grrm.astormofswords-第6节

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　〃Let　Robert　do　as　he　pleases。　I'll　go　to　war　with　him　if　I　must。　The　War　for　Cersei's　Cunt；　the　singers　will　call　it。〃
　〃Jaime；　let　go　of　me！〃　she　raged；　struggling　to　rise。
　Instead　he　had　kissed　her。　For　a　moment　she　resisted；　but　then　her　mouth　opened　under　his。　He　remembered　the　taste　of　wine　and　cloves　on　her　tongue。　She　gave　a　shudder。　His　hand　went　to　her　bodice　and　yanked；　tearing　the　silk　so　her　breasts　spilled　free；　and　for　a　time　the　Stark　boy　had　been　forgotten。
　Had　Cersei　remembered　him　afterward　and　hired　this　man　Lady　Catelyn　spoke　of；　to　make　sure　the　boy　never　woke？　If　she　wanted　him　dead　she　would　have　sent　me。　And　it　is　not　like　her　to　chose　a　catspaw　who　would　make　such　a　royal　botch　of　the　killing。
　Downriver；　the　rising　sun　shimmered　against　the　wind…whipped　surface　of　the　river。　The　south　shore　was　red　clay；　smooth　as　any　road。　Smaller　streams　fed　into　the　greater；　and　the　rotting　trunks　of　drowned　trees　clung　to　the　banks。　The　north　shore　was　wilder。　High　rocky　bluffs　rose　twenty　feet　above　them；　crowned　by　stands　of　beech；　oak；　and　chestnut。　Jaime　spied　a　watchtower　on　the　heights　ahead；　growing　taller　with　every　stroke　of　the　oars。　Long　before　they　were　upon　it；　he　knew　that　it　stood　abandoned；　its　weathered　stones　overgrown　with　climbing　roses。
　When　the　wind　shifted；　Ser　Cleos　helped　the　big　wench　run　up　the　sail；　a　stiff　triangle　of　striped　red…and…blue　canvas。　Tully　colors；　sure　to　cause　them　grief　if　they　encountered　any　Lannister　forces　on　the　river；　but　it　was　the　only　sail　they　had。　Brienne　took　the　rudder。　Jaime　threw　out　the　leeboard；　his　chains　rattling　as　he　moved。　After　that；　they　made　better　speed；　with　wind　and　current　both　favoring　their　flight。　〃We　could　save　a　deal　of　traveling　if　you　delivered　me　to　my　father　instead　of　my　brother；〃　he　pointed　out。
　〃Lady　Catelyn's　daughters　are　in　King's　Landing。　I　will　return　with　the　girls　or　not　at　all。〃
　Jaime　turned　to　Ser　Cleos。　〃Cousin；　lend　me　your　knife。〃
　〃No。〃　The　woman　tensed。　〃I　will　not　have　you　armed。〃　Her　voice　was　as　unyielding　as　stone。
　She　fears　me；　even　in　irons。　〃Cleos；　it　seems　I　must　ask　you　to　shave　me。　Leave　the　beard；　but　take　the　hair　off　my　head。〃
　〃You'd　be　shaved　bald？〃　asked　Cleos　Frey。
　〃The　realm　knows　Jaime　Larmister　as　a　beardless　knight　with　long　golden　hair。　A　bald　man　with　a　filthy　yellow　beard　may　pass　unnoticed。　I'd　sooner　not　be　recognized　while　I'm　in　irons。〃
　The　dagger　was　not　as　sharp　as　it　might　have　been。　Cleos　hacked　away　manfully；　sawing　and　ripping　his　way　through　the　mats　and　tossing　the　hair　over　the　side。　The　golden　curls　floated　on　the　surface　of　the　water；　gradually　falling　astern。　As　the　tangles　vanished；　a　louse　went　crawling　down　his　neck。　Jaime　caught　it　and　crushed　it　against　his　thumbnail。　Ser　Cleos　picked　others　from　his　scalp　and　flicked　them　into　the　water。　Jaime　doused　his　head　and　made　Ser　Cleos　whet　the　blade　before　he　let　him　scrape　away　the　last　inch　of　yellow　stubble。　When　that　was　done；　they　trimmed　back　his　beard　as　well。
