grrm.astormofswords-第113节

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t。　He　was　to　wed　Arya　Stark；　but　my　good　father　of　Frey　had　no　choice　but　to　break　the　betrothal　when　King　Robb　betrayed　him。〃
　〃Is　there　word　of　Arya　Stark？〃　Brienne　leaned　forward。　〃Lady　Catelyn　had　feared　that　。　。　。　is　the　girl　still　alive？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　the　Lord　of　the　Dreadfort。
　〃You　have　certain　knowledge　of　that；　my　lord？〃
　Roose　Bolton　shrugged。　〃Arya　Stark　was　lost　for　a　time；　it　was　true；　but　now　she　has　been　found。　I　mean　to　see　her　returned　safely　to　the　north。〃
　〃Her　and　her　sister　both；〃　said　Brienne。　〃Tyrion　Lannister　has　promised　us　both　girls　for　his　brother。〃
　That　seemed　to　amuse　the　Lord　of　the　Dreadfort。　〃My　lady；　has　no　one　told　you？　Lannisters　lie。〃
　〃Is　that　a　slight　on　the　honor　of　my　House？〃　Jaime　picked　up　the　cheese　knife　with　his　good　hand。　〃A　rounded　point；　and　dull；〃　he　said；　sliding　his　thumb　along　the　edge　of　the　blade；　〃but　it　will　go　through　your　eye　all　the　same。〃　Sweat　beaded　his　brow。　He　could　only　hope　he　did　not　look　as　feeble　as　he　felt。
　Lord　Bolton's　little　smile　paid　another　visit　to　his　lips。　〃You　speak　boldly　for　a　man　who　needs　help　to　break　his　bread。　My　guards　are　all　around　us；　I　remind　you。〃
　〃All　around　us；　and　half　a　league　away。〃　Jaime　glanced　down　the　vast　length　of　the　hall。　〃By　the　time　they　reach　us；　you'll　be　as　dead　as　Aerys。〃
　〃'Tis　scarcely　chivalrous　to　threaten　your　host　over　his　own　cheese　and　olives；〃　the　Lord　of　the　Dreadfort　scolded。　〃In　the　north；　we　hold　the　laws　of　hospitality　sacred　still。〃
　〃I'm　a　captive　here；　not　a　guest。　Your　goat　cut　off　my　hand。　if　you　think　some　prunes　will　make　me　overlook　that；　you're　bloody　well　mistaken。〃
　That　took　Roose　Bolton　aback。　〃Perhaps　I　am。　Perhaps　I　ought　to　make　a　wedding　gift　of　you　to　Edmure　Tully　。　。　。　or　strike　your　head　off；　as　your　sister　did　for　Eddard　Stark。〃
　〃I　would　not　advise　it。　Casterly　Rock　has　a　long　memory。〃
　〃A　thousand　leagues　of　mountain；　sea；　and　bog　lie　between　my　walls　and　your　rock。　Lannister　enmity　means　little　to　Bolton。〃
　〃Lannister　friendship　could　mean　much。〃　Jaime　thought　he　knew　the　game　they　were　playing　now。　But　does　the　wench　know　as　well？　He　dare　not　look　to　see。
　〃I　am　not　certain　you　are　the　sort　of　friends　a　wise　man　would　want。〃　Roose　Bolton　beckoned　to　the　boy。　〃Elmar；　carve　our　guests　a　slice　off　the　roast。〃
　Brienne　was　served　first；　but　made　no　move　to　eat。　〃My　lord；〃　she　said；　〃Ser　Jaime　is　to　be　exchanged　for　Lady　Catelyn's　daughters。　You　must　free　us　to　continue　on　our　way。〃
　〃The　raven　that　came　from　Riverrun　told　of　an　escape；　not　an　exchange。　And　if　you　helped　this　captive　slip　his　bonds；　you　are　guilty　of　treason；　my　lady。〃
　The　big　wench　rose　to　her　feet。　〃I　serve　Lady　Stark。〃
　〃And　I　the　King　in　the　North。　Or　the　King　Who　Lost　the　North；　as　some　now　call　him。　Who　never　wished　to　trade　Ser　Jaime　back　to　the　Lannisters。〃
