grrm.astormofswords-第49章

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ng　parties　over　the　walls；　while　I　broke　the　main　gate　with　a　ram。　I　took　an　arrow　in　the　arm　just　before　Ser　Rolph　yielded　us　the　castle。　It　seemed　nothing　at　first；　but　it　festered。　Jeyne　had　me　taken　to　her　own　bed；　and　she　nursed　me　until　the　fever　passed。　And　she　was　with　me　when　the　Greatjon　brought　me　the　news　of　。　。　。　of　Winterfell。　Bran　and　Rickon。〃　He　seemed　to　have　trouble　saying　his　brothers'　names。　〃That　night；　she　。　。　。　she　forted　me；　Mother。〃
　Catelyn　did　not　need　to　be　told　what　sort　of　fort　Jeyne　Westerling　had　offered　her　son。　〃And　you　wed　her　the　next　day。〃
　He　looked　her　in　the　eyes；　proud　and　miserable　all　at　once。　〃It　was　the　only　honorable　thing　to　do。　She's　gentle　and　sweet；　Mother；　she　will　make　me　a　good　wife。〃
　〃Perhaps。　That　will　not　appease　Lord　Frey。〃
　〃I　know；〃　her　son　said；　stricken。　〃I've　made　a　botch　of　everything　but　the　battles；　haven't　I？　I　thought　the　battles　would　be　the　hard　part；　but　。　。　。　if　I　had　listened　to　you　and　kept　Theon　as　my　hostage；　I'd　still　rule　the　north；　and　Bran　and　Rickon　would　be　alive　and　safe　in　Winterfell。〃
　〃Perhaps。　Or　not。　Lord　Balon　might　still　have　chanced　war。　The　last　time　he　reached　for　a　crown；　it　cost　him　two　sons。　He　might　have　thought　it　a　bargain　to　lose　only　one　this　time。〃　She　touched　his　arm。　〃What　happened　with　the　Freys；　after　you　wed？〃
　Robb　shook　his　head。　〃With　Ser　Stevron；　I　might　have　been　able　to　make　amends；　but　Ser　Ryman　is　dull…witted　as　a　stone；　and　Black　Walder　。　。　。　that　one　was　not　named　for　the　color　of　his　beard；　I　promise　you。　He　went　so　far　as　to　say　that　his　sisters　would　not　be　loath　to　wed　a　widower。　I　would　have　killed　him　for　that　if　Jeyne　had　not　begged　me　to　be　merciful。〃
　〃You　have　done　House　Frey　a　grievous　insult；　Robb。〃
　〃I　never　meant　to。　Ser　Stevron　died　for　me；　and　Olyvar　was　as　loyal　a　squire　as　any　king　could　want。　He　asked　to　stay　with　me；　but　Ser　Ryman　took　him　with　the　rest。　All　their　strength。　The　Greatjon　urged　me　to　attack　them　。　。　。〃
　〃Fighting　your　own　in　the　midst　of　your　enemies？〃　she　said。　〃It　would　have　been　the　end　of　you。〃
　〃Yes。　I　thought　perhaps　we　could　arrange　other　matches　for　Lord　Walder's　daughters。　Ser　Wendel　Manderly　has　offered　to　take　one；　and　the　Greatjon　tells　me　his　uncles　wish　to　wed　again。　If　Lord　Walder　will　be　reasonable…〃
　〃He　is　not　reasonable；〃　said　Catelyn。　〃He　is　proud；　and　prickly　to　a　fault。　You　know　that。　He　wanted　to　be　grandfather　to　a　king。　You　will　not　appease　him　with　the　offer　of　two　hoary　old　brigands　and　the　second　son　of　the　fattest　man　in　the　Seven　Kingdoms。　Not　only　have　you　broken　your　oath；　but　you've　slighted　the　honor　of　the　Twins　by　choosing　a　bride　from　a　lesser　house。〃
