grrm.thehedgeknight-第16部分

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　it　means　your　life。　You　should　find　your　own　men。　I'll　help。　Better　you　have　too　many　champions　than　too　few。〃　A　noise　outside　made　Raymun　turn　his　head。　〃Who　goes　there？〃　he　demanded；　as　a　boy　ducked　through　the　flap；　followed　by　a　thin　man　in　a　rain…sodden　black　cloak。
　〃Egg？〃　Dunk　got　to　his　feet。　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃
　〃I'm　your　squire；〃　the　boy　said。　〃You'll　need　someone　to　arm　you；　ser。〃
　〃Does　your　lord　father　know　you've　left　the　castle？〃
　〃Gods　be　good；　I　hope　not。〃　Daeron　Targaryen　undid　the　clasp　of　his　cloak　and　let　it　slide　from　his　thin　shoulders。
　〃You？　Are　you　mad；　ing　here？〃　Dunk　pulled　his　knife　from　his　sheath。　〃I　ought　to　shove　this　through　your　belly。〃
　〃Probably；〃　Prince　Daeron　admitted。　〃Though　I'd　sooner　you　poured　me　a　cup　of　wine。　Look　at　my　hands。〃　He　held　one　out　and　let　them　all　see　how　it　shook。
　Dunk　stepped　toward　him；　glowering。　〃I　don't　care　about　your　hands。　You　lied　about　me。〃
　〃I　had　to　say　something　when　my　father　demanded　to　know　where　my　little　brother　had　gotten　to；〃　the　prince　replied。　He　seated　himself；　ignoring　Dunk　and　his　knife。　〃If　truth　be　told；　I　hadn't　even　realized　Egg　was　gone。　He　wasn't　at　the　bottom　of　my　wine　cup；　and　I　hadn't　looked　anywhere　else；　so。。。〃　He　sighed。
　〃Ser；　my　father　is　going　to　join　the　seven　accusers；〃　Egg　broke　in。　〃I　begged　him　not　to；　but　he　won't　listen。　He　says　it　is　the　only　way　to　redeem　Aerion's　honor；　and　Daeron's。〃
　〃Not　that　I　ever　asked　to　have　my　honor　redeemed；〃　said　Prince　Daeron　sourly。　〃Whoever　has　it　can　keep　it；　so　far　as　I'm　concerned。　Still；　here　we　are。　For　what　it's　worth；　Ser　Duncan；　you　have　little　to　fear　from　me。　The　only　thing　I　like　less　than　horses　are　swords。　Heavy　things；　and　beastly　sharp。　I'll　do　my　best　to　look　gallant　in　the　first　charge；　but　after　that　。　。　。　well；　perhaps　you　could　strike　me　a　nice　blow　to　the　side　of　the　helm。　Make　it　ring；　but　not　too　loud；　if　you　take　my　meaning。　My　brothers　have　my　measure　when　it　es　to　fighting　and　dancing　and　thinking　and　reading　books；　but　none　of　them　is　half　my　equal　at　lying　insensible　in　the　mud。〃
　Dunk　could　only　stare　at　him；　and　wonder　whether　the　princeling　was　trying　to　play　him　for　a　fool。　〃Why　did　you　e？〃
　〃To　warn　you　of　what　you　face；〃　Daeron　said。　〃My　father　has　manded　the　Kingsguard　to　fight　with　him。〃
　〃The　Kingsguard？〃　said　Dunk；　appalled。
　〃Well；　the　three　who　are　here。　Thank　the　gods　Uncle　Baelor　left　the　other　four　at　King's　Landing　with　our　royal　grandfather。〃
　Egg　supplied　the　names。　〃Ser　Roland　Crakehall；　Ser　Donnel　of　Duskendale；　and　Ser　Willem　Wylde。〃
