A Dance With Dragons: Book 5 of A Song of Ice and Fire (Song of Ice & Fire 5)

by George R. R. Martin

  —ARYA of House Stark, a novice in service at the House of Black and White, also known as ARRY, NAN, WEASEL, SQUAB, SALTY, and CAT OF THE CANALS,

  —BRUSCO, a fishmonger,

  —his daughters, TALEA and BREA,

  —MERALYN, called MERRY, proprietor of the Happy Port, a brothel near the Ragman’s Harbor,

  —THE SAILOR’S WIFE, a whore at the Happy Port,

  —LANNA, her daughter, a young whore,

  —RED ROGGO, GYLORO DOTHARE, GYLENO DOTHARE, a scribbler called QUILL, COSSOMO THE CONJURER, patrons of the Happy Port,

  —TAGGANARO, a dockside cutpurse and thief,

  —CASSO, KING OF THE SEALS, his trained seal,

  —S’VRONE, a dockside whore of a murderous bent,

  —THE DRUNKEN DAUGHTER, a whore of uncertain temper.

  IN OLD VOLANTIS

  the reigning triarchs:

  —MALAQUO MAEGYR, Triarch of Volantis, a tiger,

  —DONIPHOS PAENYMION, Triarch of Volantis, an elephant,

  —NYESSOS VHASSAR, Triarch of Volantis, an elephant,

  people of Volantis:

  —BENERRO, High Priest of R’hllor, the Lord of Light,

  —his right hand, MOQORRO, a priest of R’hllor,

  —THE WIDOW OF THE WATERFRONT, a wealthy freed-woman of the city, also called VOGARRO’S WHORE,

  —her fierce protectors, THE WIDOW’S SONS,

  —PENNY, a dwarf girl and mummer,

  —her pig, PRETTY PIG,

  —her dog, CRUNCH,

  —{GROAT}, brother to Penny, a dwarf mummer, murdered and beheaded,

  —ALIOS QHAEDAR, a candidate for triarch,

  —PARQUELLO VAELAROS, a candidate for triarch,

  —BELICHO STAEGONE, a candidate for triarch,

  —GRAZDAN MO ERAZ, an envoy from Yunkai.

  ON SLAVER’S BAY

  —in Yunkai, the Yellow City:

  —YURKHAZ ZO YUNZAK, Supreme Commander of the Armies and Allies of Yunkai, a slaver and aged noble of impeccable birth,

  —YEZZAN ZO QAGGAZ, mocked as the YELLOW WHALE, monstrously obese, sickly, hugely rich,

  —NURSE, his slave overseer,

  —SWEETS, a hermaphrodite slave, his treasure,

  —SCAR, a serjeant and slave soldier,

  —MORGO, a slave soldier,

  —MORGHAZ ZO ZHERZYN, a nobleman oft in his cups, mocked as THE DRUNKEN CONQUEROR,

  —GORZHAK ZO ERAZ, a nobleman and slaver, mocked as PUDDING FACE,

  —FAEZHAR ZO FAEZ, a nobleman and slaver, known as THE RABBIT,

  —GHAZDOR ZO AHLAQ, a nobleman and slaver, mocked as LORD WOBBLECHEEKS,

  —PAEZHAR ZO MYRAQ, a nobleman of small stature, mocked as THE LITTLE PIGEON,

  —CHEZDHAR ZO RHAEZN, MAEZON ZO RHAEZN, GRAZDHAN ZO RHAEZN, noblemen and brothers, mocked as THE CLANKER LORDS,

  —THE CHARIOTEER, THE BEASTMASTER, THE PERFUMED HERO, noblemen and slavers,

  —in Astapor, the Red City:

  —CLEON THE GREAT, called THE BUTCHER KING,

  —CLEON II, his successor, king for eight days,

  —KING CUTTHROAT, a barber, slit the throat of Cleon II to steal his crown,

  —QUEEN WHORE, concubine to King Cleon II, claimed the throne after his murder.

