A Game of Thrones 4-Book Bundle

prominent ears of a Florent, even larger than his niece’s. The coarse hair
that sprouted from his ears did not stop him hearing most of what went on in the
castle. For ten years Ser Axell had served as castellan of Dragonstone while
Stannis sat on Robert’s council in King’s Landing, but of late he had emerged
as the foremost of the queen’s men. “Ser Davos, it is good to see you, as
ever,” he said.
    â€œAnd you, my lord.”
    â€œI made note of you this morning as well. The false gods burned with a merry
light, did they not?”
    â€œThey burned brightly.” Davos did not trust this man, for all his courtesy.
House Florent had declared for Renly.
    â€œThe Lady Melisandre tells us that sometimes R’hllor permits his faithful
servants to glimpse the future in flames. It seemed to me as I watched the fire
this morning that I was looking at a

dozen beautiful dancers, maidens garbed in yellow silk spinning and swirling
before a great king. I think it was a true vision, ser. A glimpse of the glory
that awaits His Grace after we take King’s Landing and the throne that is his
by rights.”
    Stannis has no taste for such dancing,
Davos thought, but he dared
not offend the queen’s uncle. “I saw only fire,” he said, “but the smoke was
making my eyes water. You must pardon me, ser, the king awaits.” He pushed
past, wondering why Ser Axell had troubled himself.
He is a queen’s man
and I am the king’s.
    Stannis sat at his Painted Table with Maester Pylos at his shoulder, an untidy
pile of papers before them. “Ser,” the king said when Davos entered, “come
have a look at this letter.”
    Obediently, he selected a paper at random. “It looks handsome enough, Your
Grace, but I fear I cannot read the words.” Davos could decipher maps and
charts as well as any, but letters and other writings were beyond his powers.
But my Devan has learned his letters, and young Steffon and Stannis as
well.
    â€œI’d forgotten.” A furrow of irritation showed between the king’s brows.
“Pylos, read it to him.”
    â€œYour Grace.” The maester took up one of the parchments and cleared his
throat.
“All men know me for the trueborn son of Steffon Baratheon, Lord
of Storm’s End, by his lady wife Cassana of House Estermont. I declare upon the
honor of my House that my beloved brother Robert, our late king, left no
trueborn issue of his body, the boy Joffrey, the boy Tommen, and the girl
Myrcella being abominations born of incest between Cersei Lannister and her

brother Jaime the Kingslayer. By right of birth and blood, I do this day lay
claim to the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Let all true men
declare their loyalty. Done in the Light of the Lord, under the sign and seal
of Stannis of House Baratheon, the First of His Name, King of the Andals, the
Rhoynar, and the First Men, and Lord of the Seven Kingdoms.”
The
parchment rustled softly as Pylos laid it down.
    â€œMake it
Ser
Jaime the Kingslayer henceforth,” Stannis said,
frowning. “Whatever else the man may be, he remains a knight. I don’t know
that we ought to call Robert my
beloved
brother either. He loved me
no more than he had to, nor I him.”
    â€œA harmless courtesy, Your Grace,” Pylos said.
    â€œA lie. Take it out.” Stannis turned to Davos. “The maester tells me that we
have one hundred seventeen ravens on hand. I mean to use them all. One hundred
seventeen ravens will carry one hundred seventeen copies of my letter to every
corner of the realm, from the Arbor to the Wall. Perhaps a hundred will win
through against storm and hawk and arrow. If so, a hundred maesters will read
my words to as many lords in as many solars and
bedchambers . . . and then the letters will like as not be
consigned to the fire, and lips pledged to silence. These great lords love
Joffrey, or Renly, or Robb Stark. I am their rightful king, but they will deny
me if they can. So I have need of you.”
    â€œI am yours to command, my king. As ever.”
    Stannis nodded. “I mean for you to sail
Black Betha
north, to
Gulltown, the Fingers, the Three Sisters, even White Harbor.

Your son Dale will go south in
Wraith,
past Cape Wrath and the Broken
Arm, all along the coast of Dorne as far as the Arbor. Each of you will carry a
chest of letters, and you