grrm.astormofswords-第59节

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　〃He　won　Highgarden　to　our　side　。　。　。〃　Cersei　began。
　〃　。　。　。　and　sold　you　Ned　Stark；　I　know。　He　will　sell　us　just　as　quick。　A　coin　is　as　dangerous　as　a　sword　in　the　wrong　hands。〃
　His　uncle　Kevan　looked　at　him　oddly。　〃Not　to　us；　surely。　The　gold　of　Casterly　Rock　。　。　。〃
　〃　。　。　。　is　dug　from　the　ground。　Littlefinger's　gold　is　made　from　thin　air；　with　a　snap　of　his　fingers。〃
　〃A　more　useful　skill　than　any　of　yours；　sweet　brother；〃　purred　Cersei；　in　a　voice　sweet　with　malice。
　〃Littlefinger　is　a　liar…〃
　〃…and　black　as　well；　said　the　raven　of　the　crow。〃
　Lord　Tywin　slammed　his　hand　down　on　the　table。　〃Enough！　I　will　have　no　more　of　this　unseemly　squabbling。　You　are　both　Lannisters；　and　will　port　yourselves　as　such。〃
　Ser　Kevan　cleared　his　throat。　〃I　would　sooner　have　Petyr　Baelish　ruling　the　Eyrie　than　any　of　Lady　Lysa's　other　suitors。　Yohn　Royce；　Lyn　Corbray；　Horton　Redfort　。　。　。　these　are　dangerous　men；　each　in　his　own　way。　And　proud。　Littlefinger　may　be　clever；　but　he　has　neither　high　birth　nor　skill　at　arms。　The　lords　of　the　Vale　will　never　accept　such　as　their　liege。〃　He　looked　to　his　brother。　When　Lord　Tywin　nodded；　he　continued。　〃And　there　is　this…Lord　Petyr　continues　to　demonstrate　his　loyalty。　Only　yesterday　he　brought　us　word　of　a　Tyrell　plot　to　spirit　Sansa　Stark　off　to　Highgarden　for　a　'visit/　and　there　marry　her　to　Lord　Mace's　eldest　son；　Willas。〃
　〃Littlefinger　brought　you　word？〃　Tyrion　leaned　against　the　table。　〃Not　our　master　of　whisperers？　How　interesting。〃
　Cersei　looked　at　their　uncle　in　disbelief。　〃Sansa　is　my　hostage。　She　goes　nowhere　without　my　leave。〃
　〃Leave　you　must　perforce　grant；　should　Lord　Tyrell　ask；〃　their　father　pointed　out。　〃To　refuse　him　would　be　tantamount　to　declaring　that　we　did　not　trust　him。　He　would　take　offense。〃
　〃Let　him。　What　do　we　care？〃
　Bloody　fool；　thought　Tyrion。　〃Sweet　sister；〃　he　explained　patiently；　〃offend　Tyrell　and　you　offend　Redwyne；　Tarly；　Rowan；　and　Hightower　as　well；　and　perhaps　start　them　wondering　whether　Robb　Stark　might　not　be　more　acmodating　of　their　desires。〃
　〃I　will　not　have　the　rose　and　the　direwolf　in　bed　together；〃　declared　Lord　Tywin。　〃We　must　forestall　him。〃
　〃How？〃　asked　Cersei。
　〃By　marriage。　Yours；　to　begin　with。〃
　It　came　so　suddenly　that　Cersei　could　only　stare　for　a　moment。　Then　her　cheeks　reddened　as　if　she　had　been　slapped。　〃No。　Not　again。　I　will　not。〃
　〃Your　Grace；〃　said　Ser　Kevan；　courteously；　〃you　are　a　young　woman；　still　fair　and　fertile。　Surely　you　cannot　wish　to　spend　the　rest　of　your　days　alone？　And　a　new　marriage　would　put　to　rest　this　talk　of　incest　for　good　and　all。〃
　〃So　long　as　you　remain　unwed；　you　allow　Stannis　to　spread　his　disgusting　slander；〃　Lord　Tywin　told　his　daughter。　〃You　must　have　a　new　husband　in　your　bed；　to　father　children　on　you。〃
　〃Three　children　is　quite　sufficient。　I　am　Queen　of　the　Seven　Kingdoms；　not　a　brood　mare！　The　Queen　Regent！〃
　〃You　are　my　daughter；　and　will　do　as　I　mand。〃
　She　stood。　〃I　will　not　sit　here　and　listen　to　this…〃