  THE QUEEN ACROSS THE WATER

  DAENERYS TARGARYEN, the First of Her Name, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, called DAENERYS STORMBORN, the UNBURNT, MOTHER OF DRAGONS,

  —her dragons, DROGON, VISERION, RHAEGAL,

  —her brother, {RHAEGAR}, Prince of Dragonstone, slain by Robert Baratheon on the Trident,

  —Rhaegar’s daughter, {RHAENYS}, murdered during the Sack of King’s Landing,

  —Rhaegar’s son, {AEGON}, a babe in arms, murdered during the Sack of King’s Landing,

  —her brother {VISERYS}, the Third of His Name, called THE BEGGAR KING, crowned with molten gold,

  —her lord husband, {DROGO}, a khal of the Dothraki, died of a wound gone bad,

  —her stillborn son by Drogo, {RHAEGO}, slain in the womb by the maegi Mirri Maz Duur,

  —her protectors:

  —SER BARRISTAN SELMY, called BARRISTAN THE BOLD, Lord Commander of the Queensguard,

  —his lads, squires training for knighthood:

  —TUMCO LHO, of the Basilisk Isles,

  —LARRAQ, called THE LASH, of Meereen,

  —THE RED LAMB, a Lhazarene freedman,

  —the BOYS, three Ghiscari brothers,

  —STRONG BELWAS, eunuch and former fighting slave,

  —her Dothraki bloodriders:

  —JHOGO, the whip, blood of her blood,

  —AGGO, the bow, blood of her blood,

  —RAKHARO, the arakh, blood of her blood,

  —her captains a nd commanders:

  —DAARIO NAHARIS, a flamboyant Tyroshi sellsword, captain of the Stormcrows, a free company,

  —BEN PLUMM, called BROWN BEN, a mongrel sellsword, captain of the Second Sons, a free company.

  —GREY WORM, a eunuch, commander of the Unsullied, a company of eunuch infantry,

  —HERO, an Unsullied captain, second-in-command,

  —STALWART SHIELD, an Unsullied spearman,

  —MOLLONO YOS DOB, commander of the Stalwart Shields, a company of freedmen,

  —SYMON STRIPEBACK, commander of FREE BROTHERS, a company of freedmen,

  —MARSELEN, commander of the MOTHER’S MEN, a company of freedman, a eunuch, brother to Missandei,

  —GROLEO of Pentos, formerly captain of the great cog Saduleon, now an admiral without a fleet,

  —ROMMO, a jaqqa rhan of the Dothraki,

  —her Meereenese court:

  —REZNAK MO REZNAK, her seneschal, bald and unctuous,

  —SKAHAZ MO KANDAQ, called THE SHAVEPATE, shaven-headed commander of the Brazen Beasts, her city watch,

  —her handmaids and servants:

  —IRRI and JHIQUI, young women of the Dothraki,

  —MISSANDEI, a Naathi scribe and translator,

  —GRAZDAR, QEZZA, MEZZARA, KEZMYA, AZZAK, BHAKAZ, MIKLAZ, DHAZZAR, DRAQAZ, JHEZANE, children of the pyramids of Meereens, her cupbearers and pages,

  —people of Meereen, highborn and common:

  —GALAZZA GALARE, the Green Grace, high priestess at the Temple of the Graces,

  —GRAZDAM ZO GALARE, her cousin, a nobleman,

  —HIZDAHR ZO LORAQ, a wealthy Meereenese nobleman, of ancient lineage,

  —MARGHAZ ZO LORAQ, his cousin,

  —RYLONA RHEE, freedwoman and harpist,

  —{HAZZEA}, a farmer’s daughter, four years of age,

  —GOGHOR THE GIANT, KHRAZZ, BELAQUO BONE-BREAKER, CAMARRON OF THE COUNT, FEARLESS ITHOKE, THE SPOTTED CAT, BARSENA BLACKHAIR, STEELSKIN, pit fighters and freed slaves,

  —her uncertain allies, false friends, and known enemies:

  —SER JORAH MORMONT, formerly Lord of Bear Island,

  —{MIRRI MAZ DUUR}, godswife and maegi, a servant of the Great Shepherd of Lhazar,

  —XARO XHOAN DAXOS, a merchant prince of Qarth,

  —QUAITHE, a masked shadowbinder from Asshai,

  —ILLYRIO MOPATIS, a magister of the Free City of Pentos, who brokered her marriage to Khal Drogo,

  —CLEON THE GREAT, butcher king of Astapor.

