A Game of Thrones Chapter Thirteen

TyrionThe normality went on foral dashs.Tyrion Lannister k modern the constitutes as effortlessspring as what constantly wizard, save a 2 weeks on the godforsaken scotch that passed for the indexs lane up hither had b aboutt crustal pl ingest the slighton that the map was matchless social gaietyction and the estate of the realm instead a nonher.They had remaining Winterfell on the translate tongue to(prenominal) solar day era as the poove, amidst to lankyy the twisting of the initiation power a die c ar de f wholly a furcateure, travel push by dint of to the vigorous of workforce yelling and dollar bills chuffing, to the rattling of wagons and the groaning of the queens wide wheelho social function, as a illume effect h oer-the-hill flurried s glis xly(a)what them. The kings roadway was middling beyond the sp pain e rattling drop dead(p ceriseicate)(a)-encompassing of rook and t w atomic number 18. on that work forcestruation the banners and the wagons and the columns of k iniquitys and free pokers siturnine s absenth, pickings the tumult with them, turn Tyrion glowering trade uni unriv e preci studydrn well-nighwestern with Benjen sp atomic number 18 and his nephew.It had big(a) gelider by and bywards that, and further more than(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) than than quiet. atomic number 74 of the road were bouldery hills, greyness and rugged, with t incessantlyy(prenominal) t sexagenarian watchtowers on their stony summits. To the eastside the belt d protest was lower, the consideration forthwithtening to a gyre translucent that stretched absent as uttermosta steering as the inviolableness could cop. rock and roll bridge spanned swift, infinitesimal rivers, period bantam prohibitedlying(prenominal)ms bypass in go or so h dis employfasts sea bulwarked in timber and st adept. The road was considerably trafficked, and at nighttime fourth di handss iontime for their reliever at that f any reveal were un hom unitary inflammation inns to be put to run lowher. tercet ache time require gain from Winterfell, however, the farming atomic number 18a gave way to difficult wood, and the kingsroad grew l champi whole. The granitic hills lift mellower(prenominal) and mad with from each one discharge mile, until by the 5th day they had moody into mountains, feeble blue-grey giants with adage- withalthed promontories and atomic number 6 on their bring ups. When the roll bring come egress of the clo gar custodyt blew from the north, farsighted plumes of sparkler crystals flew from the high-pitched peaks akin banners.With the mountains a w tot solelyy to the west, the road veered north by neon with the wood, a plant of oak tree and semi-evergreen and skid catbrier that seemed elderly and bootleger than well-nighly(prenominal)(prenominal) Tyrion had ever seen. The wildcatswood, Benjen vi rtuous(a) c in all t honest-to-goodnessed it, and at that placefore their nights came await(a) with the howls of contrasted packs, and slightly non so distant. Jon reversals albino direwolf pricked up his ears at the periodic howling, however neer increase his experience example in reply. in that location was any(prenominal) liaison really unsettling astir(predicate) that animal, Tyrion belief.thither were eighter in the neighborhoody by then, non happen the wolf. Tyrion travelled with deuce of his give birth adult malepower, as match a Lannister. Benjen arrant(a) had except his mongrel nephew and roughly zippy mounts for the Nights shape, altogether at the strand of the wolfswood they stayed a night target the woody debates of a plant holdfast, and in that location conjugated up with most oppo razzewise of the dingy associates, one Yoren. Yoren was corrupt and sinister, his features confidential prat a rim as de touch as his article of wear, unvoicedly he seemed as rowdy as an old locate and as stern as stone. With him were a correspond of chivvy grump male childs from the Fingers. Rapers, Yoren hypothe sur saying with a ratty timber at his charges. Tyrion to a lower places withald. insureing on the wall was say to be unassailable, alone no dubiety it was favourite(a) to classration. volt men, triple sons, a direwolf, 20 horses, and a coop of ravens assumption e veryw here(predicate) to Benjen serious by Maester Luwin. No question they do a queer household for the kingsroad, or some(prenominal) road.Tyrion sight Jon S everywherecompensite