Chapter 55 Chapter 54: Davos

At first the king seemed not to hear.At this news, Stannis expressed neither joy nor anger nor doubt nor even relief.He stared at the painted table and gritted his teeth. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Obviously, I have not seen a body, my lord," said Salado Saan, "but the city is full of lions that look like lions. The people call it the 'Red Wedding,' they swear, Lord Frey. Cut off the boy's head and sewed the direwolf's head on in its place, and crowned it. His mother was killed, too, and thrown naked into the river." At the wedding, thought Davos, at the master's table, under the master's roof.Trample the rights of guests, and curse the Freys.He could smell burning blood again, and hear leeches hissing on hot coals in the brazier.

"It is the wrath of Allah," asserted Sir Axel, "R'hllor has struck!" "Praise be to the Lord of Light!" sang Queen Selyse, a thin woman with protruding ears and a hairy upper lip. "Do R'hllor's hands have age spots, and do they tremble?" Stannis asked. "It sounds like the work of Walder Frey, not some god." "R'hllor chooses tools as needed." The gemstone at Melisandre's throat gleamed red. "The method is secretive, but no one can stop his wishes." "Nobody can stop it!" cried the Queen.

"Quiet, woman, you are not praying before the nightfire now," Stannis thought, staring at the painted table. "The wolf boy has no heir, and the sea monster has too many branches, and the lions will swallow them all, unless... Sann, I want you to send the fastest ship under your command to carry envoys to the Iron Islands and White Harbor to announce my Pardon." The way he gritted his teeth showed how much he hated that sentence. "Whoever confesses their treason and swears allegiance to the true king will be fully forgiven. They will..." "They won't," Melisandre said softly, "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but this is not the end of the matter. Soon more false kings will pick up the crowns left by their ancestors."

"More?" Stannis looked as if he wanted to strangle her. "More usurpers? More traitors?" "I saw it in the holy fire." Queen Selyse came up to the king. "The Lord of Light has sent Melisandre to guide you to the pinnacle of glory. Please follow her advice, I beg you, Your Majesty. There are no lies in R'hllor's holy fire." "In my opinion, it's all lies plus lies! Even if the flames tell the truth, it's full of traps." "Ants cannot understand the words of the Great," said Melisandre, "and all men are ants before God the Fire. I sometimes take warnings for prophecies, and prophecies for warnings, but the fault lies with the interpreters, not the gods. But I'm sure of one thing - envoys and pardons are useless, just like leeches. You must send a signal to the world. A signal to prove your strength!"

"Strength?" The king snorted. "I have thirteen hundred men at Dragonstone, and three hundred more at Storm's End." His hand swept across the painted table. "The rest of Westeros is in enemy hands, and save for Salador Sann's ship, my fleet is destroyed. Besides, I have no money for mercenaries, no prospect of plunder or glory to draw freeriders to .” "My lord," said Queen Selyse, "you have more men than Aegon had three hundred years ago, and all you need are dragons." Stannis looked at her darkly. "Nine great mages crossed the sea to hatch the dragon eggs stored by Aegon III, Baelor the 'beloved' prayed to the eggs for half a year, Aegon IV invented the dragon of wood and iron, and Aerion 'Bright Flame' drank the wild gunpowder, Tried to make himself a dragon. The mage failed, King Baelor's prayers went unanswered, the wooden dragon was burned, and Prince Aerion died screaming."

Queen Selyse was determined. "None of them were voters of R'hllor. No red comet streaked across the sky to announce the fulfillment of the prophecy; no one had the 'Lightbringer', the hero's red sword. None of them paid the price, Lady Melisandre would I tell you, Your Majesty, only death can buy life." "The boy?" The king spit out these words almost full of resentment. "The boy," the queen agreed. "The boy." Ser Axell followed suit. "Before he was born, I hated the filthy child," lamented the king, "his name rings in my ears like a dark cloud over my soul."

