grrm.astormofswords-第204节

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　〃It's　very　fierce；〃　said　Sansa。
　〃Rather　too　fierce；　for　an　amiable　fellow　like　me；〃　said　Petyr。　〃I　much　prefer　my　mockingbird。〃
　Oswell　made　two　more　trips　out　to　the　Merling　King　to　offload　provisions。　Among　the　loads　he　brought　ashore　were　several　casks　of　wine。　Petyr　poured　Sansa　a　cup；　as　promised。　〃Here；　my　lady；　that　should　help　your　tummy；　I　would　hope。〃
　Having　solid　ground　beneath　her　feet　had　helped　already；　but　Sansa　dutifully　lifted　the　goblet　with　both　hands　and　took　a　sip。　The　wine　was　very　fine；　an　Arbor　vintage；　she　thought。　it　tasted　of　oak　and　fruit　and　hot　summer　nights；　the　flavors　blossoming　in　her　mouth　like　flowers　opening　to　the　sun。　She　only　prayed　that　she　could　keep　it　down。　Lord　Petyr　was　being　so　kind；　she　did　not　want　to　spoil　it　all　by　retching　on　him。
　He　was　studying　her　over　his　own　goblet；　his　bright　grey…green　eyes　full　of　。　。　。　was　it　amusement？　Or　something　else？　Sansa　was　not　certain。　〃Grisel；〃　he　called　to　the　old　woman；　〃bring　some　food　up。　Nothing　too　heavy；　my　lady　has　a　tender　tummy。　Some　fruit　might　serve；　perhaps。　Oswell's　brought　some　oranges　and　pomegranates　from　the　King。〃
　〃Yes；　m'lord。〃
　〃Might　I　have　a　hot　bath　as　well？〃　asked　Sansa。
　〃I'll　have　Kella　draw　some　water；　m'lady。〃
　Sansa　took　another　sip　of　wine　and　tried　to　think　of　some　polite　conversation；　but　Lord　Petyr　saved　her　the　effort。　When　Grisel　and　the　other　servants　had　gone；　he　said；　〃Lysa　will　not　e　alone。　Before　she　arrives；　we　must　be　clear　on　who　you　are。〃
　〃Who　I　。　。　。　I　don't　understand。〃
　〃Varys　has　informers　everywhere。　If　Sansa　Stark　should　be　seen　in　the　Vale；　the　eunuch　will　know　within　a　moon's　turn；　and　that　would　create　unfortunate　。　。　。　plications。　it　is　not　safe　to　be　a　Stark　just　now。　So　we　shall　tell　Lysa's　people　that　you　are　my　natural　daughter。〃
　〃Natural？〃　Sansa　was　aghast。　〃You　mean；　a　bastard？〃
　〃Well；　you　can　scarcely　be　my　trueborn　daughter。　I've　never　taken　a　wife；　that's　well　known。　What　should　you　be　called？〃
　〃I　。　。　。　I　could　call　myself　after　my　mother　。　。　。〃
　〃Catelyn？　A　bit　too　obvious　。　。　。　but　after　my　mother；　that　would　serve。　Alayne。　Do　you　like　it？〃
　〃Alayne　is　pretty。〃　Sansa　hoped　she　would　remember。　〃But　couldn't　I　be　the　trueborn　daughter　of　some　knight　in　your　service？　Perhaps　he　died　gallantly　in　the　battle；　and　。　。　。〃
　〃I　have　no　gallant　knights　in　my　service；　Alayne。　Such　a　tale　would　draw　unwanted　questions　as　a　corpse　draws　crows。　It　is　rude　to　pry　into　the　origins　of　a　man's　natural　children；　however。〃　He　cocked　his　head。　〃So；　who　are　you？〃
　〃Alayne　。　。　。　Stone；　would　it　be？〃　When　he　nodded；　she　said；　〃But　who　is　my　mother？〃
　〃Kella？〃
　〃Please　no；〃　she　said；　mortified。
　〃I　was　teasing。　Your　mother　was　a　gentlewoman　of　Braavos；　daughter　of　a　merchant　prince。　We　met　in　Gulltown　when　I　had　charge　of　the　port。　She　died　giving　you　birth；　and　entrusted　you　to　the　Faith。　I　have　some　devotional　books　you　can　look　over。　Learn　to　quote　from　them。　Nothing　discourages　unwanted　questions　as　much　as　a　flow　of　pious　bleating。　In　any　case；　at　your　flowering　you　decided　you　did　not　wish　to　be　a　septa　and　wrote　to　me。　That　was　the　first　I　knew　of　your　existence。〃　He　fingered　his　beard。　〃Do　you　think　you　can　remember　all　that？〃
