Wednesday, 21 August 2019

ADwD 2: Danearys 34

Dany is still trying to improve Meereen. She has lots of problems. There's a terrorist group called Sons of the Harpy who are killing her men. The freed slaves are being hired back at meagre wages and the economy is suffering from a readjustment leading to a temporary loss of productivity. People are becoming beggars and prostitutes to pay the bills. Old, unproductive slaves are out on the street instead of being cared for by their former masters.

The prophecy from Quarth about three betrayals is somewhat clarified, at least as far as Dany thinks. The Maegi was the first, Ser Jorah Mormont (now exiled) was the second, and the third betrayal is still on the way.

Cleon the Butcher King of Astapor (leader of slaves who enslaved the former masters after Dany freed them) now wants to marry her. He'll have to join the queue. Dany thinks she could marry the wealthy trader Hizdhr zo Loraq, and at some point plenty of other people are going to turn up with proposals.

Dany finds being ruler hard work and has to make lots of difficult moral compromises. To make matters worse, her dragons are starting to get a taste for small children.

I'd put someone else in charge of the mess and start heading for Westeros if I were you, Dany!