grrm.astormofswords-第95部分

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yed　at　their　father's　bedside。　〃I　should　have　been　with　him；　as　you　were；〃　he　said。　〃Did　he　speak　of　me　at　the　end？　Tell　me　true；　Cat。　Did　he　ask　for　me？〃
　Lord　Hoster's　last　word　had　been　〃Tansy；〃　but　Catelyn　could　not　bring　herself　to　tell　him　that。　〃He　whispered　your　name；〃　she　lied；　and　her　brother　had　nodded　gratefully　and　kissed　her　hand。　If　he　had　not　tried　to　drown　his　grief　and　guilt；　he　might　have　been　able　to　bend　a　bow；　she　thought　to　herself；　sighing；　but　that　was　something　else　she　dare　not　say。
　The　Blackfish　escorted　her　down　from　the　battlements　to　where　Robb　stood　among　his　bannermen；　his　young　queen　at　his　side。　When　he　saw　her；　her　son　took　her　silently　in　his　arms。
　〃Lord　Hoster　looked　as　noble　as　a　king；　my　lady；〃　murmured　Jeyne。　〃Would　that　I　had　been　given　the　chance　to　know　him。〃
　〃And　I　to　know　him　better；〃　added　Robb。
　〃He　would　have　wished　that　too；〃　said　Catelyn。　〃There　were　too　many　leagues　between　Riverrun　and　Winterfell。〃　And　too　many　mountains　and　rivers　and　armies　between　Riverrun　and　the　Eyrie；　it　would　seem。　Lysa　had　made　no　reply　to　her　letter。
　And　from　King's　Landing　came　only　silence　as　well。　By　now　she　had　hoped　that　Brienne　and　Ser　Cleos　would　have　reached　the　city　with　their　captive。　It　might　even　be　that　Brienne　was　on　her　way　back；　and　the　girls　with　her。　Ser　Gleos　swore　he　would　make　the　Imp　send　a　raven　once　the　trade　was　made。　He　swore　it！　Ravens　did　not　always　win　through。　Some　bowman　could　have　brought　the　bird　down　and　roasted　him　for　supper。　The　letter　that　would　have　set　her　heart　at　ease　might　even　now　be　lying　by　the　ashes　of　some　campfire　beside　a　pile　of　raven　bones。
　Others　were　waiting　to　offer　Robb　their　consolations；　so　Catelyn　stood　aside　patiently　while　Lord　Jason　Mallister；　the　Greatjon；　and　Ser　Rolph　Spicer　spoke　to　him　each　in　turn。　But　when　Lothar　Frey　approached；　she　gave　his　sleeve　a　tug。　Robb　turned；　and　waited　to　hear　what　Lothar　would　say。
　〃Your　Grace。〃　A　plump　man　in　his　middle　thirties；　Lothar　Frey　had　close…set　eyes；　a　pointed　beard；　and　dark　hair　that　fell　to　his　shoulders　in　ringlets。　A　leg　twisted　at　birth　had　earned　him　the　name　Lame　Lothar。　He　had　served　as　his　father's　steward　for　the　past　dozen　years。　〃We　are　loath　to　intrude　upon　your　grief；　but　perhaps　you　might　grant　us　audience　tonight？〃
　〃It　would　be　my　pleasure；〃　said　Robb。　〃It　was　never　my　wish　to　sow　enmity　between　us。〃
　〃Nor　mine　to　be　the　cause　of　it；〃　said　Queen　Jeyne。
　Lothar　Frey　smiled。　〃I　understand；　as　does　my　lord　father。　He　instructed　me　to　say　that　he　was　young　once；　and　well　remembers　what　it　is　like　to　lose　one's　heart　to　beauty。〃
　Catelyn　doubted　very　much　that　Lord　Walder　had　said　any　such　thing；　or　that　he　had　ever　lost　his　heart　to　beauty。　The　Lord　of　the　Crossing　had　outlived　seven　wives　and　was　now　wed　to　his　eighth；　but　he　spoke　of　them　only　as　bedwarmers　and　brood　mares。　Still；　the　words　were　fairly　spoken；　and　she　could　scarce　object　to　the　pliment。　Nor　did　Robb。　〃Your　father　is　most　gracious；〃　he　said。　〃I　shall　look　forward　to　our　talk。〃
　Lothar　bowed；　kissed　the　queen's　hand；　and　withdrew。　By　then　a　dozen　others　had　gathered　for　a　word。　Robb　spoke　with　them　each；　giving　a　thanks　here；　a　smile　there；　as　needed。　Only　when　the　last　of　them　was　done　did　he　turn　back　to　Catelyn。　〃There　is　something　we　must　speak　of。　Will　you　walk　with　me？〃
　〃As　you　mand；　Your　Grace。〃
