“瓊恩絕不會傷害我的孩子。”
“Jon would never harm a son of mine.”
“正如席恩·葛雷喬伊絕不會傷害布蘭和瑞肯？”
“No more than Theon Greyjoy would harm Bran or Rickon?”
灰風猛然跳上特里斯蒂芬王的墳墓，呲牙露齒，羅柏則面色冷峻。“你的話，既殘酷又不公平。瓊恩和席恩根本不是一回事。”
Grey Wind leapt up atop King Tristifer’s crypt, his teeth bared. Robb’s own face was cold. “That is as cruel as it is unfair. Jon is no Theon.”
“這只是你的一廂情愿而已。再說，你考慮過你的妹妹們沒有？她們的權利呢？北境無論如何不能交給小惡魔，這點我無條件同意，但艾莉亞怎么樣？依照律法，她的繼承權排在珊莎之后……她可是你的親妹妹，血統純正……”
“So you pray. Have you considered your sisters? What of their rights? I agree that the north must not be permitted to pass to the Imp, but what of Arya? By law, she comes after Sansa … your own sister, trueborn …”
“……可她死了！自打父親去世，就沒任何人見過她，或是聽過關于她的只字片語，你為何還要蒙騙自己？艾莉亞死了！和布蘭、瑞肯一樣，而只等珊莎生下小惡魔的孩子，他們也會把她殺掉。瓊恩就是我僅存的手足，萬一我有不幸，我希望他成為北境之王，也希望你支持我的選擇。”
“… and dead. No one has seen or heard of Arya since they cut Father’s head off. Why do you lie to yourself? Arya’s gone, the same as Bran and Rickon, and they’ll kill Sansa too once the dwarf gets a child from her. Jon is the only brother that remains to me. Should I die without issue, I want him to succeed me as King in the North. I had hoped you would support my choice.”
“我不可能支持你，”母親說，“其他的事，羅柏，任何事，我都會支持，唯獨這個……這樁蠢事，無論如何都不行。請你不要強迫我。”
“I cannot,” she said. “In all else, Robb. In everything. But not in this … this folly. Do not ask it.”
“我無須強迫你。我是國王，我做主。”羅柏轉身，頭也不回地離開。灰風從墳墓項上跳下，亦步亦趨地跟隨。
“I don’t have to. I’m the king.” Robb turned and walked off, Grey Wind bounding down from the tomb and loping after him.
我都做了些什么？國王走后，凱特琳獨自站在特里斯蒂芬的墳墓前，疲憊地想。這幾天，首先冒犯艾德慕，接著又惹惱了羅柏，可我說的，難道不都是實話嗎？諸神在上，難道這幫大男人如此脆弱，竟聽不得事情的真相？她應該哭的，但蒼天業已在為她流淚，于是便回到帳篷內避雨，默默地坐在黑暗中。
What have I done? Catelyn thought wearily, as she stood alone by Tristifer’s stone sepulcher. First I anger Edmure, and now Robb, but all I have done is speak the truth. Are men so fragile they cannot bear to hear it? She might have wept then, had not the sky begun to do it for her. It was all she could do to walk back to her tent, and sit there in the silence.
第二天，羅柏特別繁忙，他無處不在：一會兒趨前和大瓊恩指揮前鋒，一會兒帶著灰風外出偵察，一會兒返回查看羅賓·菲林特的后衛。行軍中的每一天，少狼主都是全軍最早起床和最晚入睡的人，大家為此倍感驕傲。凱特琳懷疑兒子根本就沒睡。他變得和他的冰原狼一樣消瘦而饑渴。
In the days that followed, Robb was everywhere and anywhere; riding at the head of the van with the Greatjon, scouting with Grey Wind, racing back to Robin Flint and the rearguard. Men said proudly that the Young Wolf was the first to rise each dawn and the last to sleep at night, but Catelyn wondered whether he was sleeping at all. He grows as lean and hungry as his direwolf.
“夫人，”某天早晨，就著持續的雨，梅姬·莫爾蒙伯爵夫人呼喊她，“您看起來氣色不好，是不舒服嗎？”
“My lady,” Maege Mormont said to her one morning as they rode through a steady rain, “you seem so somber. Is aught amiss?”
