“那您現在在笑嗎，我的王子殿下？”

“Are you smiling now, my lord prince?”

“哈，當然，”席恩的手環抱著她，抓起韁繩。她幾乎和他一樣高，頭發洗得很勤，只不過那標致的頸項上有道褪色的紅傷疤。沒關系，他喜歡她的味道，海鹽、汗水和女人的味道。

“Oh, yes.” Theon reached around her to take the reins. She was almost of a height with him. Her hair could have used a wash and she had a faded pink scar on her pretty neck, but he liked the smell of her, salt and sweat and woman.

這次回派克一定比和叔叔那次舒服得多。

The ride back to Pyke promised to be a good deal more interesting than the ride down had been.

當君王港慢慢從視線中消失，席恩也漸漸地把手放上她的乳房。伊斯格蕊抓住他的手，揮打開去。“您這人！一定要雙手抓緊繩子啦，不然這黑大個把咱倆掀下去踢死才好看呢。”

When they were well beyond Lordsport, Theon put a hand on her breast. Esgred reached up and plucked it away. “I’d keep both hands on the reins, or this black beast of yours is like to fling us both off and kick us to death.”

“它敢！”席恩覺得很開心，于是暫時壓住性子，和她親切地聊起了天氣(自打他來，便是灰暗多云，時常降雨)以及他在囈語森林殺人的事跡。當他說到自己逼近弒君者的部分時，忍不住又把手伸到它們原本該待的地方去了。她的奶子小是小，不過他頂喜歡它們的堅硬。

“I broke him of that.” Amused, Theon behaved himself for a while, chatting amiably of the weather (grey and overcast, as it had been since he arrived, with frequent rains) and telling her of the men he’d killed in the Whispering Wood. When he reached the part about coming that close to the Kingslayer himself, he slid his hand back up to where it had been. Her breasts were small, but he liked the firmness of them.

“您不要這么做啦！我的王子殿下。”

“You don’t want to do that, my lord prince.”

“噢，干嘛？”席恩擰了一下。

“Oh, but I do.” Theon gave her a squeeze.

“您的侍從正瞧著您呢。”

“Your squire is watching you.”

“管他的。他不會說出去的，我發誓。”

“Let him. He’ll never speak of it, I swear.”

于是伊斯格蕊逮住他的指頭。這回他可被牢牢困住了，她那雙手真是強壯得緊。

Esgred pried his fingers off her breast. This time she kept him firmly prisoned. She had strong hands.

“哈，我喜歡帶勁的女人。”

“I like a woman with a good tight grip.”

她嗤之以鼻。“我可不那么想，瞧瞧在碼頭碰見的女孩吧。”

She snorted. “I’d not have thought it, by that wench on the waterfront.”

“你不能用她來評判我。她是那船上惟一的女人呀！”

“You must not judge me by her. She was the only woman on the ship.”

“哎，還是說說你父親吧。不知他會不會歡迎我去他城堡？”

“Tell me of your father. Will he welcome me kindly to his castle?”

“干嘛要求他歡迎？他連我都不歡迎，我可是他的親生血脈，是派克和鐵群島的繼承人呢。”

“Why should he? He scarcely welcomed me, his own blood, the heir to Pyke and the Iron Islands.”

“真的？”她溫柔地問，“你不是有叔叔，有兄弟，還有一個姐姐么。”

“Are you?” she asked mildly. “It’s said that you have uncles, brothers, a sister.”

“老哥們死了幾百年啦，我姐姐……好啦，聽說阿莎最喜歡的衣服是一件過膝的鎖子甲，她連內衣都穿的是硬皮甲。哼，不管怎么講，穿男人的衣服不能讓她變成男人。不過呢，只等我們打了勝仗，我會給她找個聲名顯赫的世家，安排一樁好婚事。記得她鼻子真是跟禿鷲的喙沒兩樣，一臉的爛麻子，胸脯卻還沒那些假小子大。”

“My brothers are long dead, and my sister … well, they say Asha’s favorite gown is a chainmail hauberk that hangs down past her knees, with boiled leather smallclothes beneath. Men’s garb won’t make her a man, though. I’ll make a good marriage alliance with her once we’ve won the war, if I can find a man to take her. As I recall, she had a nose like a vulture’s beak, a ripe crop of pimples, and no more chest than a boy.”

“也許你能嫁掉姐姐，”伊斯格蕊評論，“但還有叔叔呢。”

“You can marry off your sister,” Esgred observed, “but not your uncles.”

“我的叔叔們……”席恩的繼承順位照理比父親的三個弟弟優先，不過這女人還是逮到了痛處。在這片群島，強大而有野心的親戚霸占侄兒的土地，甚至把小輩謀害掉的例子真可謂數不勝數。但我不是弱者，席恩提醒自己，老爸死前我要變得更為強大。“叔叔們對我沒威脅，”他宣稱，“伊倫把自己獻給了大海和神靈。他活著只為了他的神——”

“My uncles …” Theon’s claim took precedence over those of his father’s three brothers, but the woman had touched on a sore point nonetheless. In the islands it was scarce unheard of for a strong, ambitious uncle to dispossess a weak nephew of his rights, and usually murder him in the bargain. But I am not weak, Theon told himself, and I mean to be stronger yet by the time my father dies. “My uncles pose no threat to me,” he declared. “Aeron is drunk on seawater and sanctity. He lives only for his god—”

“他的神？難道不是你的？”

“His god? Not yours?”

