A Dance With Dragons: Tyrion IV (Chapter Summary)

Tyrion is buried beneath a pile of musty skins, atop a heap of old sacks that serve him as a bed. He is aboard the Shy Maid, lodging atop the roof of its cabin with a coil of hempen rope for a pillow. He dresses and descends to the afterdeck, where Griff is sitting beside an iron brazier. The sellsword keeps the night watch by himself. I would kill for a cup of wine, Tyrion mutters. Since boarding, Griff has prohibited Tyrion from touching a drink. As the first pale light of day appears on the horizon, Griff rises and heads below deck. The deck is yours, he tells Tyrion.

A Dance With Dragons: Tyrion III (Chapter Summary)

Tyrion wakes to find the litter halted.  He steps outside and discovers Magister Illyrio talking with two riders.  They introduce themselves as Haldon Halfmaester and Ser Rolly Duckfield.  Haldon is older, clean-shaven, with a lined ascetic face, and his hair pulled back and tied in a knot behind his head; Duck is a brawny man with a shaggy beard and a shock of orange hair.  The two men transfer six oaken chests from Illyrio’s baggage train to their pack horses.  Haldon informs Illyrio that Dothraki have been seen north of Dagger Lake.  Outriders from Motho and Khal Zekko’s khalasars are moving through the Forest of Qohor, fleeing from Khal Pono and his khalasar of thirty thousand.  Tyrion is to continue journeying to the Rhoyne with Haldon and Duck.  Illyrio introduces Tyrion as Yollo, but Tyrion interjects, adding that his real name is Hugor Hill.  Yollo is a Pentoshi name, and Tyrion does not look or sound Pentoshi.  Haldon tests Tyrion with a series of questions concerning dragons, all of which Tyrion answers correctly;  presumably Illyrio has promised Haldon that Tyrion is a valuable resource with respect to dragon lore.  

A Dance With Dragons: Tyrion II (Chapter Summary)

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.

A Dance With Dragons: Tyrion I (Chapter Summary)

Tyrion is aboard a ship crossing the narrow sea.  He is confined to his cabin and not allowed to venture above deck.  During the voyage he drinks heavily – red and sour wine.  His thoughts are consumed by the memory of killing his father.  He regrets shooting him in the belly instead of the cock.  His father’s last words, “wherever whores go”, repeat in his mind.  A cabin boy visits him daily to bring meals and clean vomit off the floor.  Tyrion tries to speak to him, but he does not reply: he tells him that the Dornish wine reminds him of Oberyn Martell; he asks him if the pleasure houses of Lys are where the whores go; he inquires about the ship’s destination.  Tyrion recalls Jamie mentioning the Free Cities during his escape from King’s Landing; nevertheless, he hopes the ship is travelling to either Dorne or the Wall.  In Dorne he wants to queen Myrcella and pit her against Tommen; the Wall is a safe refuge if Mormont is still alive and Janos Slynt not in command.  Tyrion remembers that each of the Nine Free Cities speak a different dialect of High Valyrian, on their way to becoming separate languages – as a child, Tyrion’s maester taught him to read High Valyrian.