grrm.astormofswords-第137节

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en　with　food；　fodder；　camp　supplies；　wedding　gifts；　and　the　wounded　too　weak　to　walk；　under　the　watchful　eye　of　Ser　Wendel　Manderly　and　his　White　Harbor　knights。　Herds　of　sheep　and　goats　and　scrawny　cattle　trailed　behind；　and　then　a　little　tail　of　footsore　camp　followers。　Even　farther　back　was　Robin　Flint　and　the　rearguard。　There　was　no　enemy　in　back　of　them　for　hundreds　of　leagues；　but　Robb　would　take　no　chances。
　Thirty…five　hundred　they　were；　thirty…five　hundred　who　had　been　blooded　in　the　Whispering　Wood；　who　had　reddened　their　swords　at　the　Battle　of　the　Camps；　at　Oxcross；　Ashemark；　and　the　Crag；　and　all　through　the　gold…rich　hills　of　the　Lannister　west。　Aside　from　her　brother　Edmure's　modest　retinue　of　friends；　the　lords　of　the　Trident　had　remained　to　hold　the　riverlands　while　the　king　retook　the　north。　Ahead　awaited　Edmure's　bride　and　Robb's　next　battle　。　。　。　and　for　me；　two　dead　sons；　an　empty　bed；　and　a　castle　full　of　ghosts。　It　was　a　cheerless　prospect。　Brienne；　where　are　you？　Bring　my　girls　back　to　me；　Brienne。　Bring　them　back　safe。
　The　drizzle　that　had　sent　them　off　turned　into　a　soft　steady　rain　by　midday；　and　continued　well　past　nightfall。　The　next　day　the　northmen　never　saw　the　sun　at　all；　but　rode　beneath　leaden　skies　with　their　hoods　pulled　up　to　keep　the　water　from　their　eyes。　It　was　a　heavy　rain；　turning　roads　to　mud　and　fields　to　quagmires；　swelling　the　rivers　and　stripping　the　trees　of　their　leaves。　The　constant　patter　made　idle　chatter　more　bother　than　it　was　worth；　so　men　spoke　only　when　they　had　something　to　say；　and　that　was　seldom　enough。
　〃We　are　stronger　than　we　seem；　my　lady；〃　Lady　Maege　Mormont　said　as　they　rode。　Catelyn　had　grown　fond　of　Lady　Maege　and　her　eldest　daughter；　Dacey；　they　were　more　understanding　than　most　in　the　matter　of　Jaime　Lannister；　she　had　found。　The　daughter　was　tall　and　lean；　the　mother　short　and　stout；　but　they　dressed　alike　in　mail　and　leather；　with　the　black　bear　of　House　Mormont　on　shield　and　surcoat。　By　Catelyn's　lights；　that　was　queer　garb　for　a　lady；　yet　Dacey　and　Lady　Maege　seemed　more　fortable；　both　as　warriors　and　as　women；　than　ever　the　girl　from　Tarth　had　been。
　〃I　have　fought　beside　the　Young　Wolf　in　every　battle；〃　Dacey　Mormont　said　cheerfully。　〃He　has　not　lost　one　yet。〃
　No；　but　he　has　lost　everything　else；　Catelyn　thought；　but　it　would　not　do　to　say　it　aloud。　The　northmen　did　not　lack　for　courage；　but　they　were　far　from　home；　with　little　enough　to　sustain　them　but　for　their　faith　in　their　young　king。　That　faith　must　be　protected；　at　all　costs。　I　must　be　stronger；　she　told　herself。　I　must　be　strong　for　Robb。　If　I　despair；　my　grief　will　consume　me。　Everything　would　turn　on　this　marriage。　If　Edmure　and　Roslin　were　happy　in　one　another；　if　the　Late　Lord　Frey　could　be　appeased　and　his　power　once　more　wedded　to　Robb's　。　。　。　Even　then；　what　chance　will　we　have；　caught　between　Lannister　and　Greyjoy？　It　was　a　question　Catelyn　dared　not　dwell　on；　though　Robb　dwelt　on　little　else。　She　saw　how　he　studied　his　maps　whenever　they　made　camp；　searching　for　some　plan　that　might　win　back　the　north。
