grrm.astormofswords-第7节

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　He　thought　he　saw　a　touch　of　uncertainty　in　her　big　blue　eyes。　〃You　are　under　my　protection。　They'd　need　to　kill　me。〃
　〃I　shouldn't　think　that　would　trouble　them。〃
　〃I　am　as　good　a　fighter　as　you；〃　she　said　defensively。　〃I　was　one　of　King　Renly's　chosen　seven。　With　his　own　hands；　he　cloaked　me　with　the　striped　silk　of　the　Rainbow　Guard。〃
　〃The　Rainbow　Guard？　You　and　six　other　girls；　was　it？　A　singer　once　said　that　all　maids　are　fair　in　silk　。　。　。　but　he　never　met　you；　did　he？〃
　The　woman　turned　red。　〃We　have　graves　to　dig。〃　She　went　to　climb　the　tree。
　The　lower　limbs　of　the　oak　were　big　enough　for　her　to　stand　upon　once　she'd　gotten　up　the　trunk。　She　walked　amongst　the　leaves；　dagger　in　hand；　cutting　down　the　corpses。　Flies　swarmed　around　the　bodies　as　they　fell；　and　the　stench　grew　worse　with　each　one　she　dropped。　〃This　is　a　deal　of　trouble　to　take　for　whores；〃　Ser　Cleos　plained。　〃What　are　we　supposed　to　dig　with？　We　have　no　spades；　and　I　will　not　use　my　sword；　I…〃
　Brienne　gave　a　shout。　She　jumped　down　rather　than　climbing。　〃To　the　boat。　Be　quick。　There's　a　sail。〃
　They　made　what　haste　they　could；　though　Jaime　could　hardly　run；　and　had　to　be　pulled　back　up　into　the　skiff　by　his　cousin。　Brienne　shoved　off　with　an　oar　and　raised　sail　hurriedly。　〃Ser　Cleos；　I'll　need　you　to　row　as　well。〃
　He　did　as　she　bid。　The　skiff　began　to　cut　the　water　a　bit　faster；　current；　wind；　and　oars　all　worked　for　them。　Jaime　sat　chained；　peering　upriver。　Only　the　top　of　the　other　sail　was　visible。　With　the　way　the　Red　Fork　looped；　it　looked　to　be　across　the　fields；　moving　north　behind　a　screen　of　trees　while　they　moved　south；　but　he　knew　that　was　deceptive。　He　lifted　both　hands　to　shade　his　eyes。　〃Mud　red　and　watery　blue；〃　he　announced。
　Brienne's　big　mouth　worked　soundlessly；　giving　her　the　look　of　a　cow　chewing　its　cud。　〃Faster；　ser。〃
　The　inn　soon　vanished　behind　them；　and　they　lost　sight　of　the　top　of　the　sail　as　well；　but　that　meant　nothing。　Once　the　pursuers　swung　around　the　loop　they　would　bee　visible　again。　〃We　can　hope　the　noble　Tullys　will　stop　to　bury　the　dead　whores；　I　suppose。〃　The　prospect　of　returning　to　his　cell　did　not　appeal　to　Jaime。　Tyrion　could　think　of　something　clever　now；　but　all　that　occurs　to　me　is　to　go　at　them　with　a　sword。
　For　the　good　part　of　an　hour　they　played　peek…and…seek　with　the　pursuers；　sweeping　around　bends　and　between　small　wooded　isles。　just　when　they　were　starting　to　hope　that　somehow　they　might　have　left　behind　the　pursuit；　the　distant　sail　became　visible　again。　Ser　Cleos　paused　in　his　stroke。　〃The　Others　take　them。〃　He　wiped　sweat　from　his　brow。
　〃Row！〃　Brienne　said。
　〃That　is　a　river　galley　ing　after　us；〃　Jaime　announced　after　he'd　watched　for　a　while。　With　every　stroke；　it　seemed　to　grow　a　little　larger。　〃Nine　oars　on　each　side；　which　means　eighteen　men。　More；　if　they　crowded　on　fighters　as　well　as　rowers。　And　larger　sails　than　ours。　We　cannot　outrun　her。〃
　Ser　Cleos　froze　at　his　oars。　〃Eighteen；　you　said？〃
