grrm.astormofswords-第248章

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　She　did　as　he　bid　her。　〃The　white　cloak　。　。　。
　〃　。　。　。　is　new；　but　I'm　sure　I'll　soil　it　soon　enough。〃
　〃That　wasn't　。　。　。　I　was　about　to　say　that　it　bees　you。〃
　She　came　closer；　hesitant。　〃Jaime；　did　you　mean　what　you　told　Ser　Loras？　About　。　。　。　about　King　Renly；　and　the　shadow？〃
　Jaime　shrugged。　〃I　would　have　killed　Renly　myself　if　we'd　met　in　battle；　what　do　I　care　who　cut　his　throat？〃
　〃You　said　I　had　honor　。　。　。〃
　〃I'm　the　bloody　Kingslayer；　remember？　When　I　say　you　have　honor；　that's　like　a　whore　vouchsafing　your　maidenhood。〃　He　leaned　back　and　looked　up　at　her。　〃Steelshanks　is　on　his　way　back　north；　to　deliver　Arya　Stark　to　Roose　Bolton。〃
　〃You　gave　her　to　him？〃　she　cried；　dismayed。　〃You　swore　an　oath　to　Lady　Catelyn　。　。　。〃
　〃With　a　sword　at　my　throat；　but　never　mind。　Lady　Catelyn's　dead。　I　could　not　give　her　back　her　daughters　even　if　I　had　them。　And　the　girl　my　father　sent　with　Steelshanks　was　not　Arya　Stark。〃
　〃Not　Arya　Stark？〃
　〃You　heard　me。　My　lord　father　found　some　skinny　northern　girl　more　or　less　the　same　age　with　more　or　less　the　same　coloring。　He　dressed　her　up　in　white　and　grey；　gave　her　a　silver　wolf　to　pin　her　cloak；　and　sent　her　off　to　wed　Bolton's　bastard。〃　He　lifted　his　stump　to　point　at　her。　〃I　wanted　to　tell　you　that　before　you　went　galloping　off　to　rescue　her　and　got　yourself　killed　for　no　good　purpose。　You're　not　half　bad　with　a　sword；　but　you're　not　good　enough　to　take　on　two　hundred　men　by　yourself。〃
　Brienne　shook　her　head。　〃When　Lord　Bolton　learns　that　your　father　paid　him　with　false　coin　。　。　。〃
　〃Oh；　he　knows。　Lannisters　lie；　remember？　It　makes　no　matter；　this　girl　serves　his　purpose　just　as　well。　Who　is　going　to　say　that　she　isn't　Arya　Stark？　Everyone　the　girl　was　close　to　is　dead　except　for　her　sister；　who　has　disappeared。〃
　〃Why　would　you　tell　me　all　this；　if　it's　true？　You　are　betraying　your　father's　secrets。〃
　The　Hand's　secrets；　he　thought。　I　no　longer　have　a　father。　〃l　pay　my　debts　like　every　good　little　lion。　I　did　promise　Lady　Stark　her　daughters　。　。　。　and　one　of　them　is　still　alive。　My　brother　may　know　where　she　is；　but　if　so　he　isn't　saying。　Cersei　is　convinced　that　Sansa　helped　him　murder　Joffrey。〃
　The　wench's　mouth　got　stubborn。　〃I　will　not　believe　that　gentle　girl　a　poisoner。　Lady　Catelyn　said　that　she　had　a　loving　heart。　It　was　your　brother。　There　was　a　trial；　Ser　Loras　said。〃
　〃Two　trials；　actually。　Words　and　swords　both　failed　him。　A　bloody　mess。　Did　you　watch　from　your　window？〃
　〃My　cell　faces　the　sea。　I　heard　the　shouting；　though。〃
　〃Prince　Oberyn　of　Dome　is　dead；　Ser　Gregor　Clegane　lies　dying；　and　Tyrion　stands　condemned　before　the　eyes　of　gods　and　men。　They're　keeping　him　in　a　black　cell　till　they　kill　him。