“當然是啦。逝者不死么。”他敷衍地笑笑，“只要我記得每天多念這些虔誠的廢話，濕發就不會來煩我。而我叔叔維克塔利昂——”

“Mine as well. What is dead can never die.” He smiled thinly. “If I make pious noises as required, Damphair will give me no trouble. And my uncle Victarion—”

“他是鐵島艦隊的總司令，無畏的戰士。我在酒館里常聽人們唱歌頌揚他呢。”

“Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet, and a fearsome warrior. I have heard them sing of him in the alehouses.”

“當年我父親起兵，就是他和我另一位叔叔攸倫一同航往蘭尼斯港，把蘭尼斯特的整只艦隊活活焚在了錨地里，”席恩回憶，“不過，整個計劃是攸倫制訂的。要我形容的話，維克塔利昂就像那些笨重的灰公牛，強壯、不知疲倦、忠于職守，但你甭想用他去贏得任何賽跑。毫無疑問，他會像服侍我父親一般服侍我。他可沒那個本事和野心去策劃叛變。”

“During my lord father’s rebellion, he sailed into Lannisport with my uncle Euron and burned the Lannister fleet where it lay at anchor,” Theon recalled. “The plan was Euron’s, though. Victarion is like some great grey bullock, strong and tireless and dutiful, but not like to win any races. No doubt, he’ll serve me as loyally as he has served my lord father. He has neither the wits nor the ambition to plot betrayal.”

“說到本事，‘鴉眼’攸倫可是個厲害角色。我看別人對他簡直就是談虎色變。”

“Euron Croweye has no lack of cunning, though. I’ve heard men say terrible things of that one.”

席恩在鞍上挪了挪，“我的攸倫叔叔已經快兩年不曾在群島露面，大概是死了。”真這樣的話，那簡直太妙了。巴隆大王的長弟從未放棄古道，一天都不曾放棄。他的寧靜號，掛著漆黑的風帆、有著暗紅的船殼。據人們傳說，從伊班到亞夏，無論哪個港口這艘船都是惡名昭彰。

Theon shifted his seat. “My uncle Euron has not been seen in the islands for close on two years. He may be dead.” If so, it might be for the best. Lord Balon’s eldest brother had never given up the Old Way, even for a day. His Silence, with its black sails and dark red hull, was infamous in every port from Ibben to Asshai, it was said.

“他也許是死了，”伊斯格蕊贊同，“即使還活著，不管怎么說，在海上也待得太久，在這里都快成半個陌生人了。鐵種們應該不會讓一位陌生人坐上海石之位。”

“He may be dead,” Esgred agreed, “and if he lives, why, he has spent so long at sea, he’d be half a stranger here. The ironborn would never seat a stranger in the Seastone Chair.”

“……我也這么想，”席恩勉強答道，他忽然想到很多人也把他當陌生人看待，不禁皺緊了眉頭。十年是長了點，但我不是回來了么？老爸看來還很健康，我還有時間證明自己。

“I suppose not,” Theon replied, before it occurred to him that some would call him a stranger as well. The thought made him frown. Ten years is a long while, but I am back now, and my father is far from dead. I have time to prove myself.

他猶豫著，是否再摸摸伊斯格蕊的乳房。她一定又要把我攔住。談了半天叔叔的事已經壞了他的興致，算了，等回到城堡有的是時間慢慢玩，在他的私人臥室里好好玩。“等咱們抵達派克城，我會跟海莉亞打聲招呼，為你在宴會中安排個體面的位置，”他說，“我自己得坐在高臺上，就在我父親的右手，不過等他離席我一定會下來找你，我保證。他待不了多久的，這些日子，他沒喝酒的胃口。”

He considered fondling Esgred’s breast again, but she would probably only take his hand away, and all this talk of his uncles had dampened his ardor somewhat. Time enough for such play at the castle, in the privacy of his chambers. “I will speak to Helya when we reach Pyke, and see that you have an honored place at the feast,” he said. “I must sit on the dais, at my father’s right hand, but I will come down and join you when he leaves the hall. He seldom lingers long. He has no belly for drink these days.”

“偉人逃不脫歲月的魔掌，多可悲呀。”

“A grievous thing when a great man grows old.”

“可不？巴隆大王算得上偉人的父親。”

“Lord Balon is but the father of a great man.”

“多謙虛的殿下喲。”

“A modest lordling.”

“在這個世界上，大家都是互相傾軋，只有傻瓜才會自己貶低自己。”他輕輕吻向她的頸背。

“Only a fool humbles himself when the world is so full of men eager to do that job for him.” He kissed her lightly on the nape of her neck.

“那我該穿什么去參加這次盛宴呢？”她迅速回頭，一把推開他的臉。

“What shall I wear to this great feast?” She reached back and pushed his face away.

“我會吩咐海莉亞為你好好打扮。我母親大人的裙服應該適合你。她去了哈爾洛島，大概是不會回來了。”

“I’ll ask Helya to garb you. One of my lady mother’s gowns might do. She is off on Harlaw, and not expected to return.”

