Chapter 46 Chapter Forty-Five Caitlin

Robb said goodbye three times to the young queen.The first time was under the heart tree of the Godswood, in front of the gods and courtiers; the second time was in front of the iron gate, and Jenny hugged and kissed for a long time; the last time, an hour after leaving the bank of the Tengshi River , the girl came panting on a steed, and begged Lord Young Wolf to take her along. Robb was emotional, Catelyn could tell, but he was also embarrassed.At this moment, the weather was cloudy and wet, with drizzle, and he reluctantly ordered the whole army to stop so that he could comfort his teary-eyed young wife in the rain.He spoke kindly, Catelyn thought as she watched, irritated.

The king and queen were whispering, while Gray Wind wandered around, shaking the raindrops off his body from time to time, baring his teeth at the sky.When Robb gave Jeyne the last kiss, ordered a dozen guards to escort the queen back to the city, and got on his horse, the direwolf immediately galloped to the front of the team, like an arrow that had been waiting for a long time. "Oh, Queen Jeyne is so sweet," Lothor Frey the Cripple told Catelyn, "and my sister's not bad either. Well, I'll bet Roslin is dancing and singing in the Twins right now: 'Lady Tully , Lady Tully, Lady Roslinn Tully', tomorrow she'll be fantasizing about wearing Riverrun's red and blue striped bridal cloak." He turned his horse's head and said to Edmure, smiling, "" But you, Lord Tully, are silent at the moment. How do you feel?"

"I feel like I'm in Stonemill, and the battle is about to start," Edmure replied half-jokingly. Rosso laughed loudly, "Don't worry, your wedding will be a happy one, my lord." Is it? Gods bless.Catelyn kicked her horse forward, leaving her brother and Lame Lothor behind. It was her idea that Jeyne should stay at Riverrun—Robb would have liked to have the queen by his side.Although the Queen's absence may be understood by Lord Walder as another faux pas, her presence is like adding salt to the old guy's wounds, and it constitutes an insult. "Walder Frey is sharp-tongued and vengeful," she warned her son. "In exchange for his allegiance, I don't doubt you could take the old man's blame, but you are too much like your father to bear him insulting Jeyne." .”

Robb was speechless.But in his heart he's blaming me for everything, Catelyn thought wearily, thinking of Jeyne and complaining that I shouldn't have sent her away—even knowing I was speaking advice. The son had brought back six Westerlings from the Crag, but now only Ser Leonard was with him, Jeyne's brother, and King's Standard Bearer.On the day he received the reply letter from Duke Tywin agreeing to exchange the prisoners, the king sent Jenny's uncle, Sir Rover, to take the young Martin Lannister to Golden Tooth City to perform the formalities.Things were going well, and his son no longer had to worry about Martin's safety, and Galbert Glover was relieved to learn that his brother Robert had boarded the ship north in Duskendale.Ser Rover has done a good job... and Gray Wind can finally return to the king, to his place.

Lady Westerling stayed at Riverrun with her children, without Jeyne, little Elinia, or Robb's squire, Loram, who strongly questioned the arrangement, but it was all Smart move.Robb's former squire was Olifar Frey, who would no doubt be at his sister's wedding, and it would be a disgrace to take Loram away; Ser Leonard, by contrast, was a jovial young cavalier who It has been assured that no matter how insulting Walder Frey may be, he will not overreact.Let's pray insults are all the tests to come. Caitlin had more worries.Her lord father had stopped trusting Walder since the Battle of Three Rivers, and she had always kept that in mind.Queen Jeyne would be safe only behind the strong walls of Riverrun, protected by the Blackfish with all their might.Robben gave Sir Bryndon a new title, "Marshal of the Southern Front", and Catelyn was relieved to have him behind.

