　fingers　high。　〃YOU　ARE　THE　DRAGON'S　NOW！　YOU'RE　BOUGHT　AND　PAID　FOR！　IT　IS　DONE！　IT　IS　DONE！〃
　She　glimpsed　old　Grazdan　turn　his　grey　head　sharply。　He　hears　me　speak　Valyrian。　The　other　slavers　were　not　listening。　They　crowded　around　Kraznys　and　the　dragon；　shouting　advice。　Though　the　Astapori　yanked　and　tugged；　Drogon　would　not　budge　off　the　litter。　Smoke　rose　grey　from　his　open　jaws；　and　his　long　neck　curled　and　straightened　as　he　snapped　at　the　slaver's　face。
　It　is　time　to　cross　the　Trident；　Dany　thought；　as　she　wheeled　and　rode　her　silver　back。　Her　bloodriders　moved　in　close　around　her。　〃You　are　in　difficulty；〃　she　observed。
　〃He　will　not　e；〃　Kraznys　said。
　〃There　is　a　reason。　A　dragon　is　no　slave。〃　And　Dany　swept　the　lash　down　as　hard　as　she　could　across　the　slaver's　face。　Kraznys　screamed　and　staggered　back；　the　blood　running　red　down　his　cheeks　into　his　perfumed　beard。　The　harpy's　fingers　had　tom　his　features　half　to　pieces　with　one　slash；　but　she　did　not　pause　to　contemplate　the　ruin。　〃Drogon；〃　she　sang　out　loudly；　sweetly；　all　her　fear　forgotten。　〃Dracarys。〃
　The　black　dragon　spread　his　wings　and　roared。
　A　lance　of　swirling　dark　flame　took　Kraznys　full　in　the　face。　His　eyes　melted　and　ran　down　his　cheeks；　and　the　oil　in　his　hair　and　beard　burst　so　fiercely　into　fire　that　for　an　instant　the　slaver　wore　a　burning　crown　twice　as　tall　as　his　head。　The　sudden　stench　of　charred　meat　overwhelmed　even　his　perfume；　and　his　wail　seemed　to　drown　all　other　sound。
　Then　the　Plaza　of　Punishment　blew　apart　into　blood　and　chaos。　The　Good　Masters　were　shrieking；　stumbling；　shoving　one　another　aside　and　tripping　over　the　fringes　of　their　tokars　in　their　haste。　Drogon　flew　almost　lazily　at　Kraznys；　black　wings　beating。　As　he　gave　the　slaver　another　taste　of　fire；　Irri　and　Jhiqui　unchained　Viserion　and　Rhaegal；　and　suddenly　there　were　three　dragons　in　the　air。　When　Dany　turned　to　look；　a　third　of　Astapor's　proud　demon…homed　warriors　were　fighting　to　stay　atop　their　terrified　mounts；　and　another　third　were　fleeing　in　a　bright　blaze　of　shiny　copper。　One　man　kept　his　saddle　long　enough　to　draw　a　sword；　but　Jhogo's　whip　coiled　about　his　neck　and　cut　off　his　shout。　Another　lost　a　hand　to　Rakharo's　arakh　and　rode　off　reeling　and　spurting　blood。　Aggo　sat　calmly　notching　arrows　to　his　bowstring　and　sending　them　at　tokars。　Silver；　gold；　or　plain；　he　cared　nothing　for　the　fringe。　Strong　Belwas　had　his　arakh　out　as　well；　and　he　spun　it　as　he　charged。
　〃Spears！〃　Dany　heard　one　Astapori　shout。　It　was　Grazdan；　old　Grazdan　in　his　tokar　heavy　with　pearls。　〃　Unsullied！　Defend　us；　stop　them；　defend　your　masters！　Spears！　Swords！〃
　When　Rakharo　put　an　arrow　through　his　mouth；　the　slaves　holding　his　sedan　chair　broke　and　ran；　dumping　him　unceremoniously　on　the　ground。　The　old　man　crawled　to　the　first　rank　of　eunuchs