grrm.astormofswords-第265章

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　〃That　is　my　concern。　I　shall　require　a　list　from　you；　detailing　the　present　state　of　every　castle　and　what　might　be　required　to　restore　it。　I　mean　to　have　them　all　garrisoned　again　within　the　year；　and　nightfires　burning　before　their　gates。〃
　〃Nightfires？〃　Bowen　Marsh　gave　Melisandre　an　uncertain　look。　〃We're　to　light　nightfires　now？〃
　〃You　are。〃　The　woman　rose　in　a　swirl　of　scarlet　silk；　her　long　copperbright　hair　tumbling　about　her　shoulders。　〃Swords　alone　cannot　hold　this　darkness　back。　Only　the　light　of　the　Lord　can　do　that。　Make　no　mistake；　good　sers　and　valiant　brothers；　the　war　we've　e　to　fight　is　no　petty　squabble　over　lands　and　honors。　Ours　is　a　war　for　life　itself；　and　should　we　fail　the　world　dies　with　us。〃
　The　officers　did　not　know　how　to　take　that；　Sam　could　see。　Bowen　Marsh　and　Othell　Yarwyck　exchanged　a　doubtful　look；　Janos　Slynt　was　fuming；　and　Three…Finger　Hobb　looked　as　though　he　would　sooner　be　back　chopping　carrots。　But　all　of　them　seemed　surprised　to　hear　Maester　Aemon　murmur；　〃It　is　the　war　for　the　dawn　you　speak　of；　my　lady。　But　where　is　the　prince　that　was　promised？〃
　〃He　stands　before　you；〃　Melisandre　declared；　〃though　you　do　not　have　the　eyes　to　see。　Stannis　Baratheon　is　Azor　Ahai　e　again；　the　warrior　of　fire。　In　him　the　prophecies　are　fulfilled。　The　red　et　blazed　across　the　sky　to　herald　his　ing；　and　he　bears　Lightbringer；　the　red　sword　of　heroes。〃
　Her　words　seemed　to　make　the　king　desperately　unfortable；　Sam　saw。　Stannis　ground　his　teeth；　and　said；　〃You　called　and　I　came；　my　lords。　Now　you　must　live　with　me；　or　die　with　me。　Best　get　used　to　that。〃　He　made　a　brusque　gesture。　〃That's　all。　Maester；　stay　a　moment。　And　you；　Tarly。　The　rest　of　you　may　go。〃
　Me？　Sam　thought；　stricken；　as　his　brothers　were　bowing　and　making　their　way　out。　What　does　he　want　with　me？
　〃You　are　the　one　that　killed　the　creature　in　the　snow；〃　King　Stannis　said；　when　only　the　four　of　them　remained。
　〃Sam　the　Slayer。〃　Melisandre　smiled。
　Sam　felt　his　face　turning　red。　〃No；　my　lady。　Your　Grace。　I　mean；　I　am；　yes。　I'm　Samwell　Tarly；　yes。〃
　〃Your　father　is　an　able　soldier；〃　King　Stannis　said。　〃He　defeated　my　brother　once；　at　Ashford。　Mace　Tyrell　has　been　pleased　to　claim　the　honors　for　that　victory；　but　Lord　Randyll　had　decided　matters　before　Tyrell　ever　found　the　battlefield。　He　slew　Lord　Cafferen　with　that　great　Valyrian　sword　of　his　and　sent　his　head　to　Aerys。〃　The　king　rubbed　his　jaw　with　a　finger。　〃You　are　not　the　sort　of　son　I　would　expect　such　a　man　to　have。〃
　〃I　。　。　。　I　am　not　the　sort　of　son　he　wanted；　sire。〃
　〃if　you　had　not　taken　the　black；　you　would　make　a　useful　hostage；〃　Stannis　mused。
　〃He　has　taken　the　black；　sire；〃　Maester　Aemon　pointed　out。
