Chapter 44 Chapter 43: Tyrion

They took a rest under the aspen groves next to the mountain road.Tyrion gathered dead sticks, and the horses drank from the mountain springs.He leaned over and picked up a broken branch and examined it carefully. "Will this work? I'm no good at lighting fires. Morris used to do it for me." "Light a fire?" Bronn spat. "Dwarf, are you in such a hurry to die? Or have you lost your sanity? Lighting a fire will attract all the natives for miles around. Lannister, I think Walk this journey alive." "What are you going to do then?" Tyrion asked.He tucked the branch under his arm and continued to rummage through the sparse undergrowth.At daybreak, Sir Lynn Corbray sent them to the Bleeding Gate with a grim face, and forbade them to appear again. Since then, they have been traveling at full speed, and they have not rested until now, which made his back ache. back pain.

"It's impossible to get out of the siege by brute force," Bronn said. "But two people can travel lightly, which is faster and less noticeable than a large number of horses. The shorter we stay in the mountains, the more secure we will be." Opportunity has reached the river zone safely. So I say we should hurry, hide during the day, move at night, avoid the roads when we can, don't make noise, and don't start fires." Tyrion Lannister sighed: "Bron, that's a good plan. Go try it yourself... don't blame me for not stopping to dig your grave."

"You dwarf want to live longer than me?" the mercenary laughed.There was a chip in his smile where Ser Vardis Egan's shield had knocked one of his teeth out. Tyrion shrugged. "You're trying to beat your head when you hurry in the night. I'd rather go slowly and comfortably. Bronn, I know you love horse meat, but if my horse dies this time, we It's just the Shadow Lynx to ride... Honestly, I think no matter what we do, the Aboriginals will come after us. There's eyeliner all over the place." He stretched out his gloved hand toward the wind-eroded towering Cliff waving.

Bronn frowned and said, "Lannister, then we are no different from dead people." "In that case, I'd rather die comfortably," Tyrion replied. "We need a fire. It's cold here at night. Hot food will not only warm our bellies, but lift our spirits. You What game do you think you can get around here? Lady Lysa kindly prepared us a sumptuous feast of corned beef, hard cheese and dry bread, but I really don't want to bite my teeth here, you know, there is still a lot to be found for maesters let's go." "I can get meat," said Bronn's dark eyes, scrutinizing Tyrion suspiciously, from beneath a lock of black hair. "But first I should leave you here with this stupid firewood, and if I take your horse with me, I will double my chances of escape. What will you do then, Mr. Midget?"

"Most likely dead." Tyrion bent down and picked up another stick. "You think I won't do that?" "If your life was at stake, you wouldn't hesitate to do it. When your friend Chiggen got an arrow in his stomach, didn't you just move fast and kill him with a knife?" Bronn grabbed his hair and pulled back, the dagger It went through his ear, and he later told Catelyn Stark that his fellow mercenary had died of an arrow wound. "He's not going to survive anyway," Bronn said. "What's more, he yelled and yelled and attracted all the enemies. If I were injured that day, Chiggen would do the same thing... Besides, he's not Friends are just companions. Dwarf, you figure it out for me, I will help you kill, but that doesn't mean I like you."

"I only need you to kill me," said Tyrion, "not you to like me." He threw the log in his arms to the ground. Bronn chuckled. "I have to admit, you are brave enough to not lose to our mercenaries. How do you know I will play for you?" "How would I know?" Tyrion limped, trying to start a fire. "I'm desperate. In the inn, you and Chiggen joined them to catch me. What are you trying to do? The others are either out of duty or for the honor of the master, but you two are not. You have neither master, There is no obligation, and there is no precious honor, why bother to find trouble?" He took out a knife and peeled off the bark of a wooden stick to use as a fuse. "Here, why do the mercenaries work? It's not for the money. You think Madam Caitlin will reward you for your assistance, and even find you a job. Well, I think this should be enough. Do you have a flint and steel?"

Bronn slipped two fingers into his waist pouch and tossed out a flint and steel.Tyrion caught it in midair. "Thanks," he said, "the problem is that you don't know the Starks. Lord Eddard is proud, upright, honorable in everything, not to mention his wife. Now, when this is over, she Of course she will reward you with two small coins, and put the money in your hand with a disgusted look, and say a few polite words, but don't expect her to give you more. What the Starks want is loyalty and loyalty. Courage is a man of honor, and you and Chiggen are, frankly, low-born scum." Tyrion struck flint on his dagger to start a fire, but nothing came out.

