grrm.astormofswords-第213章

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ng　with　the　smell　of　salt　and　sea；　and　pulled　at　his　plain　brown　cloak。
　At　the　north　window；　he　leaned　against　the　sill　for　a　breath　of　the　cold　night　air；　hoping　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　Mad　Prendos　raising　sail；　but　the　sea　seemed　black　and　empty　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see。　Is　she　gone　already？　He　could　only　pray　that　she　was；　and　the　boy　with　her。　A　half　moon　was　sliding　in　and　out　amongst　thin　high　clouds；　and　Davos　could　see　familiar　stars。　There　was　the　Galley；　sailing　west；　there　the　Crone's　Lantern；　four　bright　stars　that　enclosed　a　golden　haze。　The　clouds　hid　most　of　the　Ice　Dragon；　all　but　the　bright　blue　eye　that　marked　due　north。　The　sky　is　full　of　smugglers'　stars。　They　were　old　friends；　those　stars；　Davos　hoped　that　meant　good　luck。
　But　when　he　lowered　his　gaze　from　the　sky　to　the　castle　ramparts；　he　was　not　so　certain。　The　wings　of　the　stone　dragons　cast　great　black　shadows　in　the　light　from　the　nightfire。　He　tried　to　tell　himself　that　they　were　no　more　than　carvings；　cold　and　lifeless。　This　was　their　place；　once。　A　place　of　dragons　and　dragonlords；　the　seat　of　House　Targaryen。　The　Targaryens　were　the　blood　of　old　Valyria　。　。　。
　The　wind　sighed　through　the　chamber；　and　in　the　hearth　the　flames　gusted　and　swirled。　He　listened　to　the　logs　crackle　and　spit。　When　Davos　left　the　window　his　shadow　went　before　him；　tall　and　thin；　and　fell　across　the　Painted　Table　like　a　sword。　And　there　he　stood　for　a　long　time；　waiting。　He　heard　their　boots　on　the　stone　steps　as　they　ascended。　The　king's　voice　went　before　him。　〃　。　。　。　is　not　three；〃　he　was　saying。
　〃Three　is　three；〃　came　Melisandre's　answer。　〃I　swear　to　you；　Your　Grace；　I　saw　him　die　and　heard　his　mother's　wail。〃
　〃In　the　nightfire。〃　Stannis　and　Melisandre　came　through　the　door　together。　〃The　flames　are　full　of　tricks。　What　is；　what　will　be；　what　may　be。　You　cannot　tell　me　for　a　certainty　。　。　。〃
　〃Your　Grace。〃　Davos　stepped　forward。　〃Lady　Melisandre　saw　it　true。　Your　nephew　Joffrey　is　dead。〃
　If　the　king　was　surprised　to　find　him　at　the　Painted　Table；　he　gave　no　sign。　〃Lord　Davos；〃　he　said。　〃He　was　not　my　nephew。　Though　for　years　I　believed　he　was。〃
　〃He　choked　on　a　morsel　of　food　at　his　wedding　feast；〃　Davos　said。　〃It　may　be　that　he　was　poisoned。〃
　〃He　is　the　third；〃　said　Melisandre。
　〃I　can　count；　woman。〃　Stannis　walked　along　the　table；　past　Oldtown　and　the　Arbor；　up　toward　the　Shield　Islands　and　the　mouth　of　the　Mander。　〃Weddings　have　bee　more　perilous　than　battles；　it　would　seem。　Who　was　the　poisoner？　Is　it　known？〃
　〃His　uncle；　it's　said。　The　Imp。〃
　Stannis　ground　his　teeth。　〃A　dangerous　man。　I　learned　that　on　the　Blackwater。　How　do　you　e　by　this　report？〃
