grrm.astormofswords-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　the　other　wolves　came　hurtling　from　the　darkness　and　the　rain；　a　great　pack　of　them；　gaunt　and　wet　and　silent。
　The　fight　was　short　but　bloody。　The　hairy　man　went　down　as　he　unslung　his　axe；　the　dark　one　died　stringing　an　arrow；　and　the　pale　man　from　Lys　tried　to　bolt。　Her　brothers　and　sisters　ran　him　down；　turning　him　again　and　again；　ing　at　him　from　all　sides；　snapping　at　the　legs　of　his　horse　and　tearing　the　throat　from　the　rider　when　he　came　crashing　to　the　earth。
　Only　the　belled　man　stood　his　ground。　His　horse　kicked　in　the　head　of　one　of　her　sisters；　and　he　cut　another　almost　in　half　with　his　curved　silvery　claw　as　his　hair　tinkled　softly。
　Filled　with　rage；　she　leapt　onto　his　back；　knocking　him　head…first　from　his　saddle。　Her　jaws　locked　on　his　arm　as　they　fell；　her　teeth　sinking　through　the　leather　and　wool　and　soft　flesh。　When　they　landed　she　gave　a　savage　jerk　with　her　head　and　ripped　the　limb　loose　from　his　shoulder。　Exulting；　she　shook　it　back　and　forth　in　her　mouth；　scattering　the　warm　red　droplets　amidst　the　cold　black　rain。
　
　CHAPTER　4
　TYRION
　
　He　woke　to　the　creak　of　old　iron　hinges。
　〃Who？〃　he　croaked。　At　least　he　had　his　voice　back；　raw　and　hoarse　though　it　was。　The　fever　was　still　on　him；　and　Tyrion　had　no　notion　of　the　hour。　How　long　had　he　slept　this　time？　He　was　so　weak；　so　damnably　weak。　〃Who？〃　he　called　again；　more　loudly。　Torchlight　spilled　through　the　open　door；　but　within　the　chamber　the　only　light　came　from　the　stub　of　a　candle　beside　his　bed。
　When　he　saw　a　shape　moving　toward　him；　Tyrion　shivered。　Here　in　Maegor's　Holdfast；　every　servant　was　in　the　queen's　pay；　so　any　visitor　might　be　another　of　Cersei's　catspaws；　sent　to　finish　the　work　Ser　Mandon　had　begun。
　Then　the　man　stepped　into　the　candlelight；　got　a　good　look　at　the　dwarf's　pale　face；　and　chortled。　〃Cut　yourself　shaving；　did　you？〃
　Tyrion's　fingers　went　to　the　great　gash　that　ran　from　above　one　eye　down　to　his　jaw；　across　what　remained　of　his　nose。　The　proud　flesh　was　still　raw　and　warm　to　the　touch。　〃With　a　fearful　big　razor；　yes。〃
　Bronn's　coal…black　hair　was　freshly　washed　and　brushed　straight　back　from　the　hard　lines　of　his　face；　and　he　was　dressed　in　high　boots　of　soft；　tooled　leather；　a　wide　belt　studded　with　nuggets　of　silver；　and　a　cloak　of　pale　green　silk。　Across　the　dark　grey　wool　of　his　doublet；　a　burning　chain　was　embroidered　diagonally　in　bright　green　thread。
　〃Where　have　you　been？〃　Tyrion　demanded　of　him。　〃I　sent　for　you　。　。　。　it　must　have　been　a　fortnight　ago。〃
　〃Four　days　ago；　more　like；〃　the　sellsword　said；　〃and　I've　been　here　twice；　and　found　you　dead　to　the　world。〃
　〃Not　dead。　Though　my　sweet　sister　did　try。〃　Perhaps　he　should　not　have　said　that　aloud；　but　Tyrion　was　past　caring。　Cersei　was　behind　Ser　Mandon's　attempt　to　kill　him；　he　knew　that　in　his　gut。　〃What's　that　ugly　thing　on　your　chest？〃
　Brorm　grinned。　〃My　knightly　sigil。　A　flaming　chain；　green；　on　a　smokegrey　field。　By　your　lord　father's　mand；　I'm　Ser　Bronn　of　the　Blackwater　now；　Imp。　See　you　don't　forget　it。〃