"Give me the boy, and you'll never hear his name again," Melisandre promised. Maybe not, but you'll hear him scream as she burns him.Davos remained silent.It would be wiser not to speak until the king called him to speak. "Let me offer the boy to R'hllor," said the red woman, "and the ancient prophecy will be fulfilled. Your dragon will be awakened, and it will spread its wings of stone, and win you the Seven Kingdoms." Ser Axell fell to one knee. "I beg Your Majesty, awaken the dragon in the stone, and let the traitors tremble. Like Aegon, you will set out from Dragonstone; like Aegon, you will conquer Westeros. Let hypocrites and treacherous all feel your fire and wrath!"

"Your wife begs you as much, my lord." Queen Selyse knelt before the king, her hands folded as in prayer. "Robert and Dilina polluted our marriage bed and cast a curse on our union. This child is the foul fruit of adultery, remove his shadow from my body, and I will conceive many true sons for you, I promise." She wrapped her arms around his legs. "He is but a child, born of your brother's desire and my cousin's shame." "He's my blood. Don't grab me, woman." King Stannis put a hand on his wife's shoulder, and wriggled awkwardly from her embrace. "Maybe Robert did put a curse on our marriage bed, but he swore he never meant to humiliate me, he was just drunk, and he didn't know which bedroom he was in that night. But what does it matter ?Regardless of the truth, the child was not at fault."

Melisandre put her hand on the king's arm. "The Lord of Light prizes chastity and punishes corruption, so there is no more fitting sacrifice. From the king's blood and pure holy fire the dragon will be born." Stannis didn't pull away from Melisandre the way he did his queen.The Red Lady was nothing like Selyse: young, plump, and strangely beautiful, with a heart-shaped face, copper-colored hair, and mysterious red eyes. "It would be miraculous for a rock to come to life," he admitted grudgingly, "and to ride a real dragon . , and he was five or six. When we retire, we agree that the king is majestic and the dragon is terrible." Stannis snorted. "Years later, my father told us that Aerys cut himself that morning on the throne, so the Prime Minister spoke for us, and it was Tywin Lannister who impressed us so deeply." His fingers touched the tabletop, lightly Paddle across the lustrous hills.

"Robert says the queen took the heads down, but it's hard to destroy them. Dragons are flying over Westeros... how..." "Your Majesty!" Davos stepped forward. "Can I have a word of advice?" Stannis snapped his mouth shut, gritting his teeth. "Earl of the Rainforest, if I didn't listen to advice, how could I appoint you as Prime Minister?" The king waved his hand. "Just say it straight." Warrior, please grant me courage. "I don't know about dragons, and I don't even know about gods... But when the queen mentioned curses, everyone in the world knows that no matter by the standards of gods or mortals, kinslayers will be cursed forever."

"Except for R'hllor and the ancient alien gods who are indescribable to mortals, there are no other gods in the world." Melisandre's mouth was drawn into a red line, "and tiny humans curse things they cannot understand." "I am a small human being," Davos admitted, "so please explain why this boy named Edric Storm was needed to awaken the dragon in the rock, lady." Mention the boy's name. "Only death can buy life, my lord, and great gifts require great sacrifices." "What is so great about a child born out of concubine?" "He has the blood of kings in his veins. You saw it yourself, even a little was enough—" "I saw you burn some leeches." "The two false kings died because of this." "Rob Stark was murdered by Lord Walder, Lord of the Crossings, and Balon Greyjoy is said to have fallen to his death from a bridge. What does that have to do with your leeches?" "You doubt R'hllor's power?" No, I don't doubt it.That night under Storm's End, the living shadows wriggled out of the womb with black hands grabbing her thighs, Davos remembered all too well... I had to be careful, or I might become the shadow's target. "Even an onion smuggler can tell the difference between two onions and three. You need a king, lady." Stannis snorted a sneer. "He's got you where it hurts, lady. Two is not three." "Of course, Your Majesty. A king may be a coincidence, or even two...but all three? Wouldn't it be okay if Joffrey died at the height of his power, protected by a host of horses and Kingsguard? Convince you to believe in the power of Allah?" "Maybe." The king said as if everyone