Daenerys
We find that Jorah Mormont has sworn himself to Viserys and Dany, and has been at their side since. The two are staying on the khal's estate until the wedding takes place. Viserys is his usual egotistical, one-dimensional self, and wants to know when he will have his army from Khal Drogo. Mormont insists that everything will go as planned as long as the Dothraki omens don't turn out poorly.
Viserys has some choice words for Dothraki omens, and via roundabout conversation, Daenerys reminisces about the dream she had the previous night. Viserys was beating her, screaming that she woke the dragon, and he transforms in to a dragon. She awoke then as the dragon looked her in the eye and had never been so afraid until her wedding day came.
A great ceremony took place under the open sky, with feasting and dance. And while women danced, some men, Dothraki warriors, took them and "mounted" them right there on the dance floor. Two men grabbed at one woman and ended up fighting until one killed the other. Dany was shocked by the entire thing. Magister Illyrio informs her that if at least 3 deaths do not occurr at a wedding, it is deemed a dull affair. Dany notes that their wedding must have been spectacular because a dozen men had died by the end of the event.
Those traditions seem odd. I'm not sure I've heard of much like it in medieval Europe, let alone any ancient civilization.
Khal Drogo doesn't pay much attention to Dany the entire event, and Viserys was irritated with being seated below her and served from portions after Dany. That guy is a little prick and needs an attitude adjustment. She repeated her montage that she is the blood of the dragon to giver her strength.
Eventually, gifts for the bride were presented. Some were weapons and she was to pass them on to her husband as is custom, so he too received gifts. She was quite pleased with what she received, not having expected much of anything. And then it was time for Khal Drogo's gift to her.
The crowed splits to permit Khal Drogo and a horse, a young filly. Daenerys thinks of her colors as "grey as the winter sea, with a mane like silver smoke."
The khal says something to Illyrio who translates it to Dany. "Silver for the silver of your hair."
The khal said that? Khal Drogo, the Dothraki leader with the longest braid of all Dothraki? Odd to hear poetry come from such an intimidating man ... /melt.
Dany had no clue what to do with the horse, so Khal Drogo picked her up at the waist with ease, and seated her atop the filly.
Mormont insists she take the horse for a quick ride, and not stray to far. Dany gathers the reins and takes off. With little effort, she urges the filly to take off.
"And for the first time in hours, she forgot to be afraid. Or perhaps it was for the first time ever."
The horse runs about, Dany guiding with ease. Excited with the speed of the run, she urges the horse into a gallop, and Dothraki cheer her on. She then runs the horse headlong towards the firepit, and as though she had wings, the filly leaped over them.
She returns and stops near Khal Drogo and Illyrio. She tells Illyrio to translate this to the khal for her: "Tell Khal Drogo that he has given me the wind." And for the first time she saw Khal Drogo smile.
/melt again
He demands his horse then as the last rays of sun slip behind the walls of Pentos. Viserys takes this opportune moment to threaten his sister to please the khal or she will see the dragon wake as it has never woken before.
Her fear returns. She reverts to the mindset of the short thirteen years bestowed upon her, and knows what she is about to be subjected to. Repeating her montage as they ride off under the stars, she insists that the dragon is never afraid.
They come to a stop near a grassy place beside a stream.
At this point my stomach is in knots and I'm really worried the book is about to take a turn that will make me not want to read it anymore.
Khal Drogo dismounts and lifts Dany from her horse as well. As he secures the horses, Dany begins to cry.
All Khal Drogo says is, "No".
Dany is awed that Khal can speak the Common Tongue. But she quickly learns that he only knows the one word, "No". However, this comforts her a bit.
Drogo begins touching her hair as he murmured in Dothraki, and though Dany could not understand him, she knew the warmth and tenderness in his tone.
/melt more
He then picks her up and sets her on a large rock next to the stream. He then sits on the ground, crosses his legs, and again, says "No". Dany asks if that's the only word he knows, but he doesn't reply. Instead he begins removing the bells one by one from his braid. Dany leans forward to help, and once they were done, Drogo gestures for her to undo his braid.
This is my reaction: o.o
Once Dany finished, she knew it was her turn. Drogo began to undress her. She feels how deft and oddly tender his hands are, and he removed her silks slowly, one by one. Once her breasts were bared, she looked away, ashamed, and covered herself.
Drogo says, "No," and softly takes her hands away, and lifts her face to look at him. He repeats, "No". Dany responds with a "No" of her own. He then pulls her close to remove the last of her garments, and she shivers in the cool night air.
Fearing the worst, she stood their silent. But what she feared did not come to pass, not for a long while. Drogo stared at her for a bit, taking her shape in, and then began to touch her, softly at first, and then harder. He never hurt her.
/puddle
He held her hand, brushing her fingers one by one. He gently touched her leg from hip to feet. He caressed her face, following the curve of her ear, gently running a finger about her lips. He combed through her hair with both hands, and then turned her around to massage her shoulders, sliding a soft knuckle down the path of her spine.
Dany feels as though hours have passed when his hands finally reached her breast. He touches them softly, circling the nipples, and then lightly pinches them between thumb and forefinger, pulling ever so slightly until they hardened.
This man is a genius. Not because he has magical hands or something silly like that. He knew that Daenerys was scared out of her mind to be wedded to him, a man of his stature, at such a young age. He wanted Daenerys to be comfortable with him, to understand he means her no harm and only wishes to consummate their marriage in a loving and tender fashion.
He stops, brings Dany down into his lap. She is "flushed and breathless, her heart fluttering in her chest." He asks her this time, "No?" as though if she were to say "No, I don't want to" he would be okay with that and not continue.
Without hesitation, she takes his hand down "to the wetness between her thighs" and whispers "Yes" as "she put his fingers inside her."
/cry
Whew!
I, for sure, thought Dany was done for. All the hype built up around Khal Drogo's appearance, and always getting to see Drogo from Dany's perspective made me think he was an evil man. He is not. He is incredibly intelligent and caring.
What I think is going to happen is that Dany and Drogo will have a son, a "rightful" heir to the Iron Throne. And I have a feeling Drogo may decide to not help Viserys as he promised. He doesn't even really need to; Dany hates her brother (at least, I think she does) and I'm pretty sure Dany will fall in love with Drogo in a short matter of time. She will be able to communicate her dislike of her brother eventually, and maybe they'll do away with the little git. She may not even want to return to the Seven Kingdoms; just stay in Pentos with Drogo and be his ruling wife of the Dothraki.
I doubt it'll go that way, but it'd be nice to have some fairytale "endings" at this point. At least this chapter was a refreshing turn of events.
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