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˖*°࿐chapter fifteen. xv. JOTUNHEIM
"IT WAS A BITCH OF A SIEGE," Kober says, making Allister hum. They both rode through a thin clean patch of tall plants, their horses standing out against the greenery, both talking about war. Laelia didn't bother to hear; she was making sure everything went smoothly among the Unsullied. "You were first through the breach at Kane?"
"Second," Kober chides.
"Semar of Sluphis went in alone, waving that flaming sword of his," Allister states as he waves his arm around in a mocking gesture of the past.
"Semar of Sluphis," Kober chuckles, "bloody madman. Rass knighted you after the battle."
"Proudest moment of my life," Allister admits to the former guard. "One year in the dust, King sword on my shoulder, listening to the words, 'In the name of the warrior I charge you to be brave'. All I can think of how badly I had to piss. And full plate metal, 16 hours never occurred to me until the fighting was over I was the first man knighted to piss on the King's boots." Allister and Kober lead their horses by hand to the stream to let them drink after a whole day of walking, Kober chuckling at the man that accompanied him. "Robert would have laughed."
"He was a great man, a great warrior," Allister says. Laelia was nearby on her horse, talking to an Unsullied soldier.
"And a terrible king," Kober adds to his statement. "I burned away my years fighting for terrible kings."
"You swore an oath."
"Yes ― and a man of honor keeps his vows. Even if he's serving a drunk or a lunatic. Just once in my life, before it's over, I want to know what it's like to serve with pride, to fight for someone I believe in. You believe in her?"
Allister turns to view the Khaleesi. "With all my heart." Laelia jumps down from her snow-white horse to gaze out onto the group of men standing in front of her. "These are the ones?" She asks Melora. The men walk closer with their spears and shields held at their sides. "Yes, Khaleesi. The officers."
"Keso glaesot iderēptot daor," she begins. (You did not choose this life.) "Yn dāeri vali sīr issi. Se dāeri vali pōntalo syt gaomoti iderēbzi." (But you are free men now. And free men make their own choices.) "Jenti jevi jemēle iderēbilātās, qogrondo jevo hēdrȳ."(You will select your own leader, from amongst your own ranks.)
They move to allow a man of color be shown, who sticks the end of his spear in the sand, Laelia commanding him to remove his helmet. He has a close-shaven head, allowing you to see his scalp through the small hairs, and his lips were darker than his skin, with eyes the color of mud. "Skoroso jemēle brōzā?"(What is your name?) "Turgon Nudho," he answers. (Grey Worm.)
