Chapter 22 Chapter 21 James

They walked for two days on each side of the King's Road, crossing the scorched earth, ruined farmland and manors as far as the eye could see, dead fruit trees standing out in the open like marksman's targets.The bridges were burned, the autumn rains flooded, and they had to look for a ferry along the river.The wild wolf howls, the night is alive, and the red land is deserted for thousands of miles. In Maidenpool, Lord Mooton's sockeye banner still flew from the top of the castle on the hill, but the town itself was fortified, its gates broken down, and half its houses and shops burned and looted.There were no living animals, only a few wandering wild dogs, which fled away without a trace when they heard the sound of people.The town got its name from the spring where legend has it that Florian the Fool watched Jonqui and her sisters take a bath, and now the pool is filled with rotting corpses, and the spring is a muddy black, gray and green mud soup.

Jaime had only to look once, and then he began to sing, "By Spring Spring, five maidens . . . " "What are you doing?" Brienne demanded. "Singing. Ever heard 'Six Girls in the Same Pond'? They're shy little girls like you. Prettier than you, I bet." "Quiet," Niu'er said, from the look in her eyes, she seemed to want to push him into the pool to be with the corpse. "Please keep your voice down, Jaime," pleaded Cousin Cleo. "Lord Mooton is a vassal of Riverrun, and it would be bad to startle him. Besides, who knows if there is anything else in the rubble... ..."

"What's the matter? Cousin, so what if you're alarmed? I want to see if this girl can use the thing she's wearing." "If you don't want to be quiet, I'll just gag your mouth when I go to King's Landing, Kingslayer!" "Aha, unshackle me, I'll be dumb when I go to King's Landing, okay? It's not easy, girl. "Brennie! My name is Brienne!" The three crows were frightened by her and flew into the air. "Bather and change, Brienne?" he laughed. "You are a girl, and the spring water is in front of you. Let me wipe your back." He used to wipe Cersei's back when he was a child in Casterly Rock.

Niu'er turned her horse's head away and set off on the road.Jaime and Sir Cleo followed him away from the ruins of Maidenpool.After walking for half a mile, James was relieved to finally see some green trees.The Scorched Earth reminded him only of Aerys. "She wants to take Duskendale Road," Ser Cleos murmured, "yes... along the coast... it's safer..." "It's safe, but it's slow. Cousin, I'm going to Duskendale City. To be honest, I really don't want to go with you." You are half a Lannister, but you don't have the slightest sign of an old lady.

He could no longer stand being separated from his twin sister.As children, they'd crawled into each other's beds, cuddled each other, slept together, and had been close since birth.Long before his sister's puberty or his own sexuality, they had watched stallions and mares mating in the field, dogs and bitches making love in the barn, and played the same game.Once, the mother's maid found out about their behavior... He couldn't remember the adults' reactions afterwards, but Mrs. Joanna was quite frightened.She sent away the maids, moved Jaime's bedroom to the other side of the castle, and added a guard at the door of Cersei's room.She warned them that if they committed the crime again, they would have no choice but to report to their lord father.Fortunately, this worrying life didn't last too long. Not long after, his mother died of dystocia when giving birth to Tyrion, and now James doesn't even remember her face much.

Perhaps Stannis Baratheon and the Starks did a great thing by spreading stories of incest, so there's nothing to hide now.Why don't I openly marry Cersei and sleep with her every night?Don't the dragon kings all marry brothers and sisters?For hundreds of years, no matter monks, nobles or common people, they have turned a blind eye to them. Why can't we Lannister?Of course, in this way, Joffrey will not be able to inherit the throne, but to put it bluntly, it is the sword that won the country for Robert. As long as the force is strong enough, Joffrey can keep the throne. It has nothing to do with who gave birth to him ?Well, let Joffrey marry Myrcella when we get that Sansa Stark back to her mother, and let the world know that we Lannisters are like Targaryens, like gods

Jaime made up his mind to return Sansa, and her sister if possible.Of course it's not about winning any shit honors, but everyone thinks he's capricious, but he insists on keeping his word, how wonderful it feels! Riding through a field of trampled wheat and past a low stone wall, James heard a soft whoosh behind him as a dozen birds spread their wings and soared into the air. "Get down!" he yelled, pressing his head against the horse's neck.It was too late to say it, and then it was too fast, the flying arrow sank into the horse's buttocks, and the mount screamed and stood up.The other arrows flew forward, and Ser Cleos fell headfirst from the saddle with his feet still in the stirrups. The horse galloped furiously, knocking Foyle's head against the ground, and there were endless screams.