　〃I　am　well　aware　of　that；〃　the　king　said。　〃I　am　aware　of　more　than　you　know；　Aemon　Targaryen。〃
　The　old　man　inclined　his　head。　〃I　am　only　Aemon；　sire。　We　give　up　our　House　names　when　we　forge　our　maester's　chains。〃
　The　king　gave　that　a　curt　nod；　as　if　to　say　he　knew　and　did　not　care。　〃You　slew　this　creature　with　an　obsidian　dagger；　I　am　told；〃　he　said　to　Sam。
　〃Y…yes；　Your　Grace。　Jon　Snow　gave　it　to　me。〃
　〃Dragonglass。〃　The　red　woman's　laugh　was　music。　〃Frozen　fire；　in　the　tongue　of　old　Valyria。　Small　wonder　it　is　anathema　to　these　cold　children　of　the　other。〃
　〃On　Dragonstone；　where　I　had　my　seat；　there　is　much　of　this　obsidian　to　be　seen　in　the　old　tunnels　beneath　the　mountain；〃　the　king　told　Sam。　〃Chunks　of　it；　boulders；　ledges。　The　great　part　of　it　was　black；　as　I　recall；　but　there　was　some　green　as　well；　some　red；　even　purple。　I　have　sent　word　to　Ser　Rolland　my　castellan　to　begin　mining　it。　I　will　not　hold　Dragonstone　for　very　much　longer；　I　fear；　but　perhaps　the　Lord　of　Light　shall　grant　us　enough　frozen　fire　to　arm　ourselves　against　these　creatures；　before　the　castle　falls。〃
　Sam　cleared　his　throat。　〃S…sire。　The　dagger　。　。　。　the　dragonglass　only　shattered　when　I　tried　to　stab　a　wight。〃
　Melisandre　smiled。　〃Necromancy　animates　these　wights；　yet　they　are　still　only　dead　flesh。　Steel　and　fire　will　serve　for　them。　The　ones　you　call　the　Others　are　something　more。〃
　〃Demons　made　of　snow　and　ice　and　cold；〃　said　Stannis　Baratheon。　〃The　ancient　enemy。　The　only　enemy　that　matters。〃　He　considered　Sam　again。　〃I　am　told　that　you　and　this　wildling　girl　passed　beneath　the　Wall；　through　some　magic　gate。〃
　〃The　B…black　Gate；〃　Sam　stammered。　〃Below　the　Nightfort。〃
　〃The　Nightfort　is　the　largest　and　oldest　of　the　castles　on　the　Wall；〃　the　king　said。　〃That　is　where　I　intend　to　make　my　seat；　whilst　I　fight　this　war。　You　will　show　me　this　gate。〃
　〃I；〃　said　Sam；　〃I　w…will；　if　。　。　。〃　If　it　is　still　there。　If　it　will　open　for　a　man　not　of　the　black。　If　。　。　。
　〃You　will；〃　snapped　Stannis。　〃I　shall　tell　you　when。〃
　Maester　Aemon　smiled。　〃Your　Grace；〃　he　said；　〃before　we　go；　I　wonder　if　you　would　do　us　the　great　honor　of　showing　us　this　wondrous　blade　we　have　all　heard　so　very　much　of。〃
　〃You　want　to　see　Lightbringer？　A　blind　man？〃
　〃Sam　shall　be　my　eyes。〃
　The　king　frowned。　〃Everyone　else　has　seen　the　thing；　why　not　a　blind　man？〃　His　swordbelt　and　scabbard　hung　from　a　peg　near　the　hearth。　He　took　the　belt　down　and　drew　the　longsword　out。　Steel　scraped　against　wood　and　leather；　and　radiance　filled　the　solar；　shimmering；　shifting；　a　dance　of　gold　and　orange　and　red　light；　all　the　bright　colors　of　fire。
　〃Tell　me；　Samwell。〃　Maester　Aemon　touched　his　arm。
