grrm.astormofswords-第21部分

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o　resist。　Your　uncle　did　not　know　me　by　sight；　so　I　had　no　fear　from　that　quarter；　and　I　did　not　think　your　father　was　like　to　remember　a　young　crow　he'd　met　briefly　years　before。　I　wanted　to　see　this　Robert　with　my　own　eyes；　king　to　king；　and　get　the　measure　of　your　uncle　Benjen　as　well。　He　was　First　Ranger　by　then；　and　the　bane　of　all　my　people。　So　I　saddled　my　fleetest　horse；　and　rode。〃
　〃But；〃　Jon　objected；　〃the　Wall　。　。　。〃
　〃The　Wall　can　stop　an　army；　but　not　a　man　alone。　I　took　a　lute　and　a　bag　of　silver；　scaled　the　ice　near　Long　Barrow；　walked　a　few　leagues　south　of　the　New　Gift；　and　bought　a　horse。　All　in　all　I　made　much　better　time　than　Robert；　who　was　traveling　with　a　ponderous　great　wheelhouse　to　keep　his　queen　in　fort。　A　day　south　of　Winterfell　I　came　up　on　him　and　fell　in　with　his　pany。　Freeriders　and　hedge　knights　are　always　attaching　themselves　to　royal　processions；　in　hopes　of　finding　service　with　the　king；　and　my　lute　gained　me　easy　acceptance。〃　He　laughed。　〃I　know　every　bawdy　song　that's　ever　been　made；　north　or　south　of　the　Wall。　So　there　you　are。　The　night　your　father　feasted　Robert；　I　sat　in　the　back　of　his　hall　on　a　bench　with　the　other　freeriders；　listening　to　Orland　of　Oldtown　play　the　high　harp　and　sing　of　dead　kings　beneath　the　sea。　I　betook　of　your　lord　father's　meat　and　mead；　had　a　look　at　Kingslayer　and　Imp　。　。　。　and　made　passing　note　of　Lord　Eddard's　children　and　the　wolf　pups　that　ran　at　their　heels。〃
　〃Bael　the　Bard；〃　said　Jon；　remembering　the　tale　that　Ygritte　had　told　him　in　the　Frostfangs；　the　night　he'd　almost　killed　her。
　〃Would　that　I　were。　I　will　not　deny　that　Bael's　exploit　inspired　mine　own　。　。　。　but　I　did　not　steal　either　of　your　sisters　that　I　recall。　Bael　wrote　his　own　songs；　and　lived　them。　I　only　sing　the　songs　that　better　men　have　made。　More　mead？〃
　〃No；〃　said　Jon。　〃if　you　had　been　discovered　。　。　。　taken　。　。　。
　〃Your　father　would　have　had　my　head　off。〃　The　king　gave　a　shrug。　〃Though　once　I　had　eaten　at　his　board　I　was　protected　by　guest　right。　The　laws　of　hospitality　are　as　old　as　the　First　Men；　and　sacred　as　a　heart　tree。〃　He　gestured　at　the　board　between　them；　the　broken　bread　and　chicken　bones。　〃Here　you　are　the　guest；　and　safe　from　harm　at　my　hands　。　。　。　this　night；　at　least。　So　tell　me　truly；　Jon　Snow。　Are　you　a　craven　who　turned　your　cloak　from　fear；　or　is　there　another　reason　that　brings　you　to　my　tent？〃
　Guest　right　or　no；　Jon　Snow　knew　he　walked　on　rotten　ice　here。　One　false　step　and　he　might　plunge　through；　into　water　cold　enough　to　stop　his　heart。　Weigh　every　word　before　you　speak　it；　he　told　himself。　He　took　a　long　draught　of　mead　to　buy　time　for　his　answer。　When　he　set　the　horn　aside　he　said；　〃Tell　me　why　you　turned　your　cloak；　and　I'll　tell　you　why　I　turned　mine。〃
　Mance　Rayder　smiled；　as　Jon　had　hoped　he　would。　The　king　was　plainly　a　man　who　liked　the　sound　of　his　own　voice。　〃You　will　have　heard　stories　of　my　desertion；　I　have　no　doubt。〃
　〃Some　say　it　was　for　a　crown。　Some　say　for　a　woman。　Others　that　you　had　the　wildling　blood。〃
　〃The　wildling　blood　is　the　blood　of　the　First　Men；　the　same　blood　that　flows　in　the　veins　of　the　Starks。　As　to　a　crown；　do　you　see　one？〃
　〃I　see　a　woman。〃　He　glanced　at　Dalla。