我的夫君和父親大人死了，兩個兒子遭遇謀殺，一個女兒落入毫無信用的侏儒手中，即將為他產下罪惡的子嗣，另一個女兒則生死不明，消失得徹徹底底，而我僅存的兒子和弟弟又都生我的氣。這些話，說出來梅姬伯爵夫人也不會懂的。“這是一場邪惡的雨，”她轉而評論，“我們過去承受了很多，前方又有更多的艱險和更多的悲哀。我們本該號角長鳴、旗幟飄飄地勇敢前進，以振奮士氣，可這場雨卻將大家統統壓抑。旗幟浸透，耷拉不展，人裹斗篷，幾無言語。這場邪惡的雨在我們最需要振作的時候澆進了每個人的靈魂里。”
My lord husband is dead, as is my father. Two of my sons have been murdered, my daughter has been given to a faithless dwarf to bear his vile children, my other daughter is vanished and likely dead, and my last son and my only brother are both angry with me. What could possibly be amiss? That was more truth than Lady Maege would wish to hear, however. “This is an evil rain,” she said instead. “We have suffered much, and there is more peril and more grief ahead. We need to face it boldly, with horns blowing and banners flying bravely. But this rain beats us down. The banners hang limp and sodden, and the men huddle under their cloaks and scarcely speak to one another. Only an evil rain would chill our hearts when most we need them to burn hot.”
黛西·莫爾蒙舉頭望天，“還好，落的是雨，不是箭。”
Dacey Mormont looked up at the sky. “I would sooner have water raining down on me than arrows.”
凱特琳不自禁地笑笑，“我知道，你比我勇敢。你們熊島的女人都會打仗嗎？”
Catelyn smiled despite herself. “You are braver than I am, I fear. Are all your Bear Island women such warriors?”
“不錯，我們是母熊，”梅姬伯爵夫人接口，“環境使然。在古代，鐵民們時時駕駛長船前來掠襲，野人也從冰封海岸過來騷擾。男人們必須出去捕魚，以維持島上生活，而留在家中的妻子得保護自身和孩子，否則便會被掠走。”
“She-bears, aye,” said Lady Maege. “We have needed to be. In olden days the ironmen would come raiding in their longboats, or wildlings from the Frozen Shore. The men would be off fishing, like as not. The wives they left behind had to defend themselves and their children, or else be carried off.”
“我家廳堂門上有個雕刻，”黛西道，“是位熊皮女人，一手抱一個吮奶頭的嬰兒，另一手握一柄戰斧。她長得不美，但我很喜歡。”
“There’s a carving on our gate,” said Dacey. “A woman in a bearskin, with a child in one arm suckling at her breast. In the other hand she holds a battleaxe. She’s no proper lady, that one, but I always loved her.”
“我侄兒喬拉曾把一位美人帶回家，”梅姬伯爵夫人說，“那是他在比武會上贏取的夫人。她就很討厭這個雕刻。”
“My nephew Jorah brought home a proper lady once,” said Lady Maege. “He won her in a tourney. How she hated that carving.”
“是啊，她看什么都不順眼，”黛西道，“她名叫琳妮絲，頭發猶如金絲，皮膚好似乳酪，那雙柔軟的手天生就與武器無緣。”
“Aye, and all the rest,” said Dacey. “She had hair like spun gold, that Lynesse. Skin like cream. But her soft hands were never made for axes.”
“她也不會用她的乳頭來哺育。”黛西的母親坦率地說。
“Nor her teats for giving suck,” her mother said bluntly.
凱特琳知道他們指的是誰，喬拉·莫爾蒙曾帶著他的續弦妻前來臨冬城參加宴會，作客兩周之久。她記得琳妮絲夫人的年輕美貌，以及心里壓抑的不快。有天夜里，醉酒之后，她親口對凱特琳承認，北境實在不是舊鎮高貴的海塔爾家人該待的地方。“從前，有個來自奔流城徒利家的女子也這么想，”凱特琳輕柔地回答，試圖安慰對方，“但后來，她在此發現了真愛。”
Catelyn knew of whom they spoke; Jorah Mormont had brought his second wife to Winterfell for feasts, and once they had guested for a fortnight. She remembered how young the Lady Lynesse had been, how fair, and how unhappy. One night, after several cups of wine, she had confessed to Catelyn that the north was no place for a Hightower of Oldtown. “There was a Tully of Riverrun who felt the same once,” she had answered gently, trying to console, “but in time she found much here she could love.”
