grrm.astormofswords-第128章

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　gently　you　treated　me。〃　Any　other　answer；　he　knew；　and　Bolton　would　give　him　back　to　the　goat。　〃Had　I　a　hand；　I'd　write　it　out。　How　I　was　maimed　by　the　sellsword　my　own　father　brought　to　Westeros；　and　saved　by　the　noble　Lord　Bolton。〃
　〃I　will　trust　to　your　word；　ser。〃
　There's　something　I　don't　often　hear。　〃How　soon　might　we　be　permitted　to　leave？　And　how　do　you　mean　to　get　me　past　all　these　wolves　and　brigands　and　Karstarks？〃
　〃You　will　leave　when　Qyburn　says　you　are　strong　enough；　with　a　strong　escort　of　picked　men　under　the　mand　of　my　captain；　Walton。　Steelshanks；　he　is　called。　A　soldier　of　iron　loyalty。　Walton　will　see　you　safe　and　whole　to　King's　Landing。〃
　〃Provided　Lady　Catelyn's　daughters　are　delivered　safe　and　whole　as　well；〃　said　the　wench。　〃My　lord；　your　man　Walton's　protection　is　wele；　but　the　girls　are　my　charge。〃
　The　Lord　of　the　Dreadfort　gave　her　an　uninterested　glance。　〃The　girls　need　not　concern　you　any　further；　my　lady。　The　Lady　Sansa　is　the　dwarf's　wife；　only　the　gods　can　part　them　now。〃
　〃His　wife？〃　Brienne　said；　appalled。　〃The　Imp？　But　。　。　。　he　swore；　before　the　whole　court；　in　sight　of　gods　and　men　。　。　。〃
　She　is　such　an　innocent。　Jaime　was　almost　as　surprised；　if　truth　be　told；　but　he　hid　it　better。　Sansa　Stark；　that　ought　to　put　a　smile　on　Tyrion's　face。　He　remembered　how　happy　his　brother　had　been　with　his　little　crofter's　daughter　。　。　。　for　a　fortnight。
　〃What　the　Imp　did　or　did　nor　swear　scarcely　matters　now；〃　said　Lord　Bolton。　〃Least　of　all　to　you。〃　The　wench　looked　almost　wounded。　Perhaps　she　finally　felt　the　steel　jaws　of　the　trap　when　Roose　Bolton　beckoned　to　his　guards。　〃Ser　Jaime　will　continue　on　to　King's　Landing。　I　said　nothing　about　you；　I　fear。　it　would　be　unconscionable　of　me　to　deprive　Lord　Vargo　of　both　his　prizes。〃　The　Lord　of　the　Dreadfort　reached　out　to　pick　another　prune。　〃Were　I　you；　my　lady；　I　should　worry　less　about　Starks　and　rather　more　about　sapphires。
　
　CHAPTER　38
　TYRION
　
　A　horse　whickered　impatiently　behind　him；　from　amidst　the　ranks　of　gold　cloaks　drawn　up　across　the　road。　Tyrion　could　hear　Lord　Gyles　coughing　as　well。　He　had　not　asked　for　Gyles；　no　more　than　he'd　asked　for　Ser　Addam。　or　Jalabhar　Xho　or　any　of　the　rest；　but　his　lord　father　felt　Doran　Martell　might　take　it　ill　if　only　a　dwarf　came　out　to　escort　him　across　the　Blackwater。
　Joffrey　should　have　met　the　Dornishmen　himself；　he　reflected　as　he　sat　waiting；　but　he　would　have　mucked　it　up；　no　doubt。　Of　late　the　king　had　been　repeating　little　jests　about　the　Dornish　that　he'd　picked　up　from　Mace　Tyrell's　men…atarms。　How　many　Dornishmen　does　it　take　to　shoe　a　horse？　Nine。　One　to　do　the　shoeing；　and　eight　to　lift　the　horse　up。　Somehow　Tyrion　did　not　think　Doran　Martell　would　find　that　amusing。