But she really missed her uncle's weather-beaten face, and Robb was bound to linger on his sidekick, and Ser Bryndon was behind every battle his son won.Now the scouting force is led by Galbert Glover. Although he is kind, loyal and firm, he does not have the ability of the black fish. Under the cover of Glover's troops, Robb's team stretched for miles.The forward is the Great Jon, and Caitlin and others walk together with the main team, which is a large number of heavily armed cavalry, followed by the baggage team, countless carriages full of food, fodder, supplies, gifts and wounded, led by Wendell Mandler Sir and his Knights of White Harbor to protect.After them followed the herd, including sheep, goats, and scrawny cattle, and a small band of traders and prostitutes.At the rear was Robin Flint. There were no enemies for hundreds of miles, but Robb was still careful.

A total of 3,500 warriors, 3,500 veterans who have experienced previous battles in Whispering Forest, Riverrun City, Oxford, Branded City, and Cliff City, and the elite who plundered the rich mines of the Lannister family in the western region.They were all from the north. Among the princes of the Three Rivers, except for a few people who were close to Edmure who came to accompany them, most of them stayed in the river to watch the king recover the northern border.Ahead, the bride awaits Edmure, the war awaits Robb, and... two deaths, an empty bed, and a castle full of ghosts await.So bleak.Brienne, where the hell are you? Please, bring my daughter back.Bring them back.

At noon, the rain became lingering and continued until dusk.The next day, the northerners did not see the sun, and under the leaden sky, everyone hid in their hoods to avoid the rain.It rained heavily that day, the roads were muddy, the fields were torrential, the rivers were swollen, the leaves were flying, and the continuous sound of horseshoes was disturbing and disturbing.People only said a few words when necessary, and mostly remained silent. "No problem, my lady, we are strong," Lady Meggie Mormont assured her.Catelyn took a liking to Maggie and her eldest daughter, Daisy, because they both understood her better than anyone else when it came to Jaime Lannister.Daisy was slender, her mother short and stocky, and both wore armor and leather, with the black bear of House Mormont engraved on their shields and coats.It seemed strange to Catelyn that the Lady and Lady wore such attire, but the mother and daughter did not mind, for they were women and warriors, like Brienne of Tarth.

"I have stood by the Young Wolf Lord in every battle," said Daisy Mormont happily. "Your Majesty is invincible." No, he never won, Catelyn thought, but dared not say it.Although the northern army is brave and good at fighting, but now they are away from home, and the only sustenance is the belief in the victory of the young king.So no matter what, this belief must be protected and encouraged.I have to be strong, she told herself, for Robb.If I am sad and hopeless, the emotions will be contagious, and everything depends on this wedding going well.If Edmure and Roslin can be happy, if the belated Marquis Frey is appeased and willing to help Robb with all his strength... Even so, how should we deal with the flank attack of Lannister and Greyjoy? ? Catelyn didn't dare to think about it, and neither did Robb himself.Every time he camped, the king studied the map with a frown, as if he wanted to find out a clever way to win back the northern border.

Brother Edmure was worried about something else. "Well, you don't think all Walder Frey's daughters are as ugly as their father?" he asked casually, gathered in the tall striped tent with Catelyn and their friends. "He's got a lot of wives, and he's always got some pretty daughters," laughed Marco Piper, "but why would the old bastard send you a nice one?" "That's right," said the younger brother gloomily. Caitlin couldn't bear it, "Cersei Lannister is still a great beauty!" she said sharply, "I hope Miss Roslin is strong and healthy, with a kind heart and a loyal person." After saying that, she walked away.

