A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

it. Two of them had been among the eight she’d hanged.
There is no more I can do
, she told herself. “What do you want of me, Captain?”
    â€œSlaves,” he said. “My holds are full to bursting with ivory, ambergris, zorse hides, and other fine goods. I would trade them here for slaves, to sell in Lys and Volantis.”
    â€œWe have no slaves for sale,” said Dany.
    â€œMy queen?” Daario stepped forward. “The riverside is full of Meereenese, begging leave to be allowed to sell themselves to this Qartheen. They are thicker than the flies.”
    Dany was shocked. “They
want
to be slaves?”
    â€œThe ones who come are well spoken and gently born, sweet queen. Such slaves are prized. In the Free Cities they will be tutors, scribes, bed slaves, even healers and priests. They will sleep in soft beds, eat rich foods, and dwell in manses. Here they have lost all, and live in fear and squalor.”
    â€œI see.” Perhaps it was not so shocking, if these tales of Astapor were true. Dany thought a moment. “Any man who wishes to sell
himself
into slavery may do so. Or woman.” She raised a hand. “But they may not sell their children, nor a man his wife.”
    â€œIn Astapor the city took a tenth part of the price, each time a slave changed hands,” Missandei told her.
    â€œWe’ll do the same,” Dany decided. Wars were won with gold as much as swords. “A tenth part. In gold or silver coin, or ivory. Meereen has no need of saffron, cloves, or zorse hides.”
    â€œIt shall be done as you command, glorious queen,” said Daario. “My Stormcrows will collect your tenth.”
    If the Stormcrows saw to the collections at least half the gold would somehow go astray, Dany knew. But the Second Sons were just as bad, and the Unsullied were as unlettered as they were incorruptible. “Records must be kept,” she said. “Seek among the freedmen for men who can read, write, and do sums.”
    His business done, the captain of the
Indigo Star
bowed and took his leave. Dany shifted uncomfortably on the ebony bench. She dreaded what must come next, yet she knew she had put it off too long already. Yunkai and Astapor, threats of war, marriage proposals, the march west looming over all . . .
I need my knights. I need their swords, and I need their counsel
. Yet the thought of seeing Jorah Mormont again made her feel as if she’d swallowed a spoonful of flies; angry, agitated, sick. She could almost feel them buzzing round her belly.
I am the blood of the dragon. I must be strong. I must have fire in my eyes when I face them, not tears
. “Tell Belwas to bring my knights,” Dany commanded, before she could change her mind. “My good knights.”
    Strong Belwas was puffing from the climb when he marched them through the doors, one meaty hand wrapped tight around each man’s arm. Ser Barristan walked with his head held high, but Ser Jorah stared at the marble floor as he approached.
The one is proud, the other guilty
. The old man had shaved off his white beard. He looked ten years younger without it. But her balding bear looked older than he had. They halted before the bench. Strong Belwas stepped back and stood with his arms crossed across his scarred chest. Ser Jorah cleared his throat. “
Khaleesi
. . .”
    She had missed his voice so much, but she had to be stern. “Be quiet. I will tell you when to speak.” She stood. “When I sent you down into the sewers, part of me hoped I’d seen the last of you. It seemed a fitting end for liars, to drown in slavers’ filth. I thought the gods would deal with you, but instead you returned to me. My gallant knights of Westeros, an informer and a turncloak. My brother would have hanged you both.” Viserys would have, anyway. She did not know what Rhaegar would have done. “I will admit you helped win me this city . . .”
    Ser Jorah’s mouth tightened. “We won you this city. We sewer rats.”
    â€œBe quiet,” she said again . . . though there
was
truth to what he said. While Joso’s Cock and the other rams were battering the city gates and her archers were firing flights of flaming arrows over the walls, Dany had sent two hundred men along the river under cover of darkness to fire the hulks in the harbor. But that was only to hide their true purpose. As the flaming ships drew the eyes of the defenders on the