Jaime's old white horse circled blindly, panting with pain.He looked around for Brienne and found her still on the horse, taking an arrow in the back and an arrow in the leg, but she didn't seem to care.She drew her weapon, drew a sword flower, and searched for the archer. "Behind the wall!" Jaime called, trying to redirect the blind horse.Damn shackles, entangled the reins, and there was the sound of flying arrows in the air. "Come on!" He kicked the horse vigorously, roared at it, and exhausted all his efforts to make the old Ben horse run.They rushed across the wheat field, breaking countless ears of rice.James was worried in his heart: the girl must follow me closely, otherwise it would be bad to teach the bandits that an unarmed and manacled man came to the door automatically!Then he heard her breathing heavily, "Long live Evening Hall!" The plow horses roared by, and she shouted, swinging her sword, "Long live Tarth! Long live Tarth!"

The bandits hastily fired their last arrows and fled in all directions.Damn, the guy who doesn't know anything will only shoot cold arrows, and the knight will run away as soon as he charges.Brienne reined in by the wall, and by the time Jaime caught up, the enemy had disappeared into the forest twenty yards away. "Yo yo, you are very peace-loving." "They ran away." "Yes, this is the best time to slaughter them." She sheathed her sword. "Why are you rushing forward?" "Archers, as long as you hide far behind the wall and shoot, you have the courage, and when you catch up head-on, you have to run like a rat - because they know what will happen when you are caught up. Here, you have an arrow on your back, and you have arrows on your feet. One, let me handle it."

"you?" "Who else? Cousin Cleo's horse must be using his head for a plow. Well, we'll have to find him anyway, he's got Lannister blood." When he found Foyle, his foot was still in the stirrup, one arrow pierced his right arm and the other went through his chest, but it was the head's impact on the ground that killed him.James reached out his hand to test it, and the top of his head was covered in blood, sticky like paste, containing pieces of bone. Brienne knelt down and took his hand. "Still warm." "It's going to be cold soon. I want his horse and his clothes. The flea rags are long overdue."