“這事我聽說了，派克島的寒風讓她再也無法忍受。你不去看她么？哈爾洛島離這兒不過一日航程，我想葛雷喬伊夫人一定成天盼著見她小兒子最后一面。”

“The cold winds have worn her away, I hear. Will you not go see her? Harlaw is only a day’s sail, and surely Lady Greyjoy yearns for a last sight of her son.”

“我會去的，只是最近實在太忙。我剛回來，父親很倚靠我。或許，等一切勝利，平靜之后……”

“Would that I could. I am kept too busy here. My father relies on me, now that I am returned. Come peace, perhaps …”

“你現在去看她，或許可以帶給她平靜。”

“Your coming might bring her peace.”

“嘿，你的口氣可真像個女人，”席恩抱怨。

“Now you sound a woman,” Theon complained.

“我……我是……剛懷孩子嘛。”

“I confess, I am … and new with child.”

不知怎的，想到這個讓他又興奮起來。“你嘴上這樣說，可沒見身上有什么跡象。你要怎么證明呢？要我信你，除非讓我瞧瞧你成熟的奶子，嘗嘗你這新媽媽的乳汁才成。”

Somehow that thought excited him. “So you say, but your body shows no signs of it. How shall it be proven? Before I believe you, I shall need to see your breasts grow ripe, and taste your mother’s milk.”

“那給我丈夫知道了會怎樣說哦？他可是你父親眷顧的臣下和仆人哪！”

“And what will my husband say to this? Your father’s own sworn man and servant?”

“我們會給他安排造不完的船，讓他忙得連你離開都不知道。”

“We’ll give him so many ships to build, he’ll never know you’ve left him.”

她大笑：“占有我的是怎樣一位殘酷的殿下喲。葛雷喬伊家族的席恩，如果我答應您，總有一天會讓您看著我給孩子哺乳，您肯給我多講些您打仗的故事嗎？離咱們的目的地還有幾重大山，遠得很，我正想聽聽您曾經效勞的那位狼王的事跡，還有他所對抗的金色雄獅呢。”

She laughed. “It’s a cruel lordling who’s seized me. If I promise you that one day you may watch my babe get suck, will you tell me more of your war, Theon of House Greyjoy? There are miles and mountains still ahead of us, and I would hear of this wolf king you served, and the golden lions he fights.”

我真的好想討好她，席恩自忖。于是在剩下的漫長路途里，他極力朝她可愛的腦袋灌輸臨冬城和戰爭的故事，時間一下子過得飛快。說出口的話連他自己也感到驚訝。諸神保佑，她真讓人管不了嘴巴，他心想，仿佛我跟她是廝守多年的伴侶似的。只要這婊子的床上功夫有她嘴皮子一半厲害，我真會把她留住……他想起造船大師西格林——大胖子，木腦瓜，長滿粉刺的額頭上垂著幾絲麻黃頭發——忍不住搖頭。真浪費。最最可悲的浪費。

Ever anxious to please her, Theon obliged. The rest of the long ride passed swiftly as he filled her pretty head with tales of Winterfell and war. Some of the things he said astonished him. She is easy to talk to, gods praise her, he reflected. I feel as though I’ve known her for years. If the wench’s pillow play is half the equal of her wit, I’ll need to keep her … He thought of Sigrin the Shipwright, a thick-bodied, thick-witted man, flaxen hair already receding from a pimpled brow, and shook his head. A waste. A most tragic waste.

當派克城的高大墻壘在眼前出現時，他已經失去了時間感覺。

It seemed scarcely any time at all before the great curtain wall of Pyke loomed up before them.

城門開著。席恩踢踢笑星，輕快地跑進去。當他扶伊斯格蕊下馬時，獵狗們瘋狂地吠叫起來。有的作勢欲撲，有的搖尾呼喝。它們一古腦兒越過了他，幾乎把女人撞倒。它們把她團團圍住，又跳又吼又舔。“走開，”席恩大吼，隨意踢向一只高大的棕色母狗，伊斯格蕊卻嘻笑著同它們打鬧。

The gates were open. Theon put his heels into Smiler and rode through at a brisk trot. The hounds were barking wildly as he helped Esgred dismount. Several came bounding up, tails wagging. They shot straight past him and almost bowled the woman over, leaping all around her, yapping and licking. “Off,” Theon shouted, aiming an ineffectual kick at one big brown bitch, but Esgred was laughing and wrestling with them.

一位馬夫步履沉重地跟著狗群跑出來。“把馬帶走，”席恩命令他，“把這些混賬狗給我趕——”

A stableman came pounding up after the dogs. “Take the horse,” Theon commanded him, “and get these damn dogs away—”

這傻瓜居然不搭理他。馬夫咧開巨嘴，露齒大笑，他說：“阿莎小姐！你回來了啊！”

The lout paid him no mind. His face broke into a huge gap-toothed smile and he said, “Lady Asha. You’re back.”

“昨晚剛到，”她答道，“我同古柏勒頭領一塊兒乘船從大威克島來，在旅館將就了一宿。然后我好心的小弟就特意把我從君王港接來啦。”她吻了吻狗的鼻子，朝著席恩壞笑。

“Last night,” she said. “I sailed from Great Wyk with Lord Goodbrother, and spent the night at the inn. My little brother was kind enough to let me ride with him from Lordsport.” She kissed one of the dogs on the nose and grinned at Theon.