Bronn snorted. "Little guy, I think your tongue is quite poisonous. Be careful that someone will cut it off and tell you to swallow it." "That's what everyone else says." Tyrion glanced at the mercenary. "Did I offend you? I'm really sorry...But, Bronn, you also understand that you are indeed a scum. Responsibility, honor, friendship, which one do you have? Hmph , no need to think about it, we both know the answer. But you are not stupid, after we reach the canyon, Madam Stark will not need you...but I will, and the Lannisters never grudge Gold. So, when I need to put all my eggs in one basket, I just guess you're smart enough to know what's best for you. To my delight, you are." He struck the flint and blade again, but to no avail .

"Here," said Bronn, crouching down. "Let me." He took the knives and flint from Tyrion, sparking as he struck.A rolled-up bark began to smoke. "Well done," said Tyrion. "You're a scum, but you're undeniably useful. With a sword in your hand, you're as good as my brother Jaime. Bronn, what do you want?" ? Gold? Land? Or a woman? As long as you find a way to save my life, you can have whatever you want." Bronn blew lightly on the fire, and the flames leapt high. "What if you die?" "Well, at least I have someone who truly mourns for me." Tyrion grinned. "I die, and the gold is gone."

By this time the fire was already raging.Bronn rose, pocketed the flint, and tossed the dagger back to Tyrion. "To be fair to you," he said, "my sword is yours...but don't make me grovel and talk like my lord. I'm not someone else's servant." "You don't take anyone's friend," said Tyrion. "I know you'd betray me as much as you betrayed Lady Stark if there was a profit to be made. Bronn, if someone seduces you Betray me, please remember—no matter how much the other party bids, I can afford it. To put it bluntly, I cherish my life very much. Well, can you help us get something delicious now?"

