18.瓦里斯
18.瓦里斯
君临是个喧嚣的城市。曾经不过是黑水河边，狭海岸上的一个小渔村，风暴地和河间地领主都宣称为自己所管，但实际上都没有管，也懒得管。现在这是王国里第二大的城，也是七国的首都。坐拥黑水河和狭海两个航道，它的面积和财富迅速膨胀。城墙早早建好后，城里住房，妓院，商店，磨坊一个叠一个，有的就干脆建到城外。港口挤满渔舟，商船，捕鲸船等等，分别来自河湾地，北境，多恩，对岸的自由城邦，甚至夷地和魁尔斯。从红堡看过去，真是一种享受。世界上，战火不断，和平和繁荣美好却短暂。瓦里斯时常想这和平能维持多久，要是夏日还长，十年就不错了。
“瓦里斯大人！”一个脏兮兮的渔民小孩，侍奉御膳房的，挎着篮子来，里面装满了螃蟹。螃蟹在编织的牢笼中上下爬，散发一股咸腥。
“这么急？海鲜还是早点送到御膳房吧。”
“刚刚买到了一个值钱的消息，老爷一定很想听听。老爷说不定会给个好价钱。”
“你花了多少？”
“呃，十个银鹿。莫里奥没要太多，我觉得值个三十。”
“三十？这么贵？我愿意买下，但若觉得不值，你就别当我的小小鸟了。”
“史塔克夫人和一个敦实的骑士坐船来君临了。”
凯特琳为什么要穿过大半国来？还坐船？从北境到河间地，大大小小的领主都是她丈夫或她父亲的封臣，一路上她会受热情欢迎，殷勤款待。为什么不走陆路？
“大人？” 篮筐里的螃蟹更焦急了，有的爬出来，爬到小孩 的胳膊上。
“赶紧去找莫里奥，问问他亲爱的凯特琳去了哪儿。问出来，我给你一个金龙。”
“老朋友不该互帮互助吗？”他听见小指头说。他推门而入，看见一个男人和凯特琳。小指头出生于一个小岛。那几个狭长的小岛叫五指群岛，而小指头打小又就瘦又小，现在也是又瘦又小，但一个三十多岁的人，却看着各方面都很成熟，尤其是他的灰发。他总是面带微笑，掩盖一切想法。但这样的人也曾经天真，不理智过。
他十五时，他在徒利家的奔流城当养子。他和凯特琳和莱莎一直玩到大，也有说法相爱了。那个年纪的男孩肯定会开始想得到淑一女，肯定心神不安。但瓦里斯永远不会感觉到了，只有苦涩和嫉妒了。
在那种冲动下，小指头一听说凯特琳被许配给了布兰登·史塔克，他就为了凯特琳跟布兰登决斗。当然他输了，因为布兰登已经长大了成人。他差点死，或许死了才好。布兰登被疯王烧死后，他或许又希望凯特琳会回心转意，但她嫁给了布兰登的弟弟，艾得，新的临冬城公爵。这一次可能比决斗伤得更深。
“凯特琳夫人！上次见你多少年前了！”
她的口气却十分冷淡，“我听说多亏了你，我被送到这儿了。”
他像个小女孩一样咯咯笑道：“是呀，我知道贝里席大人不会亏待你。噢，你手烧伤了么？手可是多灵巧呀。总大学士派席尔做的药膏可不错了，我要不要给您带一罐哪？”
“大学士鲁温已经照看好了。”
瓦里斯轻轻拿起她的手，“布兰的事，可真让我惋惜呐，多好的孩子啊！他现在还好吗？我知道自由城邦里有不少妙手回春的疗愈师，我可以找来一个。”
她的手从他的手中滑脱，“大学士鲁温一直在照料布兰。你怎么知道我来的？瓦里斯大人？”
“职责所在。我是情报大臣，我能借着小小鸟耳听八方。我就是如此侍奉敬爱的国王的啊。你的丈夫 是王手，也是侍奉国王的。咱们在这方面还是有共同点呢。”
“别套近乎了。”
“我相信您来这确有因由。”
“我想念我的丈夫和女儿。”
“既然他们都还没来，咱们就互相熟悉熟悉吧。夫人，有劳看一下您的匕首吗？”
她一时惊诧。
“我知道的。让我看看吧，夫人。”
“你又怎么知道的？”
“罗德利克爵士不久前也在这间屋子，来拜访亚林大人，军械大臣，说了说什么匕首和去找军械大臣的事。”
“那罗德利克爵士现在在哪儿？”
“他回了那个简陋至极的旅馆，见您已经走了，十分不安。夫人，我能看看匕首吗？”
她慢慢掏出来，瓦里斯用大拇指和食指夹起。这匕首十分装饰华贵，柄是暗黑的龙骨，像是墨玉，缀着金色藤蔓花朵。刀刃是瓦雷利亚钢，有着暗色的流水似的涟漪。他轻轻摸一摸刀尖，指头刚刚碰到，疼痛就传来。
“噢！”刀子掉到桌上。
“小心，瓦里斯大人。没什么比瓦雷利亚钢还税利。我以为你知道呢。”小指头坏笑。
“你的小小鸟说不定知道这是谁的刀吧，瓦里斯大人。”
“呃…”他不吸手指了，“我确实不知。”
“我知道。”小指头慢慢回道。凯特琳盯着他，手和声音一起颤抖，“谁的？”
“我的。”小指头回答。他拾起匕首，在手里像落叶一样转起来，然后一抛，一道灰影掠过，飞向门。一声闷响，匕首埋进了橡木木板里，立刻不再抖动。
“多好的手感。你一来君临就该来找我，不用去烦劳军械大臣亚林。”
她的双眼睁得和嘴一样大，“不可能啊！是你的？”
“直到我在一次比武上赌输了。”
“输给谁了？”
“那年，我和大半宫里一样，赌詹姆·兰尼斯特赢。最后洛拉斯·提利尔把他打下马，半个宫廷都穷了一点。国王输了点钱，王后输了绿宝石项链，前任王手输了新的剑，我输了匕首。最后王后保住了项链，但其他都归了他。”
“谁？”
“提利昂·兰尼斯特，小恶魔。”
