grrm.astormofswords-第29部分

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e　them　to　the　sons　you　leave　behind；　to　wear　in　little　bags　around　their　necks。〃　He　waved　an　angry　hand；　with　rings　on　every　finger。　〃Go；　go；　go；　go；　go。〃
　Davos　did　not　want　to　leave　like　this。　〃Salla…〃
　〃GO。　Or　stay；　better；　but　if　you　are　going；　go。〃
　He　went。
　His　walk　up　from　the　Bountiful　Harvest　to　the　gates　of　Dragonstone　was　long　and　lonely。　The　dockside　streets　where　soldiers　and　sailors　and　smallfolk　had　thronged　were　empty　and　deserted。　Where　once　he　had　stepped　around　squealing　pigs　and　naked　children；　rats　scurried。　His　legs　felt　like　pudding　beneath　him；　and　thrice　the　coughing　racked　him　so　badly　that　he　had　to　stop　and　rest。　No　one　came　to　help　him；　nor　even　peered　through　a　window　to　see　what　was　the　matter。　The　windows　were　shuttered；　the　doors　barred；　and　more　than　half　the　houses　displayed　some　mark　of　mourning。　Thousands　sailed　up　the　Blackwater　Rush；　and　hundreds　came　back；　Davos　reflected。　My　sons　did　not　die　alone。　May　the　Mother　have　mercy　on　them　all。
　When　he　reached　the　castle　gates；　he　found　them　shut　as　well。　Davos　pounded　on　the　iron…studded　wood　with　his　fist。　When　there　was　no　answer；　he　kicked　at　it；　again　and　again。　Finally　a　crossbowman　appeared　atop　the　barbican；　peering　down　between　two　towering　gargoyles。　〃Who　goes　there？〃
　He　craned　his　head　back　and　cupped　his　hands　around　his　mouth。　〃Ser　Davos　Seaworth；　to　see　His　Grace。〃
　〃Are　you　drunk？　Go　away　and　stop　that　pounding。〃
　Salladhor　Saan　had　warned　him。　Davos　tried　a　different　tack。　〃Send　for　my　son；　then。　Devan；　the　king's　squire。〃
　The　guard　frowned。　〃Who　did　you　say　you　were？〃
　〃Davos；〃　he　shouted。　〃The　onion　knight。〃
　The　head　vanished；　to　return　a　moment　later。　〃Be　off　with　you。　The　onion　knight　died　on　the　river。　His　ship　burned。〃
　〃His　ship　burned；〃　Davos　agreed；　〃but　he　lived；　and　here　he　stands。　Is　jate　still　captain　of　the　gate？〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃Jate　Blackberry。　He　knows　me　well　enough。〃
　〃I　never　heard　of　him。　Most　like　he's　dead。〃
　〃Lord　Chyttering；　then。〃
　〃That　one　I　know。　He　burned　on　the　Blackwater。〃
　〃Hookface　Will？　Hal　the　Hog？〃
　〃Dead　and　dead；〃　the　crossbowman　said；　but　his　face　betrayed　a　sudden　doubt。　〃You　wait　there。〃　He　vanished　again。
　Davos　waited。　Gone；　all　gone；　he　thought　dully；　remembering　how　fat　Hal's　white　belly　always　showed　beneath　his　grease…stained　doublet；　the　long　scar　the　fish　hook　had　left　across　Will's　face；　the　way　Jate　always　doffed　his　cap　at　the　women；　be　they　five　or　fifty；　highborn　or　low。　Drowned　or　burned；　with　my　sons　and　a　thousand　others；　gone　to　make　a　king　in　hell。
　Suddenly　the　crossbowman　was　back。　〃Go　round　to　the　sally　port　and　they'll　admit　you。〃
　Davos　did　as　he　was　bid。　The　guards　who　ushered　him　inside　were　strangers　to　him。　They　carried　spears；　and　on　their　breasts　they　wore　the　fox…and…flowers　sigil　of　House　Florent。　They　escorted　him　not　to　the　Stone　Drum；　as　he'd　expected；　but　under　the　arch　of　the　Dragon's　Tail　and　down　to　Aegon's　Garden。　〃Wait　here；〃　their　sergeant　told　him。
　〃Does　His　Grace　know　that　I've　returned？〃　asked　Davos。
　〃Bugger　all　if　I　know。　Wait；　I　said。〃　The　man　left；　taking　his　spearmen　with　him。
　Aegon's　Garden　had　a　pleasant　piney　smell　to　it；　and　tall　dark　trees　rose　on　every　side。　There　were　wild　roses　as　well；　and　towering　thorny　hedges；　and　a　boggy　spot　where　cranberries　grew。