他……傻站在那兒，目瞪口呆地望著她。阿莎？不。她不可能是阿莎。他突然想起自己腦海里其實有兩幅阿莎的鏡像。一幅是他見過的小女孩；而另一幅，只是模糊的想像，和她的媽媽差不多。但一點也不像這份俏樣……這份俏樣……這份俏樣……

All he could do was stand and gape at her. Asha. No. She cannot be Asha. He realized suddenly that there were two Ashas in his head. One was the little girl he had known. The other, more vaguely imagined, looked something like her mother. Neither looked a bit like this … this … this …

“乳房成熟時，痘痘也跟著不見了，”她邊和獵狗扭打邊解釋，“只有鷹勾鼻改不了。”

“The pimples went when the breasts came,” she explained while she tussled with a dog, “but I kept the vulture’s beak.”

席恩找回了幾分自制。“為什么不早告訴我？”

Theon found his voice. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

阿莎放開獵狗，站起身來。“我打算先瞧瞧你現在是什么德行，而我果真不辱此行。”她朝他嘲弄地半鞠一躬。“現在哪，我的小弟弟，懇請您原諒我先失陪哦，我要回去沐浴更衣，準備參加宴席嘍。哎呀，不知那件穿在皮甲內衣外的大鎖子甲還在不在？”她給了他一個邪惡的笑容，用他最欣賞的那種步伐跨過吊橋，悠閑地搖擺著。

Asha let go of the hound and straightened. “I wanted to see who you were first. And I did.” She gave him a mocking half bow. “And now, little brother, pray excuse me. I need to bathe and dress for the feast. I wonder if I still have that chainmail gown I like to wear over my boiled leather smallclothes?” She gave him that evil grin, and crossed the bridge with that walk he’d liked so well, half saunter and half sway.

等席恩回過神來，只見威克斯朝他咯咯傻笑。他狠狠給了這小子一記耳光，“你他媽高興個鬼，”又扇一記，這次更重，“誰叫你不早說！下輩子，記得長舌頭！”

When Theon turned away, Wex was smirking at him. He gave the boy a clout on the ear. “That’s for enjoying this so much.” And another, harder. “And that’s for not warning me. Next time, grow a tongue.”

雖然奴隸們已在他位于血堡中的臥室點起了火盆，他卻感到前所未有的寒意。席恩踢掉靴子，扔下斗篷，操起一杯葡萄酒，回想起過去那個羅圈腿、滿臉麻子的愚笨女孩。“她”居然脫了我的褲子，他義憤填膺地想，她還……噢，諸神啊，我還說了……他不住呻吟。我簡直就是個徹頭徹尾的大傻瓜。

His own chambers in the Guest Keep had never seemed so chilly, though the thralls had left a brazier burning. Theon kicked his boots off, let his cloak fall to the floor, and poured himself a cup of wine, remembering a gawky girl with knob knees and pimples. She unlaced my breeches, he thought, outraged, and she said … oh, gods, and I said … He groaned. He could not possibly have made a more appalling fool of himself.

不對，他接著想，是她讓我心甘情愿當了個傻瓜。這壞心肝的婊子精心安排了一切。哎，她捏我那話兒的手勢……

No, he thought then. She was the one who made me a fool. The evil bitch must have enjoyed every moment of it. And the way she kept reaching for my cock …

他握緊杯子，趕到窗邊的座位，邊喝酒邊看大海。太陽正在派克島遠方的海平面沉沒。在這里，我沒有地位，他想，原來都因為阿莎，異鬼把她抓去吧！城堡下，洶涌的波濤逐漸由綠變灰、由灰轉黑。他聽到遠方傳來的音樂聲，明白是該換衣服出席宴會的時候了。

He took his cup and went to the window seat, where he sat drinking and watching the sea while the sun darkened over Pyke. I have no place here, he thought, and Asha is the reason, may the Others take her! The water below turned from green to grey to black. By then he could hear distant music, and he knew it was time to change for the feast.

席恩挑了一雙平淡無奇的靴子和一件更樸素的衣服，它們顏色灰暗，正好符合他的心境。他不敢帶裝飾品：只因未付鐵錢。救布蘭·史塔克那次，我該從那野人身上撈點什么。可那人的確沒什么好拿。我的運氣為什么總是這樣糟，連殺人都輪到窮鬼。

Theon chose plain boots and plainer clothes, somber shades of black and grey to fit his mood. No ornament; he had nothing bought with iron. I might have taken something off that wildling I killed to save Bran Stark, but he had nothing worth the taking. That’s my cursed luck, I kill the poor.

