grrm.astormofswords-第212章

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o　tell　the　shapes　of　what　will　be　from　what　may　be　or　what　was。　Even　then　it　es　hard；　hard。　You　do　not　understand　that；　you　men　of　the　sunset　lands。〃　Davos　asked　her　then　how　it　was　that　Ser　Axell　had　learned　the　trick　of　it　so　quickly；　but　to　that　she　only　smiled　enigmatically　and　said；　〃Any　cat　may　stare　into　a　fire　and　see　red　mice　at　play。〃
　He　had　not　lied　to　his　king's　men；　about　that　or　any　of　it。　〃The　red　woman　may　see　what　we　intend；〃　he　warned　them。
　〃We　should　start　by　killing　her；　then；〃　urged　Lewys　the　Fishwife。　〃I　know　a　place　where　we　could　waylay　her；　four　of　us　with　sharp　swords　。　。　。〃
　〃You'd　doom　us　all；〃　said　Davos。　〃Maester　Cressen　tried　to　kill　her；　and　she　knew　at　once。　From　her　flames；　I'd　guess。　It　seems　to　me　that　she　is　very　quick　to　sense　any　threat　to　her　own　person；　but　surely　she　cannot　see　everything。　if　we　ignore　her；　perhaps　we　might　escape　her　notice。〃
　〃There　is　no　honor　in　hiding　and　sneaking；〃　objected　Ser　Triston　of　Tally　Hill；　who　had　been　a　Sunglass　man　before　Lord　Guncer　went　to　Melisandre's　fires。
　〃Is　it　so　honorable　to　burn？　〃　Davos　asked　him。　〃You　saw　Lord　Sunglass　die。　is　that　what　you　want？　I　don't　need　men　of　honor　now。　I　need　smugglers。　Are　you　with　me；　or　no？〃
　They　were。　Gods　be　good；　they　were。
　Maester　Pylos　was　leading　Edric　Storm　through　his　sums　when　Davos　pushed　open　the　door。　Ser　Andrew　was　close　behind　him；　the　others　had　been　left　to　guard　the　steps　and　cellar　door。　The　maester　broke　off。　〃That　will　be　enough　for　now；　Edric。〃
　The　boy　was　puzzled　by　the　intrusion。　〃Lord　Davos；　Ser　Andrew。　We　were　doing　sums。〃
　Ser　Andrew　smiled。　〃I　hated　sums　when　I　was　your　age；　coz。〃
　〃I　don't　mind　them　so　much。　I　like　history　best；　though。　it's　full　of　tales。〃
　〃Edric；〃　said　Maester　Pylos；　〃run　and　get　your　cloak　now。　You're　to　go　with　Lord　Davos。〃
　〃I　am？〃　Edric　got　to　his　feet。　〃Where　are　we　going？〃　His　mouth　set　stubbornly。　〃I　won't　go　pray　to　the　Lord　of　Light。　I　am　a　Warrior's　man；　like　my　father。〃
　〃We　know；〃　Davos　said。　〃e；　lad；　we　must　not　dawdle。〃
　Edric　donned　a　thick　hooded　cloak　of　undyed　wool。　Maester　Pylos　helped　him　fasten　it；　and　pulled　the　hood　up　to　shadow　his　face。　〃Are　you　ing　with　us；　Maester？〃　the　boy　asked。
　〃No。〃　Pylos　touched　the　chain　of　many　metals　he　wore　about　his　neck。　〃My　place　is　here　on　Dragonstone。　Go　with　Lord　Davos　now；　and　do　as　he　says。　He　is　the　King's　Hand；　remember。　What　did　I　tell　you　about　the　King's　Hand？〃
　〃The　Hand　speaks　with　the　king's　voice。〃
　The　young　maester　smiled。　〃That's　so。　Go　now。〃
　Davos　had　been　uncertain　of　Pylos。　Perhaps　he　resented　him　for　taking　old　Cressen's　place。　But　now　he　could　only　admire　the　man's　courage。　This　could　mean　his　life　as　well。
