grrm.astormofswords-第218节

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　〃I　never　would；〃　Missandei　promised。　〃Look；　dawn　es。〃
　The　sky　had　turned　a　cobalt　blue　from　the　horizon　to　the　zenith；　and　behind　the　line　of　low　hills　to　the　east　a　glow　could　be　seen；　pale　gold　and　oyster　pink。　Dany　held　Missandei's　hand　as　they　watched　the　sun　e　up。　All　the　grey　bricks　became　red　and　yellow　and　blue　and　green　and　orange。　The　scarlet　sands　of　the　fighting　pits　transformed　them　into　bleeding　sores　before　her　eyes。　Elsewhere　the　golden　dome　of　the　Temple　of　the　Graces　blazed　bright；　and　bronze　stars　winked　along　the　walls　where　the　light　of　the　rising　sun　touched　the　spikes　on　the　helms　of　the　Unsullied。　On　the　terrace；　a　few　flies　stirred　sluggishly。　A　bird　began　to　chirp　in　the　persimmon　tree；　and　then　two　more。　Dany　cocked　her　head　to　hear　their　song；　but　it　was　not　long　before　the　sounds　of　the　waking　city　drowned　them　out。
　The　sounds　of　my　city。
　That　morning　she　summoned　her　captains　and　manders　to　the　garden；　rather　than　descending　to　the　audience　chamber。　〃Aegon　the　Conqueror　brought　fire　and　blood　to　Westeros；　but　afterward　he　gave　them　peace；　prosperity；　and　justice。　But　all　I　have　brought　to　Slaver's　Bay　is　death　and　ruin。　I　have　been　more　khal　than　queen；　smashing　and　plundering；　then　moving　on。〃
　〃There　is　nothing　to　stay　for；〃　said　Brown　Ben　Plumm。
　〃Your　Grace；　the　slavers　brought　their　doom　on　themselves；〃　said　Daario　Naharis。
　〃You　have　brought　freedom　as　well；〃　Missandei　pointed　out。
　〃Freedom　to　starve？〃　asked　Dany　sharply。　〃Freedom　to　die？　Am　I　a　dragon；　or　a　harpy？〃　Am　I　mad？　Do　I　have　the　taint？
　〃A　dragon；〃　Ser　Barristan　said　with　certainty。　〃Meereen　is　not　Westeros；　Your　Grace。〃
　〃But　how　can　I　rule　seven　kingdoms　if　I　cannot　rule　a　single　city？〃　He　had　no　answer　to　that。　Dany　turned　away　from　them；　to　gaze　out　over　the　city　once　again。　〃My　children　need　time　to　heal　and　learn。　My　dragons　need　time　to　grow　and　test　their　wings。　And　I　need　the　same。　I　will　not　let　this　city　go　the　way　of　Astapor。　I　will　not　let　the　harpy　of　Yunkai　chain　up　those　I've　freed　all　over　again。〃　She　turned　back　to　look　at　their　faces。　〃I　will　not　march。〃
　〃What　will　you　do　then；　Khaleesi？〃　asked　Rakharo。
　〃Stay；〃　she　said。　〃Rule。　And　be　a　queen。〃
　
　CHAPTER　72
　JAIME
　
　The　king　sat　at　the　head　of　the　table；　a　stack　of　cushions　under　his　arse；　signing　each　document　as　it　was　presented　to　him。
　〃Only　a　few　more；　Your　Grace；〃　Ser　Kevan　Lannister　assured　him。　〃This　is　a　bill　of　attainder　against　Lord　Edmure　Tully；　stripping　him　of　Riverrun　and　all　its　lands　and　ines；　for　rebelling　against　his　lawful　king。　This　is　a　similar　attainder；　against　his　uncle　Ser　Brynden　Tully；　the　Blackfish。〃　Tornmen　signed　them　one　after　the　other；　dipping　the　quill　carefully　and　writing　his　name　in　a　broad　childish　hand。
　Jaime　watched　from　the　foot　of　the　table；　thinking　of　all　those　lords　who　aspired　to　a　seat　on　the　king's　small　council。　They　can　bloody　well　have　mine。　If　this　was　power；　why　did　it　taste　like　tedium？　He　did　not　feel　especially　powerful；　watching　Tommen　dip　his　quill　in　the　inkpot　again。　He　felt　bored。