　Mance　took　her　by　the　hand　and　pulled　her　close。　〃My　lady　is　blameless。　I　met　her　on　my　return　from　your　father's　castle。　The　Halfhand　was　carved　of　old　oak；　but　I　am　made　of　flesh；　and　I　have　a　great　fondness　for　the　charms　of　women　。　。　。　which　makes　me　no　different　from　threequarters　of　the　Watch。　There　are　men　still　wearing　black　who　have　had　ten　times　as　many　women　as　this　poor　king。　You　must　guess　again；　Jon　Snow。〃
　Jon　considered　a　moment。　〃The　Halfhand　said　you　had　a　passion　for　wildling　music。〃
　〃I　did。　I　do。　That's　closer　to　the　mark；　yes。　But　not　a　hit。〃　Mance　Rayder　rose；　unfastened　the　clasp　that　held　his　cloak；　and　swept　it　over　the　bench。　〃It　was　for　this。〃
　〃A　cloak？〃
　〃The　black　wool　cloak　of　a　Sworn　Brother　of　the　Night's　Watch；〃　said　the　King…beyond…the…Wall。　〃One　day　on　a　ranging　we　brought　down　a　fine　big　elk。　We　were　skinning　it　when　the　smell　of　blood　drew　a　shadowcat　out　of　its　lair。　I　drove　it　off；　but　not　before　it　shredded　my　cloak　to　ribbons。　Do　you　see？　Here；　here；　and　here？〃　He　chuckled。　〃It　shredded　my　arm　and　back　as　well；　and　I　bled　worse　than　the　elk。　My　brothers　feared　I　might　die　before　they　got　me　back　to　Maester　Mullin　at　the　Shadow　Tower；　so　they　carried　me　to　a　wildling　village　where　we　knew　an　old　wisewoman　did　some　healing。　She　was　dead；　as　it　happened；　but　her　daughter　saw　to　me。　Cleaned　my　wounds；　sewed　me　up；　and　fed　me　porridge　and　potions　until　I　was　strong　enough　to　ride　again。　And　she　sewed　up　the　rents　in　my　cloak　as　well；　with　some　scarlet　silk　from　Asshai　that　her　grandmother　had　pulled　from　the　wreck　of　a　cog　washed　up　on　the　Frozen　Shore。　It　was　the　greatest　treasure　she　had；　and　her　gift　to　me。〃　He　swept　the　cloak　back　over　his　shoulders。　〃But　at　the　Shadow　Tower；　I　was　given　a　new　wool　cloak　from　stores；　black　and　black；　and　trimmed　with　black；　to　go　with　my　black　breeches　and　black　boots；　my　black　doublet　and　black　mail。　The　new　cloak　had　no　frays　nor　rips　nor　tears　。　。　。　and　most　of　all；　no　red。　The　men　of　the　Night's　Watch　dressed　in　black；　Ser　Denys　Mallister　reminded　me　sternly；　as　if　I　had　forgotten。　My　old　cloak　was　fit　for　burning　now；　he　said。
　〃I　left　the　next　morning　。　。　。　for　a　place　where　a　kiss　was　not　a　crime；　and　a　man　could　wear　any　cloak　he　chose。〃　He　closed　the　clasp　and　sat　back　down　again。　〃And　you；　Jon　Snow？〃
　Jon　took　another　swallow　of　mead。　There　is　only　one　tale　that　he　might　believe。　〃You　say　you　were　at　Winterfell；　the　night　my　father　feasted　King　Robert。〃
　〃I　did　say　it；　for　I　was。〃
　〃Then　you　saw　us　all。　Prince　Joffrey　and　Prince　Tommen；　Princess　Myrcella；　my　brothers　Robb　and　Bran　and　Rickon；　my　sisters　Arya　and　Sansa。　You　saw　them　walk　the　center　aisle　with　every　eye　upon　them　and　take　their　seats　at　the　table　just　below　the　dais　where　the　king　and　queen　were　seated。〃
　〃I　remember。〃
　〃And　did　you　see　where　I　was　seated；　Mance？〃　He　leaned　forward。　〃Did　you　see　where　they　put　the　bastard？〃
　Mance　Rayder　looked　at　Jon's　face　for　a　long　moment。　〃I　think　we　had　best　find　you　a　new　cloak；〃　the　king　said；　holding　out　his　hand。
　
　CHAPTER　8
　DAENERYS
　
　A　cross　the　still　blue　water　came　the　slow　steady　beat　of　drums　and　the　soft　swish　of　oars　from　the　galleys。　The　great　cog　groaned　in　their　wake；　the　heavy　lines　stretched　taut　between。　Balerion's　sails　hung　limp；　drooping　forlorn　from　the　masts。　Yet　even　so；　as　she　stood　upon　the　forecastle　watching　her　dragons　chase　each　other　across　a　cloudless　blue　sky；　Daenerys　Targaryen　was　as　happy　as　she　could　ever　remember　being。