　〃Sit　down　and　eat；　Brienne；〃　Jaime　urged；　as　Elmar　placed　a　slice　of　roast　before　him；　dark　and　bloody。　〃If　Bolton　meant　to　kill　us；　he　wouldn't　be　wasting　his　precious　prunes　on　us；　at　such　peril　to　his　bowels。〃　He　stared　at　the　meat　and　realized　there　was　no　way　to　cut　it；　one…handed。　I　am　worth　less　than　a　girl　now；　he　thought。　The　goat's　evened　the　trade；　though　I　doubt　Lady　Catelyn　will　thank　him　when　Cersei　returns　her　whelps　in　like　condition。　The　thought　made　him　grimace。　I　will　get　the　blame　for　that　as　well；　I'll　wager。
　Roose　Bolton　cut　his　meat　methodically；　the　blood　running　across　his　plate。　〃Lady　Brienne；　will　you　sit　if　I　tell　you　that　I　hope　to　send　Ser　Jaime　on；　just　as　you　and　Lady　Stark　desire？〃
　〃I　。　。　。　you'd　send　us　on？〃　The　wench　sounded　wary；　but　she　sat。　〃That　is　good；　my　lord。〃
　〃It　is。　However；　Lord　Vargo　has　created　me　one　small　。　。　。　difficulty。〃　He　turned　his　pale　eyes　on　Jaime。　〃Do　you　know　why　Hoat　cut　off　your　hand？〃
　〃He　enjoys　cutting　off　hands。〃　The　linen　that　covered　Jaime's　stump　was　spotted　with　blood　and　wine。　〃He　enjoys　cutting　off　feet　as　well。　He　doesn't　seem　to　need　a　reason。〃
　〃Nonetheless；　he　had　one。　Hoat　is　more　cunning　than　he　appears。　No　man　mands　a　pany　such　as　the　Brave　panions　for　long　unless　he　has　some　wits　about　him。〃　Bolton　stabbed　a　chunk　of　meat　with　the　point　of　his　dagger；　put　it　in　his　mouth；　chewed　thoughtfully；　swallowed。　〃Lord　Vargo　abandoned　House　Lannister　because　I　offered　him　Harrenhal；　a　reward　a　thousand　times　greater　than　any　he　could　hope　to　have　from　Lord　Tywin。　As　a　stranger　to　Westeros；　he　did　not　know　the　prize　was　poisoned。〃
　〃The　curse　of　Harren　the　Black？〃　mocked　Jaime。
　〃The　curse　of　Tywin　Lannister。〃　Bolton　held　out　his　goblet　and　Elmar　refilled　it　silently。　〃Our　goat　should　have　consulted　the　Tarbecks　or　the　Reynes。　They　might　have　warned　him　how　your　lord　father　deals　with　betrayal。〃
　〃There　are　no　Tarbecks　or　Reynes；〃　said　Jaime。
　〃My　point　precisely。　Lord　Vargo　doubtless　hoped　that　Lord　Starmis　would　triumph　at　King's　Landing；　and　thence　confirm　him　in　his　possession　of　this　castle　in　gratitude　for　his　small　part　in　the　downfall　of　House　Lannister。〃　He　gave　a　dry　chuckle。　〃He　knows　little　of　Starmis　Baratheon　either；　I　fear。　That　one　might　have　given　him　Harrenhal　for　his　service　。　。　。　but　he　would　have　given　him　a　noose　for　his　crimes　as　well。〃
　〃A　noose　is　kinder　than　what　he'll　get　from　my　father。〃
　〃By　now　he　has　e　to　the　same　realization。　With　Stannis　broken　and　Renly　dead；　only　a　Stark　victory　can　save　him　from　Lord　Tywin's　vengeance；　but　the　chances　of　that　grow　perishingly　slim。〃
　〃King　Robb　has　won　every　battle；〃　Brienne　said　stoutly；　as　stubbornly　loyal　of　speech　as　she　was　of　deed。
　〃Won　every　battle；　while　losing　the　Freys；　the　Karstarks；　Winterfell；　and　the　north。　A　pity　the　wolf　is　so　young。　Boys　of　sixteen　always　believe　they　are　immortal　and　invincible。　An　older　man　would　bend　the　knee；　I'd　think。　After　a　war　there　is　always　a　peace；　and　with　peace　there　are　pardons　。　。　。　for　the　Robb　Starks；　at　least。　Not　for　the　likes　of　Vargo　Hoat。〃　Bolton　gave　him　a　small　smile。　〃Both　sides　have　made　use　of　him；　but　neither　will　shed　a　tear　at　his　passing。　The　Brave　panions　did　not　fight　in　the　Battle　of　the　Blackwater；　yet　they　died　there　all　the　same。〃
