grrm.astormofswords-第196节

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　well；　a　snake。　〃Will　I　be　allowed　to　demand　trial　by　battle？〃
　〃I　would　not　advise　that。〃
　〃Why　not？〃　It　had　saved　him　in　the　Vale；　why　not　here？　〃Answer　me；　Uncle。　Will　I　be　allowed　a　trial　by　battle；　and　a　champion　to　prove　my　innocence？〃
　〃Certainly；　if　such　is　your　wish。　However；　you　had　best　know　that　your　sister　means　to　name　Ser　Gregor　Clegane　as　her　champion；　in　the　event　of　such　a　trial。〃
　The　bitch　checks　my　moves　before　I　make　them。　A　pity　she　didn't　choose　a　Kettleblack。　Bronn　would　make　short　work　of　any　of　the　three　brothers；　but　the　Mountain　That　Rides　was　a　kettle　of　a　different　color。　〃I　shall　need　to　sleep　on　this。〃　I　need　to　speak　with　Bronn；　and　soon。　He　didn't　want　to　think　about　what　this　was　like　to　cost　him。　Bronn　had　a　lofty　notion　of　what　his　skin　was　worth。　〃Does　Cersei　have　witnesses　against　me？〃
　〃More　every　day。〃
　〃Then　I　must　have　witnesses　of　my　own。〃
　〃Tell　me　who　you　would　have；　and　Ser　Addarn　will　send　the　Watch　to　bring　them　to　the　trial。〃
　〃I　would　sooner　find　them　myself。〃
　〃You　stand　accused　of　regicide　and　kinslaying。　Do　you　truly　imagine　you　will　be　allowed　to　e　and　go　as　you　please？〃　Ser　Kevan　waved　at　the　table。　〃You　have　quill；　ink；　and　parchment。　Write　the　names　of　such　witnesses　as　you　require；　and　I　shall　do　all　in　my　power　to　produce　them；　you　have　my　word　as　a　Lannister。　But　you　shall　not　leave　this　tower；　except　to　go　to　trial。〃
　Tyrion　would　not　demean　himself　by　begging。　〃Will　you　permit　my　squire　to　e　and　go？　The　boy　Podrick　Payne？〃
　〃Certainly；　if　that　is　your　wish。　I　shall　send　him　to　you。〃
　〃Do　so。　Sooner　would　be　better　than　later；　and　now　would　be　better　than　sooner。〃　He　waddled　to　the　writing　table。　But　when　he　heard　the　door　open；　he　turned　back　and　said；　〃Uncle？〃
　Ser　Kevan　paused。　〃Yes？〃
　〃I　did　not　do　this。〃
　〃I　wish　I　could　believe　that；　Tyrion。〃
　When　the　door　closed；　Tyrion　Lannister　pulled　himself　up　into　the　chair；　sharpened　a　quill；　and　pulled　a　blank　parchment。　Who　will　speak　for　me？　He　dipped　his　quill　in　the　inkpot。
　The　sheet　was　still　maiden　when　Podrick　Payne　appeared；　sometime　later。　〃My　lord；〃　the　boy　said。
　Tyrion　put　down　the　quill。　〃Find　Bronn　and　bring　him　at　once。　Tell　him　there's　gold　in　it；　more　gold　than　he's　ever　dreamt　of；　and　see　that　you　don't　return　without　him。〃
　〃Yes；　my　lord。　I　mean；　no。　I　won't。　Return。〃　He　went。
　He　had　not　returned　by　sunset；　nor　by　moonrise。　Tyrion　fell　asleep　in　the　window　seat　to　wake　stiff　and　sore　at　dawn。　A　serving　man　brought　porridge　and　apples　to　break　his　fast；　with　a　horn　of　ale。　He　ate　at　the　table；　the　blank　parchment　before　him。　An　hour　later；　the　serving　man　returned　for　the　bowl。　〃Have　you　seen　my　squire？〃　Tyrion　asked　him。　The　man　shook　his　head。
　Sighing；　he　turned　back　to　the　table；　and　dipped　the　quill　again。　Sansa；　he　wrote　upon　the　parchment。　He　sat　staring　at　the　name；　his　teeth　clenched　so　hard　they　hurt。