當他步入煙霧彌漫的長廳時，四處皆是父親麾下的頭領和船長，將近四百人。去老威克島傳令的裂顎達格摩尚未歸來，該島的斯通浩斯家族和卓鼓家族也同時缺席，但余者皆已齊聚于此——哈爾洛島的哈爾洛家族，黑潮島的布萊克泰斯家族，大威克島的古柏勒家族、斯帕家族和梅林家族，鹽崖島的蘇克利夫家族和桑德利家族，以及派克島另一邊的波特利家族和溫奇家族。奴隸來回奔跑，為頭領們斟酒，廳堂里回蕩著提琴和皮鼓發出的樂章。三個魁梧大漢表演著手指舞，一連串短柄利斧在三人之間來回投擲周轉。玩耍的規則是參加者接住或避開斧子，但不得挪動半步。這游戲之所以叫手指舞，是因為它通常會在某人丟掉一根指頭的時候結束……運氣不好的話，是兩根，甚至五根全部。

The long smoky hall was crowded with his father’s lords and captains when Theon entered, near four hundred of them. Dagmer Cleftjaw had not yet returned from Old Wyk with the Stonehouses and Drumms, but all the rest were there—Harlaws from Harlaw, Blacktydes from Blacktyde, Sparrs, Merlyns, and Goodbrothers from Great Wyk, Saltcliffes and Sunderlies from Saltcliffe, and Botleys and Wynches from the other side of Pyke. The thralls were pouring ale, and there was music, fiddles and skins and drums. Three burly men were doing the finger dance, spinning short-hafted axes at each other. The trick was to catch the axe or leap over it without missing a step. It was called the finger dance because it usually ended when one of the dancers lost one … or two, or five.

但不論舞蹈者還是喝酒的人全都沒在意踱向高臺的席恩·葛雷喬伊。巴隆大王安坐于海石之位，這海怪模樣的座位乃是用一塊黝黑油亮的巨石雕刻而成。傳說當先民們初次踏上鐵群島，這塊巨石便躺在老威克島的海灘。尊位左邊坐著他的兩位叔叔，阿莎被安排在巴隆右手，無疑表明了他的寵愛。“你遲到了，席恩，”巴隆大王評論道。

Neither the dancers nor the drinkers took much note of Theon Greyjoy as he strode to the dais. Lord Balon occupied the Seastone Chair, carved in the shape of a great kraken from an immense block of oily black stone. Legend said that the First Men had found it standing on the shore of Old Wyk when they came to the Iron Islands. To the left of the high seat were Theon’s uncles. Asha was ensconced at his right hand, in the place of honor. “You come late, Theon,” Lord Balon observed.

“請您原諒。”席恩坐到阿莎身旁的空位。他傾前身子，靠在她耳畔嘶聲道：“你搶了我的座位。”

“I ask your pardon.” Theon took the empty seat beside Asha. Leaning close, he hissed in her ear, “You’re in my place.”

她一臉無辜地望著他。“弟弟，你肯定搞錯了。你的座位在臨冬城吧。”她壞笑著，“喲，你那些漂亮衣服哪兒去啦？聽說你不是愛用絲綢羽絨打扮自己么？”她穿著一身淡綠的羊毛衫，做工雖普通，不過……卻愈發凸顯她苗條的曲線。

She turned to him with innocent eyes. “Brother, surely you are mistaken. Your place is at Winterfell.” Her smile cut. “And where are all your pretty clothes? I heard you fancied silk and velvet against your skin.” She was in soft green wool herself, simply cut, the fabric clinging to the slender lines of her body.

“哼，鎖甲生銹了吧，姐姐，”他試圖反擊，“多可惜，你還是一身鐵皮比較耐看。”

“Your hauberk must have rusted away, sister,” he threw back. “A great pity. I’d like to see you all in iron.”

阿莎一笑置之，“你會看到的，我的小弟弟……只要你的海婊子追得上我的黑風。”父親的奴隸提著一大壺葡萄酒上前。“你要葡萄酒還是麥酒，席恩？”她也傾身過來。“還是你想嘗嘗新媽媽的乳汁呢？”

Asha only laughed. “You may yet, little brother … if you think your Sea Bitch can keep up with my Black Wind.” One of their father’s thralls came near, bearing a flagon of wine. “Are you drinking ale or wine tonight, Theon?” She leaned over close. “Or is it still a taste of my mother’s milk you thirst for?”

他臉紅了。“葡萄酒，”他告訴奴隸。阿莎坐回去，猛敲桌子，吼著要麥酒。

He flushed. “Wine,” he told the thrall. Asha turned away and banged on the table, shouting for ale.

席恩劈開一條面包，抓來空盤，吩咐廚子將之盛滿新鮮魚肉。厚重的乳酪氣味讓他有些不適，然而他強迫自己去對付。剛才他已經喝下了平日兩倍份量的酒，就算吐，也要吐到她身上。“父親知道你嫁給了他的造船師？”他問姐姐。

Theon hacked a loaf of bread in half, hollowed out a trencher, and summoned a cook to fill it with fish stew. The smell of the thick cream made him a little ill, but he forced himself to eat some. He’d drunk enough wine to float him through two meals. If I retch, it will be on her. “Does Father know that you’ve married his shipwright?” he asked his sister.

“連西格林自己都不知道，”她聳聳肩，“伊斯格蕊是他這輩子造的第一艘船，他拿他老媽的名字取的。我只不過借件他愛得最深的東西用用罷了。”

“No more than Sigrin does.” She gave a shrug. “Esgred was the first ship he built. He named her after his mother. I would be hard-pressed to say which he loves best.”

“原來你說的每一句都是謊話。”

“Every word you spoke to me was a lie.”

