Silver mare

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The silver
Daenerys Her Silver.jpg
by Amok ©

Allegiance Daenerys Targaryen
Race Horse
Born In or between 294 AC and 298 AC[1], the Dothraki sea
Books

The silver is a magnificent mare gifted as a filly to Daenerys Targaryen by Khal Drogo at their wedding. Since it is not Dothraki custom to name horses, Dany thinks of it as the silver or her silver.[2]

Appearance and Character

See also: Images of the silver

The silver is young and spirited. She is grey, with a silver mane.[3]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Drogo brings forth the silver, his bride gift to Daenerys Targaryen
Daenerys Targaryen astride her silver in Game of Thrones

Khal Drogo presents Daenerys Targaryen with the horse at their wedding outside of Pentos. Dany is not an experienced rider, but the silver responds well to her non-verbal commands and they leap through a fire.[3]

While traveling through the Dothraki sea toward Vaes Dothrak, Dany suffers from saddle sores and blisters. Irri provides instruction to the girl, but Dany feels she learns more from the silver, which matches her instincts.[2] The silver easily keeps pace with Drogo's stallion, but Dany is relieved when they arrive at Vaes Dothrak.[4] Dany tries to follow the Dothraki custom of pregnant women staying on horseback almost up to the time of giving birth, but she sometimes uses a litter.[5]

After Ser Jorah Mormont and Jhogo defend Daenerys against a poisoner in the Western Market, Drogo gives them free choice on claiming any horse from his herds, excluding his red stallion and the silver.[5] Two days later, Drogo and his khalasar leave Vaes Dothrak, heading on a southwest course. Drogo and his red stallion take the lead, with Daenerys and the silver right beside them. Chains are fastened to the silver's halter, the horse dragging along the would-be assassin.[5]

After Drogo becomes incapacitated from wounds inflicted fighting the khalasar of Ogo, Drogo's khalasar dissolves into a dozen splinter groups. Daenerys claims those left behind after Drogo's death as her own khalasar.[6]

A Clash of Kings

Daenerys leads her khalasar into the red waste, mounting the silver. Like the rest of the khalasar's horses, the silver survives on a diet of devilgrass.[7] The surviving horses are able to regain their strength in Vaes Tolorro, which has sufficient grass and water for them.[7]

Daenerys crosses the gates of Qarth, but the mare shies when Xaro Xhoan Daxos and his camel approach, as horses do not abide the close presence of camels.[8] Daenerys uses a palanquin for her transportation in Qarth, a gift from Xaro.[9][10]

In the House of the Undying, Dany has a vision depicting her silver trotting through the grass to a darkling stream beneath a sea of stars. There is no mention of a rider.[10] Another vision might also involve the silver, as it depicts a silver horse dragging the bloody corpse of a naked man, presumably the assassin.[10][5] A third vision depicts Daenerys and her silver riding past ten thousand slaves who call her "mother".[10]

Following the death of the Undying Ones, Daenerys decides to dress and act as a Dothraki again. She rides her silver along Qarth's quays, docks, and storehouses to the harbor reserved for foreign vessels. There she discovers that Illyrio sent her three ships: Joso's Prank, Saduleon, and Summer Sun.[11]

A Storm of Swords

Queen Daenerys Targaryen leading her army astride her silver - by © Rene Aigner

Dany's horses are nervous and restless when she and her followers sail to Astapor.[12] She rides her silver to the Plaza of Punishment for her trade of the dragon Drogon for Unsullied. She inspects the eunuch soldiers from her horse after receiving the whip from Kraznys mo Nakloz. Atop the silver, Danys orders the slave soldiers to kill the Good Masters during the fall of Astapor.[13]

After the battle near Yunkai, Daenerys greets slaves freed from the city atop her silver. The new freedmen call her terms for "Mother" in various languages, including Mhysa. The freedmen part ranks before the mare, allowing Dany to gallop through the crowd.[14]

During the siege of Meereen, Daenerys calls for Missandei to have the silver and the girl's own horse saddled, in preparation for a visit to the camps with Arstan Whitebeard, actually Ser Barristan Selmy, as her guard. A number of adults kneel in their path and are allowed to touch the stirrups of the silver. Daenerys stops the horse to converse with a pregnant woman, and is then assaulted by Mero. He yanks the young rider from the saddle and the whinnying silver backs away from the assailant. Arstan defeats Mero, who is then killed by freedmen.[15]

Daenerys rides into Meereen when the city is already secure, following the crush of its last resistance and the completion of the sacking. Her freedmen remove many corpses from the broken city gate, clearing a path for the silver. Rider and horse pass through the brick street, witnessing the remains of the battle.[16] With Meereen taken, Daenerys takes the Great Pyramid as her seat.[16]

A Dance with Dragons

Daenerys rides the silver while visiting the sick Astapori refugees camped outside Meereen.[17]

Daenerys intends to ride the silver to the Temple of the Graces for her wedding ceremony with Hizdahr zo Loraq. However, Missandei reminds her that she cannot ride in a tokar. Daenerys sees the sense in this and arranges to be taken to the temple in a sedan chair.[18]

Dany disappears from Daznak's Pit's atop Drogon,[19] and most of her khalasar depart Meereen to search for her in the Dothraki sea. When Barristan goes to have a clandestine meeting with Skahaz mo Kandaq within the Great Pyramid, he makes his way past the elephants and the silver to the back of the stables.[20]

Astride Drogon in the Dothraki sea, Daenerys feels as if she is learning to ride all over again, comparing and contrasting the reactions of the silver and the black dragon. While the silver's first instinct is to flee from danger, Drogon's instinct is to attack.[21] Dany is surprised at the tall height of the Dothraki sea, recalling that ii never seemed so high from the back of her silver.[21]

Quotes

She was a young filly, spirited and splendid. Dany knew just enough about horses to know that this was no ordinary animal. There was something about her that took the breath away. She was grey as the winter sea, with a mane like silver smoke.[3]

- thoughts of Daenerys Targaryen


Illyrio: Silver for the silver of your hair, the khal says.

Daenerys: She's beautiful.

Illyrio: She is the pride of the khalasar. Custom decrees that the khaleesi must ride a mount worthy of her place by the side of the khal.[3]

Illyrio Mopatis and Daenerys Targaryen


Tell Khal Drogo that he has given me the wind.[3]

- Daenerys Targaryen to Illyrio Mopatis

References and Notes

  1. Introduced as a "filly" in 298 AC. The term filly is used for female horses below the age of four.
  2. 2.0 2.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 23, Daenerys III.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 11, Daenerys II.
  4. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 46, Daenerys V.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 54, Daenerys VI.
  6. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 72, Daenerys X.
  7. 7.0 7.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 12, Daenerys I.
  8. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 27, Daenerys II.
  9. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 40, Daenerys III.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 48, Daenerys IV.
  11. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 63, Daenerys V.
  12. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 8, Daenerys I.
  13. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 27, Daenerys III.
  14. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 42, Daenerys IV.
  15. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 57, Daenerys V.
  16. 16.0 16.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 71, Daenerys VI.
  17. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 36, Daenerys VI.
  18. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 43, Daenerys VII.
  19. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 52, Daenerys IX.
  20. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 55, The Queensguard.
  21. 21.0 21.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 71, Daenerys X.