　Why　have　they　brought　me　here？　Davos　wondered。
　Then　he　heard　a　faint　ringing　of　bells；　and　a　child's　giggle；　and　suddenly　the　fool　Patchface　popped　from　the　bushes；　shambling　along　as　fast　as　he　could　go　with　the　Princess　Shireen　hot　on　his　heels。　〃You　e　back　now；〃　she　was　shouting　after　him。　〃Patches；　you　e　back。〃
　When　the　fool　saw　Davos；　he　jerked　to　a　sudden　halt；　the　bells　on　his　antlered　tin　helmet　going　ting…a…ling；　ting…a…ling。　Hopping　from　one　foot　to　the　other；　he　sang；　〃Fool's　blood；　king's　blood；　blood　on　the　maiden's　thigh；　but　chains　for　the　guests　and　chains　for　the　bridegroom；　aye　aye　aye。〃　Shireen　almost　caught　him　then；　but　at　the　last　instant　he　hopped　over　a　patch　of　bracken　and　vanished　among　the　trees。　The　princess　was　right　behind　him。　The　sight　of　them　made　Davos　smile。
　He　had　turned　to　cough　into　his　gloved　hand　when　another　small　shape　crashed　out　of　the　hedge　and　bowled　right　into　him；　knocking　him　off　his　feet。
　The　boy　went　down　as　well；　but　he　was　up　again　almost　at　once。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　he　demanded　as　he　brushed　himself　off。　jet…black　hair　fell　to　his　collar；　and　his　eyes　were　a　startling　blue。　〃You　shouldn't　get　in　my　way　when　I'm　running。〃
　〃No；〃　Davos　agreed。　〃I　shouldn't。〃　Another　fit　of　coughing　seized　him　as　he　struggled　to　his　knees。
　〃Are　you　unwell？〃　The　boy　took　him　by　the　arm　and　pulled　him　to　his　feet。　〃Should　I　summon　the　maester？〃
　Davos　shook　his　head。　〃A　cough。　It　will　pass。〃
　The　boy　took　him　at　his　word。　〃We　were　playing　monsters　and　maidens；　〃　he　explained。　〃I　was　the　monster。　It's　a　childish　game　but　my　cousin　likes　it。　Do　you　have　a　name？〃
　〃Ser　Davos　Seaworth。〃
　The　boy　looked　him　up　and　down　dubiously。　〃Are　you　certain？　You　don't　look　very　knightly。〃
　〃I　am　the　knight　of　the　onions；　my　lord。〃
　The　blue　eyes　blinked。　〃The　one　with　the　black　ship？〃
　〃You　know　that　tale？〃
　〃You　brought　my　uncle　Stannis　fish　to　eat　before　I　was　born；　when　Lord　Tyrell　had　him　under　siege。〃　The　boy　drew　himself　up　tall。　〃I　am　Edric　Storm；〃　he　announced。　〃King　Robert's　son。〃
　〃Of　course　you　are。〃　Davos　had　known　that　almost　at　once。　The　lad　had　the　prominent　ears　of　a　Florent；　but　the　hair；　the　eyes；　the　jaw；　the　cheekbones；　those　were　all　Baratheon。
　〃Did　you　know　my　father？〃　Edric　Storm　demanded。
　〃I　saw　him　many　a　time　while　calling　on　your　uncle　at　court；　but　we　never　spoke。〃
　〃My　father　taught　me　to　fight；〃　the　boy　said　proudly。　〃He　came　to　see　me　almost　every　year；　and　sometimes　we　trained　together。　On　my　last　name　day　he　sent　me　a　warharnmer　just　like　his；　only　smaller。　They　made　me　leave　it　at　Storm's　End；　though。　Is　it　true　my　uncle　Stannis　cut　off　your　fingers？〃
　〃Only　the　last　joint。　I　still　have　fingers；　only　shorter。〃
　〃Show　me。〃
　Davos　peeled　his　glove　off。　The　boy　studied　his　hand　carefully。　〃He　did　not　shorten　your　thumb？〃
　〃No。〃　Davos　coughed。　〃No；　he　left　me　that。〃
　〃He　should　not　have　chopped　any　of　your　fingers；〃　the　lad　decided。　〃That　was　ill　done。〃
　〃I　was　a　smuggler。〃
　〃Yes；　but　you　smuggled　him　fish　and　onions。〃
　〃Lord　Stannis　knighted　me　for　the　onions；　and　took　my　fingers　for　the　smuggling。〃　He　pulled　his　glove　back　on。
　〃My　father　would　not　have　chopped　your　fingers。〃
　〃As　you　say；　my　lord。〃　Robert　was　a　different　man　than　Stannis；　true　enough。　The　boy　is　like　him。　Aye；　and　like　Renly　as　well。　That　thought　made　him　anxious。
