A Game of Thrones, Chapter 61, Daenerys
Summary
Khal Drogo’s Khalsaar raids the city of “Lamb Men” in order to buy the passage to Seven Kingdoms on the “wooden horses”. Drogo kills Khal Ogo and then his son, who wanted to raid the city as well. Dany enters the conquered city and stops a number of Drogo’s warriors from raping the women. One of the “rescued” women is Mirri Maz Duur, a healer and maegi. Khal’s Drogo took wounds during the fighting. Dany asks him to accept Mirri’s help.
Quotes
“He slew two khals this day. Khal Ogo first, and then the son, Fogo, who became khal when Ogo fell. His bloodriders cut the bells from their hair, and now Khal Drogo’s every step rings louder than before.”
“Does the horse breed with the sheep?”
Dany turned on him angrily. “The dragon feeds on horse and sheep alike.”
Khal Drogo smiled. “See how fierce she grows!” he said. “It is my son inside her, the stallion who mounts the world, filling her with his fire. Ride slowly, Ootho… if the mother does not burn you where you sit, the son will trample you into the mud.”
Qotho stepped close to Mirri Maz Duur. “Know this, wife of the Lamb God. Harm the khal and you suffer the same.” He drew his skinning knife and showed her the blade.
“She will do no harm.” Dany felt she could trust this old, plainfaced woman with her flat nose; she had saved her from the hard hands of her rapers, after all.
Commentary
Poor, innocent Dany.
The child that did not know the cruelty of the world is not able to comprehend the pain of loss and the hate and need for revenge that dwells in people.
First she tries to apply civilized rules to brutal war waged by, lets face it, savages. Dorthaki see things differently in the time of peace, but when they go to fight, there is only one rule they respect: the strong taking everything from the weak.
Her bigger mistake though was trusting the maegi who she “saved” during the slaughter. Mirri Maz Duur delivered her revenge with cunning and cruelty exploiting Dany’s trust (She had saved her from the hands of her rapers, after all.) I’m wondering though, did the betrayal start right there, or was she really trying to heal Drogo?
Tags: Daenerys
