Chapter 32 Chapter Thirty-One James

The severed limb was burning with pain. Pain, pain, even though they sealed the wound with a torch, he still felt the flames licking his arms day and night, felt his fingers wither in the fire, fingers that were no longer his. He was often injured, but never had such humiliation, never tasted such pain.These days, his lips often couldn't help reciting the childish prayers he'd learned as a child but never cared about, the ones he said kneeling side by side with Cersei in the sept at Casterly Rock.He cried and cried until he heard the laughter of the blood mummers, and he was no longer sad.He dried his eyes and his heart was hard, hoping that the fever would take away the tears.I finally understood how Tyrion felt, having been ridiculed all his life.

They had tied him tight to Brienne of Tarth since he fell off the second time, and they rode together again.One day, the blood actors no longer tied them back to back, but tied them face to face. "A pair of sweet lovers," Shagwell exclaimed loudly, "what a great love, how can it separate the valiant knight from the noble lady?" Who is the lady, knight?" If I still had my hand, you'd understand, James thought.All his limbs were numb from the long-term binding, but everything was fine, the only thing left in his world was the pain from the phantom hand and the weight of Brienne on his body.At least she's warm, he reassures himself, though her breath smells as bad as mine.

His hand was still there, between the two of them.Uswick hung it on a rope around his neck, and Jaime, in a trance, swung his hand across his chest as the horse marched, scratching at Brienne's breast.His right eye was swollen shut, and it was inflamed where Brienne had hurt him in the fight, but it was his hand that hurt the most.The severed limb oozes blood and thick juice continuously, and the phantom hand twitches when the horse takes a step. His throat was so dry that he couldn't eat, so he only drank the wine and water they gave him.Once, the "warriors" gave him a glass of water, and he drank it tremblingly, which caused laughter from all around, which was especially harsh. "It's horse piss, Kingslayer," Rorge told him.James was too thirsty to notice, but then stubbornly spat it out.So they made Brienne clean his beard, and they kept making her do it when he shit and pissed on the saddle.

On a cold morning, he felt a little stronger, and was suddenly seized by a madness.He grabbed the hilt of the Dornishman's sword with his left hand and drew it awkwardly.Let them kill me, he thought, and I'll die fighting with a weapon in my hand.useless.Shagwell hopped around on one foot, and Jaime just missed the cut, and finally lost his balance and staggered forward.The clown circled around a few times and dodged. The blood mummers laughed and watched the performance of the knight and clown.He stumbled over the stone and fell to his knees, the clown jumped over and pressed a moist kiss on his forehead.

Rorge stepped forward to lecture him at last, and kicked the sword from his feeble fingers. "It's very interesting, four kings," said Wag Hutt, "but don't let me cut off your hand or your foot." James lay down, looking at the clear night sky, trying not to notice the constant pain in his right arm.The night was strangely beautiful, with an elegant crescent moon and a sky full of stars that had never been seen before.The crown seat is at the zenith, and there are horses and swans next to it, pine branches, and the shy moon woman is half hidden.How can night be so beautiful?He asked himself, are the stars willing to shine for me?

"James," Brienne whispered so lightly that James thought he was dreaming, "Jaime, what are you doing?" "Wait to die," he replied softly. "No," she said, "no, you must live." He tried to squeeze out a little smile, "Okay, stop commanding me, girl, I can die if I want to." "Are you a coward?" The word shocked him.He is Jaime Lannister, he is a knight of the Kingsguard, he is a Kingslayer.No one can call him a coward, and other titles--sworn-breaker, liar, murderer, butcher, traitor, brat, etc.--don't matter, cowards are not tolerated. "What else can I do but die?"

"Live," Niuer said, "live, fight, revenge." She spoke so loudly that Rorge happened to hear him, and even though he couldn't hear clearly, he came over and kicked her, telling her to keep her mouth shut, or she would be killed. Cut out tongue. Coward, James thought, listening to Brienne's moan.I became a coward?Cut off my sword hand for them?Is my life but a hand with a sword?By gods, is it so? Niu was right, I couldn't die, Cersei was waiting for me, she needed me, and Tyrion, my little brother who loved me for lies.Enemies were waiting for me, too, the Young Wolf Lord who slaughtered my men in the Whispering Wood, Edmure Tully who bound me in chains and locked me in the dungeon, and the Brave Band.