　〃It　glows；〃　said　Sam；　in　a　hushed　voice。　〃As　if　it　were　on　fire。　There　are　no　flames；　but　the　steel　is　yellow　and　red　and　orange；　all　flashing　and　glimmering；　like　sunshine　on　water；　but　prettier。　I　wish　you　could　see　it；　Maester。〃
　〃I　see　it　now；　Sam。　A　sword　full　of　sunlight。　So　lovely　to　behold。〃　The　old　man　bowed　stiffly。　〃Your　Grace。　My　lady。　This　was　most　kind　of　you。〃
　When　King　Stannis　sheathed　the　shining　sword；　the　room　seemed　to　grow　very　dark；　despite　the　sunlight　streaming　through　the　window。　〃Very　well；　you've　seen　it。　You　may　return　to　your　duties　now。　And　remember　what　I　said。　Your　brothers　will　chose　a　Lord　mander　tonight；　or　I　shall　make　them　wish　they　had。〃
　Maester　Aemon　was　lost　in　thought　as　Sam　helped　him　down　the　narrow　turnpike　stair。　But　as　they　were　crossing　the　yard；　he　said；　〃I　felt　no　heat。　Did　you；　Sam？〃
　〃Heat？　From　the　sword？　〃　He　thought　back。　〃The　air　around　it　was　shimmering；　the　way　it　does　above　a　hot　brazier。〃
　〃Yet　you　felt　no　heat；　did　you？　And　the　scabbard　that　held　this　sword；　it　is　wood　and　leather；　yes？　I　heard　the　sound　when　His　Grace　drew　out　the　blade。　Was　the　leather　scorched；　Sam？　Did　the　wood　seem　burnt　or　blackened？〃
　〃No；〃　Sam　admitted。　〃Not　that　I　could　see。〃
　Maester　Aemon　nodded。　Back　in　his　own　chambers；　he　asked　Sam　to　set　a　fire　and　help　him　to　his　chair　beside　the　hearth。　〃it　is　hard　to　be　so　old；〃　he　sighed　as　he　settled　onto　the　cushion。　〃And　harder　still　to　be　so　blind。　I　miss　the　sun。　And　books。　I　miss　books　most　of　all。〃　Aemon　waved　a　hand。　〃I　shall　have　no　more　need　of　you　till　the　choosing。〃
　〃The　choosing　。　。　。　Maester；　isn't　there　something　you　could　do？　What　the　king　said　of　Lord　Janos　。　。　。〃
　〃I　recall；〃　Maester　Aemon　said；　〃but　Sam；　I　am　a　maester；　chained　and　sworn。　My　duty　is　to　counsel　the　Lord　mander；　whoever　he　might　be。　It　would　not　be　proper　for　me　to　be　seen　to　favor　one　contender　over　another。〃
　〃I'm　not　a　maester；〃　said　Sam。　〃Could　I　do　something？〃
　Aemon　turned　his　blind　white　eyes　toward　Sam's　face；　and　smiled　softy。　〃Why；　I　don't　know；　Samwell。　Could　you？〃
　I　could；　Sam　thought。　I　have　to。　He　had　to　do　it　right　away；　too。　If　he　hesitated　he　was　certain　to　lose　his　courage。　I　am　a　man　of　the　Night's　Watch；　he　reminded　himself　as　he　hurried　across　the　yard。　I　am。　I　can　do　this。　There　had　been　a　time　when　he　had　quaked　and　squeaked　if　Lord　Mormont　so　much　as　looked　at　him；　but　that　was　the　old　Sam；　before　the　Fist　of　the　First　Men　and　Craster's　Keep；　before　the　wights　and　Coldhands；　and　the　Other　on　his　dead　horse。　He　was　braver　now。　Gilly　made　me　braver；　he'd　told　Jon。　It　was　true。　It　had　to　be　true。
　Cotter　Pyke　was　the　scarier　of　the　two　manders；　so　Sam　went　to　him　first；　while　his　courage　was　still　hot。　He　found　him　in　the　old　Shieldhall；　dicing　with　three　of　his　Eastwatch　men　and