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March 28 - June 9, 2024
The fool was always cutting himself on the blades and barbs of the Iron Throne.
“House Tyrell continues through my brothers,” Ser Loras said. “It is not necessary for a third son to wed, or breed.”
“When the sun has set, no candle can replace it.”
As black a fish as ever, Ser Brynden had no care for what others might think. He leapt off the dais and pulled Catelyn into his arms.
Lady Mormont took her hand and said, “My lady, if Cersei Lannister held two of my daughters, I would have done the same.”
The first thought that flew across Catelyn’s mind was, No, that cannot be, you are only a child. The second was, And besides, you have pledged another. The third was, Mother have mercy, Robb, what have you done?
“I have a new daughter,” she said, more stiffly than she’d intended. She kissed the terrified girl on both cheeks. “Be welcome to our hall and hearth.”
“Any man Grey Wind mislikes is a man I do not want close to you. These wolves are more than wolves, Robb. You must know that. I think perhaps the gods sent them to us. Your father’s gods, the old gods of the north. Five wolf pups, Robb, five for five Stark children.”
“Six,” said Robb. “There was a wolf for Jon as well. I found them, remember? I know how many there were and where they came from. I used to think the same as you, that the wolves were our guardians, our protectors, until …”
It had been so long since she had enjoyed the company of other women, she had almost forgotten how pleasant it could be.
“Alyn said her favor made him fearless,” said Megga. “He says he shouted her name for his battle cry, isn’t that ever so gallant? Someday, I want some champion to wear my favor, and kill a hundred men.”
They are children, Sansa thought. They are silly little girls, even Elinor. They’ve never seen a battle, they’ve never seen a man die, they know nothing. Their dreams were full of songs and stories, the way hers had been before Joffrey cut her father’s head off. Sansa pitied them. Sansa envied them.
Arya had been entirely unsatisfactory as sisters went.
How can I let my sister marry Joffrey? she thought, and suddenly her eyes were full of tears.
I shall have the finest knight in the Seven Kingdoms protecting me night and day, as Prince Aemon protected Naerys. So our little lion had best behave, hadn’t he?”
And her father, Lord Tyrell, he knows what he is doing, surely.
In Sansa’s dreams, her children looked just like the brothers she had lost. Sometimes there was even a girl who looked like Arya.
Jaime gave him a cold, contemptuous smile. “And men say I have shit for honor?”
King Harren’s monstrous folly had fallen before, and it could fall again.
Dany understood him well enough, but she smiled and looked blankly at the slave girl, as if wondering what he might have said.
It had been Ser Jorah’s suggestion that she speak only Dothraki and the Common Tongue while in Astapor. My bear is more clever than he looks.
the mark is for the child’s owner, not the mother. The Unsullied are not permitted to steal.”
The old gods and the new alike hold slavery to be an abomination. Evil.
“Not in this place, blood of my blood,” she said, in his own tongue. “These bricks have heard too much of the sound of whips.”
She screamed then. Or perhaps that was Drogon.
Mormont touched the cheek she’d slapped. “If I have displeased my queen—” “You have. You’ve displeased me greatly, ser. If you were my true knight, you would never have brought me to this vile sty.”
There are eight thousand brick eunuchs for sale, and I must find some way to buy them.”
Drogon raised his head and screamed, pale smoke venting from his nostrils, and Viserion flapped at her and tried to perch on her shoulder, as he had when he was smaller. “No,” Dany said, trying to shrug him off gently. “You’re too big for that now, sweetling.” But the dragon coiled his white and gold tail around one arm and dug black claws into the fabric of her sleeve, clinging tightly. Helpless, she sank into Groleo’s great leather chair, giggling.
“I am handmaid to the Mother of Dragons,” the girl said. “It is great honor to please my khaleesi.”
“The blood of my enemies I will shed gladly. The blood of innocents is another matter.
Eight thousand Unsullied they would offer me. Eight thousand dead babes. Eight thousand strangled dogs.”
Rhaegar fought valiantly, Rhaegar fought nobly, Rhaegar fought honorably. And Rhaegar died.”
She could not quite make out all that they were saying, but she could hear the greed.
When Viserys sold their mother’s crown, the last joy had gone from him, leaving only rage.
“Valar morghulis,” said Missandei, in High Valyrian. “All men must die,” Dany agreed, “but not for a long while, we may pray.”
The girl lowered her eyes. “Three of them were my brothers once, Your Grace.” Then I hope your brothers are as brave and clever as you.
Why do the gods make kings and queens, if not to protect the ones who can’t protect themselves?”
If I look back I am lost, Dany told herself the next morning as she entered Astapor through the harbor gates.
“Drogon,” she sang out loudly, sweetly, all her fear forgotten. “Dracarys.”
“Freedom!” she sang out. “Dracarys! Dracarys!” “Dracarys!” they shouted back, the sweetest word she’d ever heard.
The bedding had seemed wonderfully wicked and exciting when Sansa was a girl, but now that the moment was upon her she felt only dread.
She had often daydreamed of how she would dance at her wedding, with every eye upon her and her handsome lord. In her dreams they had all been smiling.
That seemed to anger him. “You hide behind courtesy as if it were a castle wall.” “Courtesy is a lady’s armor,” Sansa said. Her septa had always told her that.
“Lord Beric don’t hold with caging men to die of thirst. Why don’t you hang them decent?” “There was nothing decent ’bout them things they did at Tumbler’s Falls,” the townsman growled right back at him.
That doesn’t mean anything, though. Gendry has the same kind of hair too. Lots of people have black hair.
“Why did you say that?” Arya hopped to her feet. “You’re not my brother.” “That’s right,” he said angrily. “I’m too bloody lowborn to be kin to m’lady high.” Arya was taken aback by the fury in his voice. “That’s not the way I meant it.”
I cannot die while Cersei lives, he told himself. We will die together as we were born together.
“My sweet sister has arranged the feast. Even if I could secure you this invitation, it might look queer. Seven kingdoms, seven vows, seven challenges, seventy-seven dishes … but eight singers? What would the High Septon think?”
“Piety is not the point. Certain forms must be observed.”
Bronn grinned. “There’s a pot shop I know in Flea Bottom makes a savory bowl of brown. All kinds of meat in it, I hear.” “Make certain I never eat there.”
