grrm.astormofswords-第81节

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　〃Aye。　I　。　。　。　I　liked　it　some。　No　one　taught　you　such？〃
　〃There's　been　no　one；〃　he　confessed。　〃Only　you。〃
　〃A　maid；〃　she　teased。　〃You　were　a　maid。〃
　He　gave　her　closest　nipple　a　playful　pinch。　〃I　was　a　man　of　the　Night's　Watch。〃　Was；　he　heard　himself　say。　What　was　he　now？　He　did　not　want　to　look　at　that。　〃Were　you　a　maid？〃
　Ygritte　pushed　herself　onto　an　elbow。　〃I　am　nineteen；　and　a　spearwife；　and　kissed　by　fire。　How　could　I　be　maiden？〃
　〃Who　was　he？〃
　〃A　boy　at　a　feast；　five　years　past。　He'd　e　trading　with　his　brothers；　and　he　had　hair　like　mine；　kissed　by　fire；　so　I　thought　he　would　be　lucky。　But　he　was　weak。　When　he　came　back　t'　try　and　steal　me；　Longspear　broke　his　arm　and　ran　him　off；　and　he　never　tried　again；　not　once。〃
　〃It　wasn't　Longspear；　then？〃　Jon　was　relieved。　He　liked　Longspear；　with　his　homely　face　and　friendly　ways。
　She　punched　him。　〃That's　vile。　Would　you　bed　your　sister？〃
　〃Longspear's　not　your　brother。〃
　〃He's　of　my　village。　You　know　nothing；　Jon　Snow。　A　true　man　steals　a　woman　from　afar；　t'　strengthen　the　clan。　Women　who　bed　brothers　or　fathers　or　clan　kin　offend　the　gods；　and　are　cursed　with　weak　and　sickly　children。　Even　monsters。〃
　〃Craster　weds　his　daughters；〃　Jon　pointed　out。
　She　punched　him　again。　〃Craster's　more　your　kind　than　ours。　His　father　was　a　crow　who　stole　a　woman　out　of　Whitetree　village；　but　after　he　had　her　he　flew　back　t'　his　Wall。　She　went　t'　Castle　Black　once　t'　show　the　crow　his　son；　but　the　brothers　blew　their　horns　and　run　her　off。　Craster's　blood　is　black；　and　he　bears　a　heavy　curse。〃　She　ran　her　fingers　lightly　across　his　stomach。　〃I　feared　you'd　do　the　same　once。　Fly　back　to　the　Wall。　You　never　knew　what　t'　do　after　you　stole　me。〃
　Jon　sat　up。　〃Ygritte；　I　never　stole　you。〃
　〃Aye；　you　did。　You　jumped　down　the　mountain　and　killed　Orell；　and　afore　I　could　get　my　axe　you　had　a　knife　at　my　throat。　I　thought　you'd　have　me　then；　or　kill　me；　or　maybe　both；　but　you　never　did。　And　when　I　told　you　the　tale　o'　Bael　the　Bard　and　how　he　plucked　the　rose　o'　Winterfell；　I　thought　you'd　know　to　pluck　me　then　for　certain；　but　you　didn't。　You　know　nothing；　Jon　Snow。〃　She　gave　him　a　shy　smile。　〃You　might　be　learning　some；　though。〃
　The　light　was　shifting　all　about　her；　Jon　noticed　suddenly。　He　looked　around。　〃We　had　best　go　up。　The　torch　is　almost　done。〃
　〃Is　the　crow　afeared　o'　Gendel's　children？〃　she　said；　with　a　grin。　〃It's　only　a　little　way　up；　and　I'm　not　done　with　you；　Jon　Snow。〃　She　pushed　him　back　down　on　the　clothes　and　straddled　him。　〃Would　you　。　。　。　〃　She　hesitated。
　〃What？〃　he　prompted；　as　the　torch　began　to　gutter。
　〃Do　it　again？〃　Ygritte　blurted。　〃With　your　mouth？　The　lord's　kiss？　And　I　。　。。　I　could　see　if　you　liked　it　any。〃
　By　the　time　the　torch　burned　out；　Jon　Snow　no　longer　cared。
　His　guilt　came　back　afterward；　but　weaker　than　before。　If　this　is　so　wrong；　he　wondered；　why　did　the　gods　make　it　feel　so　good？
