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〃Y…yes； Your Grace。 Jon Snow gave it to me。〃
〃Dragonglass。〃 The red woman's laugh was music。 〃Frozen fire； in the tongue of old Valyria。 Small wonder it is anathema to these cold children of the other。〃
〃On Dragonstone； where I had my seat； there is much of this obsidian to be seen in the old tunnels beneath the mountain；〃 the king told Sam。 〃Chunks of it； boulders； ledges。 The great part of it was black； as I recall； but there was some green as well； some red； even purple。 I have sent word to Ser Rolland my castellan to begin mining it。 I will not hold Dragonstone for very much longer； I fear； but perhaps the Lord of Light shall grant us enough frozen fire to arm ourselves against these creatures； before the castle falls。〃
Sam cleared his throat。 〃S…sire。 The dagger 。 。 。 the dragonglass only shattered when I tried to stab a wight。〃
Melisandre smiled。 〃Necromancy animates these wights； yet they are still only dead flesh。 Steel and fire will serve for them。 The ones you call the Others are something more。〃
〃Demons made of snow and ice and cold；〃 said Stannis Baratheon。 〃The ancient enemy。 The only enemy that matters。〃 He considered Sam again。 〃I am told that you and this wildling girl passed beneath the Wall； through some magic gate。〃
〃The B…black Gate；〃 Sam stammered。 〃Below the Nightfort。〃
〃The Nightfort is the largest and oldest of the castles on the Wall；〃 the king said。 〃That is where I intend to make my seat； whilst I fight this war。 You will show me this gate。〃
〃I；〃 said Sam； 〃I w…will； if 。 。 。〃 If it is still there。 If it will open for a man not of the black。 If 。 。 。
〃You will；〃 snapped Stannis。 〃I shall tell you when。〃
Maester Aemon smiled。 〃Your Grace；〃 he said； 〃before we go； I wonder if you would do us the great honor of showing us this wondrous blade we have all heard so very much of。〃
〃You want to see Lightbringer？ A blind man？〃
〃Sam shall be my eyes。〃
The king frowned。 〃Everyone else has seen the thing； why not a blind man？〃 His swordbelt and scabbard hung from a peg near the hearth。 He took the belt down and drew the longsword out。 Steel scraped against wood and leather； and radiance filled the solar； shimmering； shifting； a dance of gold and orange and red light； all the bright colors of fire。
〃Tell me； Samwell。〃 Maester Aemon touched his arm。
〃It glows；〃 said Sam； in a hushed voice。 〃As if it were on fire。 There are no flames； but the steel is yellow and red and orange； all flashing and glimmering； like sunshine on water； but prettier。 I wish you could see it； Maester。〃
〃I see it now； Sam。 A sword full of sunlight。 So lovely to behold。〃 The old man bowed stiffly。 〃Your Grace。 My lady。 This was most kind of you。〃
When King Stannis sheathed the shining sword； the room seemed to grow very dark； despite the sunlight streaming through the window。 〃Very well； you've seen it。 You may return to your duties now。 And remember what I said。 Your brothers will chose a Lord mander tonight； or I shall make them wish they had。〃
Maester Aemon was lost in thought as Sam helped him down the narrow turnpike stair。 But as they were crossing the yard； he said； 〃I felt no heat。 Did you； Sam？〃
〃Heat？ From the sword？ 〃 He thought back。 〃The air around it was shimmering； the way it does above a hot brazier。〃
〃Yet you felt no heat； did you？ And the scabbard that held this sword； it is wood and leather； yes？ I heard the sound when His Grace drew out the blade。 Was the leather scorched； Sam？ Did the wood seem burnt or blackened？〃
〃No；〃 Sam admitted。 〃Not that I could see。〃
Maester Aemon nodded。 Back in his own chambers； he asked Sam to set a fire and help him to his chair beside the hearth。 〃it is hard to be so old；〃 he sighed as he settled onto the cushion。 〃And harder still to be so blind。 I miss the sun。 And books。 I miss books most of all。〃 Aemon waved a hand。 〃I shall have no more need of you till the choosing。〃
〃The choosing 。 。 。 Maester； isn't there something you could do？ What the king said of Lord Janos 。 。 。〃
〃I recall；〃 Maester Aemon said； 〃but Sam； I am a maester； chained and sworn。 My duty is to counsel the Lord mander； whoever he might be。 It would not be proper for me to be seen to favor one contender over another。〃
〃I'm not a maester；〃 said Sam。 〃Could I do something？〃
Aemon turned his blind white eyes toward Sam's face； and smiled softy。 〃Why； I don't know； Samwell。 Could you？〃
