grrm.astormofswords-第123章

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　〃You　have　always　presumed　on　my　forbearance；〃　Stannis　warned　Davos　when　they　were　alone。　〃I　can　shorten　your　tongue　as　easy　as　I　did　your　fingers；　smuggler。〃
　〃I　am　your　man；　Your　Grace。　So　it　is　your　tongue；　to　do　with　as　you　please。〃
　〃It　is；〃　he　said；　calmer。　〃And　I　would　have　it　speak　the　truth。　Though　the　truth　is　a　bitter　draught　at　times。　Aerys　。　。　。　If　you　only　knew　。　。　。　that　was　a　hard　choosing。　My　blood　or　my　liege。　My　brother　or　my　king。〃　He　grimaced。　〃Have　you　ever　seen　the　Iron　Throne？　The　barbs　along　the　back；　the　ribbons　of　twisted　steel；　the　jagged　ends　of　swords　and　knives　all　tangled　up　and　melted？　It　is　not　a　fortable　seat；　ser。　Aerys　cut　himself　so　often　men　took　to　calling　him　King　Scab；　and　Maegor　the　Cruel　was　murdered　in　that　chair。　By　that　chair；　to　hear　some　tell　it。　It　is　not　a　seat　where　a　man　can　rest　at　ease。　Ofttimes　I　wonder　why　my　brothers　wanted　it　so　desperately。〃
　〃Why　would　you　want　it；　then？〃　Davos　asked　him。
　〃It　is　not　a　question　of　wanting。　The　throne　is　mine；　as　Robert's　heir。　That　is　law。　After　me；　it　must　pass　to　my　daughter；　unless　Selyse　should　finally　give　me　a　son。〃　He　ran　three　fingers　lightly　down　the　table；　over　the　layers　of　smooth　hard　varnish；　dark　with　age。　〃I　am　king。　Wants　do　not　enter　into　it。　I　have　a　duty　to　my　daughter。　To　the　realm。　Even　to　Robert。　He　loved　me　but　little；　I　know；　yet　he　was　my　brother。　The　Lannister　woman　gave　him　horns　and　made　a　motley　fool　of　him。　She　may　have　murdered　him　as　well；　as　she　murdered　Jon　Arryn　and　Ned　Stark。　For　such　crimes　there　must　be　justice。　Starting　with　Cersei　and　her　abominations。　But　only　starting。　I　mean　to　scour　that　court　clean。　As　Robert　should　have　done；　after　the　Trident。　Ser　Barristan　once　told　me　that　the　rot　in　King　Aerys's　reign　began　with　Varys。　The　eunuch　should　never　have　been　pardoned。　No　more　than　the　Kingslayer。　At　the　least；　Robert　should　have　stripped　the　white　cloak　from　Jaime　and　sent　him　to　the　Wall；　as　Lord　Stark　urged。　He　listened　to　Jon　Arryn　instead。　I　was　still　at　Storm's　End；　under　siege　and　unconsulted。〃　He　turned　abruptly；　to　give　Davos　a　hard　shrewd　look。　〃The　truth；　now。　Why　did　you　wish　to　murder　Lady　Melisandre？〃
　So　he　does　know　Davos　could　not　lie　to　him。　〃Four　of　my　sons　burned　on　the　Blackwater。　She　gave　them　to　the　flames。〃
　〃You　wrong　her。　Those　fires　were　no　work　of　hers。　Curse　the　Imp；　curse　the　pyromancers；　curse　that　fool　of　Florent　who　sailed　my　fleet　into　the　jaws　of　a　trap。　Or　curse　me　for　my　stubborn　pride；　for　sending　her　away　when　I　needed　her　most。　But　not　Melisandre。　She　remains　my　faithful　servant。〃
　〃Maester　Cressen　was　your　faithful　servant。　She　slew　him；　as　she　killed　Ser　Cortnay　Penrose　and　your　brother　Renly。〃
