grrm.astormofswords-第124章

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　an　angry　gesture。　〃A　few　good　men　remain；　it's　true。　Ser　Gilbert　Farring　holds　Storm's　End　for　me　still；　with　two　hundred　loyal　men。　Lord　Morrigen；　the　Bastard　of　Nightsong；　young　Chyttering；　my　cousin　Andrew　。　。　。　but　I　trust　none　of　them　as　I　trust　you；　my　lord　of　Rainwood。　You　will　be　my　Hand。　It　is　you　I　want　beside　me　for　the　battle。〃
　Another　battle　will　be　the　end　of　all　of　us；　thought　Davos。　Lord　Alester　saw　that　much　true　enough。　〃Your　Grace　asked　for　honest　counsel。　In　honesty　then　。　。　。　we　lack　the　strength　for　another　battle　against　the　Lannisters。〃
　〃It　is　the　great　battle　His　Grace　is　speaking　of；〃　said　a　woman's　voice；　rich　with　the　accents　of　the　east。　Melisandre　stood　at　the　door　in　her　red　silks　and　shimmering　satins；　holding　a　covered　silver　dish　in　her　hands。　〃These　little　wars　are　no　more　than　a　scuffle　of　children　before　what　is　to　e。　The　one　whose　name　may　not　be　spoken　is　marshaling　his　power；　Davos　Seaworth；　a　power　fell　and　evil　and　strong　beyond　measure。
　Soon　es　the　cold；　and　the　night　that　never　ends。〃　She　placed　the　silver　dish　on　the　Painted　Table。　〃Unless　true　men　find　the　courage　to　fight　it。　Men　whose　hearts　are　fire。〃
　Stannis　stared　at　the　silver　dish。　〃She　has　shown　it　to　me；　Lord　Davos。　In　the　flames。〃
　〃You　saw　it；　sire？〃　It　was　not　like　Stannis　Baratheon　to　lie　about　such　a　thing。
　〃With　mine　own　eyes。　After　the　battle；　when　I　was　lost　to　despair；　the　Lady　Melisandre　bid　me　gaze　into　the　hearthfire。　The　chimney　was　drawing　strongly；　and　bits　of　ash　were　rising　from　the　fire。　I　stared　at　them；　feeling　half　a　fool；　but　she　bid　me　look　deeper；　and　。　。　。　the　ashes　were　white；　rising　in　the　updraft；　yet　all　at　once　it　seemed　as　if　they　were　falling。　Snow；　I　thought。　Then　the　sparks　in　the　air　seemed　to　circle；　to　bee　a　ring　of　torches；　and　I　was　looking　through　the　fire　down　on　some　high　hill　in　a　forest。　The　cinders　had　bee　men　in　black　behind　the　torches；　and　there　were　shapes　moving　through　the　snow。　For　all　the　heat　of　the　fire；　I　felt　a　cold　so　terrible　I　shivered；　and　when　I　did　the　sight　was　gone；　the　fire　but　a　fire　once　again。　But　what　I　saw　was　real；　I'd　stake　my　kingdom　on　it。〃
　〃And　have；〃　said　Melisandre。
　The　conviction　in　the　king's　voice　frightened　Davos　to　the　core。　〃A　hill　in　a　forest　。　。　。　shapes　in　the　snow　。　。　。　I　don't　。　。　。〃
　〃It　means　that　the　battle　is　begun；〃　said　Melisandre。　〃The　sand　is　running　through　the　glass　more　quickly　now；　and　man's　hour　on　earth　is　almost　done。　We　must　act　boldly；　or　all　hope　is　lost。　Westeros　must　unite　beneath　her　one　true　king；　the　prince　that　was　promised；　Lord　of　Dragonstone　and　chosen　of　R'hllor。〃
　〃R'hllor　chooses　queerly；　then。〃　The　king　grimaced；　as　if　he'd　tasted　something　foul。　〃Why　me；　and　not　my　brothers？　Renly　and　his　peach。　in　my　dreams　I　see　the　juice　running　from　his　mouth；　the　blood　from　his　throat。　If　he　had　done　his　duty　by　his　brother；　we　would　have　smashed　Lord　Tywin。　A　victory　even　Robert　could　be　proud　of。　Robert　。　。　。　〃　His　teeth　ground　side　to　side。　〃He　is　in　my　dreams　as　well。　Laughing。　Drinking。　Boasting。　Those　were　the　things　he　was　best　at。　Those；　and　fighting。　I　never　bested　him　at　anything。　The　Lord　of　Light　should　have　made　Robert　his　champion。　Why　me？〃
　〃Because　you　are　a　righteous　man；〃　said　Melisandre。
　〃A　righteous　man。〃　Stannis　touched　the　covered　silver　platter　with　a　finger。　〃With　leeches。〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Melisandre；　〃but　I　must　tell　you　once　more；　this　is　not　the　way。〃
　〃You　swore　it　would　work。〃　The　king　looked　angry。
　〃It　will　。　。　。　and　it　will　not。〃
　〃Which？〃
　〃Both。〃
　〃Speak　sense　to　me；　woman。〃
　〃When　the　fires　speak　more　plainly；　so　shall　I。　There　is　truth　in　the　flames；　but　it　is　not　always　easy　to　see。〃　The　great　ruby　at　her　throat　drank　fire　from　the　glow　of　the　brazier。　〃Give　me　the　boy；　Your　Grace。　It　is　the　surer　way。　The　better　way。　Give　me　the　boy　and　I　shall　wake　the　stone　dragon。〃
　〃I　have　told　you；　no。〃
　〃He　is　only　one　baseborn　boy；　against　all　the　boys　of　Westeros；　and　all　the　girls　as　well。　Against　all　the　children　that　might　ever　be　born；　in　all　the　kingdoms　of　the　world。〃