　〃You　will　if　you　wish　to　have　any　voice　in　the　choice　of　your　next　husband；〃　Lord　Tywin　said　calmly。
　When　she　hesitated；　then　sat；　Tyrion　knew　she　was　lost；　despite　her　loud　declaration　of；　〃I　will　not　marry　again！〃
　〃You　will　marry　and　you　will　breed。　Every　child　you　birth　makes　Stannis　more　a　liar。〃　Their　father's　eyes　seemed　to　pin　her　to　her　chair。　〃Mace　Tyrell；　Paxter　Redwyne；　and　Doran　Martell　are　wed　to　younger　women　likely　to　outlive　them。　Balon　Greyjoy's　wife　is　elderly　and　failing；　but　such　a　match　would　mit　us　to　an　alliance　with　the　iron　Islands；　and　I　am　still　uncertain　whether　that　would　be　our　wisest　course。〃
　〃No；〃　Cersei　said　from　between　white　lips。　〃No；　no；　no。〃
　Tyrion　could　not　quite　suppress　the　grin　that　came　to　his　lips　at　the　thought　of　packing　his　sister　off　to　Pyke。　fust　when　I　was　about　to　give　up　praying；　some　sweet　god　gives　me　this。
　Lord　Tywin　went　on。　〃Oberyn　Martell　might　suit；　but　the　Tyrells　would　take　that　very　ill。　So　we　must　look　to　the　sons。　I　assume　you　do　not　object　to　wedding　a　man　younger　than　yourself？〃
　〃I　object　to　wedding　any…〃
　〃I　have　considered　the　Redwyne　twins；　Theon　Greyjoy；　Quentyn　Martell；　and　a　number　of　others。　But　our　alliance　with　Highgarden　was　the　sword　that　broke　Stannis。　it　should　be　tempered　and　made　stronger。　Ser　Loras　has　taken　the　white　and　Ser　Garlan　is　wed　to　one　of　the　Fossoways；　but　there　remains　the　eldest　son；　the　boy　they　scheme　to　wed　to　Sansa　Stark。〃
　Willas　Tyrell。　Tyrion　was　taking　a　wicked　pleasure　in　Cersei's　helpless　fury。　〃That　would　be　the　cripple；〃　he　said。
　Their　father　chilled　him　with　a　look。　〃Willas　is　heir　to　Highgarden；　and　by　all　reports　a　mild　and　courtly　young　man；　fond　of　reading　books　and　looking　at　the　stars。　He　has　a　passion　for　breeding　animals　as　well；　and　owns　the　finest　hounds；　hawks；　and　horses　in　the　Seven　Kingdoms。〃
　A　perfect　match；　mused　Tyrion。　Cersei　also　has　a　passion　for　breeding。　He　pitied　poor　Willas　Tyrell；　and　did　not　know　whether　he　wanted　to　laugh　at　his　sister　or　weep　for　her。
　〃The　Tyrell　heir　would　be　my　choice；〃　Lord　Tywin　concluded；　〃but　if　you　would　prefer　another；　I　will　hear　your　reasons。〃
　〃That　is　so　very　kind　of　you；　Father；〃　Cersei　said　with　icy　courtesy。　〃It　is　such　a　difficult　choice　you　give　me。　Who　would　I　sooner　take　to　bed；　the　old　squid　or　the　crippled　dog　boy？　I　shall　need　a　few　days　to　consider。　Do　I　have　your　leave　to　go？〃
　You　are　the　queen；　Tyrion　wanted　to　tell　her。　He　ought　to　be　begging　leave　of　you。
　〃Go；〃　their　father　said。　〃We　shall　talk　again　after　you　have　posed　yourself。　Remember　your　duty。〃
　Cersei　swept　stiffly　from　the　room；　her　rage　plain　to　see。　Yet　in　the　end　she　will　do　as　Father　bid。　She　had　proved　that　with　Robert。　Though　there　is　Jaime　to　consider。　Their　brother　had　been　much　younger　when　Cersei　wed　the　first　time；　he　might　not　acquiesce　to　a　second　marriage　quite　so　easily。　The　unfortunate　Willas　Tyrell　was　like　to　contract　a　sudden　fatal　case　of　sword…through…bowels；　which　could　rather　sour　the　alliance　between　Highgarden　and　Casterly　Rock。　I　should　say　something；　but　what？　Pardon　me；　Father；　but　it's　our　brother　she　wants　to　marry？