　Robb　bristled　at　that。　〃The　Westerlings　are　better　blood　than　the　Freys。　They're　an　ancient　line；　descended　from　the　First　Men。　The　Kings　of　the　Rock　sometimes　wed　Westerlings　before　the　Conquest；　and　there　was　another　Jeyne　Westerling　who　was　queen　to　King　Maegor　three　hundred　years　ago。〃
　〃All　of　which　will　only　salt　Lord　Walder's　wounds。　It　has　always　rankled　him　that　older　houses　look　down　on　the　Freys　as　upstarts。　This　insult　is　not　the　first　he's　borne；　to　hear　him　tell　it。　Jon　Arryn　was　disinclined　to　foster　his　grandsons；　and　my　father　refused　the　offer　of　one　of　his　daughters　for　Edmure。〃　She　inclined　her　head　toward　her　brother　as　he　rejoined　them。
　〃Your　Grace；〃　Brynden　Blackflsh　said；　〃perhaps　we　had　best　continue　this　in　private。〃
　〃Yes。〃　Robb　sounded　tired。　〃I　would　kill　for　a　cup　of　wine。　The　audience　chamber；　I　think。〃
　As　they　started　up　the　steps；　Catelyn　asked　the　question　that　had　been　troubling　her　since　she　entered　the　hall。　〃Robb；　where　is　Grey　Wind？〃
　〃In　the　yard；　with　a　haunch　of　mutton。　I　told　the　kennelmaster　to　see　that　he　was　fed。〃
　〃You　always　kept　him　with　you　before。〃
　〃A　hall　is　no　place　for　a　wolf。　He　gets　restless；　you've　seen。　Growling　and　snapping。　I　should　never　have　taken　him　into　battle　with　me。　He's　killed　too　many　men　to　fear　them　now。　Jeyne's　anxious　around　him；　and　he　terrifies　her　mother。〃
　And　there's　the　heart　of　it；　Catelyn　thought。　〃He　is　part　of　you；　Robb。　To　fear　him　is　to　fear　you。〃
　〃I　am　not　a　wolf；　no　matter　what　they　call　me。〃　Robb　sounded　cross。　〃Grey　Wind　killed　a　man　at　the　Crag；　another　at　Ashemark；　and　six　or　seven　at　Oxcross。　If　you　had　seen…〃
　〃I　saw　Bran's　wolf　tear　out　a　man's　throat　at　Winterfell；〃　she　said　sharply；　〃and　loved　him　for　it。〃
　〃That's　different。　The　man　at　the　Crag　was　a　knight　Jeyne　had　known　all　her　life。　You　can't　blame　her　for　being　afraid。　Grey　Wind　doesn't　like　her　uncle　either。　He　bares　his　teeth　every　time　Ser　Rolph　es　near　him。〃
　A　chill　went　through　her。　〃Send　Ser　Rolph　away。　At　once。〃
　〃Where？　Back　to　the　Crag；　so　the　Lannisters　can　mount　his　head　on　a　spike？　Jeyne　loves　him。　He's　her　uncle；　and　a　fair　knight　besides。　I　need　more　men　like　Rolph　Spicer；　not　fewer。　I　am　not　going　to　banish　him　just　because　my　wolf　doesn't　seem　to　like　the　way　he　smells。〃
　〃Robb。〃　She　stopped　and　held　his　arm。　〃I　told　you　once　to　keep　Theon　Greyjoy　close；　and　you　did　not　listen。　Listen　now。　Send　this　man　away。　I　am　not　saying　you　must　banish　him。　Find　some　task　that　requires　a　man　of　courage；　some　honorable　duty；　what　it　is　matters　not　。　。　。　but　do　not　keep　him　near　you。〃
　He　frowned。　〃Should　I　have　Grey　Wind　sniff　all　my　knights？　There　might　be　others　whose　smell　he　mislikes。〃
