Tyrion

           Areyoucertainthatyoumustleaveussosoon?"theLordCommanderaskedhim.

           "Pastcertain,LordMormont,"Tyrionreplied."MybrotherJaimewillbewonderingwhathasbecomeofme.Hemaydecidethatyouhaveconvincedmetotaketheblack."

           "WouldthatIcould."Mormontpickedupacrabclawandcrackeditinhisfist.Oldashewas,theLordCommanderstillhadthestrengthofabear."You’reacunningman,Tyrion.WehaveneedofmenofyoursortontheWall."

           Tyriongrinned."ThenIshallscourtheSevenKingdomsfordwarfsandshipthemalltoyou,LordMormont."Astheylaughed,hesuckedthemeatfromacrablegandreachedforanother.ThecrabshadarrivedfromEastwatchonlythismorning,packedinabarrelofsnow,andtheyweresucculent.

           SerAlliserThornewastheonlymanattablewhodidnotsomuchascrackasmile."Lannistermocksus."

           "Onlyyou,SerAlliser,"Tyrionsaid.Thistimethelaughterroundthetablehadanervous,uncertainqualitytoit.

           Thorne’sblackeyesfixedonTyrionwithloathing."Youhaveaboldtongueforsomeonewhoislessthanhalfaman.PerhapsyouandIshouldvisittheyardtogether."

           "Why?"askedTyrion."Thecrabsarehere."

           Theremarkbroughtmoreguffawsfromtheothers.SerAlliserstoodup,hismouthatightline."Comeandmakeyourjapeswithsteelinyourhand."

           Tyrionlookedpointedlyathisrighthand."Why,Ihavesteelinmyhand,SerAlliser,althoughitappearstobeacrabfork.Shallweduel?"HehoppeduponhischairandbeganpokingatThorne’schestwiththetinyfork.