　He　could　see　their　banners　flying　as　the　riders　emerged　from　the　green　of　the　living　wood　in　a　long　dusty　column。　From　here　to　the　river；　only　bare　black　trees　remained；　a　legacy　of　his　battle。　Too　many　banners；　he　thought　sourly；　as　he　watched　the　ashes　kick　up　under　the　hooves　of　the　approaching　horses；　as　they　had　beneath　the　hooves　of　the　Tyrell　van　as　it　smashed　Stannis　in　the　flank。　Martell's　brought　half　the　lords　of　Dorne；　by　the　look　of　it。　He　tried　to　think　of　some　good　that　might　e　of　that；　and　failed。　〃How　many　banners　do　you　count？〃　he　asked　Brorm。
　The　sellsword　knight　shaded　his　eyes。　〃Eight　。　。　。　no；　nine。〃
　Tyrion　turned　in　his　saddle。　〃Pod；　e　up　here。　Describe　the　arms　you　see；　and　tell　me　which　houses　they　represent。〃
　Podrick　Payne　edged　his　gelding　closer。　He　was　carrying　the　royal　standard；　Joffrey's　great　stag…and…lion；　and　struggling　with　its　weight。
　Bronn　bore　Tyrion's　own　banner；　the　lion　of　Lannister　gold　on　crimson。　He's　getting　taller；　Tyrion　realized　as　Pod　stood　in　his　stirrups　for　a　better　look。　He'll　soon　tower　over　me　like　all　the　rest。　The　lad　had　been　making　a　diligent　study　of　Domish　heraldry；　at　Tyrion's　mand；　but　as　ever　he　was　nervous。　〃I　can't　see。　The　wind　is　flapping　them。〃
　〃Bronn；　tell　the　boy　what　you　see。〃
　Bronn　looked　very　much　the　knight　today；　in　his　new　doublet　and　cloak；　the　flaming　chain　across　his　chest。　〃A　red　sun　on　orange；〃　he　called；　〃with　a　spear　through　its　back。〃
　〃Martell；〃　Podrick　Payne　said　at　once；　visibly　relieved。　〃House　Martell　of　Sunspear；　my　lord。　The　Prince　of　Dome。〃
　〃My　horse　would　have　known　that　one；〃　said　Tyrion　dryly。　〃Give　him　another；　Bronn。〃
　〃There's　a　purple　flag　with　yellow　balls。
　〃Lemons？〃　Pod　said　hopefully。　〃A　purple　fleld　strewn　with　lemons？　For　House　Dalt？　Of；　of　Lemonwood。〃
　〃Might　be。　Next's　a　big　black　bird　on　yellow。　Something　pink　or　white　in　its　claws；　hard　to　say　with　the　banner　flapping。〃
　〃The　vulture　of　Blackmont　grasps　a　baby　in　its　talons；〃　said　Pod。　〃House　Blackmont　of　Blackmont；　ser。〃
　Bronn　laughed。　〃Reading　books　again？　Books　will　ruin　your　sword　eye；　boy。　I　see　a　skull　too。　A　black　banner。〃
　〃The　crowned　skull　of　House　Manwoody；　bone　and　gold　on　black。〃　Pod　sounded　more　confident　with　every　correct　answer。　〃The　Manwoodys　of　Kingsgrave。〃
　〃Three　black　spiders？〃
　〃They're　scorpions；　ser。　House　Qorgyle　of　Sandstone；　three　scorpions　black　on　red。〃
　〃Red　and　yellow；　a　jagged　line　between。〃
　〃The　flames　of　Hellholt。　House　Uller。〃
　Tyrion　was　impressed。　The　boy's　not　half　stupid；　once　he　gets　his　tongue　untied。　〃Go　on；　Pod；〃　he　urged。　〃If　you　get　them　all；　I'll　make　you　a　gift。〃
　〃A　pie　with　red　and　black　slices；〃　said　Bronn。　〃There's　a　gold　hand　in　the　middle。〃