　Outside　the　maester's　chambers；　Ser　Gerald　Gower　waited　by　the　steps。　Edric　Storm　looked　at　him　curiously。　As　they　made　their　descent　he　asked；　〃Where　are　we　going；　Lord　Davos？〃
　〃To　the　water。　A　ship　awaits　you。〃
　The　boy　stopped　suddenly。　〃A　ship？〃
　〃One　of　Salladhor　Saan's。　Salla　is　a　good　friend　of　mine。〃
　〃I　shall　go　with　you；　Cousin；〃　Ser　Andrew　assured　him。　〃There's　nothing　to　be　frightened　of。〃
　〃I　am　not　frightened；〃　Edric　said　indignantly。　〃Only　。　。　。　is　Shireen　ing　too？〃
　〃No；〃　said　Davos。　〃The　princess　must　remain　here　with　her　father　and　mother。〃
　〃I　have　to　see　her　then；〃　Edric　explained。　〃To　say　my　farewells。　Otherwise　she'll　be　sad。〃
　Not　so　sad　as　if　she　sees　you　burn。　〃There　is　no　time；〃　Davos　said。　〃I　will　tell　the　princess　that　you　were　thinking　of　her。　And　you　can　write　her；　when　you　get　to　where　you're　going。〃
　The　boy　frowned。　〃Are　you　sure　I　must　go？　Why　would　my　uncle　send　me　from　Dragonstone？　Did　I　displease　him？　I　never　meant　to。〃　He　got　that　stubborn　look　again。　〃I　want　to　see　my　uncle。　I　want　to　see　King　Stannis。〃
　Ser　Andrew　and　Ser　Gerald　exchanged　a　look。　〃There's　no　time　for　that；　Cousin；〃　Ser　Andrew　said。
　〃I　want　to　see　him！〃　Edric　insisted；　louder。
　〃He　does　not　want　to　see　you。〃　Davos　had　to　say　something；　to　get　the　boy　moving。　〃I　am　his　Hand；　I　speak　with　his　voice。　Must　I　go　to　the　king　and　tell　him　that　you　would　not　do　as　you　were　told？　Do　you　know　how　angry　that　will　make　him？　Have　you　ever　seen　your　uncle　angry？〃　He　pulled　off　his　glove　and　showed　the　boy　the　four　fingers　that　Stannis　had　shortened。　〃I　have。〃
　It　was　all　lies；　there　had　been　no　anger　in　Stannis　Baratheon　when　he　cut　the　ends　off　his　onion　knight's　fingers；　only　an　iron　sense　of　justice。　But　Edric　Storm　had　not　been　born　then；　and　could　not　know　that。　And　the　threat　had　the　desired　effect。　〃He　should　not　have　done　that；〃　the　boy　said；　but　he　let　Davos　take　him　by　the　hand　and　draw　him　down　the　steps。
　The　Bastard　of　Nightsong　joined　them　at　the　cellar　door。　They　walked　quickly；　across　a　shadowed　yard　and　down　some　steps；　under　the　stone　tail　of　a　frozen　dragon。　Lewys　the　Fishwife　and　Omer　Blackberry　waited　at　the　postern　gate；　two　guards　bound　and　trussed　at　their　feet。　〃The　boat？〃　Davos　asked　them。
　〃It's　there；〃　Lewys　said。　〃Four　oarsmen。　The　galley　is　anchored　just　past　the　point。　Mad　Prendos。〃
　Davos　chuckled。　A　ship　named　after　a　madman。　Yes；　that's　fitting。　Salla　had　a　streak　of　the　pirate's　black　humor。
　He　went　to　one　knee　before　Edric　Storm。　〃I　must　leave　you　now；〃　he　said。　〃There's　a　boat　waiting；　to　row　you　out　to　a　galley。　Then　it's　off　across　the　sea。　You　are　Robert's　son　so　I　know　you　will　be　brave；　no　matter　what　happens。〃
　〃I　will。　Only　。　。　。〃　The　boy　hesitated。