可他們都走了，她隨即想到，臨冬城和奈德，布蘭與瑞肯，珊莎，艾莉亞，都走了，只有羅柏留下。莫非我真的更像琳妮絲·海塔爾，而非史塔克？如果我懂得怎樣使用戰斧，或許可以更好地保護他們。
All lost now, she reflected. Winterfell and Ned, Bran and Rickon, Sansa, Arya, all gone. Only Robb remains. Had there been too much of Lynesse Hightower in her after all, and too little of the Starks? Would that I had known how to wield an axe, perhaps I might have been able to protect them better.
日復一日，大雨從未停息，人們艱難行進。藍叉河源頭的七泉地方是數不清的溪流和河溝，而女巫沼澤無數綠幽幽發亮的水池正等著吞噬粗心的旅人，馬蹄陷進軟泥中，好似饑餓的嬰兒吸吮乳頭。除了速度放慢，北方人還付出更大的代價，一半的馬車不得不遺棄在澤地，上面的物資改由騾子和馱馬分擔。
Day followed day, and still the rain kept falling. All the way up the Blue Fork they rode, past Sevenstreams where the river unraveled into a confusion of rills and brooks, then through Hag’s Mire, where glistening green pools waited to swallow the unwary and the soft ground sucked at the hooves of their horses like a hungry babe at its mother’s breast. The going was worse than slow. Half the wayns had to be abandoned to the muck, their loads distributed amongst mules and draft horses.
杰森·梅利斯特伯爵正是在這里追上了他們。當時，離日落僅有一個鐘頭，羅柏立刻下令停止行軍，接著雷納德·維斯特林爵士護送凱特琳去國王大帳中開會。她看見兒子坐在火盆邊，地圖放于膝蓋，灰風在他腳邊打瞌睡。大瓊恩、蓋伯特·葛洛佛、梅姬·莫爾蒙、艾德慕和一個凱特琳不認識的男子也在帳內。此人豐滿禿頂，神態阿諛。他不是貴族，她只消看陌生人一眼便認定，也非戰士。
Lord Jason Mallister caught up with them amidst the bogs of Hag’s Mire. There was more than an hour of daylight remaining when he rode up with his column, but Robb called a halt at once, and Ser Raynald Westerling came to escort Catelyn to the king’s tent. She found her son seated beside a brazier, a map across his lap. Grey Wind slept at his feet. The Greatjon was with him, along with Galbart Glover, Maege Mormont, Edmure, and a man that Catelyn did not know, a fleshy balding man with a cringing look to him. No lordling, this one, she knew the moment she laid eyes on the stranger. Not even a warrior.
杰森·梅利斯特起立將座位讓給凱特琳，海疆城伯爵的棕發和白發已幾乎一樣多了，但威儀不減當年：身材瘦長高大，面孔輪廓分明、修剪干凈，顴骨高聳，藍灰色眼睛，神情銳利。“史塔克夫人，真高興見到您。我帶來了好消息。”
Jason Mallister rose to offer Catelyn his seat. His hair had almost as much white in it as brown, but the Lord of Seagard was still a handsome man; tall and lean, with a chiseled clean-shaven face, high cheekbones, and fierce blue-grey eyes. “Lady Stark, it is ever a pleasure. I bring good tidings, I hope.”
“是嗎？大人，我們此刻正需要這個。”她坐下來，聽著無數雨點敲打頭頂的帆布。
“We are in sore need of some, my lord.” She sat, listening to the rain patter down noisily against the canvas overhead.
羅柏等雷納德爵士將帳門關好后，方才開口：“諸位大人，諸神回應了我們的祈禱。杰森大人帶來的是密拉罕號船長，他是舊鎮商人。船長先生，請將你的新聞通報大家。”
Robb waited for Ser Raynald to close the tent flap. “The gods have heard our prayers, my lords. Lord Jason has brought us the captain of the Myraham, a merchanter out of Oldtown. Captain, tell them what you told me.”
“遵命，陛下，”對方緊張地舔舔厚嘴唇，“在我抵達海疆城之前，曾于派克島的君王港做過停留。實際上，由于巴隆國王的禁令，我的船被鐵民扣押了整整半年。只是后來，只是……簡單地說吧，由于他的死，禁令才得以取消。”
“Aye, Your Grace.” He licked his thick lips nervously. “My last port of call afore Seagard, that was Lordsport on Pyke. The ironmen kept me there more’n half a year, they did. King Balon’s command. Only, well, the long and the short of it is, he’s dead.”
