grrm.astormofswords-第87部分

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ruth　of　him　through　flesh　and　wool　and　leather。
　〃My　heart；〃　Davos　said　slowly；　〃is　full　of　doubts。〃
　Melisandre　sighed。　〃Ahhhh；　Davos。　The　good　knight　is　honest　to　the　last；　even　in　his　day　of　darkness。　It　is　well　you　did　not　lie　to　me。　I　would　have　known。　The　Other's　servants　oft　hide　black　hearts　in　gaudy　light；　so　R'hllor　gives　his　priests　the　power　to　see　through　falsehoods。〃　She　stepped　lightly　away　from　the　cell。　〃Why　did　you　mean　to　kill　me？〃
　〃I　will　tell　you；〃　said　Davos；　〃if　you　will　tell　me　who　betrayed　me。〃
　It　could　only　have　been　Salladhor　Saan；　and　yet　even　now　he　prayed　it　was　not　so。
　The　red　woman　laughed。　〃No　one　betrayed　you；　onion　knight。　I　saw　your　purpose　in　my　flames。〃
　The　flames。　〃If　you　can　see　the　future　in　these　flames；　how　is　it　that　we　burned　upon　the　Blackwater？　You　gave　my　sons　to　the　fire　。　。　。　my　sons；　my　ship；　my　men；　all　burning　。　。　。〃
　Melisandre　shook　her　head。　〃You　wrong　me；　onion　knight。　Those　were　no　fires　of　mine。　Had　I　been　with　you；　your　battle　would　have　had　a　different　ending。　But　His　Grace　was　surrounded　by　unbelievers；　and　his　pride　proved　stronger　than　his　faith。　His　punishment　was　grievous；　but　he　has　learned　from　his　mistake。〃
　Were　my　sons　no　more　than　a　lesson　for　a　king；　then？　Davos　felt　his　mouth　tighten。
　〃It　is　night　in　your　Seven　Kingdoms　now；〃　the　red　woman　went　on；　〃but　soon　the　sun　will　rise　again。　The　war　continues；　Davos　Seaworth；　and　some　will　soon　learn　that　even　an　ember　in　the　ashes　can　still　ignite　a　great　blaze。　The　old　maester　looked　at　Stannis　and　saw　only　a　man。　You　see　a　king。　You　are　both　wrong。　He　is　the　Lord's　chosen；　the　warrior　of　fire。　I　have　seen　him　leading　the　fight　against　the　dark；　I　have　seen　it　in　the　flames。　The　flames　do　not　lie；　else　you　would　not　be　here。　It　is　written　in　prophecy　as　well。　When　the　red　star　bleeds　and　the　darkness　gathers；　Azor　Ahai　shall　be　born　again　amidst　smoke　and　salt　to　wake　dragons　out　of　stone。　The　bleeding　star　has　e　and　gone；　and　Dragonstone　is　the　place　of　smoke　and　salt。　Stannis　Baratheon　is　Azor　Ahai　reborn！〃　Her　red　eyes　blazed　like　twin　fires；　and　seemed　to　stare　deep　into　his　soul。　〃You　do　not　believe　me。　You　doubt　the　truth　of　R'hllor　even　now　。　。　。　yet　have　served　him　all　the　same；　and　will　serve　him　again。　I　shall　leave　you　here　to　think　on　all　that　I　have　told　you。　And　because　R'hllor　is　the　source　of　all　good；　I　shall　leave　the　torch　as　well。〃
　With　a　smile　and　swirl　of　scarlet　skirts；　she　was　gone。　Only　her　scent　lingered　after。　That；　and　the　torch。　Davos　lowered　himself　to　the　floor　of　the　cell　and　wrapped　his　arms　about　his　knees。　The　shifting　torchlight　washed　over　him。　Once　Melisandre's　footsteps　faded　away；　the　only　sound　was　the　scrabbling　of　rats。　Ice　and　fire；　he　thought。　Black　and　white。　Dark　and　light。　Davos　could　not　deny　the　power　of　her　god。　He　had　seen　the　shadow　crawling　from　Melisandre's　womb；　and　the　priestess　knew　things　she　had　no　way　of　knowing。　She　saw　my　purpose　in　her　flames。　it　was　good　to　learn　that　Salla　had　not　sold　him；　but　the　thought　of　the　red　woman　spying　out　his　secrets　with　her　fires　disquieted　him　more　than　he　could　say。　And　what　did　she　mean　when　she　said　that　I　had　served　her　god　and　would　serve　him　again？　He　did　not　like　that　either。
　He　lifted　his　eyes　to　stare　up　at　the　torch。　He　looked　for　a　long　time；　never　blinking；　watching　the　flames　shift　and　shimmer。　He　tried　to　see　beyond　them；　to　peer　through　the　fiery　curtain　and　glimpse　whatever　lived　back　there　。　。　。　but　there　was　nothing；　only　fire；　and　after　a　time　his　eyes　began　to　water。
　God…blind　and　tired；　Davos　curled　up　on　the　straw　and　gave　himself　to　sleep。
　Three　days　later…well；　Porridge　had　e　thrice；　and　Lamprey　twice…Davos　heard　voices　outside　his　cell。　He　sat　up　at　once；　his　back　to　the　stone　wall；　listening　to　the　sounds　of　struggle。　This　was　new；　a　change　in　his　unchanging　world。　The　noise　was　ing　from　the　left；　where　the　steps　led　up　to　daylight。　He　could　hear　a　man's　voice；　pleading　and　shouting。
