grrm.astormofswords-第12部分

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　Ingrates。　The　Black　Ears　died　for　them。　Whilst　Tyrion　lay　drugged　and　dreaming；　his　own　blood　had　pulled　his　claws　out；　one　by　one。　〃I　want　you　to　go　to　my　sister。　Her　precious　son　made　it　through　the　battle　unscathed；　so　Cersei　has　no　more　need　of　a　hostage。　She　swore　to　free　Alayaya　once…〃
　〃She　did。　Eight；　nine　days　ago；　after　the　whipping。〃
　Tyrion　shoved　himself　up　higher；　ignoring　the　sudden　stab　of　pain　through　his　shoulder。　〃Whipping？〃
　〃They　tied　her　to　a　post　in　the　yard　and　scourged　her；　then　shoved　her　out　the　gate　naked　and　bloody。〃
　She　was　learning　to　read；　Tyrion　thought；　absurdly。　Across　his　face　the　scar　stretched　tight；　and　for　a　moment　it　felt　as　though　his　head　would　burst　with　rage。　Alayaya　was　a　whore；　true　enough；　but　a　sweeter；　braver；　more　innocent　girl　he　had　seldom　met。　Tyrion　had　never　touched　her；　she　had　been　no　more　than　a　veil；　to　hide　Shae。　In　his　carelessness；　he　had　never　thought　what　the　role　might　cost　her。　〃I　promised　my　sister　I　would　treat　Tornmen　as　she　treated　Alayaya；〃　he　remembered　aloud。　He　felt　as　though　he　might　retch。　〃How　can　I　scourge　an　eight…year…old　boy？〃　But　if　I　don't；　Cersei　wins。
　〃You　don't　have　Tommen；〃　Bronn　said　bluntly。　〃Once　she　learned　that　Ironhand　was　dead；　the　queen　sent　the　Kettleblacks　after　him；　and　no　one　at　Rosby　had　the　balls　to　say　them　nay。〃
　Another　blow；　yet　a　relief　as　well；　he　must　admit　it。　He　was　fond　of　Tommen。　〃The　Kettleblacks　were　supposed　to　be　ours；〃　he　reminded　Brorm　with　more　than　a　touch　of　irritation。
　〃They　were；　so　long　as　I　could　give　them　two　of　your　pennies　for　every　one　they　had　from　the　queen；　but　now　she's　raised　the　stakes。　Osney　and　Osfryd　were　made　knights　after　the　battle；　same　as　me。　Gods　know　what　for；　no　one　saw　them　do　any　fighting。〃
　My　hirelings　betray　me；　my　friends　are　scourged　and　shamed；　and　I　lie　here　rotting；　Tyrion　thought。　I　thought　I　won　the　bloody　battle。　Is　this　what　triumph　tastes　like？　〃Is　it　true　that　Stannis　was　put　to　rout　by　Renly's　ghost？〃
　Bronn　smiled　thinly。　〃From　the　winch　towers；　all　we　saw　was　banners　in　the　mud　and　men　throwing　down　their　spears　to　run；　but　there's　hundreds　in　the　pot　shops　and　brothels　who'll　tell　you　how　they　saw　Lord　Renly　kill　this　one　or　that　one。　Most　of　Stannis's　host　had　been　Renly's　to　start；　and　they　went　right　back　over　at　the　sight　of　him　in　that　shiny　green　armor。〃
　After　all　his　planning；　after　the　sortie　and　the　bridge　of　ships；　after　getting　his　face　slashed　in　two；　Tyrion　had　been　eclipsed　by　a　dead　man。　If　indeed　Renly　is　dead。　Something　else　he　would　need　to　look　into。　〃How　did　Stannis　escape？〃
　〃His　Lyseni　kept　their　galleys　out　in　the　bay；　beyond　your　chain。　When　the　battle　turned　bad；　they　put　in　along　the　bay　shore　and　took　off　as　many　as　they　could。　Men　were　killing　each　other　to　get　aboard；　toward　the　end。〃
　〃What　of　Robb　Stark；　what　has　he　been　doing？〃
　〃There's　some　of　his　wolves　burning　their　way　down　toward　Duskendale。　Your　father's　sending　this　Lord　Tarly　to　sort　them　out。　I'd　half　a　mind　to　join　him。　it's　said　he's　a　good　soldier；　and　openhanded　with　the　plunder。〃
　The　thought　of　losing　Bronn　was　the　final　straw。　〃No。　Your　place　is　here。　You're　the　captain　of　the　Hand's　guard。〃
　〃You're　not　the　Hand；〃　Bronn　reminded　him　sharply。　〃Your　father　is；　and　he's　got　his　own　bloody　guard。〃
　〃What　happened　to　all　the　men　you　hired　for　me？〃
