Tower of the Hand

Daenerys stands at the prow of Balerion and watches Rhaegal and Viserion chase each other across the sky. Captain Groleo joins her and laments the lack of any wind the past seven days to speed them towards Pentos. Ser Jorah joins her, followed by Arstan, who tells her a little about the Targaryen dragons of old, stating that Balerion was two hundred years old when he died during the reign of Jaehaerys I and claiming that a dragon will never stop growing as long as it has food and freedom. Daenerys asks how that can be, and Arstan responds that the dragons raised in the Dragonpit were never as large as their ancestors and that the maesters said this was because of the walls and dome that contained them. ¹He goes on to speak of Aerys II and Rhaegar at Daenerys's urging. He says Aerys was often pleasant, though harsh on those he saw as enemies and called Rhaegar a man no one really knew, but who he personally saw in tournaments and playing his silver harp. A disdainful Jorah retorts that anyone from the period knows that and that Arstan will next claim he squired for the prince. Arstan says he would make no such claim, stating that Myles Mooton was Rhaegar's squire and Richard Lonmouth after him, both of which Rhaegar knighted and both of which remained his close companions. Lord Jon Connington was also a close friend, but his oldest friend was Ser Arthur Dayne. Rhaegar was a puissant warrior, good with sword and lance, but in his youth he was more bookish, with men saying Queen Rhaella must have swallowed some books and a candle while he was in the womb. The maesters were amazed by his intellect, but he had no interest in fighting, and many worried he was Baelor the Blessed come again. One day, he apparently read something in his scrolls, though no one knows what, and then presented himself to the master-at-arms, Ser Willem Darry and asked for sword and armor, for he needed to become a warrior. Arstan halts there when he sees that Belwas has woken up and goes to attend him. Ser Jorah cautions Daenerys that Arstan may be hiding something. The wind finally picks up.

That night, Ser Jorah comes to her chambers. Daenerys shows him that she has taught her dragons to breathe fire on command by tossing a piece of meat to Drogon and saying dracarys, the Valyrian word for dragonfire. Ser Jorah wants to talk alone, and Daenerys sends Irri and Jhiqui away. Ser Jorah repeats his mistrust of Arstan, Belwas, and Illyrio and suggests that they go overland to Pentos from Slaver's Bay. Telling the captains to put ashore there will be a good test of their loyalty, and they can buy Unsullied in Astapor so that she has an army at her back when she returns to Pentos. Daenerys wonders why she would want Unsullied, and Ser Jorah tells her the tale of the three thousand of Qohor. Four hundred years ago, the Dothraki rode out of the east for the first time to pillage and burn. They were led by Khal Temmo, who commanded over fifty thousand, half of them warriors. The people of Qohor knew of the threat and responded by strengthening their walls, doubling the guard, hiring the sellsword companies the Bright Banners and the Second Sons, and, as an afterthought, hiring three thousand Unsullied from Astapor. When the Unsullied arrived, the battle was already joined and the sellswords had already fled. The next morning, the three thousand lined up before the gates, the only thing between Temmo and the city. They could have been flanked, but Dothraki are disdainful of foot soldiers, who are only fit to be run down. Eighteen times the Dothraki charged, and eighteen times they were sent reeling. Though reduced to six hundred, they killed 12,000 Dothraki, including Temmo, his bloodriders, his kos, and his sons. On the fourth day of fighting, the new khal brought his riders past the gates in a procession, and one by one they cut off their braids and laid them at the feet of the Unsullied before riding off. Jorah says they can pay using Illyrio's trade goods, which will be another good test of his dedication to her cause. Daenerys agrees that this is a good idea. She begins to dress, when Ser Jorah pulls her close and kisses her. He professes his love and says she should take him as husband and dragonrider because no one will be truer to her and her cause then him.