“巴隆·葛雷喬伊死了？”凱特琳心里一震，“你確定他真死了？”
“Balon Greyjoy?” Catelyn’s heart skipped a beat. “You are telling us that Balon Greyjoy is dead?”
矮小猥褻的船長點點頭，“您可知道，派克城建于角岬之上，被海濤切割而成的巨巖和荒島彼此以橋梁連接？據我在君王港聽到的說法，當巴隆國王某天正跨越其中一道橋梁時，西邊起了大風，夾著暴雨雷霆，把他吹落橋下，摔得粉身碎骨。兩天之后，尸體沖到海邊，業已浮腫不堪辨認。據說螃蟹吃掉了他的眼睛。”
The shabby little captain nodded. “You know how Pyke’s built on a headland, and part on rocks and islands off the shore, with bridges between? The way I heard it in Lordsport, there was a blow coming in from the west, rain and thunder, and old King Balon was crossing one of them bridges when the wind got hold of it and just tore the thing to pieces. He washed up two days later, all bloated and broken. Crabs ate his eyes, I hear.”
大瓊恩哈哈大笑，“肯定是給螃蟹王吃的，只有它們才配享用王家果凍，是不是啊，哈哈？”
The Greatjon laughed. “King crabs, I hope, to sup upon such royal jelly, eh?”
船長忙著點頭。“當然，當然。不過我的消息還沒說完，還有一個情報！”他傾身向前。“他弟弟回來了。”
The captain bobbed his head. “Aye, but that’s not all of it, no!” He leaned forward. “The brother’s back.”
“維克塔利昂？”蓋伯特·葛洛佛略感驚奇。
“Victarion?” asked Galbart Glover, surprised.
“不，攸倫，人稱‘鴉眼’，他是全天下最惡毒的海盜，本有許多年不曾回到鐵群島，但巴隆國王尸骨未寒，他的寧靜號卻已駛進君王港。紅色的船殼，漆黑的帆，所有船員都是啞巴。聽說他訪問亞夏后返回……總之，不管去過哪里，他確實是回來了，而且一下船就直奔派克城，自行坐上海石之位，提出異議的波特利頭領被他淹死在一桶海水中。我眼見這番情形，立刻趁亂讓密拉罕號升帆出海，以免招惹麻煩。靠岸以后，馬上向陛下您報告。”
“Euron. Crow’s Eye, they call him, as black a pirate as ever raised a sail. He’s been gone for years, but Lord Balon was no sooner cold than there he was, sailing into Lordsport in his Silence. Black sails and a red hull, and crewed by mutes. He’d been to Asshai and back, I heard. Wherever he was, though, he’s home now, and he marched right into Pyke and sat his arse in the Seastone Chair, and drowned Lord Botley in a cask of seawater when he objected. That was when I ran back to Myraham and slipped anchor, hoping I could get away whilst things were confused. And so I did, and here I am.”
“船長先生，”待對方說完后，羅柏發話，“我很感激你的效勞，定當重重酬謝。等會談完畢，我就請杰森大人送你回船，現下請在外面稍候片刻。”
“Captain,” said Robb when the man was done, “you have my thanks, and you will not go unrewarded. Lord Jason will take you back to your ship when we are done. Pray wait outside.”
“是，陛下，是。”
“That I will, Your Grace. That I will.”
他前腳剛離開，大瓊恩便前仰后合地大笑起來，但國王用一個眼神讓他收斂。“倘若席恩昔日所言非虛，這個攸倫·葛雷喬伊稱王必是件不得人心的事……現在的情形是，如果席恩沒死，他才是繼承人……另一方面，維克塔利昂統率著鐵島艦隊。我不相信他會坐鎮卡林灣，靜待哥哥鴉眼攸倫攫取海石之位。他肯定會興師返航。”
No sooner had he left the king’s pavilion than the Greatjon began to laugh, but Robb silenced him with a look. “Euron Greyjoy is no man’s notion of a king, if half of what Theon said of him was true. Theon is the rightful heir, unless he’s dead … but Victarion commands the Iron Fleet. I can’t believe he would remain at Moat Cailin while Euron Crow’s Eye holds the Seastone Chair. He has to go back.”
“巴隆還有一個女兒，”蓋伯特·葛洛佛提醒國王，“她占據深林堡，挾持著羅貝特的妻兒。”
“There’s a daughter as well,” Galbart Glover reminded him. “The one who holds Deepwood Motte, and Robett’s wife and child.”