　Brienne　looked　at　him。　〃You　do　not　believe　he　did　it。〃
　Jaime　gave　her　a　hard　smile。　〃See；　wench？　We　know　each　other　too　well。　Tyrion's　wanted　to　be　me　since　he　took　his　first　step；　but　he'd　never　follow　me　in　kingslaying。　Sansa　Stark　killed　Joffrey。　My　brother's　kept　silent　to　protect　her。　He　gets　these　fits　of　gallantry　from　time　to　time。　The　last　one　cost　him　a　nose。　This　time　it　will　mean　his　head。〃
　〃No；〃　Brienne　said。　〃It　was　not　my　lady's　daughter。　It　could　not　have　been　her。〃
　〃There's　the　stubborn　stupid　wench　that　I　remember。〃
　She　reddened。　〃My　name　is　。　。　。〃
　〃Brienne　of　Tarth。〃　Jaime　sighed。　〃I　have　a　gift　for　you。〃　He　reached　down　under　the　Lord　mander's　chair　and　brought　it　out；　wrapped　in　folds　of　crimson　velvet。
　Brienne　approached　as　if　the　bundle　was　like　to　bite　her；　reached　out　a　huge　freckled　hand；　and　flipped　back　a　fold　of　cloth。　Rubies　glimmered　in　the　light。　She　picked　the　treasure　up　gingerly；　curled　her　fingers　around　the　leather　grip；　and　slowly　slid　the　sword　free　of　its　scabbard。　Blood　and　black　the　ripples　shone。　A　finger　of　reflected　light　ran　red　along　the　edge。　〃Is　this　Valyrian　steel？　I　have　never　seen　such　colors。〃
　〃Nor　I。　There　was　a　time　that　I　would　have　given　my　right　hand　to　wield　a　sword　like　that。　Now　it　appears　I　have；　so　the　blade　is　wasted　on　me。　Take　it。〃　Before　she　could　think　to　refuse；　he　went　on。　〃A　sword　so　fine　must　bear　a　name。　It　would　please　me　if　you　would　call　this　one　Oathkeeper。　One　more　thing。　The　blade　es　with　a　price。〃
　Her　face　darkened。　〃I　told　you；　I　will　never　serve　。　。　。〃
　〃　。　。　。　such　foul　creatures　as　us。　Yes；　I　recall。　Hear　me　out；　Brienne。　Both　of　us　swore　oaths　concerning　Sansa　Stark。　Cersei　means　to　see　that　the　girl　is　found　and　killed；　wherever　she　has　gone　to　ground　。　。　。〃
　Brienne's　homely　face　twisted　in　fury。　〃If　you　believe　that　I　would　harm　my　lady's　daughter　for　a　sword；　you…〃
　〃Just　listen；〃　he　snapped；　angered　by　her　assumption。　〃I　want　you　to　find　Sansa　first；　and　get　her　somewhere　safe。　How　else　are　the　two　of　us　going　to　make　good　our　stupid　vows　to　your　precious　dead　Lady　Catelyn？
　The　wench　blinked。　〃I　。　。　。　I　thought　。　。　。　〃　
　〃I　know　what　you　thought。〃　Suddenly　Jaime　was　sick　of　the　sight　of　her。　She　bleats　like　a　bloody　sheep。　〃When　Ned　Stark　died；　his　greatsword　was　given　to　the　King's　justice；〃　he　told　her。　〃But　my　father　felt　that　such　a　fine　blade　was　wasted　on　a　mere　headsman。　He　gave　Ser　Ilyn　a　new　sword；　and　had　Ice　melted　down　and　reforged。　There　was　enough　metal　for　two　new　blades。　You're　holding　one。　So　you'll　be　defending　Ned　Stark's　daughter　with　Ned　Stark's　own　steel；　if　that　makes　any　difference　to　you。〃
　〃Ser；　I　。　。　。　I　owe　you　an　apolo　。　。　。