Edmure couldn't accept her sister's attitude, so she avoided it completely the next day, staying away from Marco Piper, Lemon Gubac, Patrick Mallister and the young members of the Vance family. together.They didn't scold him, they just joked with him, and in the afternoon Catelyn watched the happy young people running past and thought, I've been too harsh on Edmure since I was a child, and the sadness must have affected the language.She regretted her gaffe.It's raining enough, so why bother with other people's moods? After all, what's wrong with wanting to marry a beautiful wife? She thought of the feeling that came to her when she first saw Eddard Stark. A childish disappointment, who thought he was a younger version of his brother Brandon, but was dead wrong.Not only was Ned shorter than his brother, but his face was also more ordinary, and he was always solemn.Although his conversation was extremely polite, what she felt was indifference underneath the words-this was by no means belonged to Brandon who showed his emotions, laughed and cursed.Even when he took her virginity away, their lovemaking was less about passion than duty.But that night we gave birth to Robb, and we gave birth to the King in the North.After the war, in Winterfell, I felt the love of my husband, and found the lovely and respectable heart under Ned's solemn face.Edmure, I hope you and Roslin are happy too. As if it was intentional, the team passed through the Whispering Forest inadvertently, and it was here that Robb won his first big victory in his life.They followed the stream at the bottom of the narrow stone-slabbed bed where Jaime Lannister's army had been battered that day.It was warm then, Catelyn remembered, and the trees were still green and the streams hadn't surged.Now the autumn leaves were flooded with running water and rocks and roots were strewn everywhere, and the trees that had given cover to Robb's army were stripped of their green coats for garments of gold speckled with brown, and some dark red. Uncomfortably associated with rust and coagulated blood.Only the spruces and soldier pines remained green, rising up into the sky like tall black spears. Everything has changed, she thought.The night of the Great War in the Whispering Wood, Ned was alive in his cell at the foot of Aegon's High, Bran and Rickon were safe behind the walls of Winterfell, and Theon Greyjoy was by Robb's side Fighting, bragging afterward that he almost fought the Kingslayer.How different things would have been if his wish had been granted, if Theon had died instead of Lord Karstark's two sons! As she traveled across the battlefield, Caitlin saw the remains of last year: rain-washed and corroded helmets, broken spears, and the bones of warhorses.Stone cairns are everywhere, marking where people have been buried, but scavengers do not spare the dead.Among the overturned stones here and there, there are bright cloths and gleaming metals.A face stared at her silently, the outline of a skull looming beneath the rotting brown flesh. She thought of Ned, and wondered where her husband lay now.The Silent Sisters returned north with their bones, protected by a small honor guard led by Harris Moran.Did he reach Winterfell? Did he accompany his brother Brandon in the dark vaults beneath the castle? Had Moat Cailin been taken during the journey? Thirty-five hundred horsemen accompanied her across ravines and riverbeds, through the heart of the Whispering Forest, but she had never felt so alone.Every mile she walked was a mile away from Riverrun, and she thought she would never see the castle where she was born.Are the gods going to take it, like everything else, from my life? Five days later, the scouts returned flying, and the rising river broke down the wooden bridge at the Beauty Market.Galbert Glover and two daring soldiers attempted to ride across the brutal Blue Fork at Rams Cross, losing two horses and one man, and Glover himself survived by clinging to a rock . "The river has not had such a high water level since spring," Edmure commented. "Looking at the weather, if the rain continues, it is bound to continue to rise." "There's another bridge upriver, near Blightstone City," said Caitlin, who used to accompany her father across the riverlands. At this moment, the memory came in handy. "That one is old and small, but—" "It's gone, ma'am," said Galbert Glover. "Washed away long before this one in the