grrm.astormofswords-第202节

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　〃The　honor's　mine；　my　lord。〃　Ser　Balon　sounded　wary。
　〃There　is　only　one　question　I　would　put　to　you。　You　served　us　loyally；　it's　true　。　。　。　but　Varys　tells　me　that　your　brother　rode　with　Renly　and　then　Stannis；　whilst　your　lord　father　chose　not　to　call　his　banners　at　all　and　remained　behind　the　walls　of　Stonehelm　all　through　the　fighting。〃
　〃My　father　is　an　old　man；　my　lord。　Well　past　forty。　His　fighting　days　are　done。〃
　〃And　your　brother？〃
　〃Donnel　was　wounded　in　the　battle　and　yielded　to　Ser　Elwood　Harte。　He　was　ransomed　afterward　and　pledged　his　fealty　to　King　Joffrey；　as　did　many　other　captives。〃
　〃So　he　did；〃　said　Jaime。　〃Even　so　。　。　。　Renly；　Stannis；　Joffrey；　Tommen　how　did　he　e　to　omit　Balon　Greyjoy　and　Robb　Stark？　He　might　have　been　the　first　knight　in　the　realm　to　swear　fealty　to　all　six　kings。〃
　Ser　Balon's　unease　was　plain。　〃Donnel　erred；　but　he　is　Tommen's　man　now。　You　have　my　word。〃
　〃It's　not　Ser　Donnel　the　Constant　who　concerns　me。　It's　you。〃　Jaime　leaned　forward。　〃What　will　you　do　if　brave　Ser　Donnel　gives　his　sword　to　yet　another　usurper；　and　one　day　es　storming　into　the　throne　room？　And　there　you　stand　all　in　white；　between　your　king　and　your　blood。　What　will　you　do？〃
　〃I　。　。　。　my　lord；　that　will　never　happen。〃
　〃It　happened　to　me；〃　Jaime　said。
　Swann　wiped　his　brow　with　the　sleeve　of　his　white　tunic。
　〃You　have　no　answer？〃
　〃My　lord。〃　Ser　Balon　drew　himself　up。　〃On　my　sword；　on　my　honor；　on　my　father's　name；　I　swear　。　。　。　I　shall　not　do　as　you　did。〃
　Jaime　laughed。　〃Good。　Return　to　your　duties　。　。　。　and　tell　Ser　Donnel　to　add　a　weathervane　to　his　shield。〃
　And　then　he　was　alone　with　the　Knight　of　Flowers。
　Slim　as　a　sword；　lithe　and　fit；　Ser　Loras　Tyrell　wore　a　snowy　linen　tunic　and　white　wool　breeches；　with　a　gold　belt　around　his　waist　and　a　gold　rose　clasping　his　fine　silk　cloak。　His　hair　was　a　soft　brown　tumble；　and　his　eyes　were　brown　as　well；　and　bright　with　insolence。　He　thinks　this　is　a　tourney；　and　his　tilt　has　just　been　called。　〃Seventeen　and　a　knight　of　the　Kingsguard；〃　said　Jaime。　〃You　must　be　proud。　Prince　Ae　n　the　Dragonknight　was　seventeen　when　he　was　named。　Did　you　know　that？〃
　〃Yes；　my　lord。〃
　〃And　did　you　know　that　I　was　fifteen？〃
　〃That　as　well；　my　lord。〃　He　smiled。
　Jaime　hated　that　smile。　〃I　was　better　than　you；　Ser　Loras。　I　was　bigger；　I　was　stronger；　and　I　was　quicker。〃
　〃And　now　you're　older；〃　the　boy　said。　〃My　lord。〃
　He　had　to　laugh。　This　is　too　absurd。　Tyrion　would　mock　me　unmercifully　if　he　could　hear　me　now；　paring　cocks　with　this　green　boy。　〃Older　and　wiser；　ser。　You　should　learn　from　me。〃
　〃As　you　learned　from　Ser　Boros　and　Ser　Meryn？〃
　That　arrow　hit　too　close　to　the　mark。　〃I　learned　from　the　White　Bull　and　Barristan　the　Bold；〃　Jaime　snapped。　〃I　learned　from　Ser　Arthur　Dayne；　the　Sword　of　the　Morning；　who　could　have　slain　all　five　of　you　with　his　left　hand　while　he　was　taking　with　a　piss　with　the　right。　I　learned　from　Prince　Lewyn　of　Dome　and　Ser　Oswell　Whent　and　Ser　Jonothor　Darry；　good　men　every　one。〃
