The Sworn Sword — читать онлайн бесплатно полностью

""I should have gone with Bittersteel into exile, or died beside my sons and my sweet king. That would have been a death worthy of a chequy lion descended from so many proud lords and mighty warriors. Daeron's mercy made me smaller"".

In his heart the black dragon never died, Dunk realized.

""My lord?""

It was Egg's voice. The boy had come in as Ser Eustace was speaking of his death. The old knight blinked at him as if he were seeing him for the first time. ""Yes, lad? What is it?""

""If it please you… the Red Widow says you rebelled to get her castle.

That isn't true, is it?""

""The castle?"" He seemed confused. ""Coldmoat… Coldmoat was promised me by Daemon, yes, but… it was not for gain, no.. "".

""Then why?"" asked Egg.

""Why?"" Ser Eustace frowned.

""Why were you a traitor? If it wasn't just the castle""."

"Ser Eustace looked at Egg a long time before replying. ""You are only a young boy. You would not understand"".

""Well"", said Egg, ""I might"".

""Treason… is only a word. When two princes fight for a chair where only one may sit, great lords and common men alike must choose.

And when the battle's done, the victors will be hailed as loyal men and true, whilst those who were defeated will be known forevermore as rebels and traitors. That was my fate"".

Egg thought about it for a time. ""Yes, my lord. Only… King Daeron was a good man. Why would you choose Daemon?""

""Daeron.. "". Ser Eustace almost slurred the word, and Dunk realized he was half drunk. ""Daeron was spindly and round of shoulder, with a little belly that wobbled when he walked.

Daemon stood straight and proud, and his stomach was flat and hard as an oaken shield. And he could fight . With ax or lance or flail, he was as good as any knight I ever saw, but with the sword he was the Warrior himself. When Prince Daemon had Blackfyre in his hand, there was not a man to equal him… not Ulrick Dayne with Dawn, no, nor even the Dragonknight with Dark Sister.

""You can know a man by his friends, Egg.

Daeron surrounded himself with maesters, septons, and singers. Always there were women whispering in his ear, and his court was full of Dornishmen. How not, when he had taken a Dornishwoman into his bed, and sold his own sweet sister to the prince of Dorne, though it was Daemon that she loved? Daeron bore the same name as the Young Dragon, but when his Dornish wife gave him a son he named the child Baelor, after the feeblest king who ever sat the Iron Throne.