grrm.astormofswords-第56部分

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　〃Harrion。　His　name　is　Harrion。〃　Robb　laughed　bitterly。　〃A　king　had　best　know　the　names　of　his　enemies；　don't　you　think？〃
　The　Blackfish　looked　at　him　shrewdly。　〃You　know　that　for　a　certainty？　That　this　will　make　young　Karstark　your　enemy？〃
　〃What　else　would　he　be？　I　am　about　to　kill　his　father；　he's　not　like　to　thank　me。〃
　〃He　might。　There　are　sons　who　hate　their　fathers；　and　in　a　stroke　you　will　make　him　Lord　of　Karhold。〃
　Robb　shook　his　head。　〃Even　if　Harrion　were　that　sort；　he　could　never　openly　forgive　his　father's　killer。　His　own　men　would　turn　on　him。　These　are　northmen；　Uncle。　The　north　remembers。〃
　〃Pardon　him；　then；〃　urged　Edmure　Tully。
　Robb　stared　at　him　in　frank　disbelief。
　Under　that　gaze；　Edmure's　face　reddened。　〃Spare　his　life；　I　mean。　I　don't　like　the　taste　of　it　any　more　than　you；　sire。　He　slew　my　men　as　well。　Poor　Delp　had　only　just　recovered　from　the　wound　Ser　Jaime　gave　him。　Karstark　must　be　punished；　certainly。　Keep　him　in　chains；　say。〃
　〃A　hostage？〃　said　Catelyn。　It　might　be　best　。　。　。
　〃Yes；　a　hostage！〃　Her　brother　seized　on　her　musing　as　agreement。　〃Tell　the　son　that　so　long　as　he　remains　loyal；　his　father　will　not　be　harmed。　Otherwise　。　。　。　we　have　no　hope　of　the　Freys　now；　not　if　I　offered　to　marry　all　Lord　Walder's　daughters　and　carry　his　litter　besides。　If　we　should　lose　the　Karstarks　as　well；　what　hope　is　there？〃
　〃What　hope　。　。　。〃　Robb　let　out　a　breath；　pushed　his　hair　back　from　his　eyes；　and　said；　〃We've　had　naught　from　Ser　Rodrik　in　the　north；　no　response　from　Walder　Frey　to　our　new　offer；　only　silence　from　the　Eyrie。〃　He　appealed　to　his　mother。　〃Will　your　sister　never　answer　us？　How　many　times　must　I　write　her？　I　will　not　believe　that　none　of　the　birds　have　reached　her。〃
　Her　son　wanted　fort；　Catelyn　realized；　he　wanted　to　hear　that　it　would　be　all　right。　But　her　king　needed　truth。　〃The　birds　have　reached　her。　Though　she　may　tell　you　they　did　not；　if　it　ever　es　to　that。　Expect　no　help　from　that　quarter；　Robb。
　〃Lysa　was　never　brave。　When　we　were　girls　together；　she　would　run　and　hide　whenever　she'd　done　something　wrong。　Perhaps　she　thought　our　lord　father　would　forget　to　be　wroth　with　her　if　he　could　not　find　her。　It　is　no　different　now。　She　ran　from　King's　Landing　for　fear；　to　the　safest　place　she　knows；　and　she　sits　on　her　mountain　hoping　everyone　will　forget　her。〃
　〃The　knights　of　the　Vale　could　make　all　the　difference　in　this　war；〃　said　Robb；　〃but　if　she　will　not　fight；　so　be　it。　I've　asked　only　that　she　open　the　Bloody　Gate　for　us；　and　provide　ships　at　Gulltown　to　take　us　north。　The　high　road　would　be　hard；　but　not　so　hard　as　fighting　our　way　up　the　Neck。　If　I　could　land　at　White　Harbor　I　could　flank　Moat　Cailin　and　drive　the　ironmen　from　the　north　in　half　a　year。〃
　〃It　will　not　happen；　sire；〃　said　the　Blackfish。　〃Cat　is　right。　Lady　Lysa　is　too　fearful　to　admit　an　army　to　the　Vale。　Any　army。　The　Bloody　Gate　will　remain　closed。〃
　〃The　Others　can　take　her；　then；〃　Robb　cursed；　in　a　fury　of　despair。　〃Bloody　Rickard　Karstark　as　well。　And　Theon　Greyjoy；　Walder　Frey；　Tywin　Lannister；　and　all　the　rest　of　them。　Gods　be　good；　why　would　any　man　ever　want　to　be　king？　When　everyone　was　shouting　King　in　the　North；　King　in　the　North；　I　told　myself　。　。　。　swore　to　myself　。　。　。　that　I　would　be　a　good　king；　as　honorable　as　Father；　strong；　just；　loyal　to　my　friends　and　brave　when　I　faced　my　enemies　。　。　。　now　I　can't　even　tell　one　from　the　other。　How　did　it　all　get　so　confused？　Lord　Rickard's　fought　at　my　side　in　half　a　dozen　battles。　His　sons　died　for　me　in　the　Whispering　Wood。　Tion　Frey　and　Willem　Lannister　were　my　enemies。　Yet　now　I　have　to　kill　my　dead　friends'　father　for　their　sakes。〃　He　looked　at　them　all。　〃Will　the　Lannisters　thank　me　for　Lord　Rickard's　head？　Will　the　Freys？〃
