A Clash of Kings-Chapter 48

Daenerys Targaryen being attacked by the Undying Ones - by Marc Simonetti ©

Daenerys Targaryen enters the House of the Undying, where she experiences many visions. She reaches the audience chamber of the Undying Ones, who give her cryptic information and then try to consume her. Drogon rescues her and she runs outside, where Pyat Pree tries to attack her, but Drogon comes to her help once again.

Synopsis

Daenerys stands before the House of the Undying in Qarth. Drogon hisses at the gray and ancient ruin and most of her companions, Ser Jorah, Jhogo, Aggo, and Xaro, tell her she should turn back, but she is resolute to enter the abode of the warlocks. Pyat Pree steps out to her, saying that Daenerys must enter alone, or not at all. He leads her to the entrance, warning her to always take the door to her right, and only take stairs leading up. On her way she will see visions of the past, future and days that never were, and those that will speak to her from other rooms, but she must not enter any room and keep her path until she reaches the audience chamber.

At the entrance, Daenerys drinks a glass of shade of the evening a dwarf gives her, to prepare her for the truths within, and enters. In the House of the Undying, she notices right away that she is in the presence of sorcery. Fortunately, she brought Drogon with her into the warlocks' home. Daenerys sees a great many visions during her journey through the halls:

1. A beautiful naked woman sprawling on a floor with four little men with rat-like faces raping her.
2. A feast of corpses, a room full of savagely slaughtered bodies, and many of the corpses have cups or spoons in their hands; above them sits a dead man on a throne with the head of a wolf, wearing an iron crown and holding a leg of lamb like a king would hold a scepter;
3. old, dead, loyal Ser Willem Darry beckons her into the house with the red door, in Braavos
4. An old man with long silver hair sits on a barbed throne in a great hall with dragon skulls, and says "Let him be the king of ashes";
5. a man who looks like Viserys, but taller and with darker eyes, who says to a woman nursing a baby, "Aegon… What better name for a king… He is the prince that was promised, and his is the song of ice and fire"; and when the man's eyes meet Daenerys's, he says either to her or the woman with the baby, "There must be one more… The dragon has three heads", and he picks up a silver harp and begins to play;
6. a vision of Pyat Pree telling her the visit is over, and to follow him into a garden;
7. a great hall with several robed people claiming to be the Undying of Qarth, who tell her, "We sent the comet to show you the way… shall we teach you the secret speech of dragonkind?", but it turns out to be sorcery.

Finally, Daenerys comes upon a room with several figures that are no more than shadows, unbreathing, and over them floats a human heart, blue and corrupted (these are apparently the real Undying). The figures speak inside Daenerys's head:

we know … the shape of shadows … morrows not yet made… drink from the cup of ice … drink from the cup of fire … mother of dragons … child of three … three heads has the dragon … mother of dragons … child of storm … three fires must you light … one for life and one for death and one to love … three mounts must you ride … one to bed and one to dread and one to love … three treasons will you know … once for blood and once for gold and once for love … help her show her … mother of dragons, daughter of death … mother of dragons, slayer of lies … mother of dragons, bride of fire …

Daenerys now sees visions in her head, floating faster and faster:

1. Viserys dying at Vaes Dothrak;
2. a tall lord with copper skin and silver hair bearing the banner of a fiery stallion;
3. a dying prince with rubies flying from his armor whispering the name of a woman with his last breath;
4. a blue-eyed king with a red sword in his hand who casts no shadow;
5. a cloth dragon amidst a cheering crowd;
6. a great stone beast flying from a smoking tower, breathing shadow fire;
7. her silver mare given to her by Drogo at her wedding;
8. a corpse at the prow of a ship, eyes bright in his dead face, smiling sadly;
9. a blue flower growing from a chink in a wall of ice;
10. shadows dancing in a tent;
11. a little girl running toward a house with a red door;
12. Mirri Maz Duur shrieking in the flames as a dragon bursts from her;
13. a corpse being dragged behind a silver horse;
14. a white lion running through grass taller than a man;
15. a line of naked crones emerging from a lake, kneeling before Daenerys beneath the Mother of Mountains;
16. ten thousand slaves crying "Mother" as Daenerys rides by on her silver.

At this point, the visions turn to a nightmare as the Undying try to consume Daenerys, and she is helpless to stop them until Drogon starts to tear the corrupted heart to pieces. Daenerys flees from the burning House of the Undying, but she is attacked outside with a dagger by Pyat Pree. Drogon distracts the warlock, however, allowing Jhogo to knock Pyat's knife aside with his whip and for Rakharo to slap Pyat to the ground. Jorah puts his arm around Daenerys and comforts her in the grass.

Character List

Appearing: Aggo Willem Darry (in vision) Xaro Xhoan Daxos Drogon Jhogo Elia Martell (in vision) Mirri Maz Duur (in vision) Jorah Mormont

Appearing: Pyat Pree Rakharo Silver mare (in vision) Aegon Targaryen (in vision) Aerys II Targaryen (in vision) Daenerys Targaryen Rhaegar Targaryen (in vision) Viserys Targaryen (in vision)

Mentioned: Drogo

Place and Terms Mentioned

Places: Braavos House with the red door Mother of Mountains Qarth House of the Undying (Palace of Dust) Seven Kingdoms Westeros

Terms: Arakh Black-barked tree Dothraki Dothraki language Dragon Ebony Ghosts Horse god Khal Khaleesi Maegi

Terms: Palanquin The prince that was promised Red comet Shade of the evening The song of ice and fire Undying Ones Warlock Warrior Weirwood Wizard

Notes and References

• The synopsis was initially copied from AOL member vbkorik27 previously at [1].

External Links

• Analyses and summary of the chapter in the course of a 10th reread by Slynt.
• Review and summary by Leigh Butler.
• See the Dreams and prophecies article for a more detailed analysis of Daenerys visions in this chapter.