　〃Now　you　sound　a　fool；〃　the　king　plained。　〃She　saw　Renly's　end　in　the　flames；　yes；　but　she　had　no　more　part　in　it　than　I　did。　The　priestess　was　with　me。　Your　Devan　would　tell　you　so。　Ask　him；　if　you　doubt　me。　She　would　have　spared　Renly　if　she　could。　It　was　Melisandre　who　urged　me　to　meet　with　him；　and　give　him　one　last　chance　to　amend　his　treason。　And　it　was　Melisandre　who　told　me　to　send　for　you　when　Ser　Axell　wished　to　give　you　to　R'hllor。〃　He　smiled　thinly。　〃Does　that　surprise　you？〃
　〃Yes。　She　knows　I　am　no　friend　to　her　or　her　red　god。〃
　〃But　you　are　a　friend　to　me。　She　knows　that　as　well。〃　He　beckoned　Davos　closer。　〃The　boy　is　sick。　Maester　Pylos　has　been　leeching　him。〃
　〃The　boy？〃　His　thoughts　went　to　his　Devan；　the　king's　squire。　〃My　son；　sire？〃
　〃Devan？　A　good　boy。　He　has　much　of　you　in　him。　It　is　Robert's　bastard　who　is　sick；　the　boy　we　took　at　Storm's　End。〃
　Edric　Storm。　〃I　spoke　with　him　in　Aegon's　Garden。〃
　〃As　she　wished。　As　she　saw。〃　Stannis　sighed。　〃Did　the　boy　charm　you？　He　has　that　gift。　He　got　it　from　his　father；　with　the　blood。　He　knows　he　is　a　king's　son；　but　chooses　to　forget　that　he　is　bastard…born。　And　he　worships　Robert；　as　Renly　did　when　he　was　young。　My　royal　brother　played　the　fond　father　on　his　visits　to　Storm's　End；　and　there　were　gifts　。　。　。　swords　and　ponies　and　fur…trimmed　cloaks。　The　eunuch's　work；　every　one。　The　boy　would　write　the　Red　Keep　full　of　thanks；　and　Robert　would　laugh　and　ask　Varys　what　he'd　sent　this　year。　Renly　was　no　better。　He　left　the　boy's　upbringing　to　castellans　and　maesters；　and　every　one　fell　victim　to　his　charm。　Penrose　chose　to　die　rather　than　give　him　up。〃　The　king　ground　his　teeth　together。　〃It　still　angers　me。　How　could　he　think　I　would　hurt　the　boy？　I　chose　Robert；　did　I　not？　When　that　hard　day　came。　I　chose　blood　over　honor。〃
　He　does　not　use　the　boy's　name。　That　made　Davos　very　uneasy。　hope　young　Edric　will　recover　soon。〃
　Stannis　waved　a　hand；　dismissing　his　concern。　〃It　is　a　chill；　no　more。　He　coughs；　he　shivers；　he　has　a　fever。　Maester　Pylos　will　soon　set　him　right。　By　himself　the　boy　is　nought；　you　understand；　but　in　his　veins　flows　my　brother's　blood。　There　is　power　in　a　king's　blood；　she　says。〃
　Davos　did　not　have　to　ask　who　she　was。
　Stannis　touched　the　Painted　Table。　〃Look　at　it；　onion　knight。　My　realm；　by　rights。　My　Westeros。〃　He　swept　a　hand　across　it。　〃This　talk　of　Seven　Kingdoms　is　a　folly。　Aegon　saw　that　three　hundred　years　ago　when　he　stood　where　we　are　standing。　They　painted　this　table　at　his　mand。　Rivers　and　bays　they　painted；　hills　and　mountains；　castles　and　cities　and　market　towns；　lakes　and　swamps　and　forests　。　。　。　but　no　borders。　It　is　all　one。　One　realm；　for　one　king　to　rule　alone。〃