“留在深林堡，她什么也做不了，”羅柏分析，“如果她也有叔叔們的野心，想必要回師顛覆攸倫，伸張自己的權利。”國王轉向杰森·梅利斯特大人。“海疆城可有艦隊？”
“If she stays at Deepwood Motte that’s all she can hope to hold,” said Robb. “What’s true for the brothers is even more true for her. She will need to sail home to oust Euron and press her own claim.” Her son turned to Lord Jason Mallister. “You have a fleet at Seagard?”
“艦隊，陛下？不，說不上，我只有六七條長船和兩艘戰艦。足以抵御尋常海盜的掠襲，卻無法和鐵島艦隊交鋒。”
“A fleet, Your Grace? Half a dozen longships and two war galleys. Enough to defend my own shores against raiders, but I could not hope to meet the Iron Fleet in battle.”
“你會錯了意。依我看，鐵種們即將紛紛返回派克島，展開權力之爭，他們的秉性從前席恩給我講過，‘每個船長都是自己船上的國王’。敵人想必會勾心斗角，吵作一團。大人，我只要你給我兩條長船，以繞行雄鷹角，穿越頸澤，尋找灰水望。”
“Nor would I ask it of you. The ironborn will be setting sail toward Pyke, I expect. Theon told me how his people think. Every captain a king on his own deck. They will all want a voice in the succession. My lord, I need two of your longships to sail around the Cape of Eagles and up the Neck to Greywater Watch.”
杰森大人有些猶豫，“澤地的腐沼中是有十來條水道，可個個都淺薄、淤積而危險。它們根本不配稱為河流，只是一些反復變遷的通道而已。到處是礁石、陷阱和糾結敗朽的樹木。灰水望本身也在移動，怎么找得到呢？”
Lord Jason hesitated. “A dozen streams drain the wetwood, all shallow, silty, and uncharted. I would not even call them rivers. The channels are ever drifting and changing. There are endless sandbars, deadfalls, and tangles of rotting trees. And Greywater Watch moves. How are my ships to find it?”
“只管往上游走，船上掛起我的旗幟，相信澤地人會出來迎接。派出兩條船，我們的希望就多了一倍，我決定由梅姬伯爵夫人指揮其中一艘，蓋伯特大人指揮另一艘，負責將我的口信傳達給霍蘭·黎德。”他轉向被點名的兩位領主，“我會分別給你們一封書信，上面寫著我對留在北境的大人們的指示，但這些指示其實都是謊話，以防你們在海上被鐵民逮捕——倘若真有不幸，你們可以宣稱自己乃是返回北境傳令。夫人你是要回熊島，而你，蓋伯特，是要回磐石海岸。”他伸出一根手指，敲了敲地圖，“成敗的關鍵在卡林灣，這點我們知道，巴隆大王也明白，否則他就不會把鐵群島的主力交給弟弟維克塔利昂，并命他鎮守于此了。”
“Go upriver flying my banner. The crannogmen will find you. I want two ships to double the chances of my message reaching Howland Reed. Lady Maege shall go on one, Galbart on the second.” He turned to the two he’d named. “You’ll carry letters for those lords of mine who remain in the north, but all the commands within will be false, in case you have the misfortune to be taken. If that happens, you must tell them that you were sailing for the north. Back to Bear Island, or for the Stony Shore.” He tapped a finger on the map. “Moat Cailin is the key. Lord Balon knew that, which is why he sent his brother Victarion there with the hard heart of the Greyjoy strength.”
“這個維克塔利昂或許會為了繼承權大打出手，但絕不會蠢到放棄卡林灣。”梅姬伯爵夫人說。
“Succession squabbles or no, the ironborn are not such fools as to abandon Moat Cailin,” said Lady Maege.
“當然不會，”羅柏承認，“但我敢打賭，他將撤走不少精兵，而對方每少一個人，我們就多一分希望。再說，即便軍隊不走，他為造聲勢，也將帶走大批將領和船長。他們是鐵群島的骨干，有了他們的支持，方能獲得海石之位。”
“No,” Robb admitted. “Victarion will leave the best part of his garrison, I’d guess. Every man he takes will be one less man we need to fight, however. And he will take many of his captains, count on that. The leaders. He will need such men to speak for him if he hopes to sit the Seastone Chair.”