　〃I　hope。　It　will　be　like　playing　a　game；　won't　it？〃
　〃Are　you　fond　of　games；　Alayne？〃
　The　new　name　would　take　some　getting　used　to。　〃Games？　I　。　。　。　I　suppose　it　would　depend　。　。　。〃
　Grisel　reappeared　before　he　could　say　more；　balancing　a　large　platter。　She　set　it　down　between　them。　There　were　apples　and　pears　and　pomegranates；　some　sad…looking　grapes；　a　huge　blood　orange。　The　old　woman　had　brought　a　round　of　bread　as　well；　and　a　crock　of　butter。　Petyr　cut　a　pomegranate　in　two　with　his　dagger；　offering　half　to　Sansa。　〃You　should　try　and　eat；　my　lady。〃
　〃Thank　you；　my　lord。〃　Pomegranate　seeds　were　so　messy；　Sansa　chose　a　pear　instead；　and　took　a　small　delicate　bite。　It　was　very　ripe。　The　juice　ran　down　her　chin。
　Lord　Petyr　loosened　a　seed　with　the　point　of　his　dagger。　〃You　must　miss　your　father　terribly；　I　know。　Lord　Eddard　was　a　brave　man；　honest　and　loyal　。　。　。　but　quite　a　hopeless　player。〃　He　brought　the　seed　to　his　mouth　with　the　knife。　〃In　King's　Landing；　there　are　two　sorts　of　people。　The　players　and　the　pieces。〃
　〃And　I　was　a　piece？〃　She　dreaded　the　answer。
　〃Yes；　but　don't　let　that　trouble　you。　You're　still　half　a　child。　Every　man's　a　piece　to　start　with；　and　every　maid　as　well。　Even　some　who　think　they　are　players。〃　He　ate　another　seed。　〃Cersei；　for　one。　She　thinks　herself　sly；　but　in　truth　she　is　utterly　predictable。　Her　strength　rests　on　her　beauty；　birth；　and　riches。　Only　the　first　of　those　is　truly　her　own；　and　it　will　soon　desert　her。　I　pity　her　then。　She　wants　power；　but　has　no　notion　what　to　do　with　it　when　she　gets　it。　Everyone　wants　something；　Alayne。　And　when　you　know　what　a　man　wants　you　know　who　he　is；　and　how　to　move　him。〃
　〃As　you　moved　Ser　Dontos　to　poison　Joffrey？〃　It　had　to　have　been　Dontos；　she　had　concluded。
　Littlefinger　laughed。　〃Ser　Dontos　the　Red　was　a　skin　of　wine　with　legs。　He　could　never　have　been　trusted　with　a　task　of　such　enormity。　He　would　have　bungled　it　or　betrayed　me。　No；　all　Dontos　had　to　do　was　lead　you　from　the　castle　。　。　。　and　make　certain　you　wore　your　silver　hair　net。〃
　The　black　amethysts。　〃But　。　。　。　if　not　Dontos；　who？　Do　you　have　other　。　。　。　pieces？〃
　〃You　could　turn　King's　Landing　upside　down　and　not　find　a　single　man　with　a　mockingbird　sewn　over　his　heart；　but　that　does　not　mean　I　am　friendless。〃　Petyr　went　to　the　steps。　〃Oswell；　e　up　here　and　let　the　Lady　Sansa　have　a　look　at　you。〃
　The　old　man　appeared　a　few　moments　later；　grinning　and　bowing。　Sansa　eyed　him　uncertainly。　〃What　am　I　supposed　to　see？〃
　〃Do　you　know　him？〃　asked　Petyr。
　〃No。〃
　〃Look　closer。〃
　She　studied　the　old　man's　lined　windburnt　face；　hook　nose；　white　hair；　and　huge　knuckly　hands。　There　was　something　familiar　about　him；　yet　Sansa　had　to　shake　her　head。　〃I　don't。　I　never　saw　Oswell　before　I　got　into　his　boat；　I'm　certain。〃
　Oswell　grinned；　showing　a　mouth　of　crooked　teeth。　〃No；　but　m'lady　might　of　met　my　three　sons。〃