"He's your cousin." Niu'er said in shock. "It used to be," James agreed. "Don't feel sorry for me. We have a lot of cousins. By the way, I want his sword too, and I can help you keep watch at night." "You can defend without a weapon." She stood up. "Yeah, tied to a tree, eh? Well, so I can make a deal with the bandits so they can cut off your fat neck, girl." "I won't give you a weapon. Also, my name is—" "—I'm not forgetful, Brienne. Well, I swear I won't hurt you? Why are you trembling like a little girl?" "You swore for nothing. You swore to Aerys." "That analogy doesn't fit. As far as I know, you have no interest in cooking a living person. Besides, isn't the purpose of our journey to get me back to King's Landing safe and sound?" He crouched in the creole's Next to the corpse, he began to untie the sword belt. "Stop, stop immediately, don't move anymore!" James was tired, tired of her doubts, tired of her insults, tired of her crooked teeth, tired of her wide freckled face, tired of her thin, limp hair.Regardless of her order, he grabbed the hilt of his cousin's long sword with both hands, pressed his leg against the corpse, and pulled it out all at once.The weapon was unsheathed, and without thinking, he immediately raised it up, pulling out a swift flower of death.When the swords intersected, there was a "clang" sound, making a loud noise that made the bones tremble.This Brienne reacted really fast!James smiled, "That's right, girl, there's something for you." "Give me the sword, Kingslayer." "Oh, here." He jumped up and rushed over, the long sword in his hand was like a living thing.Brienne jumped back, dodging left and right, and he followed suit, attacking her until she couldn't breathe.Two steel swords, kiss, part, kiss, part, Jaime's blood sings, this is his life, only the battle, only the dance of death can make him alive.I tied my hands, giving way first, so that the girl can always parry a few rounds, so I am satisfied, right?Due to the shackles, he was forced to wield a sword with both hands, which was not as powerful or long as a true two-handed sword.Forget it, my cousin's sword is only good against Brienne of Tarth. High, low, overhead blow, he sent out a stormy attack; left and right, right and left, turned around and slashed, splashing sparks...upper strike, side attack, downward slash, constantly advancing, constantly oppressing, stabbing step by step , one step at a time, one step at a time, chopping, chopping, speed, speed, speed... ...until the end, it was hard to breathe.He was forced to step back, thrust his sword into the ground, and rested a bit. "For a girl," he remarked, "you're not bad." She took a deep breath slowly, keeping her eyes on him alertly. "I will not hurt you, Kingslayer." "Ho ho! Do you think you can do it?" He raised the long sword above his head and attacked again, the iron chains jingling. James didn't know how long this time lasted, it seemed that tens of minutes, or even hours, passed in the clash of swords and swords.He drove her away from her cousin's body, across the road, and into the forest.She tripped over a tree root inadvertently, he thought the opportunity had come, but unexpectedly she knelt down on one knee, resisted tenaciously, and even defended tightly, unleashed a slash that split the person in half, He started to fight back with the momentum of thunder, and gradually stood up. The dance continues.He cornered her against an oak tree, but she slipped away, swearing, and followed her across a shallow stream choked with fallen leaves.The steel sings, the steel sings, clang, sparks, clang, and the girl gradually pants like a sow, but he just misses, as if she's covered in gold bells and iron cloth, making her invulnerable. "Not bad not bad," he paused again to catch his breath, before spinning to her right. "As far as a girl is concerned?" "Well, it's almost like a servant who has just started." He smiled out of breath, "Come on, come on, my dear, the music is playing, can I dance with you, my dear lady?" She grumbled and rushed forward, dancing wildly with her long sword, changing positions in an instant.Her blow swept across his forehead, and blood flowed into his right eye.May the Others take her!Also set off Riverrun City!The damn dungeon has rusted my skills!And the damn iron shackles!His eyelids grew heavy, his shoulders went numb, and his wrists ached from the weight of the hoops, cuffs, and sword.Each stroke was getting heavier, and James knew that he couldn't swing it as freely as before, and he couldn't lift the sword as high as before. She is stronger than me. The realization shook him.Robert was stronger once, and Gerald Hightower the White Bull in his prime, and Ser Arthur Dayne, but Greatjon Umber was stronger than Greatjon Umber, and Creher The family's "strong pig" may have a fight... Oh, don't forget that the Clegane brothers, especially the elder brother, Magic Mountain, are almost inhuman with brute strength.But in short, my speed and skill are far superior to them, and no one can match them today.But she is a woman!Ah, even though she is as strong as a fat pig, but... But, there is no reason why her physical strength is stronger than mine! She forced him into the creek again, and cried, "Drop your arms! Surrender!" James stepped on a flowstone, and when he realized he was slipping, he lunged forward.The point of the sword pierced through his trousers and fell slightly into his upper leg. A red flower suddenly bloomed. James only had time to appreciate it for a moment before his knee hit the rock, and he was dizzy with pain.Brienne jumped forward, kicking his sword away. "surrender!" With all his strength, James pushed his shoulder into her leg, causing her to fall on top of him.They rolled and fisted until finally she was on top.He pulled out her dagger, but