　The　boy　was　about　to　say　something　more　when　they　heard　steps。　Davos　turned。　Ser　Axell　Florent　was　ing　down　the　garden　path　with　a　dozen　guards　in　quilted　jerkins。　On　their　breasts　they　wore　the　fiery　heart　of　the　Lord　of　Light。　Queen's　men；　Davos　thought。　A　cough　came　on　him　suddenly。
　Ser　Axell　was　short　and　muscular；　with　a　barrel　chest；　thick　arms；　bandy　legs；　and　hair　growing　from　his　ears。　The　queen's　uncle；　he　had　served　as　castellan　of　Dragonstone　for　a　decade；　and　had　always　treated　Davos　courteously；　knowing　he　enjoyed　the　favor　of　Lord　Stannis。　But　there　was　neither　courtesy　nor　warmth　in　his　tone　as　he　said；　〃Ser　Davos；　and　undrowned。　How　can　that　be？〃
　〃Onions　float；　ser。　Have　you　e　to　take　me　to　the　king？〃
　〃I　have　e　to　take　you　to　the　dungeon。〃　Ser　Axell　waved　his　men　forward。　〃Seize　him；　and　take　his　dirk。　He　means　to　use　it　on　our　lady。〃
　
　CHAPTER　11
　JAIME
　
　Jaime　was　the　first　to　spy　the　inn。　The　main　building　hugged　the　south　shore　where　the　river　bent；　its　long　low　wings　outstretched　along　the　water　as　if　to　embrace　travelers　sailing　downstream。　The　lower　story　was　grey　stone；　the　upper　whitewashed　wood；　the　roof　slate。　He　could　see　stables　as　well；　and　an　arbor　heavy　with　vines。　〃No　smoke　from　the　chimneys；〃　he　pointed　out　as　they　approached。　〃Nor　lights　in　the　windows。〃
　〃The　inn　was　still　open　when　last　I　passed　this　way；〃　said　Ser　Cleos　Frey。　〃They　brewed　a　fine　ale。　Perhaps　there　is　still　some　to　be　had　in　the　cellars。〃
　〃There　may　be　people；〃　Brienne　said。　〃Hiding。　Or　dead。〃
　〃Frightened　of　a　few　corpses；　wench？〃　Jaime　said。
　She　glared　at　him。　〃My　name　is…〃
　〃…Brienne；　yes。　Wouldn't　you　like　to　sleep　in　a　bed　for　a　night；　Brienne？　We'd　be　safer　than　on　the　open　river；　and　it　might　be　prudent　to　find　what's　happened　here。〃
　She　gave　no　answer；　but　after　a　moment　she　pushed　at　the　tiller　to　angle　the　skiff　in　toward　the　weathered　wooden　dock。　Ser　Cleos　scrambled　to　take　down　the　sail。　When　they　bumped　softly　against　the　pier；　he　climbed　out　to　tie　them　up。　Jaime　clambered　after　him；　made　awkward　by　his　chains。
　At　the　end　of　the　dock；　a　flaking　shingle　swung　from　an　iron　post；　painted　with　the　likeness　of　a　king　upon　his　knees；　his　hands　pressed　together　in　the　gesture　of　fealty。　Jaime　took　one　look　and　laughed　aloud。　〃We　could　not　have　found　a　better　inn。〃
　〃Is　this　some　special　place？〃　the　wench　asked；　suspicious。
　Ser　Cleos　answered。　〃This　is　the　Inn　of　the　Kneeling　Man；　my　lady。　it　stands　upon　the　very　spot　where　the　last　King　in　the　North　knelt　before　Aegon　the　Conqueror　to　offer　his　submission。　That's　him　on　the　sign；　I　suppose。〃
　〃Torrhen　had　brought　his　power　south　after　the　fall　of　the　two　kings　on　the　Field　of　Fire；〃　said　Jaime；　〃but　when　he　saw　Aegon's　dragon　and　the　size　of　his　host；　he　chose　the　path　of　wisdom　and　bent　his　frozen　knees。〃　He　stopped　at　the　sound　of　a　horse's　whinny。　〃Horses　in　the　stable。　One　at　least。〃　And　one　is　all　I　need　to　put　the　wench　behind　me。　〃Let's　see　who's　home；　shall　we？〃　Without　waiting　for　an　answer；　Jaime　went　clinking　down　the　dock；　put　a　shoulder　to　the　door；　shoved　it　open　。　。　。
　　。　。　。　and　found　himself　eye　to　eye　with　a　loaded　crossbow。　Standing　behind　it　was　a　chunky　boy　of　fifteen。　〃Lion；　fish；　or　wolf？〃　the　lad　demanded。
　〃We　were　hoping　for　capon。〃　Jaime　heard　his　panions　entering　behind　him。　〃The　crossbow　is　a　coward's　weapon。〃
　〃It'll　put　a　bolt　through　your　heart　all　the　same。〃
　〃Perhaps。　But　before　you　can　wind　it　again　my　cousin　here　will　spill　your　entrails　on　the　flo