　〃。　。　。　madness！〃　the　man　was　saying　as　he　came　into　view；　dragged　along　between　two　guardsmen　with　fiery　hearts　on　their　breasts。　Porridge　went　before　them；　jangling　a　ring　of　keys；　and　Ser　Axell　Florent　walked　behind。　〃Axell；〃　the　prisoner　said　desperately；　〃for　the　love　you　bear　me；　unhand　me！　You　cannot　do　this；　I'm　no　traitor。〃　He　was　an　older　man；　tall　and　slender；　with　silvery　grey　hair；　a　pointed　beard；　and　a　long　elegant　face　twisted　in　fear。　〃Where　is　Selyse；　where　is　the　queen？　I　demand　to　see　her。　The　Others　take　you　all！　Release　me！〃
　The　guards　paid　no　mind　to　his　outcries。　〃Here？〃　Porridge　asked　in　front　of　the　cell。　Davos　got　to　his　feet。　For　an　instant　he　considered　trying　to　rush　them　when　the　door　was　opened；　but　that　was　madness。　There　were　too　many；　the　guards　wore　swords；　and　Porridge　was　strong　as　a　bull。
　Ser　Axell　gave　the　gaoler　a　curt　nod。　〃Let　the　traitors　enjoy　each　other's　pany。〃
　〃I　am　no　traitor！〃　screeched　the　prisoner　as　Porridge　was　unlocking　the　door。　Though　he　was　plainly　dressed；　in　grey　wool　doublet　and　black　breeches；　his　speech　marked　him　as　highborn。　His　birth　will　not　serve　him　here；　thought　Davos。
　Porridge　swung　the　bars　wide；　Ser　Axell　gave　a　nod；　and　the　guards　flung　their　charge　in　headlong。　The　man　stumbled　and　might　have　fallen；　but　Davos　caught　him。　At　once　he　wrenched　away　and　staggered　back　toward　the　door；　only　to　have　it　slammed　in　his　pale；　pampered　face。　〃No；〃　he　shouted。　〃Nooooo。　〃　All　the　strength　suddenly　left　his　legs；　and　he　slid　slowly　to　the　floor；　clutching　at　the　iron　bars。　Ser　Axell；　Porridge；　and　the　guards　had　already　turned　to　leave。　〃You　cannot　do　this；〃　the　prisoner　shouted　at　their　retreating　backs。　〃I　am　the　King's　Hand！〃
　It　was　then　that　Davos　knew　him。　〃You　are　Alester　Florent。〃
　The　man　turned　his　head。　〃Who　。　。　。　？〃
　〃Ser　Davos　Seaworth。〃
　Lord　Alester　blinked。　〃Seaworth　。　。　。　the　onion　knight。　You　tried　to　murder　Melisandre。〃
　Davos　did　not　deny　it。　〃At　Storm's　End　you　wore　red…gold　armor；　with　inlaid　lapis　flowers　on　your　breastplate。〃　He　reached　down　a　hand　to　help　the　other　man　to　his　feet。
　Lord　Alester　brushed　the　filthy　straw　from　his　clothing。　〃I　。　。　。　I　must　apologize　for　my　appearance；　ser。　My　chests　were　lost　when　the　Lannisters　overran　our　camp。　I　escaped　with　no　more　than　the　mail　on　my　back　and　the　rings　on　my　fingers。〃
　He　still　wears　those　rings；　noted　Davos；　who　had　lacked　even　all　of　his　fingers。
　〃No　doubt　some　cook's　boy　or　groom　is　prancing　around　King's　Landing　just　now　in　my　slashed　velvet　doublet　and　jeweled　cloak；〃　Lord　Alester　went　on；　oblivious。　〃But　war　has　its　horrors；　as　all　men　know。　No　doubt　you　suffered　your　own　losses。〃
　〃My　ship；〃　said　Davos。　〃All　my　men。　Four　of　my　sons。〃
　〃May　the　。　。　。　may　the　Lord　of　Light　lead　them　through　the　darkness　to　a　better　world；〃　the　other　man　said。
　May　the　Father　judge　them　justly；　and　the　Mother　grant　them　mercy；　Davos　thought；　but　he　kept　his　prayer　to　himself。　The　Seven　had　no　place　on　Dragonstone　now。
　〃My　own　son　is　safe　at　Brightwater；〃　the　lord　went　on；　〃but　I　lost　a　nephew　on　the　Fury。　Ser　Imry；　my　brother　Ryam's　son。〃
　It　had　been　Ser　Imry　Florent　who　led　them　blindly　up　the　Blackwater　Rush　with　all　oars　pulling；　paying　no　heed　to　the　small　stone　towers　at　the　mouth　of　the　river。　Davos　was　not　like　to　forget　him。　〃My　son　Maric　was　your　nephew's　oarmaster。〃　He　remembered　his　last　sight　of　Fury；　engulfed　in　wildfire。　〃Has　there　been　any　word　of　survivors？〃
　〃The　Fury　burned　and　sank　with　all　hands；〃　his　lordship　said。　〃Your　son　and　my　nephew　were　lost；　with　countless　other　good　men。　The　war　itself　was　lost　that　day；　ser。〃
　This　man　is　defeated。　Davos　remembered　Melisandre's　talk　of　embers　in　the　ashes　igniting　great　blazes。　Small　wonder　he　ended　here。　〃His　Grace　will　never　yield；　my　lord。〃
　〃Folly；　that's　folly。〃　Lord　Alester　sat　on　the　floor　again；　as　if　the　effort　of　standing　for　a　moment　had　been　too　much　for　him。　〃Stannis　Baratheon　will　never　sit　the　Iron　Throne。　Is　it　treason　to　say　the　truth？　A　bitter　truth；　but　no　less　true　for　that。　His　fleet　is　gone；　save　for　the　Lyseni；　and　Salladhor　Saan　will　flee　at　the　first　sight　of　a　Lannister　sail。　Most　of　the　lords　who　supported　Stannis　have