grrm.astormofswords-第119章

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e　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　feel。　〃You　are　King　in　the　North；　the　choice　is　yours。　I　only　ask　that　you　think　on　what　I've　said。　The　singers　make　much　of　kings　who　die　valiantly　in　battle；　but　your　life　is　worth　more　than　a　song。　To　me　at　least；　who　gave　it　to　you。〃　She　lowered　her　head。　〃Do　I　have　your　leave　to　go？〃
　〃Yes。〃　He　turned　away　and　drew　his　sword。　What　he　meant　to　do　with　it；　she　could　not　say。　There　was　no　enemy　there；　no　one　to　fight。　Only　her　and　him；　amongst　tall　trees　and　fallen　leaves。　There　are　fights　no　sword　can　win；　Catelyn　wanted　to　tell　him；　but　she　feared　the　king　was　deaf　to　such　words。
　Hours　later；　she　was　sewing　in　her　bedchamber　when　young　Rollarn　Westerling　came　running　with　the　summons　to　supper。　Good；　Catelyn　thought；　relieved。　She　had　not　been　certain　that　her　son　would　want　her　there；　after　their　quarrel。　〃A　dutiful　squire；〃　she　said　to　Rollam　gravely。　Bran　would　have　been　the　same。
　If　Robb　seemed　cool　at　table　and　Edmure　surly；　Lame　Lothar　made　up　for　them　both。　He　was　the　model　of　courtesy；　reminiscing　warmly　about　Lord　Hoster；　offering　Catelyn　gentle　condolences　on　the　loss　of　Bran　and　Rickon；　praising　Edmure　for　the　victory　at　Stone　Mill；　and　thanking　Robb　for　the　〃swift　sure　justice〃　he　had　meted　out　to　Rickard　Karstark。　Lothar's　bastard　brother　Walder　Rivers　was　another　matter；　a　harsh　sour　man　with　old　Lord　Walder's　suspicious　face；　he　spoke　but　seldom　and　devoted　most　of　his　attention　to　the　meat　and　mead　that　was　set　before　him。
　When　all　the　empty　words　were　said；　the　queen　and　the　other　Westerlings　excused　themselves；　the　remains　of　the　meal　were　cleared　away；　and　Lothar　Frey　cleared　his　throat。　〃Before　we　turn　to　the　business　that　brings　us　here；　there　is　another　matter；〃　he　said　solemnly。　〃A　grave　matter；　I　fear。　I　had　hoped　it　would　not　fall　to　me　to　bring　you　these　tidings；　but　it　seems　I　must。　My　lord　father　has　had　a　letter　from　his　grandsons。〃
　Catelyn　had　been　so　lost　in　grief　for　her　own　that　she　had　almost　forgotten　the　two　Freys　she　had　agreed　to　foster。　No　more；　she　thought