　〃One　king〃　agreed　Davos。　〃One　king　means　peace。〃
　〃I　shall　bring　justice　to　Westeros。　A　thing　Ser　Axell　understands　as　little　as　he　does　war。　Claw　Isle　would　gain　me　naught　。　。　。　and　it　was　evil；　just　as　you　said。　Celtigar　must　pay　the　traitor's　price　himself；　in　his　own　person。　And　when　I　e　into　my　kingdom；　he　shall。　Every　man　shall　reap　what　he　has　sown；　from　the　highest　lord　to　the　lowest　gutter　rat。　And　some　will　lose　more　than　the　tips　off　their　fingers；　I　promise　you。　They　have　made　my　kingdom　bleed；　and　I　do　not　forget　that。〃　King　Stannis　turned　from　the　table。　〃On　your　knees；　Onion　Knight。〃
　〃Your　Grace？〃
　〃For　your　onions　and　fish；　I　made　you　a　knight　once。　For　this；　I　am　of　a　mind　to　raise　you　to　lord。〃
　This？　Davos　was　lost。　〃I　am　content　to　be　your　knight；　Your　Grace。　I　would　not　know　how　to　begin　being　lordly。〃
　〃Good。　To　be　lordly　is　to　be　false。　I　have　learned　that　lesson　hard。　Now；　kneel。　Your　king　mands。〃
　Davos　knelt；　and　Stannis　drew　his　longsword。　Lightbringer；　Melisandre　had　named　it；　the　red　sword　of　heroes；　drawn　from　the　fires　where　the　seven　gods　were　consumed。　The　room　seemed　to　grow　brighter　as　the　blade　slid　from　its　scabbard。　The　steel　had　a　glow　to　it；　now　orange；　now　yellow；　now　red。　The　air　shimmered　around　it；　and　no　jewel　had　ever　sparkled　so　brilliantly。　But　when　Stannis　touched　it　to　Davos's　shoulder；　it　felt　no　different　than　any　other　longsword。　〃Ser　Davos　of　House　Seaworth；〃　the　king　said；　/are　you　my　true　and　honest　liege　man；　now　and　forever？〃
　〃I　am；　Your　Grace。〃
　〃And　do　you　swear　to　serve　me　loyally　all　your　days；　to　give　me　honest　counsel　and　swift　obedience；　to　defend　my　rights　and　my　realm　against　all　foes　in　battles　great　and　small；　to　protect　my　people　and　punish　my　enemies？〃
　〃I　do；　Your　Grace。〃
　〃Then　rise　again；　Davos　Seaworth；　and　rise　as　Lord　of　the　Rainwood；　Admiral　of　the　Narrow　Sea；　and　Hand　of　the　King。〃
　For　a　moment　Davos　was　too　stunned　to　move。　I　woke　this　morning　in　his　dungeon。　〃Your　Grace；　you　cannot　。　。　。　I　am　no　fit　man　to　be　a　King's　Hand。〃
　〃There　is　no　man　fitter。〃　Stannis　sheathed　Lightbringer；　gave　Davos　his　hand；　and　pulled　him　to　his　feet。
　〃I　am　lowborn；〃　Davos　reminded　him。　〃An　upjumped　smuggler。　Your　lords　will　never　obey　me。〃
　〃Then　we　will　make　new　lords。〃
　〃But　。　。　。　I　cannot　read　。　。　。　nor　write　。　。　。
　〃Maester　Pylos　can　read　for　you。　As　to　writing；　my　last　Hand　wrote　the　head　off　his　shoulders。　All　I　ask　of　you　are　the　things　you've　always　given　me。　Honesty。　Loyalty。　Service。〃
　〃Surely　there　is　someone　better　。　。　。　some　great　lord。　。
　Stannis　snorted。　〃Bar　Emmon；　that　boy？　My　faithless　grandfather？　Celtigar　has　abandoned　me；　the　new　Velaryon　is　six　years　old；　and　the　new　Sunglass　sailed　for　Volantis　after　I　burned　his　brother。〃　He　made　an　angry　gestu