　〃Any　man　Grey　Wind　mislikes　is　a　man　I　do　not　want　close　to　you。　These　wolves　are　more　than　wolves；　Robb。　You　must　know　that。　I　think　perhaps　the　gods　sent　them　to　us。　Your　father's　gods；　the　old　gods　of　the　north。　Five　wolf　pups；　Robb；　five　for　five　Stark　children。〃
　〃Six；〃　said　Robb。　〃There　was　a　wolf　for　Jon　as　well。　I　found　them；　remember？　I　know　how　many　there　were　and　where　they　came　from。　I　used　to　think　the　same　as　you；　that　the　wolves　were　our　guardians；　our　protectors；　until　。　。　。〃
　〃Until？〃　she　prompted。
　Robb's　mouth　tightened。　until　they　told　me　that　Theon　had　murdered　Bran　and　Rickon。　Small　good　their　wolves　did　them。　I　am　no　longer　a　boy；　Mother。　I'm　a　king；　and　I　can　protect　myself。〃　He　sighed。　〃I　will　find　some　duty　for　Ser　Rolph；　some　pretext　to　send　him　away。　Not　because　of　his　smell；　but　to　ease　your　mind。　You　have　suffered　enough。〃
　Relieved；　Catelyn　kissed　him　lightly　on　the　cheek　before　the　others　could　e　around　the　turn　of　the　stair；　and　for　a　moment　he　was　her　boy　again；　and　not　her　king。
　Lord　Hoster's　private　audience　chamber　was　a　small　room　above　the　Great　Hall；　better　suited　to　intimate　discussions。　Robb　took　the　high　seat；　removed　his　crown；　and　set　it　on　the　floor　beside　him　as　Catelyn　rang　for　wine。　Edmure　was　filling　his　uncle's　ear　with　the　whole　story　of　the　fight　at　the　Stone　Mill。　it　was　only　after　the　servants　had　e　and　gone　that　the　Blackfish　cleared　his　throat　and　said；　〃I　think　we've　all　heard　sufficient　of　your　boasting；　Nephew。〃
　Edmure　was　taken　aback。　〃Boasting？　What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃I　mean；〃　said　the　Blackfish；　〃that　you　owe　His　Grace　your　thanks　for　his　forbearance。　He　played　out　that　mummer's　farce　in　the　Great　Hall　so　as　not　to　shame　you　before　your　own　people。　Had　it　been　me　I　would　have　flayed　you　for　your　stupidity　rather　than　praising　this　folly　of　the　fords。〃
　〃Good　men　died　to　defend　those　fords；　Uncle。〃　Edmure　sounded　outraged。　〃What；　is　no　one　to　win　victories　but　the　Young　Wolf？　Did　I　steal　some　glory　meant　for　you；　Robb？〃
　〃Your　Grace；〃　Robb　corrected；　icy。　〃You　took　me　for　your　king；　Uncle。　or　have　you　forgotten　that　as　well？〃
　The　Blackfish　said；　〃You　were　manded　to　hold　Riverrun；　Edmure；　no　more。〃
　〃I　held　Riverrun；　and　I　bloodied　Lord　Tywin's　nose　。　。　。〃
　〃So　you　did；〃　said　Robb。　〃But　a　bloody　nose　won't　win　the　war；　will　it？　Did　you　ever　think　to　ask　yourself　why　we　remained　in　the　west　so　long　after　Oxcross？　You　knew　I　did　not　have　enough　men　to　threaten　Lannisport　or　Casterly　Rock。〃
　〃Why　。　。　。　there　were　other　castles　。　。　。　gold；　cattle　。　。　。〃
　〃You　think　we　stayed　for　plunder？〃　Robb　was　incredulous。　〃Uncle；　I　wanted　Lord　Tywin　to　e　west。〃
　〃We　were　all　horsed；〃　Ser　Brynden　said。　〃The　Lannister　host　was　mainly　foot。　We　planned　to　run　Lord　Tywin　a　merry　chase　up　and　down　the　coast；　then　slip　behind　him　to　t