　Her　brother　Edmure　had　other　cares。　〃You　don't　suppose　all　Lord　Walder's　daughters　look　like　him；　do　you？〃　he　wondered；　as　he　sat　in　his　tall　striped　pavilion　with　Catelyn　and　his　friends。
　〃With　so　many　different　mothers；　a　few　of　the　maids　are　bound　to　turn　up　ely；〃　said　Ser　Marq　Piper；　〃but　why　should　the　old　wretch　give　you　a　pretty　one？〃
　〃No　reason　at　all；〃　said　Edmure　in　a　glum　tone。
　It　was　more　than　Catelyn　could　stand。　〃Cersei　Larmister　is　ely；〃　she　said　sharply。　〃You'd　be　wiser　to　pray　that　Roslin　is　strong　and　healthy；　with　a　good　head　and　a　loyal　heart。〃　And　with　that　she　left　them。
　Edmure　did　not　take　that　well。　The　next　day　he　avoided　her　entirely　on　the　march；　preferring　the　pany　of　Marq　Piper；　Lymond　Goodbrook；　Patrek　Mallister；　and　the　young　Vances。　They　do　not　scold　him；　except　in　jest；　Catelyn　told　herself　when　they　raced　by　her　that　afternoon　with　nary　a　word。　I　have　always　been　too　hard　with　Edmure；　and　now　grief　sharpens　my　every　word。　She　regretted　her　rebuke。　There　was　rain　enough　falling　from　the　sky　without　her　making　more。　And　was　it　really　such　a　terrible　thing；　to　want　a　pretty　wife？　She　remembered　her　own　childish　disappointment；　the　first　time　she　had　laid　eyes　on　Eddard　Stark。　She　had　pictured　him　as　a　younger　version　of　his　brother　Brandon；　but　that　was　wrong。　Ned　was　shorter　and　plainer　of　face；　and　so　somber。　He　spoke　courteously　enough；　but　beneath　the　words　she　sensed　a　coolness　that　was　all　at　odds　with　Brandon；　whose　mirths　had　been　as　wild　as　his　rages。　Even　when　he　took　her　maidenhood；　their　love　had　more　of　duty　to　it　than　of　passion。　We　made　Robb　that　night；　though；　we　made　a　king　together。　And　after　the　war；　at　Winterfell；　I　had　love　enough　for　any　woman；　once　I　found　the　good　sweet　heart　beneath　Ned's　solemn　face。　There　is　no　reason　Edmure　should　not　find　the　same；　with　his　Roslin。
　As　the　gods　would　have　it；　their　route　took　them　through　the　Whispering　Wood　where　Robb　had　won　his　first　great　victory。　They　followed　the　course　of　the　twisting　stream　on　the　floor　of　that　pinched　narrow　valley；　much　as　Jaime　Lannister's　men　had　done　that　fateful　night。　It　was　warmer　then；　Catelyn　remembered；　the　trees　were　still　green；　and　the　stream　did　not　overflow　its　banks。　Fallen　leaves　choked　the　flow　now　and　lay　in　sodden　snarls　among　the　rocks　and　roots；　and　the　trees　that　had　once　hidden　Robb's　army　had　exchanged　their　green　raiment　for　leaves　of　dull　gold　spotted　with　brown；　and　a　red　that　reminded　her　of　rust　and　dry　blood。　Only　the　spruce　and　the　soldier　pines　still　showed　green；　thrusting　up　at　the　belly　of　the　clouds　like　tall　dark　spears。
　More　than　the　trees　have　died　since　then；　she　reflected。　on　the　night　of　the　Whispering　Wood；　Ned　was　still　alive　in　his　cell　beneath　Aegon's　High　Hill；　Bran　and　Rickon　were　safe　behind　the　walls　of　Winterfell。　And　Theon　Greyjoy　fought　at　Robb's　side；　and　boasted　of　how　he　had　almost　crossed　swords　with　the　Kingslayer。　Would　that　he　had。　lf　Theon　had　died　in　place　of　Lord　Karstark's　sons；　how　much　ill　would　have　been　undone？