　〃The　Lyseni　still　trade　at　King's　Landing。　Salladhor　Saan　has　no　reason　to　lie　to　me。〃
　〃I　suppose　not。〃　The　king　ran　his　fingers　across　the　table。　〃Joffrey　。　。　。　I　remember　once；　this　kitchen　cat　。　。　。　the　cooks　were　wont　to　feed　her　scraps　and　fish　heads。　One　told　the　boy　that　she　had　kittens　in　her　belly；　thinking　he　might　want　one。　Joffrey　opened　up　the　poor　thing　with　a　dagger　to　see　if　it　were　true。　When　he　found　the　kittens；　he　brought　them　to　show　to　his　father。　Robert　hit　the　boy　so　hard　I　thought　he'd　killed　him。〃　The　king　took　off　his　crown　and　placed　it　on　the　table。　〃Dwarf　or　leech；　this　killer　served　the　kingdom　well。　They　must　send　for　me　now。〃
　〃They　will　not；〃　said　Melisandre。　〃Joffrey　has　a　brother。〃
　〃Tommen。〃　The　king　said　the　name　grudgingly。
　〃They　will　crown　Tommen；　and　rule　in　his　name。〃
　Stannis　made　a　fist。　〃Tommen　is　gentler　than　Joffrey；　but　born　of　the　same　incest。　Another　monster　in　the　making。　Another　leech　upon　the　land。　Westeros　needs　a　man's　hand；　not　a　child's。〃
　Melisandre　moved　closer。　〃Save　them；　sire。　Let　me　wake　the　stone　dragons。　Three　is　three。　Give　me　the　boy。〃
　〃Edric　Storm；〃　Davos　said。
　Stannis　rounded　on　him　in　a　cold　fury。　〃I　know　his　name。　Spare　me　your　reproaches。　I　like　this　no　more　than　you　do；　but　my　duty　is　to　the　realm。　My　duty　。　。　。　〃　He　turned　back　to　Melisandre。　〃You　swear　there　is　no　other　way？　Swear　it　on　your　life；　for　I　promise；　you　shall　die　by　inches　if　you　lie。〃
　〃You　are　he　who　must　stand　against　the　Other。　The　one　whose　ing　was　prophesied　five　thousand　years　ago。　The　red　et　was　your　herald。　You　are　the　prince　that　was　promised；　and　if　you　fail　the　world　fails　with　you。〃　Melisandre　went　to　him；　her　red　lips　parted；　her　ruby　throbbing。　〃Give　me　this　boy；〃　she　whispered；　〃and　I　will　give　you　your　kingdom。〃
　〃He　can't；〃　said　Davos。　〃Edric　Storm　is　gone。〃
　〃Gone？〃　Stannis　turned。　〃What　do　you　mean；　gone？〃
　〃He　is　aboard　a　Lyseni　galley；　safely　out　to　sea。〃　Davos　watched　Melisandre's　pale；　heart…shaped　face。　He　saw　the　flicker　of　dismay　there；　the　sudden　uncertainty。　She　did　not　see　it！
　The　king's　eyes　were　dark　blue　bruises　in　the　hollows　of　his　face。　〃The　bastard　was　taken　from　Dragonstone　without　my　leave？　A　galley；　you　say？　If　that　Lysene　pirate　thinks　to　use　the　boy　to　squeeze　gold　from　me…〃
　〃This　is　your　Hand's　work；　sire。〃　Melisandre　gave　Davos　a　knowing　look。　〃You　will　bring　him　back；　my　lord。　You　will。〃
　〃The　boy　is　out　of　my　reach；〃　said　Davos。　〃And　out　of　your　reach　as　well；　my　lady。〃
　Her　red　eyes　made　him　squirm。　〃I　should　have　left　you　to　the　dark；　ser。　Do　you　know　what　you　have　done？〃
　〃My　duty。〃
　〃Some　might　call　it　treason。〃　Stannis　went　to　the　window　to　stare　out　into　the　night。　Is　he　looking　for　the　ship？　〃I　raised　you　up　from　dirt；　Davos。〃　He　sounded　more　tired　than　angry。　〃Was　loyalty　too　much　to　hope　for？〃