before he could use it, he was grabbed by the wrist and smashed against the rock.Pain like dislocation.She pressed his face with her other hand. "Surrender!" She dipped his head in the water and pulled it out a moment later. "Surrender!" James spat in her face.As soon as she exerted force, the water splashed, and he was pressed into the water again, kicking weakly and unable to breathe.Then come out again. "Surrender, or I'll drown you!" "Want to break the oath?" He countered, "Want to learn from me?" She let go abruptly, and James plopped into the water. Harsh laughter came from the forest. Brienne struggled to her feet, her body covered in blood and mud from the waist down, her clothes disheveled, her face flushed.They came at the right time, really like a scene of catching a rape in bed.James crawled over the rocks to the shallow water, wiping the blood from his eyes with his shackled hands.Armed men stood on both sides of the stream.Not surprisingly, the noise we made must have woken the dragon. "Good morning, friends!" he called out lightly. "I'm sorry to bother you all. I'm teaching my wife a lesson." "Hey, this bitch taught you a lesson." The man who spoke was strong and powerful. The iron half helmet he wore had a wide nose guard, but it couldn't cover up the fact that he was missing a nose. These people were not the bandits who had killed Sir Cleo just now, James realized, but the most vicious villains on the entire continent.The brunette Dornishmen and the fair-haired Lysians, the Dothraki with braided bells, the hairy Ibben and the Summer Islanders in charcoal black and bird-feather robes.Warriors. Brienne finally recovered her breath: "I have a hundred silver stags—" A sickly pale man in a torn leather cloak said, "Got it, miss, that's a good start." "Next fuck your pussy," said the noseless man, "hope it's not as ugly as the rest of you." "Turn around and do the back, Rorge," urged the Dornish spearman with the red silk hood on his helmet, "it doesn't matter then." "Hey, how can you take away the fun of watching me fuck?" Nose shouted, and everyone else laughed. Even though this girl is ugly and stubborn, she can't fall into the hands of this bunch of trash. "Who's in charge here?" James yelled. "I am honored to be in charge, Ser Jaime." His sickly eyes glowed red, his hair was thin and dry, and dark blue veins were visible beneath the pale skin of his face and hands. "My name is Uswick, and you may call me 'Pious' Uswick." "You recognize me?" The mercenary nodded, "If you want to deceive the Warriors, you can't do it by shaving your beard and cutting your hair." Damn blood troupe.To James, they were no different from Gregor Clegane or Amory Lodge. His father called them "mad dogs" and he drove them like dogs, chasing prey and spreading terror. "If you know me, Urswick, you know you've got money to make. Lannisters pay their debts. As for the girl, she's a nobleman, and she's got a lot of ransom." The other party raised his head, "Really? What luck." There was a cunning in Urswick's smile, which he didn't like very much. "That's it. Where's the goat?" "It's not far, I'm sure he'll be happy to see you. But don't call him a goat to your face, Lord Waggle cares a lot about dignity." The dignity of a drooling barbarian. "Okay, I'll remember. I'll be careful when I meet him. But what kind of a grown-up is he?" "Earl of Harrenhal, the fief has been promised to him." Harrenhal?Is father stupid?How could it be... James raised his hand, "Get the cuffs off for me." Uswick let out a dry, paper-thin laugh. Something is very wrong.James suppressed his uneasiness, raised his head and smiled, "What's going on? What's the matter?" Noseless grinning, "You're the funniest person I've ever seen since Fangs swallowed that nun's nipple." "You and your father have lost the battle," declared the Dornishman, "and we had to trade the lion's skin for the wolf's." Uswick spread his hands: "What Timon means is that our warriors are no longer serving the Lannister family. We are now serving Lord Bolton and the King of the North." James sneered at him contemptuously, "People say I take honor for shit." Uswick didn't like his comment, so he made a gesture, and two members of the blood troupe immediately grabbed James' arms, followed by Rorge and punched him in the stomach with a steel fist.When the eyes were full of stars, Niu'er kept protesting: "Stop, don't hurt him! It's Mrs. Caitlin who sent us. This is an exchange of prisoners. He's under my protection..." Rorge hit again, making him With the air out of his lungs, Brienne ran for the sword that fell in the stream, but the Mummers were a step ahead of him, and she was so strong that it took four of them to hold her down. In the end, Niu'er was also beaten until her face was swollen and bloody, and she lost two teeth.She was ugly enough anyway.Bloodied and unsteady, the two captives were dragged through the forest to the horse, Brienne limping from his earlier stab.James felt a little sorry, he knew she would lose her virginity tonight.The noseless bastard was bound to do it, and then the others. The Dornishmen bound them and threw them on Brienne's plowhorse, while the others stripped Ser Cleos naked and divided everything.Rorge was given a bloodstained coat, embroidered with the proud quarters of House Lannister and House Frey.The bow and arrow poked a hole in the lion's head and a hole in the tower. "Satisfied, girl?" he whispered to Brienne, and coughed, spitting blood from his mouth. "Give me the weapon, how could they catch me?" She didn't answer.What a pigheaded, stubborn bitch, he thought, but brave, I admire that. "Camp up at night and they'll come and fuck you, lots of times," he warned her. "Don't resist, you bastards. The more you resist, the more teeth you'll lose." Brienne's back tightened. "If