　〃Dead　men；　every　one。〃
　He's　me；　Jaime　realized　suddenly。　I　am　speaking　to　myself；　as　I　was；　all　cocksure　arrogance　and　empty　chivalry。　This　is　what　it　does　to　you；　to　be　too　good　too　young。
　As　in　a　swordfight；　sometimes　it　is　best　to　try　a　different　stroke。　〃It's　said　you　fought　magnificently　in　the　battle　。　。　。　almost　as　well　as　Lord　Renly's　ghost　beside　you。　A　Sworn　Brother　has　no　secrets　from　his　Lord　mander。　Tell　me；　ser。　Who　was　wearing　Renly's　armor？〃
　For　a　moment　Loras　Tyrell　looked　as　though　he　might　refuse；　but　in　the　end　he　remembered　his　vows。　〃My　brother；〃　he　said　sullenly。　〃Renly　was　taller　than　me；　and　broader　in　the　chest。　His　armor　was　too　loose　on　me；　but　it　suited　Garlan　well。〃
　〃Was　the　masquerade　your　notion；　or　his？〃
　〃Lord　Littlefinger　suggested　it。　He　said　it　would　frighten　Stannis's　ignorant　men…at…arms。〃
　〃And　so　it　did。〃　And　some　knights　and　lordlings　too。　〃Well；　you　gave　the　singers　something　to　make　rhymes　about；　I　suppose　that's　not　to　be　despised。　What　did　you　do　with　Renly？〃
　〃I　buried　him　with　mine　own　hands；　in　a　place　he　showed　me　once　when　I　was　a　squire　at　Storm's　End。　No　one　shall　ever　find　him　there　to　disturb　his　rest。〃　He　looked　at　Jaime　defiantly。　〃I　will　defend　King　Tommen　with　all　my　strength；　I　swear　it。　I　will　give　my　life　for　his　if　need　be。　But　I　will　never　betray　Renly；　by　word　or　deed。　He　was　the　king　that　should　have　been。　He　was　the　best　of　them。〃
　The　best　dressed　perhaps；　Jaime　thought；　but　for　once　he　did　not　say　it。　The　arrogance　had　gone　out　of　Ser　Loras　the　moment　he　began　to　speak　of　Renly。　He　answered　truly。　He　is　proud　and　reckless　and　full　of　piss；　but　he　is　not　false。　Not　yet。　〃As　you　say。　One　more　thing；　and　you　may　return　to　your　duties。〃
　〃Yes；　my　lord？〃
　〃I　still　have　Brienne　of　Tarth　in　a　tower　cell。〃
　The　boy's　mouth　hardened。　〃A　black　cell　would　be　better。〃
　〃You　are　certain　that's　what　she　deserves？〃
　〃She　deserves　death。　I　told　Renly　that　a　woman　had　no　place　in　the　Rainbow　Guard。　She　won　the　melee　with　a　trick。〃
　〃I　seem　to　recall　another　knight　who　was　fond　of　tricks。　He　once　rode　a　mare　in　heat　against　a　foe　mounted　on　a　badtempered　stallion。　What　sort　of　trickery　did　Brienne　use？〃
　Ser　Loras　flushed。　〃She　leapt　。　。　。　it　makes　no　matter。　She　won；　I　grant　her　that。　His　Grace　put　a　rainbow　cloak　around　her　shoulders。　And　she　killed　him；　Or　let　him　die。〃
　〃A　large　difference　there。〃　The　difference　between　my　crime　and　the　shame　of　Boros　Blount。
　〃She　had　sworn　to　protect　him。　Ser　Emmon　Cuy；　Ser　Robar　Royce；　Ser　Parmen　Crane；　they'd　swom　as　well。　How　could　anyone　have　hurt　him；　with　her　inside　his　tent　and　the　others　just　outside？　Unless　they　were　part　of　it。〃
　〃There　were　five　of　you　at　the　wedding　feast；〃　Jaime　pointed　out。　〃How　could　Joffrey　die？　Unless　you　were　part　of　it？〃
　Ser　Loras　drew　himself　up　stiffly。　〃There　was　nothing　we　could　have　done。〃