　〃Four　of　my　sons　died　for　you　on　the　Blackwater。　I　might　have　died　myself。　You　have　my　loyalty；　always。〃　Davos　Seaworth　had　thought　long　and　hard　about　the　words　he　said　next；　he　knew　his　life　depended　on　them。　〃Your　Grace；　you　made　me　swear　to　give　you　honest　counsel　and　swift　obedience；　to　defend　your　realm　against　your　foes；　to　protect　your　people。　Is　not　Edric　Storm　one　of　your　people？　One　of　those　I　swore　to　protect？　I　kept　my　oath。　How　could　that　be　treason？〃
　Stannis　ground　his　teeth　again。　〃I　never　asked　for　this　crown。　Gold　is　cold　and　heavy　on　the　head；　but　so　long　as　I　am　the　king；　I　have　a　duty　。　。　。　If　I　must　sacrifice　one　child　to　the　flames　to　save　a　million　from　the　dark　。　。　。　Sacrifice　。　。　。　is　never　easy；　Davos。　Or　it　is　no　true　sacrifice。　Tell　him；　my　lady。〃
　Melisandre　said；　〃Azor　Ahai　tempered　Lightbringer　with　the　heart's　blood　of　his　own　beloved　wife。　If　a　man　with　a　thousand　cows　gives　one　to　god；　that　is　nothing。　But　a　man　who　offers　the　only　cow　he　owns　。　。　。〃
　〃She　talks　of　cows；〃　Davos　told　the　king。　〃I　am　speaking　of　a　boy；　your　daughter's　friend；　your　brother's　son。〃
　〃A　king's　son；　with　the　power　of　kingsblood　in　his　veins。〃　Melisandre's　ruby　glowed　like　a　red　star　at　her　throat。　〃Do　you　think　you've　saved　this　boy；　Onion　Knight？　When　the　long　night　falls；　Edric　Storm　shall　die　with　the　rest；　wherever　he　is　hidden。　Your　own　sons　as　well。　Darkness　and　cold　will　cover　the　earth。　You　meddle　in　matters　you　do　not　understand。〃
　〃There's　much　I　don't　understand；〃　Davos　admitted。　〃I　have　never　pretended　elsewise。　I　know　the　seas　and　rivers；　the　shapes　of　the　coasts；　where　the　rocks　and　shoals　lie。　I　know　hidden　coves　where　a　boat　can　land　unseen。　And　I　know　that　a　king　protects　his　people；　or　he　is　no　king　at　all。〃
　Stannis's　face　darkened。　〃Do　you　mock　me　to　my　face？　Must　I　learn　a　king's　duty　from　an　onion　smuggler？〃
　Davos　knelt。　〃If　I　have　offended；　take　my　head。　I'll　die　as　I　lived；　your　loyal　man。　But　hear　me　first。　Hear　me　for　the　sake　of　the　onions　I　brought　you；　and　the　fingers　you　took。〃
　Starmis　slid　Lightbringer　from　its　scabbard。　Its　glow　filled　the　chamber。　〃Say　what　you　will；　but　say　it　quickly。〃　The　muscles　in　the　king's　neck　stood　out　like　cords。
　Davos　fumbled　inside　his　cloak　and　drew　out　the　crinkled　sheet　of　parchment。　It　seemed　a　thin　and　flimsy　thing；　yet　it　was　all　the　shield　he　had。　〃A　King's　Hand　should　be　able　to　read　and　write。　Maester　Pylos　has　been　teaching　me。〃　He　smoothed　the　letter　flat　upon　his　knee　and　began　to　read　by　the　light　of　the　magic　sword。
　
　CHAPTER　64
　JON
　
　He　dreamt　he　was　back　in　Winterfell；　limping　past　the　stone　kings　on　their　thrones。　Their　grey　granite　eyes　turned　to