　He　cut　her　off。　〃Take　the　bloody　sword　and　go；　before　I　change　my　mind。　There's　a　bay　mare　in　the　stables；　as　homely　as　you　are　but　somewhat　better　trained。　Chase　after　Steelshanks；　search　for　Sansa；　or　ride　home　to　your　isle　of　sapphires；　it's　naught　to　me。　I　don't　want　to　look　at　you　anymore。〃
　〃Jaime　。　。　。
　〃Kingslayer；〃　he　reminded　her。　〃Best　use　that　sword　to　clean　the　wax　out　of　your　ears；　wench。　We're　done。〃
　Stubbornly；　she　persisted。　〃Joffrey　was　your。　。
　〃My　king。　Leave　it　at　that。〃
　〃You　say　Sansa　killed　him。　Why　protect　her？〃
　Because　Joff　was　no　more　to　me　than　a　squirt　of　seed　in　Cersei's　cunt。　And　because　he　deserved　to　die。　〃I　have　made　kings　and　unmade　them。　Sansa　Stark　is　my　last　chance　for　honor。〃　Jaime　smiled　thinly。　〃Besides；　kingslayers　should　band　together。　Are　you　ever　going　to　go？〃
　Her　big　hand　wrapped　tight　around　Oathkeeper。　〃I　will。　And　I　will　find　the　girl　and　keep　her　safe。　For　her　lady　mother's　sake。　And　for　yours。〃　She　bowed　stiffly；　whirled；　and　went。
　Jaime　sat　alone　at　the　table　while　the　shadows　crept　across　the　room。　As　dusk　began　to　settle；　he　lit　a　candle　and　opened　the　White　Book　to　his　own　page。　Quill　and　ink　he　found　in　a　drawer。　Beneath　the　last　line　Ser　Barristan　had　entered；　he　wrote　in　an　awkward　hand　that　might　have　done　credit　to　a　six…year…old　being　taught　his　first　letters　by　a　maester：
　Defeated　in　the　Whispering　Wood　by　the　Young　Wolf　Robb　Stark　during　the　War　of　the　Five　Kings。　Held　captive　at　Riverrun　and　ransomed　for　a　promise　unfuffilled。　Captured　again　by　the　Brave　panions；　and　maimed　at　the　word　of　Vargo　Hoat　their　captain；　losing　his　sword　hand　to　the　blade　of　Zollo　the　Fat。　Returned　safely　to　King's　Landing　by　Brienne；　the　Maid　of　Tarth。
　When　he　was　done；　more　than　three…quarters　of　his　page　still　remained　to　be　filled　between　the　gold　lion　on　the　crimson　shield　on　top　and　the　blank　white　shield　at　the　bottom。　Ser　Gerold　Hightower　had　begun　his　history；　and　Ser　Barristan　Selmy　had　continued　it；　but　the　rest　Jaime　Lannister　would　need　to　write　for　himself。　He　could　write　whatever　he　chose；　henceforth。
　Whatever　he　chose　。　。　。
　
　CHAPTER　73
　JON
　
　The　wind　was　blowing　wild　from　the　east；　so　strong　the　heavy　cage　would　rock　whenever　a　gust　got　it　in　its　teeth。　It　skirled　along　the　Wall；　shivering　off　the　ice；　making　Jon's　cloak　flap　against　the　bars。　The　sky　was　slate　grey；　the　sun　no　more　than　a　faint　patch　of　brightness　behind　the　clouds。　Across　the　killing　ground；　he　could　see　the　glimmer　of　a　thousand　campfires　burning；　but　their　lights　seemed　small　and　powerless　against　such　gloom　and　cold。
　A　grim　day。　Jon　Snow　wrapped　gloved　hands　around　the　bars　and　held　tight　as　the　wind　hammered　at　the　cage　once　more。　When　he　looked　straight　down　past　his　feet；　the　ground　was