　The　reflection　in　the　water　was　a　man　he　did　not　know。　Not　only　was　he　bald；　but　he　looked　as　though　he　had　aged　five　years　in　that　dungeon；　his　face　was　thinner；　with　hollows　under　his　eyes　and　lines　he　did　not　remember。　I　don't　look　as　much　like　Cersei　this　way。　She'll　hate　that。
　By　midday；　Ser　Cleos　had　fallen　asleep。　His　snores　sounded　like　ducks　mating。　Jaime　stretched　out　to　watch　the　world　flow　past；　after　the　dark　cell；　every　rock　and　tree　was　a　wonder。
　A　few　one…room　shacks　came　and　went；　perched　on　tall　poles　that　made　them　look　like　cranes。　Of　the　folk　who　lived　there　they　saw　no　sign。　Birds　flew　overhead；　or　cried　out　from　the　trees　along　the　shore；　and　Jaime　glimpsed　silvery　fish　knifing　through　the　water。　Tully　trout；　there's　a　bad　omen；　he　thought；　until　he　saw　a　worse…one　of　the　floating　logs　they　passed　turned　out　to　be　a　dead　man；　bloodless　and　swollen。　His　cloak　was　tangled　in　the　roots　of　a　fallen　tree；　its　color　unmistakably　Lannister　crimson。　He　wondered　if　the　corpse　had　been　someone　he　knew。
　The　forks　of　the　Trident　were　the　easiest　way　to　move　goods　or　men　across　the　riverlands。　In　times　of　peace；　they　would　have　encountered　fisherfolk　in　their　skiffs；　grain　barges　being　poled　downstream；　merchants　selling　needles　and　bolts　of　cloth　from　floating　shops；　perhaps　even　a　gaily　painted　mummer's　boat　with　quilted　sails　of　half　a　hundred　colors；　making　its　way　upriver　from　village　to　village　and　castle　to　castle。
　But　the　war　had　taken　its　toll。　They　sailed　past　villages；　but　saw　no　villagers。　An　empty　net；　slashed　and　torn　and　hanging　from　some　trees；　was　the　only　sign　of　fisherfolk。　A　young　girl　watering　her　horse　rode　off　as　soon　as　she　glimpsed　their　sail。　Later　they　passed　a　dozen　peasants　digging　in　a　field　beneath　the　shell　of　a　burnt　towerhouse。　The　men　gazed　at　them　with　dull　eyes；　and　went　back　to　their　labors　once　they　decided　the　skiff　was　no　threat。
　The　Red　Fork　was　wide　and　slow；　a　meandering　river　of　loops　and　bends　dotted　with　tiny　wooded　islets　and　frequently　choked　by　sandbars　and　snags　that　lurked　just　below　the　water's　surface。　Brienne　seemed　to　have　a　keen　eye　for　the　dangers；　though；　and　always　seemed　to　find　the　channel。　When　Jaime　plimented　her　on　her　knowledge　of　the　river；　she　looked　at　him　suspiciously　and　said；　〃I　do　not　know　the　river。　Tarth　is　an　island。　I　learned　to　manage　oars　and　sail　before　I　ever　sat　a　horse。〃
　Ser　Cleos　sat　up　and　rubbed　at　his　eyes。　〃Gods；　my　arms　are　sore。　I　hope　the　wind　lasts。〃　He　sniffed　at　it。　〃I　smell　rain。〃
　Jaime　would　wele　a　good　rain。　The　dungeons　of　Riverrun　were　not　the　cleanest　place　in　the　Seven　Kingdoms。　By　now　he　must　smell　like　an　overripe　cheese。
　Cleos　squinted　downriver。　〃Smoke。〃
　A　thin　grey　finger　crooked　them　on。　It　was　rising　from　the　south　bank　several　miles　on；　twisting　and　curling。　Below；　Jaime　made　out　the　smouldering　remains　of　a　large　building；　and　a　live　oak　full　of　dead　women。
　The　crows　had　scarcely　started　on　their　corpses。　The　thin　ropes　cut　deeply　into　the　soft　flesh　of　their　throats；　and　when　the　wind　blew　they　twisted　and　swayed。　〃This　was　not　chivalrously　done；〃　said　Brienne　when　they　were　close　enough　to　see　it　clearly。　〃No　true　knight　would　condone　such　wanton　butchery。〃