　Her　Dothraki　called　the　sea　the　poison　water；　distrusting　any　liquid　that　their　horses　could　not　drink。　On　the　day　the　three　ships　had　lifted　anchor　at　Qarth；　you　would　have　thought　they　were　sailing　to　hell　instead　of　Pentos。　Her　brave　young　bloodriders　had　stared　off　at　the　dwindling　coastline　with　huge　white　eyes；　each　of　the　three　determined　to　show　no　fear　before　the　other　two；　while　her　handmaids　Irri　and　Jhiqui　clutched　the　rail　desperately　and　retched　over　the　side　at　every　little　swell。　The　rest　of　Dany's　tiny　khalasar　remained　below　decks；　preferring　the　pany　of　their　nervous　horses　to　the　terrifying　landless　world　about　the　ships。　When　a　sudden　squall　had　enveloped　them　six　days　into　the　voyage；　she　heard　them　through　the　hatches；　the　horses　kicking　and　screaming；　the　riders　praying　in　thin　quavery　voices　each　time　Balerion　heaved　or　swayed。
　No　squall　could　frighten　Dany；　though。　Daenerys　Stormborn；　she　was　called；　for　she　had　e　howling　into　the　world　on　distant　Dragonstone　as　the　greatest　storm　in　the　memory　of　Westeros　howled　outside；　a　storm　so　fierce　that　it　ripped　gargoyles　from　the　castle　walls　and　smashed　her　father's　fleet　to　kindling。
　The　narrow　sea　was　often　stormy；　and　Dany　had　crossed　it　half　a　hundred　times　as　a　girl；　running　from　one　Free　City　to　the　next　half　a　step　ahead　of　the　Usurper's　hired　knives。　She　loved　the　sea。　She　liked　the　sharp　salty　smell　of　the　air；　and　the　vastness　of　horizons　bounded　only　by　a　vault　of　azure　sky　above。　It　made　her　feel　small；　but　free　as　well。　She　liked　the　dolphins　that　sometimes　swam　along　beside　Balerion；　slicing　through　the　waves　like　silvery　spears；　and　the　flying　fish　they　glimpsed　now　and　again。　She　even　liked　the　sailors；　with　all　their　songs　and　stories。　Once　on　a　voyage　to　Braavos；　as　she'd　watched　the　crew　wrestle　down　a　great　green　sail　in　a　rising　gale；　she　had　even　thought　how　fine　it　would　be　to　be　a　sailor。　But　when　she　told　her　brother；　Viserys　had　twisted　her　hair　until　she　cried。　〃You　are　blood　of　the　dragon；〃　he　had　screamed　at　her。　〃A　dragon；　not　some　smelly　fish。〃
　He　was　a　fool　about　that；　and　so　much　else；　Dany　thought。　If　he　had　been　wiser　and　more　patient；　it　would　be　him　sailing　west　to　take　the　throne　that　was　his　by　rights。　Viserys　had　been　stupid　and　vicious；　she　had　e　to　realize；　yet　sometimes　she　missed　him　all　the　same。　Not　the　cruel　weak　man　he　had　bee　by　the　end；　but　the　brother　who　had　sometimes　let　her　creep　into　his　bed；　the　boy　who　told　her　tales　of　the　Seven　Kingdoms；　and　talked　of　how　much　better　their　lives　would　be　once　he　claimed　his　crown。
　The　captain　appeared　at　her　elbow。　〃Would　that　this　Balerion　could　soar　as　her　namesake　did；　Your　Grace；〃　he　said　in　bastard　Valyrian　heavily　flavored　with　accents　of　Pentos。　〃Then　we　should　not　need　to　row；　nor　tow；　nor　pray　for　wind。〃
　〃Just　so；　Captain；〃　she　answered　with　a　smile；　pleased　to　have　won　the　man　over。　Captain　Groleo　was　an　old　Pentoshi　like　his　master；　Illyrio　Mopatis；　and　he　had　been　nervous　as　a　maiden　about　carrying　three　dragons　on　his　ship。　Half　a　hundred　buckets　of　seawater　still　hung　from　the　gunwales；　in　case　of　fires。　At　first　Groleo　had　wanted　the　dragons　caged　and　Dany　had　consented　to　put　his　fears　at　ease；　but　their　misery　was　so　palpable　that　she　soon　changed　her　mind　and　insisted　they　be　freed。
　Even　Captain　Groleo　was　glad　of　that；　now。　There　had　been　one　small　fire；　easily　extinguished；　against　that；　Balerion　suddenly　seemed　to　have　far　fewer　rats　than　she'd　had　before；　when　she　sailed　under　th