grrm.astormofswords-第175节

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　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；　his　wife　could　not　be　trusted。　She　might　be　maiden　between　the　legs；　but　she　was　hardly　innocent　of　betrayal；　she　had　once　spilled　her　own　father's　plans　to　Cersei。　And　girls　her　age　were　not　known　for　keeping　secrets。
　The　only　safe　course　was　to　rid　himself　of　Shae。　I　might　send　her　to　Chataya；　Tyrion　reflected；　reluctantly。　In　Chataya's　brothel；　Shae　would　have　all　the　silks　and　gems　she　could　wish　for；　and　the　gentlest　highborn　patrons。　it　would　be　a　better　life　by　far　than　the　one　she　had　been　living　when　he'd　found　her。
　Or；　if　she　was　tired　of　earning　her　bread　on　her　back；　he　might　arrange　a　marriage　for　her。　Bronn；　perhaps？　The　sellsword　had　never　balked　at　eating　off　his　master's　plate；　and　he　was　a　knight　now；　a　better　match　than　she　could　elsewise　hope　for。　Or　Ser　Tallad？　Tyrion　had　noticed　that　one　gazing　wistfully　at　Shae　more　than　once。　Why　not？　He's　tall；　strong；　not　hard　to　look　upon；　every　inch　the　gifted　young　knight。　Of　course；　Tallad　knew　Shae　only　as　a　pretty　young　lady's　maid　in　service　at　the　castle。　If　he　wed　her　and　then　learned　she　was　a　whore　。　。　。
　〃M'lord；　where　are　you？　Did　the　dragons　eat　you　up？〃
　〃No。　Here。〃　He　groped　at　a　dragon　skull。　〃I　have　found　a　shoe；　but　I　believe　it's　yours。〃
　〃M'lord　sounds　very　solemn。　Have　I　displeased　you？〃
　〃No；〃　he　said；　too　curtly。　〃You　always　please　me。〃　And　therein　is　our　danger。　He　might　dream　of　sending　her　away　at　times　like　this；　but　that　never　lasted　long。　Tyrion　saw　her　dimly　through　the　gloom；　pulling　a　woolen　sock　up　a　slender　leg。　I　can　see。　A　vague　light　was　leaking　through　the　row　of　long　narrow　windows　set　high　in　the　cellar　wall。　The　skulls　of　the　Targaryen　dragons　were　emerging　from　the　darkness　around　them；　black　amidst　grey。　〃Day　es　too　soon。〃　A　new　day。　A　new　year。　A　new　century。　I　survived　the　Green　Fork　and　the　Blackwater；　I　can　bloody　well　survive　King　Joffrey's　wedding。
　Shae　snatched　her　dress　down　off　the　dragon's　tooth　and　slipped　it　over　her　head。　〃I'll　go　up　first。　Brella　will　want　help　with　the　bathwater。〃　She　bent　over　to　give　him　one　last　kiss；　upon　the　brow。　〃My　giant　of　Lannister。　I　love　you　so。〃
　And　I　love　you　as　well；　sweetling。　A　whore　she　might　well　be；　but　she　deserved　better　than　what　he　had　to　give　her。　I　will　wed　her　to　Ser　Tallad。　He　seems　a　decent　man。　And　tall　。　。　。
　
　CHAPTER　59
　SANSA
　
　That　was　such　a　sweet　dream；　Sansa　thought　drowsily。　She　had　been　back　in　Winterfell；　running　through　the　godswood　with　her　Lady。　Her　father　had　been　there；　and　her　brothers；　all　of　them　warm　and　safe。　If　only　dreaming　could　make　it　so　。　。　。
　She　threw　back　the　coverlets。　I　must　be　brave。　Her　torments　would　soon　be　ended；　one　way　or　the　other。　If　Lady　was　here；　I　would　not　be　afraid。　Lady　was　dead；　though；　Robb；　Bran；　Rickon；　Arya；　her　father；　her　mother；　even　Septa　Mordane。　All　of　them　are　dead　but　me。　She　was　alone　in　the　world　now。
　Her　lord　husband　was　not　beside　her；　but　she　was　used　to　that。　Tyrion　was　a　bad　sleeper　and　often　rose　before　the　dawn。　Usually　she　found　him　in　the　solar；　hunched　beside　a　candle；　lost　in　some　old　scroll　or　leatherbound　book。　Sometimes　the　smell　of　the　morning　bread　from　the　ovens　took　him　to　the　kitchens；　and　sometimes　he　would　climb　up　to　the　roof　garden　or　wander　all　alone　down　Traitor's　Walk。
