grrm.astormofswords-第9部分

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Though　he　has　said　much　the　same　before　。　。　。　Tully　men　did　not　surrender　easily；　no　matter　the　odds。　After　she　entrusted　the　parchment　to　the　maester's　care；　Catelyn　went　to　the　sept　and　lit　a　candle　to　the　Father　Above　for　her　own　father's　sake；　a　second　to　the　Crone；　who　had　let　the　first　raven　into　the　world　when　she　peered　through　the　door　of　death；　and　a　third　to　the　Mother；　for　Lysa　and　all　the　children　they　had　both　lost。
　Later　that　day；　as　she　sat　at　Lord　Hoster's　bedside　with　a　book；　reading　the　same　passage　over　and　over；　she　heard　the　sound　of　loud　voices　and　a　trumpet's　blare。　Ser　Robin；　she　thought　at　once；　flinching。　She　went　to　the　balcony；　but　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen　out　on　the　rivers；　but　she　could　hear　the　voices　more　clearly　from　outside；　the　sound　of　many　horses；　the　clink　of　armor；　and　here　and　there　a　cheer。　Catelyn　made　her　way　up　the　winding　stairs　to　the　roof　of　the　keep。　Ser　Desmond　did　not　forbid　me　the　roof；　she　told　herself　as　she　climbed。
　The　sounds　were　ing　from　the　far　side　of　the　castle；　by　the　main　gate。　A　knot　of　men　stood　before　the　portcullis　as　it　rose　in　jerks　and　starts；　and　in　the　fields　beyond；　outside　the　castle；　were　several　hundred　riders。　When　the　wind　blew；　it　lifted　their　banners；　and　she　trembled　in　relief　at　the　sight　of　the　leaping　trout　of　Riverrun。　Edmure。
　It　was　two　hours　before　he　saw　fit　to　e　to　her。　By　then　the　castle　rang　to　the　sound　of　noisy　reunions　as　men　embraced　the　women　and　children　they　had　left　behind。　Three　ravens　had　risen　from　the　rookery；　black　wings　beating　at　the　air　as　they　took　flight。　Catelyn　watched　them　from　her　father's　balcony。　She　had　washed　her　hair；　changed　her　clothing；　and　prepared　herself　for　her　brother's　reproaches　。　。　。　but　even　so；　the　waiting　was　hard。
　When　at　last　she　heard　sounds　outside　her　door；　she　sat　and　folded　her　hands　in　her　lap。　Dried　red　mud　spattered　Edmure's　boots；　greaves；　and　surcoat。　To　look　at　him；　you　would　never　know　he　had　won　his　battle。　He　was　thin　and　drawn；　with　pale　cheeks；　unkempt　beard；　and　too…bright　eyes。
　〃Edmure；〃　Catelyn　said；　worried；　〃you　look　unwell。　Has　something　happened？　Have　the　Lannisters　crossed　the　river？〃
　〃I　threw　them　back。　Lord　Tywin；　Gregor　Clegane；　Addam　Marbrand；　I　turned　them　away。　Stannis；　though　。　。　。　〃　He　grimaced。
　〃Stannis？　What　of　Stannis？〃
　〃He　lost　the　battle　at　King's　Landing；〃　Edmure　said　unhappily。　〃His　fleet　was　burned；　his　army　routed。〃
　A　Lannister　victory　was　ill　tidings；　but　Catelyn　could　not　share　her　brother's　obvious　dismay。　She　still　had　nightmares　about　the　shadow　she　had　seen　slide　across　Renly's　tent　and　the　way　the　blood　had　e　flowing　out　through　the　steel　of　his　gorget。　〃Stannis　was　no　more　a　friend　than　Lord　Tywin。〃
　〃You　do　not　understand。　Highgarden　has　declared　for　Joffrey。　Dome　as　well。　All　the　south。〃　His　mouth　tightened。　〃And　you　see　fit　to　loose　the　Kingslayer。　You　had　no　right。〃
　〃I　had　a　mother's　right。〃　Her　voice　was　calm；　though　the　news　about　Highgarden　was　a　savage　blow　to　Robb's　hopes。　She　could　not　think　about　that　now；　though。
　〃No　right；〃　Edmure　repeated。　〃He　was　Robb's　captive；　your　king's　captive；　and　Robb　charged　me　to　keep　him　safe。〃
　〃Brienne　will　keep　him　safe。　She　swore　it　on　her　sword。〃
　〃That　woman？〃
　〃She　will　deliver　Jaime　to　King's　Landing；　and　bring　Arya　and　Sansa　back　to　us　safely。〃
