Chapter 17 Chapter Seventeen Bran

Bran was awake before daylight seeped through the window sills. Many guests arrived in Winterfell, all of whom came to participate in the harvest banquet.This morning, they'll be out in the ring practicing poking at a spear target.If it was in the past, he would definitely be excited about it, but that was all before the accident happened. Now everything is different.Walder and Walder could spar with Lord Manderly's squires, but Bran had no share. He had to stay in his father's study and play the role of prince. "Listen carefully, maybe you can learn the skills of dominating others from it." Master Luwin said.

Bran didn't want to be a prince. He had always dreamed of becoming a knight, with shining armor, a fluttering banner, a spear and a sword, and a horse on his feet.Why does he have to listen to old people talk about these things that he doesn't know much about?Because you are a cripple, there is a voice in your heart reminding him.It doesn't matter that the lord who sits in the high hall has some defects--Ward and Walder said their grandfather was too weak to go everywhere in a sedan chair--but the knight who rides and fights is different.That was his duty, after all, "You are your brother's heir, the Stark of Winterfell," said Ser Rodrik, reminding him that once upon a time when the lords came to see his father, Robb will be there too.

Lord Wyman Manderly had just arrived from White Harbor two days before, first in a yacht and then in a sedan chair, because he was too fat to ride a horse.He brought with him a host of men: knights, squires, little lords and their wives, heralds, musicians, and a company of jugglers, with banners and dresses of all colors.Bran welcomed them to Winterfell, sitting in his father's high-backed direwolf armchair, and Ser Rodrik praised him afterwards for a good job.It would be great if things ended here, but unfortunately this is just the beginning. "A party is a fine excuse," Ser Rodrik explained, "but he didn't come all this way just to eat a piece of roast duck and drink a glass of wine. There must be something important to do for us to take so much trouble."

Bran looked up at the rough stone roof.He knew that Robb would tell him to stop being a child, and he could almost hear Robb's words, his lord father's words: "Winter is coming, and you are almost a man, Bran, and it is your duty to body." After a while, when Hodor ran in with a smile on his face, humming an out-of-key tune, the little boy had already resigned himself to his fate.With Hodor's help, he freshened up. "Wear that white wool coat today," Bran ordered, "and that silver brooch. Ser Rodrik wants me to dress like a lord." Branning would change his own clothes if he could, but some actions—such as putting on pants and tying shoelaces—could be excruciating.With Hodor to help, it will be done much faster.As long as he has been taught anything once, he can do it deftly.Although he has amazing strength, his movements are very gentle. "I bet you could have been a knight too," Bran told him. "You would have been a great knight if the gods hadn't taken your wits from you."

"Hoduo?" Hodor blinked his innocent big brown eyes with a blank expression on his face. "Yes," Bran said, "Hodor." He pointed to the wall. On the wall by the door hung a basket of wicker and straps, with two holes cut for Bran's feet.Hodor reached into the straps and clasped the wide belt to his chest, then crouched down on the edge of the bed.Bran grabbed the iron handle on the wall and shook his limp feet into the basket, out of the hole. "Hodor!" Hodor repeated, standing up.The stable boy was nearly seven feet tall, and Bran's head almost touched the ceiling on his back.When going out, he deliberately lowered his body.Once Hodor smelled baking bread and ran to the kitchen, knocking a big hole in Bran's head, and Maester Luwin sewed him several stitches for it.Later, Mikon gave him an old and embroidered helmet from the armory. This helmet didn't even have a mask. Every time Walder saw him, he laughed vigorously, so Bran seldom wore it.

He put his hands on Hodor's shoulders, and the two of them walked slowly down the spiral staircase.There were clashes of swords and shields and the roar of horseshoes from the arena outside, which became pleasant sounds in his ears.I'll just take one look, Bran thought, one quick look and go. The nobles of White Harbor will take their knights and instructors to practice in the morning. Before that, the school grounds belong to their attendants.They ranged in age from ten to forty, and Bran wished so badly that he was a part of it that his heart ached. In the courtyard stood two spear-butts, each with a solid pillar as a backbone, supporting a revolving beam with a shield at one end and a padded ram at the other.The shield was painted red and gold, and the Lannister lion was crooked and dented by the first-round boy.

