按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
； he had never stinted on his own forts。 〃Put his castle to the torch and his people to the sword； I say；〃 Ser Axell concluded。 〃Leave Claw Isle a desolation of ash and bone； fit only for carrion crows； so the realm might see the fate of those who bed with Lannisters。〃
Stannis listened to Ser Axell's recitation in silence； grinding his jaw slowly from side to side。 When it was done； he said； 〃It could be done； I believe。 The risk is small。 Joffrey has no strength at sea until Lord Redwyne sets sail from the Arbor。 The plunder might serve to keep that Lysene pirate Salladhor Saan loyal for a time。 By itself Claw Isle is worthless； but its fall would serve notice to Lord Tywin that my cause is not yet done。〃 The king turned back to Davos。 〃Speak truly； ser。 What do you make of Ser Axell's proposal？〃
Speak truly； ser。 Davos remembered the dark cell he had shared with Lord Alester； remembered Lamprey and Porridge。 He thought of the promises that Ser Axell had made on the bridge above the yard。 A ship or a shove； what shall it be？ But this was Stannis asking。 〃Your Grace；〃 he said slowly； 〃I make it folly 。 。 。 aye； and cowardice。〃
〃Cowardice？〃 Ser Axell all but shouted。 〃No man calls me craven before my king！〃
〃Silence；〃 Stannis manded。 〃Ser Davos； speak on； I would hear your reasons。〃
Davos turned to face Ser Axell。 〃You say we ought show the realm we are not done。 Strike a blow。 Make war； aye 。 。 。 but on what enemy？ You will find no Lannisters on Claw Isle。〃
〃We will find traitors；〃 said Ser Axell； 〃though it may be I could find some closer to home。 Even in this very room。〃
Davos ignored the jibe。 〃I don't doubt Lord Celtigar bent the knee to the boy Joffrey。 He is an old done man； who wants no more than to end his days in his castle； drinking his fine wine out of his jeweled cups。〃 He turned back to Stannis。 〃Yet he came when you called； sire。 Came； with his ships and swords。 He stood by you at Storm's End when Lord Renly came down on us； and his ships sailed up the Blackwater。 His men fought for you； killed for you； burned for you。 Claw Isle is weakly held； yes。 Held by women and children and old men。 And why is that？ Because their husbands and sons and fathers died on the Blackwater； that's why。 Died at their oars； or with swords in their hands； fighting beneath our banners。 Yet Ser Axell proposes we swoop down on the homes they left behind； to rape their widows and put their children to the sword。 These smallfolk are no traitors 。 。 。〃
〃They are；〃 insisted Ser Axell。 〃Not all of Celtigar's men were slain on the Blackwater。 Hundreds were taken with their lord； and bent the knee when he did。〃
〃When he did；〃 Davos repeated。 〃They were his men。 His swom men。 What choice were they given？〃
〃Every man has choices。 They might have refused to kneel。 Some did； and died for it。 Yet they died true men； and loyal。〃
〃Some men are stronger than others。〃 It was a feeble answer； and Davos knew it。 Stannis Baratheon was a man of iron will who neither understood nor forgave weakness in others。 I am losing； he thought； despairing。
〃It is every man's duty to remain loyal to his rightful king； even if the lord he serves proves false；〃 Stannis declared in a tone that brooked no argument。
A desperate folly took hold of Davos； a recklessness akin to madness。 〃As you remained loyal to King Aerys when your brother raised his banners？〃 he blurted。
Shocked silence followed； until Ser Axell cried； 〃Treason！〃 and snatched his dagger from its sheath。 〃Your Grace； he speaks his infamy to your face！〃
Davos could hear Stannis grinding his teeth。 A vein bulged； blue and swollen； in the king's brow。 Their eyes met。 〃Put up your knife； Ser Axell。 And leave us。〃
〃As it please Your Grace …
〃It would please me for you to leave；〃 said Stannis。 〃Take yourself from my presence； and send me Melisandre。〃
〃As you mand。〃 Ser Axell slid the knife away； bowed； and hurried toward the door。 His boots rang against the floor； angry。
〃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 paint