was unwilling. "It's not going to happen at all." Davos tried to hide his fear. "Joffrey must die," Queen Selyse declared quietly and confidently. "Perhaps he is dead," Ser Axell added. Stannis looked at them in disgust. "Are you well-trained crows, taking turns yelling at me? Enough." "My lord, listen to me—" the queen begged. "What? Two is not the same as three. Kings count like smugglers. Stand back, all of you." Stannis turned his back on them. Melisandre helped the queen to her feet.Selyse walked out of the room quickly and stiffly, followed by the red robed woman.Ser Axell lingered for a moment, then gave Davos a final look. "Ugly eyes, ugly face, he met his gaze" thought to himself. After the others had gone, Davos cleared his throat.The king looked up, "Why are you still here?" "Your Majesty, about Edric Storm..." Stannis waved his hand, "Forgive me." Davos persisted. "Your daughter goes to school with him every day, and plays games with him in Aegon's Garden." "I know that." "If any misfortune happened to him, she would grieve—" "I know that too." "If only you had seen him—" "I've seen him. He's a lot like Robert, yes, and adores his father. Shall I tell him his dear old pa didn't think much of him at all? Don't hear or ask." "He asks about you every day, he—" "You're driving me mad, Davos, and I don't want to hear about the bastard again." "His name is Edric Storm, Your Majesty." "I know his name. Is there a more appropriate name? It is both a statement of his illegitimate status and noble birth, and a metaphor for the chaos he brings. Edric Storm, well, I have read the name. Are you satisfied, my lord Prime Minister?" "Edric—" he continued. "—just a boy! It doesn't matter if he's the best boy ever. I'm responsible to the country." His hand swept across the painted table. "How many boys are there in Westeros? How many girls? How many men, how many women? She speaks of the darkness that will swallow them all, the endless night; Living dragons hatched from stones... She spoke of signs and omens, pointing to me. I never asked for any of these, any more than I ever asked to be king, but can I ignore her?" He gritted his teeth. "We can't choose our destiny, but we must...have to do our duty, right? Great or small, everyone must do their duty. Melisandre swore to see me in the sacred fire holding up the 'Lightbringer' against the terrible Darkness. Hey! The 'Lightbringer'!" Stannis snorted mockingly. "It's splendor, I assure you, but on the Blackwater, this magic sword won't help me any more than common steel. Yet a dragon, a great dragon, is enough to turn the tide of battle. Aegon stood here, Looking down at the table as I am now. Would he be 'The Conqueror' if he didn't have dragons?" "Your Majesty," said Davos, "the price paid..." "I know the price! Last night, I gazed into the hearth and saw the flames. I saw a king with a crown of fire on his brow, burning... burning! Davos, his crown is burning Eat his flesh, reduce him to ashes. Do you think I need Melisandre to tell me what that means? Or do you need to tell me?" The king moved, his shadow cast over King's Landing. "If Joffrey is really dead... what is the life of a bastard boy compared to the future of a kingdom?" "Everything," Davos said softly. Stannis looked at him, gritted his teeth. "Go, go quickly," said the king at last, "so that you don't talk too much and get yourself thrown into a dark cell." Sometimes the storm is so strong that you have no choice but to furl the sails. "Yes, Your Grace." Davos nodded, but Stannis seemed to have forgotten him. When we left Shigulou, the courtyard was very cold.A gust of strong wind blew from the east, and the flags lined up on the city wall were blown up and flying, rattling.Davos smelled salt in the air.The breath of the sea.He loves the smell.For a moment, I just want to step on the deck again, raise the sails, and head south to find Maria and his two little guys.He thought about them almost every day now, and missed them even more at night, and a part of him just wanted to take Devan home with him.I can't do that.Not yet.I became the lord and the hand of the king, 'everyone must do his duty', and I could not fail him. He looked up at the city wall.In place of the ordinary battlements, a thousand hideous stone beasts looked down upon him, each different: wyverns, griffins, demons, manticores, minotaurs, stone lizards, hellhounds, cockatrices, and others Thousands of weirder monsters emerged from the top of the city, as if they had grown here.Dragons are everywhere.The hall is a dragon lying close to the ground, and people