grrm.astormofswords-第196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！


d；　but　that　was　all。　Even　her　tears　she　hoards　to　herself。
　He　had　expected　anguish　and　anger　when　he　told　her　of　her　brother's　death；　but　Sansa's　face　had　remained　so　still　that　for　a　moment　he　feared　she　had　not　understood。　it　was　only　later；　with　a　heavy　oaken　door　between　them；　that　he　heard　her　sobbing。　Tyrion　had　considered　going　to　her　then；　to　offer　what　fort　he　could。　No；　he　had　to　remind　himself；　she　will　not　look　for　solace　from　a　Lannister。　The　most　he　could　do　was　to　shield　her　from　the　uglier　details　of　the　Red　Wedding　as　they　came　down　from　the　Twins。　Sansa　did　not　need　to　hear　how　her　brother's　body　had　been　hacked　and　mutilated；　he　decided；　nor　how　her　mother's　corpse　had　been　dumped　naked　into　the　Green　Fork　in　a　savage　mockery　of　House　Tully's　funeral　customs。　The　last　thing　the　girl　needed　was　more　fodder　for　her　nightmares。
　It　was　not　enough；　though。　He　had　wrapped　his　cloak　around　her　shoulders　and　sworn　to　protect　her；　but　that　was　as　cruel　a　jape　as　the　crown　the　Freys　had　placed　atop　the　head　of　Robb　Stark's　direwolf　after　they'd　sewn　it　onto　his　headless　corpse。　Sansa　knew　that　as　well。　The　way　she　looked　at　him；　her　stiffness　when　she　climbed　into　their　bed　。　。　。　when　he　was　with　her；　never　for　an　instant　could　he　forget　who　he　was；　or　what　he　was。　No　more　than　she　did。　She　still　went　nightly　to　the　godswood　to　pray；　and　Tyrion　wondered　if　she　were　praying　for　his　death。　She　had　lost　her　home；　her　place　in　the　world；　and　everyone　she　had　ever　loved　or　trusted。　Winter　is　ing；　warned　the　Stark　words；　and　truly　it　had　e　for　them　with　a　vengeance。　But　it　is　high　summer　for　House　Lannister。　So　why　am　I　so　bloody　cold？
　He　pulled　on　his　boots；　fastened　his　cloak　with　a　lion's　head　brooch；　and　slipped　out　into　the　torchlit　hall。　There　was　this　much　to　be　said　for　his　marriage；　it　had　allowed　him　to　escape　Maegor's　Holdfast。　Now　that　he　had　a　wife　and　household；　his　lord　father　had　agreed　that　more　suitable　acmodations　were　required；　and　Lord　Gyles　had　found　himself　abruptly　dispossessed　of　his　spacious　apartments　atop　the　Kitchen　Keep。　And　splendid　apartments　they　were　too；　with　a　large　bedchamber　and　adequate　solar；　a　bath　and　dressing　room　for　his　wife；　and　small　adjoining　chambers　for　Pod　and　Sansa's　maids。　Even　Bronn's　cell　by　the　stair　had　a　window　of　sorts。　Well；　more　an　arrow　slit；　but　it　lets　in　light。　The　castle's　main　kitchen　was　just　across　the　courtyard；　true；　but　Tyrion　found　those　sounds　and　smells　infinitely　preferable　to　sharing　Maegor's　with　his　sister。　The　less　he　had　to　see　of　Cersei　the　happier　he　was　like　to　be。
　Tyrion　could　hear　Brella's　snoring　as　he　passed　her　cell。　Shae　plained　of　that；　but　it　seemed　a　small　enough　price　to　pay。　Varys　had　suggested　the　woman　to　him；　in　former　days；　she　had　run　Lord　Renly's　household　in　the　city；　which　had　given　her　a　deal　of　practice　at　being　blind；　deaf；　and　mute。
　Lighting　a　taper；　he　made　his　way　back　to　the　servants'　steps　and　descended。　The　floors　below　his　own　were　still；　and　he　heard　no　footsteps　but　his　own。　Down　he　went；　to　the　ground　floor　and　beyond；　to　emerge　in　a　gloomy　cellar　with　a　vaulted　stone　ceiling。　Much　of　the　castle　was　connected　underground；　and　the　Kitchen　Keep　was　no　exception。　Tyrion　waddled　along　a　long　dark　passageway　until　he　found　the　door　he　wanted；　and　pushed　through。
　Within；　the　dragon　skulls　were　waiting；　and　so　was　Shae。　〃I　thought　m'lord　had　forgotten　me。〃　Her　dress　was　draped　over　a　black　tooth　near　as　tall　as　she　was；　and　she　stood　within　the　dragon's　jaws；　nude。　Balerion；　he　thought。　Or　was　it　Vhagar？　One　dragon　skull　looked　much　like　another。　just　the　sight　of　her　made　him　hard。　〃e　out　of　there。〃
　〃I　won't。〃　She　smiled　her　wickedest　smile。　〃M'Iord　will　pluck　me　from　the　dragon's　jaws；　I　know。〃　But　when　he　waddled　closer　she　leaned　forward　and　blew　out　the　taper。
　〃Shae　。　。　。　〃　He　reached；　but　she　spun　and　slipped　free。
　〃You　have　to　catch　me。〃　Her　voice　came　from　his　left。　〃M'Iord　must　have　played　monsters　and　maidens　when　he　was　little。〃
　〃Are　you　calling　me　a　monster？〃
