grrm.astormofswords-第72章

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nights。　Brienne　reined　up　at　the　wall。　By　the　time　Jaime　reached　her；　they　had　all　melted　into　the　wood　twenty　yards　away。　〃Lost　your　taste　for　battle？〃
　〃They　were　running。〃
　〃That's　the　best　time　to　kill　them。〃
　She　sheathed　her　sword。　〃Why　did　you　charge？〃
　〃Bowmen　are　fearless　so　long　as　they　can　hide　behind　walls　and　shoot　at　you　from　afar；　but　if　you　e　at　them；　they　run。　They　know　what　will　happen　when　you　reach　them。　You　have　an　arrow　in　your　back；　you　know。　And　another　in　your　leg。　You　ought　to　let　me　tend　them。〃
　〃YOU？〃
　〃Who　else？　The　last　I　saw　of　cousin　Cleos；　his　palfrey　was　using　his　head　to　plow　a　furrow。　Though　I　suppose　we　ought　to　find　him。　He　is　a　Lannister　of　sorts。〃
　They　found　Cleos　still　tangled　in　his　stirrup。　He　had　an　arrow　through　his　right　arm　and　a　second　in　his　chest；　but　it　was　the　ground　that　had　done　for　him。　The　top　of　his　head　was　matted　with　blood　and　mushy　to　the　touch；　pieces　of　broken　bone　moving　under　the　skin　beneath　the　pressure　of　Jaime's　hand。
　Brienne　knelt　and　held　his　hand。　〃He's　still　warm。〃
　〃He'll　cool　soon　enough。　I　want　his　horse　and　his　clothes。　I'm　weary　of　rags　and　fleas。〃
　〃He　was　your　cousin。〃　The　wench　was　shocked。
　〃Was；〃　Jaime　agreed。　〃Have　no　fear；　I　am　amply　provisioned　in　cousins。　I'll　have　his　sword　as　well。　You　need　someone　to　share　the　watches。〃
　〃You　can　stand　a　watch　without　weapons。〃　She　rose。
　〃Chained　to　a　tree？　Perhaps　I　could。　Or　perhaps　I　could　make　my　own　bargain　with　the　next　lot　of　outlaws　and　let　them　slit　that　thick　neck　of　yours；　wench。〃
　〃I　will　not　arm　you。　And　my　name　is　…
　〃…Brienne；　I　know。　I'll　swear　an　oath　not　to　harm　you；　if　that　will　ease　your　girlish　fears。〃
　〃Your　oaths　are　worthless。　You　swore　an　oath　to　Aerys。〃
　〃You　haven't　cooked　anyone　in　their　armor　so　far　as　I　know。　And　we　both　want　me　safe　and　whole　in　King's　Landing；　don't　we？〃　He　squatted　beside　Cleos　and　began　to　undo　his　swordbelt。
　〃Step　away　from　him。　Now。　Stop　that。〃
　Jaime　was　tired。　Tired　of　her　suspicions；　tired　of　her　insults；　tired　of　her　crooked　teeth　and　her　broad　spotty　face　and　that　limp　thin　hair　of　hers。　Ignoring　her　protests；　he　grasped　the　hilt　of　his　cousin's　longsword　with　both　hands；　held　the　corpse　down　with　his　foot；　and　pulled。　As　the　blade　slid　from　the　scabbard；　he　was　already　pivoting；　bringing　the　sword　around　and　up　in　a　swift　deadly　arc。　Steel　met　steel　with　a　ringing；　bone…jarring　clang。　Somehow　Brienne　had　gotten　her　own　blade　out　in　time。　Jaime　laughed。　〃Very　good；　wench。〃
　〃Give　me　the　sword；　Kingslayer。〃
　〃Oh；　I　will。〃　He　sprang　to　his　feet　and　drove　at　her；　the　longsword　alive　in　his　hands。　Brienne　jumped　back；　parrying；　but　he　followed；　pressing　the　attack。　No　sooner　did　she　turn　one　cut　than　the　next　was　upon　her。　The　swords　kissed　and　sprang　apart　and　kissed　again。　Jaime's　blood　was　singing。　This　was　what　he　was　meant　for；　he　never　felt　so　alive　as　when　he　was　fighting；　with　death　balanced　on　every　stroke。　And　with　my　wrists　chained　together；　the　wench　may　even　give　me　a　contest　for　a　time。　His　chains　forced　him　to　use　a　two…handed　grip；　though　of　course　the　weight　and　reach　were　less　than　if　the　blade　had　been　a　true　two…handed　greatsword；　but　what　did　it　matter？　His　cousin's　sword　was　long　enough　to　write　an　end　to　this　Brienne　of　Tarth。
　High；　low；　overhand；　he　rained　down　steel　upon　her。　Left；　right；　backslash；　swinging　so　hard　that　sparks　flew　when　the　swords　came　together；　upswing；　sideslash；　overhand；　always　attacking；　moving　into　her；　step　and　slide；　strike　and　step；　step　and　strike；　hacking；　slashing；　faster；　faster；　faster　。　。　。
　　。　。　。　until；　breathless；　he　stepped　back　and　let　the　point　of　the　sword　fall　to　the　ground；　giving　her　a　moment　of　respite。　〃Not　half　bad；〃　he　acknowledged。　〃For　a　wench。〃
　She　took　a　slow　deep　breath；　her　eyes　watching　him　warily。　〃I　would　not　hurt　you；　Kingslayer。〃
　〃As　if　you　could。〃　He　whirled　the　blade　back　up　above　his　head　and　flew　at　her　again；　chains　rattling。
