grrm.astormofswords-第84章

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he　never　hurt　no　one；　not　even　Theon。　She　just　told　stories。　Theon　wouldn't　hurt　someone　like　that。　Would　he？〃
　〃Some　people　hurt　others　just　because　they　can；〃　said　Jojen。
　〃And　it　wasn't　Theon　who　did　the　killing　at　Winterfell；〃　said　Meera。　〃Too　many　of　the　dead　were　ironmen。〃　She　shifted　her　frog　spear　to　her　other　hand。　〃Remember　Old　Nan's　stories；　Bran。　Remember　the　way　she　told　them；　the　sound　of　her　voice。　So　long　as　you　do　that；　part　of　her　will　always　be　alive　in　you。〃
　〃I'll　remember；〃　he　promised。　They　climbed　without　speaking　for　a　long　time；　following　a　crooked　game　trail　over　the　high　saddle　between　two　stony　peaks。　Scrawny　soldier　pines　clung　to　the　slopes　around　them。　Far　ahead　Bran　could　see　the　icy　glitter　of　a　stream　where　it　tumbled　down　a　mountainside。　He　found　himself　listening　to　Jojen's　breathing　and　the　crunch　of　pine　needles　under　Hodor's　feet。　〃Do　you　know　any　stories？〃　he　asked　the　Reeds　all　of　a　sudden。
　Meera　laughed。　〃Oh；　a　few。〃
　〃A　few；〃　her　brother　admitted。
　〃Hodor；〃　said　Hodor；　humming。
　〃You　could　tell　one；〃　said　Bran。　〃While　we　walked。　Hodor　likes　stories　about　knights。　I　do；　too。〃
　〃There　are　no　knights　in　the　Neck；〃　said　Jojen。
　〃Above　the　water；〃　his　sister　corrected。　〃The　bogs　are　full　of　dead　ones；　though。〃
　〃That's　true；〃　said　Jojen。　〃Andals　and　ironmen；　Freys　and　other　fools；　all　those　proud　warriors　who　set　out　to　conquer　Greywater。　Not　one　of　them　could　find　it。　They　ride　into　the　Neck；　but　not　back　out。　And　sooner　or　later　they　blunder　into　the　bogs　and　sink　beneath　the　weight　of　all　that　steel　and　drown　there　in　their　armor。〃
　The　thought　of　drowned　knights　under　the　water　gave　Bran　the　shivers。　He　didn't　object；　though；　he　liked　the　shivers。
　〃There　was　one　knight；〃　said　Meera；　〃in　the　year　of　the　false　spring。　The　Knight　of　the　Laughing　Tree；　they　called　him。　He　might　have　been　a　crannogman；　that　one。〃
　〃Or　not。〃　Jojen's　face　was　dappled　with　green　shadows。　〃Prince　Bran　has　heard　that　tale　a　hundred　times；　I'm　sure。〃
　〃No；〃　said　Bran。　〃I　haven't。　And　if　I　have　it　doesn't　matter。　Sometimes　Old　Nan　would　tell　the　same　story　she'd　told　before；　but　we　never　minded；　if　it　was　a　good　story。　Old　stories　are　like　old　friends；　she　used　to　say。　You　have　to　visit　them　from　time　to　time。〃
　〃That's　true。〃　Meera　walked　with　her　shield　on　her　back；　pushing　an　occasional　branch　out　of　the　way　with　her　frog　spear。　just　when　Bran　began　to　think　that　she　wasn't　going　to　tell　the　story　after　all；　she　began；　〃Once　there　was　a　curious　lad　who　lived　in　the　Neck。　He　was　small　like　all　crannogmen；　but　brave　and　smart　and　strong　as　well。　He　grew　up　hunting　and　fishing　and　climbing　trees；　and　learned　all　the　magics　of　my　people。〃
　Bran　was　almost　certain　he　had　never　heard　this　story。　〃Did　he　have　green　dreams　like　Jojen？〃
　〃No；〃　said　Meera；　〃but　he　could　breathe　mud　and　run　on　leaves；　and　change　earth　to　water　and　water　to　earth　with　no　more　than　a　whispered　word。　He　could　talk　to　trees　and　weave　words　and　make　castles　appear　and　disappear。〃
　〃I　wish　I　could；〃　Bran　said　plaintively。　〃When　does　he　meet　the　tree　knight？〃
　Meera　made　a　face　at　him。　〃Sooner　if　a　certain　prince　would　be　quiet。〃
　〃I　was　just　asking。〃
　〃The　lad　knew　the　magics　of　the　crannogs；〃　she　continued；　〃but　he　wanted　more。　Our　people　seldom　travel　far　from　home；　you　know。　We're　a　small　folk；　and　our　ways　seem　queer　to　some；　so　the　big　people　do　not　always　treat　us　kindly。　But　this　lad　was　bolder　than　most；　and　one　day　when　he　had　grown　to　manhood　he　decided　he　would　leave　the　crannogs　and　visit　the　Isle　of　Faces。〃
　〃No　one　visits　the　Isle　of　Faces；〃　objected　Bran。　〃That's　where　the　green　men　live。〃
　〃It　was　the　green　men　he　meant　to　find。　So　he　donned　a　shirt　sewn　with　bronze　scales；　like　mine；　took　up　a　leathern　shield　and　a　threepronged　spear；　like　mine；　and　paddled　a　little　skin　boat　down　the　Green　Fork。〃
　Bran　closed　his　eyes　to　try　and　see　the　man　in　his　little　skin　boat。　In　his　head；　the　crannogman　looked　like　Jojen；　only　older　and　stronger　and　dressed　like　Meera。