“也不盡然。記得我告訴你我要騎在上面嗎？”阿莎笑道。

“Not every word. Remember when I told you I like to be on top?” Asha grinned.

他再也按捺不住。“你還說你結婚了，懷了孩子……”

That only made him angrier. “All that about being a woman wed, and new with child …”

“噢，這句也不假。”阿莎一躍而起。“拉夫，拿來，”她朝著一位正表演手指舞的大漢高叫，伸出一只手掌。他看見她，轉了個圈，一把斧子脫手飛來。利斧劃過一把又一把火炬，翻滾的刀刃閃動著寒光。席恩幾乎便要窒息。只見阿莎凌空接住飛斧，“砰”地一聲猛扎在長桌上。他的餐盤成了兩半，斗篷濺滿油脂。“這是我的夫君老爺，”姐姐將手伸進上衣，從雙乳之間拔出一把匕首，“這是我的乳兒寶寶。”

“Oh, that part was true enough.” Asha leapt to her feet. “Rolfe, here,” she shouted down at one of the finger dancers, holding up a hand. He saw her, spun, and suddenly an axe came flying from his hand, the blade gleaming as it tumbled end over end through the torchlight. Theon had time for a choked gasp before Asha snatched the axe from the air and slammed it down into the table, splitting his trencher in two and splattering his mantle with drippings. “There’s my lord husband.” His sister reached down inside her gown and drew a dirk from between her breasts. “And here’s my sweet suckling babe.”

席恩·葛雷喬伊不知自己這時是副什么模樣，他只聽到一瞬之間大廳里轟然暴笑，所有人都在嘲笑他，即便父親也不自禁地笑了，諸神該死，維克塔利昂叔叔笑得都快背氣了。他所能想到的最佳應對便是跟著擠出幾絲神經質的笑容。我們看看誰笑到最后，臭婊子。

He could not imagine how he looked at that moment, but suddenly Theon Greyjoy realized that the Great Hall was ringing with laughter, all of it at him. Even his father was smiling, gods be damned, and his uncle Victarion chuckled aloud. The best response he could summon was a queasy grin. We shall see who is laughing when all this is done, bitch.

阿莎從桌上拔出斧頭，擲回給舞蹈者，四周傳來口哨和歡呼。“你好好想想，我是怎么教你挑選船員的。”奴隸端來盛魚的淺盤，她用匕首尖挑起腌魚，大吃起來。“假如你肯費點心去了解西格林的背景，我怎么作弄得了你？當了十年的狼仔，如今就這么大搖大擺地回來，以為自己便是群島的王子，可你什么都不懂，什么人都不了解。憑什么別人要為你而戰，為你而死？”

Asha wrenched the axe out of the table and flung it back down at the dancers, to whistles and loud cheers. “You’d do well to heed what I told you about choosing a crew.” A thrall offered them a platter, and she stabbed a salted fish and ate it off the end of her dirk. “If you had troubled to learn the first thing of Sigrin, I could never have fooled you. Ten years a wolf, and you land here and think to prince about the islands, but you know nothing and no one. Why should men fight and die for you?”

“因為依律法，我生來便是他們的王子，”席恩生硬地答道。

“I am their lawful prince,” Theon said stiffly.

“按照青綠之地的律法，也許沒錯。但在這里，我們有自己的規則，你難道忘了嗎？”

“By the laws of the green lands, you might be. But we make our own laws here, or have you forgotten?”

席恩板起臉孔，回頭凝視面前的餐盤。他的雙腿旱就濺滿魚肉，這才想起吆喝奴隸前來清理。我半輩子渴望著回家，為了啥？為了嘲笑與漠視？這不是他記憶中的派克。不過他真的有記憶嗎？他們抓他去當養子時他實在太小了。

Scowling, Theon turned to contemplate the leaking trencher before him. He would have stew in his lap before long. He shouted for a thrall to clean it up. Half my life I have waited to come home, and for what? Mockery and disregard? This was not the Pyke he remembered. Or did he remember? He had been so young when they took him away to hold hostage.

席間菜色乏善可陳，惟有一盤盤燉魚，黑面包，以及未加香料的烤羊肉等，其中席恩覺得最可口的是洋蔥餡餅。當最后幾盤菜也被端掉時，他還在猛灌麥酒和葡萄酒。

The feast was a meager enough thing, a succession of fish stews, black bread, and spiceless goat. The tastiest thing Theon found to eat was an onion pie. Ale and wine continued to flow well after the last of the courses had been cleared away.

巴隆·葛雷喬伊大王從海石之位上起身。“喝完酒到我書房集合，”他命令高臺上的眾人。“我要公布計劃，”他不再多說，轉身離去，兩名貼身護衛緊隨左右。他的弟弟們立刻跟進。席恩也站起來。

Lord Balon Greyjoy rose from the Seastone Chair. “Have done with your drink and come to my solar,” he commanded his companions on the dais. “We have plans to lay.” He left them with no other word, flanked by two of his guards. His brothers followed in short order. Theon rose to go after them.

“我的小弟真是個急驚風。”阿莎舉起角杯，叫人拿來更多麥酒。

“My little brother is in a rush to be off.” Asha raised her drinking horn and beckoned for more ale.

“我們父親大人在等呢。”

“Our lord father is waiting.”