“陛下，您可千萬不能從堤道進攻，”蓋伯特·葛洛佛勸告，“通路實在狹窄，大軍無法展開，數千年來，沒有誰能攻下卡林灣。”
“You cannot mean to attack up the causeway, Your Grace,” said Galbart Glover. “The approaches are too narrow. There is no way to deploy. No one has ever taken the Moat.”
“從南往北打是這樣，”國王說，“但假如我從南、北、西三面同時發力，情況就不一樣了。先從堤道上發起猛攻，吸引鐵民的注意力，隨后突然兜襲后方，必將一舉成功！等我和波頓大人及佛雷家族合兵一處，手中就至少有了一萬二千士兵。我們先走堤道，行過半日再兵分三股，假如葛雷喬伊家族在頸澤有眼線，他們收到的情報將是我軍全速撲向卡林灣。”
“From the south,” said Robb. “But if we can attack from the north and west simultaneously, and take the ironmen in the rear while they are beating off what they think is my main thrust up the causeway, then we have a chance. Once I link up with Lord Bolton and the Freys, I will have more than twelve thousand men. I mean to divide them into three battles and start up the causeway a half-day apart. If the Greyjoys have eyes south of the Neck, they will see my whole strength rushing headlong at Moat Cailin.
“后衛將由盧斯·波頓指揮，中軍由我親率，至于攻打卡林灣的前鋒，大瓊恩，這個任務非你莫屬。你給我狠狠地打，要讓鐵種們意料不到我軍還可能從北方突然出現。”
“Roose Bolton will have the rearguard, while I command the center. Greatjon, you shall lead the van against Moat Cailin. Your attack must be so fierce that the ironborn have no leisure to wonder if anyone is creeping down on them from the north.”
大瓊恩咧嘴一笑，“嘿，你們這幫偷雞摸狗的家伙最好趕快，否則還沒露面，城堡就是咱的嘍！陛下，您不用急，慢慢走，我會把它當禮物獻給您。”
The Greatjon chuckled. “Your creepers best come fast, or my men will swarm those walls and win the Moat before you show your face. I’ll make a gift of it to you when you come dawdling up.”
“這份大禮，我可是卻之不恭。”羅柏微笑。
“That’s a gift I should be glad to have,” said Robb.
一旁的艾德慕皺起眉頭，“陛下，您剛才說要從后掩殺鐵民，可您怎么迂回到北方呢？”
Edmure was frowning. “You talk of attacking the ironmen in the rear, sire, but how do you mean to get north of them?”
“舅舅，頸澤深處有些路地圖上并沒有寫，只有澤地人才知曉——沼澤中的小徑，穿越蘆葦叢的船道，父親從前對我說過。”他轉向兩位信使，“你們的任務就是找到霍蘭·黎德，要他派出向導，在我軍踏上堤道之后的第三天與我會合，記住，讓他們徑直來中軍，到我王旗飄揚的地方。三支部隊中的兩支負責強打卡林灣——波頓大人的部隊在安柏大人進攻之后行動，盡可能從西面發起佯攻。我自己的中軍深入澤地埋伏，直到戰斗陷入白熱化時方才出擊。舅舅成婚后，我們迅速離開孿河城，爭取在今年結束之前趕到攻擊陣位。新世紀的第一天，咱們三面夾擊卡林灣，拼出一番新局面！趁鐵民們痛飲新年之際，打他們個落花流水，措手不及！”
“There are ways through the Neck that are not on any map, Uncle. Ways known only to the crannogmen—narrow trails between the bogs, and wet roads through the reeds that only boats can follow.” He turned to his two messengers. “Tell Howland Reed that he is to send guides to me, two days after I have started up the causeway. To the center battle, where my own standard flies. Three hosts will leave the Twins, but only two will reach Moat Cailin. Mine own battle will melt away into the Neck, to reemerge on the Fever. If we move swiftly once my uncle’s wed, we can all be in position by year’s end. We will fall upon the Moat from three sides on the first day of the new century, as the ironmen are waking with hammers beating at their heads from the mead they’ll quaff the night before.”
“我贊同這個計劃，”大瓊恩宣布，“很喜歡！”
“I like this plan,” said the Greatjon. “I like it well.”