　Assuming　Joffrey　had　not　simply　choked　to　death　on　a　bit　of　food；　which　even　Tyrion　found　hard　to　swallow；　Sansa　must　have　poisoned　him。　loff　practically　put　his　cup　down　in　her　lap；　and　he'd　given　her　ample　reason。　Any　doubts　Tyrion　might　have　had　vanished　when　his　wife　did。　One　flesh；　one　heart；　one　soul。　His　mouth　twisted。　She　wasted　no　time　proving　how　much　those　vows　meant　to　her；　did　she？　Well；　what　did　you　expect；　dwarf？
　And　yet　。　。　。　where　would　Sansa　have　gotten　poison？　He　could　not　believe　the　girl　had　acted　alone　in　this。　Do　I　really　want　to　find　her？　Would　the　judges　believe　that　Tyrion's　child　bride　had　poisoned　a　king　without　her　husband's　knowledge？　I　wouldn't。　Cersei　would　insist　that　they　had　done　the　deed　together。
　Even　so；　he　gave　the　parchment　to　his　uncle　the　next　day。　Ser　Kevan　frowned　at　it。　〃Lady　Sansa　is　your　only　witness？〃
　〃I　will　think　of　others　in　time。〃
　〃Best　think　of　them　now。　The　judges　mean　to　begin　the　trial　three　days　hence。〃
　〃That's　too　soon。　You　have　me　shut　up　here　under　guard；　how　am　I　to　find　witnesses　to　my　innocence？〃
　〃Your　sister's　had　no　difficulty　finding　witnesses　to　your　guilt。〃　Ser　Kevan　rolled　up　the　parchment。　〃Ser　Addam　has　men　hunting　for　your　wife。　Varys　has　offered　a　hundred　stags　for　word　of　her　whereabouts；　and　a　hundred　dragons　for　the　girl　herself。　If　the　girl　can　be　found　she　will　be　found；　and　I　shall　bring　her　to　you。　I　see　no　harm　in　husband　and　wife　sharing　the　same　cell　and　giving　fort　to　one　another。〃
　〃You　are　too　kind。　Have　you　seen　my　squire？〃
　〃I　sent　him　to　you　yesterday。　Did　he　not　e？〃
　〃He　came；〃　Tyrion　admitted；　〃and　then　he　went。〃
　〃I　shall　send　him　to　you　again。〃
　But　it　was　the　next　morning　before　Podrick　Payne　returned。　He　stepped　inside　the　room　hesitantly；　with　fear　written　all　over　his　face。　Bronn　came　in　behind　him。　The　sellsword　knight　wore　a　jerkin　studded　with　silver　and　a　heavy　riding　cloak；　with　a　pair　of　fine…tooled　leather　gloves　thrust　through　his　swordbelt。
　One　look　at　Bronn's　face　gave　Tyrion　a　queasy　feeling　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。　〃It　took　you　long　enough。〃
　〃The　boy　begged；　or　I　wouldn't　have　e　at　all。　I　am　expected　at　Castle　Stokeworth　for　supper。〃
　〃Stokeworth？〃　Tyrion　hopped　from　the　bed。　〃And　pray；　what　is　there　for　you　in　Stokeworth？〃
　〃A　bride。〃　Brorm　smiled　like　a　wolf　contemplating　a　lost　lamb。　〃I'm　to　wed　Lollys　the　day　after　next。〃
　〃Lollys。〃　Perfect；　bloody　perfect。　Lady　Tanda's　lackwit　daughter　gets　a　knightly　husband　and　a　father　of　sorts　for　the　bastard　in　her　belly；　and　Ser　Bronn　of　the　Blackwater　climbs　another　rung。　It　had　Cersei's　stinking　fingers　all　over　it。　〃My　bitch　sister　has　sold　you　a　lame　horse。　The　girl's　dim…witted。〃
　〃If　I　wanted　wits；　I'd　marry　you。〃
　〃Lollys　is　big　with　another　man's　child。〃
　〃And　when　she　pops　him　out；　I'll　get　her　big　with　mine。〃
　〃She's　not　even　heir　to　Stokeworth；〃　Tyrion　pointed　out。　〃She　has　an　elder　sister。　Falyse。　A　married　sister。〃
　〃Married　ten　years；　and　still　barren；〃　said　Bronn。　〃Her　lord　husband　shuns　her　bed。　It's　said　he　prefers　virgins。〃
　〃He　could　prefer　goats　and　it　wouldn't　matter。　The　lands　will　still　pass　to　his　wife　when　Lady　Tanda　dies。〃
　〃Unless　Falyse　should　die　before　her　mother。〃