At dawn the next day he forced himself to eat, and they gave him some cereal, horse food, but he swallowed it spoonful by spoonful.I ate it again in the evening and the next morning.To live, whenever the wheat paste choked in his throat, he told himself sternly, to live for Cersei, for Tyrion, and for revenge.Lannisters must pay their debts.The phantom hand twitches, burns, and stinks.When I get back to King's Landing, I'll forge a new hand, a golden hand, with which I'll rip the goat's throat someday. In the boundless pain, day and night are blurred.Sleeping in the saddle during the day, leaning against Brienne's body, smelling the stench of rotting palms; lying awake in the hard mud at night, unable to sleep because of nightmares.Although he was weak, the blood opera singers still didn't dare to be careless and tied him to the tree all the time.He could not help but feel a tinge of icy relief at the thought that his enemies were so afraid of him.

Brienne was usually bundled up next to him, lying in her bundle, like the carcass of a big cow, not moving at all.And in her heart, there was a castle, he thought, they might rape her, but they would never get over the deep wall she built for herself.It's a pity that Jaime's walls have fallen. They cut off his hand, his sword hand, without which he is nothing.One useless hand remains.From the day he could walk, his left hand was only good for holding a shield, other than that, it was useless.It was the right hand that made him a knight, a man. Then one day he overheard Urswick mentioning Harrenhal, and knowing that was the destination, he laughed so hard that Timon slapped him in the face with the slender whip.The blood was pouring profusely, but it was nothing compared to the pain in the hand. "What are you laughing at?" Niu'er asked softly that night.

"I got the white robe at Harrenhal," he replied softly, "at the tourney held by Lord He'an. He wanted to show off his city and descendants to the nobles of the whole country, and I also wanted to show off my martial arts to them. I was only fifteen years old back then, but I was invincible, but Aerys didn't give me a chance to show off," he laughed again, "I was sent away the day I arrived, and I haven't come back until now." The laughter was heard, and James was beaten and kicked that night.He didn't respond until Rorge kicked the severed limb.He passed out.