“唉，他都等了那么多年，再多等會兒又何妨……可你要怕他發火呢，就趕緊想辦法追上去吧。再怎么說，也不能落在兩位叔叔后面哦，”她笑了，“可不，他們一個只喝海水，另一個是笨重的灰公牛，只怕還會迷路呢。”

“And has, for many a year. It will do him no harm to wait a little longer … but if you fear his wrath, scurry after him by all means. You ought to have no trouble catching our uncles.” She smiled. “One is drunk on seawater, after all, and the other is a great grey bullock so dim he’ll probably get lost.”

席恩坐回去，心煩意亂。“我不會跟在別人屁股后面跑。”

Theon sat back down, annoyed. “I run after no man.”

“不跟男人，專跟女生的屁股？”

“No man, but every woman?”

“夠了！我沒有主動來撓你雞巴。”

“It was not me who grabbed your cock.”

“天哪，我沒長啊，您不會忘了吧？而您呢，片刻工夫便把我全身上下撓了個遍！”

“I don’t have one, remember? You grabbed every other bit of me quick enough.”

他感到紅暈爬上臉頰，“我是個男人，有男人的正常欲望。而你到底是個什么樣的怪物？”

He could feel the flush creeping up his cheeks. “I’m a man with a man’s hungers. What sort of unnatural creature are you?”

“呵，我是含羞的少女嘛。”阿莎飛快出手，在桌底擠了一下那話兒。席恩差點從椅子上摔下。“怎么，弟弟，不想我為你撐船返航啦？”

“Only a shy maid.” Asha’s hand darted out under the table to give his cock a squeeze. Theon nearly jumped from his chair. “What, don’t you want me to steer you into port, brother?”

“你不會嫁人的，”席恩決定，“等我稱王，頭一件事便是扔你去當靜默修女。”他歪歪斜斜地站起身子，蹣跚地邁步去找父親。

“Marriage is not for you,” Theon decided. “When I rule, I believe I will pack you off to the silent sisters.” He lurched to his feet and strode off unsteadily to find his father.

走上通往海中塔的吊橋時，雨開始落下。他的胃像下方的浪濤一樣翻涌，過多的酒精使他東倒西歪。席恩咬緊牙關，緊拽繩索，勉力向前，想像著手里攫的是阿莎的脖子。

Rain was falling by the time he reached the swaying bridge out to the Sea Tower. His stomach was crashing and churning like the waves below, and wine had unsteadied his feet. Theon gritted his teeth and gripped the rope tightly as he made his way across, pretending that it was Asha’s neck he was clutching.

書房和平日一樣潮濕通風。父親裹著一身海豹皮長袍，端坐于火盆前，兩個弟弟分坐兩旁。席恩進門時，維克塔利昂正談到潮汛和風向，巴隆大王揮手制止他，“我把一切都計劃好了。你只需留心傾聽便行。”

The solar was as damp and drafty as ever. Buried under his sealskin robes, his father sat before the brazier with his brothers on either side of him. Victarion was talking of tides and winds when Theon entered, but Lord Balon waved him silent. “I have made my plans. It is time you heard them.”

“我有些建議——”

“I have some suggestions—”

“需要你建言時我自會開口，”父親道。“我們剛接到老威克島的飛鳥傳信，達格摩帶著卓鼓家和斯通浩斯家正在路上。惟愿神靈賜予順風，他們一趕到我們就大舉行動……首先是你，我打算派你擔任先鋒，席恩。你將率領八艘長船航往北——”

“When I require your counsel I shall ask for it,” his father said. “We have had a bird from Old Wyk. Dagmer is bringing the Drumms and Stonehouses. If the god grants us good winds, we will sail when they arrive … or you will. I mean for you to strike the first blow, Theon. You shall take eight longships north—”

“八艘？”他脹紅了臉，“八艘船能干什么？”

“Eight?” His face reddened. “What can I hope to accomplish with only eight longships?”

“你的任務是襲擊磐石海岸，掠奪沿海漁村，擊沉見到的每一條船。也許你能把幾個北方老爺從他們的石碉堡里引出來。伊倫會跟著你，還有裂顎達格摩。”

“You are to harry the Stony Shore, raiding the fishing villages and sinking any ships you chance to meet. It may be that you will draw some of the northern lords out from behind their stone walls. Aeron will accompany you, and Dagmer Cleftjaw.”

“愿神圣的淹神賜福我們的寶劍，”牧師應道。

“May the Drowned God bless our swords,” the priest said.

這感覺就像被猛扇了一巴掌。交給他的是一點掠奪的工作，燒毀漁夫的茅屋，奸污他們丑陋的女兒，巴隆大王不信他能干點別的！而且就辦這點事他也不能自主，必須忍受濕發的臉色和責罵，外加裂顎達格摩這老小子，這不是打算架空他，擺他做樣子么！

Theon felt as if he’d been slapped. He was being sent to do reaver’s work, burning fishermen out of their hovels and raping their ugly daughters, and yet it seemed Lord Balon did not trust him sufficiently to do even that much. Bad enough to have to suffer the Damphair’s scowls and chidings. With Dagmer Cleftjaw along as well, his command would be purely nominal.