Fairgrounds." Robb looked at his mother. "Any other bridges?" "No, and looking at the current situation, the ferry must not be able to operate at all," she thought for a while, "We can't cross the Blue Fork River, so we have to go around and pass through Seven Springs and Witch's Swamp." "That's right, if we don't take the quagmire and bad roads, we won't be able to reach our goal right now," Edmure warned. "Well, we can reach the Twin River City at the expense of a little speed." "Well, let Lord Walder wait a little longer," Robb decided. "Rosso sent him a letter when he was at Riverrun. He knows our departure date." "He knows, but this guy is suspicious and sensitive," Caitlyn said, "and he's going to take this delay as a deliberate slight." "Very well, then I'll make a special apology to him for the delay. I'm a wretched king, ready to apologize," said Robb wearily. "I hope Bolton gets through before the Trident swells." He has an easier journey than ours, and even with the infantry, he is likely to arrive before us." "When the two armies meet and attend Edmure's wedding, what's the next step?" "North." Robb scratched Gray Wind's ear. "By the causeway? Storming Moat Cailin?" Guo Wang smiled inscrutably at her, "There is another way," he assured.From the tone of her voice, she knew that he would not say much at the moment.A wise monarch knows how to keep secrets, she reminded herself. Eight days later, the rain continued, and at last they arrived at Wild Rock, where they pitched camp on a hill overlooking the Blue Fork, where the stronghold of the ancient river kings lay.Among the weed piles, where the high walls and deep fortifications stood in the past, the foundations can still be seen today, but most of the stone materials have long been taken away by local residents to build barns, churches and houses.In the center, where the castle courtyard had once been, remained a great carved tomb, concealed among ash trees and waist-deep brown grass. The roof of the tomb, carved in the shape of the king buried within, has been eroded by wind, frost, rain and dew.The king has a beard, and the face is blurred and smooth, except for the mouth, nose, eyes and crown.With his hands folded over his chest, he held a stone warhammer.Runes were carved on the hammer, describing the name and history of the weapon, but centuries have worn them away.The corners of the stone tomb were cracked and cracked, mottled lichens were overgrown, and wild roses spread from the king's feet to his chest. It was at the grave that Caitlin found Robb.The king stood gloomily in the fading twilight, with only Gray Wind for company.The rain finally stopped for a while after several days, so the son didn't wear a helmet. "What's the name of this castle?" He whispered to the approaching mother. "Desolate Stone City, I heard this from the residents nearby when I was a child. There is no doubt that in the past, when it was the place where the kings lived, it had a glorious name." On the way to Haijiang City, she and her father had Rest here, and Petyr— "There's a song," the son remembered, "'Jenny of Wild Rock, there are countless flowers in her hair'." "If we are lucky, we will all be written into songs in the future." In fact, when Caitlin played games as a child, she used to play Jenny, with flowers in her hair, and Petyr played her dragon prince.Back then, I was only twelve years old, and he was a little boy... Robb looked back at the grave. "Which king is this?" "This is Tristephon IV, King of Rivers and Hills," her father told her of his history, "thousands of years before Jenny and her princes came, who ruled from the Trident to the Neck. In a vast area, it was a troubled time. The kingdoms of the ancestors fell into the hands of the ruthless Andals one after another. He led the army to resist and was honored as the "Hammer of Justice" by the people. According to legend, he experienced a hundred He won ninety-nine battles, and his castle is the strongest fortress in all of Westeros," she put her hand on her son's shoulder, "but he died in the hundredth battle, that time, seven The Andal kings joined forces against him. The successor, Tristeven V, was mediocre. The huge kingdom finally disintegrated, the castle fell, and the blood was cut off. for a thousand years." "His heir ruined his career," Robb said, reaching out to stroke the rough weathered stone tomb. "I'd like to have a baby with