　She　threw　back　the　shutters　and　shivered　as　gooseprickles　rose　along　her　arms。　There　were　clouds　massing　in　the　eastern　sky；　pierced　by　shafts　of　sunlight。　They　look　like　two　huge　castles　afloat　in　the　morning　sky。　Sansa　could　see　their　walls　of　tumbled　stone；　their　mighty　keeps　and　barbicans。　Wispy　banners　swirled　from　atop　their　towers　and　reached　for　the　fast…fading　stars。　The　sun　was　ing　up　behind　them；　and　she　watched　them　go　from　black　to　grey　to　a　thousand　shades　of　rose　and　gold　and　crimson。　Soon　the　wind　mushed　them　together；　and　there　was　only　one　castle　where　there　had　been　two。
　She　heard　the　door　open　as　her　maids　brought　the　hot　water　for　her　bath。　They　were　both　new　to　her　service；　Tyrion　said　the　women　who'd　tended　to　her　previously　had　all　been　Cersei's　spies；　just　as　Sansa　had　always　suspected。　〃e　see；〃　she　told　them。　〃There's　a　castle　in　the　sky。〃
　They　came　to　have　a　look。　〃It's　made　of　gold。〃　Shae　had　short　dark　hair　and　bold　eyes。　She　did　all　that　was　asked　of　her；　but　sometimes　she　gave　Sansa　the　most　insolent　looks。　〃A　castle　all　of　gold；　there's　a　sight　I'd　like　to　see。〃
　〃A　castle；　is　it？〃　Brella　had　to　squint。　〃That　tower's　tumbling　over；　looks　like。　It's　all　ruins；　that　is。〃
　Sansa　did　not　want　to　hear　about　falling　towers　and　ruined　castles。　She　closed　the　shutters　and　said；　〃We　are　expected　at　the　queen's　breakfast。　Is　my　lord　husband　in　the　solar？〃
　〃No；　m'lady；〃　said　Brella。　〃I　have　not　seen　him。〃
　〃Might　be　he　went　to　see　his　father；〃　Shae　declared。　〃Might　be　the　King's　Hand　had　need　of　his　counsel。〃
　Brella　gave　a　sniff。　〃Lady　Sansa；　you'll　be　wanting　to　get　into　the　tub　before　the　water　gets　too　cool。〃
　Sansa　let　Shae　pull　her　shift　up　over　her　head　and　climbed　into　the　big　wooden　tub。　She　was　tempted　to　ask　for　a　cup　of　wine；　to　calm　her　nerves。　The　wedding　was　to　be　at　midday　in　the　Great　Sept　of　Baelor　across　the　city。　And　e　evenfall　the　feast　would　be　held　in　the　throne　room；　a　thousand　guests　and　seventy…seven　courses；　with　singers　and　jugglers　and　mummers。　But　first　came　breakfast　in　the　Queen's　Ballroom；　for　the　Lannisters　and　the　Tyrell　men…the　Tyrell　women　would　be　breaking　their　fast　with　Margaery…and　a　hundred　odd　knights　and　lordlings。　They　have　made　me　a　Lannister；　Sansa　thought　bitterly。
　Brella　sent　Shae　to　fetch　more　hot　water　while　she　washed　Sansa's　back。　〃You　are　trembling；　m'lady。〃
　〃The　water　is　not　hot　enough；〃　Sansa　lied。
　Her　maids　were　dressing　her　when　Tyrion　appeared；　Podrick　Payne　in　tow。　〃You　look　lovely；　Sansa。〃　He　turned　to　his　squire。　〃Pod；　be　so　good　as　to　pour　me　a　cup　of　wine。〃
　〃There　will　be　wine　at　the　breakfast；　my　lord；〃　Sansa　said。
　〃There's　wine　here。　You　don't　expect　me　to　face　my　sister　sober；　surely？　It's　a　new　century；　my　lady。　The　three　hundredth　year　since　Aegon's　Conquest。〃　The　dwarf　took　a　cup　of　red　from　Podrick　and　raised　it　high。　〃To　Aegon。　What　a　fortunate　fellow。　Two　sisters；　two　wives；　and　three　big　dragons；　what　more　could　a　man　ask　for？〃　He　wiped　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　hand。
　The　Imp's　clothing　was　soiled　and　unkempt；　Sansa　noticed；　it　looked　as　though　he'd　slept　in　it。　〃Will　you　be　changing　into　fresh　garb；　my　lord？　Your　new　doublet　is　very　handsome。〃
　〃The　doublet　is　handsome；　yes。〃　Tyrion　put　the　cup　aside。　〃e；　Pod；　let　us　see　if　we　can　find　some　garments　to　make　me　look　less　dwarfish。　I　would　not　want　to　shame　my　lady　wife。〃
　When　the　Imp　returned　a　short　time　later；　he　was　presentable　enough；　and　even　a　little　taller。　Podrick　Payne　had　changed　as　well；　and　looked　almost　a　proper　squire　for　once；　although　a　rather　large　red　pimple　in　the　fold　beside　his　nose　spoiled　the　effect　of　his　splendid　purple；　white；　and　gold　raiment。　He　is　such　a　timid　boy。　Sansa　had　been　wary　of　Ty