　And　sore。　Every　muscle　in　his　body　ached；　and　his　ribs　and　shoulders　were　bruised　from　the　battering　they'd　gotten；　courtesy　of　Ser　Addam　Marbrand。　just　thinking　of　it　made　him　wince。　He　could　only　hope　the　man　would　keep　his　mouth　shut。　Jaime　had　known　Marbrand　since　he　was　a　boy；　serving　as　a　page　at　Casterly　Rock；　he　trusted　him　as　much　as　he　trusted　anyone。　Enough　to　ask　him　to　take　up　shields　and　tourney　swords。　He　had　wanted　to　know　if　he　could　fight　with　his　left　hand。
　And　now　I　do。　The　knowledge　was　more　painful　than　the　beating　that　Ser　Addarn　had　given　him；　and　the　beating　was　so　bad　he　could　hardly　dress　himself　this　morning。　If　they　had　been　fighting　in　earnest；　Jaime　would　have　died　two　dozen　deaths。　It　seemed　so　simple；　changing　hands。　It　wasn't。　Every　instinct　he　had　was　wrong。　He　had　to　think　about　everything；　where　once　he'd　just　moved。　And　while　he　was　thinking；　Marbrand　was　thumping　him。　His　left　hand　couldn't　even　seem　to　hold　a　longsword　properly；　Ser　Addam。　had　disarmed　him　thrice；　sending　his　blade　spinning。
　〃This　grants　said　lands；　ines；　and　castle　to　Ser　Emmon　Frey　and　his　lady　wife；　Lady　Genna。〃　Ser　Kevan　presented　another　sheaf　of　parchments　to　the　king。　Tommen　dipped　and　signed。　〃This　is　a　decree　of　legitimacy　for　a　natural　son　of　Lord　Roose　Bolton　of　the　Dreadfort。　And　this　names　Lord　Bolton　your　Warden　of　the　North。〃　Tommen　dipped；　signed；　dipped；　signed。　〃This　grants　Ser　Rolph　Spicer　title　to　the　castle　Castamere　and　raises　him　to　the　rank　of　lord。〃　Tommen　scrawled　his　name。
　I　should　have　gone　to　Ser　Ilyn　Payne；　Jaime　reflected。　The　King's　justice　was　not　a　friend　as　Marbrand　was；　and　might　well　have　beat　him　bloody　。　。　。　but　without　a　tongue；　he　was　not　like　to　boast　of　it　afterward。　All　it　would　take　would　be　one　chance　remark　by　Ser　Addam。　in　his　cups；　and　the　whole　world　would　soon　know　how　useless　he'd　bee。　Lord　mander　of　the　Kingsguard。　It　was　a　cruel　jape；　that　。　。　。　though　not　quite　so　cruel　as　the　gift　his　father　had　sent　him。
　〃This　is　your　royal　pardon　for　Lord　Gawen　Westerling；　his　lady　wife；　and　his　daughter　Jeyne；　weling　them　back　into　the　king's　peace；〃　Ser　Kevan　said。　〃This　is　a　pardon　for　Lord　Jonos　Bracken　of　Stone　Hedge。　This　is　a　pardon　for　Lord　Vance。　This　for　Lord　Goodbrook。　This　for　Lord　Mooton　of　Maidenpool。〃
　Jaime　pushed　himself　to　his　feet。　〃You　seem　to　have　these　matters　well　in　hand；　Uncle。　I　shall　leave　His　Grace　to　you。〃
　〃As　you　wish。〃　Ser　Kevan　rose　as　well。　〃Jaime；　you　should　go　to　your　father。　This　breach　between　you…〃
　〃…is　his　doing。　Nor　will　he　mend　it　by　sending　me　mocking　gifts。　Tell　him　that；　if　you　can　pry　him　away　from　the　Tyrells　long　enough。〃
　His　uncle　looked　distressed。　〃The　gift　was　heartfelt。　We　thought　that　it　might　encourage　you…〃
　〃…to　grow　a　new　hand？〃　Jaime　turned　to　Tommen。　Though　he　had　Joffrey's　golden　curls　and　green　eyes；　the　new　king　shared　little　else　with　his　late　brother。　He　inclined　to　plumpness；　his　face　was　pink　and　round；　and　he　even　liked　to　read。　He　is　still　shy　of　nine；　this　son　of　mine。　The　boy　is　not　the　man。　It　would　be　seven　years　before　Tommen　was　ruling　in　his　own　right。　Until　then　the　realm　would　remain　firmly　in　the　hands　of　his　lord　grandfather。　〃Sire；〃　he　asked；　〃do　I　have　your　leave　to　go？〃
