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Her hands trembled as she began fumbling at her clothes。 She had ten thumbs instead of fingers； and all of them were broken。 Yet somehow she managed the laces and buttons； and her cloak and gown and girdle and undersilk slid to the floor； until finally she was stepping out of her smallclothes。 Gooseprickles covered her arms and legs。 She kept her eyes on the floor； too shy to look at him； but when she was done she glanced up and found him staring。 There was hunger in his green eye； it seemed to her； and fury in the black。 Sansa did not know which scared her more。
〃You're a child；〃 he said。
She covered her breasts with her hands。 〃I've flowered。〃
〃A child；〃 he repeated； 〃but I want you。 Does that frighten you； Sansa？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Me as well。 I know I am ugly …
〃No； my…if 。 。 。〃
He pushed himself to his feet。 〃Don't lie； Sansa。 I am malformed； scarred； and small； but 。 。 。 〃 she could see him groping 〃 。 。 。 abed； when the candles are blown out； I am made no worse than other men。 In the dark； I am the Knight of Flowers。〃 He took a draught of wine。 〃I am generous。 Loyal to those who are loyal to me。 I've proven I'm no craven。 And I am cleverer than most； surely wits count for something。 I can even be kind。 Kindness is not a habit with us Lannisters； I fear； but I know I have some somewhere。 I could be 。 。 。 I could be good to you。〃
He is as frightened as I am； Sansa realized。 Perhaps that should have made her feel more kindly toward him； but it did not。 All she felt was pity； and pity was death to desire。 He was looking at her； waiting for her to say something； but all her words had withered。 She could only stand there trembling。
When he finally realized that she had no answer for him； Tyrion Lannister drained the last of his wine。 〃I understand；〃 he said bitterly。 〃Get in the bed； Sansa。 We need to do our duty。〃
She climbed onto the featherbed； conscious of his stare。 A scented beeswax candle burned on the bedside table and rose petals had been strewn between the sheets。 She had started to pull up a blanket to cover herself when she heard him say； 〃No。〃
The cold made her shiver； but she obeyed。 Her eyes closed； and she waited。 After a moment she heard the sound of her husband pulling off his boots； and the rustle of clothing as he undressed himself。 When he hopped up on the bed and put his hand on her breast； Sansa could not help but shudder。 She lay with her eyes closed； every muscle tense； dreading what might e next。 Would he touch her again？ Kiss her？ Should she open her legs for him now？ She did not know what was expected of her。
〃Sansa。〃 The hand was gone。 〃Open your eyes。〃
She had promised to obey； she opened her eyes。 He was sitting by her feet； naked。 Where his legs joined； his man's staff poked up stiff and hard from a thicket of coarse yellow hair； but it was the only thing about him that was straight。
〃My lady；〃 Tyrion said； 〃you are lovely； make no mistake； but 。 。 。 I cannot do this。 My father be damned。 We will wait。 The turn of a moon； a year； a season； however long it takes。 Until you have e to know me better； and perhaps to trust me a little。〃 His smile might have been meant to be reassuring； but without a nose it only made him look more grotesque and sinister。
Look at him； Sansa told herself； look at your husband； at all of him； Septa Mordane said all men are beautiful； find his beauty； try。 She stared at the stunted legs； the swollen brutish brow； the green eye and the black one； the raw stump of his nose and crooked pink scar； the coarse tangle of black and gold hair that passed for his beard。 Even his manhood was ugly； thick and veined； with a bulbous purple head。 This is not right； this is not fair； how have I sinned that the gods would do this to me； how？
〃On my honor as a Lannister；〃 the Imp said； 〃I will not touch you until you want me to。〃
It took all the courage that was in her to look in those mismatched eyes and say； 〃And if I never want you to； my lord？〃
His mouth jerked as if she had slapped him。 〃Never？〃
Her neck was so tight she could scarcely nod。
〃Why；〃 he said； 〃that is why the gods made whores for imps like me。〃 He closed his short blunt fingers into a fist； and climbed down off the bed。
CHAPTER 29
ARYA
Stoney Sept was the biggest town Arya had seen since King's Landing； and Harwin said her father had won a famous battle here。