　〃They　have　small　choice　in　the　matter；〃　said　Daeron。　〃They　are　sworn　to　protect　the　lives　of　the　king　and　royal　family；　and　my　brothers　and　I　are　blood　of　the　dragon；　gods　help　us。〃
　Dunk　counted　on　his　fingers。　〃That　makes　six。　Who　is　the　seventh　man？〃
　Prince　Daeron　shrugged。　〃Aerion　will　find　someone。　If　need　be；　he　will　buy　a　champion。　He　has　no　lack　of　gold。〃
　〃Who　do　you　have？〃　Egg　asked。
　〃Raymun's　cousin　Ser　Steffon。〃
　Daeron　winced。　〃Only　one？〃
　〃Ser　Steffon　has　gone　to　some　of　his　friends。〃
　〃I　can　bring　people；〃　said　Egg。　〃Knights。　I　can。〃
　〃Egg；〃　said　Dunk；　〃I　will　be　fighting　your　own　brothers。〃
　〃You　won't　hurt　Daeron；　though；〃　the　boy　said。　〃He　told　you　he'd　fall　down。　And　Aerion　。　。　。　I　remember；　when　I　was　little；　he　used　to　e　into　my　bedchamber　at　night　and　put　his　knife　between　my　legs。　He　had　too　many　brothers；　he'd　say；　maybe　one　night　he'd　make　me　his　sister；　then　he　could　marry　me。　He　threw　my　cat　in　the　well　too。　He　says　he　didn't；　but　he　always　lies。〃
　Prince　Daeron　gave　a　weary　shrug。　〃Egg　has　the　truth　of　it。　Aerion's　quite　the　monster。　He　thinks　he's　a　dragon　in　human　form；　you　know。　That's　why　he　was　so　wroth　at　that　puppet　show。　A　pity　he　wasn't　born　a　Fossoway；　then　he'd　think　himself　an　apple　and　we'd　all　be　a　deal　safer；　but　there　you　are。〃　Bending；　he　scooped　up　his　fallen　cloak　and　shook　the　rain　from　it。　〃I　must　steal　back　to　the　castle　before　my　father　wonders　why　I'm　taking　so　long　to　sharpen　my　sword；　but　before　I　go；　I　would　like　a　private　word；　Ser　Duncan。　Will　you　walk　with　me？〃
　Dunk　looked　at　the　princeling　suspiciously　a　moment。　〃As　you　wish；　Your　Grace。〃　He　sheathed　his　dagger。　〃I　need　to　get　my　shield　too。〃
　〃Egg　and　I　will　look　for　knights；〃　promised　Raymun。
　Prince　Daeron　knotted　his　cloak　around　his　neck　and　pulled　up　the　hood。　Dunk　followed　him　back　out　into　the　soft　rain。　They　walked　toward　the　merchants'　wagons。
　〃I　dreamed　of　you；〃　said　the　prince。
　〃You　said　that　at　the　inn。〃
　〃Did　I？　Well；　it's　so。　My　dreams　are　not　like　yours；　Ser　Duncan。　Mine　are　true。　They　frighten　me。　You　frighten　me。　I　dreamed　of　you　and　a　dead　dragon；　you　see。　A　great　beast；　huge；　with　wings　so　large　they　could　cover　this　meadow。　It　had　fallen　on　top　of　you；　but　you　were　alive　and　the　dragon　was　dead。〃
　〃Did　I　kill　it？〃
　〃That　I　could　not　say；　but　you　were　there；　and　so　was　the　dragon。　We　were　the　masters　of　dragons　once；　we　Targaryens。　Now　they　are　all　gone；　but　we　remain。　I　don't　care　to　die　today。　The　gods　alone　know　why；　but　I　don't。　So　do　me　a　kindness　if　you　would；　and　make　certain　it　is　my　brother　Aerion　you　slay。〃
　〃I　don't　care　to　die　either；〃　said　Dunk。
　〃Well；　I　shan't　kill　you；　ser。　I'll　withdraw　my　accusation　as　well；　but　it　won't　serve　unless　Aerion　withdraws　his。〃　He　sighed。　〃It　may　be　that　I've　killed　you　with　my　lie。　If　so；　I　am　sorry。　I'm　doomed　to　some　hell；　I　know。　Likely　one　without　wine。〃　He　shuddered；　and　on　that　they　parted；　there　in　the　cool　soft　rain。