　〃He　passed　beneath　the　Twins　by　night　so　the　Freys　would　not　attack　him；　and　when　he　reached　the　Trident　he　climbed　from　the　river　and　put　his　boat　on　his　head　and　began　to　walk。　It　took　him　many　a　day；　but　finally　he　reached　the　Gods　Eye；　threw　his　boat　in　the　lake；　and　paddled　out　to　the　isle　of　Faces。〃
　〃Did　he　meet　the　green　men？〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Meera；　〃but　that's　another　story；　and　not　for　me　to　tell。　My　prince　asked　for　knights。〃
　〃Green　men　are　good　too。〃
　〃They　are；〃　she　agreed；　but　said　no　more　about　them。　〃All　that　winter　the　crannogman　stayed　on　the　isle；　but　when　the　spring　broke　he　heard　the　wide　world　calling　and　knew　the　time　had　e　to　leave。　His　skin　boat　was　just　where　he'd　left　it；　so　he　said　his　farewells　and　paddled　off　toward　shore。　He　rowed　and　rowed；　and　finally　saw　the　distant　towers　of　a　castle　rising　beside　the　lake。　The　towers　reached　ever　higher　as　he　neared　shore；　until　he　realized　that　this　must　be　the　greatest　castle　in　all　the　world。〃
　〃Harrenhal！〃　Bran　knew　at　once。　〃It　was　Harrenhal！〃
　Meera　smiled。　〃Was　it？　Beneath　its　walls　he　saw　tents　of　many　colors；　bright　banners　cracking　in　the　wind；　and　knights　in　mail　and　plate　on　barded　horses。　He　smelled　roasting　meats；　and　heard　the　sound　of　laughter　and　the　blare　of　heralds'　trumpets。　A　great　tourney　was　about　to　mence；　and　champions　from　all　over　the　land　had　e　to　contest　it。　The　king　himself　was　there；　with　his　son　the　dragon　prince。　The　White　Swords　had　e；　to　wele　a　new　brother　to　their　ranks。　The　storm　lord　was　on　hand；　and　the　rose　lord　as　well。　The　great　lion　of　the　rock　had　quarreled　with　the　king　and　stayed　away；　but　many　of　his　bannermen　and　knights　attended　all　the　same。　The　crannogman　had　never　seen　such　pageantry；　and　knew　he　might　never　see　the　like　again。　Part　of　him　wanted　nothing　so　much　as　to　be　part　of　it。〃
　Bran　knew　that　feeling　well　enough。　When　he'd　been　little；　all　he　had　ever　dreamed　of　was　being　a　knight。　But　that　had　been　before　he　fell　and　lost　his　legs。
　〃The　daughter　of　the　great　castle　reigned　as　queen　of　love　and　beauty　when　the　tourney　opened。　Five　champions　had　sworn　to　defend　her　crown；　her　four　brothers　of　Harrenhal；　and　her　famous　uncle；　a　white　knight　of　the　Kingsguard。〃
　〃Was　she　a　fair　maid？〃
　〃She　was；〃　said　Meera；　hopping　over　a　stone；　〃but　there　were　others　fairer　still。　One　was　the　wife　of　the　dragon　prince；　who'd　brought　a　dozen　lady　panions　to　attend　her。　The　knights　all　begged　them　for　favors　to　tie　about　their　lances。〃
　〃This　isn't　going　to　be　one　of　those　love　stories；　is　it？〃　Bran　asked　suspiciously。　〃Hodor　doesn't　like　those　so　much。〃
　〃Hodor；〃　said　Hodor　agreeably。
　〃He　likes　the　stories　where　the　knights　fight　monsters。〃
　〃Sometimes　the　knights　are　the　monsters；　Bran。　The　little　crannogman　was　walking　across　the　field；　enjoying　the　warm　spring　day　and　harming　none；　when　he　was　set　upon　by　three　squires。　They　were　none　older　than　fifteen；　yet　even　so　they　were　bigger　than　him；　all　three。　This　was　their　world；　as　they　saw　it；　and　he　had　no　right　to　be　there。　They　snatched　away　his　spear　and　knocked　him　to　the　ground；　cursing　him　for　a　frogeater。〃
　〃Were　they　Walders？〃　It　sounded　like　something　Little　Walder　Frey　might　have　done。
　〃None　offered　a　name；　but　he　marked　their　faces　well　so　he　could　revenge　himself　upon　them　later。　They　shoved　him　down　every　time　he　tried　to　rise；　and　kicked　him　when　he　curled　up　on　the　ground。　But　then　they　heard　a　roar。　'That's　my　father's　man　you're　kicking/　howled　the　she…wolf。〃
　〃A　wolf　on　four　legs；　or　two？〃
　〃Two；〃　said　Meera。　〃The　she…wolf　laid　into　the　squires　with　a　tourney　sword；　scattering　them　all。　The　crannogman　was　bruised　and　bloodied；　so　she　took　him　back　to　her　lair　to　clean　his　cuts　and　bind　them　up　with　linen。　There　he　met　her　pack　brothers：　the　wild　wolf　who　led　them；　the　quiet　wolf　beside　him；　and　the　pup　who　was　youngest　of　the　four。
　〃That　evening　there　was　to　be　a　feast　in　Harrenhal；　to　mark　the　opening　of　the　tourney；　and　the　she…wolf　insisted　that　the　lad　attend。　He　was　of　high　birth；　with　as　much　a　right　to　a　place　on　the　bench　as　any　other　man。　She　was　not　easy　to　refuse；　this　wolf　maid；　so　he　let　the　young　p