〃The Mad King's men had been hunting Robert； trying to catch him before he could rejoin your father；〃 he told her as they rode toward the gate。 〃He was wounded； being tended by some friends； when Lord Connington the Hand took the town with a mighty force and started searching house by house。 Before they could find him； though； Lord Eddard and your grandfather came down on the town and stormed the walls。 Lord Connington fought back fierce。 They battled in the streets and alleys； even on the rooftops； and all the septons rang their bells so the smallfolk would know to lock their doors。 Robert came out of hiding to join the fight when the bells began to ring。 He slew six men that day； they say。 One was Myles Mooton； a famous knight who'd been Prince Rhaegar's squire。 He would have slain the Hand too； but the battle never brought them together。 Connington wounded your grandfather Tully sore； though； and killed Ser Denys Arryn； the darling of the Vale。 But when he saw the day was lost； he flew off as fast as the griffins on his shield。 The Battle of the Bells； they called it after。 Robert always said your father won it； not him。〃
More recent battles had been fought here as well； Arya thought from the look of the place。 The town gates were made of raw new wood； outside the walls a pile of charred planks remained to tell what had happened to the old ones。
Stoney Sept was closed up tight； but when the captain of the gate saw who they were； he opened a sally port for them。 〃How you fixed for food？〃 Tom asked as they entered。
〃Not so bad as we were。 The Huntsman brought in a flock o' sheep； and there's been some trading across the Blackwater。 The harvest wasn't burned south o' the river。 Course； there's plenty want to take what we got。 Wolves one day； Mummers the next。 Them that's not looking for food are looking for plunder； or women to rape； and them that's not out for gold or wenches are looking for the bloody Kingslayer。 Talk is； he slipped right through Lord Edmure's fingers。〃
〃Lord Edmure？〃 Lem frowned。 〃Is Lord Hoster dead； then？〃
〃Dead or dying。 Think Lannister might be making for the Blackwater？ It's the quickest way to King's Landing； the Huntsman swears。〃 The captain did not wait for an answer。 〃He took his dogs out for a sniff round。 If Ser Jaime's hereabouts； they'll find him。 I've seen them dogs rip bears apart。 Think they'll like the taste of lion blood？〃
〃A chewed…up corpse's no good to no one；〃 said Lem。 〃The Huntsman bloody well knows that； too。〃
〃When the westermen came through they raped the Huntsman's wife and sister； put his crops to the torch； ate half his sheep； and killed the other half for spite。 Killed six dogs too； and threw the carcasses down his well。 A chewed…up corpse would be plenty good enough for him； I'd say。 Me as well。〃
〃He'd best not；〃 said Lem。 〃That's all I got to say。 He'd best not； and you're a bloody fool。〃
Arya rode between Harwin and Anguy as the outlaws moved down the streets where her father once had fought。 She could see the sept on its hill； and below it a stout strong holdfast of grey stone that looked much too small for such a big town。 But every third house they passed was a blackened shell； and she saw no people。 〃Are all the townfolk dead？〃
〃Only shy。〃 Anguy pointed out two bowmen on a roof； and some boys with sooty faces crouched in the rubble of an alehouse。 Farther on； a baker threw open a shuttered window and shouted down to Lem。 The sound of his voice brought more people out of hiding； and Stoney Sept slowly seemed to e to life around them。
In the market square at the town's heart stood a fountain in the shape of a leaping trout； spouting water into a shallow pool。 Women were filling pails and flagons there。 A few feet away； a dozen iron cages hung from creaking wooden posts。 Crow cages； Arya knew。 The crows were mostly outside the cages； splashing in the water or perched atop the bars； inside were men。 Lem reined up scowling。 〃What's this； now？〃
〃Justice；〃 answered a woman at the fountain。
〃What； did you run short o' hempen rope？〃
〃Was this done at Ser Wilbert's decree？〃 asked Tom。
A man laughed bitterly。 〃The lions killed Ser Wilbert a year ago。 His sons are all off with the Young Wolf； getting fat in the west。 You think they give a damn for the likes of us？ It was the Mad Huntsman caught these wolves。〃
Wolves。 Arya went cold。 Robb's men； and my father's。 She felt drawn toward the cages。 The bars allowed so little room that prisoners could neither sit nor turn； they stood naked； exposed to sun and wind and rain。 The first three cages held dead men。 Carrion crows had eaten out their eyes； yet the empty sockets seemed to follow her。 The fourth man in the row stirred as she passed。 Around his mouth his ragged beard was thick with blood and flies。 They exploded when he spoke； buzzing around his head。 〃Water。〃 T