　〃Cersei　will　never　give　them　up。〃
　〃Not　Cersei。　Tyrion。　He　swore　it；　in　open　court。　And　the　Kingslayer　swore　it　as　well。〃
　〃Jaime's　word　is　worthless。　As　for　the　Imp；　it's　said　he　took　an　axe　in　the　head　during　the　battle。　He'll　be　dead　before　your　Brienne　reaches　King's　Landing；　if　she　ever　does。〃
　〃Dead？〃　Could　the　gods　truly　be　so　merciless？　She　had　made　Jaime　swear　a　hundred　oaths；　but　it　was　his　brother's　promise　she　had　pinned　her　hopes　on。
　Edmure　was　blind　to　her　distress。　〃Jaime　was　my　charge；　and　I　mean　to　have　him　back。　I've　sent　ravens　
　〃Ravens　to　whom？　How　many？〃
　〃Three；〃　he　said；　〃so　the　message　will　be　certain　to　reach　Lord　Bolton。　By　river　or　road；　the　way　from　Riverrun　to　King's　Landing　must　needs　take　them　close　by　Harrenhal。〃
　〃Harrenhal。〃　The　very　word　seemed　to　darken　the　room。　Horror　thickened　her　voice　as　she　said；　〃Edmure；　do　you　know　what　you　have　done？〃
　〃Have　no　fear；　I　left　your　part　out。　I　wrote　that　Jaime　had　escaped；　and　offered　a　thousand　dragons　for　his　recapture。〃
　Worse　and　worse；　Catelyn　thought　in　despair。　My　brother　is　a　fool。　Unbidden；　unwanted；　tears　filled　her　eyes。　〃If　this　was　an　escape；〃　she　said　softly；　〃and　not　an　exchange　of　hostages；　why　should　the　Lannisters　give　my　daughters　to　Brienne？〃
　〃It　will　never　e　to　that。　The　Kingslayer　will　be　returned　to　us；　I　have　made　certain　of　it。〃
　〃All　you　have　made　certain　is　that　I　shall　never　see　my　daughters　again。　Brienne　might　have　gotten　him　to　King's　Landing　safely　。　。　。　so　long　as　no　one　was　hunting　for　them。　But　now　。　。　。　〃　Catelyn　could　not　go　on。　〃Leave　me；　Edmure。〃　She　had　no　right　to　mand　him；　here　in　the　castle　that　would　soon　be　his；　yet　her　tone　would　brook　no　argument。　〃Leave　me　to　Father　and　my　grief；　I　have　no　more　to　say　to　you。　Go。　Go。〃　All　she　wanted　was　to　lie　down；　to　close　her　eyes　and　sleep；　and　pray　no　dreams　would　e。
　
　CHAPTER　3
　ARYA
　
　The　sky　was　as　black　as　the　walls　of　Harrenhal　behind　them；　and　the　rain　fell　soft　and　steady；　muffling　the　sound　of　their　horses'　hooves　and　running　down　their　faces。
　They　rode　north；　away　from　the　lake；　following　a　rutted　farm　road　across　the　torn　fields　and　into　the　woods　and　streams。　Arya　took　the　lead；　kicking　her　stolen　horse　to　a　brisk　heedless　trot　until　the　trees　closed　in　around　her。　Hot　Pie　and　Gendry　followed　as　best　they　could。　Wolves　howled　off　in　the　distance；　and　she　could　hear　Hot　Pie's　heavy　breathing。　No　one　spoke。　From　time　to　time　Arya　glanced　over　her　shoulder；　to　make　sure　the　two　boys　had　not　fallen　too　far　behind；　and　to　see　if　they　were　being　pursued。
　They　would　be；　she　knew。　She　had　stolen　three　horses　from　the　stables　and　a　map　and　a　dagger　from　Roose　Bolton's　own　solar；　and　killed　a　guard　on　the　postern　gate；　slitting　his　throat　when　he　knelt　to　pick　up　the　worn　iron　coin　that　jaqen　H'ghar　had　given　her。　Someone　would　find　him　lying　dead　in　his　own　blood；　and　then　the　hue　and　cry　would　go　up。　They　would　wake　Lord　Bolton　and　search　Harrenhal　from　crenel　to　cellar；　and　when　they　did　they　would　find　the　map　and　the　dagger　missing；　along　with　some　swords　from　the　armory；　bread　and　cheese　from　the　kitchens；　a　baker　boy；　a　'prentice　smith；　and　a　cupbearer　called　Nan　。　。　。　or　Weasel；　or　Arry；　depending　on　who　you　asked。
