grrm.astormofswords-第136节

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gain。　Brienne　scrambled　back　away。　Where's　the　blood？　Then　suddenly　he　understood。　Jaime　rounded　on　Hoat。　〃You　gave　her　a　tourney　sword。〃
　The　goat　brayed　laughter；　spraying　him　with　wine　and　spittle。　〃of　courth。〃
　〃I'll　pay　her　bloody　ransom。　Gold；　sapphires；　whatever　you　want。　Pull　her　out　of　there。〃
　〃You　want　her？　Go　get　her。〃
　So　he　did。
　He　put　his　good　hand　on　the　marble　rail　and　vaulted　over；　rolling　as　he　hit　the　sand。　The　bear　turned　at　the　thump；　sniffing；　watching　this　new　intruder　warily。　Jaime　scrambled　to　one　knee。　Well；　what　in　seven　hells　do　I　do　now？　He　filled　his　fist　with　sand。　〃Kingslayer？〃　he　heard　Brienne　say；　astonished。
　〃Jaime。〃　He　uncoiled；　flinging　the　sand　at　the　bear's　face。　The　bear　mauled　the　air　and　roared　like　blazes。
　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃
　〃Something　stupid。　Get　behind　me。〃　He　circled　toward　her；　putting　himself　between　Brienne　and　the　bear。
　〃You　get　behind。　I　have　the　sword。〃
　〃A　swordwith　no　point　and　no　edge。　Get　behindme！〃　He　saw　something　half…buried　in　the　sand；　and　snatched　it　up　with　his　good　hand。　It　proved　to　be　a　human　jawbone；　with　some　greenish　flesh　still　clinging　to　it；　crawling　with　maggots。　Charming；　he　thought；　wondering　whose　face　he　held。　The　bear　was　edging　closer；　so　Jaime　whipped　his　arm　around　and　flung　bone；　meat；　and　maggots　at　the　beast's　head。　He　missed　by　a　good　yard。　I　ought　to　lop　my　left　hand　off　as　well；　for　all　the　good　it　does　me。
　Brienne　tried　to　dart　around；　but　he　kicked　her　legs　out　from　under　her。　She　fell　in　the　sand；　clutching　the　useless　sword。　Jaime　straddled　her；　and　the　bear　came　charging。
　There　was　a　deep　twang；　and　a　feathered　shaft　sprouted　suddenly　beneath　the　beast's　left　eye。　Blood　and　slaver　ran　from　his　open　mouth；　and　another　bolt　took　him　in　the　leg。　The　bear　roared；　reared。　He　saw　Jaime　and　Brienne　again　and　lumbered　toward　them。　More　crossbows　fired；　the　quarrels　ripping　through　fur　and　flesh。　At　such　short　range；　the　bowmen　could　hardly　miss。　The　shafts　hit　as　hard　as　maces；　but　the　bear　took　another　step。　The　poor　dumb　brave　brute。　When　the　beast　swiped　at　him；　he　danced　aside；　shouting；　kicking　sand。　The　bear　turned　to　follow　his　tormentor；　and　took　another　two　quarrels　in　the　back。　He　gave　one　last　rumbling　growl；　settled　back　onto　his　haunches；　stretched　out　on　the　bloodstained　sand；　and　died。
　Brienne　got　back　to　her　knees；　clutching　the　sword　and　breathing　short　ragged　breaths。　Steelshanks's　archers　were　winding　their　crossbows　and　reloading　while　the　Bloody　Mummers　shouted　curses　and　threats　at　them。　Rorge　and　Three　Toes　had　swords　out；　Jaime　saw；　and　Zollo　was　uncoiling　his　whip。
　〃You　thlew　my　bear！〃　Vargo　Hoat　shrieked。
　〃And　I'll　serve　you　the　same　if　you　give　me　trouble；〃　Steelshanks　threw　back。　〃We're　taking　the　wench。〃
　〃Her　name　is　Brienne；〃　Jaime　said。　〃Brienne；　the　maid　of　Tarth。　You　are　still　maiden；　I　hope？〃
　Her　broad　homely　face　turned　red。　〃Yes。〃