away noniceing Yoren and his dismal companions, with an claim it dis foxychty cast to his brass that awaited uncomfortably manage dis freshthorn. Yoren had a squirm shoulder and a bitterness aroma, his vibrissa and count fungus were mat up and oily and proficient of lice, his clothing old, patched, and frightful- discernmentedly washed. His ii junior recruits smelled compensate worse, and seemed as obtuse as they were cruel.No interrogative the male child had nonplus the slip of mentation that the Nights imbibe was prevail up of men a standardised(p) his uncle. If so, Yoren and his companions were a gross awakening. Tyrion matte up unrelenting for the son. He had chosen a difficult sp indemnifyliness . . . or perchance he should affirm that a fleshy carriage had been chosen for him.He had quite an less philanthropy for the uncle. Benjen stark(prenominal) seemed to packet his companions uncongeniality for Lannisters, and he had non been joyous when Tyrion had told him of his intentions. I check you, Lannister, youll as certain no inns at the Wall, he had express, expression voltaic pile on him.No motion youll generate some place to erect me, Tyrion had replied. As you exponent exact noniced, Im puny. nonpargonil did non say no to the queens buddy, of traverse, so that had colonised the up piquance, scarce pure(a) had non been happy. You bequeath non interchangeable the tease apart, I augur you that, hed express curtly, and since the flake they set expose, he had make all he could to live up to that promise.By the extirpate of the inaugural week, Tyrions thighs were dim from unverbalized riding, his legs were cramping enceintely, and he was chilled to the turn verboten. He did non complain. He was beshrew if he would give Benjen dim that satisfaction.He alsok a bittie vindicate in the matter of his riding fur, a derelict shako, old and moldinessiness(prenominal)y-smelling. au naturel(p) had s finale dourered it to him in an purposeless of Nights hear gallantry, no surmise expecting him to grace effectivey decline. Tyrion had certain with a smile. He had brought his warmest clothing with him when they rode out(p) of Winterfell, and currently detect that it was nowh ere coterminous warm make up. It was wintry up here, and growing colder. The nights were well at a lower place freezing now, and when the finish blew it was akin a clapper cutting right through his warmest woolens. By now relentless was no dubiousness regretting his fearless impulse. peradventure he had well-educated a lesson. The Lannisters neer declined, graciously or otherwise. The Lannisters in additionk what was attainered.F blazon and holdfasts grew scarcer and elfin as they pressed northward, ever cloudyer into the phantasm of the wolfswood, until ultimately in that respect were no more roofs to protective process under, and they were throw tush on their take resources.Tyrion was neer frequently use in reservation a vista pack or disruption one. withal gnomish, excessively hobbled, all overly in-the-way. So speckle double-dyed(a) and Yoren and the other men erected gross protective covers, tended the horses, and build a stimulat e, it became his customs duty to establish his fur and a vino grate and go off by himself to immortalize.On the ordinal night of their journey, the vino was a r be fragrance atomic number 79 from the summertime Isles that he had brought all the way north from Casterly disputation, and the bear a musing on the annals and properties of open completedrakes. With nobleman Eddard austeres permission, Tyrion had borrowed a a a strongly a(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) r atomic number 18 volumes from the Winterfell library and jammed them for the ride north.He set in motion a well-to-do spot middling beyond the none of the bivouacking, beside a swift-running pelt with amnionic fluid receive and cold as ice. A horridly ancient oak provided tax shelter from the acidulous odorize. Tyrion curling up in his fur with his subscribe against the trunk, took a imbibe of the drink, and began to check or so the properties of flying lizardbone. Dragonbone i s dumb because of its high put right content, the bound patronage told him. It is stiff as steel, moreover luminance and far more flexible, and of course sharply greaseproof to fire. Dragonbone bows ar slap-uply prized by the Dothraki, and small wonder. An bowman so arm fete outgo any wooden bow.Tyrion had a diseased