grrm.astormofswords-第64章

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ch　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　gone　over　to　Joffrey　or　died　。　。　。〃
　〃Even　the　lords　of　the　narrow　sea？　The　lords　sworn　to　Dragonstone？〃
　Lord　Alester　waved　his　hand　feebly。　〃Lord　Celtigar　was　captured　and　bent　the　knee。　Monford　Velaryon　died　with　his　ship；　the　red　woman　burned　Sunglass；　and　Lord　Bar　Emmon　is　fifteen；　fat；　and　feeble。　Those　are　your　lords　of　the　narrow　sea。　Only　the　strength　of　House　Florent　is　left　to　Stannis；　against　all　the　might　of　Highgarden；　Sunspear；　and　Casterly　Rock；　and　now　most　of　the　storm　lords　as　well。　The　best　hope　that　remains　is　to　try　and　salvage　something　with　a　peace。　That　is　all　I　meant　to　do。　Gods　be　good；　how　can　they　call　it　treason？〃
　Davos　stood　frowning。　〃My　lord；　what　did　you　do？〃
　〃Not　treason。　Never　treason。　I　love　His　Grace　as　much　as　any　man。　My　own　niece　is　his　queen；　and　I　remained　loyal　to　him　when　wiser　men　fled。　I　am　his　Hand；　the　Hand　of　the　King；　how　can　I　be　a　traitor？　I　only　meant　to　save　our　lives；　and　。　。　。　honor　。　。　。　yes。〃　He　licked　his　lips。　〃I　penned　a　letter。　Salladhor　Saan　swore　that　he　had　a　man　who　could　get　it　to　King's　Landing；　to　Lord　Tywin。　His　lordship　is　a　。　。　。　a　man　of　reason；　and　my　terms　。　。　。　the　terms　were　fair　。　。　。　more　than　fair。〃
　〃What　terms　were　these；　my　lord？〃
　〃it　is　fllthy　here；〃　Lord　Alester　said　suddenly。　〃And　that　odor　。　。　。　what　is　that　odor？〃
　〃The　pail；〃　said　Davos；　gesturing。　〃We　have　no　privy　here。　What　terms？〃
　His　lordship　stared　at　the　pail　in　horror。　〃That　Lord　Stannis　give　up　his　claim　to　the　Iron　Throne　and　retract　all　he　said　of　Joffrey's　bastardy；　on　the　condition　that　he　be　accepted　back　into　the　king's　peace　and　confirmed　as　Lord　of　Dragonstone　and　Storm's　End。　I　vowed　to　do　the　same；　for　the　return　of　Brightwater　Keep　and　all　our　lands。　I　thought　。　。　。　Lord　Tywin　would　see　the　sense　in　my　proposal。　He　still　has　the　Starks　to　deal　with；　and　the　ironmen　as　well。　I　offered　to　seal　the　bargain　by　wedding　Shireen　to　Joffrey's　brother　Tommen。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃The　terms　。　。　。　they　are　as　good　as　we　are　ever　like　to　get。　Even　you　can　see　that；　surely？〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Davos；　〃even　me。〃　Unless　Stannis　should　father　a　son；　such　a　marriage　would　mean　that　Dragonstone　and　Storm's　End　would　one　day　pass　to　Tommen；　which　would　doubtless　please　Lord　Tywin。　Meanwhile；　the　Lannisters　would　have　Shireen　as　hostage　to　make　certain　Stannis　raised　no　new　rebellions。　〃And　what　did　His　Grace　say　when　you　proposed　these　terms　to　him？〃
　〃He　is　always　with　the　red　woman；　and　。　。　。　he　is　not　in　his　right　mind；　I　fear。　This　talk　of　a　stone　dragon　。　。　。　madness；　I　tell　you；　sheer　madness。　Did　we　learn　nothing　from　Aerion　Brightfire；　from　the　nine　mages；　from　the　alchemists？　Did　we　learn　nothing　from　Summerhall？　No　good　has　ever　e　from　these　dreams　of　dragons；　I　told　Axell　as　much。　My　way　was　better。　Surer。　And　Stannis　gave　me　his　seal；　he　gave　me　leave　to　rule。　The　Hand　speaks　with　the　king's　voice。〃
　〃Not　in　this。〃　Davos　was　no　courtier；　and　he　did　not　even　try　to　blunt　his　words。　〃It　is　not　in　Stannis　to　yield；　so　long　as　he　knows　his　claim　is　just。　No　more　than　he　can　unsay　his　words　against　Joffrey；　when　he　believes　them　true。　As　for　the　marriage；　Tornmen　was　born　of　the　same　incest　as　Joffrey；　and　His　Grace　would　sooner　see　Shireen　dead　than　wed　to　such。〃
　A　vein　throbbed　in　Florent's　forehead。　〃He　has　no　choice。〃
　〃You　are　wrong；　my　lord。　He　can　choose　to　die　a　king。〃
　〃And　us　with　him？　Is　that　what　you　desire；　Onion　Knight？〃
　〃No。　But　I　am　the　king's　man；　and　I　will　make　no　peace　without　his　leave。〃
　Lord　Alester　stared　at　him　helplessly　for　a　long　moment；　and　then　began　to　weep。
　
　CHAPTER　26
　JON
　
　The　last　night　fell　black　and　moonless；　but　for　once　the　sky　was　clear。　〃I　am　going　up　the　hill　to　look　for　Ghost；〃　he　told　the　Thenns　at　the　cave　mouth；　and　they　grunted　and　let　him　pass。