　〃No；〃　said　Brynden　Blackfish；　blunt　as　ever。
　〃All　the　more　reason　to　spare　Lord　Rickard's　life　and　keep　him　hostage；〃　Edmure　urged。
　Robb　reached　down　with　both　hands；　lifted　the　heavy　bronze…and…iron　crown；　and　set　it　back　atop　his　head；　and　suddenly　he　was　a　king　again。　〃Lord　Rickard　dies。〃
　〃But　why？〃　said　Edmure。　〃You　said　yourself…〃
　〃I　know　what　I　said；　Uncle。　It　does　not　change　what　I　must　do。〃　The　swords　in　his　crown　stood　stark　and　black　against　his　brow。　〃In　battle　I　might　have　slain　Tion　and　Willem　myself；　but　this　was　no　battle。　They　were　asleep　in　their　beds；　naked　and　unarmed；　in　a　cell　where　I　put　them。　Rickard　Karstark　killed　more　than　a　Frey　and　a　Lannister。　He　killed　my　honor。　I　shall　deal　with　him　at　dawn。〃
　When　day　broke；　grey　and　chilly；　the　storm　had　diminished　to　a　steady；　soaking　rain；　yet　even　so　the　godswood　was　crowded。　River　lords　and　northmen；　highborn　and　low；　knights　and　sellswords　and　stableboys；　they　stood　amongst　the　trees　to　see　the　end　of　the　night's　dark　dance。　Edmure　had　given　mands；　and　a　headsman's　block　had　been　set　up　before　the　heart　tree。　Rain　and　leaves　fell　all　around　them　as　the　Greatjon's　men　led　Lord　Rickard　Karstark　through　the　press；　hands　still　bound。　His　men　already　hung　from　Riverrun's　high　walls；　slumping　at　the　end　of　long　ropes　as　the　rain　washed　down　their　darkening　faces。
　Long　Lew　waited　beside　the　block；　but　Robb　took　the　poleaxe　from　his　hand　and　ordered　him　to　step　aside。　〃This　is　my　work；〃　he　said。　〃He　dies　at　my　word。　He　must　die　by　my　hand。〃
　Lord　Rickard　Karstark　dipped　his　head　stiffly。　〃For　that　much；　I　thank　you。　But　for　naught　else。〃　He　had　dressed　for　death　in　a　long　black　wool　surcoat　emblazoned　with　the　white　sunburst　of　his　House。　〃The　blood　of　the　First　Men　flows　in　my　veins　as　much　as　yours；　boy。　You　would　do　well　to　remember　that。　I　was　named　for　your　grandfather。　I　raised　my　banners　against　King　Aerys　for　your　father；　and　against　King　Joffrey　for　you。　At　Oxcross　and　the　Whispering　Wood　and　in　the　Battle　of　the　Camps；　I　rode　beside　you；　and　I　stood　with　Lord　Eddard　on　the　Trident。　We　are　kin；　Stark　and　Karstark。〃
　〃This　kinship　did　not　stop　you　from　betraying　me；〃　Robb　said。　〃And　it　will　not　save　you　now。　Kneel；　my　lord。〃
　Lord　Rickard　had　spoken　truly；　Catelyn　knew。　The　Karstarks　traced　their　descent　to　Karlon　Stark；　a　younger　son　of　Winterfell　who　had　put　down　a　rebel　lord　a　thousand　years　ago；　and　been　granted　lands　for　his　valor。　The　castle　he　built　had　been　named　Karl's　Hold；　but　that　soon　became　Karhold；　and　over　the　centuries　the　Karhold　Starks　had　bee　Karstarks。
　〃Old　gods　or　new；　it　makes　no　matter；〃　Lord　Rickard　told　her　son；　〃no　man　is　so　accursed　as　the　kinslayer。〃
　〃Kneel；　traitor；〃　Robb　said　again。　〃Or　must　I　have　them　force　your　head　onto　the　block？〃
　Lord　Karstark　knelt。　〃The　gods　shall　judge　you；　as　you　have　judged　me。〃　He　laid　his　head　upon　the　block。
　〃Rickard　Karstark；　Lord　of　Karhold。〃　Robb　lifted　the　heavy　axe　with　both　hands。　〃Here　in　sight　of　gods　and　men；　I　judge　you　guilty　of　murder　and　high　treason。　In　mine　own　name　I　condemn　you。　With　mine　own　hand　I　take　your　life。　Would　you　speak　a　final　word？〃