　
　The　merchants　had　drawn　up　their　wagons　on　the　western　verge　of　the　meadow；　beneath　a　stand　of　birch　and　ash。　Dunk　stood　under　the　trees　and　looked　helplessly　at　the　empty　place　where　the　puppeteers'　wagon　had　been。　Gone。　He　had　feared　they　might　be。　I　would　flee　as　well；　if　I　were　not　thick　as　a　castle　wall。　He　wondered　what　he　would　do　for　a　shield　now。　He　had　the　silver　to　buy　one；　he　supposed；　if　he　could　find　one　for　sale。
　〃Ser　Duncan；〃　a　voice　called　out　of　the　dark。　Dunk　turned　to　find　Steely　Pate　standing　behind　him；　holding　an　iron　lantern。　Under　a　short　leather　cloak；　the　armorer　was　bare　from　the　waist　up；　his　broad　chest　and　thick　arms　covered　with　coarse　black　hair。　〃If　you　are　e　for　your　shield；　she　left　it　with　me。〃　He　looked　Dunk　up　and　down。　〃Two　hands　and　two　feet；　I　count。　So　it's　to　be　trial　by　bat；　is　it？〃
　〃A　trial　of　seven。　How　did　you　know？〃
　〃Well；　they　might　have　kissed　you　and　made　you　a　lord；　but　it　didn't　seem　likely；　and　if　it　went　t'other　way；　you'd　be　short　some　parts。　Now　follow　me。
　His　wagon　was　easy　to　distinguish　by　the　sword　and　anvil　painted　on　its　side。　Dunk　followed　Pate　inside。　The　armorer　hung　the　lantern　on　a　hook；　shrugged　out　of　his　wet　cloak；　and　pulled　a　roughspun　tunic　down　over　his　head。　A　hinged　board　dropped　down　from　one　wall　to　make　a　table。　〃Sit；〃　he　said；　shoving　a　low　stool　toward　him。
　Dunk　sat。　〃Where　did　she　go？〃
　〃They　make　for　Dorne。　The　girl's　uncle；　there's　a　wise　man。　Well　gone　is　well　forgot。　Stay　and　be　seen；　and　belike　the　dragon　remembers。　Besides；　he　did　not　think　she　ought　see　you　die。〃　Pate　went　to　the　far　end　of　the　wagon；　rummaged　about　in　the　shadows　a　moment；　and　returned　with　the　shield。　〃Your　rim　was　old　cheap　steel；　brittle　and　rusted；〃　he　said。　〃I've　made　you　a　new　one；　twice　as　thick；　and　put　some　bands　across　the　back。　It　will　be　heavier　now；　but　stronger　too。　The　girl　did　the　paint。〃
　She　had　made　a　better　job　of　it　than　he　could　ever　have　hoped　for。　Even　by　lantern　light；　the　sunset　colors　were　rich　and　bright；　the　tree　tall　and　strong　and　noble。　The　falling　star　was　a　bright　slash　of　paint　across　the　oaken　sky。　Yet　now　that　Dunk　held　it　in　his　hands；　it　seemed　all　wrong。　The　star　was　falling；　what　sort　of　sigil　was　that？　Would　he　fall　just　as　fast？　And　sunset　heralds　night。　〃I　should　have　stayed　with　the　chalice；〃　he　said　miserably。　〃It　had　wings；　at　least；　to　fly　away；　and　Ser　Arlan　said　the　cup　was　full　of　faith　and　fellowship　and　good　things　to　drink。　This　shield　is　all　painted　up　like　death。〃
　〃The　elm's　alive；〃　Pate　pointed　out。　〃See　how　green　the　leaves　are？　Summer　leaves；　for　certain。　And　I've　seen　shields　blazoned　with　sku