　〃True　knights　see　worse　every　time　they　ride　to　war；　wench；〃　said　Jaime。　〃And　do　worse；　yes。〃
　Brienne　turned　the　rudder　toward　the　shore。　〃I'll　leave　no　innocents　to　be　food　for　crows。〃
　〃A　heartless　wench。　Crows　need　to　eat　as　well。　Stay　to　the　river　and　leave　the　dead　alone；　woman。〃
　They　landed　upstream　of　where　the　great　oak　leaned　out　over　the　water。　As　Brienne　lowered　the　sail；　Jaime　climbed　out；　clumsy　in　his　chains。　The　Red　Fork　filled　his　boots　and　soaked　through　the　ragged　breeches。　Laughing；　he　dropped　to　his　knees；　plunged　his　head　under　the　water；　and　came　up　drenched　and　dripping。　His　hands　were　caked　with　dirt；　and　when　he　rubbed　them　clean　in　the　current　they　seemed　thinner　and　paler　than　he　remembered。　His　legs　were　stiff　as　well；　and　unsteady　when　he　put　his　weight　upon　them。　I　was　too　bloody　long　in　Hoster　Tully's　dungeon。
　Brienne　and　Cleos　dragged　the　skiff　onto　the　bank。　The　corpses　hung　above　their　heads；　ripening　in　death　like　foul　fruit。　〃One　of　us　will　need　to　cut　them　down；〃　the　wench　said。
　〃I'll　climb。〃　Jaime　waded　ashore；　clanking。　〃Just　get　these　chains　off。〃
　The　wench　was　staring　up　at　one　of　the　dead　women。　Jaime　shuffled　closer　with　small　stutter　steps；　the　only　kind　the　foot…long　chain　permitted。　When　he　saw　the　crude　sign　hung　about　the　neck　of　the　highest　corpse；　he　smiled。　〃They　Lay　With　Lions；〃　he　read。　〃Oh；　yes；　woman；　this　was　most　unchivalrously　done　。　。　。　but　by　your　side；　not　mine。　I　wonder　who　they　were；　these　women？〃
　〃Tavern　wenches；〃　said　Ser　Cleos　Frey。　〃This　was　an　inn；　I　remember　it　now。　Some　men　of　my　escort　spent　the　night　here　when　we　last　returned　to　Riverrun。〃　Nothing　remained　of　the　building　but　the　stone　foundation　and　a　tangle　of　collapsed　beams；　charred　black。　Smoke　still　rose　from　the　ashes。
　Jaime　left　brothels　and　whores　to　his　brother　Tyrion；　Cersei　was　the　only　woman　he　had　ever　wanted。　〃The　girls　pleasured　some　of　my　lord　father's　soldiers；　it　would　seem。　Perhaps　served　them　food　and　drink。
　That's　how　they　earned　their　traitors'　collars；　with　a　kiss　and　a　cup　of　ale。〃　He　glanced　up　and　down　the　river；　to　make　certain　they　were　quite　alone。　〃This　is　Bracken　land。　Lord　Jonos　might　have　ordered　them　killed。　My　father　burned　his　castle；　I　fear　he　loves　us　not。〃
　〃It　might　be　Marq　Piper's　work；〃　said　Ser　Cleos。　〃Or　that　wisp　o'　the　wood　Beric　Dondarrion；　though　I'd　heard　he　kills　only　soldiers。　Perhaps　a　band　of　Roose　Bolton's　northmen？〃
　〃Bolton　was　defeated　by　my　father　on　the　Green　Fork。〃
　〃But　not　broken；〃　said　Ser　Cleos。　〃He　came　south　again　when　Lord　Tywin　marched　against　the　fords。　The　word　at　Riverrun　was　that　he'd　taken　Harrenhal　from　Ser　Amory　Lorch。〃
　Jaime　liked　the　sound　of　that　not　at　all。　〃Brienne；〃　he　said；　granting　her　the　courtesy　of　the　name　in　the　hopes　that　she　might　listen；　〃if　Lord　Bolton　holds　Harrenhal；　both　the　Trident　and　the　kingsroad　are　likely　watched。〃
　He　thought　he　saw　a　touch　of　uncertainty　in　her　big　blue　eyes。