"Take care of the horse." Bronn said as he untied the hunting knife tied behind his back, and strode into the woods. An hour later, the horses were brushed and fed, and the campfire was crackling, and a kid was spinning on the grill, dripping with oil and smelling fragrant. "Just a bottle of good wine to go with it," said Tyrion. "One more woman is needed, and it's better to have a dozen more soldiers to protect us." Bronn said.He sat cross-legged by the fire and was sharpening his long sword with an oilstone.There was an eerie sense of security in the screech of stone and metal rubbing against each other. "It will be dark soon," said the mercenary, "I will be on duty for the first shift... Although it is useless, at least I can die in my sleep later." "Oh, I don't think they'll have to wait for sleep before they'll be here." Tyrion could not help salivating at the smell of roasting meat. Bronn stared at him across the campfire. "You have plans." He said flatly, and the stone sharpened his sword again. "Let's say there's hope," said Tyrion. "It's time to gamble again." "You bet our lives?" Tyrion shrugged. "Is there any other choice?" He reached out and cut a small piece of lamb from the fire. "Ah." He sighed happily while chewing.Oil dripped from his cheeks. "Although it is a bit hard and there is no sauce, I still don't complain. In Eagle's Nest City, I jumped around the edge of the cliff and couldn't even eat a single boiled bean." "And you gave the jailer a bag of gold instead," Bronn said. "A Lannister must pay his debts." Even Maud couldn't believe it when Tyrion threw the leather bag of gold at him.The jailer loosened the rope at the mouth of the bag, and seeing the dazzling gold, his eyes were as big as boiled eggs. "I kept the silver," Tyrion said with a wry grin. "We agreed to give gold, so we made a deal." That money was more than Maud could have earned from bullying prisoners all his life. "Also, don't forget what I said, these are just appetizers. If you feel annoyed one day and don't want to continue working for Mrs. Arryn, come to Casterly Rock City, and I will settle what I owe you at that time." Seeing both hands Filled with golden dragon coins, Maude knelt down on the spot and promised that he would do so. Bronn drew his dagger, took the meat off the fire, and began to carve charred chunks from the bones, while Tyrion hollowed out two loaves of hard bread to serve as plates. "If we can really go back to the riverland, what are you going to do?" the mercenary asked while cutting. "Here, first find a whore, get a feather bed, and a jug of good wine." Tyhoon held out the plate, and Bronn filled it with meat. "Then decide to go to Casterly Rock or King's Landing. When I think about it, I have a lot of questions to ask about a certain dagger." The mercenary chewed and swallowed a mouthful of grilled meat. "So you're not lying? It's really not your knife?" Tyrion forced a smile. "You think I look like a liar?" After they had filled their stomachs, the night sky was covered with stars, and a crescent moon rose over the mountain.Tyrion spread his lynx-skin cloak on the ground and used the saddle for a pillow. "Wait, wait, our friend hasn't moved yet, it's been a long time." "If it were me, I would also be worried about deceit," Bronn said, "If there is no trap, why are you so provocative?" "Then why don't we sing and dance to scare them all away," Tyrion chuckled, humming a tune. "Dwarf, you are crazy," Bronn said, scraping the grease from his nails with a dagger. "Bron, where is all your love of music?" "You want music, why didn't you ask the singer to be your thug?" Tyrion grinned. "That must be interesting. Imagine what it would be like if he took the harp on Ser Vardis." He continued humming. "Do you know this song?" He asked. "It's annoying to hear. I often hear it in hotels or brothels." "It's a Mill ballad called 'Seasons of My Love'. If you know the words, you'll understand how sweet and sad it is. The first girl I ever slept with used to sing it, and I can't forget it Never forget." Tyrion looked up at the stars.It was a clear cold night, and the stars shone across the hills, bright and ruthless as truth. "I met her the same night as now," he heard himself say, "when James and I were riding back from Lannisport when I heard a scream and she came running down the road, followed by two A yelling man. My brother drew his sword to deal with them, and I dismounted to protect the girl. She was only less than a year older than me, black hair, very slender, with a face that would break your heart. At last At least my heart is broken. Although she comes from a lowly background, looks malnourished, and hasn't showered for a long time...but she is cute. The two men had torn off the rags she was wearing, and her back was almost was out, so I wrapped her in my cloak, and Jaime drove the two back into the forest. When he ran back, I had her name and birth. She was a farmer's daughter, Ever since her father died of a fever, she's been alone, and she's about to go... Well, actually, she doesn't know where she's going." "James was all about catching those two. It was not unusual for a bandit to attack a passer-by so close to Casterly Rock, and he took it as a shame. The girl was too frightened to walk alone. , so I proposed to take her to a nearby hotel and get her something to eat, while my brother went back to Casterly Rock for help." "She was hungrier than I expected. We ate two and a half roast chickens and drank a whole jug of wine. We had a good time talking while eating. I messed up the sex. Anyway, when I came back to my senses, I was already lying on the bed with her. She was very shy, but I was even more shy. I really don’t know where I got the courage? When I opened the buds for her, she cried, But then she kissed me and whispered that song, and by the next morning, I was in love with her." "You're in love with her?" Bronn's tone sounded interesting. "Funny, isn't it?" Tyrion hummed the song again. "Later I married her," he finally admitted. "A Lannister married a peasant girl?" said Bronn. "You did." "Well, you won't believe what a little boy can do with fifty silver pieces in his pocket and a drunk monk. I dare not take my bride back to Kay Rock City, we settled her in her own hut, and we lived together as a married couple for two weeks. Finally, the monk sobered up and reported everything to my Duke’s father." After so many years, talking about