grrm.astormofswords-第8节

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〃
　〃Not　you；　ser。　If　the　choice　were　mine；　I'd　like　nothing　better；　but　I　am　manded　to　bring　you　back　alive　if　possible。　Bowmen。〃　He　signaled　them　on。　〃Notch。　Draw　Loo…〃
　The　range　was　less　than　twenty　yards。　The　archers　could　scarcely　have　missed；　but　as　they　pulled　on　their　longbows　a　rain　of　pebbles　cascaded　down　around　them。　Small　stones　rattled　on　their　deck；　bounced　off　their　helms；　and　made　splashes　on　both　sides　of　the　bow。　Those　who　had　wits　enough　to　understand　raised　their　eyes　just　as　a　boulder　the　size　of　a　cow　detached　itself　from　the　top　of　the　bluff。　Ser　Robin　shouted　in　dismay。　The　stone　tumbled　through　the　air；　struck　the　face　of　the　cliff；　cracked　in　two；　and　smashed　down　on　them。　The　larger　piece　snapped　the　mast；　tore　through　the　sail；　sent　two　of　the　archers　flying　into　the　river；　and　crushed　the　leg　of　a　rower　as　he　bent　over　his　oar。　The　rapidity　with　which　the　galley　began　to　fill　with　water　suggested　that　the　smaller　fragment　had　punched　right　through　her　hull。　The　oarsman's　screams　echoed　off　the　bluff　while　the　archers　flailed　wildly　in　the　current。　From　the　way　they　were　splashing；　neither　man　could　swim。　Jaime　laughed。
　By　the　time　they　emerged　from　the　cutoff；　the　galley　was　foundering　amongst　pools；　eddies；　and　snags；　and　Jaime　Lannister　had　decided　that　the　gods　were　good。　Ser　Robin　and　his　thrice…damned　archers　would　have　a　long　wet　walk　back　to　Riverrun；　and　he　was　rid　of　the　big　homely　wench　as　well。　I　could　not　have　planned　it　better　myself。　Once　I'm　free　of　these　irons　。　。　。
　Ser　Cleos　raised　a　shout。　When　Jaime　looked　up；　Brienne　was　lumbering　along　the　clifftop；　well　ahead　of　them；　having　cut　across　a　finger　of　land　while　they　were　following　the　bend　in　the　river。　She　threw　herself　off　the　rock；　and　looked　almost　graceful　as　she　folded　into　a　dive。　It　would　have　been　ungracious　to　hope　that　she　would　smash　her　head　on　a　stone。　Ser　Cleos　turned　the　skiff　toward　her。　Thankfully；　Jaime　still　had　his　oar。　One　good　swing　when　she　es　paddling　up　and　I'll　be　free　of　her。
　Instead　he　found　himself　stretching　the　oar　out　over　the　water。　Brienne　grabbed　hold；　and　Jaime　pulled　her　in。　As　he　helped　her　into　the　skiff；　water　ran　from　her　hair　and　dripped　from　her　sodden　clothing　to　pool　on　the　deck。　She's　even　uglier　wet。　Who　would　have　thought　it　possible？　〃You're　a　bloody　stupid　wench；〃　he　told　her。　〃We　could　have　sailed　on　without　you。　I　suppose　you　expect　me　to　thank　you？〃
　〃I　want　none　of　your　thanks；　Kingslayer。　I　swore　an　oath　to　bring　you　safe　to　King's　Landing。〃
　〃And　you　actually　mean　to　keep　it？〃　Jaime　gave　her　his　brightest　smile。　〃Now　there's　a　wonder。〃
　
　
　CHAPTER　2
　CATELYN
　
　Ser　Desmond　Grell　had　served　House　Tully　all　his　life。　He　had　been　a　squire　when　Catelyn　was　born；　a　knight　when　she　learned　to　walk　and　ride　and　swim；　master…at…arms　by　the　day　that　she　was　wed。　He　had　seen　Lord　Hoster's　little　Cat　bee　a　young　woman；　a　great　lord's　lady；　mother　to　a　king。　And　now　he　has　seen　me　bee　a　traitor　as　well。