　〃As　you　like；　Ser　Uncle。〃　Tommen　looked　back　to　Ser　Kevan。　〃Can　I　seal　them　now；　Great…Uncle？〃　Pressing　his　royal　seal　into　the　hot　wax　was　his　favorite　part　of　being　king；　so　far。
　Jaime　strode　from　the　council　chamber。　Outside　the　door　he　found　Ser　Meryn　Trant　standing　stiff　at　guard　in　white　scale　armor　and　snowy　cloak。　If　this　one　should　learn　how　feeble　I　am；　or　Kettleblack　or　Blount　should　hear　of　it　。　。　。　〃Remain　here　until　His　Grace　is　done；〃　he　said；　〃then　escort　him　back　to　Maegor's。〃
　Trant　inclined　his　head。　〃As　you　say；　my　lord。〃
　The　outer　ward　was　crowded　and　noisy　that　morning。　Jaime　made　for　the　stables；　where　a　large　group　of　men　were　saddling　their　horses。　〃Steelshanks！〃　he　called。　〃Are　you　off；　then？〃
　〃As　soon　as　m'lady　is　mounted；〃　said　Steelshanks　Walton。　〃My　lord　of　Bolton　expects　us。　Here　she　is　now。〃
　A　groom　led　a　fine　grey　mare　out　the　stable　door。　On　her　back　was　mounted　a　skinny　hollow…eyed　girl　wrapped　in　a　heavy　cloak。　Grey；　it　was；　like　the　dress　beneath　it；　and　trimmed　with　white　satin。　The　clasp　that　pinned　it　to　her　breast　was　wrought　in　the　shape　of　a　wolf　's　head　with　slitted　opal　eyes。　The　girl's　long　brown　hair　blew　wild　in　the　wind。　She　had　a　pretty　face；　he　thought；　but　her　eyes　were　sad　and　wary。
　When　she　saw　him；　she　inclined　her　head。　〃Ser　Jaime；〃　she　said　in　a　thin　anxious　voice。　〃You　are　kind　to　see　me　off。〃
　Jaime　studied　her　closely。　〃You　know　me；　then？〃
　She　bit　her　lip。　〃You　may　not　recall；　my　lord；　as　I　was　littler　then　。　。　。　but　I　had　the　honor　to　meet　you　at　Winterfell　when　King　Robert　came　to　visit　my　father　Lord　Eddard。〃　She　lowered　her　big　brown　eyes　and　mumbled；　〃I'm　Arya　Stark。〃
　Jaime　had　never　paid　much　attention　to　Arya　Stark；　but　it　seemed　to　him　that　this　girl　was　older。　〃I　understand　you're　to　be　married。〃
　〃I　am　to　wed　Lord　Bolton's　son；　Ramsay。　He　used　to　be　a　Snow；　but　His　Grace　has　made　him　a　Bolton。　They　say　he's　very　brave。　I　am　so　happy。〃
　Then　why　do　you　sound　so　frightened？　〃I　wish　you　joy；　my　lady。〃　Jaime　turned　back　to　Steelshanks。　〃You　have　the　coin　you　were　promised？〃
　〃Aye；　and　we've　shared　it　out。　You　have　my　thanks。〃　The　northman　grinned。　〃A　Lannister　always　pays　his　debts。〃
　〃Always；〃　said　Jaime；　with　a　last　glance　at　the　girl。　He　wondered　if　there　was　much　resemblance。　Not　that　it　mattered。　The　real　Arya　Stark　was　buried　in　some　unmarked　grave　in　Flea　Bottom　in　all　likelihood。　With　her　brothers　dead；　and　both　parents；　who　would　dare　name　this　one　a　fraud？　〃Good　speed；〃　he　told　Steelshanks。　Nage　raised　his　peace　banner；　and　the　northmen　formed　a　column　as　ragged　as　their　fur　cloaks　and　trotted　out　the　castle　gate。　The　thin　girl　on　the　grey　mare　looked　small　and　forlorn　in　their　midst。
　A　few　of　the　horses　still　shied　away　from　the　dark　splotch　on　the　hard…packed　ground　where　the　earth　had　drunk　the　life's　blood　of　the　stableboy　Gregor　Clegane　had　killed　so　cl