　〃Some　died　at　the　winch　towers。　That　uncle　of　yours；　Ser　Kevan；　he　paid　the　rest　of　us　and　tossed　us　out。〃
　〃How　good　of　him；〃　Tyrion　said　acidly。　〃Does　that　mean　you've　lost　your　taste　for　gold？〃
　〃Not　bloody　likely。〃
　〃Good；〃　said　Tyrion；　〃because　as　it　happens；　I　still　have　need　of　you。　What　do　you　know　of　Ser　Mandon　Moore？〃
　Bronn　laughed。　〃I　know　he's　bloody　well　drowned。〃
　〃I　owe　him　a　great　debt；　but　how　to　pay　it？〃　He　touched　his　face；　feeling　the　scar。　〃I　know　precious　little　of　the　man；　if　truth　be　told。
　〃He　had　eyes　like　a　fish　and　he　wore　a　white　cloak。　What　else　do　you　need　to　know？〃
　〃Everything；〃　said　Tyrion；　〃for　a　start。〃　What　he　wanted　was　proof　that　Ser　Mandon　had　been　Cersei's；　but　he　dare　not　say　so　aloud。　In　the　Red　Keep　a　man　did　best　to　hold　his　tongue。　There　were　rats　in　the　walls；　and　little　birds　who　talked　too　much；　and　spiders。　〃Help　me　up；〃　he　said；　struggling　with　the　bedclothes。　〃It's　time　I　paid　a　call　on　my　father；　and　past　time　I　let　myself　be　seen　again。〃
　〃Such　a　pretty　sight；〃　mocked　Bronn。
　〃What's　half　a　nose；　on　a　face　like　mine？　But　speaking　of　pretty；　is　Margaery　Tyrell　in　King's　Landing　yet？〃
　〃No。　She's　ing；　though；　and　the　city's　mad　with　love　for　her。　The　Tyrells　have　been　carting　food　up　from　Highgarden　and　giving　it　away　in　her　name。　Hundreds　of　wayns　each　day。　There's　thousands　of　Tyrell　men　swaggering　about　with　little　golden　roses　sewn　on　their　doublets；　and　not　a　one　is　buying　his　own　wine。　Wife；　widow；　or　whore；　the　women　are　all　giving　up　their　virtue　to　every　peach…fuzz　boy　with　a　gold　rose　on　his　teat。〃
　They　spit　on　me；　and　buy　drinks　for　the　Tyrells。　Tyrion　slid　from　the　bed　to　the　floor。　His　legs　turned　wobbly　beneath　him；　the　room　spun；　and　he　had　to　grasp　Bronn's　arm　to　keep　from　pitching　headlong　into　the　rushes。　〃Pod！〃　he　shouted。　〃Podrick　Payne！　Where　in　the　seven　hells　are　you？〃　Pain　gnawed　at　him　like　a　toothless　dog。　Tyrion　hated　weakness；　especially　his　own。　It　shamed　him；　and　shame　made　him　angry。　〃Pod；　get　in　here！〃
　The　boy　came　running。　When　he　saw　Tyrion　standing　and　clutching　Bronn's　arm；　he　gaped　at　them。　〃My　lord。　You　stood。　Is　that　。　。　。　do　you　。　。　。　do　you　need　wine？　Dreamwine？　Should　I　get　the　maester？　He　said　you　must　stay。　Abed；　I　mean。〃
　〃I　have　stayed　abed　too　long。　Bring　me　some　clean　garb。〃
　〃Garb？〃
　How　the　boy　could　be　so　clearheaded　and　resourceful　in　battle　and　so　confused　at　all　other　times　Tyrion　could　never　prehend。　〃Clothing；〃　he　repeated。　〃Tunic；　doublet；　breeches；　hose。　For　me。　To　dress　in。　So　I　can　leave　this　bloody　cell。〃
　It　took　all　three　of　them　to　clothe　him。　Hideous　though　his　face　might　be；　the　worst　of　his　wounds　was　the　one　at　the　juncture　of　shoulder　and　arm；　where　his　own　mail　had　been　driven　back　into　his　armpit　by　an　arrow。　Pus　and　blood　still　seeped　from　the　discolored　flesh　whenever　Maester　Frenken　changed　his　dressing；　and　any　movement　sent　a　stab　of　agony　through　him。
　In　the　end；　Tyrion　settled　for　a　pair　of　breeches　and　an　oversized　bed　robe　that　hung　loosely　about　his　shoulders。　Bronn　yanked　his　boots　onto　his　feet　while　Pod　went　in　search　of　a　stick　for　him　to　lean　on。　He　drank　a　cup　of　drearnwine　to　fortify　himself。　The　wine　was　sweetened　with　honey；　with　just　enough　of　the　poppy　to　make　his　wounds　bearable　for　a　time。