At last they came the next night, the three biggest villains: Shagwell, Rorge the Nose, and Zorro the Fat Dothraki--who had chopped off his hand.Zoro and Rorge argued about who should go first as they walked, but Shagwell seemed willing to be last.The clown saw that the two of them were arguing, so he suggested that they should go together, with one going to the front and the other going to the back.Zoro and Rorge agreed, and then began arguing over who should go up front and who should go behind. They will destroy the castle in her heart and turn her into a cripple like me. "Girl," he said in a low voice while Zorro and Rorge were yelling at each other, "let them do it and don't think about anything. If their minds go too far, they won't have fun and will stop soon." gone." "They're not going to get an iota of fun out of me," she whispered firmly. You stupid, stubborn, brave bitch, you're going to be killed, he thought, well, what should I worry about?If it weren't for her pig head, I still have my hands.He heard himself whisper, "Let them do it, get inside and don't think about it." That's what he did, when he saw the Starks die before his eyes, Lord Rickard roasted in full armor, his son Brad When Langdon was strangled to save his father. "Think of Renly, if you really love him; think of Tarth, mountains and seas, springs and waterfalls, the Isle of Sapphires; think of..." At this point Rorge won the argument. "You're the ugliest woman I've ever seen in my life," he told Brienne, "but don't think I can't make you uglier. What about my nose? If you move a finger, I'll make you do it." Mine. Also, two eyes are too rich for you, if you dare to scream, I will pick one out, feed you to eat, and then pull out your fucking teeth one by one." "Oh, wonderful, Rorge," said Shagwell, "with her teeth pulled, she's just like my dear old mother." He giggled, "I used to want to fuck mother's ass. " James laughed again. "Oh, what a cute clown. I'll give you a riddle too, Shagwell, why can't you touch her? Oh, oh, I know." He raised his voice, shouting with all his might: "sapphire!" Rorge cursed, and kicked his severed limb again.James howled sharply.There is such pain in the world, this was his last thought before losing consciousness.How long he had been unconscious was unknown, but when he returned to the pain, Urswick came, and Varger Hurt was there. "Don't praise her," the goat yelled, spitting on Zorro's face, "you must keep her real fuck, you bastard! I'll trade her for a bag of lazy gems!" Send guards to prevent your own men from making trouble. For the next two nights, Niu'er didn't speak, and it was only on the third night that she mustered up the courage to ask, "James? Why are you screaming like that?" "Ah, you ask me why I call 'Sapphire'? Think about it, do I call 'Rape' and these bastards will take care of it?" "You shouldn't have made a sound." "No, you're ugly enough when you have a nose, and besides, I want to hear the goat say 'lazy gem'." He chuckled, "You're right, I can only lie, a man of honor would Conceal the truth about the Sapphire Isle." "Anyway," she said, "thank you, Sir." The Phantom's hand twitched, and he gritted his teeth. "A Lannister must pay his debts. It's for the battle on the river. For the stone you threw on Robin Rigg's head." The goat wanted to show off its spoils to the whole town, so Jaime was forced to dismount a mile beyond the gates of Harrenhal.They tied one rope around his waist, another around Brienne's wrists, and both ended in the pommel of Vargo Hurt's mount.They staggered, left and right, behind the Qohor man's black and white horse. James drove himself forward with rage.The linen wrapping the severed limb was gray and stank with pus, and the Phantom's hand ached with every step.I am stronger than you think, he told himself, I am a Lannister, I am a knight of the Kingsguard, I can reach Harrenhal, I can reach King's Landing, I can live.Then, I want you to pay the debt. The cliff-like walls of Harren the Black Heart's giant city gradually grew larger, and Brienne squeezed his arm: "The castle is in the hands of Lord Bolton, who is a vassal of the Stark family." "Well, it's said that the Bolton family likes to skin people," was James' only impression of this noble family in the north.Tyrion certainly knew every aspect of the Lord of the Dreadfort, but he was thousands of miles away, with Cersei.Yes, Cersei is still alive, I can't die, he repeatedly emphasized that we were born in the same year, the same month and the same day, and we will die in the same year, the same month and the same day. The small town outside the city was burned to ashes and scorched stones, and there were traces of a large group of troops stationed on the shore of the lake. This was the place where Master He'an held the tournament in the year of "Wrong Spring".A bitter smile crept to Jaime's lips as he walked across the ravaged land, as someone dug a urinal where he had knelt before the king and swore his oath.The joy of youth has long since turned to bitterness, when Aerys refused to let me stay even one night.He honored me for the insult. "Look at that banner," Brienne said eagerly. "The Flayed Man and the Two Towers, see? They're King Robb's servants. Over there, above the gates, look, gray on a white background, an ice field Wolf flag." James