Jeyne... We've been trying, but I'm not sure..." "Seeds don't always take root the first time," though Ned and I did. "Sometimes maybe a hundred tries and you're not close. You're young." "No, I am young, but I am a king," answered the son, "and a king must have an heir. If, like this Tristephan, I die in the next battle, my kingdom will vanish in a moment. According to the law, At present, when Sansa inherits Winterfell and the Northland," he tightened his lips, "she is bound to be subject to her husband, Tyrion Lannister. This situation is absolutely unacceptable to me, absolutely unacceptable, I will not let a gnome touch a hair of the North." "Naturally," Caitlyn agreed, "you'll have to name another heir before Jeyne can bear you." She considered for a moment, "Your grandfather had no siblings, but your great-grandfather had a sister who married The youngest son of the Earl of Roma Royce, he was integrated into the Royce family. They had three daughters, all married to the princes of the valley. The eldest daughter married to the Waywood family, and the second daughter married to the Corbray family. The young girl... seems to be marrying into the Tempertons, it seems..." "Mother," Robb said sharply, "don't you forget my father had four sons." Of course she didn't forget, she just didn't want to think about it, but her son forced her to face it. "He is Snow, not Stark." "Jon is certainly more qualified to be my heir than some Vale lord who has never seen Winterfell." "He is a brother of the Night's Watch. He has sworn no wives and no fiefdoms. He will serve the kingdom all his life." "That's a restriction on paper, isn't that what the Kingsguard also stipulates? But you see, once it is of no use, the Lannisters can deprive Ser Barristan Selmy and Ser Boros Brawne of their white rights." Robe. I'll wager that if I send a hundred men in Jon's place, they'll find a way to break his oath." He made up his mind.Caitlin is well aware of her son's stubbornness, "illegitimate children have no inheritance rights." "It's very simple, a royal pardon can solve it," Robb said. "Compared to expelling the Kingsguard, this has a precedent to follow." "Precedent," she said bitterly, "yes, there is precedent. Aegon IV legalized all his illegitimate children before he died, and the result? How much pain, sorrow, war and murder has arisen from it ?You trust Jon, I understand, but can you trust his son? Can you trust his son's son? Bastards plagued the Targaryen monarchs for five generations. Until a black fire is extinguished. Have you considered it? Once Jon is established as orthodox, it is no longer possible to use his status as an illegitimate child. This road cannot be reversed! When he gets married and has a child, the one you and Jane will have The child will never have peace." "Jon would never hurt my children." "Just as Theon Greyjoy would never hurt Bran and Rickon?" Gray Wind jumped onto King Tristephon's tomb, baring his teeth, while Robb looked stern. "Your words are cruel and unfair. Jon and Theon are not the same thing at all." * "This is just wishful thinking on your part. Besides, have you considered your sisters? What about their rights? I agree unconditionally that the North cannot be handed over to the little devil, but what about Arya? According to the law , her line of succession is behind Sansa...she is your own sister, with pure blood..." "...but she's dead! Why do you lie to yourself when no one has seen her or heard a word about her since her father died? Arya is dead! And Bran and Rickon Same, and when Sansa gives birth to the little devil's child, they will kill her too. Jon is my only remaining sibling, in case I have any misfortune, I hope he becomes the king in the north, and I hope you support my choice." "I can't support you," said the mother. "I'll support anything else, Robb, anything but this . "I don't have to force you. I'm the king and I'm the king." Robb turned and walked away without looking back.Gray Wind jumped down from the top of the tomb and followed step by step. What have I done? Catelyn thought wearily as she stood alone before Tristiphon's tomb after the king was gone.In the past few days, I first offended Edmure, and then annoyed Robb, but isn't what I said all the truth? Gods, are these big men so weak that they can't hear the truth? She She should have cried, but the sky was already crying for her, so she went back to the tent