　Even　so；　he　was　dizzy　by　the　time　he　turned　the　latch；　and　the　descent　down　the　twisting　stone　steps　made　his　legs　tremble。　He　walked　with　the　stick　in　one　hand　and　the　other　on　Pod's　shoulder。　A　serving　girl　was　ing　up　as　they　were　going　down。　She　stared　at　them　with　wide　white　eyes；　as　if　she　were　looking　at　a　ghost。　The　dwarf　has　risen　from　the　dead；　Tyrion　thought。　And　look；　he's　uglier　than　ever；　run　tell　your　friends。
　Maegor's　Holdfast　was　the　strongest　place　in　the　Red　Keep；　a　castle　within　the　castle；　surrounded　by　a　deep　dry　moat　lined　with　spikes。　The　drawbridge　was　up　for　the　night　when　they　reached　the　door。　Ser　Meryn　Trant　stood　before　it　in　his　pale　armor　and　white　cloak。　〃Lower　the　bridge；〃　Tyrion　manded　him。
　〃The　queen's　orders　are　to　raise　the　bridge　at　night。〃　Ser　Meryn　had　always　been　Cersei's　creature。
　〃The　queen's　asleep；　and　I　have　business　with　my　father。〃
　There　was　magic　in　the　name　of　Lord　Tywin　Lannister。　Grumbling；　Ser　Meryn　Trant　gave　the　mand；　and　the　drawbridge　was　lowered。　A　second　Kingsguard　knight　stood　sentry　across　the　moat。　Ser　Osmund　Kettleblack　managed　a　smile　when　he　saw　Tyrion　waddling　toward　him。　〃Feeling　stronger；　m'lord？〃
　〃Much。　When's　the　next　battle？　I　can　scarcely　wait。〃
　When　Pod　and　he　reached　the　serpentine　steps；　however；　Tyrion　could　only　gape　at　them　in　dismay。　I　will　never　climb　those　by　myself；　he　confessed　to　himself。　Swallowing　his　dignity；　he　asked　Brorm　to　carry　him；　hoping　against　hope　that　at　this　hour　there　would　be　no　one　to　see　and　smile；　no　one　to　tell　the　tale　of　the　dwarf　being　carried　up　the　steps　like　a　babe　in　arms。
　The　outer　ward　was　crowded　with　tents　and　pavilions；　dozens　of　them。　〃Tyrell　men；〃　Podrick　Payne　explained　as　they　threaded　their　way　through　a　maze　of　silk　and　canvas。　〃Lord　Rowan's　too；　and　Lord　Redwyne's。　There　wasn't　room　enough　for　all。　In　the　castle；　I　mean。　Some　took　rooms。　Rooms　in　the　city。　In　inns　and　all。　They're　here　for　the　wedding。　The　king's　wedding；　King　Joffrey's。　Will　you　be　strong　enough　to　attend；　my　lord？〃
　〃Ravening　weasels　could　not　keep　me　away。〃　There　was　this　to　be　said　for　weddings　over　battles；　at　least；　it　was　less　likely　that　someone　would　cut　off　your　nose。
　Lights　still　burned　dimly　behind　shuttered　windows　in　the　Tower　of　the　Hand。　The　men　on　the　door　wore　the　crimson　cloaks　and　lion…crested　helms　of　his　father's　household　guard。　Tyrion　knew　them　both；　and　they　admitted　him　on　sight　。　。　。　though　neither　could　bear　to　look　long　at　his　face；　he　noted。
　Within　they　came　upon　Ser　Addam　Marbrand；　descending　the　turnpike　stair　in　the　ornate　black　breastplate　and　clothof　…gold　cloak　of　an　officer　in　the　City　Watch。　〃My　lord；〃　he　said；　〃how　good　to　see　you　on　your　feet。　I'd　heard…〃
　〃…rumors　of　a　small　grave　being　dug？　Me　too。　Under　the　circumstances　it　seemed　best　to　get　up。　I　hear　you're　mander　of　the　City　Watch。　Shall　I　offer　congratulations　or　condolences？〃
　〃Both；　I　fear。〃　Ser　Addam　smiled。　〃Death　and　desertion　have　left　me　with　some　forty…four　hundred。　Only　the　gods　and　Littlefinger　know　how　we　are　to　go　on　paying　wages　for　so　many；　but　your　sister　forbids　me　to　dismiss　any。〃
　Still　anxious；　Cersei？　The　battle's　done；　the　gold　cloaks　won't　help　you　now　〃Do　you　e　from　my　father？〃　he　asked。
　〃Aye。　I　fear　I　did　not　leave　him　in　the　best　of　moods。　Lord　Tywin　feels　forty…four　hundred　guardsmen　more　than　sufficient　to　find　one　lost　squire；　but　your　cousin　Tyrek　remains　missing。〃
　Tyrek　was　the　son　of　his　late　Uncle　Tygett；　a　boy　of　thirteen。　He　had　vanished　in　the　riot；　not　long　after　wedding