As soon as Bran sitting in the basket appeared, he immediately attracted the attention of strangers. Fortunately, he had already learned to ignore and tolerate.At least he had good vision, he told himself, and he was taller than anyone else on Hodor's shoulders.He saw the Walder brothers getting ready to mount.They had brought good armor from the Twins, armor of shining silver, engraved with blue flowers.Big Walder's helmet was in the shape of a castle, and Little Walder tied a string of gray and blue ribbons around the top of his helmet.Their shields and coats were also different, and Little Walder's ornamentation was divided into four parts, and besides the twin towers of the Freys, there were the dappled boars from Grandmother's Crakehall and the farmers from Mother Darry's house.Big Walder's four shares included the Blackwood's Raventree and Peggy's Twin Snakes.They must be hungry for glory, Bran thought, watching them raise their spears, but direwolves are all I, a Stark, can wish for.

Their grey-spotted warhorses are quick, strong, and well-trained.Side by side the two charged at the spear-butt, hitting the shield cleanly, and fled before the ram could turn.Little Walder stabbed harder, but Bran thought Big Walder rode more steadily.If he could compete with them, he would rather give up his useless feet. Little Walder dropped his broken lance, caught a glimpse of Bran, and reined in the reins. "Oh, what an ugly horse!" he said to Hodor. "Hodor is no horse," Bran said. "Hodor," said Hodor. Big Walder ran up to his cousin, "Yeah, he's no smarter than a horse, everybody knows that." Several boys from White Harbor jostled each other and laughed.

"Hodor!" Hodor smiled, looking at the two Frey boys, unaware of their mockery. "Hodo Hodo?" Little Walder's mount hissed. "Look, they're chatting. Maybe 'Hodor' means 'I love you' in Ma language!" "Foyle, shut up!" Bran felt his blood surge. Little Walder kicked his spurs and leaned over, bumped Hodor, making him take two steps back. "If I don't keep my mouth shut, what will happen to you?" "Be careful he lets the wolf bite you, cousin." Big Walder warned. "Follow him, I just want a wolf fur cloak."

"Summer will bite off that pig's head in one bite," Bran said. Little Walder knocked on the breastplate with his iron-clad fist, "Could it be that your wolf has steel teeth that can bite through my armor and mail?" "Enough!" Maester Luwin's voice sounded like thunder over the sound of gold and iron in the school yard.Bran didn't know how much he'd heard...but it was obvious enough to drive him into a rage. "It's very inappropriate for you to make threats. Don't teach me to hear such words again. Walder Frey, did you have the same attitude in the Twins?"

"That's right, I can do as I please." Little Walder rode high on his horse, and gave Luwin a sullen look, as if to say: You are a mere bachelor, why should you teach me the Freys at the River Ferry? "Well, since you are the adopted son of Lady Stark of Winterfell, you are not allowed to do this. Why are you arguing?" The maester looked at the boys in turn. "You must tell me, or I promise—" "We were joking with Hodor just now," Big Walder admitted. "I'm sorry if we offended Prince Bran. We just thought it was fun." At least he knew he was embarrassed. Little Walder was still in a fit of temper. "Me," he said, "I just thought it was fun." Luwin seemed even angrier when Bran saw the bald part of the master's head flushed. "A good lord is one who soothes the helpless and protects the weak," he said to the two Frey boys. "I will never allow you to make Hodor the butt of cruel jokes, do you hear? He is a good lord." Kind-hearted child, be honest and dedicated to your duties, you have none of these advantages." The bachelor pointed to Little Walder. "Also, stay away from the godswood, if you dare to trouble those wolves, just wait and see." He flicked his sleeves, turned around and took a few steps, and then turned back, "Come on, Bran , Lord Wyman is waiting." "Hodor, follow Master," Bran ordered. "Hodor!" said Hodor.With big strides, he quickly caught up with the old scholar's angrily swaying legs, and they walked up the stone steps of the main castle together.Maester Luwin held the door to let them in, Bran hugged Hodor's neck and bowed his head. "Ward and they—" he began. "I don't want to hear any more, this is over." Maester Luwin looked tired and disturbed. "You did a good job protecting Hodor, but you shouldn't have gone there at all. Sir Rodrik and Lord Wyman waited for you for a long time, and breakfast had to start first. Don't you still think of yourself as a little baby, everything Do I have to do it myself?" "No," Bran said shamefully, "I'm sorry, I just wanted to..." "I