　It　was　the　〃three　sons；〃　and　that　smile　too。　〃Kettleblack！〃　Sansa's　eyes　went　wide。　〃You're　a　Kettleblack！〃
　〃Aye；　m'lady；　as　it　please　you。〃
　〃She's　beside　herself　with　joy。〃　Lord　Petyr　dismissed　him　with　a　wave；　and　returned　to　the　pomegranate　again　as　Oswell　shuffled　down　the　steps。　〃Tell　me；　Alayne…which　is　more　dangerous；　the　dagger　brandished　by　an　enemy；　or　the　hidden　one　pressed　to　your　back　by　someone　you　never　even　see？〃
　〃The　hidden　dagger。〃
　〃There's　a　clever　girl。〃　He　smiled；　his　thin　lips　bright　red　from　the　pomegranate　seeds。　〃When　the　Imp　sent　off　her　guards；　the　queen　had　Ser　Lancel　hire　sellswords　for　her。　Lancel　found　her　the　Kettleblacks；　which　delighted　your　little　lord　husband；　since　the　lads　were　in　his　pay　through　his　man　Bronn。〃　He　chuckled。　〃But　it　was　me　who　told　Oswell　to　get　his　sons　to　King's　Landing　when　I　learned　that　Bronn　was　looking　for　swords。　Three　hidden　daggers；　Alayne；　now　perfectly　placed。〃
　〃So　one　of　the　Kettleblacks　put　the　poison　in　Joff　's　cup？〃　Ser　Osmund　had　been　near　the　king　all　night；　she　remembered。
　〃Did　I　say　that？〃　Lord　Petyr　cut　the　blood　orange　in　two　with　his　dagger　and　offered　half　to　Sansa。　〃The　lads　are　far　too　treacherous　to　be　part　of　any　such　scheme　。　。　。　and　Osmund　has　bee　especially　unreliable　since　he　joined　the　Kingsguard。　That　white　cloak　does　things　to　a　man；　I　find。　Even　a　man　like　him。〃　He　tilted　his　chin　back　and　squeezed　the　blood　orange；　so　the　juice　ran　down　into　his　mouth。　〃I　love　the　juice　but　I　loathe　the　sticky　fingers；〃　he　plained；　wiping　his　hands。　〃Clean　hands；　Sansa。　Whatever　you　do；　make　certain　your　hands　are　clean。〃
　Sansa　spooned　up　some　juice　from　her　own　orange。　〃But　if　it　wasn't　the　Kettleblacks　and　it　wasn't　Ser　Dontos　。　。　。　you　weren't　even　in　the　city；　and　it　couldn't　have　been　Tyrion　。　。　。
　〃No　more　guesses；　sweetling？〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃I　don't　。　。　。
　Petyr　smiled。　〃I　will　wager　you　that　at　some　point　during　the　evening　someone　told　you　that　your　hair　net　was　crooked　and　straightened　it　for　you。〃
　Sansa　raised　a　hand　to　her　mouth。　〃You　cannot　mean　。　。　。　she　wanted　to　take　me　to　Highgarden；　to　marry　me　to　her　grandson　。　。　。〃
　〃Gentle；　pious；　good…hearted　Willas　Tyrell。　Be　grateful　you　were　spared；　he　would　have　bored　you　spitless。　The　old　woman　is　not　boring；　though；　I'll　grant　her　that。　A　fearsome　old　harridan；　and　not　near　as　frail　as　she　pretends。　When　I　came　to　Highgarden　to　dicker　for　Margaery's　hand；　she　let　her　lord　son　bluster　while　she　asked　pointed　questions　about　Joffrey's　nature。　I　praised　him　to　the　skies；　to　be　sure。。　。　whilst　my　men　spread　disturbing　tales　amongst　Lord　Tyrell's　servants。　That　is　how　the　game　is　played。
　〃I　also　planted　the　notion　of　Ser　Loras　taking　the　white。　Not　that　I　suggested　it；　that　would　have　been　too　crude。　But　men　in　my　party　supplied　grisly　tales　about　how　the　mob　had　killed　Ser　Preston　Greenfield　and　raped　the　Lady　Lollys；　and　slipped　a　few　silvers　to　Lord　Tyrell's　army　of　singers　to　sing　of　Ryam　Redwyne；　Serwyn　of　the　Mirror　Shield；　and　Prince　Aemon　the　Dragonknight。　A　harp　can　be　as　dangerous