　〃Six　for　each　of　us。　I'd　want　eight；　but　these　bracelets　hinder　me　somewhat。〃　Jaime　held　up　his　wrists。　〃Unless　the　Lady　Brienne　would　be　so　kind　as　to　unshackle　me？〃
　She　ignored　him；　putting　all　her　effort　into　her　stroke。
　〃We　had　half　a　night's　start　on　them；〃　Jaime　said。　〃They've　been　rowing　since　dawn；　resting　two　oars　at　a　time。　They'll　be　exhausted。　just　now　the　sight　of　our　sail　has　given　them　a　burst　of　strength；　but　that　will　not　last。　We　ought　to　be　able　to　kill　a　good　many　of　them。〃
　Ser　Cleos　gaped。　〃But　。　。　。　there　are　eighteen。〃
　〃At　the　least。　More　likely　twenty　or　twenty…five。〃
　His　cousin　groaned。　〃We　can't　hope　to　defeat　eighteen。〃
　〃Did　I　say　we　could？　The　best　we　can　hope　for　is　to　die　with　swords　in　our　hands。〃　He　was　perfectly　sincere。　Jaime　Lannister　had　never　been　afraid　of　death。
　Brienne　broke　off　rowing。　Sweat　had　stuck　strands　of　her　flax…colored　hair　to　her　forehead；　and　her　grimace　made　her　look　homelier　than　ever。　〃You　are　under　my　protection；〃　she　said；　her　voice　so　thick　with　anger　that　it　was　almost　a　growl。
　He　had　to　laugh　at　such　fierceness。　She's　the　Hound　with　teats；　he　thought。　Or　would　be；　if　she　had　any　teats　to　speak　of。　〃Then　protect　me；　wench。　Or　free　me　to　protect　myself。〃
　The　galley　was　skimming　downriver；　a　great　wooden　dragonfly。　The　water　around　her　was　churned　white　by　the　furious　action　of　her　oars。　She　was　gaining　visibly；　the　men　on　her　deck　crowding　forward　as　she　came　on。　Metal　glinted　in　their　hands；　and　Jaime　could　see　bows　as　well。　Archers。　He　hated　archers。
　At　the　prow　of　the　onrushing　galley　stood　a　stocky　man　with　a　bald　head；　bushy　grey　eyebrows；　and　brawny　arms。　Over　his　mail　he　wore　a　soiled　white　surcoat　with　a　weeping　willow　embroidered　in　pale　green；　but　his　cloak　was　fastened　with　a　silver　trout。　Riverrun's　captain　of　guards。　In　his　day　Ser　Robin　Ryger　had　been　a　notably　tenacious　fighter；　but　his　day　was　done；　he　was　of　an　age　with　Hoster　Tully；　and　had　grown　old　with　his　lord。
　When　the　boats　were　fifty　yards　apart；　Jaime　cupped　his　hands　around　his　mouth　and　shouted　back　over　the　water。　〃e　to　wish　me　godspeed；　Ser　Robin？〃
　〃e　to　take　you　back；　Kingslayer；〃　Ser　Robin　Ryger　bellowed。　〃How　is　it　that　you've　lost　your　golden　hair？〃
　〃I　hope　to　blind　my　enemies　with　the　sheen　off　my　head。　It's　worked　well　enough　for　you。〃
　Ser　Robin　was　unamused。　The　distance　between　skiff　and　galley　had　shrunk　to　forty　yards。　〃Throw　your　oars　and　your　weapons　into　the　river；　and　no　one　need　be　harmed。〃
　Ser　Cleos　twisted　around。　〃Jaime；　tell　him　we　were　freed　by　Lady　Catelyn　。　。　。　an　exchange　of　captives；　lawful　。　。　。〃
　Jaime　told　him；　for　all　the　good　it　did。　〃Catelyn　Stark　does　not　rule　in　Riverrun；〃　Ser　Robin　shouted　back。　Four　archers　crowded　into　position　on　either　side　of　him；　two　standing　and　two　kneeling。　〃Cast　your　swords　into　the　water。〃
　〃I　have　no　sword；〃　he　returned；　〃but　if　I　did；　I'd　stick　it　through　your　belly　and　hack　the　balls　off　those　four　cravens。〃
　A　flight　of　arrows　answered　him。　One　thudded　into　the　mast；　two　pierced　the　sail；　and　the　fourth　missed　Jaime　by　a　foot。