enter through its gaping mouth; the kitchen is a dragon curled up in a ball, and the smoke and steam from the oven come out from its nostrils; Flying Dragon: The screams on the Flying Dragon Tower defy everything, while the Sea Dragon Tower calmly gazes at the waves of the outer sea.Smaller dragons adorn the doorway frames, claws protruding from the walls serve as torch stands, huge stone wings contain the smithy and armory, and dragon tails form arches, bridges, and outdoor staircases. Davos had often heard it said that Valyrian wizards did not carve things with their own hands, like stonemasons, but shaped them with fire and spells, as potters shape clay.Now he can't help but wonder: Are they real dragons, petrified for some reason? "I'm thinking, if the red woman can really bring them back to life, the castle will collapse immediately. The rooms, the stairs, the furniture... hehe, and the windows, chimneys and toilets, dragons everywhere." Davos turned to find Sallador Sann beside him, "Does that mean you forgive me, Sarah?" The old pirate wagged his finger at him. "Forgive, yes. Forget, no. The many gold and silver treasures on Crab Island were originally mine. Thinking about it makes people sleepless, tired and old. If I die poor and poor, the wives at home will surely Curse you, Lord Onion. Count Celtiga has many fine wines, but he can't taste them now. He also has a well-trained sea eagle that can fly from his wrist, and a magic that can summon sea monsters from the depths of the sea. Horn. Such a horn would be very useful, against the Tyroshi and other nasty things. But do I have one now? No! Because the king made my friend his Hand." He hooked Dave "The queen party doesn't like you, my old friend. I heard that the Prime Minister is making friends of his own. Isn't that true, huh?" You ask too much, old pirate.Smugglers must understand all kinds of people as they understand the tide, otherwise they will not be able to survive, let alone expand their business.At present, the Queen's people may still fanatically worship the Lord of Light, but the lower classes of Dragonstone Island are gradually returning to the beliefs they have been familiar with since childhood.They said Stannis had been bewitched, seduced by Melisandre from the Seven, worshiped the demons in the shadows, and... most shameful of all... she and her gods had abandoned him at the crucial moment.Certain knights and lords felt the same way.Davos unearthed them one by one, picking them as carefully as he had chosen his crew.Sir Gerald Gower fought hard on the Blackwater, but later he was heard to say that Rahlordine was a weak God who left his followers to be hunted by dwarfs and dead men; Andrew Esmond The ser was the king's cousin, and had been his squire years ago; the bastard of Nightsong had commanded the rearguard and got Stannis safe to Salador Sarn's ship, but he worshiped warriors as much as he did. The bravery is quite.They formed the King's Party, not the Queen's Party.But showing them off is no good. "A Lysian pirate once told me that a good smuggler knows how to stay out of sight," Davos replied cautiously. "Black sails, cloth oars, and tongue-holding sailors." The Lisian laughed loudly upon hearing this. "Tongueless sailors are better. Tall, strong dumbs who can't read or write are the most flattering." He calmed down quickly. "I'm glad you have someone watching over your back, old friend. Do you think the king will give the boy to the red woman? A little dragon will end the havoc?" Old habit made his hand reach for the lucky charm, but the phalanx was no longer on the neck, and he found nothing. "No," said Davos, "he will not harm his own blood." "Lord Renly will be delighted to hear that." "Renly rebelled, and Edric Storm was an innocent boy, innocent of any crime. Your Grace is a just man." Sara shrugged. "We'll see—or you will. What about me? I'm going back to sea. At this moment, those outlaws may be trying to sneak into Blackwater Bay to avoid legal taxes and taxes." Check." He slapped Davos hard on the back. "Take care, you and your mute friends. You are important now, but the higher you climb, the harder you fall." Davos thought these words as he climbed the steps of the Dragon Tower to the maester's chambers below the Crow's Nest.He didn't need Sarah to remind him that he was going too high and too fast.I can't read and write, I'm born as a prince, and I don't know how to rule. How can I be the Prime Minister? I belong to the deck of the ship, not the tower of the castle. He had said so to the Pylos apprentice. "You are a good