Chapter 26 - Daenerys - A Pale Mare arrives

Meereen is slowly being strangled by Dany's enemies.  They have cut off trade to the city and sellswords roam the land spreading fear as they do so.  It really feels like a battle is on the way.  I can taste it.  It tastes like pudding pie though that might just be because I just ate pudding pie.  In all seriousness, I think that a showdown is going to occur between Dany and her enemies before the end of this book.  Something needs to happen though because Meereen can't survive like this forever.  It was especially telling that there were no petitioners begging Dany for favor when we have seen nothing but that in the last few chapters.  The Shavepate tells her that the people are afraid and that is why they do not come.  That is scary.

We also hear about the fall of Astapor in this chapter.  We had heard about it in detail in the Quentyn chapter so it was cool to hear it from another perspective here.  I assume that Quentyn and his fellow Westerosi are close to Dany now.  I can't wait until he gets to her.

At one point a dying man arrives on a pale mare which immediately reminds Dany of the prophesy she received.  There is no way that this is a coincidence.  Bad things are coming for Dany.  She says that she must hope for peace and, in a way, I completely agree.  But I am also fearful that Dany wants to save her people beyond what she is capable of doing.  A ruler must take care of her people, but she must also realize when she has no choice but to let some die for the good of many.  She seems to get this when the sick of Astapor arrive and she agrees to quarantine them due to the Flux.

I don't know if I agree with Ser Barristan's plan to take the battle to Dany's enemies.  She wants to wait inside the city, but that has its dangers, too.  In the end, she calls for Hizdahr zo Loraq and it is clear that she is planning to marry him.  I still don't like it, but maybe I just don't like Dany being tied to someone who is weaker than she is.

One thing that occurred to me was how much help the Golden Company could be if they made it to Dany.  They could turn this entire situation around, but they are headed to Westeros instead!  I do not envy the situation that Dany is in, but in a way she has brought it on herself.  I just hope she can get out of it.