　〃The　wench　says　the　same。　She　grieves　for　Renly　as　you　do。　I　promise　you；　I　never　grieve　for　Aerys。　Brienne's　ugly；　and　pighead　stubborn。　But　she　lacks　the　wits　to　be　a　liar；　and　she　is　loyal　past　the　point　of　sense。　She　swore　an　oath　to　bring　me　to　King's　Landing；　and　here　I　sit。　This　hand　I　lost　。　。　。　well；　that　was　my　doing　as　much　as　hers。　Considering　all　she　did　to　protect　me；　I　have　no　doubt　that　she　would　have　fought　for　Renly；　had　there　been　a　foe　to　fight。　But　a　shadow？　〃　Jaime　shook　his　head。　〃Draw　your　sword；　Ser　Loras。　Show　me　how　you'd　fight　a　shadow。　I　should　like　to　see　that。〃
　Ser　Loras　made　no　move　to　rise。　〃She　fled；〃　he　said。　〃She　and　Catelyn　Stark；　they　left　him　in　his　blood　and　ran。　Why　would　they；　if　it　was　not　their　work？　〃　He　stared　at　the　table。　〃Renly　gave　me　the　van。　Otherwise　it　would　have　been　me　helping　him　don　his　armor。　He　often　entrusted　that　task　to　me。　We　had　。　。　。　we　had　prayed　together　that　night。　I　left　him　with　her。　Ser　Parmen　and　Ser　Emmon　were　guarding　the　tent；　and　Ser　Robar　Royce　was　there　as　well。　Ser　Emmon　swore　Brienne　had　。　。　。　although。　。
　〃Yes？〃　Jaime　prompted；　sensing　a　doubt。
　〃The　gorget　was　cut　through。　One　clean　stroke；　through　a　steel　gorget。　Renly's　armor　was　the　best；　the　finest　steel。　How　could　she　do　that？　I　tried　myself；　and　it　was　not　possible。　She's　freakish　strong　for　a　woman；　but　even　the　Mountain　would　have　needed　a　heavy　axe。　And　why　armor　him　and　then　cut　his　throat？〃　He　gave　Jaime　a　confused　look。　〃If　not　her；　though　。　。　。　how　could　it　be　a　shadow？〃
　〃Ask　her。〃　Jaime　came　to　a　decision。　〃Go　to　her　cell。　Ask　your　questions　and　hear　her　answers。　If　you　are　still　convinced　that　she　murdered　Lord　Renly；　I　will　see　that　she　answers　for　it。　The　choice　will　be　yours。　Accuse　her；　or　release　her。　All　I　ask　is　that　you　judge　her　fairly；　on　your　honor　as　a　knight。〃
　Ser　Loras　stood。　〃I　shall。　On　my　honor。〃
　〃We　are　done；　then。〃
　The　younger　man　started　for　the　door。　But　there　he　turned　back。　〃Renly　thought　she　was　absurd。　A　woman　dressed　in　man's　mail；　pretending　to　be　a　knight。〃
　〃If　he'd　ever　seen　her　in　pink　satin　and　Myrish　lace；　he　would　not　have　plained。〃
　〃I　asked　him　why　he　kept　her　close；　if　he　thought　her　so　grotesque。　He　said　that　all　his　other　knights　wanted　things　of　him；　castles　or　honors　or　riches；　but　all　that　Brienne　wanted　was　to　die　for　him。　When　I　saw　him　all　bloody；　with　her　fled　and　the　three　of　them　unharmed　。　。　。　if　she's　innocent；　then　Robar　and　Emmon　。　。　。〃　He　could　not　seem　to　say　the　words。
　Jaime　had　not　stopped　to　consider　that　aspect　of　it。　〃I　would　have　done　the　same；　ser；〃　The　lie　came　easy；　but　Ser　Loras　seemed　grateful　for　it。
　When　he　was　gone；　the　Lord　mander　sat　alone　in　the　white　room；　wondering。　The　Knight　of　Flowers　had　been　so　mad　with　grief　for　Renly　that　he　had　cut　down　two　of　his　own　Sworn　Brothers；　but　it　had　never　occurred　to　Jaime　to　do　the　same　with　the　five　who　had　failed　Joffrey。　He　was　my　son；　my　secret　son　。　。　。　What　am　I；　if　I　do　not　lift　the　hand　I　have　left　to　avenge　mine　own　blood　and　seed？　He　ought　to　kill　Ser　Boros　at　least；　just　to　be　rid　of　him。
　He　looked　at　his　stump　and　grimaced。　I　must　do　something　about　that。　if　the　late　Ser　Jacelyn。　Bywater　could　wear　an　iron　hand；　he　should　have　a　gold　one。　Cersei　might　like　that。　A　golden　hand　to　st