captain," replied the student. "The captain rules his ship, doesn't he? He has to conquer the elusive waters, raise the sails to catch the wind, keep watch for changing weather, and withstand the storm when it comes. .It is the same reason to govern the kingdom.” Pylos's assurance was well-intentioned, but it sounded hollow to him. "Not at all!" retorted Davos. "A kingdom is not a ship... and it is a good thing, otherwise our kingdom would sink. I know wood and rope and sea, yes, but to How does it help the bigger picture? Where can I find a wind that will blow King Stannis to his throne?" At this, the maester laughed. "You are right, my lord. Words are like the wind, and you blow me with your insight. I know well what His Majesty needs from you." "Onion," said Davos gloomily, "that's all I can offer. The King's Hand must be a lord of noble birth, wise and learned, commanding and chivalrous..." "Ser Ryan Redwyne was the greatest cavalier of his day, and one of the worst Prime Ministers who ever lived. Brother Murmison's prayers do wonders, but once he became Hand, it quickly The whole country prayed for his death. Lord Butterwell was famous for his wisdom, Mills Smallwood for his courage, and Sir Otto Hightower for his learning, but they all failed as Hand. Relationship, Dragon Kings are used to choosing prime ministers within the clan, so blood should be very honorable, right? As a result, Baelor the Spearbreaker and Maegor the Cruel appeared. The opposite is Brother Bath, "people King Rui's blacksmith's son raised from the library of the Red Keep, he brought peace and prosperity to the land for forty years." Pylos smiled. "Read history, Lord Davos, and you will see that your suspicions are groundless." "I can't read, how can I read history?" "Anyone can read, my good lord," said Maester Pylos, "neither magic nor noble birth is required. Come, I am teaching your son this knowledge by order of the king, and you will join me Bar." It was a friendly offer, one Davos could not refuse.So he went to the bachelor's room on the top of Sea Dragon Tower every day, frowning at the large number of scrolls, parchments and leather tomes, trying to figure out a few words from them.Trying to give him a headache and feeling as stupid as the "patchface" next to him.Son Devan was not yet twelve years old, but he was far ahead of his father, and as for Princess Shireen and Edric Storm, reading was as natural as breathing.Davos was more a child than any of them when it came to reading, yet he persevered.As the former Prime Minister, reading is a must-have skill. After Master Cressen broke his thigh, the narrow winding stairs of Sea Dragon Tower became a painful torture for him.Davos found himself still missing the old man, and presumably Stannis did too.Pylos was wise, industrious, and kind, but too young for the king to trust him as he trusted Cressen.The old man served Stannis for many years...until he fell out with Melisandre and died because of it. Before reaching the top of the stairs, Davos heard a faint ringing that could only have come from Patchface.The princess' jester waited outside the maester's door like a faithful hound.His body is doughy, with slumped shoulders, a broad face covered with red and green checks, and he wears a toy helmet made of an old tin bucket with two antlers tied to the top and a dozen cowbells hanging from it. It jingles when people move... that is to say, it never stops, because this fool seldom stands still, and wherever he goes, he brings the harsh jingle of bells. Lynn is going to kick him out during class. "Under the sea, the old fish eat the young," the Joker murmured to Davos.He shook his head, and the bell jingled again, "Oh, I know, I know, oh oh oh!" "Here, the little fish teach the old fish." Davos said, and when he sat down to read, he felt a sense of oldness that he had never felt before.It might have been different if it had been old Maester Cressen teaching him, but Pylos was young enough to be his son. The maester was sitting at the side of the long wooden table, facing the three children, and the table was covered with scrolls.Princess Shireen sat between the two boys, and even now Davos was proud to see his own flesh and blood in the company of the Princess and the King's bastard.In the future, Dai Feng will become a prince, not just a knight.The all-powerful Earl of the Rainforest.Davos was more pleased with that than with the title himself.He is literate, can read and write, and is born to be a nobleman. Pylos often praises his diligence, and the coach also praises Devan's skills in long swords and