　Jaime　could　not　have　said　how　long　he　pressed　the　attack。　it　might　have　been　minutes　or　it　might　have　been　hours；　time　slept　when　swords　woke。　He　drove　her　away　from　his　cousin's　corpse；　drove　her　across　the　road；　drove　her　into　the　trees。　She　stumbled　once　on　a　root　she　never　saw；　and　for　a　moment　he　thought　she　was　done；　but　she　went　to　one　knee　instead　of　falling；　and　never　lost　a　beat。　Her　sword　leapt　up　to　block　a　downcut　that　would　have　opened　her　from　shoulder　to　groin；　and　then　she　cut　at　him；　again　and　again；　fighting　her　way　back　to　her　feet　stroke　by　stroke。
　The　dance　went　on。　He　pinned　her　against　an　oak；　cursed　as　she　slipped　away；　followed　her　through　a　shallow　brook　half…choked　with　fallen　leaves。　Steel　rang；　steel　sang；　steel　screamed　and　sparked　and　scraped；　and　the　woman　started　grunting　like　a　sow　at　every　crash；　yet　somehow　he　could　not　reach　her。　It　was　as　if　she　had　an　iron　cage　around　her　that　stopped　every　blow。
　〃Not　bad　at　all；〃　he　said　when　he　paused　for　a　second　to　catch　his　breath；　circling　to　her　right。
　〃For　a　wench？〃
　〃For　a　squire；　say。　A　green　one。〃　He　laughed　a　ragged；　breathless　laugh。　〃e　on；　e　on；　my　sweetling；　the　music's　still　playing。　Might　I　have　this　dance；　my　lady？〃
　Grunting；　she　came　at　him；　blade　whirling；　and　suddenly　it　was　Jaime　struggling　to　keep　steel　from　skin。　One　of　her　slashes　raked　across　his　brow；　and　blood　ran　down　into　his　right　eye。　The　Others　take　her；　and　Riverrun　as　well！　His　skills　had　gone　to　rust　and　rot　in　that　bloody　dungeon；　and　the　chains　were　no　great　help　either。　His　eye　closed；　his　shoulders　were　going　numb　from　the　jarring　they'd　taken；　and　his　wrists　ached　from　the　weight　of　chains；　manacles；　and　sword。　His　longsword　grew　heavier　with　every　blow；　and　Jaime　knew　he　was　not　swinging　it　as　quickly　as　he'd　done　earlier；　nor　raising　it　as　high。
　She　is　stronger　than　I　am。
　The　realization　chilled　him。　Robert　had　been　stronger　than　him；　to　be　sure。　The　White　Bull　Gerold　Hightower　as　well；　in　his　heyday；　and　Ser　Arthur　Dayne。　Amongst　the　living；　Greatjon　Umber　was　stronger；　Strongboar　of　Crakehall　most　likely；　both　Cleganes　for　a　certainty。　The　Mountain's　strength　was　like　nothing　human。　It　did　not　matter。　With　speed　and　skill；　Jaime　could　beat　them　all。　But　this　was　a　woman。　A　huge　cow　of　a　woman；　to　be　sure；　but　even　so　。　。　。　by　rights；　she　should　be　the　one　wearing　down。
　Instead　she　forced　him　back　into　the　brook　again；　shouting；　〃Yield！　Throw　down　the　sword！〃
　A　slick　stone　turned　under　Jaime's　foot。　As　he　felt　himself　falling；　he　twisted　the　mischance　into　a　diving　lunge。　His　point　scraped　past　her　parry　and　bit　into　her　upper　thigh。　A　red　flower　blossomed；　and　Jaime　had　an　instant　to　savor　the　sight　of　her　blood　before　his　knee　slammed　into　a　rock。　The　pain　was　blinding。　Brienne　splashed　into　him　and　kicked　away　his　sword。　〃YIELD！〃
　Jaime　drove　his　shoulder　into　her　legs；　bringing　her　down　on　top　of　him。　They　rolled；　kicking　and　punching　until　finally　she　was　sitting　astride　him。　He　managed　to　jerk　her　dagger　from　its　sheath；　but　before　he　could　plunge　it　into　her　belly　she　caught　his　wrist　and　slammed　his　hands　back　on　a　rock　so　hard　he　thought　she'd　wrenched　an　arm　from　its　socket。　Her　other　hand　spread　across　his　face。　〃Yield！〃　She　shoved　his　head　down；　held　it　under；　pulled　it　up。　〃Yield！〃　Jaime　spit　water　into　her　face。　A　shove；　a　splash；　and　he　was　under　again；　kicking　uselessly；　fighting　to　breathe。　Up　again。　〃Yield；　or　I'll　drown　you！〃
　〃And　break　your　oath？〃　he　snarled。　〃Like　me？〃
　She　let　him　go；　and　he　went　down　with　a　splash。
　And　the　woods　rang　with　coarse　laughter。
　Brienne　lurched　to　her　feet。　She　was　all　mud　and　blood　below　the　waist；　her　clothing　askew；　her　face　red。　She　looks　as　if　they　caught　us　fucking　instead　of　fighting。　Jaime　crawled　over　the　rocks　to　shallow　water；　wiping　the　blood　from　his　eye　with　his　chained　hands。　Armed　men　lined　both　sides　of　the　brook。　Small　wonder；　we　were　making　enough　noise　to　wake　a　dragon。　〃Well　met；　friends；〃　he　called　to　them　amiably。　〃My　pardons　if　I　disturbed　you。　You　caught　me　chastising　my　wife。〃
　〃Seemed　to　me　she　was　doing　the　chastising。〃　The　man　who　spoke　was　thick　and　powerful；　and　the　nasal　bar　of　his　iron　halfhelm　did　not　who