　〃Tyrion。〃
　He　gave　a　resigned　smile。　〃Do　I　hear　the　herald　summoning　me　to　the　lists？〃
　〃Your　whoring　is　a　weakness　in　you；〃　Lord　Tywin　said　without　preamble；　〃but　perhaps　some　share　of　the　blame　is　mine。　Since　you　stand　no　taller　than　a　boy；　I　have　found　it　easy　to　forget　that　you　are　in　truth　a　man　grown；　with　all　of　a　man's　baser　needs。　It　is　past　time　you　were　wed。〃
　I　was　wed；　or　have　you　forgotten？　Tyrion's　mouth　twisted；　and　the　noise　emerged　that　was　half　laugh　and　half　snarl。
　〃Does　the　prospect　of　marriage　amuse　you？〃
　〃Only　imagining　what　a　bugger…all　handsome　bridegroom　I'll　make。〃　A　wife　might　be　the　very　thing　he　needed。　If　she　brought　him　lands　and　a　keep；　it　would　give　him　a　place　in　the　world　apart　from　Joffrey's　court　。　。　。　and　away　from　Cersei　and　their　father。
　On　the　other　hand；　there　was　Shae。　She　will　not　like　this；　for　all　she　swears　that　she　is　content　to　be　my　whore。
　That　was　scarcely　a　point　to　sway　his　father；　however；　so　Tyrion　squirmed　higher　in　his　seat　and　said；　〃You　mean　to　wed　me　to　Sansa　Stark。　But　won't　the　Tyrells　take　the　match　as　an　affront；　if　they　have　designs　on　the　girl？〃
　〃Lord　Tyrell　will　not　broach　the　matter　of　the　Stark　girl　until　after　Joffrey's　wedding。　If　Sansa　is　wed　before　that；　how　can　he　take　offense；　when　he　gave　us　no　hint　of　his　intentions？〃
　〃Quite　so；〃　said　Ser　Kevan；　〃and　any　lingering　resentments　should　be　soothed　by　the　offer　of　Cersei　for　his　Willas。〃
　Tyrion　rubbed　at　the　raw　stub　of　his　nose。　The　scar　tissue　itched　abominably　sometimes。　〃His　Grace　the　royal　pustule　has　made　Sansa's　life　a　misery　since　the　day　her　father　died；　and　now　that　she　is　finally　rid　of　Joffrey　you　propose　to　marry　her　to　me。　That　seems　singularly　cruel。　Even　for　you；　Father。〃
　〃Why；　do　you　plan　to　mistreat　her？〃　His　father　sounded　more　curious　than　concerned。　〃The　girl's　happiness　is　not　my　purpose；　nor　should　it　be　yours。　Our　alliances　in　the　south　may　be　as　solid　as　Casterly　Rock；　but　there　remains　the　north　to　win；　and　the　key　to　the　north　is　Sansa　Stark。〃
　〃She　is　no　more　than　a　child。〃
　〃Your　sister　swears　she's　flowered。　If　so；　she　is　a　woman；　fit　to　be　wed。　You　must　needs　take　her　maidenhead；　so　no　man　can　say　the　marriage　was　not　consummated。　After　that；　if　you　prefer　to　wait　a　year　or　two　before　bedding　her　again；　you　would　be　within　your　rights　as　her　husband。〃
　Shae　is　all　the　woman　I　need　just　now；　he　thought；　and　Sansa's　a　girl；　no　matter　what　you　say。　〃If　your　purpose　here　is　to　keep　her　from　the　Tyrells；　why　not　return　her　to　her　mother？　Perhaps　that　would　convince　Robb　Stark　to　bend　the　knee。〃
　Lord　Tywin's　look　was　scornful。　〃Send　her　to　Riverrun　and　her　mother　will　match　her　with　a　Blackwood　or　a　Mallister　to　shore　up　her　son's　alliances　along　the　Trident。　Send　her　north；　and　she　will　be　wed　to　some　Manderly　or　Umber　before　the　moon　turns。　Yet　she　is　no　less　dangerous　here　at　court；　as　this　business　with　the　Tyrells　should　prove。　She　must　marry　a　Lannister；　and　soon。〃
　〃The　man　who　weds　Sansa　Stark　can　claim　Winterfell　in　her　name；〃　his　uncle　Kevan