Tyrion was surprised by the fact that it still felt lonely.Maybe it's just the troubled journey. "This is the end of my marriage." He sat up, staring at the dying bonfire, blinking in the light. "He drove the girl away?" "He did it better," said Tyrion. "He asked my old brother to tell me the truth first. Actually... the girl was a whore. The whole thing, from that road to those two robbers, was Jaime It was arranged. He thought it was time for me to experience sex between men and women, so he planned it carefully. This is my first time, so he paid double the price to find a virgin." "After James finished speaking, in order for me to remember the lesson, Lord Tywin called my wife in and handed it over to his guards. To be honest, the price they offered was quite fair, one silver coin per person, how many prostitutes do you say? Worth the price? He asked me to sit in the corner of the barracks and forced me to watch the whole process. Later, she earned so much money that she couldn't finish it, and the white money spilled all over the ground between her fingers, and she..." thick smoke It stings his eyes.Tyrion cleared his throat, turned away from the fire, and looked out into the dark night sky. "Lord Tywin asked me to be the last one." He said softly, "He also handed me a gold coin, because I am from the Lannister family, and my value is different." After a while, he heard again the sound of Bologna sharpening his sword with a stone. "It doesn't matter if I am thirteen, thirty or three, if someone dares to treat me like this, I will kill him." Tyrion turned to face him. "Maybe one day you'll have your chance. Remember what I told you, Lannisters pay their debts and revenge them." He stretched. "I'll try to get some sleep. Wake me up when we're dying." He wrapped himself in a lynx-skin cloak and closed his eyes.The ground was rough and cold and hard, but it wasn't long before Tyrion Lannister actually fell asleep.He dreamed of the sky prison, but this time he was a jailer, not a prisoner, and he was tall, holding a belt, and was beating his father, forcing him to retreat, gradually approaching the endless abyss... "Tyrion." Bronn's warning was low and urgent. Tyrion woke up instantly.The campfire was only embers, and figures were approaching them from all directions.Bronn stood on one knee, sword in one hand and dagger in the other.Tyrion grabbed the mercenary's hand: Be still, don't act rashly. "The wind is cold tonight, why don't you come over and enjoy the fire together?" He called to the ghostly figures around him, "Although we have no wine to entertain, everyone is welcome to come and taste the mutton." All movement stopped.In the moonlight, Tyrion caught a glimpse of the reflected luster of metal. "The mountain is ours," came a low, resolute, unfriendly voice from among the trees. "The mutton is ours too." "The mutton is yours," Tyrion agreed. "Who are you?" "When you ascended to meet your god," answered another voice, "tell him that it was Gunthor, son of Gunn of the Stone Crows, who sent you to heaven." He stepped out of the bushes and into the light.The man who came was very thin, wearing a horned helmet and holding a hunting knife in his hand. "And Shagga son of Dorf." It was the first voice, deep and deadly.A boulder moved towards their left, then stood up and turned into a human.His body is tall and strong, his movements seem to be slow, and he is dressed in animal skins. He holds a wooden stick in his right hand and an ax in his left hand.He lumbered toward them, clashing the two weapons violently as he went. Other voices called out names, including Conn, Torek, Jagot, and some names that Tyrion couldn't remember completely, but there were more than ten people on the other side.Some carried swords, others brandished pitchforks, scythes, and wood-sharpened spears.He waited until they had finished calling their names before answering: "I am Tyrion, son of Tywin of the Lannister tribe, and he is the lion chief who lives in Casterly Rock. We are happy to pay compensation for eating mutton." "Tyrion, son of Tywin, what can you give us?" asked Gunthor.He appears to be the leader of the group. "I have some silver in my purse," Tyrion told them, "and this mail mail on me is too big for me, but it should fit Conn well. Those strong hands must be much stronger than his wooden ax." "Half people want to take our things as compensation." Conn said. "Conn is right," said Gunthor. "Your silver is ours, your horse is ours, your mail and your tomahawk, and the knife in your belt are ours. .You only have one life to pay for. Tyrion, son of Tywin, how do you want to die?" "I want to live to be eighty years old, drink enough wine, find a virgin to accompany me, and die in my warm bed." He replied. The burly Xia Ga was the first to laugh, and his voice was like thunder.Others found it less amusing than he did. "Conn, go get the horse," Gunthor ordered, "kill the other guy, and take the half-man. We can let him milk the goat, and please the mother of the child." Bronn jumped to his feet. "Who wants to die first?" "Stop!" snapped Tyrion. "Gonthor, son of Gunn, listen to me. My family is rich and powerful, and if the Stone Crows will keep us safe, my father the duke will reward you." There will be enough gold to bathe in." "The gold of the lords of the lowlands is as worthless as what the half-men say." Gunthor said. "I am only half a man," said Tyrion, "but I have the courage to face the enemy. What about the Stone Crows? When the Knights of the Canyon come, will you not just hide behind stones and tremble with fear?" Xia Ga roared, and struck the stick and ax in his hand again.Jagot poked Tyrion in the face with his hardened wooden spear.He did his best not to flinch. "That's the only thing you can steal?" he said. "Maybe you can kill a sheep...you have to let the sheep obediently let you kill it. My father's blacksmith shit is better than this." "Stinky boy," Xia Ga roared, "when I chop off your lifeblood and feed it to the goats, how dare you laugh at my axe?" Gunthor, however, raised his hand. "No, I want to hear what he has to say. The child's mother is starving now, and having a fellow is more useful than gold. Tyrion, son of Tywin, what would you give for your life? A sword? A spear? Or armor?" "Gunthor, son of Gunn, none of this is a problem. I will give you much more than that," Tyrion Lannister replied with a smile, "I will give you the entire Vale of Arryn."