to shelter from the rain, and sat silently in the dark. The next day, Robb was very busy. He was everywhere: sometimes leading the forward with the Greatjon, sometimes going out to scout with Gray Wind, and sometimes returning to check on Robin Flint's rear.Every day during the march, Lord Young Wolf was the first to wake up and the last to fall asleep in the whole army, and everyone was very proud of that.Kaitlyn wondered if her son hadn't slept at all.He became as emaciated and hungry as his direwolf. "Ma'am," Lady Meggie Mormont called to her one morning, amidst the persistent rain, "you look ill. Do you not feel well?" My husband and my lord father are dead, two sons were murdered, one daughter fell into the hands of a dishonest dwarf, and was about to give birth to a sinful heir for him, the other daughter disappeared completely, and I The only remaining son and younger brother were angry with me again.Countess Maggie would not understand these words. "This is an evil rain," she commented instead. "We have endured a lot in the past, and there are more dangers and more sorrows ahead. We should have marched bravely with horns sounding and flags fluttering, so that The morale is lifted, but the rain is depressing everyone. The flag is soaked and drooping, the people are wrapped in capes, and there is little speech. This evil rain is poured into everyone's soul when we need it most. " Daisy Mormont looked up at the sky. "Fortunately, it was rain, not arrows." Caitlin couldn't help smiling, "I know, you're braver than me. Do all you Bear Island women fight wars?" "That's right, we're female bears," Countess Meggie said, "It's because of the environment. In ancient times, the ironmen often came to raid with longships, and the wildlings also came from the frozen coast to harass them. The men had to go out to fish, To maintain life on the island, the wife who stays at home has to protect herself and her children, or they will be taken away." "There is a carving on my hall door," said Daisy, "of a bearskin woman with a suckling baby in one hand and a tomahawk in the other. She is not pretty, but I like it very much." "My nephew Jorah brought home a beauty," said Lady Meggie, "the lady he won at the tourney. She hated the carving." "Yeah, she doesn't like anything," said Daisy. "Her name is Linice, her hair is like gold, her skin is like cheese, and her soft hands are not meant for weapons." "She wouldn't nurse with her nipples either," said Daisy's mother frankly. Catelyn knew who they were referring to. Jorah Mormont had brought his second wife to a feast at Winterfell for two weeks.She remembered Mrs. Linnesse's youthful beauty, and her suppressed unhappiness.One night, drunk, she had admitted to Catelyn herself that the North was no place for the noble Hightowers of Oldtown. "Once upon a time there was a woman from Riverrun's Tully family who thought so," Catelyn replied softly, trying to comfort him, "but then she found true love here." But they were all gone, she thought, Winterfell and Ned, Bran and Rickon, Sansa, Arya, all gone, only Robb stayed.Am I really more like Lyness Hightower than a Stark? Maybe I can protect them better if I know how to wield a tomahawk. Day after day, the heavy rain never stopped, and people moved forward with difficulty.At Seven Springs, the headwaters of the Blue Fork, were countless streams and ditches, and Witch's Marsh's myriad pools of green, glowing pools waited to devour the unwary traveler, and horses' hooves sank into the ooze like hungry babies at their nipples.In addition to slowing down, the northerners also paid a greater price. Half of the carriage had to be abandoned in the swamp, and the supplies on it were shared by mules and pack horses. It was here that Lord Jason Mallister overtook them.There was only an hour before sundown when Robb called a halt to the march, and Ser Leonard Westerling escorted Catelyn to a council in the king's tent.She saw her son sitting by the brazier with the map on his knees and Gray Wind dozing at his feet.Greatjon, Galbert Glover, Maggie Mormont, Edmure, and a man Catelyn didn't know were also in the tent.The man was plump and bald, with a flattering air.He wasn't a nobleman, she knew just by looking at a stranger, and he wasn't a warrior. Jason Mallister stood up to give Catelyn his seat. The Earl of Seagarden had almost as much brown hair as he had gray hair, but he was as imposing