know what you're thinking." Maester Luwin's tone softened. "Bran, I also hope that your wish will come true. Before the meeting, do you have any questions?" "Are we talking about war?" "You don't need to discuss anything." Luwin's tone sharpened again, "You're just an eight-year-old child..." "I'm almost nine years old!" "Eight is eight," the maester repeated firmly. "Say nothing but polite pleasantries, unless Ser Rodrik or Lord Wyman asks you." Bran nodded, "I remember." "As for what happened between you and the Frey boys, I will not tell Ser Rodrik." "thank you." They seated Bran on his father's oak chair, with gray velvet cushions and a cushion, opposite the longboard table.Ser Rodrik sat on his right, and Maester Luwin on his left, with pen and ink and a stack of blank parchments in front of him, ready to record the proceedings of the meeting.Bran reached across the rough wooden tabletop, begging Lord Wyman to forgive him for being late. "Well, it's not the prince who is late," replied the Lord of White Harbor, pleasantly, "but the others are early, that's all." Wyman Manderly laughed loudly.No wonder he couldn't ride a horse because he looked heavier than a horse.Not only was he imposing in stature, but he also had a lot to say.He first begged Winterfell to approve the White Harbor customs officer he had just appointed, because the former officials secretly withheld tax revenue and sent it to King's Landing, and refused to pay it to the new king in the north. "Besides that, King Robb needs to mint his own coin," he said, "and a mint at White Harbor would be the most suitable place." Strengthen the fortifications of the port, and list the cost of each repair in detail. In addition to the mint, Lord Manderly proposes building a fleet for Robb. "Our north has lacked a navy for hundreds of years, ever since Brandon the Burner burned his father's fleet. Give me enough money, and in a year I can build a fleet, enough Take Dragonstone and King's Landing." As soon as he heard about the warship, Bran's interest came.Although no one asked him for his opinion, he felt that Earl Wyman's idea was really great, and he could already picture that scene in his mind!I don't know if a person with disabled feet can command a battleship?It's a pity that Ser Rodrik only agreed to send the proposal to Robb for decision, while Maester Luwin was busy writing. They talked from morning to afternoon, when Maester Luwin sent Tim Pockmarked to the kitchen to bring food, and they ate cheese and roast chicken and brown wheat bread in the study.While tearing at the chicken with his thick fingers, Lord Wyman asked politely how his cousin, the Countess of Hornwood, was doing. "As you know, she was originally from the Mandalay family. Maybe, after her grief is over, she will want to take on the Mandalay surname again, don't you think so?" He bit the chicken wing and grinned "It just so happens that I have also been a widower for eight years. It's time to ask for a wife, isn't it, my lords? I'm lonely after all." He threw away the bone and reached for a chicken leg . "If Ma'am wants to find a young man, well, my Wendell is not married yet. He has gone to the south to serve Mrs. Caitlin, but when he comes back, he must also want to find a wife. He is a brave boy, people It's very funny, and the perfect person to teach her to regain her youth, isn't she?" He lifted the sleeve of his coat and wiped the oil from his chin. Through the window, Bran listened to the clash of weapons in the distance, and he had no interest in marrying.I really want to go to a martial arts competition. When the table was cleared, Lord Wyman mentioned a letter from Lord Tywin Lannister about his eldest son, Ser Willis, who had been captured at the Green Fork. "He would rather not accept the ransom and let my son come back, as long as I withdraw my troops from His Majesty's side and swear that I will never fight again." "There is no doubt about it, just refuse it directly," said Sir Rodrik. "You needn't worry," the earl assured him. "I, Wyman Manderly, are the most loyal of King Robb's men, but I don't want my son to stay too long in that damn place of Harrenhal. I heard that there is a curse there. Hey, in fact, I have never believed in such things. I am not afraid of ten thousand, just in case. Look at what happened to Janos Slynt. First, he was promoted to Earl of Harrenhal by the Queen Mother , she was ripped off by her brother within two days, and I heard that she was sent to guard the Great Wall. I was thinking, can we arrange a proper hostage exchange as soon as possible? I know Willis, he must not want to wait for the war to end. My son But brave, and fights as fiercely as a mastiff." By the end of the meeting, Bran's