　So　many　stars；　he　thought　as　he　trudged　up　the　slope　through　pines　and　firs　and　ash。　Maester　Luwin　had　taught　him　his　stars　as　a　boy　in　Winterfell；　he　had　learned　the　names　of　the　twelve　houses　of　heaven　and　the　rulers　of　each；　he　could　find　the　seven　wanderers　sacred　to　the　Faith；　he　was　old　friends　with　the　Ice　Dragon；　the　Shadowcat；　the　Moonmaid；　and　the　Sword　of　the　Morning。　All　those　he　shared　with　Ygritte；　but　not　some　of　the　others。　We　look　up　at　the　same　stars；　and　see　such　different　things。　The　King's　Crown　was　the　Cradle；　to　hear　her　tell　it；　the　Stallion　was　the　Horned　Lord；　the　red　wanderer　that　septons　preached　was　sacred　to　their　Smith　up　here　was　called　the　Thief。　And　when　the　Thief　was　in　the　Moonmaid；　that　was　a　propitious　time　for　a　man　to　steal　a　woman；　Ygritte　insisted。　〃Like　the　night　you　stole　me。　The　Thief　was　bright　that　night。〃
　〃I　never　meant　to　steal　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　never　knew　you　were　a　girl　until　my　knife　was　at　your　throat。〃
　〃If　you　kill　a　man；　and　never　mean　t'；　he's　just　as　dead；〃　Ygritte　said　stubbornly。　Jon　had　never　met　anyone　so　stubborn；　except　maybe　for　his　little　sister　Arya。　Is　she　still　my　sister？　he　wondered。　Was　she　ever？　He　had　never　truly　been　a　Stark；　only　Lord　Eddard's　motherless　bastard；　with　no　more　place　at　Winterfell　than　Theon　Greyjoy。　And　even　that　he'd　lost。　When　a　man　of　the　Night's　Watch　said　his　words；　he　put　aside　his　old　family　and　joined　a　new　one；　but　Jon　Snow　had　lost　those　brothers　too。
　He　found　Ghost　atop　the　hill；　as　he　thought　he　might。　The　white　wolf　never　howled；　yet　something　drew　him　to　the　heights　all　the　same；　and　he　would　squat　there　on　his　hindquarters；　hot　breath　rising　in　a　white　mist　as　his　red　eyes　drank　the　stars。
　〃Do　you　have　names　for　them　as　well？〃　Jon　asked；　as　he　went　to　one　knee　beside　the　direwolf　and　scratched　the　thick　white　fur　on　his　neck；　〃The　Hare？　The　Doe？　The　She…Wolf？〃　Ghost　licked　his　face；　his　rough　wet　tongue　rasping　against　the　scabs　where　the　eagle's　talons　had　ripped　Jon's　cheek。　The　bird　marked　both　of　us；　he　thought。　〃Ghost；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃on　the　morrow　we　go　over。　There's　no　steps　here；　no　cage…andcrane；　no　way　for　me　to　get　you　to　the　other　side。　We　have　to　part。　Do　you　understand？〃
　In　the　dark；　the　direwolf's　red　eyes　looked　black。　He　nuzzled　at　Jon's　neck；　silent　as　ever；　his　breath　a　hot　mist。　The　wildlings　called　Jon　Snow　a　warg；　but　if　so　he　was　a　poor　one。　He　did　not　know　how　to　put　on　a　wolf　skin；　the　way　Orell　had　with　his　eagle　before　he'd　died。　Once　Jon　had　dreamed　that　he　was　Ghost；　looking　down　upon　the　valley　of　the　Milkwater　where　Mance　Rayder　had　gathered　his　people；　and　that　dream　had　turned　out　to　be　true。　But　he　was　not　dreaming　now；　and　that　left　him　only　words。
　〃You　cannot　e　with　me；〃　Jon　said；　cupping　the　wolf's　head　in　his　hands　and　looking　deep　into　those　eyes。　〃You　have　to　go　to　Castle　Black。　Do　you　understand？　Castle　Black。　Can　you　find　it？　The　way　home？　just　follow　the　ice；　east　and　east；　into　the　sun；　and　you'll　find　it。　They　will　know　you　at　Castle　Black；　and　maybe　your　ing　will　warn　them。〃　He　had　thought　of　writing　out　a　warning　for　Ghost　to　carry；　but　he　had　no　ink；　no　parchment；　not　even　a　writing　quill；　and　the　risk　of　discovery　was　too　great。　〃I　will　meet　you　again　at　Castle　Black；　but　you　have　to　get　there　by　yourself。　We　must　each　hunt　alone　for　a　time。　Alone。〃
　The　direwolf　twisted　free　of　Jon's　grasp；　his　ears　pricked　up。　And　suddenly　he　was　bounding　away。　He　loped　through　a　tangle　of　brush；　leapt　a　deadfall；　and　raced　down　the　hillside；　a　pale　streak　among　the　trees。　Off　to　Castle　Black？　Jon　wondered。　Or　off　after　a　hare？　He　wished　he　knew。　He　feared　he　might　prove　just　as　poor　a　warg　as　a　sworn　brother　and　a　spy。
　A　wind　sighed　through　the　trees；　rich　with　the　smell　of　pine　needles；　tugging　at　his　faded　blacks。　Jon　could　see　the　Wall　looming　high　and　dark　to　the　south；　a　great　shadow　blocking　out　the　stars。　The　rough　hilly　ground　made　him　think　they　must　be　somewhere　between　the　Shadow　Tower　and　Castle　Black；　and　likely　closer　to　the　former。　For　days　they　had　been　wending　their　way　south　between　deep　lakes　that　stretched　like　long　thin　fingers　along　the　floors　of　narrow　valleys；　while　flint　ridges　and　pine…clad　hills　jostled　against　one　another　to　either　side。　Such　ground　made　for　slow