The Dragon vs. the Titan's Bastard. A lesson in composure.

[James West]

One of the best parts of A Storm of Swords was the meeting between Daenerys and Mero.  

Quote

 

Mero:  I believe I fucked your twin sister in a pleasure house back home.  Or was it you?

Daenerys:  I think not.  I would remember a man of such magnificence, I have no doubt.

Mero:  Yes, that is so. No woman has ever forgotten the Titan's Bastard.  What say you take those clothes off and come sit on my lap?  If you please me, I might bring the Second Sons over to your side.

Daenerys:  If you bring the Second Sons over to my side, I might not have you gelded.

Mero:  Little girl, another woman once tried to geld me with her teeth.  She has no teeth now, but my sword is as long and thick as ever.  Shall I take it out and show you?

Daenerys:  No need.  After my eunuchs cut it off, I can examine it at my leisure.  It is true that I am only a young girl, and do not know the ways of war.  Explain to me how you propose to defeat ten thousand Unsullied with your five hundred.  Innocent as I am, these odds seem poor to me.  

Mero:  The Second Sons have faced worse odds and won.

Daenerys:  The Second Sons have faced worse odds and run.  At Qohor, when the Three Thousand made their stand.  Or do you deny it?

Mero:  That was many and more years ago, before the Second Sons were led by the Titan's Bastard.

Daenerys:  So it is from you they get their courage?  Of course, you could run again.  We will not stop you.  Take your Yunkish gold and go.

Mero:  Had you ever seen the Titan of Braavos, foolish girl, you would know it has no tail to turn.

Daenerys:  Then stay and fight for me.

Mero:  You are worth fighting for, it is true.  And I would gladly let you kiss my sword, if I were free.  But I have taken Yunkai's coin and pledged my holy word.

Daenerys:  Coins can be returned.  I will pay you as much and more.  I have other cities to conquer, and a whole kingdom awaiting me half a world away.  Serve me faithfully, and the Second Sons need never seek hire again.

Mero:  As much and more, and perhaps a kiss besides, eh?  Or more than a kiss?  For a man as magnificent as me?

Daenerys:  Perhaps

Mero:  I will like the taste of your tongue, I think.

 

Daenerys is very, very good at verbal boxing matches.  I love that about her.  She has control of her emotions and knows how to maintain her composure.  Tyrion is the only character who can rival her ability to do this type of verbal dance.  There was passive aggression in that exchange but charm as well.  Daenerys is one of the few George Martin characters who have wit and sensual charm.  

It's your turn to give me an example of your favorite conversation from the novels.  

 

[The Commentator]

Dany’s negotiation with Kraznys.

Walder’s first meeting with Catelyn.  

You don’t have to mine deep to find them.

 

 

[Rondo]

Any scene with Walder Frey is good entertainment.  Particularly his rebuke of Robb and the Starks.  He called out their honor or lack thereof in public.  He could have rubbed Robb's nose a little more.

[Nevets]

Stannis's parleys with Renly and Courtnay Penrose are fun to read.  The insults fly thick and fast.  You can really tell they don't like each other. 

[Aldarion]

Anything with Stannis. Guy is humour gold mine.

[Moiraine Sedai]

Dany and Kraznys Mo Naklos. 

[Mourning Star]

Ser Corliss Penny gave the clan chief an incredulous look. "Do you want to die, Wull?"

That seemed to amuse the northman. "I want to live forever in a land where summer lasts a thousand years. I want a castle in the clouds where I can look down over the world. I want to be six-and-twenty again. When I was six-and-twenty I could fight all day and fuck all night. What men want does not matter.

"Winter is almost upon us, boy. And winter is death. I would sooner my men die fighting for the Ned's little girl than alone and hungry in the snow, weeping tears that freeze upon their cheeks. No one sings songs of men who die like that. As for me, I am old. This will be my last winter. Let me bathe in Bolton blood before I die. I want to feel it spatter across my face when my axe bites deep into a Bolton skull. I want to lick it off my lips and die with the taste of it on my tongue."

"Aye!" shouted Morgan Liddle. "Blood and battle!" Then all the hillmen were shouting, banging their cups and drinking horns on the table, filling the king's tent with the clangor.