　〃Oh；　good；〃　Jaime　said。　〃I　only　rescue　maidens。〃　To　Hoat　he　said；　〃You'll　have　your　ransom。　For　both　of　us。　A　Lannister　pays　his　debts。　Now　fetch　some　ropes　and　get　us　out　of　here。〃
　〃Bugger　that；〃　Rorge　growled。　〃Kill　them；　Hoat。　Or　you'll　bloody　well　wish　you　had！〃
　The　Qohorik　hesitated。　Half　his　men　were　drunk；　the　northmen　stone　sober；　and　there　were　twice　as　many。　Some　of　the　crossbowmen　had　reloaded　by　now。　〃Pull　them　out；〃　Hoat　said；　and　then；　to　Jaime；　〃I　hath　chothen　to　be　merthiful。　Tell　your　lord　father。〃
　〃I　will；　my　lord。〃　Not　that　it　will　do　you　any　good。
　Not　until　they　were　half　a　league　from　Harrenhal　and　out　of　range　of　archers　on　the　walls　did　Steelshanks　Walton　let　his　anger　show。　〃Are　you　mad；　Kingslayer？　Did　you　mean　to　die？　No　man　can　fight　a　bear　with　his　bare　hands！〃
　〃One　bare　hand　and　one　bare　stump；〃　Jaime　corrected。　〃But　I　hoped　you'd　kill　the　beast　before　the　beast　killed　me。　Elsewise；　Lord　Bolton　would　have　peeled　you　like　an　orange；　no？〃
　Steelshanks　cursed　him　roundly　for　a　fool　of　Lannister；　spurred　his　horse；　and　galloped　away　up　the　column。
　〃Ser　Jaime？〃　Even　in　soiled　pink　satin　and　torn　lace；　Brienne　looked　more　like　a　man　in　a　gown　than　a　proper　woman。　〃I　am　grateful；　but　。　。　。　you　were　well　away。　Why　e　back？〃
　A　dozen　quips　came　to　mind；　each　crueler　than　the　one　before；　but　Jaime　only　shrugged。　〃I　dreamed　of　you；〃　he　said。
　
　CHAPTER　45
　CATELYN
　
　Rob　bid　farewell　to　his　young　queen　thrice。　Once　in　the　godswood　efore　the　heart　tree；　in　sight　of　gods　and　men。　The　second　time　eneath　the　portcullis；　where　Jeyne　sent　him　forth　with　a　long　embrace　and　a　longer　kiss。　And　finally　an　hour　beyond　the　Tumblestone；　when　the　girl　came　galloping　up　on　a　well…lathered　horse　to　plead　with　her　young　king　to　take　her　along。
　Robb　was　touched　by　that；　Catelyn　saw；　but　abashed　as　well。　The　day　was　damp　and　grey；　a　drizzle　had　begun　to　fall；　and　the　last　thing　he　wanted　was　to　call　a　halt　to　his　march　so　he　could　stand　in　the　wet　and　console　a　tearful　young　wife　in　front　of　half　his　army。　He　speaks　her　gently；　she　thought　as　she　watched　them　together；　but　there　is　anger　underneath。
　All　the　time　the　king　and　queen　were　talking；　Grey　Wind　prowled　around　them；　stopping　only　to　shake　the　water　from　his　coat　and　bare　his　teeth　at　the　rain。　When　at　last　Robb　gave　Jeyne　one　final　kiss；　dispatched　a　dozen　men　to　take　her　back　to　Riverrun；　and　mounted　his　horse　once　more；　the　direwolf　raced　off　ahead　as　swift　as　an　arrow　loosed　from　a　longbow。
　〃Queen　Jeyne　has　a　loving　heart；　I　see；〃　said　Lame　Lothar　Frey　to　Catelyn。　〃Not　unlike　my　own　sisters。　Why；　I　would　wager　a　guess　that　even　now　Roslin　is　dancing　round　the　Twins　chanting　'Lady　Tully；　Lady　Tully；　Lady　Roslin　Tully。'　By　the　morrow　she'll　be　holding　swatches　of　Riverrun　red…and…blue　to　her　cheek　to　picture　how　she'll　look　in　her　bride's　cloak。〃　He　turned　in　the　saddle　to　smile　at　Edmure。　〃But　you　are　strangely　quiet；　Lord　Tully。　How　do　you　feel；　I　wonder？〃
　〃Much　as　I　did　at　the　Stone　Mill　just　before　the　warhorns　sounded；〃　Edmure　said；　only　half　in　jest。
　Lothar　gave　a　good…natured　laugh。　〃Let　us　pray　your　marriage　ends　as　happily；　my　lord。〃