　〃The　boy　is　innocent。〃
　〃The　boy　defiled　your　marriage　bed；　else　you　would　surely　have　sons　of　your　own。　He　shamed　you。〃
　〃Robert　did　that。　Not　the　boy。　My　daughter　has　grown　fond　of　him。　And　he　is　mine　own　blood。〃
　〃Your　brother's　blood；〃　Melisandre　said。　〃A　king's　blood。　Only　a　king's　blood　can　wake　the　stone　dragon。〃
　Stannis　ground　his　teeth。　〃I'll　hear　no　more　of　this。　The　dragons　are　done。　The　Targaryens　tried　to　bring　them　back　half　a　dozen　times。　And　made　fools　of　themselves；　or　corpses。　Patchface　is　the　only　fool　we　need　on　this　godsforsaken　rock。　You　have　the　leeches。　Do　your　work。〃
　Melisandre　bowed　her　head　stiffly；　and　said；　〃As　my　king　mands。〃　Reaching　up　her　left　sleeve　with　her　right　hand；　she　flung　a　handful　of　powder　into　the　brazier。　The　coals　roared。　As　pale　flames　writhed　atop　them；　the　red　woman　retrieved　the　silver　dish　and　brought　it　to　the　king。　Davos　watched　her　lift　the　lid。　Beneath　were　three　large　black　leeches；　fat　with　blood。
　The　boy's　blood；　Davos　knew。　A　king's　blood。
　Stannis　stretched　forth　a　hand；　and　his　fingers　closed　around　one　of　the　leeches。
　〃Say　the　name；〃　Melisandre　manded。
　The　leech　was　twisting　in　the　king's　grip；　trying　to　attach　itself　to　one　of　his　fingers。　〃The　usurper；〃　he　said。　〃Joffrey　Baratheon。〃　When　he　tossed　the　leech　into　the　fire；　it　curled　up　like　an　autumn　leaf　amidst　the　coals；　and　burned。
　Stannis　grasped　the　second。　〃The　usurper；〃　he　declared；　louder　this　time。　〃Balon　Greyjoy。〃　He　flipped　it　lightly　onto　the　brazier；　and　its　flesh　split　and　cracked。　The　blood　burst　from　it；　hissing　and　smoking。
　The　last　was　in　the　king's　hand。　This　one　he　studied　a　moment　as　it　writhed　between　his　fingers。　〃The　usurper；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Robb　Stark。〃　And　he　threw　it　on　the　flames。
　
　CHAPTER　37
　JAIME
　
　Harrenhal's　bathhouse　was　a　dim；　steamy；　low…ceilinged　room　filled　with　great　stone　tubs。　When　they　led　Jaime　in；　they　found　Brienne　seated　in　one　of　them；　scrubbing　her　arm　almost　angrily。
　〃Not　so　hard；　wench；〃　he　called。　〃You'll　scrub　the　skin　off。〃　She　dropped　her　brush　and　covered　her　teats　with　hands　as　big　as　Gregor　Clegane's。　The　pointy　little　buds　she　was　so　intent　on　hiding　would　have　looked　more　natural　on　some　ten…year…old　than　they　did　on　her　thick　muscular　chest。
　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　she　demanded。
　〃Lord　Bolton　insists　I　sup　with　him；　but　he　neglected　to　invite　my　fleas。〃　Jaime　tugged　at　his　guard　with　his　left　hand。　〃Help　me　out　of　these　stinking　rags。〃　One…handed；　he　could　not　so　much　as　unlace　his　breeches。　The　man　obeyed　grudgingly；　but　he　obeyed。　〃Now　leave　us；〃　Jaime　said　when　his　clothes　lay　in　a　pile　on　the　wet　stone　floor。　〃My　lady　of　Tarth　doesn't　want　the　likes　of　you　scum　gaping　at　her　teats。〃　He　pointed　his　stump　at　the　hatchet…faced　woman　attending　Brienne。　〃You　too。　Wait　without。　There's　only　the　one　door；　and　the　wench　is　too　big　to　try　and　shinny　up　a　chimney。〃
　The　habit　of　obedience　went　deep。　The　woman　followed　his　guard　out；　leaving　the　bathhouse　to　the　two　of　them。　The　tubs　were　large　enough　to　hold　six　or　seven；　after　the　fashion　of　the　Free　Cities；　so　Jaime　climbed　in　with　the　wench；　awkward　and　slow。　Both　his　eyes　were　open；　though　the　right　remained　somewhat　swollen；　despite　Qybum's　leeches。　Jaime　felt　a　hundred　and　nine　years　old；　which　was　a　deal　better　than　he　had　been　feeling　when　he　came　to　Harrenhal。
　Brienne　shrunk　away　from　him。　〃There　are　other　tubs。〃
　〃This　one　suits　me　well　enough。〃　Gingerly；　he　immersed　himself　up　to　the　chin　in　the　steaming　water。　〃Have　no　fear；　wench。　Your　thighs　are　purple　and　green；　and　I'm　not　interested　in　what　you've　got　between　them。〃　He　had　to　rest　his　right　arm　on　the　rim；　since　Qyburn　had　warned　him　to　keep　the　linen　dry。　He　could　feel　the　tension　drain　from　his　legs；　but　his　head　spun。　〃if　I　faint；　pull　me　out。　No　Lannister　has　ever　drowned　in　his　bath　and　I　don't　mean　to　be　the　first。〃
　〃Why　should　I　care　how　you　die？〃
　〃You　swore　a　solemn　vow。〃　He　smiled　as　a　red　flush　crept　up　the　thick　white　column　of　her　neck。　She　turned　her　back　to　him。　〃Still　the　shy　maiden？　What　is　it　that　you　think　I