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〃Pay it to Whitebeard。 Mero has been with us all the way from Yunkai。 He shaved his beard off and lost himself amongst the freedmen； waiting for a chance for vengeance。 Arstan killed him。〃
Ser Jorah gave the old man a long look。 〃A squire with a stick slew Mero of Braavos； is that the way of it？〃
〃A stick；〃 Dany confirmed； 〃but no longer a squire。 Ser Jorah； it's my wish that Arstan be knighted。〃
〃No。〃
The loud refusal was surprise enough。 Stranger still； it came from both men at once。
Ser Jorah drew his sword。 〃The Titan's Bastard was a nasty piece of work。 And good at killing。 Who are you； old man？〃
〃A better knight than you； ser；〃 Arstan said coldly。
Knight？ Dany was confused。 〃You said you were a squire。〃
〃I was； Your Grace。〃 He dropped to one knee。 〃I squired for Lord Swann in my youth； and at Magister Illyrio's behest I have served Strong Belwas as well。 But during the years between； I was a knight in Westeros。 I have told you no lies； my queen。 Yet there are truths I have withheld； and for that and all my other sins I can only beg your forgiveness。〃
〃What truths have you withheld？〃 Dany did not like this。 〃You will tell me。 Now。〃
He bowed his head。 〃At Qarth； when you asked my name； I said I was called Arstan。 That much was true。 Many men had called me by that name while Belwas and I were making our way east to find you。 But it is not my true name。〃
She was more confused than angry。 He has played me false； just as Jorah warned me； yet he saved my life just now 。 。 。
Ser Jorah flushed red。 〃Mero shaved his beard； but you grew one； didn't you？ No wonder you looked so bloody familiar 。 。 。〃
〃You know him？〃 Dany asked the exile knight； lost。
〃I saw him perhaps a dozen times 。 。 。 from afar most often； standing with his brothers or riding in some tourney。 But every man in the Seven Kingdoms knew Barristan the Bold。〃 He laid the point of his sword against the old man's neck。 〃Khaleesi； before you kneels Ser Barristan Selmy； Lord mander of the Kingsguard； who betrayed your House to serve the Usurper Robert Baratheon。〃
The old knight did not so much as blink。 〃The crow calls the raven black； and you speak of betrayal。〃
〃Why are you here？〃 Dany demanded of him。 〃If Robert sent you to kill me； why did you save my life？〃 He served the Usurper。 He betrayed Rhaegar's memory； and abandoned Viserys to live and die in exile。 Yet if he wanted me dead； he need only have stood aside 。 。 。 〃I want the whole truth now； on your honor as a knight。 Are you the Usurper's man； or mine？〃
〃Yours； if you will have me。〃 Ser Barristan had tears in his eyes。 〃I took Robert's pardon； aye。 I served him in Kingsguard and council。 Served with the Kingslayer and others near as bad； who soiled the white cloak I wore。 Nothing will excuse that。 I might be serving in King's Landing still if the vile boy upon the Iron Throne had not cast me aside； it shames me to admit。 But when he took the cloak that the White Bull had draped about my shoulders； and sent men to kill me that selfsame day； it was as though he'd ripped a caul off my eyes。 That was when I knew I must find my true king； and die in his service…〃
〃I can grant that wish；〃 Ser Jorah said darkly。
〃Quiet；〃 said Dany。 〃I'll hear him out。〃
〃It may be that I must die a traitor's death；〃 Ser Barristan said。 〃If so； I should not die alone。 Before I took Robert's pardon I fought against him on the Trident。 You were on the other side of that battle； Mormont； were you not？〃 He did not wait for an answer。 〃Your Grace； I am sorry I misled you。 it was the only way to keep the Lannisters from learning that I had joined you。 You are watched； as your brother was。 Lord Varys reported every move Viserys made； for years。 Whilst I sat on the small council； I heard a hundred such reports。 And since the day you wed Khal Drogo； there has been an informer by your side selling your secrets； trading whispers to the Spider for gold and promises。〃
He cannot mean 。 。 。 〃You are mistaken。〃 Dany looked at Jorah Mon mont。 〃Tell him he's mistaken。 There's no informer。 Ser Jorah； tell him。 We crossed the Dothraki sea together； and the red waste 。 。 。〃 Her heart fluttered like a bird in a trap。 〃Tell him； Jorah。 Tell him how he got it wrong。〃
〃The Others take you； Selmy。〃 Ser Jorah flung his longsword to the carpet。 〃Khaleesi； it was only at the start； before I came to know you 。 。 。 before I came to love 。 。 。〃
〃Do not say that word！〃 She backed away from him。 〃How could you？ What did the Usurper promise you？ Gold； was it gold？〃 The Undying had said she would be betrayed twice more； once for gold and once for love。 〃Tell me what you were promised？〃
〃Varys said 。 。 。 I might go home。〃 He bowed his head。
I was going to take you home！ Her dragons sensed her fury。 Viserion roared； and smoke rose grey from his snout。 Drogon beat the air with black wings； and Rhaegal twisted his head back and belched flame。 I should say the word and burn the two of them。 Was there no one she could trust； no one to keep her safe？ 〃Are all the knights of Westeros so false as you two？ Get out； before my dragons roast you both。 What does roast liar smell like？ As foul as Brown Ben's sewers？ Go！〃
Ser Barristan rose stiff and slow。 For the first time； he looked his age。 〃Where shall we go； Your Grace？〃
〃To hell； to serve King Robert。〃 Dany felt hot tears on her cheeks。 Drogon screamed； lashing his tail back and forth。 〃The Others can have you both。〃 Go； go away forever； both of you； the next time I see your faces I'll have your traitors' heads off。 She could not say the words； though。 They betrayed me。 But they saved me。 But they lied。 〃You go 。 。 。〃 My bear； myfierce strong bear； what will I do without him？ And the old man； my brother's friend。 〃You go 。 。 。 go 。 。 。〃 Where？
And then she knew。
CHAPTER 58
TYRION
Tyrion dressed himself in darkness； listening to his wife's soft breathing from the bed they shared。 She dreams； he thought； when Sansa murmured something softly…a name； perhaps； though it was too faint to say…and turned onto her side。 As man and wife they shared a marriage bed； but that was all。 Even her tears she hoards to herself。
He had expected anguish and anger when he told her of her brother's death； but Sansa's face had remained so still that for a moment he feared she had not understood。 it was only later； with a heavy oaken door between them； that he heard her sobbing。 Tyrion had considered going to her then； to offer what fort he could。 No； he had to remind himself； she will not look for solace from a Lannister。 The most he could do was to shield her from the uglier details of the Red Wedding as they came down from the Twins。 Sansa did not need to hear how her brother's body had been hacked and mutilated； he decided； nor how her mother's corpse had been dumped naked into the Green Fork in a savage mockery of House Tully's funeral customs。 The last thing the girl needed was more fodder for her nightmares。
It was not enough； though。 He had wrapped his cloak around her shoulders and sworn to protect her； but that was as cruel a jape as the crown the Freys had placed atop the head of Robb Stark's direwolf after they'd sewn it onto his headless co