  —the Queen’s Suitors

  —on Slaver’s Bay:

  —DAARIO NAHARIS, late of Tyrosh, a sellsword and captain of the Stormcrows,

  —HIZDAHR ZO LORAQ, a wealthy Meereenese nobleman,

  —SKAHAZ MO KANDAQ, called THE SHAVEPATE, a lesser nobleman of Meereen,

  —CLEON THE GREAT, Butcher King of Astapor,

  —in Volantis:

  —PRINCE QUENTYN MARTELL, eldest son of Doran Martell, Lord of Sunspear and Prince of Dorne,

  —his sworn shields and companions:

  —{SER CLETUS YRONWOOD}, heir to Yronwood, slain by corsairs,

/>   —SER ARCHIBALD YRONWOOD, cousin to Cletus, called THE BIG MAN,

  —SER GERRIS DRINKWATER,

  —{SER WILLAM WELLS}, slain by corsairs

  —{MAESTER KEDRY}, slain by corsairs,

  —on the Rhoyne:

  —YOUNG GRIFF, a blue-haired lad of eighteen years,

  —his foster father, GRIFF, a sellsword late of the Golden Company,

  —his companion, teachers, and protectors:

  —SER ROLLY DUCKFIELD, called DUCK, a knight,

  —SEPTA LEMORE, a woman of the Faith,

  —HALDON, called THE HALFMAESTER, his tutor,

  —YANDRY, master and captain of the Shy Maid,

  —YSILLA, his wife,

  —at sea:

  —VICTARION GREYJOY, Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet, called THE IRON CAPTAIN,

  —his bedwarmer, a dusky woman without a tongue, a gift from Euron Crow’s Eye,

  —his healer, MAESTER KERWIN, late of Greenshield, a gift from Euron Crow’s Eye,

  —his crew on the Iron Victory:

  —WULFE ONE-EAR, RAGNOR PYKE, LONGWATER PYKE, TOM TIDEWOOD, BURTON HUMBLE, QUELLON HUMBLE, STEFFAR STAMMERER

  —his captains:

  —RODRIK SPARR, called THE VOLE, captain of Grief,

  —RED RALF STONEHOUSE, captain of Red Jester,

  —MANFRYD MERLYN, captain of Kite,

  —RALF THE LIMPER, captain of Lord Quellon,

  —TOM CODD, called BLOODLESS TOM, captain of the Lamentation,

  —DAEGON SHEPHERD, called THE BLACK SHEPHERD, captain of the Dagger.

  The Targaryens are the blood of the dragon, descended from the high lords of the ancient Freehold of Valyria, their heritage marked by lilac, indigo, and violet eyes and hair of silver-gold. To preserve their blood and keep it pure, House Targaryen has oft wed brother to sister, cousin to cousin, uncle to niece. The founder of the dynasty, Aegon the Conqueror, took both his sisters to wife and fathered sons on each. The Targaryen banner is a three-headed dragon, red on black, the three heads representing Aegon and his sisters. The Targaryen words are Fire and Blood.

  THE SELLSWORDS MEN AND WOMEN OF THE FREE COMPANIES

  THE GOLDEN COMPANY, ten thousand strong, of uncertain loyalty:

  —HOMELESS HARRY STRICKLAND, captain-general,

  —WATKYN, his squire and cupbearer,

  —{SER MYLES TOYNE, called BLACKHEART}, four years dead, the previous captain-general,

  —BLACK BALAQ, a white-haired Summer Islander, commander of the company archers,

  —LYSONO MAAR, a sellsword late of the Free City of Lys, company spymaster,

  —GORYS EDORYEN, a sellsword late of the Free City of Volantis, company paymaster,

  —SER FRANKLYN FLOWERS, the Bastard of Cider Hall, a sells-word from the Reach,

  —SER MARQ MANDRAKE, an exile escaped from slavery, scarred by pox,

  —SER LASWELL PEAKE, an exile lord,

  —his brothers, TORMAN and PYKEWOOD,

  —SER TRISTAN RIVERS, bastard, outlaw, exile,

  —CASPOR HILL, HUMFREY STONE, MALO JAYN, DICK COLE, WILL COLE, LORIMAS MUDD, JON LOTHSTON, LYMOND PEASE, SER BRENDEL BYRNE, DUNCAN STRONG, DENYS STRONG, CHAINS, YOUNG JOHN MUDD, serjeants of the company,

  —{SER AEGOR RIVERS, called BITTERSTEEL}, a bastard son of King Aegon IV Targaryen, founder of the company},

