grrm.astormofswords-第178章

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　〃So　much　for　guest　right。〃
　〃The　blood　is　on　Walder　Frey's　hands；　not　mine。〃
　〃Walder　Frey　is　a　peevish　old　man　who　lives　to　fondle　his　young　wife　and　brood　over　all　the　slights　he's　suffered。　I　have　no　doubt　he　hatched　this　ugly　chicken；　but　he　would　never　have　dared　such　a　thing　without　a　promise　of　protection。〃
　〃I　suppose　you　would　have　spared　the　boy　and　told　Lord　Frey　you　had　no　need　of　his　allegiance？　That　would　have　driven　the　old　fool　right　back　into　Stark's　arms　and　won　you　another　year　of　war。　Explain　to　me　why　it　is　more　noble　to　kill　ten　thousand　men　in　battle　than　a　dozen　at　dinner。〃　When　Tyrion　had　no　reply　to　that；　his　father　continued。　〃The　price　was　cheap　by　any　measure。　The　crown　shall　grant　Riverrun　to　Ser　Emmon　Frey　once　the　Blackfish　yields。　Lancel　and　Daven　must　marry　Frey　girls；　joy　is　to　wed　one　of　Lord　Walder's　natural　sons　when　she's　old　enough；　and　Roose　Bolton　bees　Warden　of　the　North　and　takes　home　Arya　Stark。〃
　〃Arya　Stark？〃　Tyrion　cocked　his　head。　〃And　Bolton？　I　might　have　known　Frey　would　not　have　the　stomach　to　act　alone。　But　Arya　。　。　。　Varys　and　Ser　Jacelyn　searched　for　her　for　more　than　half　a　year。　Arya　Stark　is　surely　dead。〃
　〃So　was　Renly；　until　the　Blackwater。〃
　〃What　does　that　mean？〃
　〃Perhaps　Littlefinger　succeeded　where　you　and　Varys　failed。　Lord　Bolton　will　wed　the　girl　to　his　bastard　son。　We　shall　allow　the　Dreadfort　to　fight　the　ironborn　for　a　few　years；　and　see　if　he　can　bring　Stark's　other　bannermen　to　heel。　e　spring；　all　of　them　should　be　at　the　end　of　their　strength　and　ready　to　bend　the　knee。　The　north　will　go　to　your　son　by　Sansa　Stark　。　。　。　if　you　ever　find　enough　manhood　in　you　to　breed　one。　Lest　you　forget；　it　is　not　only　Joffrey　who　must　needs　take　a　maidenhead。〃
　I　had　not　forgotten；　though　I'd　hoped　you　had。　〃And　when　do　you　imagine　Sansa　will　be　at　her　most　fertile？〃　Tyrion　asked　his　father　in　tones　that　dripped　acid。　〃Before　or　after　I　tell　her　how　we　murdered　her　mother　and　her　brother？〃
　
　CHAPTER　54
　DAVOS
　
　For　a　moment　it　seemed　as　though　the　king　had　not　heard。　Stannis　showed　no　pleasure　at　the　news；　no　anger；　no　disbelief；　not　even　relief。　He　stared　at　his　Painted　Table　with　teeth　clenched　hard。　〃You　are　certain？〃　he　asked。
　〃I　am　not　seeing　the　body；　no；　Your　Kingliness；〃　said　Salladhor　Saan。　〃Yet　in　the　city；　the　lions　prance　and　dance。　The　Red　Wedding；　the　smallfolk　are　calling　it。　They　swear　Lord　Frey　had　the　boy's　head　hacked　off；　sewed　the　head　of　his　direwolf　in　its　place；　and　nailed　a　crown　about　his　ears。　His　lady　mother　was　slain　as　well；　and　thrown　naked　in　the　river。〃
