grrm.astormofswords-第149章

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go　blindly　here。　I　want　to　know　where　the　armies　are；　the　wolves　and　lions　both。　Shama　will　know　something；　and　Lord　Vance's　maester　will　know　more。　Acorn　Hall's　not　far。　Lady　Smallwood　will　shelter　us　for　a　time　while　we　send　scouts　ahead　to　learn　。　。　。〃
　His　words　beat　at　her　ears　like　the　pounding　of　a　drum；　and　suddenly　it　was　more　than　Arya　could　stand。　She　wanted　Riverrun；　not　Acorn　Hall；　she　wanted　her　mother　and　her　brother　Robb；　not　Lady　Smallwood　or　some　uncle　she　never　knew。　Whirling；　she　broke　for　the　door；　and　when　Harwin　tried　to　grab　her　arm　she　spun　away　from　him　quick　as　a　snake。
　Outside　the　stables　the　rain　was　still　falling；　and　distant　lightning　flashed　in　the　west。　Arya　ran　as　fast　as　she　could。　She　did　not　know　where　she　was　going；　only　that　she　wanted　to　be　alone；　away　from　all　the　voices；　away　from　their　hollow　words　and　broken　promises。　All　I　wanted　was　to　go　to　Riverrun。　It　was　her　own　fault；　for　taking　Gendry　and　Hot　Pie　with　her　when　she　left　Harrenhal。　She　would　have　been　better　alone。　If　she　had　been　alone；　the　outlaws　would　never　have　caught　her；　and　she'd　be　with　Robb　and　her　mother　by　now。　They　were　never　my　pack。　If　they　had　been；　they　wouldn't　leave　me。　She　splashed　through　a　puddle　of　muddy　water。　Someone　was　shouting　her　name；　Harwin　probably；　or　Gendry；　but　the　thunder　drowned　them　out　as　it　rolled　across　the　hills；　half　a　heartbeat　behind　the　lightning。　The　lightning　lord；　she　thought　angrily。　Maybe　he　couldn't　die；　but　he　could　lie。
　Somewhere　off　to　her　left　a　horse　whinnied。　Arya　couldn't　have　gone　more　than　fifty　yards　from　the　stables；　yet　already　she　was　soaked　to　the　bone。　She　ducked　around　the　corner　of　one　of　the　tumbledown　houses；　hoping　the　mossy　walls　would　keep　the　rain　off；　and　almost　bowled　right　into　one　of　the　sentries。　A　mailed　hand　closed　hard　around　her　arm。
　〃You're　hurting　me；〃　she　said；　twisting　in　his　grasp。　〃Let　go；　I　was　going　to　go　back；　I　。　。　。〃
　〃Back？〃　Sandor　Clegane's　laughter　was　iron　scraping　over　stone。　〃Bugger　that；　wolf　girl。　You're　mine。〃　He　needed　only　one　hand　to　yank　her　off　her　feet　and　drag　her　kicking　toward　his　waiting　horse。　The　cold　rain　lashed　them　both　and　washed　away　her　shouts；　and　all　that　Arya　could　think　of　was　the　question　he　had　asked　her。　Do　you　know　what　dogs　do　to　wolves？
　
　CHAPTER　44
　JAIME
　
　Though　his　fever　lingered　stubbornly；　the　stump　was　healing　clean；　and　Qybum　said　his　arm　was　no　longer　in　danger。　Jaime　was　anxious　to　be　gone；　to　put　Harrenhal；　the　Bloody　Mummers；　and　Brienne　of　Tarth　all　behind　him。　A　real　woman　waited　for　him　in　the　Red　Keep。
　〃I　am　sending　Qybum　with　you；　to　look　after　you　on　the　way　to　King's　Landing；〃　Roose　Bolton　said　on　the　mom　of　their　departure。　〃He　has　a　fond　hope　that　your　father　will　force　the　Citadel　to　give　him　back　his　chain；　in　gratitude。〃
　〃We　all　have　fond　hopes。　If　he　grows　me　back　a　hand；　my　father　will　make　him　Grand　Maester。〃
　Steelshanks　Walton　manded　Jaime's　escort；　blunt；　brusque；　brutal；　at　heart　a　simple　soldier。　Jaime　had　served　with　his　sort　all　his　life。　Men　like　Walton　would　kill　at　their　lord's　mand；　rape　when　their　blood　was　up　after　battle；　and　plunder　wherever　they　could；　but　once　the　war　was　done　they　would　go　back　to　their　homes；　trade　their　spears　for　hoes；　wed　their　neighbors'　daughters；　and　raise　a　pack　of　squalling　children。　Such　men　obeyed　without　question；　but　the　deep　malignant　cruelty　of　the　Brave　panions　was　not　a　part　of　their　nature。
　Both　parties　left　Harrenhal　the　same　morning；　beneath　a　cold　grey　sky　that　promised　rain。　Ser　Aenys　Frey　had　marched　three　days　before；　striking　northeast　for　the　kingsroad。　Bolton　meant　to　follow　him。　〃The　Trident　is　in　flood；〃　he　told　Jaime。　〃Even　at　the　ruby　ford；　the　crossing　will　be　difficult。　You　will　give　my　warm　regards　to　your　father？〃
　〃So　long　as　you　give　mine　to　Robb　Stark。〃
　〃That　I　shall。〃
　Some　Brave　panions　had　gathered　in　the　yard　to　watch　them　leave。　Jaime　trotted　over　to　where　they　stood。　〃Zollo。　How　kind　of　you　to　see　me　off。　Pyg。　Timeon。　Will　you　miss　me？　No　last　jest　to　share；　Shagwell？　To　lighten　my　way　down　the　road？　And　Rorge；　did　you　e　to　kiss　me　goodbye？〃