kings landing was a city of boisterousness.once a little fishing village along the black water and narrow sea, a place both claimed and disputed by stromking and riverking but no one actually hold or cared to hold. it is now the second biggest city of the realm and the capital of seven kingdom. the blackwater and narrow sea both being good conduit, it swelled in size and wealth. with the citywall long set, houses, brothels, shops,mills and so on stacked onto each other within the city and some choose to locate outside the citywall. and the port was full of fishing boats,ships, gallys, and whalers from the reach, the north, dorn, Vale, free cities across the narrow sea and even quarth, yiti and iben. seeing from the red keep high upon the aegons hill, it was such an enjoyment. this world was always at war and peace and prosperity was often sweet yet short. varys often wondered how long it will last, a decade was good enough if summer was long.
lord varys! a dirty fishing boy came with a basket of crabs for the royal kitchen. the crabs tickling in the woven little cage, uneasily, with fishy and salty stink.
you are so hurry! best keep those seafood fresh and send them to the kitchen.
I just bought a piece of news my lord might want to hear. maybe my lord will gave me a good price.
how much did you pay?
well, ten silver stags. morio did not charge too much, but I believe it worth more than thirty.
well, thirty? what can be so pricy? I would like to buy it but if it was not so worthwhile, you will not be my bird anymore.
lady stark catelyn and an old stout knight came to kings landing by sea. she carried a shinny dagger.
why would catelyn came across half of the realm? and by the sea? from the north to riverland, all lords were her husbands or her fathers bannerman, and she would have enjoyed welcoms and treats all the way. yet why?
my lord? the crabs from the sea was now even more anxious. one climbed out of the basket onto the boys arm.
find the morio and ask for me where is our beloved lady catelyn now. I give you a golden dragon if you can.