I could； Sam thought。 I have to。 He had to do it right away； too。 If he hesitated he was certain to lose his courage。 I am a man of the Night's Watch； he reminded himself as he hurried across the yard。 I am。 I can do this。 There had been a time when he had quaked and squeaked if Lord Mormont so much as looked at him； but that was the old Sam； before the Fist of the First Men and Craster's Keep； before the wights and Coldhands； and the Other on his dead horse。 He was braver now。 Gilly made me braver； he'd told Jon。 It was true。 It had to be true。
Cotter Pyke was the scarier of the two manders； so Sam went to him first； while his courage was still hot。 He found him in the old Shieldhall； dicing with three of his Eastwatch men and a red…headed sergeant who had e from Dragonstone with Stannis。
When Sam begged leave to speak with him； though； Pyke barked an order； and the others took the dice and coins and left them。
No man would ever call Cotter Pyke handsome； though the body under his studded brigantine and roughspun breeches was lean and hard and wiry strong。 His eyes were small and close…set； his nose broken； his widow's peak as sharply pointed as the head of a spear。 The pox had ravaged his face badly； and the beard he'd grown to hide the scars was thin and scraggly。
〃Sam the Slayer！〃 he said； by way of greeting。 〃Are you sure you stabbed an Other； and not some child's snow knight？〃
This isn't starting well。 〃it was the dragonglass that killed it； my lord；〃 Sam explained feebly。
〃Aye； no doubt。 Well； out with it； Slayer。 Did the maester send you to me？〃
〃The maester？〃 Sam swallowed。 〃I 。 。 。 I just left him； my lord。〃 That wasn't truly a lie； but if Pyke chose to read it wrong； it might make him more inclined to listen。 Sam took a deep breath and launched into his plea。
Pyke cut him off before he'd said twenty words。 〃You want me to kneel down and kiss the hem of Mallister's pretty cloak； is that it？ I might have known。 You lordlings all flock like sheep。 Well； tell Aemon that he's wasted your breath and my time。 if anyone withdraws it should be Mallister。 The man's too bloody old for the job； maybe you ought to go tell him that。 We choose him； and we're like to be back here in a year； choosing someone else。〃
〃He's old；〃 Sam agreed； 〃but he's well ex…experienced。〃
〃At sitting in his tower and fussing over maps； maybe。 What does he plan to do； write letters to the wights？ He's a knight； well and good； but he's not a fighter； and I don't give a kettle of piss who he unhorsed in some fool tourney fifty years ago。 The Halfhand fought all his battles； even an old blind man should see that。 And we need a fighter more than ever with this bloody king on top of us。 Today it's ruins and empty fields； well and good； but what will His Grace want e the morrow？ You think Mallister has the belly to stand up to Stannis Baratheon and that red bitch？〃 He laughed。 〃I don't。〃
〃You won't support him； then？〃 said Sam； dismayed。
〃Are you Sam the Slayer or Deaf Dick？ No； I won't support him。〃 Pyke jabbed a finger at his face。 〃Understand this； boy。 I don't want the bloody job； and never did。 I fight best with a deck beneath me； not a horse； and Castle Black is too far from the sea。 But I'll be buggered with a red…hot sword before I turn the Night's Watch over to that preening eagle from the Shadow Tower。 And you can run back to the old man and tell him I said so； if he asks。〃 He stood。 〃Get out of my sight。〃
It took all the courage Sam had left in him to say； 〃W…what if there was someone else？ Could you s…support someone else？〃
〃Who？ Bowen Marsh？ The man counts spoons。 Othell's a follower； does what he's told and does it well； but no more'n that。 Slynt 。 。 。 well； his men like him； I'll grant you； and it would almost be worth it to stick him down the royal craw and see if Stannis gagged； but no。 There's too much of King's Landing in that one。 A toad grows wings and thinks he's a bloody dragon。〃 Pyke laughed。 〃Who does that leave； Hobb？ We could pick him； I suppose； only then who's going to boil your mutton； Slayer？ You look like a man who likes his bloody mutton。〃
There was nothing more to say。 Defeated； Sam could only stammer out his thanks and take his leave。 I will do better with Ser Denys； he tried to tell himself as he walked through the castle。 Ser Denys was a knight； highborn and well…spoken； and he had treated Sam most courteously when he'd found him and Gilly on the road。 Ser Denys will listen to me； he has to。
The mander of the Shadow Tower had been born beneath the Booming Tower of Seagard； and looked every inch a Mallister。 Sable trimmed his collar and accented the sleeves of his black velvet doublet。 A silver eagle fastened its claws in the gathered folds of his cloak。 His beard was white as snow； his hair was largely gone； and his face w