　〃Think　of　this　as　an　adventure；　my　lord。〃　Davos　tried　to　sound　hale　and　cheerful。　〃It's　the　start　of　your　life's　great　adventure。　May　the　Warrior　defend　you。〃
　〃And　may　the　Father　judge　you　justly；　Lord　Davos。〃　The　boy　went　with　his　cousin　Ser　Andrew　out　the　postern　gate。　The　others　followed；　all　but　the　Bastard　of　Nightsong。　May　the　Father　judge　me　justly；　Davos　thought　ruefully。　But　it　was　the　king's　judgment　that　concerned　him　now。
　〃These　two？〃　asked　Ser　Rolland　of　the　guards；　when　he　had　closed　and　barred　the　gate。
　〃Drag　them　into　a　cellar；〃　said　Davos。　〃You　can　cut　them　free　when　Edric's　safely　under　way。〃
　The　Bastard　gave　a　curt　nod。　There　were　no　more　words　to　say；　the　easy　part　was　done。　Davos　pulled　his　glove　on；　wishing　he　had　not　lost　his　luck。　He　had　been　a　better　man　and　a　braver　one　with　that　bag　of　bones　around　his　neck。　He　ran　his　shortened　fingers　through　thinning　brown　hair；　and　wondered　if　it　needed　to　be　cut。　He　must　look　presentable　when　he　stood　before　the　king。
　Dragonstone　had　never　seemed　so　dark　and　fearsome。　He　walked　slowly；　his　footsteps　echoing　off　black　walls　and　dragons。　Stone　dragons　who　will　never　wake；　I　pray。　The　Stone　Drum　loomed　huge　ahead　of　him。　The　guards　at　the　door　uncrossed　their　spears　as　he　approached。　Not　for　the　onion　knight；　but　for　the　King's　Hand。　Davos　was　the　Hand　going　in；　at　least。　He　wondered　what　he　would　be　ing　out。　If　I　ever　do　。　。　。
　The　steps　seemed　longer　and　steeper　than　before；　or　perhaps　it　was　just　that　he　was　tired。　The　Mother　never　made　me　for　tasks　like　this。　He　had　risen　too　high　and　too　fast；　and　up　here　on　the　mountain　the　air　was　too　thin　for　him　to　breathe。　As　a　boy　he'd　dreamed　of　riches；　but　that　was　long　ago。　Later；　grown；　all　he　had　wanted　was　a　few　acres　of　good　land；　a　hall　to　grow　old　in；　a　better　life　for　his　sons。　The　Blind　Bastard　used　to　tell　him　that　a　clever　smuggler　did　not　overreach；　nor　draw　too　much　attention　to　himself。　A　few　acres；　a　timbered　roof；　a　〃ser〃　before　my　name；　I　should　have　been　content。　If　he　survived　this　night；　he　would　take　Devan　and　sail　home　to　Cape　Wrath　and　his　gentle　Marya。　We　will　grieve　together　for　our　dead　sons；　raise　the　living　ones　to　be　good　men；　and　speak　no　more　of　kings。
　The　Chamber　of　the　Painted　Table　was　dark　and　empty　when　Davos　entered；　the　king　would　still　be　at　the　nightfire；　with　Melisandre　and　the　queen's　men。　He　knelt　and　made　a　fire　in　the　hearth；　to　drive　the　chill　from　the　round　chamber　and　chase　the　shadows　back　into　their　corners。　Then　he　went　around　the　room　to　each　window　in　turn；　opening　the　heavy　velvet　curtains　and　unlatching　the　wooden　shutters。　The　wind　came　in；　strong　with　the　smell　of　salt　and　sea；　and　pulled　at　his　plain　brown　cloak。
　At　the　north　window；　he　l