you're a woman, why don't you just get caught like this?" If I were a woman, I would follow Cersei's example. "I'll let them kill me. Too bad I'm not a woman." James kicked the horse. "Uswick! Let's talk! The zombie-like mercenary in the leather cloak reined in the horse and rode up. "Do you need my help, sir? But please watch your tone, or I will teach you a lesson." "Gold," said James, "gold?" Uswick looked at him with glowing red eyes. "Yes, gold." James gave the other party a knowing smile, "All the gold in the world comes from Casterly Rock, why share it with the goats? Why don't you take us to King's Landing and make a fortune by yourself? Also, look, she comes from Tas, a virgin told me that it is the legendary sapphire island." Niu'er squirmed uneasily, but did not speak. "You take me for a chameleon?" "Of course, am I wrong?" Uswick considered for a while. "King's Landing is too far away, and your father is there. Lord Tywin will not forgive our actions." You are really smart.Once I get out of trouble, I will hang this damn girl, and I will cause trouble. "Let me negotiate with my father, and I will seek a royal pardon for you and make you a knight." "Sir Uswick," the other party drawled, "tsk tsk, how proud my dear wife should be, but I killed her," he sighed. How to settle accounts?" "You've heard of 'The Rains in Castamere,' haven't you? Look at the goat when my father catches him." "Can it be caught? Could it be that your father could have stretched his hand over the walls of Harrenhal?" "Do you have any doubts?" King Heron's giant city had fallen before, and of course it couldn't resist Lannister's power this time. "You are not a fool, you don't think goats can fight against lions, do you?" Uswick leaned forward and slapped him lazily, the sheer arrogance of which startled him more than the slap itself.He's not afraid of me, James realized, feeling cold. "That's enough, Kingslayer, I'd be a fool if I believed your oath-breaker's promise." He steered his horse away. Aerys, Jaime thought bitterly, I've lived in his shadow all my life.He swayed with the horse, longing for a long sword in his heart.Two, one for Niuer and one for myself, even if we go to hell, we will bring seven or eight guys as companions. "Why did you tell him Tarth is the island of sapphires?" Brienne whispered after Uswick walked away. "Maybe he thought my father had a lot of gems..." "You just hope he thinks so." "Are you only lying, Kingslayer? Tarth is named 'Sapphire Isle' simply because of the blue waters." "Speak up, girl, for Urswick to hear. When they know how worthless you are, your body will be lost. Everyone will come to ride you, and you? Just close your eyes and open them." Thighs, pretend they're all Lord Renly." wonderful.This made her shut up. It was already late when I met Varger Hott, and a dozen or so "warriors" under Goat were looting a small church.Leaded glass was shattered, and wooden gods were dragged out, the fattest Dothraki Jaime had ever seen in his life sitting on the Mother's chest, digging out the god's chalcedony eyes with a dagger.Beside him, a bony, bald monk was hung head to toe from a chestnut tree branch, and three members of the Warrior Order were using the corpse as a target for arrows.The arrow is good, and the eyes of the dead are pierced. When the mercenaries spotted Uswick's team, they cheered wildly.The goat himself sat by the fire, eating a half-roasted bird with a fork, grease and blood dripping from his fingers and into his gnarled whiskers.He wiped his hands on his clothes and stood up. "Four Monarchs," he said spitting, "you are my captive breast." "My lord, I am Brienne of Tarth," Niuer said, "Lady Catelyn Stark ordered me to send Ser Jaime to his brother in King's Landing." The goat glanced at her disdainfully, "Teach her to compare her mouth." "Listen to me," Rorge cut the rope connecting her and James, and she kept pleading, "In the name of the King in the North you serve, please, listen to me—" Rorge dragged her off the horse and kicked her violently. "Don't hurt your bones," Urswick reminded, "this horse-faced bitch can be exchanged for sapphires." Timon the Dornishman and a reeking Ibben dragged Jaime from his horse and pushed him to the fire.Two dog slaves, he can take their swords, but there are too many opponents, he will wear shackles, cut down one or two at most, and then die in vain.Jaime didn't want to die yet, at least not for Brienne of Tarth. "It's a howling day," said Vargh Holt.Around his neck, there is a necklace made of coins. They vary in size, shape, material and workmanship, depicting kings, wizards, gods, devils and other rare animals. It was proof that he had traveled the world, bought his life by the sword, and Jaime knew that.The weakness of this person is greed.He has betrayed once, and he will betray a second time. "Master Wag, it is a pity that you have abandoned my father, but it is not too late for us to reconcile. You know, he values ​​me very much." "Oh, make up for it," said Varger Holt. "I can get it, all the gold in Rock City. But first, I want to let him go." He lisps in a goat-like tone. Uswick pushed, and another man in a green and pink jester kicked him in the leg, sending him sprawled to the ground, while an archer grabbed the iron chains and pulled his arms forward.The fat Dothraki put down his dagger and drew a huge arakh, the sickle-shaped weapon of the horse tribe. They want to scare me.The Joker jumped on his back, giggling, and the Dothraki swaggered up.The goat wants me to pee my pants and beg for mercy, and I'm not going to be fooled.I am Lannister of Casterly Rock, and I am Captain of the Kingsguard, and the mercenaries don't want me to scream. The sunlight flickered on the blade of the flying arakh, so fast that it was impossible to tell. James screamed.