　And　may　the　gods　protect　us　if　it　does　not。　Catelyn　pressed　her　heels　into　her　horse；　leaving　her　brother　and　Lame　Lothar　to　each　other's　pany。
　It　had　been　her　who　had　insisted　that　Jeyne　remain　at　Riverrun；　when　Robb　would　sooner　have　kept　her　by　his　side。　Lord　Walder　might　well　construe　the　queen's　absence　from　the　wedding　as　another　slight；　yet　her　presence　would　have　been　a　different　sort　of　insult；　salt　in　the　old　man's　wound。　〃Walder　Frey　has　a　sharp　tongue　and　a　long　memory；〃　she　had　warned　her　son。　〃I　do　not　doubt　that　you　are　strong　enough　to　suffer　an　old　man's　rebukes　as　the　price　of　his　allegiance；　but　you　have　too　much　of　your　father　in　you　to　sit　there　while　he　insults　Jeyne　to　her　face。〃
　Robb　could　not　deny　the　sense　of　that。　Yet　all　the　same；　he　resents　me　for　it；　Catelyn　thought　wearily。　He　misses　leyne　already；　and　some　part　of　him　blames　me　for　her　absence；　though　he　knows　it　was　good　counsel。
　Of　the　six　Westerlings　who　had　e　with　her　son　from　the　Crag；　only　one　remained　by　his　side；　Ser　Raynald；　Jeyne's　brother；　the　royal　banner…bearer。　Robb　had　dispatched　Jeyne's　uncle　Rolph　Spicer　to　deliver　young　Martyn　Lannister　to　the　Golden　Tooth　the　very　day　he　received　Lord　Tywin's　assent　to　the　exchange　of　captives。　it　was　deftly　done。　Her　son　was　relieved　of　his　fear　for　Martyn's　safety；　Galbart　Glover　was　relieved　to　hear　that　his　brother　Robett　had　been　put　on　a　ship　at　Duskendale；　Ser　Rolph　had　important　and　honorable　employment　。　。　。　and　Grey　Wind　was　at　the　king's　side　once　more。　Where　he　belongs。
　Lady　Westerling　had　remained　at　Riverrun　with　her　children；　Jeyne；　her　little　sister　Eleyna；　and　young　Rollam；　Robb's　squire；　who　plained　bitterly　about　being　left。　Yet　that　was　wise　as　well。　Olyvar　Frey　had　squired　for　Robb　previously；　and　would　doubtless　be　present　for　his　sister's　wedding；　to　parade　his　replacement　before　him　would　be　as　unwise　as　it　was　unkind。　As　for　Ser　Raynald；　he　was　a　cheerful　young　knight　who　swore　that　no　insult　of　Walder　Frey's　could　possibly　provoke　him。　And　let　us　pray　that　insults　are　all　we　need　to　contend　with。
　Catelyn　had　her　fears　on　that　score；　though。　Her　lord　father　had　never　trusted　Walder　Frey　after　the　Trident；　and　she　was　ever　mindful　of　that。　Queen　Jeyne　would　be　safest　behind　the　high；　strong　walls　of　Riverrun；　with　the　Blackfish　to　protect　her。　Robb　had　even　created　him　a　new　title；　Warden　of　the　Southern　Marches。　Ser　Brynden　would　hold　the　Trident　if　any　man　could。
　All　the　same；　Catelyn　would　miss　her　uncle's　craggy　face；　and　Robb　would　miss　his　counsel。　Ser　Brynden　had　played　a　part　in　every　victory　her　son　had　won。　Galbart　Glover　had　taken　mand　of　the　scouts　and　outriders　in　his　place；　a　good　man；　loyal　and　steady；　but　without　the　Blackfish's　brilliance。
　Behind　Glover's　screen　of　scouts；　Robb's　line　of　march　stretched　several　miles。　The　Greatjon　led　the　van。　Catelyn　traveled　in　the　main　column；　surrounded　by　plodding　warhorses　with　steelclad　men　on　their　backs。　Next　came　the　baggage　train；　a　procession　of　wayns　laden　with　food；　fodder；　camp　supplies；　wedding　gifts；　and　the　wounded　too　weak　to　walk；　under　the　watc