shoulders were stiff from sitting still.That night, as he was about to sit down to eat, he heard the sound of the trumpet announcing the arrival of the guests again.Lady Donara Hornwood had not brought a host of knights and vassals, just herself and six tired-looking guards, whose dusty orange uniforms were emblazoned with moose heads. "Madam, we are sorry what happened to you," Bran said when she came to greet him.Lord Hornwood was slain at the Battle of the Green Fork, and their only son was slain at the Whispering Wood. "Winterfell is forever grateful for your contributions." "I'm glad to hear you say that," she said, a pale, unfocused woman, mournful carved into every line. "My lord, I am very tired. If you allow me to rest for a while, I will be very grateful." "Of course," said Sir Rodrik, "I have plenty of time tomorrow to talk about things." Most of the next morning was spent discussing grains, greens and cured meats.Once the maesters of the Citadel announce the arrival of early autumn, the lords of the north will know to store part of their harvest... but how much to store is a matter of opinion.The Countess of Hornwood originally planned to use one-fifth of the harvest as grain storage, but later, under the persuasion of Maester Luwin, she agreed to increase the grain storage to one-fourth. "Bolton's bastard is raising an army at the Dreadfort," she warned them. "I hope he's going south to help and join his father at the Twins. But when I sent to ask him what he meant, he said Bolton The family members never answer the woman's questioning. It seems that he was born in the royal family and really has that surname." "Lord Bolton never acknowledged the boy, so far as I know," said Ser Rodrik, "but to be honest, I don't know much about the man." "Nobody knew him," she answered. "He lived with his mother until little Domilik died two years ago, leaving Bolton without an heir, so he took the bastard to the Dreadfort. Everyone said the boy was cunning and sex, and took a sidekick, as ferocious as he was. They called him Reek, and it was said that he never took a bath. The bastard went hunting with Reek, and not deer. I've heard The rumors about them are unbelievable, even by Bolton standards, and now my husband and son are called by the gods, and the bastard covets my domain. " Bran really wanted to give the countess a hundred soldiers to help her defend her rights, but Sir Rodrik only said, "Salvats are salivating. If he dares to make any oversteps, I assure you, we will punish you severely." He, madam, please don't worry too much about the safety of you and your territory... After a while, after your grief has calmed down, you may consider renewing your marriage." "I have long passed the age of childbearing, and all the beauty has disappeared with the years." She smiled wearily and replied, "But now men are flocking to them. I didn't have this kind of treatment when I was young." "You don't like these suitors?" Luwin asked. "If Your Majesty so orders, I shall remarry," replied the Countess of Hornwood, "but Crowfood Morse is a drunken brat, and older than my father. As for my dear cousin, Mann Mr. Dele's bed can no longer accommodate his majestic body, and I am weak, so I am afraid that I cannot lie under him." Bran knew that when men slept with women, men slept on top of women.Letting the Earl of Mandalay sleep on him is probably similar to being crushed by a horse.Sir Rodrik nodded sympathetically to the widow. "You will have someone else, madam. We will try to find someone more suitable for you." "Sir, such a man may not be too far to be sought." After she left, Maester Luwin smiled and said, "Ser Rodrik, I think my lady is interested in you." Ser Rodrik cleared his throat, looking embarrassed. "She's so sad," Bran said. Sir Rodrik nodded. "Sad and gentle. She is polite and very beautiful for her age. Even so, she is still a great threat to your brother's kingdom." "How?" Bran was very surprised. Maester Luwin replied: "Since the Hornwoods have no direct descendants, their lands must be targeted. The Tallharts, the Flints, and the Karstarks were all related to the Hornwoods by marriage. The late Harris Your lord's illegitimate son is even the adopted son of the Glover family in Deepwood Moor. What's more troublesome is that although the Dreadfort is not qualified to receive this territory, the two lands are adjacent, and Roose Bolton will never miss the opportunity in vain Chance." Ser Rodrik tugged at his mustache, "In the current situation, His Majesty must choose a suitable match for her." "Why didn't you marry her?" Bran asked. "You thought she was pretty yourself, and Beth ought to have a mother." The old knight patted Bran's arm, "His Royal Highness, thank