　Her　brother　Edmure　had　named　Ser　Desmond　castellan　of　Riverrun　when　he　rode　off　to　battle；　so　it　fell　to　him　to　deal　with　her　crime。　To　ease　his　disfort　he　brought　her　father's　steward　with　him；　dour　Utherydes　Wayn。　The　two　men　stood　and　looked　at　her；　Ser　Desmond　stout；　red…faced；　embarrassed；　Utherydes　grave；　gaunt；　melancholy。　Each　waited　for　the　other　to　speak。　They　have　given　their　lives　to　my　father's　service；　and　I　have　repaid　them　with　disgrace；　Catelyn　thought　wearily。
　〃Your　sons；〃　Ser　Desmond　said　at　last。　〃Maester　Vyman　told　us。　The　poor　lads。　Terrible。　Terrible。　But　。　。　。〃
　〃We　share　your　grief；　my　lady；〃　said　Utherydes　Wayn。　〃All　Riverrun　mourns　with　you；　but　。　。　。〃
　〃The　news　must　have　driven　you　mad；〃　Ser　Desmond　broke　in；　〃a　madness　of　grief；　a　mother's　madness；　men　will　understand。　You　did　not　know　。　。　。〃
　〃I　did；〃　Catelyn　said　firmly。　〃I　understood　what　I　was　doing　and　knew　it　was　treasonous。　If　you　fail　to　punish　me；　men　will　believe　that　we　connived　together　to　free　Jaime　Lannister。　It　was　mine　own　act　and　mine　alone；　and　I　alone　must　answer　for　it。　Put　me　in　the　Kingslayer's　empty　irons；　and　I　will　wear　them　proudly；　if　that　is　how　it　must　be。〃
　〃Fetters？〃　The　very　word　seemed　to　shock　poor　Ser　Desmond。　〃For　the　king's　mother；　my　lord's　own　daughter？　Impossible。〃
　〃Mayhaps；〃　said　the　steward　Utherydes　Wayn；　〃my　lady　would　consent　to　be　confined　to　her　chambers　until　Ser　Edmure　returns。　A　time　alone；　to　pray　for　her　murdered　sons？〃
　〃Confined；　aye；〃　Ser　Desmond　said。　〃Confined　to　a　tower　cell；　that　would　serve。〃
　〃If　I　am　to　be　confined；　let　it　be　in　my　father's　chambers；　so　I　might　fort　him　in　his　last　days。〃
　Ser　Desmond　considered　a　moment。　〃Very　well。　You　shall　lack　no　fort　nor　courtesy；　but　freedom　of　the　castle　is　denied　you。　Visit　the　sept　as　you　need；　but　elsewise　remain　in　Lord　Hoster's　chambers　until　Lord　Edmure　returns。〃
　〃As　you　wish。〃　Her　brother　was　no　lord　while　their　father　lived；　but　Catelyn　did　not　correct　him。　〃Set　a　guard　on　me　if　you　must；　but　I　give　you　my　pledge　that　I　shall　attempt　no　escape。〃
　Ser　Desmond　nodded；　plainly　glad　to　be　done　with　his　distasteful　task；　but　sad…eyed　Utherydes　Wayn　lingered　a　moment　after　the　castellan　took　his　leave。　〃It　was　a　grave　thing　you　did；　my　lady；　but　for　naught。　Ser　Desmond　has　sent　Ser　Robin　Ryger　after　them；　to　bring　back　the　Kingslayer　。　。　。　or　failing　that；　his　head。〃
　Catelyn　had　expected　no　less。　May　the　Warrior　give　strength　to　your　sword　arm；　Brienne；　she　prayed。　She　had　done　all　she　could；　nothing　remained　but　to　hope。
　Her　things　were　moved　into　her　father's　bedchamber；　dominated　by　the　great　canopied　bed　she　had　been　born　in；　its　pillars　carved　in　the　shapes　of　leaping　trout。　Her　father　himself　had　been　moved　half　a　turn　down　the　stair；　his　sickbed　placed　to　face　the　triangular　balcony　that　opened　off　his　solar；　from　whence　he　could　see　the　rivers　that　he　had　always　loved　so　well。
