grrm.astormofswords-第179部分

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e　stone　e　to　life；〃　he　admitted；　grudging。　〃And　to　mount　a　dragon　。　。　。　I　remember　the　first　time　my　father　took　me　to　court；　Robert　had　to　hold　my　hand。　I　could　not　have　been　older　than　four；　which　would　have　made　him　five　or　six。　We　agreed　afterward　that　the　king　had　been　as　noble　as　the　dragons　were　fearsome。〃　Stannis　snorted。　〃Years　later；　our　father　told　us　that　Aerys　had　cut　himself　on　the　throne　that　morning；　so　his　Hand　had　taken　his　place。　It　was　Tywin　Lannister　who'd　so　impressed　us。〃　His　fingers　touched　the　surface　of　the　table；　tracing　a　path　lightly　across　the　varnished　hills。　〃Robert　took　the　skulls　down　when　he　donned　the　crown；　but　he　could　not　bear　to　have　them　destroyed。　Dragon　wings　over　Westeros　。　。　。　there　would　be　such　a　。　。　。
　〃Your　Grace！〃　Davos　edged　forward。　〃Might　I　speak？〃
　Stannis　closed　his　mouth　so　hard　his　teeth　snapped。　〃My　lord　of　the　Rainwood。　Why　do　you　think　I　made　you　Hand；　if　not　to　speak？〃　The　king　waved　a　hand。　〃Say　what　you　will。〃
　Warrior；　make　me　brave。　〃I　know　little　of　dragons　and　less　of　gods　。　。　。　but　the　queen　spoke　of　curses。　No　man　is　as　cursed　as　the　kinslayer；　in　the　eyes　of　gods　and　men。〃
　〃There　are　no　gods　save　R'hllor　and　the　Other；　whose　name　must　not　be　spoken。〃　Melisandre's　mouth　made　a　hard　red　line。　〃And　small　men　curse　what　they　cannot　understand。〃
　〃I　am　a　small　man；〃　Davos　admitted；　〃so　tell　me　why　you　need　this　boy　Edric　Storm　to　wake　your　great　stone　dragon；　my　lady。〃　He　was　determined　to　say　the　boy's　name　as　often　as　he　could。
　〃Only　death　can　pay　for　life；　my　lord。　A　great　gift　requires　a　great　sacrifice。〃
　〃Where　is　the　greatness　in　a　baseborn　child？〃
　〃He　has　kings'　blood　in　his　veins。　You　have　seen　what　even　a　little　of　that　blood　could　do…〃
　〃I　saw　you　burn　some　leeches。〃
　〃And　two　false　kings　are　dead。〃
　〃Robb　Stark　was　murdered　by　Lord　Walder　of　the　Crossing；　and　we　have　heard　that　Balon　Greyjoy　fell　from　a　bridge。　Who　did　your　leeches　kill？〃
　〃Do　you　doubt　the　power　of　R'hllor？〃
　No。　Davos　remembered　too　well　the　living　shadow　that　had　squirmed　from　out　her　womb　that　night　beneath　Storm's　End；　its　black　hands　pressing　at　her　thighs。　I　must　go　carefully　here；　or　some　shadow　may　e　seeking　me　as　well。　〃Even　an　onion　smuggler　knows　two　onions　from　three。　You　are　short　a　king；　my　lady。〃
　Stannis　gave　a　snort　of　laughter。　〃He　has　you　there；　my　lady。　Two　is　not　three。〃
　〃To　be　sure；　Your　Grace。　One　king　might　die　by　chance；　even　two　。　。　。　but　three？　if　Joffrey　should　die　in　the　midst　of　all　his　power；　surrounded　by　his　armies　and　his　Kingsguard；　would　not　that　show　the　power　of　the　Lord　at　work？〃
　〃It　might。〃　The　king　spoke　as　if　he　grudged　each　word。
　〃Or　not。〃　Davos　did　his　best　to　hide　his　fear。
　〃Joffrey　shall　die；〃　Queen　Selyse　declared；　serene　in　her　confidence。
　〃It　may　be　that　he　is　dead　already；〃　Ser　Axell　added。
　Stannis　looked　at　them　with　annoyance。　〃Are　you　trained　crows；　to　croak　at　me　in　turns？　Enough。〃
　〃Husband；　hear　me…〃　the　queen　entreated。
　〃Why？　Two　is　not　three。　Kings　can　count　as　well　as　smugglers。　You　may　go。〃　Stannis　turned　his　back　on　them。
　Melisandre　helped　the　queen　to　her　feet。　Selyse　swept　stiffly　from　the　chamber；　the　red　woman　trailing　behind。　Ser　Axell　lingered　long　enough　to　give　Davos　one　last　look。　An　ugly　look　on　an　ugly　face；　he　thought　as　he　met　the　stare。
　After　the　others　had　gone；　Davos　cleared　his　throat。　The　king　looked　up。　〃Why　are　you　still　here？〃
　〃Sire；　about　Edric　Storm　。　。　。〃
　Stannis　made　a　sharp　gesture。　〃Spare　me。〃
　Davos　persisted。　〃Your　daughter　takes　her　lessons　with　him；　and　plays　with　him　every　day　in　Aegon's　Garden。〃
　〃I　know　that。〃
　〃Her　heart　would　break　if　anything　ill　should　…
　〃I　know　that　as　well。〃
　〃If　you　would　only　see　him　…
　〃I　have　seen　him。　He　looks　like　Robert。　Aye；　and　worships　him。　Shall　I　tell　him　how　often　his　beloved　father　ever　gave　him　a　thought？　My　brother　liked　the　making　of　children　well　enough；　but　after　birth　they　were　a　bother。〃
　〃He　asks　after　you　every　day；　he　…
　〃You　are　making　me　angry；　Davos。　I　will　hear　no　more　of　this　bastard　boy。〃
