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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 corpse。 Sansa knew that as well。 The way she looked at him； her stiffness when she climbed into their bed 。 。 。 when he was with her； never for an instant could he forget who he was； or what he was。 No more than she did。 She still went nightly to the godswood to pray； and Tyrion wondered if she were praying for his death。 She had lost her home； her place in the world； and everyone she had ever loved or trusted。 Winter is ing； warned the Stark words； and truly it had e for them with a vengeance。 But it is high summer for House Lannister。 So why am I so bloody cold？
He pulled on his boots； fastened his cloak with a lion's head brooch； and slipped out into the torchlit hall。 There was this much to be said for his marriage； it had allowed him to escape Maegor's Holdfast。 Now that he had a wife and household； his lord father had agreed that more suitable acmodations were required； and Lord Gyles had found himself abruptly dispossessed of his spacious apartments atop the Kitchen Keep。 And splendid apartments they were too； with a large bedchamber and adequate solar； a bath and dressing room for his wife； and small adjoining chambers for Pod and Sansa's maids。 Even Bronn's cell by the stair had a window of sorts。 Well； more an arrow slit； but it lets in light。 The castle's main kitchen was just across the courtyard； true； but Tyrion found those sounds and smells infinitely preferable to sharing Maegor's with his sister。 The less he had to see of Cersei the happier he was like to be。
Tyrion could hear Brella's snoring as he passed her cell。 Shae plained of that； but it seemed a small enough price to pay。 Varys had suggested the woman to him； in former days； she had run Lord Renly's household in the city； which had given her a deal of practice at being blind； deaf； and mute。
Lighting a taper； he made his way back to the servants' steps and descended。 The floors below his own were still； and he heard no footsteps but his own。 Down he went； to the ground floor and beyond； to emerge in a gloomy cellar with a vaulted stone ceiling。 Much of the castle was connected underground； and the Kitchen Keep was no exception。 Tyrion waddled along a long dark passageway until he found the door he wanted； and pushed through。
Within； the dragon skulls were waiting； and so was Shae。 〃I thought m'lord had forgotten me。〃 Her dress was draped over a black tooth near as tall as she was； and she stood within the dragon's jaws； nude。 Balerion； he thought。 Or was it Vhagar？ One dragon skull looked much like another。 just the sight of her made him hard。 〃e out of there。〃
〃I won't。〃 She smiled her wickedest smile。 〃M'Iord will pluck me from the dragon's jaws； I know。〃 But when he waddled closer she leaned forward and blew out the taper。
〃Shae 。 。 。 〃 He reached； but she spun and slipped free。
〃You have to catch me。〃 Her voice came from his left。 〃M'Iord must have played monsters and maidens when he was little。〃
〃Are you calling me a monster？〃
〃No more than I'm a maiden。〃 She was behind him； her steps soft against the floor。 〃You need to catch me all the same。〃
He did； finally； but only because she let herself be caught。 By the time she slipped into his arms； he was flushed and out of breath from stumbling into dragon skulls。 All that was forgotten in an instant when he felt her small breasts pressed against his face in the dark； her stiff little nipples brushing lightly over his lips and the scar where his nose had been。 Tyrion pulled her down onto the floor。 〃My giant；〃 she breathed as he entered her。 〃My giant's e to save me。〃
After； as they lay entwined amongst the dragon skulls； he rested his head against her； inhaling the smooth clean smell of her hair。 〃We should go back；〃 he said reluctantly。 〃It must be near dawn。 Sansa will be waking。〃
〃You should give her dreamwine；〃 Shae said； 〃like Lady Tanda does with Lollys。 A cup before she goes to sleep； and we could fuck in bed beside her without her waking。〃 She giggled。 〃Maybe we should； some night。 Would m'lord like that？ 〃 Her hand found his shoulder； and began to knead the muscles there。 〃Your neck is hard as stone。 What troubles you？〃
Tyrion could not see his fingers in front of his face； but he ticked his woes off on them all the same。 〃My wife。 My sister。 My nephew。 My father。 The Tyrells。〃 He had to move to his other hand。 〃Varys。 Pycelle。 Littlefinger。 The Red Viper of Dome。〃 He had e to his last finger。 〃The face that stares back out of the water when I wash。〃
Shae kissed his maimed scarred nose。 〃A brave face。 A kind and good face。 I wish I could see it now。〃
All the sweet innocence of the world was in her voice。 Innocence？ Fool； she's a whore； all she knows of men is the bit between their legs。 Fool； fool。 〃Better you than me。〃 Tyrion sat。 〃We have a long day before us； both of us。 You shouldn't have blown out that taper。 How are we to find our clothing？〃
She laughed。 〃Maybe we'll have to go naked。〃
And if we're seen； my lord father will hang you。 Hiring Shae as one of Sansa's maids had given him an excuse to be seen talking with her； but Tyrion did not delude himself t