  —{MAELYS I BLACKFYRE, called MAELYS THE MONSTROUS}, captain-general of the company, pretender to the Iron Throne of Westeros, member of the Band of Nine, slain during the War of the Ninepenny Kings,

  THE WINDBLOWN, two thousand horse and foot, sworn to Yunkai,

  —THE TATTERED PRINCE, a former nobleman of the Free City of Pentos, captain and founder,

  —CAGGO, called CORPSEKILLER, his right hand,

  —DENZO D’HAN, the warrior bard, his left hand,

  —HUGH HUNGERFORD, serjeant, former company paymaster, fined three fingers for stealing,

  —SER ORSON STONE, SER LUCIFER LONG, WILL OF THE WOODS, DICK STRAW, GINJER JACK, Westerosi sellswords,

  —PRETTY MERIS, the company torturer,

  —BOOKS, a Volantene swordsman and notorious reader,

  —BEANS, a crossbowman, late of Myr,

  —OLD BILL BONE, a weathered Summer Islander,

  —MYRIO MYRAKIS, a sellsword late of Pentos,

  THE COMPANY OF THE CAT, three thousand strong, sworn to Yunkai,

  —BLOODBEARD, captain and commander,

  THE LONG LANCES, eight hundred horse-riders, sworn to Yunkai,

  —GYLO RHEGAN, captain and commander,

  THE SECOND SONS, five hundred horse-riders, sworn to Queen Daenerys,

  —BROWN BEN PLUMM, captain and commander,

  —KASPORIO, called KASPORIO THE CUNNING, a bravo, second-in-command,

  —TYBERO ISTARION, called INKPOTS, company paymaster,

  —HAMMER, a drunken blacksmith and armorer,

  —his apprentice, called NAIL,

  —SNATCH, a serjeant, one-handed,

  —KEM, a young sellsword, from Flea Bottom,

  —BOKKOKO, an axeman of formidable repute,

  —UHLAN, a serjeant of the company,

  THE STORMCROWS, five hundred horse-riders, sworn to Queen Daenerys,

  —DAAERIO NAHARIS, captain and commander,

  —THE WIDOWER, his second-in-command,

  —JOKIN, commander of the company archers.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  The last one was a bitch. This one was three bitches and a bastard. Once again, my thanks to my long-suffering editors and publishers: to Jane Johnson and Joy Chamberlain at Voyager, and Scott Shannon, Nita Taublib, and Anne Groell from Bantam. Their understanding, good humor, and sage advice helped through the tough bits, and I will never cease to be grateful for their patience.

  Thanks as well to my equally patient and endlessly supportive agents, Chris Lotts, Vince Gerardis, the fabulous Kay McCauley, and the late Ralph Vicinanza. Ralph, I wish you were here to share this day.

  And thanks to Stephen Boucher, the wandering Aussie who helps keep my computer greased and humming whenever he drops by Santa Fe for a breakfast burrito (Xmas) and a side of jalapeño bacon.

  Back here on the home front, thanks are also due to my dear friends Melinda Snodgrass and Daniel Abraham for their encouragement and support, to my webmaster Pati Nagle for maintaining my corner of the Internet, and to the amazing Raya Golden for the meals, the art, the unfailing good cheer that helped to brighten even the darkest days around Terrapin Station. Even if she did try to steal my cat.

  As long as it has taken me to dance this dance, it would surely have taken twice as long without the assistance of my faithful (and acerbic) minion and sometime traveling companion Ty Franck, who tends to my computer when Stephen’s not around, keeps the ravening virtual mobs from my virtual doorstep, runs my errands, does my filing, makes the coffee, walks the walk, and charges ten thousand dollars to change a light bulb—all while writing his own kick-ass books on Wednesdays.

  Last, but far from my least, all my love and gratitude to my wife, Parris, who has danced every step of this beside me. Love ya, Phipps.

  George R. R. Martin

  May 13, 2011

  About the Author

  GEORGE R. R. MARTIN sold his first story in 1971 and has been writing professionally every since. He has written fantasy, horror, and science fiction, and for his sins spent ten years in Hollywood as a writer/producer, working on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and television pilots that were never made. In the mid ’90s he returned to prose, his first love, and began work on his epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. He has been in the Seven Kingdoms ever since. Whenever he’s allowed to leave, he returns to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he lives with his wife Parris and their four cats.