turned his head to look up. "That's right, your bloodthirsty direwolf," he agreed. "Look, there are heads on the left and right." Soldiers, servants, and camp prostitutes all came out to watch.A spotted bitch followed, barking, until the Lysian of the Blood Mummers shot him through with his lance.He ran to the front of the line, shook the dead dog on Jaime's head, and yelled, "I am the kingslayer's standard bearer!" The walls of Harrenhal were so thick that walking through them was like walking through a tunnel of rock.Earlier, Vargo Hurt sent two Dothraki to inform Lord Bolton first, so the outer court was full of troublemakers.Jaime staggered past, people slowly gave way, and whenever he stopped for a moment, the rope around his waist was pulled violently. "I have captured the Four Lords," announced Vargo Hurt inarticulately.A spear jabbed at his back.Ask him to climb. When he fell, he instinctively reached out to help, and the severed limb touched the ground, numb with pain.But he didn't know where to generate a force, and he knelt on one knee.Ahead, a wide stone staircase led to one of Harrenhal's great round towers, and five knights and a northerner were watching him from the steps.The pale-eyed man wore fur cloaks and furs, while the five bad-faced knights were in full armor with the coat of arms of the Two Towers. "The Freys," Jaime called, "Ser Danwell, Ser Aenys, Ser Hosteen," he knew a few of Lord Walder's offspring, and after all, his aunt married into them , "My condolences to you." "What is it, ser?" Ser Danwell Frey asked. "Something has happened to your nephew, Ser Cleos," James said. "He was traveling with us, and unfortunately was shot by bandits on the way. Uswick and his gang stole his things and left him for the wolves to eat." "My lords!" Brienne broke away from the crowd and ran forward. "I have seen your flag, in the name of the oath you have sworn, please listen to me!" "Who are you?" Ser Aenys Frey asked. "She's Lannister's wet nurse." "I am Brienne of Tarth, the daughter of Earl Selwyn, the 'Evening Star', who, like you, is loyal to House Stark." Ser Aenys spat at her feet with a "pooh." "Fuck your shit, we trusted this Robb Stark, and he rewarded us with betrayal!" Very interesting.James turned his head to see Brienne's reaction, but the girl was as stubborn as a mule on a bit. "I don't know what the betrayal is," she rubbed the rope on her wrist, "but I was sent by Lady Catelyn to send Lannister to King's Landing and his brother—" "She was about to drown him when we found her," said the devout Urswick. She blushed, "I was angry for a while and did something deviant, but I didn't really want to kill him. If he dies, the wife's daughter will suffer." Sir Aenys was unmoved. "What does this have to do with us?" "Bring him to Riverrun for a ransom, I suppose," Ser Danwell suggested. "There's more gold in Casterly Rock," objected one of his brothers. "Kill him!" said his other brother. "Avenge Ned Stark!" Shagwell the Clown, in a dusty pink clown suit, is doing somersaults at the bottom of the steps and singing, "Once upon a time a lion danced with a black bear, oh yeah, oh yeah—" "Big mouth, ugly smile." Wag Hut stopped him, "The four kings can't feed bears, he is mine." "He's useless when he's dead," said Roose Bolton quietly enough for everyone to stop and listen. "Also, Mr. Wagga, please remember that before I went north, I was the head of the house here." The fever made James dizzy and emboldened him. "You are the Earl of the Dreadfort? I heard that you were beaten by my father last time and ran away with your tail between your legs, isn't that true? My lord, you finally stopped running away?" Bolton's silence was a hundred times more terrifying than the threat of Wagger Hurt's spittle. His eyes were as pale as morning mist, hiding all his thoughts.Jaime didn't like those eyes, they reminded him of Ned Stark's look when he saw him sitting on the throne.The Earl of Dreadfort finally opened his lips slightly: "You are missing a hand." "Wrong," said James, "it's on my neck." Roose Bolton reached down, looped the rope around his neck, and threw his battered hand at the goat. "Take it away, it's bad for my health." "I want to give it to his lord, and ask for one hundred thousand gold coins. If he refuses, I will chop the four kings into pieces and return them. When I get his money, I will hand over Sir James to the card." Lord Shitoke, earn one more girl!" "Warriors" cheered and agreed in unison. "Good plan," Roose Bolton said, with a tone that seemed to be understating praise at the dinner table: "Good wine." It's a pity that Lord Karstark can't give his daughter. His head. As for Duke Tywin, he is still in King's Landing, and will not leave until the new year, which is a happy day for his grandson to marry the daughter of Highgarden." "No, the Daughter of Winterfell," said Brienne. "My lord, you are mistaken. It is Sansa Stark who is betrothed to King Joffrey." "Their engagement has been broken. The Rose and the Lion united at the Blackwater, and Stannis Baratheon was defeated and his fleet burned." Didn't I warn you, Urswick, thought James, and you, the goat.Against the lion, there is no good fruit to eat! "Any news of my old sister?" he asked, "She's fine, and your...nephew is fine too." Bolton paused.It seems he knows. "Your brother