　Tyrion　wondered　whether　Cersei　had　any　notion　of　the　sort　of　serpent　she'd　given　Lady　Tanda　to　suckle。　And　if　she　does；　would　she　care？　〃Why　are　you　here；　then？〃
　Bronn　shrugged。　〃You　once　told　me　that　if　anyone　ever　asked　me　to　sell　you　out；　you'd　double　the　price。〃
　Yes。　〃Is　it　two　wives　you　want；　or　two　castles？〃
　〃One　of　each　would　serve。　But　if　you　want　me　to　kill　Gregor　Clegane　for　you；　it　had　best　be　a　damned　big　castle。〃
　The　Seven　Kingdoms　were　full　of　highborn　maidens；　but　even　the　oldest；　poorest；　and　ugliest　spinster　in　the　realm　would　balk　at　wedding　such　lowborn　scum　as　Bronn。　Unless　she　was　soft　of　body　and　soft　of　head；　with　a　fatherless　child　in　her　belly　from　having　been　raped　half　a　hundred　times。　Lady　Tanda　had　been　so　desperate　to　find　a　husband　for　Lollys　that　she　had　even　pursued　Tyrion　for　a　time；　and　that　had　been　before　half　of　King's　Landing　enjoyed　her。　No　doubt　Cersei　had　sweetened　the　offer　somehow；　and　Brorm　was　a　knight　now；　which　made　him　a　suitable　match　for　a　younger　daughter　of　a　minor　house。
　〃I　find　myself　woefully　short　of　both　castles　and　highborn　maidens　at　the　moment；〃　Tyrion　admitted。　〃But　I　can　offer　you　gold　and　gratitude；　as　before。〃
　〃I　have　gold。　What　can　I　buy　with　gratitude？〃
　〃You　might　be　surprised。　A　Lannister　pays　his　debts。〃
　〃Your　sister　is　a　Lannister　too。〃
　〃My　lady　wife　is　heir　to　Winterfell。　Should　I　emerge　from　this　with　my　head　still　on　my　shoulders；　I　may　one　day　rule　the　north　in　her　name。　I　could　carve　you　out　a　big　piece　of　it。〃
　〃If　and　when　and　might　be；〃　said　Bronn。　〃And　it's　bloody　cold　up　there。　Lollys　is　soft；　warm；　and　close。　I　could　be　poking　her　two　nights　hence。〃
　〃Not　a　prospect　I　would　relish。〃
　〃Is　that　so？〃　Bronn　grinned。　〃Admit　it；　Imp。　Given　a　choice　between　fucking　Lollys　and　fighting　the　Mountain；　you'd　have　your　breeches　down　and　cock　up　before　a　man　could　blink。〃
　He　knows　me　too　bloody　well。　Tyrion　tried　a　different　tack。　〃I'd　heard　that　Ser　Gregor　was　wounded　on　the　Red　Fork；　and　again　at　Duskendale。　The　wounds　are　bound　to　slow　him。〃
　Bronn　looked　annoyed。　〃He　was　never　fast。　Only　freakish　big　and　freakish　strong。　I'll　grant　you；　he's　quicker　than　you'd　expect　for　a　man　that　size。　He　has　a　monstrous　long　reach；　and　doesn't　seem　to　feel　blows　the　way　a　normal　man　would。〃
　〃Does　he　frighten　you　so　much？　〃　asked　Tyrion；　hoping　to　provoke　him。
　〃if　he　didn't　frighten　me；　I'd　be　a　bloody　fool。〃　Bronn　gave　a　shrug。　〃Might　be　I　could　take　him。　Dance　around　him　until　he　was　so　tired　of　hacking　at　me　that　he　couldn't　lift　his　sword。　Get　him　off　his　feet　somehow。　When　they're　flat　on　their　backs　it　don't　matter　how　tall　they　are。　Even　so；　it's　chancy。　One　misstep　and　I'm　dead。　Why　should　I　risk　it？　I　like　you　well　enough；　ugly　little　whoreson　that　you　are　。　。　。　but　if　I　fight　your　battle；　I　lose　either　way。　Either　the　Mountain　spills　my　guts；　or　I　kill　him　and　lose　Stokeworth。　I　sell　my　sword；　I　don't　give　it　away。　I'm　not　your　bloody　brother。〃
　〃No；〃　said　Tyrion　sadly。　〃You're　not。〃　He　waved　a　hand。　〃Begone；　then。　Run　to　Stokeworth　and　Lady　Lollys