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gods in their cruel wisdom had seen fit to pound her homeliness by afflicting her with greyscale in the cradle。 The disease had left one cheek and half her neck grey and cracked and hard； though it had spared both her life and her sight。 〃He went to war and conquered Dome。 The Young Dragon； they called him。〃
〃He worshiped false gods；〃 said Devan； 〃but he was a great king otherwise； and very brave in battle。〃
〃He was；〃 agreed Edric Storm； 〃but my father was braver。 The Young Dragon never won three battles in a day。〃
The princess looked at him wide…eyed。 〃Did Uncle Robert win three battles in a day？〃
The bastard nodded。 〃It was when he'd first e home to call his banners。 Lords Grandison； Cafferen； and Fell planned to join their strength at Surnmerhall and march on Storm's End； but he learned their plans from an informer and rode at once with all his knights and squires。 As the plotters came up on Surnmerhall one by one； he defeated each of them in turn before they could join up with the others。 He slew Lord Fell in single bat and captured his son Silveraxe。〃
Devan looked to Pylos。 〃Is that how it happened？〃
〃I said so； didn't I？〃 Edric Storm said before the maester could reply。 〃He smashed all three of them； and fought so bravely that Lord Grandison and Lord Cafferen became his men afterward； and Silveraxe too。 No one ever beat my father。〃
〃Edric； you ought not boast；〃 Maester Pylos said。 〃King Robert suffered defeats like any other man。 Lord Tyrell bested him at Ashford； and he lost many a tourney tilt as well。〃
〃He won more than he lost； though。 And he killed Prince Rhaegar on the Trident。〃
〃That he did；〃 the maester agreed。 〃But now I must give my attention to Lord Davos； who has waited so patiently。 We will read more of King Daeron's Conquest of Dome on the morrow。〃
Princess Shireen and the boys said their farewells courteously。 When they had taken their leaves； Maester Pylos moved closer to Davos。 〃My lord； perhaps you would like to try a bit of Conquest of Dome as well？〃 He slid the slender leather…bound book across the table。 〃King Daeron wrote with an elegant simplicity； and his history is rich with blood； battle； and bravery。 Your son is quite engrossed。〃
〃My son is not quite twelve。 I am the King's Hand。 Give me another letter； if you would。〃
〃As you wish； my lord。〃 Maester Pylos rummaged about his table； unrolling and then discarding various scraps of parchment。 〃There are no new letters。 Perhaps an old one 。 。 。〃
Davos enjoyed a good story as well as any man； but Stannis had not named him Hand for his enjoyment； he felt。 His first duty was to help his king rule； and for that he must needs understand the words the ravens brought。 The best way to learn a thing was to do it； he had found； sails or scrolls； it made no matter。
〃This might serve our purpose。〃 Pylos passed him a letter。
Davos flattened down the little square of crinkled parchment and squinted at the tiny crabbed letters。 Reading was hard on the eyes； that much he had learned early。 Sometimes he wondered if the Citadel offered a champion's purse to the maester who wrote the smallest hand。 Pylos had laughed at the notion； but 。 。 。
〃To the 。 。 。 five kings；〃 read Davos； hesitating briefly over five； which he did not often see written out。 〃The king 。 。 。 be 。 。 。 the king 。 。 。 beware？
〃Beyond；〃 the maester corrected。
Davos grimaced。 〃The King beyond the Wall es 。 。 。 es south。 He leads a 。 。 。 a 。 。 。 fast 。 。 。〃
〃Vast。〃
〃 。 。 。 a vast host of wil 。 。 。 wild 。 。 。 wildlings。 Lord M 。 。 。 Mmmor 。 。 。 Mormont sent a 。 。 。 raven from the 。 。 。 ha 。 。 。 ha 。 。 。〃
〃Haunted。 The haunted forest。〃 Pylos underlined the words with the point of his finger。
〃 。 。 。 the haunted forest。 He is 。 。 。 under a 。 。 。 attack？
〃Yes。〃
Pleased； he plowed onward。 〃Oth 。 。 。 other birds have e since； with no words。 We 。 。 。 fear 。 。 。 Mormont slain with all 。 。 。 with all his 。 。 。 stench 。 。 。 no； strength。 We fear Mormont slain with all his strength 。 。 。 〃 Davos suddenly realized just what he was reading。 He turned the letter over； and saw that the wax that had sealed it had been black。 〃This is from the Night's Watch。 Maester； has King Stannis seen this letter？〃
〃I brought it to Lord Alester when it first arrived。 He was the Hand then。 I believed he discussed it with the queen。 When I asked him if he wished to send a reply； he told me not to be a fool。 'His Grace lacks the men to fight his own battles； he has none to waste on wildlings/ he said to me。〃
That was true enough。 And this talk of five kings would certainly have angered Stannis。 〃Only a starving man begs bread from a beggar；〃 he muttered。
〃Pardon； my lord？〃
〃Something my wife said once。〃 Davos drummed his shortened fingers against the tabletop。 The first time he had seen the Wall he had been younger than Devan； serving aboard the Cobblecat under Roro Uhoris； a Tyroshi known up and down the narrow sea as the Blind Bastard； though he was neither blind nor baseborn。 Roro had sailed past Skagos into the Shivering Sea； visiting a hundred little coves that had never seen a trading ship before。 He brought steel； swords； axes； helms； good chainmail hauberks； to trade for furs； ivory； amber； and obsidian。 When the Cobblecat turned back south her holds were stuffed； but in the Bay of Seals three black galleys came out to herd her into Eastwatch。 They lost their cargo and the Bastard lost his head； for the crime of trading weapons to the wildlings。
Davos had traded at Eastwatch in his smuggling days。 The black brothers made hard enemies but good customers； for a ship with the right cargo。 But while he might have taken their coin； he had never forgotten how the Blind Bastard's head had rolled across the Cobblecat's deck。 〃I met some wildlings when I was a boy；〃 he told Maester Pylos。 〃They were fair thieves but bad hagglers。 one made off with our cabin girl。 All in all； they seemed men like any other men； some fair； some foul。〃
〃Men are men；〃 Maester Pylos agreed。 〃Shall we return to our reading； my lord Hand？〃
I am the Hand of the King； yes。 Stannis might be the King of Westeros in name； but in truth he was the King of the Painted Table。 He held Dragonstone and Storm's End； and had an ever…more…uneasy alliance with Salladhor Saan； but that was all。 How could the Watch have looked to him for help？ They may not know how weak he is； how lost his cause。 〃King Stannis never saw this letter； you are quite certain？ Nor Melisandre？〃
〃No。 Should I bring it to them？ Even now？〃
〃No；〃 Davos said at once。 〃You did your duty when you brought it to Lord Alester。〃 If Melisandre knew of this letter 。 。 。 What was it she had said？ One whose name may not be spoken is marshaling his power； Davos Seaworth。 Soon es the cold； and the night that never ends 。 。 。 And Stannis had seen a vision in the flames； a ring of torches in the snow with terror all around。
〃My lord； are you unwell？〃 asked Pylos。
I am frightened； Maester； he might have said。 Davos was remembering a tale Salladhor Saan had told him； of how Azor Ahai tempered Lightbringer by thrusting it through the heart of the wife he loved。 He slew his wife to fight the dark。 If Stannis is Azor Ahai