[Jaenara Belarys]

1 hour ago, Mourning Star said:

Ser Corliss Penny gave the clan chief an incredulous look. "Do you want to die, Wull?"

That seemed to amuse the northman. "I want to live forever in a land where summer lasts a thousand years. I want a castle in the clouds where I can look down over the world. I want to be six-and-twenty again. When I was six-and-twenty I could fight all day and fuck all night. What men want does not matter.

"Winter is almost upon us, boy. And winter is death. I would sooner my men die fighting for the Ned's little girl than alone and hungry in the snow, weeping tears that freeze upon their cheeks. No one sings songs of men who die like that. As for me, I am old. This will be my last winter. Let me bathe in Bolton blood before I die. I want to feel it spatter across my face when my axe bites deep into a Bolton skull. I want to lick it off my lips and die with the taste of it on my tongue."

"Aye!" shouted Morgan Liddle. "Blood and battle!" Then all the hillmen were shouting, banging their cups and drinking horns on the table, filling the king's tent with the clangor.

Good one. Now, mine is Eddard's council session about the Hand's Tourney and also Littlefinger's observation about gargoyles and Shireen:

Renly: We're fortunate my brother Stannis is not with us. Remember the time he proposed to outlaw brothels? The king asked him if he wanted to outlaw ****ting, eating and breathing while he was at it. If truth be told, I ofttimes wonder how Stannis got that ugly daughter of his. He goes to his marriage bed like a man marching to a battle field, with a grim look in his eyes and a determination to do his duty.

Ned: I wonder about your brother Stannis as well. I wonder when he intends to end his visit to Dragonstone and resume his seat upon the council.

Littlefinger: No doubt as soon as we've scourged all those whores into the sea.

Ned: I have heard quite enough about whores.

God, I would've been laughing so hard my lungs would've popped

Somehow Littlefinger keeps composure throughout this little monologue:

Littlefinger: A trade envoy from Lys once observed to me that Lord Stannis must surely love his daughter well, since he'd erected hundreds of statues of her along the walls of Dragonstone. "My lord, I had to tell him, those are gargoyles". 

[Only 89 selfies today]

On 4/21/2021 at 12:05 AM, James West said:

One of the best parts of A Storm of Swords was the meeting between Daenerys and Mero.  

Daenerys is very, very good at verbal boxing matches.  I love that about her.  She has control of her emotions and knows how to maintain her composure.  Tyrion is the only character who can rival her ability to do this type of verbal dance.  There was passive aggression in that exchange but charm as well.  Daenerys is one of the few George Martin characters who have wit and sensual charm.  

It's your turn to give me an example of your favorite conversation from the novels.  

 

We will see in the future but I do not think Tyrion is in her league when it comes to wit.  And definitely not in charm.  Tyrion's bitterness eventually comes to the surface and it ruins his chances at charm. 

[Willam Stark]

All of Tyrion's dialogues, specially those with Cersei.

But I can't quote them, since I only have the french version of the books and no-one speak french here.

[The Lord of the Crossing]

On 4/22/2021 at 7:42 AM, Rondo said:

Any scene with Walder Frey is good entertainment.  Particularly his rebuke of Robb and the Starks.  He called out their honor or lack thereof in public.  He could have rubbed Robb's nose a little more.

This is true about Walder.  He's a crochety old man with a sharp wit.  The Freys are clever.  I really liked the hostility between Ser Jared and Davos in Manderly's hall.  The one about slicing onions.  Jared pushed back on Davos' insult with a superior one of his own.  

 

[Springwatch]

11 hours ago, Only 89 selfies today said:

We will see in the future but I do not think Tyrion is in her league when it comes to wit.  And definitely not in charm.  Tyrion's bitterness eventually comes to the surface and it ruins his chances at charm.

Agree, but my favourite was Tyrion's first encounter with Oberyn, who gave him a load of threats and personal abuse. Tyrion managed to hit back every time - he was sharp and witty, and sort of turned the attack into a draw.

It wasn't charm, but it earned him a bit of respect and liking from Oberyn, and after that they get on well enough.

[Seams]

I like anything with a wise fool in it. 

Dolorous Edd is reliably hilarious (but maybe this is more about Edd than it is about witty conversation.)