　〃House　Allyrion　of　Godsgrace。〃
　〃A　red　chicken　eating　a　snake；　looks　like。〃
　〃The　Gargalens　of　Salt　Shore。　A　cockatrice。　Ser。　Pardon。　Not　a　chicken。　Red；　with　a　black　snake　in　its　beak。〃
　〃Very　good！〃　exclaimed　Tyrion。　〃One　more；　lad。〃
　Bronn　scanned　the　ranks　of　the　approaching　Domishmen。　〃The　last's　a　golden　feather　on　green　checks。〃
　〃A　golden　quill；　ser。　Jordayne　of　the　Tor。〃
　Tyrion　laughed。　〃Nine；　and　well　done。　I　could　not　have　named　them　all　myself。〃　That　was　a　lie；　but　it　would　give　the　boy　some　pride；　and　that　he　badly　needed。
　Martell　brings　some　formidable　panions；　it　would　seem。　Not　one　of　the　houses　Pod　had　named　was　small　or　insignificant。　Nine　of　the　greatest　lords　of　Dorne　were　ing　up　the　kingsroad；　them　or　their　heirs；　and　somehow　Tyrion　did　not　think　they　had　e　all　this　way　just　to　see　the　dancing　bear。　There　was　a　message　here。　And　not　one　I　like。　He　wondered　if　it　had　been　a　mistake　to　ship　Myrcella　down　to　Sunspear。
　〃My　lord；〃　Pod　said；　a　little　timidly；　〃there's　no　litter。〃
　Tyrion　turned　his　head　sharply。　The　boy　was　right。
　〃Doran　Martell　always　travels　in　a　litter；〃　the　boy　said。　〃A　carved　litter　with　silk　hangings；　and　suns　on　the　drapes。〃
　Tyrion　had　heard　the　same　talk。　Prince　Doran　was　past　fifty；　and　gouty。　He　may　have　wanted　to　make　faster　time；　he　told　himself。　He　may　have　feared　his　litter　would　make　too　tempting　a　target　for　brigands；　or　that　it　would　prove　too　cumbersome　in　the　high　passes　of　the　Boneway。　Perhaps　his　gout　is　better。
　So　why　did　he　have　such　a　bad　feeling　about　this？
　This　waiting　was　intolerable。　〃Banners　forward；〃　he　snapped。　〃We'll　meet　them。〃　He　kicked　his　horse。　Bronn　and　Pod　followed；　one　to　either　side。　When　the　Dornishmen　saw　them　ing；　they　spurred　their　own　mounts；　banners　rippling　as　they　rode。　From　their　ornate　saddles　were　slung　the　round　metal　shields　they　favored；　and　many　carried　bundles　of　short　throwing　spears；　or　the　double…curved　Dornish　bows　they　used　so　well　from　horseback。
　There　were　three　sorts　of　Dornishmen；　the　first　King　Daeron　had　observed。　There　were　the　salty　Dornishmen　who　lived　along　the　coasts；　the　sandy　Dornishmen　of　the　deserts　and　long　river　valleys；　and　the　stony　Dornishmen　who　made　their　fastnesses　in　the　passes　and　heights　of　the　Red　Mountains。　The　salty　Domishmen　had　the　most　Rhoynish　blood；　the　stony　Dornishmen　the　least。
　All　three　sorts　seemed　well　represented　in　Doran's　retinue。　The　salty　Dornishmen　were　lithe　and　dark；　with　smooth　olive　skin　and　long　black　hair　streaming　in　the　wind。　The　sandy　Dornishmen　were　even　darker；　their　faces　burned　brown　by　the　hot　Dornish　sun。　They　wound　long　bright　scarfs　around　their　helms　to　ward　off　sunstroke。　The　stony　Dornishmen　were　biggest　and