as ever: tall and thin, with a clean-cut, clean-cut face and high cheekbones. , blue-gray eyes, with a sharp expression. "Mrs. Stark, it is a pleasure to meet you. I have good news." "Really? My lord, we need this just now." She sat and listened to the raindrops beating the canvas above her head. Robb waited for Sir Leonard to close the tent before he spoke: "My lords, the gods have answered our prayers. Master Jason brought the captain of the Miraham, a merchant from Old Town. Mr. Captain , please inform everyone of your news." "Yes, Your Majesty," the other party licked his thick lips nervously. "Before I arrived in Sea Front City, I stopped at King's Harbor on Pike Island. In fact, due to King Balon's ban, my ship was seized by the Ironmen For half a year. It was only later, only... briefly, that the ban was lifted because of his death." "Balon Greyjoy is dead?" Catelyn was startled. "Are you sure he is?" The short and obscene captain nodded, "Did you know that Pike City was built on a promontory, and the huge rocks and deserted islands cut by the waves are connected to each other by bridges? According to what I heard in King's Harbor, when King Balon One day when he was crossing one of the bridges, a strong wind from the west, accompanied by heavy rain and thunder, blew him off the bridge. Eye." Greatjon laughed, "It must be for the King Crab, only they deserve royal jelly, don't they, haha?" The captain nodded hurriedly. "Of course, of course. But I haven't finished my message yet, there is another piece of information!" He leaned forward. "His brother is back." "Victarion?" Galbert Glover was slightly surprised. "No, Euron, the Crow's Eye, he is the most vicious pirate in all the world. He did not return to the Iron Islands for many years, but King Balon's body was still cold, and his Serenity was in King's Harbor. The red one The hull, the black sails, and all the crew members are dumb. I heard that he returned after visiting Asshai... In short, no matter where he went, he did come back, and he went straight to Pike City as soon as he got off the ship, and he sat on the sea stone by himself. Mr. Botley, who raised objections, was drowned in a bucket of sea water. I saw this situation, and immediately took advantage of the chaos to raise the Miraham to sea to avoid trouble. I will report to Your Majesty immediately after landing .” "Mr. Captain," Robb said after the other party finished speaking, "I am very grateful for your service, and I will definitely reward you heavily. After the meeting is over, I will ask Master Jason to take you back to the ship. Please wait outside for a while. " "Yes, Your Majesty, yes." As soon as his front feet were off, the Greatjon threw himself back and forth laughing, but the king held him back with a look. "If what Theon said was true, it would be an unpopular thing for this Euron Greyjoy to become king... Now the situation is that if Theon is alive, he is the heir... On the other hand, Vivian Ctarion commands the Iron Fleet. I do not believe he will sit in Moat Cailin while his brother Euron the Crow's Eye takes the Seastone. He will surely return." "Balon has a daughter," Galbert Glover reminded the king, "who holds Deepwood Motte, and holds Robert's wife and children hostage." "Staying in Deepwood Motte, she can't do anything," Robb analyzed. "If she also has the ambitions of her uncles, she will return to overthrow Euron and assert her rights." The king turned to Lord Jason Mallister . "Does Haijiang City have a fleet?" "Fleet, Your Majesty? No, I can't tell. I only have six or seven longships and two warships. It is enough to resist the raids of ordinary pirates, but it cannot confront the Iron Island fleet." "You'd be wrong. In my opinion, the Ironborn are about to return to Pyke and start a struggle for power. Their temperament Theon once told me, 'Every captain is the king of his own ship'. The enemy must be There will be intrigues and quarrels. My lord, I only want you to give me two longboats to circle Eagle Point and cross the Neck to find Graywater Lookout." Master Jason hesitated, "There are more than a dozen waterways in the swamp, but all of them are shallow, silted and dangerous. They don't deserve to be called rivers at all, they are just channels that change repeatedly. There are reefs and traps everywhere. And the tangled and decayed trees. Huishuiwang itself is also moving, how can I find it?" "Just