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By the time they came to Meereen sitting on the salt coast beside her river； the count stood at one hundred and sixty…three。 I will have this city； Dany pledged to herself once more。
The pink…and…white hero taunted the besiegers for an hour； mocking their manhood； mothers； wives； and gods。 Meereen's defenders cheered him on from the city walls。 〃His name is Oznak zo Pahl；〃 Brown Ben Plumm told her when he arrived for the war council。 He was the new mander of the Second Sons； chosen by a vote of his fellow sellswords。 〃I was bodyguard to his uncle once； before I joined the Second Sons。 The Great Masters； what a ripe lot o' maggots。 The women weren't so bad； though it was worth your life to look at the wrong one the wrong way。 I knew a man； Scarb； this Oznak cut his liver out。 Claimed to be defending a lady's honor； he did； said Scarb had raped her with his eyes。 How do you rape a wench with eyes； I ask you？ But his uncle is the richest man in Meereen and his father mands the city guard； so I had to run like a rat before he killed me too。〃
They watched Oznak zo Pahl dismount his white charger； undo his robes； pull out his manhood； and direct a stream of urine in the general direction of the olive grove where Dany's gold pavilion stood among the burnt trees。 He was still pissing when Daario Naharis rode up； alakh in hand。 〃Shall I cut that off for you and stuff it down his mouth； Your Grace？〃 His tooth shone gold amidst the blue of his forked beard。
〃It's his city I want； not his meager manhood。〃 She was growing angry； however。 If I ignore this any longer； my own people will think me weak。 Yet who could she send？ She needed Daario as much as she did her bloodriders。 Without the flamboyant Tyroshi； she had no hold on the Stormcrows； many of whom had been followers of Prendahl na Ghezn and Sallor the Bald。
High on the walls of Meereen； the jeers had grown louder； and now hundreds of the defenders were taking their lead from the hero and pissing down through the ramparts to show their contempt for the besiegers。 They are pissing on slaves； to show how little they fear us； she thought。 They would never dare such a thing if it were a Dothraki khalasar outside their gates。
〃This challenge must be met；〃 Arstan said again。
〃It will be。〃 Dany said； as the hero tucked his penis away again。 〃Tell Strong Belwas I have need of him。〃
They found the huge brown eunuch sitting in the shade of her pavilion； eating a sausage。 He finished it in three bites； wiped his greasy hands clean on his trousers； and sent Arstan Whitebeard to fetch him his steel。 The aged squire honed Belwas's arakh every evening and rubbed it down with bright red oil。
When Whitebeard brought the sword； Strong Belwas squinted down the edge； grunted； slid the blade back into its leather sheath； and tied the swordbelt about his vast waist。 Arstan had brought his shield as well： a round steel disk no larger than a pie plate； which the eunuch grasped with his off hand rather than strapping to his forearm in the manner of Westeros。 〃Find liver and onions； Whitebeard；〃 Belwas said。 〃Not for now； for after。 Killing makes Strong Belwas hungry。〃 He did not wait for a reply； but lumbered from the olive grove toward Oznak zo Pahl。
〃Why that one； Khaleesi？〃 Rakharo demanded of her。 〃He is fat and stupid。〃
〃Strong Belwas was a slave here in the fighting pits。 If this highborn Oznak should fall to such the Great Masters will be shamed； while if he wins 。 。 。 well； it is a poor victory for one so noble； one that Meereen can take no pride in。〃 And unlike Ser Jorah； Daario； Brown Ben； and her three bloodriders； the eunuch did not lead troops； plan battles； or give her counsel。 He does nothing but eat and boast and bellow at Arstan。 Belwas was the man she could most easily spare。 And it was time she learned what sort of protector Magister Illyrio had sent her。
A thrum of excitement went through the siege lines when Belwas was seen plodding toward the city； and from the walls and towers of Meereen came shouts and jeers。 Oznak zo Pahl mounted up again； and waited； his striped lance held upright。 The charger tossed his head impatiently and pawed the sandy earth。 As massive as he was； the eunuch looked small beside the hero on his horse。
〃A chivalrous man would dismount；〃 said Arstan。
Oznak zo Pahl lowered his lance and charged。
Belwas stopped with legs spread wide。 In one hand was his small round shield； in the other the curved arakh that Arstan tended with such care。 His great brown stomach and sagging chest were bare above the yellow silk sash knotted about his waist； and he wore no armor but his studded leather vest； so absurdly small that it did not even cover his nipples。 〃We should have given him chainmail；〃 Dany said； suddenly anxious。
〃Mail would only slow him；〃 said Ser Jorah。 〃They wear no armor in the fighting pits。 It's blood the crowds e to see。〃
Dust flew from the hooves of the white charger。 Oznak thundered toward Strong Belwas； his striped cloak streaming from his shoulders。 The whole city of Meereen seemed to be screaming him on。 The besiegers' cheers seemed few and thin by parison； her Unsullied stood in silent ranks； watching with stone faces。 Belwas might have been made of stone as well。 He stood in the horse's path； his vest stretched tight across his broad back。 Oznak's lance was leveled at the center of his chest。 its bright steel point winked in the sunlight。 He's going to be impaled； she thought 。 。 。 as the eunuch spun sideways。 And quick as the blink of an eye the horseman was beyond him； wheeling； raising the lance。 Belwas made no move to strike at him。 The Meereenese on the walls screamed even louder。 〃What is he doing？〃 Dany demanded。
〃Giving the mob a show；〃 Ser Jorah said。
Oznak brought the horse around Belwas in a wide circle； then dug in with his spurs and charged again。 Again Belwas waited； then spun and knocked the point of the lance aside。 She could hear the eunuch's booming laughter echoing across the plain as the hero went past him。 〃The lance is too long；〃 Ser Jorah said。 〃All Belwas needs do is avoid the point。 Instead of trying to spit him so prettily； the fool should ride right over him。〃
Oznak zo Pahl charged a third time； and now Dany could see plainly that he was riding past Belwas； the way a Westerosi knight might ride at an opponent in a tilt； rather than at him； like a Dothraki riding down a foe。 The flat level ground allowed the charger to get up a good speed； but it also made it easy for the eunuch to dodge the cumbersome fourteen…foot lance。
Meereen's pink…and…white hero tried to anticipate this time； and swung his lance sideways at the last second to catch Strong Belwas when he dodged。 But the eunuch had anticipated too； and this time he dropped down instead of spinning sideways。 The lance passed harmlessly over his head。 And suddenly Belwas was rolling； and bringing the razor…sharp arakh around in a silver arc。 They heard the charger scream as the blade bit into his legs； and then the horse was falling； the hero tumbling from the saddle。
A sudden silence swept along the brick parapets of Meereen。 Now it was Dany's people who were screaming and cheering。
Oznak leapt clear of his hor