spears, and he is also a good man who worships Allah. child. "Don't worry, my brothers have ascended to the Temple of Light and sit beside Allah." When his father brought him the news of the death of his four brothers, Devan said, "I will pray for them by the night fire , and pray for you, Father, that you may shine in the light of Allah until the end of your life." "Good morning, Father." The son greeted him.He looks just as Dale did at his age, Davos thought.True, his eldest son had never worn Devan's fine squire's finery, but they had the same plain square face, the same blunt brown eyes, and the same thin, flowing brown hair.Devan's cheeks and chin were covered with golden stubble, not much less than peach down, but the kid was as proud of his "whiskers" as Dale had been.Devan was the eldest of the three children at the table. Yet Edric Storm was three inches taller, with a wider chest and shoulders, and in that he was indeed his father's son; nor did he miss sword-and-shield practice one morning.Some of the older ones who met young Robert and young Renly said that the bastard boy looked more like them than Stannis—with jet-black hair, dark blue eyes, and the shape of mouth, jaw, and cheekbones. .Only his ears remind you that his mother is a Florent. "Well, good morning, my lord," Edric went on.The boy's nature might have been as violent and proud as his father's, but the maesters, castellans, and masters who had raised him had brought him up with great humility. "Are you from my uncle? How is His Majesty?" "Fine." Davos lied.To be honest, the king looked haggard, but he didn't need to burden the children. "I hope I didn't interrupt your class." "We have just finished, my lord," said Maester Pylos. "We're reading the story of King Daeron I." Princess Shireen was a lovable, gentle, sweet child, but she didn't have a pretty face.Stannis gave her square jaws, Selyse gave her florent ears, and the cruel gods who played tricks infected her with greyscale in her cradle, bringing her the greatest misfortune. .Although the disease did not take away her life and vision, the skin on one side of her cheek and half of her neck became stiff and necrotic, and the surface was dry and cracked, mixed with black and gray spots. "He waged wars, conquered Dorne, and was revered as the 'Little Dragon Lord'." "He worshiped false gods," said Devan, "but otherwise, was a great king, valiant in battle." "Yes," Edric agreed, "but my father was braver, and the Young Dragon Lord never won three battles in one day." The princess stared at him. "Uncle Robert won three battles in one day?" The illegitimate son nodded, "That's when he went home to summon his vassals. Earls Granderson, Earl Kavron, and Earl Fell planned to meet at Summerhall and then head towards Storm's End, but the news was lost by an informant He notified his father, so he immediately took all the cavaliers and attendants and set off. Before the enemy came to Midsummer Hall, they attacked separately and defeated them one by one. He single-handedly killed Earl Fell and captured his son Silver ax'." Dafeng looked at Pylos, "Is that so?" "I'm talking about it, aren't I?" Edric said before the student answered, "He defeated all three enemies, and with his heroic performance in battle, he conquered Earl Granderson, Earl Kavron and ' Silver Ax'. No one ever beat my father." "You shouldn't boast too much, Edric," Maester Pylos said. "King Robert has lost battles like the rest. Lord Tyrell beat him at the Poplar Bank, and he was at the joust." Lost many times." "Yet he has won far more battles than he has lost, and slew Prince Rhaegar at the Trident." "Yes, that is," agreed the maester, "but I must now attend to Lord Davos, who, you see, has been patiently waiting. Tomorrow we shall continue with King Daeron's Conquest of Dorne." Princess Shireen said a polite farewell to the two boys.When they were gone, Pylos approached Davos. "My lord, would you like to read the Chronicle of Conquest?" He pushed the thin leather book over from the table. "King Daeron's writing is simple and elegant, and his history is full of blood, war and courage, and your son is fascinated." "My son is not yet twelve, and I am the Hand of the King. Show me the letter, if you can." "Yes, my lord." Maester Pylos rummaged on the table, unfolding the rolls of parchment, then tossing them away. "No new letters, perhaps an old one..." Davos enjoyed a good story as much as anyone, but he didn't think Stannis had made him Hand for that.His first task is to assist the king to rule, and for this he must understand the words brought by the