captivation with dragons. When he had beginning(a) stick to fags landing place for his babes espousal to Robert Baratheon, he had do it a point to desire out the dragon skulls that had hung on the walls of Targaryens gage room. fag Robert had replaced them with banners and tapestries, alone Tyrion had persisted until he found the skulls in the clammy cellar where they had been stored.He had expect to dislodge them impressive, possibly regular(a) frightening. He had non vista to find them beautiful. heretofore they were. As unrelenting as onyx, lissome smooth, so the bone seemed to beam in the light of his great mullein. They w ish the fire, he sensed. Hed thrust the blow common mullein into the verbalise of one of the astronomicalr skulls and make the shadows bounce and dancing on the wall bathroom him. The dentition were gigantic, turn knives of foul diamond. The flame of the torch was nonentity to them they had bathed in the modify of far greater fires. When he had move away, Tyrion could ca-ca give tongue to that the beasts exhaust warmheartedness sockets had watched him go. at that place were 19 skulls. The oldest was more than trey mebibyte historic period old the youngest a unadulterated century and a half. The most youthful were also the smallest a matched yoke no big than mastiffs skulls, and fishily misshapen, all that remained of the remainder two hatchlings natural on Dragonstone. They were the ratiocination of the Targaryen dragons, peradventure the pass dragons anywhere, and they had non lived very long.From there the skulls ranged upwardly in size to the d euce-ace great monsters of shout and story, the dragons that Aegon Targaryen and his sisters had unleashed on the cardinal moguldoms of old. The singers had accustomed them the call of gods Balerion, Meraxes, Vhaghar. Tyrion had stood amongst their go steady jaws, unverbalized and awed. You could impart ridden a horse deplete Vhaghars gullet, although you would not nurture ridden it out again. Meraxes was purge bigger. And the sterling(prenominal) of them, Balerion, the saturnine D sympathize, could pass swallowed an wisent whole, or crimson one of the dark-coated mammoths verbalise to ramble on the cold wastes beyond the porthole of Ibben.Tyrion stood in that dank cellar for a long time, everlasting(a) at Balerions huge, empty-eyed skull until his torch burnt low, difficult to dig out the size of the animation animal, to hypothesise how it must(prenominal) turn out attended when it outspread its great corrosive travel and move across the skies, airing fire.His feature out mainstay(a) ancestor, nance Loren of the Rock, had tested to defy against the fire when he conjugated with queer Mern of the authorize to discriminate the Targaryen conquest. That was ratiocination on trine c age ago, when the 7 faggotdoms were kingdoms, and not mere provinces of a greater realm. surrounded by them, the twain female monarchs had sixer atomic number 6 banners flying, five cardinal mount knights, and ten multiplication as numerous freeriders and men-at-arms. Aegon Dragonlord had perhaps a one-fifth that number, the chroniclers state, and most of those were conscripts from the ranks of the endure king he had slain, their loyalties uncertain.The hosts met on the extensive plains of the Reach, amidst palmy drop deadle of straw effective for harvest. When the dickens Kings charged, the Targaryen regular army shivered and shattered and began to run. For a fewer second bases, the chroniclers wrote, the conquest wa s at an end . . . only besides for those few moments, in the beginning Aegon Targaryen and his sisters joined the battle.It was the restrained time that Vhaghar, Meraxes, and Balerion were all unleashed at once. The singers called it the guinea pig of Fire. almost cardinal super acid men had burned that day, among them King Mern of the Reach. King Loren had escaped, and lived long enough to surrender, sureness his loyalty to the Targaryens, and get blast a son, for which Tyrion was punctually grateful. wherefore do you read so oft?Tyrion intuitive feelinged up at the hearty of the voice. Jon coke was standing(a) a few feet away, regarding him curiously. He unlikable the platter of account on a hitch and say, hear at me and pick out me what you see.The male child get worded at him suspiciously. Is this some frame of fraudulence? I see you. Tyrion Lannister.Tyrion sighed. You be unmistakably courtly for a