　As　they　passed　through　the　battleground；　Catelyn　glimpsed　signs　of　the　carnage　that　had　been；　an　overturned　helm　filling　with　rain；　a　splintered　lance；　the　bones　of　a　horse。　Stone　cairns　had　been　raised　over　some　of　the　men　who　had　fallen　here；　but　scavengers　had　already　been　at　them。　Amidst　the　tumbles　of　rock；　she　spied　brightly　colored　cloth　and　bits　of　shiny　metal。　Once　she　saw　a　face　peering　out　at　her；　the　shape　of　the　skull　beginning　to　emerge　from　beneath　the　melting　brown　flesh。
　It　made　her　wonder　where　Ned　had　e　to　rest。　The　silent　sisters　had　taken　his　bones　north；　escorted　by　Hallis　Mollen　and　a　small　honor　guard。　Had　Ned　ever　reached　Winterfell；　to　be　interred　beside　his　brother　Brandon　in　the　dark　crypts　beneath　the　castle？　Or　did　the　door　slam　shut　at　Moat　Cailin　before　Hal　and　the　sisters　could　pass？
　Thirty…five　hundred　riders　wound　their　way　along　the　valley　floor　through　the　heart　of　the　Whispering　Wood；　but　Catelyn　Stark　had　seldom　felt　lonelier。　Every　league　she　crossed　took　her　farther　from　Riverrun；　and　she　found　herself　wondering　whether　she　would　ever　see　the　castle　again。　Or　was　it　lost　to　her　forever；　like　so　much　else？
　Five　days　later；　their　scouts　rode　back　to　warn　them　that　the　rising　waters　had　washed　out　the　wooden　bridge　at　Fairmarket。　Galbart　Glover　and　two　of　his　bolder　men　had　tried　swimming　their　mounts　across　the　turbulent　Blue　Fork　at　Ramsford。　Two　of　the　horses　had　been　swept　under　and　drowned；　and　one　of　the　riders；　Glover　himself　managed　to　cling　to　a　rock　until　they　could　pull　him　in。　〃The　river　hasn't　run　this　high　since　spring〃　Edmure　said。　〃And　if　this　rain　keeps　falling；　it　will　go　higher　yet。〃
　〃There's　a　bridge　further　upstream；　near　Oldstones；〃　remembered　Catelyn；　who　had　often　crossed　these　lands　with　her　father。　〃It's　older　and　smaller；　but　if　it　still　stands…〃
　〃It's　gone；　my　lady；〃　Galbart　Glover　said。　〃Washed　away　even　before　the　one　at　Fairmarket。〃
　Robb　looked　to　Catelyn。　〃Is　there　another　bridge？〃
　〃No。　And　the　fords　will　be　impassable。〃　She　tried　to　remember。　〃If　we　cannot　cross　the　Blue　Fork；　we'll　have　to　go　around　it；　through　Sevenstreams　and　Hag's　Mire。〃
　〃Bogs　and　bad　roads；　or　none　at　all；〃　warned　Edmure。　〃The　going　will　be　slow；　but　we'll　get　there；　I　suppose。〃
　〃Lord　Walder　will　wait；　I'm　sure；〃　said　Robb。　〃Lothar　sent　him　a　bird　from　Riverrun；　he　knows　we　are　ing。〃
　〃Yes；　but　the　man　is　prickly；　and　suspicious　by　nature；〃　said　Catelyn。　〃He　may　take　this　delay　as　a　deliberate　insult。〃
　〃Very　well；　I'll　beg　his　pardon　for　our　tardiness　as　well。　A　sorry　king　I'll　be；　apologizing　with　every　second　breath。〃　Robb　made　a　wry　face。　〃I　hope　Bolton　got　across　the　Trident　before　the　rains　began。　The　kingsroad　runs　straight　north；　he'll　have　an　easy　march。　Even　afoot；　he　should　reach　the　Twins　before　us。〃
　〃And　when　you've　joined　his　men　to　yours　and　seen　my　brother　married；　what　then？〃　Catelyn　asked　him。
　〃North。〃　Robb　scratched　Grey　Wind　behind　an　ear。
　〃By　the　causeway？　Against　Moat　Cailin？〃
　He　gave　her　an　enigmatic　smile。　〃That's　one　way　to　go；〃　he　said；　and　she　knew　from　his　to