“我的女兒阿莎，”巴隆續道，席恩回頭看見姐姐無聲地閃進來，“你將率領三十條長船去海龍角，記住，你的手下務必精挑細選。只等潮汛到來，便在深林堡以北登陸。行動要快，一定要在他們察覺之前替我拿下城堡。”

“Asha my daughter,” Lord Balon went on, and Theon turned to see that his sister had slipped in silently, “you shall take thirty longships of picked men round Sea Dragon Point. Land upon the tidal flats north of Deepwood Motte. March quickly, and the castle may fall before they even know you are upon them.”

阿莎笑得活像泡在黃油里的貓咪。“我早想要座城堡啦，”她甜甜地說。

Asha smiled like a cat in cream. “I’ve always wanted a castle,” she said sweetly.

“這個便給你。”

“Then take one.”

席恩緊咬舌根。深林堡是葛洛佛家族的要塞。如今羅貝特和蓋伯特都在南方打仗，城內一定防守空虛，鐵民們只需拿下它，就如同在北境的心臟里打進了一個楔子。我才該是那個被派去奪取深林堡的人，我比她熟悉狀況。從前，他曾多次跟隨艾德·史塔克拜訪葛洛佛家族。

Theon had to bite his tongue. Deepwood Motte was the stronghold of the Glovers. With both Robett and Galbart warring in the south, it would be lightly held, and once the castle fell the ironmen would have a secure base in the heart of the north. I should be the one sent to take Deepwood. He knew Deepwood Motte, he had visited the Glovers several times with Eddard Stark.

“維克塔利昂，”巴隆大王對弟弟說，“最重要的一擊交給你完成。當我的孩子們四面出擊時，臨冬城必定有所反應。這時你航到鹽矛灘，順著熱浪河上行一定不會有什么阻礙。越過它們后，離卡林灣便不足二十里之遙。頸澤是王國的咽喉要道，我們已能控制整個西海，一旦再掌握了卡林灣，小畜生就回不了家了……若他蠢到想蠻干，他現在的敵手便會從南方緊逼而來，一直追到堤道，那時這小鬼羅柏可就真成了瓶中鼠嘍。”

“Victarion,” Lord Balon said to his brother, “the main thrust shall fall to you. When my sons have struck their blows, Winterfell must respond. You should meet small opposition as you sail up Saltspear and the Fever River. At the headwaters, you will be less than twenty miles from Moat Cailin. The Neck is the key to the kingdom. Already we command the western seas. Once we hold Moat Cailin, the pup will not be able to win back to the north … and if he is fool enough to try, his enemies will seal the south end of the causeway behind him, and Robb the boy will find himself caught like a rat in a bottle.”

席恩再也無法保持沉默，“大膽的計劃，父親，但您可曾想過北境諸城的領主——”

Theon could keep silent no longer. “A bold plan, Father, but the lords in their castles—”

巴隆大王不等他說完：“領主老爺們都和小畜生一起去南方啦。留下的都是些膽小鬼、糟老頭和啥也不懂的小孩。一個接一個，他們要么投降，要么受死。臨冬城或許能堅守個一年半載，但那又怎樣？地盤都是我們的了，森林、田野和廳堂屬于我們，我們將把他們的屬民抓來當奴隸和鹽妾。”

Lord Balon rode over him. “The lords are gone south with the pup. Those who remained behind are the cravens, old men, and green boys. They will yield or fall, one by one. Winterfell may defy us for a year, but what of it? The rest shall be ours, forest and field and hall, and we shall make the folk our thralls and salt wives.”

伊倫·葛雷喬伊高舉雙手：“汪洋的怒火終將爆發，偉大的淹神將在青綠之地獲得威權！”

Aeron Damphair raised his arms. “And the waters of wrath will rise high, and the Drowned God will spread his dominion across the green lands!”

“逝者不死，”維克塔利昂吟道，巴隆大王和阿莎齊聲回應，席恩別無選擇，也只得跟著念叨。然后大家便離開了。

“What is dead can never die,” Victarion intoned. Lord Balon and Asha echoed his words, and Theon had no choice but to mumble along with them. And then it was done.

外面的雨越下越大。索橋在腳底不停翻騰扭動。席恩·葛雷喬伊在橋中央停下，呆望著下方的巨礁。驚濤拍石的巨響縈繞于耳，他品嘗著嘴邊海鹽的味道。一陣突來的狂風讓他失去平衡，跪倒在橋上。

Outside the rain was falling harder than ever. The rope bridge twisted and writhed under his feet. Theon Greyjoy stopped in the center of the span and contemplated the rocks below. The sound of the waves was a crashing roar, and he could taste the salt spray on his lips. A sudden gust of wind made him lose his footing, and he stumbled to his knees.

阿莎扶起他，“你喝太多啦，弟弟。”

Asha helped him rise. “You can’t hold your wine either, brother.”

席恩靠在她肩膀，任她領著自己一步又一步走過滲雨的木板。“我更喜歡那個叫伊斯格蕊的你，”他控訴般地喊。

Theon leaned on her shoulder and let her guide him across the rain-slick boards. “I liked you better when you were Esgred,” he told her accusingly.

她笑了，“這很公平么。你知道，我更喜歡九歲時候的你。”

She laughed. “That’s fair. I liked you better when you were nine.”