you for your kindness, but I am only a knight, and I am too old. I may manage the affairs of the territory for her for a few years, but once I die, Hornwood The Countess would be in the same predicament, and even Beth's future would be greatly affected." "Then let Lord Horwood's illegitimate son inherit it," Bran blurted out, thinking of his half-brother Jon. Sir Rodrik said: "In this case, the Glover family will be very happy, and Lord Horwood's spirit in heaven may be too. But I'm afraid the Countess of Horwood will object, after all, the child is not her own flesh and blood." "Nevertheless," said Maester Luwin, "we have to take that into consideration. Lady Donara is past childbearing age, as she said herself, not by bastards, so who else?" "May I back down?" Bran heard the sound of the servants exercising their swords in the courtyard downstairs, and they were fighting in full swing. "Of course, Your Highness." Ser Rodrik said, "You did well today." Bran blushed with joy.It turned out that being a lord was not as boring as he had imagined, and the meeting with the Countess of Hornwood was far shorter than that of the Earl of Mandalay, and there were still a few hours of daylight left for him to visit Xia Tian.He liked to spend some time with the pup every day, if Ser Rodrik and Maester Luwin allowed it. Hodor had just stepped into the godswood when Summer emerged from under an oak tree, as if he knew they were coming.Bran caught a glimpse of a dark and thin figure in the bushes, also looking at himself. "Shaggy!" he called, "Come, Shaggydog, come to me!" And as soon as Crikon's wolf showed its head, it ran away. Hodor knew where Bran liked, so he took him to the pool under the tall heart tree, where Lord Eddard used to kneel and pray.When they arrived, there were frequent ripples in the pool, and the reflection of the weirwood kept moving, but there was no wind around, which puzzled Bran for a moment. Suddenly, Osha rushed out of the pool with a bang, even Xia Tian was scared back and growled.Hodor jumped away, howling, "Hodor! Hodor!" in frustration, until Bran tapped him on the shoulder to assuage his fear. "Are you swimming here?" he asked Osha. "Isn't it cold?" "Boy, I grew up sucking icicles. I like the coldness." Osha swam to the edge of the rock and crawled ashore dripping.She was naked and her skin was uneven.Xia Tian crawled over and sniffed at her. "I'm going to explore the bottom of the water." "There's still a bottom to this pool." "Maybe there really isn't one." She giggled, "Little devil, where are you looking? Have you never looked at a woman?" "I've seen it!" Bran had bathed countless times with his sisters, and had seen the maid in the hot tub.But Osha looked different, her body was strong and sharp, not curvaceous.Her legs were full of muscle, but her chest was as flat as two empty wallets. "You have many scars." "It's all hard earned." She picked up the brown dress, shook off the fallen leaves, and took it off her head. "War with giants?" Osha declares that there are still giants beyond the Great Wall.Maybe someday I'll be able to see it with my own eyes... "Follow people." She used a length of rope as a belt, "Usually with a black crow, I killed one with my own hands." She said, shaking her hair.Since arriving in Winterfell, she has already grown her hair over her ears, and her appearance is much softer than the one who was planning to snatch him in the wolf forest. "I heard about you and the two Frey boys in the kitchen today." "Who said that? What did they say?" She showed a helpless smile, "They say children who laugh at giants are idiots, but giants have to be protected by cripples. The world is crazy." "Hodor has no idea they're laughing at him," Bran said, "and he never fights." He remembered going to the market with his mother and Septa Mordane once when he was a child, taking Hodor to help carry things, but leaving He got lost and was later found to have been cornered by a group of boys who kept prodding him with sticks. "Hodor!" he kept yelling, while shrinking back, but never made a move to resist the group of tormentors. "Brother Chayle says he has a good heart." "Yeah," she said, "his hands could wrench a head off a neck if he wanted to. Anyway, he'd better watch out for that little Walder, you two. They The big one is called Little Walder, and I think that's a good nickname. He's big, he's small, and he's a bitch." "He doesn't dare to do anything to me. Although he likes to play tricks, he is actually afraid of Xia Tian in his heart." "Maybe he's not as stupid as he looks." Osha herself was always worried about the direwolf. On the day she was captured, Summer and Gray Wind tore the three wildlings to pieces. "Who knows? If