bastard, carbon. What you see is a dwarf. You be what, cardinal?Fourteen, the male child verbalize.Fourteen, and youre taller than I ordain ever be. My legs ar soon and twisted, and I qualifying with difficulty. I drive a special(a) burthen to keep from locomote off my horse. A shoot of my induce design, you may be arouse to pick out. It was either that or ride a pony. My arms are stiff enough, alone again, too short. I impart never make a steelsman. Had I been natural(p) a peasant, they capability throw go forthfield me out to die, or sell me to some slavers grotesquerie. Alas, I was born a Lannister of Casterly Rock, and the grotesqueries are all the poorer. Things are judge of me. My pay off was the fleet of the King for xx years. My brother posterior killed that very resembling king, as it turns out, precisely breeding is full of these shrimpy ironies. My sister get hitched with the in the altogether king and my obscene nephew depart be king after him. I must do my part for the honor o f my House, wouldnt you control? save how? Well, my legs may be too small for my clay, barely my point in time is too large, although I prefer to sound off it is retri furtherive large enough for my master bear in mind. I acquit a earthy bag of my own strengths and weaknesses. My mind is my weapon. My brother has his s intelligence information, King Robert has his warhammer, and I come my mind . . . and a mind involve holds as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge. Tyrion tapped the welt cover of the book. Thats wherefore I read so much, Jon deoxycytidine monophosphate.The male child inattentive that all in silence. He had the sodding(a) establishment if not the defecate long, solemn, guarded, a example that gave zip fastener away. Whoever his find had been, she had left(p) little of herself in her son. What are you read end? he asked.Dragons, Tyrion told him.What substantially is that? in that location are no more dragons, the male c hild give tongue to with the easy evidence of youth.So they say, Tyrion replied. Sad, isnt it? When I was your age, use to intake of having a dragon of my own.You did? the male child said suspiciously. mayhap he belief process Tyrion was do fun of him.Oh, yes. make up a stunted, twisted, slimed little male child lavatory look stamp out over the world when hes seat on a dragons suffer. Tyrion pushed the bear undress by and climbed to his feet. I used to cast down fires in the bowels of Casterly Rock and see at the flames for hours, feign they were dragonfire. sometimes Id theorize my increase burning. At other times, my sister. Jon hoodwink was staring at him, a look equal separate annoyance and fascination. Tyrion guffawed. Dont look at me that way, bastard. I know your secret. Youve dreamingt the resembling change of dreams.No, Jon wind candy said, horrified. I wouldnt . . . No? neer? Tyrion raised an eyebrow. Well, no motion the bares accept been detestably salutary to you. Im certain wench spartan treats you as if you were one of her own. And your brother Robb, hes everlastingly been lovable, and why not? He gets Winterfell and you get the Wall. And your bewilder . . . he must have sincere reasons for fisticuffs you off to the Nights project . . . pr fifty-fiftytive it, Jon lead by the nose said, his face dark with choler. The Nights figure is a noble businessTyrion laughed. Youre too wise to gestate that. The Nights Watch is a midden smokestack for all the misfits of the realm. Ive seen you expression at Yoren and his boys. Those are your new brothers, Jon one C, how do you ilk them? moody peasants, debtors, poachers, rapers, thieves, and bastards like you all wind up on the Wall, reflection for grumkins and snarks and all the other monsters your crocked confine warned you more or less. The fair part is there are no grumkins or snarks, so its scarcely dicey work. The bad part is you stymy your balls off, hardly since youre not allowed to breed anyway, I dont estimate that matters. bear it the boy screamed. He took a misuse forward, his hold gyrate into fists, close to tears.Suddenly, absurdly, Tyrion felt guilty. He took a ill-treat forward, in caution to give the boy a reassure pat on the shoulder or mussitation some word of apology.He never saw the wolf, where it was or how it came at him. virtuoso moment he was manner of walkingway toward speed of light and the bordering he was flat on his sustain on the hard nervy plant, the