　〃You'll　forgive　me　if　I　don't　mourn？〃
　〃You　have　no　pity　for　our　wretched　doomed　goat？　Ah；　but　the　gods　must　。　。　。　else　why　deliver　you　into　his　hands？〃　Bolton　chewed　another　chunk　of　meat。　〃Karhold　is　smaller　and　meaner　than　Harrenhal；　but　it　lies　well　beyond　the　reach　of　the　lion's　claws。　Once　wed　to　Alys　Karstark；　Hoat　might　be　a　lord　in　truth。　If　he　could　collect　some　gold　from　your　father　so　much　the　better；　but　he　would　have　delivered　you　to　Lord　Rickard　no　matter　how　much　Lord　Tywin　paid。　His　price　would　be　the　maid；　and　safe　refuge。
　〃But　to　sell　you　he　must　keep　you；　and　the　riverlands　are　full　of　those　who　would　gladly　steal　you　away。　Glover　and　Tallhart　were　broken　at　Duskendale；　but　remnants　of　their　host　are　still　abroad；　with　the　Mountain　slaughtering　the　stragglers。　A　thousand　Karstarks　prowl　the　lands　south　and　east　of　Riverrun；　hunting　you。　Elsewhere　are　Darry　men　left　lordless　and　lawless；　packs　of　four…footed　wolves；　and　the　lightning　lord's　outlaw　bands。　Dondarrion　would　gladly　hang　you　and　the　goat　together　from　the　same　tree。〃　The　Lord　of　the　Dreadfort　sopped　up　some　of　the　blood　with　a　chunk　of　bread。　〃Harrenhal　was　the　only　place　Lord　Vargo　could　hope　to　hold　you　safe；　but　here　his　Brave　panions　are　much　outnumbered　by　my　own　men；　and　by　Ser　Aenys　and　his　Freys。　No　doubt　he　feared　I　might　return　you　to　Ser　Edmure　at　Riverrun　。　。　。　or　worse；　send　you　on　to　your　father。
　〃By　maiming　you；　he　meant　to　remove　your　sword　as　a　threat；　gain　himself　a　grisly　token　to　send　to　your　father；　and　diminish　your　value　to　me。　For　he　is　my　man；　as　I　am　King　Robb's　man。　Thus　his　crime　is　mine；　or　may　seem　so　in　your　father's　eyes。　And　therein　lies　my　。　。　。　small　difficulty。〃　He　gazed　at　Jaime；　his　pale　eyes　unblinking；　expectant；　chill。
　I　see。　〃You　want　me　to　absolve　you　of　blame。　To　tell　my　father　that　this　stump　is　no　work　of　yours。〃　Jaime　laughed。　〃My　lord；　send　me　to　Cersei；　and　I'll　sing　as　sweet　a　song　as　you　could　want；　of　how　gently　you　treated　me。〃　Any　other　answer；　he　knew；　and　Bolton　would　give　him　back　to　the　goat。　〃Had　I　a　hand；　I'd　write　it　out。　How　I　was　maimed　by　the　sellsword　my　own　father　brought　to　Westeros；　and　saved　by　the　noble　Lord　Bolton。〃
　〃I　will　trust　to　your　word；　ser。〃
　There's　something　I　don't　often　hear。　〃How　soon　might　we　be　permitted　to　leave？　And　how　do　you　mean　to　get　me　past　all　these　wolves　and　brigands　and　Karstarks？〃
　〃You　will　leave　when　Qyburn　says　you　are　strong　enough；　with　a　strong　escort　of　picked　men　under　the　mand　of　my　captain；　Walton。　Steelshanks；　he　is　called。　A　soldier　of　iron　loyalty。　Walton　will　see　you　safe　and　whole　to　King's　Landing。〃
　〃Provided　Lady　Catelyn's　daughters　are　delivered　safe　and　whole　as　well；〃　said　the　wench。　〃My　lord；　your　man　Walton's　protection　is　wele；　but　the　girls　are　my　charge。〃
　The　Lord　of　the　Dreadfort　gave　her　an　uninterested　glance。　〃The　girls　need　not　concern　you　any　further；　my　lady。　The　Lady　Sansa　is　the　dwarf's　wife；　only　the　gods　can　part　them　now。〃
　〃His　wife？〃　Brienne　said；　appalled。　〃The　Imp？　But　。　。　。　he　swore；　before　the　whole　cour