　Tyrion　put　his　hands　on　the　featherbed　and　squirmed　back　a　few　inches；　against　the　pillows。　〃I　was　the　one　who　promised　you　knighthood；　remember？　〃　He　had　liked　that　〃by　your　lord　father's　mand〃　not　at　all。　Lord　Tywin　had　wasted　little　time。　Moving　his　son　from　the　Tower　of　the　Hand　to　claim　it　for　himself　was　a　message　anyone　could　read；　and　this　was　another。　〃I　lose　half　my　nose　and　you　gain　a　knighthood。　The　gods　have　a　deal　to　answer　for。〃　His　voice　was　sour。　〃Did　my　father　dub　you　himself　？〃
　〃No。　Them　of　us　as　survived　the　fight　at　the　winch　towers　got　ourselves　dabbed　by　the　High　Septon　and　dubbed　by　the　Kingsguard。　Took　half　the　bloody　day；　with　only　three　of　the　White　Swords　left　to　do　the　honors。〃
　〃I　knew　Ser　Mandon　died　in　the　battle。〃　Shoved　into　the　river　by　Pod；　half　a　heartbeat　before　the　treacherous　bastard　could　drive　his　sword　through　my　heart。　〃Who　else　was　lost？〃
　〃The　Hound；〃　said　Bronn。　〃Not　dead；　only　gone。　The　gold　cloaks　say　he　turned　craven　and　you　led　a　sortie　in　his　place。〃
　Not　one　of　my　better　notions。　Tyrion　could　feel　the　scar　tissue　pull　tight　when　he　frowned。　He　waved　Brorm　toward　a　chair。　〃My　sister　has　mistaken　me　for　a　mushroom。　She　keeps　me　in　the　dark　and　feeds　me　shit。　Pod's　a　good　lad；　but　the　knot　in　his　tongue　is　the　size　of　Casterly　Rock；　and　I　don't　trust　half　of　what　he　tells　me。　I　sent　him　to　bring　Ser　jacelyn　and　he　came　back　and　told　me　he's　dead。〃
　〃Him；　and　thousands　more。〃　Bronn　sat。
　〃How？〃　Tyrion　demanded；　feeling　that　much　sicker。
　〃During　the　battle。　Your　sister　sent　the　Kettleblacks　to　fetch　the　king　back　to　the　Red　Keep；　the　way　I　hear　it。　When　the　gold　cloaks　saw　him　leaving　half　of　them　decided　they'd　leave　with　him。　Ironhand　put　himself　in　their　path　and　tried　to　order　them　back　to　the　walls。　They　say　Bywater　was　blistering　them　good　and　almost　had'em　ready　to　turn　when　someone　put　an　arrow　through　his　neck。　He　didn't　seem　so　fearsome　then；　so　they　dragged　him　off　his　horse　and　killed　him。〃
　Another　debt　to　lay　at　Cersei's　door。　〃My　nephew；〃　he　said；　〃Joffrey。　Was　he　in　any　danger？〃
　〃No　more'n　some；　and　less　than　most。〃
　〃Had　he　suffered　any　harm？　Taken　a　wound？　Mussed　his　hair；　stubbed　his　toe；　cracked　a　nail？〃
　〃Not　as　I　heard。〃
　〃I　warned　Cersei　what　would　happen。　Who　mands　the　gold　cloaks　now？〃
　〃Your　lord　father's　given　them　to　one　of　his　westermen；　some　knight　named　Addam　Marbrand。〃
　In　most　cases　the　gold　cloaks　would　have　resented　having　an　outsider　placed　over　them；　but　Ser　Addam　Marbrand　was　a　shrewd　choice。　Like　Jaime；　he　was　the　sort　of　man　other　men　liked　to　follow。　I　have　lost　the　City　Watch。　〃I　sent　Pod　looking　for　Shagga；　but　he's　had　no　luck。〃
　〃The　Stone　Crows　are　still　in　the　kingswood。　Shagga　seems　to　have　taken　a　fancy　to　the　place。　Timett　led　the　Burned　Men　home；　with　all　the　plunder　they　took　from　Stannis's　camp　after　the　fighting。　Chella　turned　up　with　a　dozen　Black　Ears　at　the　River　Gate　one　morning；　but　your　father's　red　cloaks　chased　them　off　while　the　Kingslanders　threw　dung　and　cheered。〃
　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