Quote

Dolorous Edd was feeding the horses. "Give the wildling an axe, why not?" He pointed out Mormont's weapon, a short-hafted battle-axe with gold scrollwork inlaid on the black steel blade. "He'll give it back, I vow. Buried in the Old Bear's skull, like as not. Why not give him all our axes, and our swords as well? I mislike the way they clank and rattle as we ride. We'd travel faster without them, straight to hell's door. Does it rain in hell, I wonder? Perhaps Craster would like a nice hat instead."

Jon smiled. "He wants an axe. And wine as well."

"See, the Old Bear's clever. If we get the wildling well and truly drunk, perhaps he'll only cut off an ear when he tries to slay us with that axe. I have two ears but only one head."

"Smallwood says Craster is a friend to the Watch."

"Do you know the difference between a wildling who's a friend to the Watch and one who's not?" asked the dour squire. "Our enemies leave our bodies for the crows and the wolves. Our friends bury us in secret graves. I wonder how long that bear's been nailed up on that gate, and what Craster had there before we came hallooing?" Edd looked at the axe doubtfully, the rain running down his long face. "Is it dry in there?"

"Drier than out here."

Nimble Dick Crabb.

Quote

...Ser Galladon was no fool. Against a foe eight feet tall mounted on an aurochs, he might well have unsheathed the Just Maid. He used her once to slay a dragon, they say."

Nimble Dick was unimpressed. "Crackbones fought a dragon too, but he didn't need no magic sword. He just tied its neck in a knot, so every time it breathed fire it roasted its own arse."

 

[Darth Sidious]

14 hours ago, Springwatch said:

Agree, but my favourite was Tyrion's first encounter with Oberyn, who gave him a load of threats and personal abuse. Tyrion managed to hit back every time - he was sharp and witty, and sort of turned the attack into a draw.

It wasn't charm, but it earned him a bit of respect and liking from Oberyn, and after that they get on well enough.

Daenerys is the best at it. Though I liked Tyrion against Oberyn.  Tyrion is funnier. Daenerys is more creative.  

[Jaenara Belarys]

On 4/24/2021 at 3:12 AM, Willam Stark said:

But I can't quote them, since I only have the french version of the books and no-one speak french here.

https://asearchoficeandfire.com/ Now you can. 

[James West]

On 4/24/2021 at 6:12 AM, Willam Stark said:

All of Tyrion's dialogues, specially those with Cersei.

But I can't quote them, since I only have the french version of the books and no-one speak french here.

There are

[Here's Looking At You, Kid]

On 4/21/2021 at 12:05 AM, James West said:

It's your turn to give me an example of your favorite conversation from the novels.  

This

On 4/22/2021 at 3:55 PM, Moiraine Sedai said:

Dany and Kraznys Mo Naklos. 

 

On 4/24/2021 at 8:50 AM, The Lord of the Crossing said:

This is true about Walder.  He's a crochety old man with a sharp wit.  The Freys are clever.  I really liked the hostility between Ser Jared and Davos in Manderly's hall.  The one about slicing onions.  Jared pushed back on Davos' insult with a superior one of his own.  

 

I could have found a fight between those two entertaining.  My money is on Jared.  Missing fingers puts Davos at a disadvantage. 

[The Lord of the Crossing]

Jared Frey owned Davos Seaworth at the end of that sparring.  Wayman should have stayed out of it.  Dany is very good at it but Jared's comeback against Davos is best.  

[Lord Browndodd]

For me it has to be the Blackfish during his parley with Jaime at Riverrun.

[Texas Hold Em]

On 4/21/2021 at 12:05 AM, James West said:

One of the best parts of A Storm of Swords was the meeting between Daenerys and Mero.  

Daenerys is very, very good at verbal boxing matches.  I love that about her.  She has control of her emotions and knows how to maintain her composure.  Tyrion is the only character who can rival her ability to do this type of verbal dance.  There was passive aggression in that exchange but charm as well.  Daenerys is one of the few George Martin characters who have wit and sensual charm.  

It's your turn to give me an example of your favorite conversation from the novels.  

 

1.  Mine happened in Astapor during her meeting with Master Kraznys.  It called for Daenerys to put on some oscar worthy acting skills. 

2.  Mountain Clan and Tyrion.  Feeding his to the goats.  (honorable mention)