　Another　of　the　Red　Fork's　broad　loops　loomed　before　them。　Brienne　angled　the　skiff　across　the　bend。　The　yard　swung　as　they　turned；　their　sail　cracking　as　it　filled　with　wind。　Ahead　a　large　island　sat　in　midstream。　The　main　channel　flowed　right。　To　the　left　a　cutoff　ran　between　the　island　and　the　high　bluffs　of　the　north　shore。　Brienne　moved　the　tiller　and　the　skiff　sheared　left；　sail　rippling。　Jaime　watched　her　eyes。　Pretty　eyes；　he　thought；　and　calm。　He　knew　how　to　read　a　man's　eyes。　He　knew　what　fear　looked　like。　She　is　determined；　not　desperate。
　Thirty　yards　behind；　the　galley　was　entering　the　bend。　〃Ser　Cleos；　take　the　tiller；〃　the　wench　manded。　〃Kingslayer；　take　an　oar　and　keep　us　off　the　rocks。〃
　〃As　my　lady　mands。〃　An　oar　was　not　a　sword；　but　the　blade　could　break　a　man's　face　if　well　swung；　and　the　shaft　could　be　used　to　parry。
　Ser　Cleos　shoved　the　oar　into　Jaime's　hand　and　scrambled　aft。　They　crossed　the　head　of　the　island　and　turned　sharply　down　the　cutoff；　sending　a　wash　of　water　against　the　face　of　the　bluff　as　the　boat　tilted。　The　island　was　densely　wooded；　a　tangle　of　willows；　oaks；　and　tall　pines　that　cast　deep　shadows　across　the　rushing　water；　hiding　snags　and　the　rotted　trunks　of　drowned　trees。　To　their　left　the　bluff　rose　sheer　and　rocky；　and　at　its　foot　the　river　foamed　whitely　around　broken　boulders　and　tumbles　of　rock　fallen　from　the　cliff　face。
　They　passed　from　sunlight　into　shadow；　hidden　from　the　galley's　view　between　the　green　wall　of　the　trees　and　the　stony　grey…brown　bluff。　A　few　moments'respite　from　the　arrows；　Jaime　thought；　pushing　them　off　a　half…submerged　boulder。
　The　skiff　rocked。　He　heard　a　soft　splash；　and　when　he　glanced　around；　Brienne　was　gone。　A　moment　later　he　spied　her　again；　pulling　herself　from　the　water　at　the　base　of　the　bluff。　She　waded　through　a　shallow　pool；　scrambled　over　some　rocks；　and　began　to　climb。　Ser　Cleos　goggled；　mouth　open。　Fool；　thought　Jaime。　〃Ignore　the　wench；〃　he　snapped　at　his　cousin。　〃Steer。〃
　They　could　see　the　sail　moving　behind　the　trees。　The　river　galley　came　into　full　view　at　the　top　of　the　cutoff；　twenty…five　yards　behind。　Her　bow　swung　hard　as　she　came　around；　and　a　half…dozen　arrows　took　flight；　but　all　went　well　wide。　The　motion　of　the　two　boats　was　giving　the　archers　difficulty；　but　Jaime　knew　they'd　soon　enough　learn　to　pensate。　Brienne　was　halfway　up　the　cliff　face；　pulling　herself　from　handhold　to　handhold。　Ryger's　sure　to　see　her；　and　once　he　does　he'll　have　those　bowmen　bring　her　down。　Jaime　decided　to　see　if　the　old　man's　pride　would　make　him　stupid。　〃Ser　Robin；〃　he　shouted；　〃hear　me　for　a　moment。〃
　Ser　Robin　raised　a　hand；　and　his　archers　lowered　their　bows。　〃Say　what　you　will；　Kingslayer；　but　say　it　quickly。〃
　The　skiff　swung　through　a　litter　of　broken　stones　as　Jaime　called　out；　〃I　know　a　better　way　to　settle　this…single　bat。　You　and　I。〃
　〃I　was　not　born　this　morning；　Lannister。〃
　〃No；　but　you're　like　to　die　this　afternoon。〃　Jaime　raised　his　hands　so　the　other　could　see　the　manacles。　〃I'll　fight　you　in　chains。　What　could　you　fear？〃
　〃Not　you；　ser。　If　the　choice　were　mine；　I'd　like　nothing　bette