go upriver, hoist my flag on the boat, and believe that the people of the Marsh will come out to meet us. Send two boats, and our hopes will be doubled. I have decided that Countess Meggie will command one of them, my lord. Command the other ship, and be responsible for conveying my message to Howland Reed." He turned to the two lords who were named, "I will send you a letter, which says my respect to the adults who stay in the north. But these instructions are all lies, in case you are arrested by the ironmen at sea-if you are so unfortunate, you can claim that you are returning to the north to send orders. Ma'am, you are going back to Bear Island, and you, Garb I want to go back to the Stony Coast." He stretched out a finger and tapped the map, "The key to success or failure lies in Moat Cailin, we know this, and King Balon also understands, otherwise he would not have sent the Iron Islands The main force was handed over to my younger brother Victarion, and he was ordered to guard here." "This Victarion may fight over the inheritance, but he will never be so foolish as to give up Moat Cailin," said Countess Meggie. "Of course not," Robb admitted, "but I'll bet he's going to take a good number of his best men away, and every man he loses gives us hope. Besides, even if the troops don't go, he'll They will also take away a large number of generals and captains. They are the backbone of the Iron Islands, and only with their support can we obtain the position of Seastone." "Your Majesty, you must never attack from the causeway," Gelbert Glover advised. "The passage is so narrow that the army cannot be deployed. For thousands of years, no one has been able to capture Moat Cailin." "That's true from south to north," said the king, "but if I strike from south, north, and west at the same time, it will be different. First attack from the causeway to attract the ironmen's attention, and then suddenly Attacking the rear will surely succeed in one fell swoop! By the time I join forces with Lord Bolton and the Frey family, we will have at least twelve thousand soldiers in our hands. Let's walk the causeway first, and then divide into three groups after half a day. If The Greyjoys have spies in the Neck, and their word will be that we are racing full speed toward Moat Cailin." "The rear guard will be commanded by Roose Bolton, and the center army will be led by me. As for the forward attacking Cailin Bay, Greatjon, this task must be yours. You beat me hard, so that the Ironborn will not expect it." Our army may suddenly appear from the north before that." Greatjon grinned, "Hey, you sneaky guys better hurry up, or the castle is ours before you show up! Your Majesty, don't worry, take your time, I will present it to you as a gift. " "I am disrespectful of this great gift." Robb smiled. Edmure on the side frowned, "Your Majesty, you said just now that you wanted to hide and kill the Ironborn from behind, but how did you detour to the north?" "Uncle, there are some roads in the depths of the Neck that are not written on the map, and only people in the swamp know-paths in the swamp, boats through the reeds, my father told me before." He turned to the two messengers, "you My task is to find Howland Reed, and ask him to send a guide to meet me on the third day after our army stepped on the causeway, remember, let them come straight to the center, to the place where my king's banner is flying. Three支部队中的两支负责强打卡林湾——波顿大人的部队在安柏大人进攻之后行动，尽可能从西面发起佯攻。我自己的中军深入泽地埋伏，直到战斗陷入白热化时方才出击。舅舅成婚后，我们迅速离开孪河城，争取在今年结束之前赶到攻击阵位。新世纪的第一天，咱们三面夹击卡林湾，拼出一番新局面!趁铁民们痛饮新年之际，打他们个落花流水，措手不及!” “我赞同这个计划，”大琼恩宣布，“很喜欢!” 盖伯特·葛洛佛擦擦嘴巴，“可……我们得担风险，假如泽地人方面出了岔子……” “那和以前相比，也没任何损失。再说了，我相信他们不会令我失望，霍兰·黎德是我父亲的好友。”罗柏卷起地图，这才第一次抬眼望向凯特琳，“母亲。” 她心中一凛，“这计划需要我的协助么?” “我只要你安安全全。穿越颈泽的行军势必危机四伏，即便过得了卡林湾这关，要想赢回北境，也还有无数战斗等着我们。我刚才已询问过梅利斯特大人，他慷慨地答应在战争结束前替我保护你的安全。你将在海疆城过得舒适，这是我的希望。” 这就是我反对琼恩·雪诺的惩罚?这就是我身为女人，甚或身为母亲的惩罚?她头晕目眩了一会儿，才意识到在场众人都望着她。他们都讨厌我，她心想，有什么可惊讶?我放走弑君者，得罪了所有人，再说，我不是亲耳听大琼恩说过几次女人不该插手军事吗? 她的恼怒一定清楚地写在脸上，好在盖伯特·葛洛佛最后替她解了围，“夫人，陛下的建议非常明智，您实在不该和我们一起出征。” “海疆城因您的到来而蓬荜生辉，凯特琳夫人。”杰森·梅利斯特大人道。 “你要我做你的囚犯。”她说。 “哪里的话，您是我的贵宾。”杰森大人解释。 凯特琳转向儿子。“没有冒犯杰森大人的意思，”她僵硬地宣布，“但假如你非要我走，我宁愿回奔流城。” “我把王后留在了奔流城，不能把母亲也送去那里，如果将所有财富装进一个钱包，只可能吸引盗贼。婚礼结束后，你立刻前往海疆城，这是国王的命令，”罗柏站起来——她的命运便这样迅速地决定了——取出一张羊皮纸，“大人们，我还有最后一件事。你们都看见了，巴隆大王死后留下多大的混乱，我不能重蹈他的覆辙。如今我没有儿子，弟弟布兰和瑞肯不幸归天，妹妹则嫁到兰尼斯他家。对于继承人的事，我反复思量，考虑了很久，才写下这份文件。我要求你们，我忠实的封臣们，在这份文件上签名作证。” 他立了新王，凯特琳充满挫败感地想。现下她唯一的希望就是儿子夹攻卡林湾的计划和刚才对付母亲的手段一样奏效。