“old friends should trust each other. he heard little finger said.he pushed in and saw the man and lady catelyn. little finger was from a coner of a small isand. the long narrow islands was called fingers, and little finger was small and skinny when he was a child. and now he was still small and shinny, yet powerful. he was now the master of coins of the king. he wore grey silk coat suits his figure elegantly. for a man of only thirty or more, he looked rather mature in everything, especially his grey hairs. his eyes were always smiling, covering all he was contemplating. such a man was once innocent and not sensible.
when he was fifteen, he lived in the riverrun as a ward of hoster Tully. he played with catelyn and lysa, and rumors said even loved them. of course boysof that age were begging to desire for a lady and their hearts were unsettled always. but varys would never felt that, only bitterness and jealousy perhaps.
driven by that impulse, when little finger heard that catelyn was betrothed with Brandon stark, he challenged him for catelyns hands. of course he failed, cause Brandon was a grown man then. he almost died. maybe it would be better. after Brandon was burned by the mad king, he Mabey hoped cat would go back to him. and this time she married Brandons brother, addard stark, the new heir of winterfell. perhaps that time it hurt him even more than the duel.
catelyn was now tired and angry, but her brown red long waves of hair was shinning in the twilight, and she was still delicate after so many child-births. no wonder little finger loved her so much once.
lady catelyn! it has been so many years since we last met.
her tone was cold. I heard I owe you thanks in bringing me here.
he giggled like a little girl.yes! I know lord baelish will not mistreat you. oh, have you burned your hand my lady? the hand is such delicate. grand maester pycell makes marvelous salve. should it bring you a jar?
maester luwin had attended my hand.
varys took her handgently.Im so sorry for bran. he was a good child. is he safe now? I heard healers from free cities have amazing skills. maybe I should bring some of them.
she slid her hand out of his.maester luwin had been taking care of bran.
how do you know I came, lord varys? she watched him with coldness.
it is my job. Im the master of whispers, and I can hear my birds singing from afar. this is how I serve our beloved king Robert. your husband also serve our king as his hand, and we have something in common in that aspect.
spare me those familiarity.
I do believe you came here for a reason.
because I miss my husband and daughter.
since they have not arrived yet, let us be more familiar. my lady, can I have a look at your dagger?
she was awestruck for a moment.
I know.please show me, my lady.
how did you know that?
ser Rodrick had been in this room not long ago, searching for lord alyn, the master of arms. they talked about certain dagger and seeing the master of arms.
and where is ser Rodrick now?
he returned to your hideous inn and find you gone. the good knight was quiet distressed.now lady, can I have a look of the dagger?
she slipped the thing out, slowly. varys heldit with his thumb and point finger. it was a dagger extravagantly decorated. the hilt was dark dragonbone like black jet with golden ivy and flowers trailing around. the blade was valyrian steel with deep dark ripples like running water. he felt the point carefully, and pain came the moment his thumb touched it.
ouch!the blade fell onto the table.
be careful my lord varys. nothing holds an edge like valyrian steel. I thought you should know that. little finger smirked .
perhaps your little birds also know the name of the owners of this blade, lord varys.
well, he stopped sucking his thumb,in that I do not know.
I know. little finger said slowly. catelyn stared at him, voice and hands quivering.
me. little finger replied. he picked up the dagger, and it swirled in his hand like a spin. then he threw it, and the shadow of grey flew to the door. with a numb thump, it sank into the wooden plank deeply, and stopped quivering almost immediately.
such perfect balance. you should come to me the moment you came to kings landing. no need bothering the alyn, master of arms.
her eyes opened as wide as her mouth. it makes no sense. it is yours?
untill I lost it in a tourney.
to whom?
that year, I betted ser Jamie lannister with half of the court. when loras tyrrel unhorsed him,half of the court became a little poorer. king lost some coins, the queen lost her emerald necklace, the former hand his new sword, and I my dagger. at last, the queen ketp her necklace, but all these and other fortune came to him.
who?
tyrion lannister, the imp.
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