crow.He discovered that the best way to learn something is by doing it, whether sailing a ship or reading and writing. "This one might suit us." Pylos handed him a letter. Davos smoothed the crumpled parchment, squinting at the tiny scrawled letters.Reading is very difficult for the eyes. He has experienced this for a long time. Sometimes he can't help but wonder whether the academy will give a bounty equivalent to the champion of the martial arts to the bachelor who can write small characters? Pylos laughed at this idea ,But…… "To . . . five kings," Davos read, hesitating slightly when he read 'five', for the word did not appear often on paper. "...the king of... oh, the front is, race...horse race?" "Beyond the Great Wall." The maester corrected. Davos showed a painful expression, "The king beyond the Great Wall...south...south? Leading a branch...a...district..." "huge." "...a colossal army of...wild...wildlings. Mo... mo... Lord Commander Mormont sent a... raven to return... gui..." "Ghost. Ghost Forest." Palos drew under the word emphatically with his fingertips. "...Haunted Forest. He...was...attacked?" "right." Satisfied, he continued to read with great difficulty. "Ho...then the other letter crows came back, but there was no letter. We...were... worried about... Mormont and all... all... ground bears... no, no, brothers were all killed. We were worried about Mo Ermon and all his brethren were killed..." Davos suddenly realized what he was reading.He turned the letter over and saw the black sealing wax. "This letter is from the Night's Watch, master. Has King Stannis read it?" "When the letter was first received, I presented it to Lord Alister, who was then Handman. I believe he discussed it with the Queen, but when I asked how to reply, he told me not to be a fool.' His Majesty beat himself How can you waste energy on wildlings if you don’t have enough manpower for the battle?’” "That's true. And what the five kings say will surely irritate Stannis. A beggar is a man who is dying of starvation," he murmured. "Excuse me, what did you say, my lord?" "A common saying my wife used to say," Davos replied, tapping his short fingers on the table.When he first saw the Wall, he was younger than Devan, working on the Pebble Cat for Rollo Uhoris, a Tyroshi nicknamed "blind bastard" at home and abroad, but he was neither. Blind people are not illegitimate children.Rollo sailed across Skagos, deep into the Shivering Sea, and visited a hundred coves untouched by merchant ships, bringing irons, including swords, axes, helmets, and fine mail, in exchange for furs, ivory, Amber and Obsidian.When the Pebble Cat returned, the cargo warehouse was full, but was chased by three black warships in Seal Bay, and was ordered to dock at East China Sea Watch.As a result, the ship lost its cargo, and the "blind bastard" lost his head, accused of selling weapons to wildlings. Later Davos took up the smuggling business himself, and he went to Eastwatch to do business in the meantime.Brother in black is a difficult opponent to deal with, but he can also be a very good customer, as long as the goods on board are in the right direction.But he never forgot the sight of Blind Bastard's head rolling on the deck of the Pebble Cat when he collected his money. "I've seen wildlings in my boyhood," he told Maester Pylos. "They were good at stealing, but they couldn't haggle. One of them escaped with a girl in our cabin. All in all, they looked like the others. The races are similar, some are beautiful and some are ugly." "A man is a man," agreed Pylos. "Shall we read the letter, my lord?" Yes, I am the Prime Minister, and I have my responsibilities.Alas... Stannis may be nominally Lord of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, but he is really only King of the Painted Table.He controlled Dragonstone and Storm's End, and his ever-scaring alliance with Salladhor Sarn, and that was all.How could the Night's Watch have sought his help? They had no idea how weak he was, how lost his ways. "King Stannis didn't see the letter, are you sure? Neither did Melisandre?" "Never. Shall I show them? Even after all this time?" “不用了，”戴佛斯立刻道，“你将它带给艾利斯特大人已经尽了职。”如果梅莉珊卓知道这封信……会怎么说呢?那凡人不可道也的远古异神正在聚集力量，戴佛斯·席渥斯，冷风已然吹起，很快到来的将是永不终结的长夜……而史坦尼斯也在火焰里看到奇异景象，雪地中的一圈火炬，周围尽是恐怖的怪物。 “大人，您不舒服?”派洛斯问。 我很害怕，师傅，他或许该这么直说。戴佛斯记起萨拉多·桑恩告诉他的一个故事，亚梭尔·亚亥为给“光明使者”淬火，将它刺入爱妻的心房。他为与黑暗抗争而杀害自己的妻子，如果史坦尼斯真是亚梭尔·亚亥再生，是否意味着艾德瑞克·风暴得扮演妮莎·妮莎的角色?“我刚才在思考，学士。抱歉。”算了，某个野人王征服了北境，对我们又有什么害处呢?反正北境又不是史坦尼斯的地盘，而且史坦尼斯也不大可能去保护那些拒绝承认他为王的人。“给我另一封信，”他唐突地说，“这封实在……” “……困难?”派洛斯提示。 冷风已然吹起，梅莉珊卓在低语，永不终结的长夜。“令人不安，”戴佛斯说，“实在……令人不安。请给我另一封信。”