蓋伯特·葛洛佛擦擦嘴巴，“可……我們得擔風險，假如澤地人方面出了岔子……”
Galbart Glover rubbed his mouth. “There are risks. If the crannogmen should fail you …”
“那和以前相比，也沒任何損失。再說了，我相信他們不會令我失望，霍蘭·黎德是我父親的好友。”羅柏卷起地圖，這才第一次抬眼望向凱特琳，“母親。”
“We will be no worse than before. But they will not fail. My father knew the worth of Howland Reed.” Robb rolled up the map, and only then looked at Catelyn. “Mother.”
她心中一凜，“這計劃需要我的協助么？”
She tensed. “Do you have some part in this for me?”
“我只要你安安全全。穿越頸澤的行軍勢必危機四伏，即便過得了卡林灣這關，要想贏回北境，也還有無數戰斗等著我們。我剛才已詢問過梅利斯特大人，他慷慨地答應在戰爭結束前替我保護你的安全。你將在海疆城過得舒適，這是我的希望。”
“Your part is to stay safe. Our journey through the Neck will be dangerous, and naught but battle awaits us in the north. But Lord Mallister has kindly offered to keep you safe at Seagard until the war is done. You will be comfortable there, I know.”
這就是我反對瓊恩·雪諾的懲罰？這就是我身為女人，甚或身為母親的懲罰？她頭暈目眩了一會兒，才意識到在場眾人都望著她。他們都討厭我，她心想，有什么可驚訝？我放走弒君者，得罪了所有人，再說，我不是親耳聽大瓊恩說過幾次女人不該插手軍事嗎？
Is this my punishment for opposing him about Jon Snow? Or for being a woman, and worse, a mother? It took her a moment to realize that they were all watching her. They had known, she realized. Catelyn should not have been surprised. She had won no friends by freeing the Kingslayer, and more than once she had heard the Greatjon say that women had no place on a battlefield.
她的惱怒一定清楚地寫在臉上，好在蓋伯特·葛洛佛最后替她解了圍，“夫人，陛下的建議非常明智，您實在不該和我們一起出征。”
Her anger must have blazed across her face, because Galbart Glover spoke up before she said a word. “My lady, His Grace is wise. It’s best you do not come with us.”
“海疆城因您的到來而蓬蓽生輝，凱特琳夫人。”杰森·梅利斯特大人道。
“Seagard will be brightened by your presence, Lady Catelyn,” said Lord Jason Mallister.
“你要我做你的囚犯。”她說。
“You would make me a prisoner,” she said.
“哪里的話，您是我的貴賓。”杰森大人解釋。
“An honored guest,” Lord Jason insisted.
凱特琳轉向兒子。“沒有冒犯杰森大人的意思，”她僵硬地宣布，“但假如你非要我走，我寧愿回奔流城。”
Catelyn turned to her son. “I mean no offense to Lord Jason,” she said stiffly, “but if I cannot continue on with you, I would sooner return to Riverrun.”
“我把王后留在了奔流城，不能把母親也送去那里，如果將所有財富裝進一個錢包，只可能吸引盜賊。婚禮結束后，你立刻前往海疆城，這是國王的命令，”羅柏站起來——她的命運便這樣迅速地決定了——取出一張羊皮紙，“大人們，我還有最后一件事。你們都看見了，巴隆大王死后留下多大的混亂，我不能重蹈他的覆轍。如今我沒有兒子，弟弟布蘭和瑞肯不幸歸天，妹妹則嫁到蘭尼斯他家。對于繼承人的事，我反復思量，考慮了很久，才寫下這份文件。我要求你們，我忠實的封臣們，在這份文件上簽名作證。”
“I left my wife at Riverrun. I want my mother elsewhere. If you keep all your treasures in one purse, you only make it easier for those who would rob you. After the wedding, you shall go to Seagard, that is my royal command.” Robb stood, and as quick as that, her fate was settled. He picked up a sheet of parchment. “One more matter. Lord Balon has left chaos in his wake, we hope. I would not do the same. Yet I have no son as yet, my brothers Bran and Rickon are dead, and my sister is wed to a Lannister. I’ve thought long and hard about who might follow me. I command you now as my true and loyal lords to fix your seals to this document as witnesses to my decision.”
他立了新王，凱特琳充滿挫敗感地想。現下她唯一的希望就是兒子夾攻卡林灣的計劃和剛才對付母親的手段一樣奏效。
A king indeed, Catelyn thought, defeated. She could only hope that the trap he’d planned for Moat Cailin worked as well as the one in which he’d just caught her.