　At　a　wedding；　thought　Davos。　As　he　sat　at　his　slayer's　board；　a　guest　beneath　his　roof。　These　Freys　are　cursed。　He　could　smell　the　burning　blood　again；　and　hear　the　leech　hissing　and　spitting　on　the　brazier's　hot　coals。
　〃It　was　the　Lord's　wrath　that　slew　him；〃　Ser　Axell　Florent　declared。　〃It　was　the　hand　of　WhIlor！〃
　〃Praise　the　Lord　of　Light！〃　sang　out　Queen　Selyse；　a　pinched　thin　hard　woman　with　large　ears　and　a　hairy　upper　lip。
　〃Is　the　hand　of　R'hllor　spotted　and　palsied？〃　asked　Stannis。　〃This　sounds　more　Walder　Frey's　handiwork　than　any　god's。〃
　〃R'hllor　chooses　such　instruments　as　he　requires。〃　The　ruby　at　Melisandre's　throat　shone　redly。　〃His　ways　are　mysterious；　but　no　man　may　withstand　his　fiery　will。〃
　〃No　man　may　withstand　him！〃　the　queen　cried。
　〃Be　quiet；　woman。　You　are　not　at　a　nightfire　now。〃　Stannis　considered　the　Painted　Table。　〃The　wolf　leaves　no　heirs；　the　kraken　too　many。　The　lions　will　devour　them　unless　。　。　。　Saan；　I　will　require　your　fastest　ships　to　carry　envoys　to　the　Iron　islands　and　White　Harbor。　I　shall　offer　pardons。〃　The　way　he　snapped　his　teeth　showed　how　little　he　liked　that　word。　〃Full　pardons；　for　all　those　who　repent　of　treason　and　swear　fealty　to　their　rightful　king。　They　must　see　。　。　。〃
　〃They　will　not。〃　Melisandre's　voice　was　soft。　〃I　am　sorry；　Your　Grace。　This　is　not　an　end。　More　false　kings　will　soon　rise　to　take　up　the　crowns　of　those　whove　died。〃
　〃More？〃　Stannis　looked　as　though　he　would　gladly　have　throttled　her。　〃More　usurpers？　More　traitors？〃
　〃I　have　seen　it　in　the　flames。〃
　Queen　Selyse　went　to　the　king's　side。　〃The　Lord　of　Light　sent　Melisandre　to　guide　you　to　your　glory。　Heed　her；　I　beg　you。　R'hllor's　holy　flames　do　not　lie。〃
　〃There　are　lies　and　lies；　woman。　Even　when　these　flames　speak　truly；　they　are　full　of　tricks；　it　seems　to　me。〃
　〃An　ant　who　hears　the　words　of　a　king　may　not　prehend　what　he　is　saying；〃　Melisandre　said；　〃and　all　men　are　ants　before　the　fiery　face　of　god。　If　sometimes　I　have　mistaken　a　warning　for　a　prophecy　or　a　prophecy　for　a　warning；　the　fault　lies　in　the　reader；　not　the　book。　But　this　I　know　for　a　certainty…envoys　and　pardons　will　not　serve　you　now；　no　more　than　leeches。　You　must　show　the　realm　a　sign。　A　sign　that　proves　your　power！〃
　〃Power？〃　The　king　snorted。　〃I　have　thirteen　hundred　men　on　Dragonstone；　another　three　hundred　at　Storm's　End。〃　His　hand　swept　over　the　Painted　Table。　〃The　rest　of　Westeros　is　in　the　hands　of　my　foes。　I　have　no　fleet　but　Salladhor　Saan's。　No　coin　to　hire　sellswords。　No　prospect　of　plunder　or　glory　to　lure　freeriders　to　my　cause。〃
　〃Lord　husband；〃　said　Queen　Selyse；　〃you　have　more　men　than　Aegon　did　three　hundred　years　ago。　All　you　lack　are　dragons。〃