　〃No　more　than　I'm　a　maiden。〃　She　was　behind　him；　her　steps　soft　against　the　floor。　〃You　need　to　catch　me　all　the　same。〃
　He　did；　finally；　but　only　because　she　let　herself　be　caught。　By　the　time　she　slipped　into　his　arms；　he　was　flushed　and　out　of　breath　from　stumbling　into　dragon　skulls。　All　that　was　forgotten　in　an　instant　when　he　felt　her　small　breasts　pressed　against　his　face　in　the　dark；　her　stiff　little　nipples　brushing　lightly　over　his　lips　and　the　scar　where　his　nose　had　been。　Tyrion　pulled　her　down　onto　the　floor。　〃My　giant；〃　she　breathed　as　he　entered　her。　〃My　giant's　e　to　save　me。〃
　After；　as　they　lay　entwined　amongst　the　dragon　skulls；　he　rested　his　head　against　her；　inhaling　the　smooth　clean　smell　of　her　hair。　〃We　should　go　back；〃　he　said　reluctantly。　〃It　must　be　near　dawn。　Sansa　will　be　waking。〃
　〃You　should　give　her　dreamwine；〃　Shae　said；　〃like　Lady　Tanda　does　with　Lollys。　A　cup　before　she　goes　to　sleep；　and　we　could　fuck　in　bed　beside　her　without　her　waking。〃　She　giggled。　〃Maybe　we　should；　some　night。　Would　m'lord　like　that？　〃　Her　hand　found　his　shoulder；　and　began　to　knead　the　muscles　there。　〃Your　neck　is　hard　as　stone。　What　troubles　you？〃
　Tyrion　could　not　see　his　fingers　in　front　of　his　face；　but　he　ticked　his　woes　off　on　them　all　the　same。　〃My　wife。　My　sister。　My　nephew。　My　father。　The　Tyrells。〃　He　had　to　move　to　his　other　hand。　〃Varys。　Pycelle。　Littlefinger。　The　Red　Viper　of　Dome。〃　He　had　e　to　his　last　finger。　〃The　face　that　stares　back　out　of　the　water　when　I　wash。〃
　Shae　kissed　his　maimed　scarred　nose。　〃A　brave　face。　A　kind　and　good　face。　I　wish　I　could　see　it　now。〃
　All　the　sweet　innocence　of　the　world　was　in　her　voice。　Innocence？　Fool；　she's　a　whore；　all　she　knows　of　men　is　the　bit　between　their　legs。　Fool；　fool。　〃Better　you　than　me。〃　Tyrion　sat。　〃We　have　a　long　day　before　us；　both　of　us。　You　shouldn't　have　blown　out　that　taper。　How　are　we　to　find　our　clothing？〃
　She　laughed。　〃Maybe　we'll　have　to　go　naked。〃
　And　if　we're　seen；　my　lord　father　will　hang　you。　Hiring　Shae　as　one　of　Sansa's　maids　had　given　him　an　excuse　to　be　seen　talking　with　her；　but　Tyrion　did　not　delude　himself　that　they　were　safe。　Varys　had　warned　him。　〃I　gave　Shae　a　false　history；　but　it　was　meant　for　Lollys　and　Lady　Tanda。　Your　sister　is　of　a　more　suspicious　mind。　If　she　should　ask　me　what　I　know　。　。　。〃
　〃You　will　tell　her　some　clever　lie。〃
　〃No。　I　will　tell　her　that　the　girl　is　a　mon　camp　follower　that　you　acquired　before　the　battle　on　the　Green　Fork　and　brought　to　King's　Landing　against　your　lord　father's　express　mand。　I　will　not　lie　to　the　queen。〃
　〃You　have　lied　to　her　before。　Shall　I　tell　her　that？〃
　The　eunuch　sighed。　〃That　cuts　more　deeply　than　a　knife；　my　lord。　I　have　served　you　loyally；　but　I　must　also　serve　your　sister　when　I　can。　How　long　do　you　think　she　would　let　me　live　if　I　were　of　no　further　use　to　her　whatsoever？　I　have　no　fierce　sellsword　to　protect　me；　no　valiant　brother　to　avenge　me；　only　some　little　birds　who　whisper　in　my　ear。　With　those　whisperings　I　must　buy　my　life　anew　each　day。〃
　〃Pardon　me　if　I　do　not　weep　for　you。〃
　〃I　shall；　but　you　must　pardon　me　if　I　do　not　weep　for　Shae。　I　confess；　I　do　not　understand　what　there　is　in　her　to　make　a　clever　man　like　you　act　such　a　fool。〃
　〃You　might；　if　you　were　not　a　eunuch。〃
　〃Is　that　the　way　of　it？　A　man　may　have　wits；　or　a　bit　of　meat　between　his　legs；　but　not　both？〃　Varys　tittered。　〃Perhaps　I　should　be　grateful　I　was　cut；　then。〃
　The　Spider　was　right。　Tyrion　groped　through　the　dragon…haunted　darkness　for　his　smallclothes；　feeling　wretched。　The　risk　he　was　taking　left　him　tight　as　a　drumhead；　and　there　was　guilt　as　well。　The　Others　can　take　my　guilt；　he　thought　as　he　slipped　his　tunic　over　his　head。　Why　should　I　be　guilty？　My　wife　wants　no　part　of　me；　and　most　especially　not　the　part　that　seems　to　want　her。　Perhaps　he　ought　to　tell　her　about　Shae。　It　was　not　as　though　he　was　the　first　man　ever　to　keep　a　concubine。　Sansa's　own　oh…so…honorable　father　had　given　her　a　bastard　brother。　For　all　he　knew；　his　wife　might　be　thrilled　to　learn　that　he　was　fucking　Shae；　so　long　as　it　spared　her　his　unwele　touch。
　No；　I　dare　not。　Vows　or　no；　h