　〃Kill　me；　and　be　cursed。　You　are　no　king　of　mine。〃
　The　axe　crashed　down。　Heavy　and　well…honed；　it　killed　at　a　single　blow；　but　it　took　three　to　sever　the　man's　head　from　his　body；　and　by　the　time　it　was　done　both　living　and　dead　were　drenched　in　blood。　Robb　flung　the　poleaxe　down　in　disgust；　and　turned　wordless　to　the　heart　tree。　He　stood　shaking　with　his　hands　half…clenched　and　the　rain　running　down　his　cheeks。　Gods　forgive　him；　Catelyn　prayed　in　silence。　He　is　only　a　boy；　and　he　had　no　other　choice。
　That　was　the　last　she　saw　of　her　son　that　day。　The　rain　continued　all　through　the　morning；　lashing　the　surface　of　the　rivers　and　turning　the　godswood　grass　into　mud　and　puddles。　The　Blackfish　assembled　a　hundred　men　and　rode　out　after　Karstarks；　but　no　one　expected　he　would　bring　back　many。　〃I　only　pray　I　do　not　need　to　hang　them；〃　he　said　as　he　departed。　When　he　was　gone；　Catelyn　retreated　to　her　father's　solar；　to　sit　once　more　beside　Lord　Hoster's　bed。
　〃It　will　not　be　much　longer；〃　Maester　Vyman　warned　her；　when　he　came　that　afternoon。　〃His　last　strength　is　going；　though　still　he　tries　to　fight。〃
　〃He　was　ever　a　fighter；〃　she　said。　〃A　sweet　stubborn　man。〃
　〃Yes；〃　the　maester　said；　〃but　this　battle　he　cannot　win。　It　is　time　he　lay　down　his　sword　and　shield。　Time　to　yield。〃
　To　yield；　she　thought；　to　make　a　peace。　Was　it　her　father　the　maester　was　speaking　of；　or　her　son？
　At　evenfall；　Jeyne　Westerling　came　to　see　her。　The　young　queen　entered　the　solar　timidly。　〃Lady　Catelyn；　I　do　not　mean　to　disturb　you　。　。　。〃
　〃You　are　most　wele　here；　Your　Grace。〃　Catelyn　had　been　sewing；　but　she　put　the　needle　aside　now。
　〃Please。　Call　me　Jeyne。　I　don't　feel　like　a　Grace。〃
　〃You　are　one；　nonetheless。　Please；　e　sit；　Your　Grace。〃
　〃Jeyne。〃　She　sat　by　the　hearth　and　smoothed　her　skirt　out　anxiously。
　〃As　you　wish。　How　might　I　serve　you；　Jeyne？〃
　〃It's　Robb；〃　the　girl　said。　〃He's　so　miserable；　so　。　。　。　so　angry　and　disconsolate。　I　don't　know　what　to　do。〃
　〃It　is　a　hard　thing　to　take　a　man's　life。〃
　〃I　know。　I　told　him；　he　should　use　a　headsman。　When　Lord　Tywin　sends　a　man　to　die；　all　he　does　is　give　the　mand。　it's　easier　that　way；　don't　you　think？〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Catelyn；　〃but　my　lord　husband　taught　his　sons　that　killing　should　never　be　easy。〃
　〃Oh。〃　Queen　Jeyne　wet　her　lips。　〃Robb　has　not　eaten　all　day。　I　had　Rollam　bring　him　a　nice　supper；　boar's　ribs　and　stewed　onions　and　ale；　but　he　never　touched　a　bite　of　it。　He　spent　all　morning　writing　a　letter　and　told　me　not　to　disturb　him；　but　when　the　letter　was　done　he　burned　it。　Now　he　is　sitting　and　looking　at　maps。　I　asked　him　what　he　was　looking　for；　but　he　never　answered。　I　don't　think　he　ever　heard　me。　He　wouldn't　even　change　out　of　his　clothes。　They　were　damp　all　day；　and　bloody。　I　want　to　be　a　good　wife　to　him；　I　do；　but　I　don't　know　how　to　help。　To　cheer　him；　or　fort　him。　I　don't　know　what　he　needs。　Please；　my　lady；　you're　his　mother；　tell　me　what　I　should　do。〃
　Tell　me　what　I　should　do。　Catelyn　might　have　asked　the　same；　if　her　father　had　been　well　enough　to　ask。　But　Lord　Hoster　was　gone；　or　near　enough。　Her　Ned　as　well。　Bran　and　Rickon　too；　and　Mother；　and　Brandon　so　long　ago。　Only　Robb　remained　to　her；　Robb　and　the　fading　hope　of　her　daughters。
　〃Sometimes；〃　Catelyn　said　slowly；　〃the　best　thing　you　can　do　is　no