Tyrion and Illyrio depart Pentos by the Sunrise Gate within a palanquin suspended between eight draft horses. Illyrio ensures Tyrion that no one will know he visited Pentos: the galley that delivered him is en route to Asshai, and Illyrio’s household guards and servants are loyal and discreet. They are traveling to Volantis; Illyrio tells Tyrion he will deliver him to Ghoyan Drohe, upon the Little Rhoyne, where a Westerosi sellsword named Griff will take him down the river the rest of the way. They travel on the Valyrian road: a ribbon of fused stone raised a half foot above the ground, and wide enough for three wagon to pass abreast. The roads have endured for four centuries, since the Doom of Valyria. Tyrion inquires as to Illyrio’s motives – why does a magister of Pentos care who sits the Iron Throne. Illyrio explains that Viserys had sworn to appoint him master of coin and bestow on him a lordship; he also mentions friends, and debts of affection to repay.
Tyrion asks Illyrio how he knows Varys. Illyrio describes how he met Varys when they were both young boys in Pentos. Varys slept in the sewers by day, and prowled the rooftops by night; Illyrio was a poor bravo, living by his blade. In Myr, Varys had been a prince of thieves, until a rival thief informed on him, forcing him to flee. In Pentos, Varys and Illyrio formed an arrangement: Varys would spy on lesser thieves and steal their takings, and Illyrio would offer the victims his assistance, promising to recover the valuables for a fee. Varys began to train what he called mice – orphan boys and young girls to gather secrets, stealing letters, ledgers, and charts. Later, after both men had accumulated great wealth and influence, Illyrio wed the daughter of a cousin of the Prince of Pentos and became magister, and Varys travelled to Westeros to serve Aerys Targaryen the Second.
Drinking wine and dozing off within the palanquin, Tyrion recalls his childhood: he oft dreamt of dragons; he would pretend to be some lost Targaryen princeling, or a Valyrian dragonlord, and beg his uncles for a dragon for his birthday. The next day Illyrio reports what news he possesses of Daenerys. She has left Meereen, he assumes, and heads west. She commands a ragged host of sellswords, Dothraki horselords, and Unsullied infantry. Tyrion and Griff are to wait for her in Volantis, along with the Golden Company, a company of sellswords purchased by Illyrio to fight for Daenerys. The company was founded a century ago by Bittersteel, a bastard son of Aegon the Unworthy. In Westeros, Bittersteel had allied himself with Dameon Blackfyre. Dameon launched an unsuccessful attempt to seize the Iron Throne from his trueborn half-brother. After his rebellion failed, Bittersteel, refusing to bend the knee, fled across the narrow sea and formed the Golden Company. The male line of House Blackfyre ended during the War of the Ninepenny Kings when Maelys the Monstrous died upon the Stepstones, slain by Barristan Selmy.
The palanquin arrives in Andalos, the land from where the Andals originate. Before the Andals, however, the land was held by the hairy men of Ib. The Seven had once walked the hills of Andalos in human form; the Father himself had reached his hand into the heavens and pulled down seven stars, and set them one by one on the brow of Hugor of the Hill to make a glowing crown. Tyrion reveals that he had studied to become High Septon, but in the end abandoned the faith after falling in love with Tysha. The revelation prompts Illyrio to talk about his second wife Serra, a woman with big blue eyes and pale golden hair streaked by silver. He had found her in a Lynese pillow house and brought her home to wed. Years ago she caught the grey death and passed away; he keeps her hands in his bedchamber.
Tyrion falls asleep in the palaquin thinking of Shae, of Tysha, of Tywin Lannister squatting on a privy.
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