　The　Lord　of　the　Dreadfort　would　not　e　after　them　himself。　Roose　Bolton　would　stay　abed；　his　pasty　flesh　dotted　with　leeches；　giving　mands　in　his　whispery　soft　voice。　His　man　Walton　might　lead　the　hunt；　the　one　they　called　Steelshanks　for　the　greaves　he　always　wore　on　his　long　legs。　Or　perhaps　it　would　be　slobbery　Vargo　Hoat　and　his　sellswords；　who　named　themselves　the　Brave　panions。　others　called　them　Bloody　Mummers　（though　never　to　their　faces）；　and　sometimes　the　Footmen；　for　Lord　Vargo's　habit　of　cutting　off　the　hands　and　feet　of　men　who　displeased　him。
　If　they　catch　us；　he'll　cut　off　our　hands　and　feet；　Arya　thought；　and　then　Roose　Bolton　will　peel　the　skin　off　us。　She　was　still　dressed　in　her　page's　garb；　and　on　the　breast　over　her　heart　was　sewn　Lord　Bolton's　sigil；　the　flayed　man　of　the　Dreadfort。
　Every　time　she　looked　back；　she　half　expected　to　see　a　blaze　of　torches　pouring　out　the　distant　gates　of　Harrenhal　or　rushing　along　the　tops　of　its　huge　high　walls；　but　there　was　nothing。　Harrenhal　slept　on；　until　it　was　lost　in　darkness　and　hidden　behind　the　trees。
　When　they　crossed　the　first　stream；　Arya　turned　her　horse　aside　and　led　them　off　the　road；　following　the　twisting　course　of　the　water　for　a　quarter…mile　before　finally　scrambling　out　and　up　a　stony　bank。　If　the　hunters　brought　dogs；　that　might　throw　them　off　the　scent；　she　hoped。　They　could　not　stay　on　the　road。　There　is　death　on　the　road；　she　told　herself；　death　on　all　the　roads。
　Gendry　and　Hot　Pie　did　not　question　her　choice。　She　had　the　map；　after　all；　and　Hot　Pie　seemed　almost　as　terrified　of　her　as　of　the　men　who　might　be　ing　after　them。　He　had　seen　the　guard　she'd　killed。　It's　better　if　he's　scared　of　me；　she　told　herself。　That　way　he'll　do　like　I　say；　instead　of　something　stupid。
　She　should　be　more　frightened　herself；　she　knew。　She　was　only　ten；　a　skinny　girl　on　a　stolen　horse　with　a　dark　forest　ahead　of　her　and　men　behind　who　would　gladly　cut　off　her　feet。　Yet　somehow　she　felt　calmer　than　she　ever　had　in　Harrenhal。　The　rain　had　washed　the　guard's　blood　off　her　fingers；　she　wore　a　sword　across　her　back；　wolves　were　prowling　through　the　dark　like　lean　grey　shadows；　and　Arya　Stark　was　unafraid。　Fear　cuts　deeper　than　swords；　she　whispered　under　her　breath；　the　words　that　Syrio　Forel　had　taught　her；　and　jaqen's　words　too；　valar　morghulis。
　The　rain　stopped　and　started　again　and　stopped　once　more　and　started；　but　they　had　good　cloaks　to　keep　the　water　off。　Arya　kept　them　moving　at　a　slow　steady　pace。　It　was　too　black　beneath　the　trees　to　ride　any　faster；　the　boys　were　no　horsemen；　neither　one；　and　the　soft　broken　ground　was　treacherous　with　half…buried　roots　and　hidden　stones。　They　crossed　another　road；　its　deep　ruts　filled　with　runoff；　but　Arya　shunned　it。　Up　and　down　the　rolling　hills　she　took　them；　through　brambles　and　briars　and　tangles　of　underbrush；　along　the　bottoms　of　narrow　gullies　where　branches　heavy　with　wet　leaves　slapped　at　their　faces　as　they　passed。
　Gendry's　mare　lost　her　footing　in　the　mud　once；　going　down　hard　on　her　hindquarters　and　spilling　him　from　the　saddle；　but　neither　horse　nor　rider　was　hurt；　and　Gendry　got　that　stubborn　look　on　his　face　and　mounted　right　up　again。　Not　long　after；　they　came　upon　three　wolves　devouring　the　corpse　of　a　fawn。　When　Hot　Pie's　horse　caught　the　scent；　he　shied　and　bolted。　Two　of　the　wolves　fled　as　well；　but　the　third　raised　his　head　and　bared　his　teeth；　prepared　to　defend　his　kill。　〃Back　off；〃　Arya　told　Gendry。　〃Slow；　so　you　don't　spook　him。〃　They　edged　their　mounts　away；　until　the　wolf　and　his　feast　were　no　longer　in　sight。　Only　then　did　she　swing　about　to　ride　afte