he is so stupid, he will suffer." She tied up her hair, "Are you still dreaming about being a wolf?" "No." He didn't want to talk about dreams. "A prince should be a better liar," Osha said with a grin. "Hey, what are you dreaming about about your house? I have a lot of things in my kitchen. I'd better go back early before Gage waved that Yelling at a big spoon. I take my leave, Your Highness." She shouldn't be talking about wolf dreams, Bran thought as Hodor carried him up the stairs to his dorm.He fought against sleep, but fell asleep at last, and tonight, he dreamed that the weirwood stared at him with wide, deep red eyes, calling out to him with its twisted wooden mouth.From the pale branches of the weirwood flew the Three-Eyed Raven and pecked at his face and called his name in a voice as sharp as a sword. A sudden blast of a trumpet woke him, and Bran sat up, grateful for the noise for taking him out of his dream.He heard horses neighing and shouting.Another guest came, and from the voices, the group was still half drunk.He grabbed the iron handle and sat on the chair by the window. The pattern on the opponent's flag was the chain-breaking giant. It turned out to be the Amber family who came south from the extreme northern fiefdom on the other side of the Mo River. The next day the two chiefs of the Umber family came to the meeting. Both were Greatjon's uncles, very old, but very loud, wearing white bearskin cloaks, and beards of the same color.This Morse was mistaken for a dead person by a crow and pecked out one eye, so he wore a prosthetic eye made of dragon crystal.In Old Nan's story, when he grabbed the crow and bit off its head, they called him "Crow Eater."As for how his thin brother was called "Whore Nightmare" Hother, she would not explain to Bran anyway. As soon as he sat down, Morse expressed his willingness to marry the Countess of Hornwood. "We all know that the Greatjon is the young wolf lord's most powerful right-hand man. Who better than the Umber family to protect the widow's territory? And who in the Umber family is more suitable than me?" "Donara is still mourning her husband," Maester Luwin said. "Under my fur, there's something for grief!" Morse laughed.Sir Rodrik thanked him politely, and promised to report the matter to the Countess and His Majesty the King. Hoser wanted a boat. "Savages have been sneaking in from the north these days. There have never been so many before. They rowed across the Bay of Seals and were washed ashore by the waves. There are too few crows in East Watch to stop them, and they are like weasels. Hide fast. We need longships, and alas, strong characters to pilot them. The Greatjon took so many young men that half our land was wasted because no one harvested it." Sir Rodrik twirled his beard, "Your house has a lot of tall pine and old oak trees, and Lord Manderly has a large number of shipbuilders and sailors. If you work together, you should be able to build enough ships to defend the two coasts. " "Mandalay?" Morse Umber snorted, "that pile of lard? I heard his men nicknamed him 'Master Eel'. That guy can't even walk, If you stick a sword into his belly, how many eels will come out!" "Fat is fat," said Ser Rodrik, "but people are not stupid. If you don't cooperate with him, His Majesty will only ask you." To Bran's surprise, the two fierce Umbers agreed to do so , although a grunt was inevitable. During their meeting, the Glover family from Deepwood Motte arrived, as well as a large number of the Tallhars from Torrhen's Square.The two Glover, Galbert and Robert, left Deepwood Motte in the hands of Robert's wife, but it was their steward who went to Winterfell. "Your Majesty, please forgive me for not being able to come in person. Her children are still too young to travel, and she is kind-hearted and does not want to abandon them." Bran soon discovered that the real master of Deepwood Castle was this Steward, not Mrs Glover.The man said that he could only set aside one-tenth of the harvest as grain storage at present, because a wandering wizard told him that there would be a "ghost summer" bumper harvest before the weather turned cold.Maester Luwin had a lot of complaints about the wizard, and Ser Rodrik ordered the other party to allocate a fifth immediately, and there was no excuse.Afterwards, he asked the steward carefully about Earl Horwood's illegitimate son Lawrence Snow.In the North, all illegitimate children of nobles are named Snow.The boy was about to be twelve years old, and the steward praised him for his wit and bravery. "Bran, it seems that your idea of ​​letting the illegitimate child inherit is very valuable." Master Luwin said afterwards, "I believe that one day, you will become an excellent City