　Lord　Hoster　was　sleeping　when　Catelyn　entered。　She　went　out　to　the　balcony　and　stood　with　one　hand　on　the　rough　stone　balustrade。　Beyond　the　point　of　the　castle　the　swift　Tumblestone　joined　the　placid　Red　Fork；　and　she　could　see　a　long　way　downriver。　If　a　striped　sail　es　from　the　east；　it　will　be　Ser　Robin　returning。　For　the　moment　the　surface　of　the　waters　was　empty。　She　thanked　the　gods　for　that；　and　went　back　inside　to　sit　with　her　father。
　Catelyn　could　not　say　if　Lord　Hoster　knew　that　she　was　there；　or　if　her　presence　brought　him　any　fort；　but　it　gave　her　solace　to　be　with　him。　What　would　you　say　if　you　knew　my　crime；　Father？　she　wondered。　Would　you　have　done　as　I　did；　if　it　were　Lysa　and　me　in　the　hands　of　our　enemies？　Or　would　you　condemn　me　too；　and　call　it　mother's　madness？
　There　was　a　smell　of　death　about　that　room；　a　heavy　smell；　sweet　and　foul；　clinging。　It　reminded　her　of　the　sons　that　she　had　lost；　her　sweet　Bran　and　her　little　Rickon；　slain　at　the　hand　of　Theon　Greyjoy；　who　had　been　Ned's　ward。　She　still　grieved　for　Ned；　she　would　always　grieve　for　Ned；　but　to　have　her　babies　taken　as　well　。　。　。　〃It　is　a　monstrous　cruel　thing　to　lose　a　child；〃　she　whispered　softly；　more　to　herself　than　to　her　father。
　Lord　Hoster's　eyes　opened。　〃Tansy；〃　he　husked　in　a　voice　thick　with　pain。
　He　does　not　know　me。　Catelyn　had　grown　accustomed　to　him　taking　her　for　her　mother　or　her　sister　Lysa；　but　Tansy　was　a　name　strange　to　her。　〃It's　Catelyn；〃　she　said。　〃It's　Cat；　Father。〃
　〃Forgive　me　。　。　。　the　blood　。　。　。　oh；　please　。　。　。　Tansy　。　。　。
　Could　there　have　been　another　woman　in　her　father's　life？　Some　village　maiden　he　had　wronged　when　he　was　young；　perhaps？　Could　he　have　found　fort　in　some　serving　wench's　arms　after　Mother　died？　It　was　a　queer　thought；　unsettling。　Suddenly　she　felt　as　though　she　had　not　known　her　father　at　all。　〃Who　is　Tansy；　my　lord？　Do　you　want　me　to　send　for　her；　Father？　Where　would　I　find　the　woman？　Does　she　still　live？〃
　Lord　Hoster　groaned。　〃Dead。〃　His　hand　groped　for　hers。　〃You'll　have　others　。　。　。　sweet　babes；　and　trueborn。〃
　Others？　Catelyn　thought。　Has　he　forgotten　that　Ned　is　gone？　Is　he　still　talking　to　Tansy；　or　is　it　me　now；　or　Lysa；　or　Mother？
　When　he　coughed；　the　sputum　came　up　bloody。　He　clutched　her　fingers。　〃　。　。　。　be　a　good　wife　and　the　gods　will　bless　you　。　。　。　sons　。　。　。　trueborn　sons　。　。　。　aaahhh。〃　The　sudden　spasm　of　pain　made　Lord　Hoster's　hand　tighten。　His　nails　dug　into　her　hand；　and　he　gave　a　muffled　scream。
　Maester　Vyman　came　quickly；　to　mix　another　dose　of　milk　of　the　poppy　and　help　his　lord　swallow　it　down。　Soon　enough；　Lord　Hoster　Tully　had　fallen　back　into　a　heavy　sleep。
　〃He　was　asking　after　a　woman；〃　said　Cat。　〃Tansy。〃
　〃Tansy？〃　The　maester　looked　at　her　blankly。
　〃You　know　no　one　by　that　name？　A　serving　girl；　a　woman　from　some　nearby　village？　Perhaps　someone　from　years　past？〃　Catelyn　had　been　gone　from　Riven…an　for　a　very　long　time。
　〃No；　my　lady。　I　can　make　inquiries；　if　you　like。　Utherydes　Wayn　would　surely　know　if　any　such　person　ever　served　at　Riverrun。　Tansy；　did　you　say？　The　smallfolk　often　name　their　daughters　after　flowers　and　herbs。〃　The　maester　looked　thoughtful。　〃There　was　a　widow；　I　recall；　she　used　to　e　to　the　castle　looking　for　old　shoes　in　need　of　new　soles。　Her　name　was　Ta