　〃That　wasn't　a　mand；　Mother。〃
　〃It　will　be　my　pleasure；　then。〃　Her　son　had　treated　her　kindly　enough　since　returning　to　Riverrun；　yet　he　seldom　sought　her　out。　If　he　was　more　fortable　with　his　young　queen；　she　could　scarcely　blame　him。　leyne　makes　him　smile；　and　I　have　nothing　to　share　with　him　but　grief。　He　seemed　to　enjoy　the　pany　of　his　bride's　brothers；　as　well；　young　Rollam　his　squire　and　Ser　Raynald　his　standard…bearer。　They　are　standing　in　the　boots　of　those　he's　lost；　Catelyn　realized　when　she　watched　them　together。　Rollam　has　taken　Bran's　place；　and　Raynald　is　part　Theon　and　part　Jon　Snow　Only　with　the　Westerlings　did　she　see　Robb　smile；　or　hear　him　laugh　like　the　boy　he　was。　To　the　others　he　was　always　the　King　in　the　North；　head　bowed　beneath　the　weight　of　the　crown　even　when　his　brows　were　bare。
　Robb　kissed　his　wife　gently；　promised　to　see　her　in　their　chambers；　and　went　off　with　his　lady　mother。　His　steps　led　them　toward　the　godswood。　〃Lothar　seemed　amiable；　that's　a　hopeful　sign。　We　need　the　Freys。〃
　〃That　does　not　mean　we　shall　have　them。〃
　He　nodded；　and　there　was　glumness　to　his　face　and　a　slope　to　his　shoulders　that　made　her　heart　go　out　to　him。　The　crown　is　crushing　him；　she　thought。　He　wants　so　much　to　be　a　good　king；　to　be　brave　and　honorable　and　clever；　but　the　weight　is　too　much　for　a　boy　to　bear。　Robb　was　doing　all　he　could；　yet　still　the　blows　kept　falling；　one　after　the　other；　relentless。　When　they　brought　him　word　of　the　battle　at　Duskendale；　where　Lord　Randyll　Tarly　had　shattered　Robett　Glover　and　Ser　Helman　Tallhart；　he　might　have　been　expected　to　rage。　Instead　he'd　stared　in　dumb　disbelief　and　said；　〃Duskendale；　on　the　narrow　sea？　Why　would　they　go　to　Duskendale？〃　He'd　shook　his　head；　bewildered。　〃A　third　of　my　foot；　lost　for　Duskendale？〃
　〃The　ironmen　have　my　castle　and　now　the　Lannisters　hold　my　brother；〃　Galbart　Glover　said；　in　a　voice　thick　with　despair。　Robett　Glover　had　survived　the　battle；　but　had　been　captured　near　the　kingsroad　not　long　after。
　〃Not　for　long；〃　her　son　promised。　〃I　will　offer　them　Martyn　Lannister　in　exchange。　Lord　Tywin　will　have　to　accept；　for　his　brother's　sake。〃　Martyn　was　Ser　Kevan's　son；　a　twin　to　the　Willem　that　Lord　Karstark　had　butchered。　Those　murders　still　haunted　her　son；　Catelyn　knew。　He　had　tripled　the　guard　around　Martyn；　but　still　feared　for　his　safety。
　〃I　should　have　traded　the　Kingslayer　for　Sansa　when　you　first　urged　it；〃　Robb　said　as　they　walked　the　gallery。　〃If　I'd　offered　to　wed　her　to　the　Knight　of　Flowers；　the　Tyrells　might　be　ours　instead　of　Joffrey's。　I　should　have　thought　of　that。〃
　〃Your　mind　was　on　your　battles；　and　rightly　so。　Even　a　king　cannot　think　of　everything。〃
　〃Battles；〃　muttered　Robb　as　he　led　her　out　beneath　the　trees。　〃I　have　won　every　battle；　yet　somehow　I'm　losing　the　war。〃　He　looked　up；　as　if　the　answer　might　be　written　on　the　sky。　〃The　ironmen　hold　Winterfell；　and　Moat　Cailin　too。　Father's　dead；　and　Bran　and　Rickon；　maybe　Arya。　And　now　your　father　too。〃
　She　could　not　let　him　despair。　She　knew　the　taste　of　that　draught　too　well　herself。　〃My　father　has　been　dying　for　a　long　time。　You　could　not　have　changed　that。　You　have　made　mistakes；　Robb；　but　what　king　has　not？　Ned　would　have　been　proud　of　you。〃
　〃Mother；　there　is　something　you　must　know。〃
　Catelyn's　heart　skipped　a　beat。　This　is　something　he　hates。　Something　he　dreads　to　tell　me。　All　she　could　think　of　was　Brienne　and　her　mission。　〃Is　it　the　Kingslayer？〃
　〃No。　It's　Sansa。〃