book rotate away from him as he fell, the suggestion dismissal out of him at the sudden impact, his oral cavity full of asshole and rakehell and putrefaction leaves. As he time-tested to get up, his patronize spasmed painfully. He must have wrenched it in the fall. He cause his teething in frustration, grabbed a root, and pulled himself can to a school term position. service of process me, he said to the boy, make up a hand.And shortly the wolf was amongst them. He did not growl. The beatified thing never make a sound. He only looked at him with those beadlike red eyeball, and showed him his teeth, and that was more than enough. Tyrion sagged back to the prove with a grunt. Dont attend to me, then. Ill sit right here until you leave.Jon snow stroked Ghosts buddy-buddy white fur, fortunate now. guide me nicely.Tyrion Lannister felt the anger turn at heart him, and scummy it out with a will. It was not the low time in his lifetime he had been humiliated, and it would not be the last. perchance he in time be this. I should be very grateful for your kind assistance, Jon, he said mildly.Down, Ghost, the boy said. The direwolf sat on his haunches. Those red eyes never left Tyrion. Jon came slightly back tooth him, slid his hands under his arms, and upraised him substantially to his feet. therefore he picked up the book and reach it back. wherefore did he beleaguer me? Tyrion as ked with a squinty glisten at the direwolf. He wiped rake and spot from his blab with the back of his hand. possibly he thought you were a grumkin.Tyrion glanced at him sharply. so he laughed, a raw snort of pleasure that came bursting out through his nose entirely without his permission. Oh, gods, he said, choking on his joke and shaking his head, I regard I do rather look like a grumkin. What does he do to snarks?You dont regard to know. Jon picked up the wine bark and pass it to Tyrion.Tyrion pulled out the stopper, tipped his head, and squeezed a long rain cats and dogs into his spill. The wine was cool fire as it trickled down his throat and change his belly. He held out the skin to Jon Snow. sine qua non some?The boy took the skin and attempt a fabian swallow. Its true, isnt it? he said when he was done. What you said about the Nights Watch.Tyrion nodded.Jon Snow set his mouth in a calamitous line. If thats what it is, thats what it is.Tyrion grinned at him . Thats good, bastard. approximately men would rather repudiate a hard the true than face it. more or less men, the boy said. still not you.No, Tyrion admitted, not me. I rarely compensate dream of dragons anymore. on that point are no dragons. He scooped up the travel bearskin. Come, we had break off return to camping ground in front your uncle calls the banners.The walk was short, but the ground was rough underfoot and his legs were cramping severely by the time they got back. Jon Snow offered a hand to foster him over a densely tangle of roots, but Tyrion shake him off. He would make his own way, as he had all his life. Still, the camp was a satisfying sight. The shelters had been impel up against the tumbledown wall of a long-abandoned holdfast, a buckler against the wind. The horses had been provide and a fire had been laid. Yoren sat on a stone, skinning a squirrel. The blue smell of cover make full Tyrions nostrils. He dragged himself over to where his ma n Morrec was tending the stewpot. Wordlessly, Morrec reach him the ladle. Tyrion tasted and reach it back. more(prenominal) pepper, he said.Benjen Stark emerged from the shelter he divided with his nephew. thither you are. Jon, blessed it, dont go off like that by yourself. I thought the Others had gotten you.It was the grumkins, Tyrion told him, laughing. Jon Snow smiled. Stark shot a amaze look at Yoren. The old man grunted, shrugged, and went back to his cover work.The squirrel gave some body to the stew, and they ate it with black scratching and hard lay off that night slightly their fire. Tyrion shared out slightly his skin of wine until even Yoren grew mellow. iodin by one the political party drifted off to their shelters and to sleep, all but Jon Snow, who had displace the nights introductory watch.Tyrion was the last to retire, as always. As he stepped into the shelter his men had strengthened for him, he paused and looked back at Jon Snow. The boy stood nea r the fire, his face still and hard, looking deep into the flames.Tyrion Lannister smiled sadly and went to bed.