was badly wounded in the battle, but his life is safe." He waved to a gloomy northerner in studded armor beside him. "Send Ser Jaime to Maester Qyburn, and untie the lady." After the rope between Brienne's wrists was cut in two, he continued, "I beg your pardon, madam, there is a lot of turmoil at the moment, and it is inevitable to be in a hurry. accidental injury." She rubbed the flesh and blood that had been torn by the hemp rope. "My lord, these people want to rape me." "Really?" Earl Bolton looked at Wagger Hurt with pale eyes. "That can't be done. It's not right about this, and about Ser Jaime's hand." There were five times as many Northerners in the yard as the Brave Company, and an equal number of Freygardins.No matter how benzene the goat is, he also knows to shut up. "They took my sword," Brienne said, "and my armor..." "Miss, you need no armor to be a guest at my castle," Lord Bolton told her, "and you are under my protection. Mrs. Emmabel, prepare a comfortable room for Miss Brienne. Wharton, Ser James delivers You." Without waiting for an answer, he turned and walked up the stairs, with the fur cloak rolling behind him.James only had time to exchange a quick glance with Brienne before parting from her. The maester's chambers are under the crow's nest.The gray-haired, kind-faced man named Cobain unwrapped the linen wrapping the severed limb, and sniffed it with his nose. "Is it that bad? Am I going to die?" Qybain poked at the wound with a finger, and the pus and blood gushing out made him wrinkle his nose. "No, it's just not too long..." He cut James' sleeve, "...the rot will spread, have you noticed it? The flesh and blood around it has deteriorated and must be removed. The most comprehensive way is to cut off the arm Cut it all off." "I see you're getting impatient," Jaime promised. "Wash the wound, sew your hand back, and let me try my luck." Cobain frowned, "I can keep your upper arm and cut it from the elbow, but..." "How dare you! Unless the other hand is also amputated, I will strangle you to death." Qybain looked into his eyes, and whatever he saw made him hesitate. "Well then, sir, I'll just dig out the rot and nothing else. First use boiling wine, then apply nettle paste, mustard seed and bread mold, it may work, but you may want to consider the pros and cons Clear. I'm going to get milk of the poppy-" "No." James didn't dare to sleep, for fear that his hands would really be gone when he woke up. "It's going to hurt," Cobain insisted. "I'll scream." "It's going to be very, very painful." "I'm going to scream loud and loud." "Would you at least have some wine?" "Does the Archbishop really pray every day?" "I don't know that. I'll get the wine, sir. You lie down first, and your hands must be tied." Cobain prepared a sharp knife and a bowl, and cleaned them up.As he did, Jaime gulped down his drink, spilling it all over him.The left hand is really useless, and I can't even find my mouth.Wine soaked the beard, masking the stench of pus. When the actual knife was digging up the rot, the alcohol didn't help at all, and Jaime screamed and hammered the table with his good hands, once, and again, and again.Qybain poured boiling wine over the exhumed limbs, and he screamed again.No matter how much he swears and swears, no matter how frightened he is, he still faints.When he awoke, the maester was sewing his palm with a needle and gut. "I left a bit of skin, just enough to attach to the wrist joint." "You know that well," James muttered weakly.He bit his tongue and his mouth was full of blood. "Under Wag Hurt, disposing of broken limbs is commonplace. Wherever he goes, people are missing arms and legs." Qybain had a nice face, James thought. He was tall and thin, with a soft voice and warm brown eyes. "As a bachelor, why do you hang out with the Warriors?" "School City deprived me of my necklace." Cobain put down his needle and thread, "You also need to deal with the wound above your eye, which is very inflamed." James closed his eyes and let Qybain heal with alcohol. "Tell me about the battle," said Qyburn, since he was in charge of the crows at Harrenhal, he knew the news clearly. "Lord Stannis was defeated by the fire and your father's sneak attack. It is said that the imp set the whole river ablaze." Jaime seemed to have seen green flames climb into the clear sky, higher than the greatest towers, and the screams of burning crowds in the marketplace.Didn't I dream about this scene before?It was funny, but he couldn't laugh. "Please try to open your eyes." Qyburn soaked the sackcloth with warm water, and gently wiped the dried blood clots on the face of the eyes. The swelling did not go away, but James found that his right eye was finally able to open halfway.The bachelor leaned over, "How did you get this injury?" He asked. "A gift from a girl." "A failed courtship, my lord?" "This girl is stronger than me, and uglier than you. Please help her heal, she still has wounds on her leg from the fight." "I will take care of her. Who is she to you?" "My protector." James wanted to laugh at the absurdity. "I leave you some herbs to mix with wine to stop the high fever. Tomorrow I will use leeches to suck the blood from the eyes and face." "A leech, a lovely animal." "Lord Bolton likes leeches best," said Qyburn cautiously. "Yes," James said, "I can tell."