　The　grotto　was　pitch…dark　by　the　time　they　finished。　The　only　light　was　the　dim　glow　of　the　passage　back　up　to　the　larger　cavern；　where　a　score　of　fires　burned。　They　were　soon　fumbling　and　bumping　into　each　other　as　they　tried　to　dress　in　the　dark。　Ygritte　stumbled　into　the　pool　and　screeched　at　the　cold　of　the　water。　When　Jon　laughed；　she　pulled　him　in　too。　They　wrestled　and　splashed　in　the　dark；　and　then　she　was　in　his　arms　again；　and　it　turned　out　they　were　not　finished　after　all。
　〃Jon　Snow；〃　she　told　him；　when　he'd　spent　his　seed　inside　her；　〃don't　move　now；　sweet。　I　like　the　feel　of　you　in　there；　I　do。　Let's　not　go　back　t'　Styr　and　Jarl。　Let's　go　down　inside；　and　join　up　with　Gendel's　children。　I　don't　ever　want　t'　leave　this　cave；　Jon　Snow。　Not　ever。〃
　
　CHAPTER　27
　DAENERYS
　
　〃All？〃　The　slave　girl　sounded　wary。　〃Your　Grace；　did　this　one's　worthless　ears　mishear　you？〃
　Cool　green　light　filtered　down　through　the　diamond…shaped　panes　of　colored　glass　set　in　the　sloping　triangular　walls；　and　a　breeze　was　blowing　gently　through　the　terrace　doors；　carrying　the　scents　of　fruit　and　flowers　from　the　garden　beyond。　〃Your　ears　heard　true；〃　said　Dany。　〃I　want　to　buy　them　all。　Tell　the　Good　Masters；　if　you　will。〃
　She　had　chosen　a　Qartheen　gown　today。　The　deep　violet　silk　brought　out　the　purple　of　her　eyes。　The　cut　of　it　bared　her　left　breast。　While　the　Good　Masters　of　Astapor　conferred　among　themselves　in　low　voices；　Dany　sipped　tart　persimmon　wine　from　a　tall　silver　flute。　She　could　not　quite　make　out　all　that　they　were　saying；　but　she　could　hear　the　greed。
　Each　of　the　eight　brokers　was　attended　by　two　or　three　body　slaves　。　。　。　though　one　Grazdan；　the　eldest；　had　six。　So　as　not　to　seem　a　beggar；　Dany　had　brought　her　own　attendants；　Irri　and　Jhiqui　in　their　sandsilk　trousers　and　painted　vests；　old　Whitebeard　and　mighty　Belwas；　her　bloodriders。　Ser　Jorah　stood　behind　her　sweltering　in　his　green　surcoat　with　the　black　bear　of　Mormont　embroidered　upon　it。　The　smell　of　his　sweat　was　an　earthy　answer　to　the　sweet　perfumes　that　drenched　the　Astapori。
　〃All；〃　growled　Kraznys　mo　Nakloz；　who　smelled　of　peaches　today。　The　slave　girl　repeated　the　word　in　the　mon　Tongue　of　Westeros。　〃Of　thousands；　there　are　eight。　is　this　what　she　means　by　all？　There　are　also　six　centuries；　who　shall　be　part　of　a　ninth　thousand　when　plete。　Would　she　have　them　too？〃
　〃I　would；〃　said　Dany　when　the　question　was　put　to　her。　〃The　eight　thousands；　the　six　centuries　。　。　。　and　the　ones　still　in　training　as　well。　The　ones　who　have　not　earned　the　spikes。〃
　Kraznys　turned　back　to　his　fellows。　once　again　they　conferred　among　themselves。　The　translator　had　told　Dany　their　names；　but　it　was　hard　to　keep　them　straight。　Four　of　the　men　seemed　to　be　named　Grazdan；　presumably　after　Grazdan　the　Great　who　had　founded　Old　Ghis　in　the　dawn　of　days。　They　all　looked　alike；　thick　fleshy　men　with　amber　skin；　broad　noses；　dark　eyes。　Their　wiry　hair　was　black；　or　a　dark　red；　or　that　queer　mixture　of　red　and　black　that　was　peculiar　to　Ghiscari。　All　wrapped　themselves　in　tokars；　a　garment　permitted　only　to　freeborn　men　of　Astapor。