　〃His　name　is　Edric　Storm；　sire。〃
　〃I　know　his　name。　Was　there　ever　a　name　so　apt？　It　proclaims　his　bastardy；　his　high　birth；　and　the　turmoil　he　brings　with　him。　Edric　Storm。　There；　I　have　said　it。　Are　you　satisfied；　my　lord　Hand？〃
　〃Edric…〃　he　started。
　〃…is　one　boy！　He　may　be　the　best　boy　who　ever　drew　breath　and　it　would　not　matter。　My　duty　is　to　the　realm。〃　His　hand　swept　across　the　Painted　Table。　〃How　many　boys　dwell　in　Westeros？　How　many　girls？　How　many　men；　how　many　women？　The　darkness　will　devour　them　all；　she　says。　The　night　that　never　ends。　She　talks　of　prophecies　。　。　。　a　hero　reborn　in　the　sea；　living　dragons　hatched　from　dead　stone　。　。　。　she　speaks　of　signs　and　swears　they　point　to　me。　I　never　asked　for　this；　no　more　than　I　asked　to　be　king。　Yet　dare　I　disregard　her？〃　He　ground　his　teeth。　〃We　do　not　choose　our　destinies。　Yet　we　must　。　。　。　we　must　do　our　duty；　no？　Great　or　small；　we　must　do　our　duty。　Melisandre　swears　that　she　has　seen　me　in　her　flames；　facing　the　dark　with　Lightbringer　raised　on　high。　Lighthringer！〃　Stannis　gave　a　derisive　snort。　〃It　glimmers　prettily。〃
　I'll　grant　you；　but　on　the　Blackwater　this　magic　sword　served　me　no　better　than　any　mon　steel。　A　dragon　would　have　turned　that　battle。　Aegon　once　stood　here　as　I　do；　looking　down　on　this　table。　Do　you　think　we　would　name　him　Aegon　the　Conqueror　today　if　he　had　not　had　dragons？〃
　〃Your　Grace；〃　said　Davos；　〃the　cost。　。
　〃I　know　the　cost！　Last　night；　gazing　into　that　hearth；　I　saw　things　in　the　flames　as　well。　I　saw　a　king；　a　crown　of　fire　on　his　brows；　burning　。　。　。　burning；　Davos。　His　own　crown　consumed　his　flesh　and　turned　him　into　ash。　Do　you　think　I　need　Melisandre　to　tell　me　what　that　means？　Or　you？〃　The　king　moved；　so　his　shadow　fell　upon　King's　Landing。　〃If　Joffrey　should　die　。　。　。　what　is　the　life　of　one　bastard　boy　against　a　kingdom？〃
　〃Everything；〃　said　Davos；　softly。
　Stannis　looked　at　him；　jaw　clenched。　〃Go；〃　the　king　said　at　last；　〃before　you　talk　yourself　back　into　the　dungeon。〃
　Sometimes　the　storm　winds　blow　so　strong　a　man　has　no　choice　but　to　furl　his　sails。　〃Aye；　Your　Grace。〃　Davos　bowed；　but　Stannis　had　seemingly　forgotten　him　already。
　It　was　chilly　in　the　yard　when　he　left　the　Stone　Drum。　A　wind　blew　briskly　from　the　cast；　making　the　banners　snap　and　flap　noisily　along　the　walls。　Davos　could　smell　salt　in　the　air。　The　sea。　He　loved　that　smell。　It　made　him　want　to　walk　a　deck　again；　to　raise　his　canvas　and　sail　off　south　to　Marya　and　his　two　small　ones。　He　thought　of　them　most　every　day　now；　and　even　more　at　night。　Part　of　him　wanted　nothing　so　much　as　to　take　Devan　and　go　home。　I　cannot。　Not　yet。　I　am　a　lord　now；　and　the　King's　Hand；　I　must　not　fail　him。
　He　raised　his　eyes　to　gaze　up　at　the　walls。　In　place　of　merlons；　a　thousand　grotesques　and　gargoyles　looked　down　on　him；　each　different　from　all　the　others；　wyvems；　griffins；　demons；　manticores；　minotaurs；　basilisks；　hellhounds；　cockatrices；　and　a　thousand　queerer　creatures　sprouted　from　the　castle's　battlements　as　if　they'd　grown　there。　And　the　dragons　were　everywhere。　The　Great　Hall　was　a　dragon　lying　on　its　belly。　Men　entered　through　its　open　mouth。　The　kitchens　were　a　dragon　curled　up　in　a　ball；　with　the　smoke　and　steam　of　the　ovens　vented　through　its　nostrils。　The　towers　were　dragons　hunched　above　the　walls　or　poised　for　flight；　the　Windwyrrn　seemed　to　scream　defiance；　while　Sea　Dragon　Tower　gazed　serenely　out　across　the　waves。　Smaller　dragons　framed　the　gates。　Dragon　claws　emerged　from　walls　to　grasp　at　torches；　great　stone　wings　enfolded　the　smith　and　armory；　and　tails　formed　arches；　bridges；　and　exterior　stairs。
　Davos　had　often　heard　it　said　that　the　wizards　of　Valyria　did　not　cut　and　chisel　as　mon　masons　did；　but　worked　stone　with　fire　and　magic　as　a　potter　might　work　clay。　But　now　he　wondered。　What　if　they　were　real　dragons；　somehow　turned　to　stone？
　〃If　the　red　woman　brings　them　to　life；　the　castle　will　e　crashing　down；　I　am　thinking。　What　kind　of　dragons　are　full　of　rooms　and　stairs　and　furniture？　And　windows。　And　chimneys。　And　privy　shafts。〃
　Davos　turned　to　find　Salladhor　Saan　beside　him