　The　look　Stannis　gave　her　was　dark。　〃Nine　mages　crossed　the　sea　to　hatch　Aegon　the　Third's　cache　of　eggs。　Baelor　the　Blessed　prayed　over　his　for　half　a　year。　Aegon　the　Fourth　built　dragons　of　wood　and　iron。　Aerion　Brightflame　drank　wildfire　to　transform　himself。　The　mages　failed；　King　Baelor's　prayers　went　unanswered；　the　wooden　dragons　burned；　and　Prince　Aerion　died　screaming。〃
　Queen　Selyse　was　adamant。　〃None　of　these　was　the　chosen　of　R'hllor。　No　red　et　blazed　across　the　heavens　to　herald　their　ing。　None　wielded　Lightbringer；　the　red　sword　of　heroes。　And　none　of　them　paid　the　price。　Lady　Melisandre　will　tell　you；　my　lord。　Only　death　can　pay　for　life。〃
　〃The　boy？〃　The　king　almost　spat　the　words。
　〃The　boy；〃　agreed　the　queen。
　〃The　boy；〃　Ser　Axell　echoed。
　〃I　was　sick　unto　death　of　this　wretched　boy　before　he　was　even　born；　the　king　plained。　〃His　very　name　is　a　roaring　in　my　ears　and　a　dark　cloud　upon　my　soul。〃
　〃Give　the　boy　to　me　and　you　need　never　hear　his　name　spoken　again；〃　Melisandre　promised。
　No；　but　you'll　hear　him　screaming　when　she　burns　him。　Davos　held　his　tongue。　It　was　wiser　not　to　speak　until　the　king　manded　it。
　〃Give　me　the　boy　for　R'hllor；〃　the　red　woman　said；　〃and　the　ancient　prophecy　shall　be　fulfilled。　Your　dragon　shall　awaken　and　spread　his　stony　wings。　The　kingdom　shall　be　yours。〃
　Ser　Axell　went　to　one　knee。　〃On　bended　knee　I　beg　you；　sire。　Wake　the　stone　dragon　and　let　the　traitors　tremble。　Like　Aegon　you　begin　as　Lord　of　Dragonstone。　Like　Aegon　you　shall　conquer。　Let　the　false　and　the　fickle　feel　your　flames。〃
　〃Your　own　wife　begs　as　well；　lord　husband。〃　Queen　Selyse　went　down　on　both　knees　before　the　king；　hands　clasped　as　if　in　prayer。　〃Robert　and　Delena　defiled　our　bed　and　laid　a　curse　upon　our　union。　This　boy　is　the　foul　fruit　of　their　fomications。　Lift　his　shadow　from　my　womb　and　I　will　bear　you　many　trueborn　sons；　I　know　it。〃　She　threw　her　arms　around　his　legs。　〃He　is　only　one　boy；　born　of　your　brother's　lust　and　my　cousin's　shame。〃
　〃He　is　mine　own　blood。　Stop　clutching　me；　woman。〃　King　Stannis　put　a　hand　on　her　shoulder；　awkwardly　untangling　himself　from　her　grasp。　〃Perhaps　Robert　did　curse　our　marriage　bed。　He　swore　to　me　that　he　never　meant　to　shame　me；　that　he　was　drunk　and　never　knew　which　bedchamber　he　entered　that　night。　But　does　it　matter？　The　boy　was　not　at　fault；　whatever　the　truth。〃
　Melisandre　put　her　hand　on　the　king's　arm。　〃The　Lord　of　Light　cherishes　the　innocent。　There　is　no　sacrifice　more　precious。　From　his　king's　blood　and　his　untainted　fire；　a　dragon　shall　be　born。〃
　Stannis　did　not　pull　away　from　Melisandre's　touch　as　he　had　from　his　queen's。　The　red　woman　was　all　Selyse　was　not；　young；　full…bodied；　and　strangely　beautiful；　with　her　heart…shaped　face；　coppery　hair；　and　unearthly　red　eyes。　〃It　would　be　a　wondrous　thing　to　see　stone　e　to　life；〃　he　admitted；　grudging。　〃And　to　mount　a　dragon　。　。　。　I　remem