　It　was　the　fringe　on　the　tokar　that　proclaimed　a　man's　status；　Dany　had　been　told　by　Captain　Groleo。　In　this　cool　green　room　atop　the　pyramid；　two　of　the　slavers　wore　tokars　fringed　in　silver；　five　had　gold　fringes；　and　one；　the　oldest　Grazdan；　displayed　a　fringe　of　fat　white　pearls　that　clacked　together　softly　when　he　shifted　in　his　seat　or　moved　an　arm。
　〃We　cannot　sell　half…trained　boys；〃　one　of　the　silver…fringe　Grazdans　was　saying　to　the　others。
　〃We　can；　if　her　gold　is　good；〃　said　a　fatter　man　whose　fringe　was　gold。
　〃They　are　not　Unsullied。　They　have　not　killed　their　sucklings。　If　they　fail　in　the　field；　they　will　shame　us。　And　even　if　we　cut　five　thousand　raw　boys　tomorrow；　it　would　be　ten　years　before　they　are　fit　for　sale。　What　would　we　tell　the　next　buyer　who　es　seeking　Unsullied？〃
　〃We　will　tell　him　that　he　must　wait；〃　said　the　fat　man。　〃Gold　in　my　purse　is　better　than　gold　in　my　future。〃
　Dany　let　them　argue；　sipping　the　tart　persimmon　wine　and　trying　to　keep　her　face　blank　and　ignorant。　I　will　have　them　all；　no　matter　the　price；　she　told　herself。　The　city　had　a　hundred　slave　traders；　but　the　eight　before　her　were　the　greatest。　When　selling　bed　slaves；　fieldhands；　scribes；　craftsmen；　and　tutors；　these　men　were　rivals；　but　their　ancestors　had　allied　one　with　the　other　for　the　purpose　of　making　and　selling　the　Unsullied。　Brick　and　blood　built　Astapor；　and　brick　and　blood　her　people。
　It　was　Kraznys　who　finally　announced　their　decision。　〃Tell　her　that　the　eight　thousands　she　shall　have；　if　her　gold　proves　sufficient。　And　the　six　centuries；　if　she　wishes。　Tell　her　to　e　back　in　a　year；　and　we　will　sell　her　another　two　thousand。〃
　〃in　a　year　I　shall　be　in　Westeros；〃　said　Dany　when　she　had　heard　the　translation。　〃My　need　is　now　The　Unsullied　are　well　trained；　but　even　so；　many　will　fall　in　battle。　I　shall　need　the　boys　as　replacements　to　take　up　the　swords　they　drop。〃　She　put　her　wine　aside　and　leaned　toward　the　slave　girl。　〃Tell　the　Good　Masters　that　I　will　want　even　the　little　ones　who　still　have　their　puppies。　Tell　them　that　I　will　pay　as　much　for　the　boy　they　cut　yesterday　as　for　an　Unsullied　in　a　spiked　helm。〃
　The　girl　told　them。　The　answer　was　still　no。
　Dany　frowned　in　annoyance。　〃Very　well。　Tell　them　I　will　pay　double；　so　long　as　I　get　them　all。〃
　〃Double？〃　The　fat　one　in　the　gold　fringe　all　but　drooled。
　〃This　little　whore　is　a　fool；　truly；〃　said　Khaznys　mo　Nakloz。　〃Ask　her　for　triple；　I　say。　She　is　desperate　enough　to　pay。　Ask　for　ten　times　the　price　of　every　slave；　yes。〃
　The　tall　Grazdan　with　the　spiked　beard　spoke　in　the　mon　Tongue；　though　not　so　well　as　the　slave　girl。　〃Your　Grace；〃　he　growled；　〃Westeros　is　being　wealthy；　yes；　but　you　are　not　being　queen　now。　Perhaps　will　never　being　queen。　Even　Unsullied　may　be　losing　battles　to　savage　steel　knights　of　Seven　Kingdoms。　I　am　reminding；　the　Good　Masters　of　Astapor　are　not　selling　flesh　for　promisings。　Are　you　having　gold　and　trading　goods　sufficient　to　be　paying　for　all　these　eunuchs　you　are　wanting？〃
　〃You　know　the　answer　to　that　better　than　I；　Good　Master；〃　Dany　replied。　〃Your　men　have　gone　through　my　ships　and　tallied　every　bead　of　amber　and　jar　of　saffr