　〃Bugger　off；　cripple；〃　said　Rorge。
　〃If　you　insist。　Rest　assured；　though；　I　will　be　back。　A　Lannister　always　pays　his　debts。〃　Jaime　wheeled　his　horse　around　and　rejoined　Steelshanks　Walton　and　his　two　hundred。
　Lord　Bolton　had　accoutred　him　as　a　knight；　preferring　to　ignore　the　missing　hand　that　made　such　warlike　garb　a　travesty。　Jaime　rode　with　sword　and　dagger　on　his　belt；　shield　and　helm　hung　from　his　saddle；　chainmail　under　a　dark　brown　surcoat。　He　was　not　such　a　fool　as　to　show　the　lion　of　Lannister　on　his　arms；　though；　nor　the　plain　white　blazon　that　was　his　right　as　a　Sworn　Brother　of　the　Kingsguard。　He　found　an　old　shield　in　the　armory；　battered　and　splintered；　the　chipped　paint　still　showing　most　of　the　great　black　bat　of　House　Lothston　upon　a　field　of　silver　and　gold。　The　Lothstons　held　Harrenhal　before　the　Whents　and　had　been　a　powerful　family　in　their　day；　but　they　had　died　out　ages　ago；　so　no　one　was　likely　to　object　to　him　bearing　their　arms。　He　would　be　no　one's　cousin；　no　one's　enemy；　no　one's　sworn　sword　。　。　。　in　sum；　no　one。
　They　left　through　Harrenhal's　smaller　eastern　gate；　and　took　their　leave　of　Roose　Bolton　and　his　host　six　miles　farther　on；　turning　south　to　follow　along　the　lake　road　for　a　time。　Walton　meant　to　avoid　the　kingsroad　as　long　as　he　could；　preferring　the　farmer's　tracks　and　game　trails　near　the　Gods　Eye。
　〃The　kingsroad　would　be　faster。〃　Jaime　was　anxious　to　return　to　Cersei　as　quickly　as　he　could。　if　they　made　haste；　he　might　even　arrive　in　time　for　Joffrey's　wedding。
　〃I　want　no　trouble；〃　said　Steelshanks。　〃Gods　know　who　we'd　meet　along　that　kingsroad。〃
　〃No　one　you　need　fear；　surely？　You　have　two　hundred　men。〃
　〃Aye。　But　others　might　have　more。　M'lord　said　to　bring　you　safe　to　your　lord　father；　and　that's　what　I　mean　to　do。〃
　I　have　e　this　way　before；　Jaime　reflected　a　few　miles　further　on；　when　they　passed　a　deserted　mill　beside　the　lake。　Weeds　now　grew　where　once　the　miller's　daughter　had　smiled　shyly　at　him；　and　the　miller　himself　had　shouted　out；　〃The　tourney's　back　the　other　way；　ser。〃　As　if　I　had　not　known。
　King　Aerys　made　a　great　show　of　Jaime's　investiture。　He　said　his　vows　before　the　king's　pavilion；　kneeling　on　the　green　grass　in　white　armor　while　half　the　realm　looked　on。　When　Ser　Gerold　Hightower　raised　him　up　and　put　the　white　cloak　about　his　shoulders；　a　roar　went　up　that　Jaime　still　remembered；　all　these　years　later。　But　that　very　night　Aerys　had　turned　sour；　declaring　that　he　had　no　need　of　seven　Kingsguard　here　at　Harrenhal。　Jaime　was　manded　to　return　to　King's　Landing　to　guard　the　queen　and　little　Prince　Viserys；　who'd　remained　behind。　Even　when　the　White　Bull　offered　to　take　that　duty　himself；　so　Jaime　might　pete　in　Lord　Whent's　tourney；　Aerys　had　refused。　〃He'll　win　no　glory　here；〃　the　king　had　said。　〃He's　mine　now；　not　Tywin's。　He'll　serve　as　I　see　fit。　I　am　the　king。　I　rule；　and　he'll　obey。〃
　That　was　the　first　time　that　Jaime　understood。　It　was　not　his　skill　with　sword　and　lance　that　had　won　him　his　white　cloak；　nor　any　feats　of　valor　he'd　performed　against　the　Kingswood　Brotherhood。　Aerys　had　chosen　him　to　spite　his　father；　to　rob　Lord　Tywin　of　his　heir。
　Even　now；　all　these　years　later；　the　thought　was　bitter。　And　that　day；　as　he'd　ridden　south　in　his　new　white　cloak　to　guard　an　empty　castle；　it　had　been　almost　too　much　to　stomach。　He　would　have　ripped　the　cloak　off　then　and　there　if　he　could　have；　but　it　was　too　late。　He　had　said　the　words　whilst　half　the　realm　looked　on；　and　a　Kingsguard　served　for　life。
　Qyburn　fell　in　beside　him。　〃Is　your　hand　troubling　you？〃
　〃The　lack　of　my　hand　is　troubling　me。　〃　The　mornings　were　the　hardest。　In　his　dreams　Jaime　was　a　whole　man；　and　each　dawn　he　would　lie　half…awake　and　feel　his　fingers　move。　It　was　a　nightmare；　some　part　of　him　would　whisper；　refusing　to　believe　even　now；　only　a　nightmare。　But　then　he　would　open　his　eyes。
　〃I　understand　you　had　a　visitor　last　night；〃　said　Qyburn。　〃I　trust　that　you　enjoyed　her？〃
　Jaime　gave　him　a　cool　look。　〃She　did　not　say　who　sent　her。〃
　The　maest