　She's　dead；　Catelyn　thought　at　once。　Brienne　failed；　Jaime　is　dead；　and　Cersei　has　killed　my　sweet　girl　in　retribution。　For　a　moment　she　could　barely　speak。　〃Is　。　。　。　is　she　gone；　Robb？〃
　〃Gone？〃　He　looked　startled。　〃Dead？　Oh；　Mother；　no；　not　that；　they　haven't　harmed　her；　not　that　way；　only　。　。　。　a　bird　came　last　night；　but　I　couldn't　bring　myself　to　tell　you；　not　until　your　father　was　sent　to　his　rest。〃　Robb　took　her　hand。　〃They　married　her　to　Tyrion　Lannister。〃
　Catelyn's　fingers　clutched　at　his。　〃The　Imp。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃He　swore　to　trade　her　for　his　brother；〃　she　said　numbly。　〃Sansa　and　Arya　both。　We　would　have　them　back　if　we　returned　his　precious　Jaime；　he　swore　it　before　the　whole　court。　How　could　he　marry　her；　after　saying　that　in　sight　of　gods　and　men？〃
　〃He's　the　Kingslayer's　brother。　Oathbreaking　runs　in　their　blood。〃　Robb's　fingers　brushed　the　pommel　of　his　sword。　〃If　I　could　I'd　take　his　ugly　head　off。　Sansa　would　be　a　widow　then；　and　free。　There's　no　other　way　that　I　can　see。　They　made　her　speak　the　vows　before　a　septon　and　don　a　crimson　cloak。〃
　Catelyn　remembered　the　twisted　little　man　she　had　seized　at　the　crossroads　inn　and　carried　all　the　way　to　the　Eyrie。　〃I　should　have　let　Lysa　push　him　out　her　Moon　Door。　My　poor　sweet　Sansa　。　。　。　why　would　anyone　do　this　to　her？〃
　〃For　Winterfell；〃　Robb　said　at　once。　〃With　Bran　and　Rickon　dead；　Sansa　is　my　heir。　If　anything　should　happen　to　me　。　。　。〃
　She　clutched　tight　at　his　hand。　〃Nothing　will　happen　to　you。　Nothing。　I　could　not　stand　it。　They　took　Ned；　and　your　sweet　brothers。　Sansa　is　married；　Arya　is　lost；　my　father's　dead　。　。　。　if　anything　befell　you；　I　would　go　mad；　Robb。　You　are　all　I　have　left。　You　are　all　the　north　has　left。〃
　〃I　am　not　dead　yet；　Mother。〃
　Suddenly　Catelyn　was　full　of　dread。　〃Wars　need　not　be　fought　until　the　last　drop　of　blood。〃　Even　she　could　hear　the　desperation　in　her　voice。　〃You　would　not　be　the　first　king　to　bend　the　knee；　nor　even　the　first　Stark。〃
　His　mouth　tightened。　〃No。　Never。〃
　〃There　is　no　shame　in　it。　Balon　Greyjoy　bent　the　knee　to　Robert　when　his　rebellion　failed。　Torrhen　Stark　bent　the　knee　to　Aegon　the　Conqueror　rather　than　see　his　army　face　the　fires。〃
　〃Did　Aegon　kill　King　Torrhen's　father？〃　He　pulled　his　hand　from　hers。　〃Never；　I　said。〃
　He　is　playing　the　boy　now；　not　the　king。　〃The　Lannisters　do　not　need　the　north。　They　will　require　homage　and　hostages；　no　more　。　。　。　and　the　Imp　will　keep　Sansa　no　matter　what　we　do；　so　they　have　their　hostage。　The　ironmen　will　prove　a　more　implacable　enemy；　I　promise　you。　To　have　any　hope　of　holding　the　north；　the　Greyjoys　must　leave　no　single　sprig　of　House　Stark　alive　to　dispute　their　right。　Theon's　murdered　Bran　and　Rickon；　so　now　all　they　need　do　is　kill　you　。　。　。　and　Jeyne；　yes。　Do　you　think　Lord　Balon　can　afford　to　let　her　live　to　bear　you　heirs？〃
　Robb's　face　was　cold。　〃Is　that　why　you　freed　the　Kingslayer？　To　make　a　peace　with　the　Lannisters？〃
　〃I　freed　Jaime　for　Sansa's　sake　。　。　。　and　Arya's；　if　she　still　lives。　You　know　that。　But　if　I　nurtured　some　hope　of　buying　peace　as　well；　was　that　so　ill？〃
　〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃The　Lannisters　killed　my　father。〃
　〃Do　you　think　I　have　forgotten　that？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Have　you？〃
　Catelyn　had　never　struck　her　children　in　anger；　but　she　almost　struck　Robb　then。　It　was　an　effort　to　remind　herself　how　frightened　and　alone　he　must