Lord of Winterfell." "No," said Bran, who knew he could no more be a lord than he could be a knight. "Robb will marry the Frey girl, you told me yourself, and Walder and Walder. He will have posterity, and they will rule Winterfell after him, not me." "Perhaps so, Bran," said Ser Rodrik, "but look at me. I have been married three times, and my wife has produced only a few daughters for me, and now there is only Beth left. My brother Martin had four strong sons, but only Jory grew up. When he was killed, Martin's blood was completely cut off. What happened after that, no one can tell." The next day it was Rambad Tauha's turn to attend the meeting, and he spoke of the omens of the weather and the stupidity of the common people, and of his nephew's great desire to go to war. "Benford organized a team of Lancers himself. They were all children, none of them over nineteen years old, but they all thought they were the new young wolf masters. I called them a bunch of little bastards, but they laughed at me instead. No, They simply called themselves the Rabbit Corps, with rabbit skins tied to their spears, and they sang chivalry and ran around on horseback." Bran thought the idea sounded really good.He remembered Benford Tallhart as a tall, gruff-voiced boy who used to visit Winterfell with his father, Ser Herman, and was on good terms with Robb and Theon Greyjoy.But Sir Rodrik was obviously very displeased when he heard that, "If Your Majesty needs reinforcements, he will issue an order." He said, "Go back and tell your nephew to follow his father's instructions and stay in Torrhen Square." "Yes, sir," replied Lambard.Then he brought up the Countess of Hornwood, and lamented how poor she was, having neither a husband to defend her estate nor a son to inherit the estate.He reminded everyone that his own wife also came from the Hornwood family, and was the sister of the late Earl Harris, as everyone must remember. "What a sad empty hall. I am debating whether to give my youngest son, Beren, who is nearly ten years old, and her own nephew, to be adopted by Mrs. Donara. I trust him It must cheer her up, if he wants to change his name to Horwood..." "To be the heir?" Maester Luwin prompted. "...so that their family business can continue." Lambard finished. Bran knew what to do next, "My lord, thank you very much for your suggestion." Before Ser Rodrik could speak, he rushed to say, "We will report this matter to my brother Robb, oh, and Huo Lady Wood." Lambard seemed surprised to see him speak. "Thank you, Your Highness." Although he said so, Bran saw pity in his pale blue eyes, and perhaps a little bit of joy, glad that the cripple was not his son.For a while, Bran hated him. But Maester Luwin seemed to like him very much. "Beren Tallhart is probably the best choice." After Lambard left, he said to them, "He is half Hornwood, and if he is called Uncle last name..." "...and a boy too," said Ser Rodrik. "I'm not going to be able to hold the territory with someone like Morse Umber or Roose Bolton's bastard. We must think carefully, We want to give Robb the best advice we can before he makes a decision." "In the end, it is likely to return to reality," Master Luwin said. "It depends on which prince he needs the most at the moment. Now the river land is also under his rule. He may plan to marry the Countess of Hornwood to the nobles of the Three Rivers Valley, so as to strengthen the two sides. alliance, perhaps the Blackwoods, perhaps the Freys—” "The Countess of Hornwood can marry one of our Freys," Bran said, "and she doesn't mind having two." "Your Highness, it's not kind of you to say that." Sir Rodrik reprimanded softly. Are big and small Walders being kind?Bran frowned, looked down at the table, and said nothing. In the next few days, Xin Ya successively brought letters of apology from other princes who could not come.The bastards of the Dreadfort were reluctant to come, the Mormonts and the Karstarks followed Robb to the south, Lord Locke was too old to travel long distances, the Countess Flint was pregnant, and the widow hoped to survive Disease is rampant and needs to be dealt with.In the end, all the main vassals of the Stark family brought the news, only the marshman Howlan Reed, who had not stepped out of the swamp for many years, and the Seven family, whose city was only half a day's ride away from Winterfell, remained.Lord Seven was taken prisoner by the Lannisters, but his fourteen-year-old son brought twenty-four Lannisters to Winterfell on a clear and breezy morning.Bran was spinning around on Dancer as they passed through the gate.He galloped to greet him, for Clay had always been kind to the Bran brothers and sisters. “早上好，布兰！”克雷开心地唤道，“哟，现在该叫你布兰王子啦！” “哎，随便啦。” 克雷笑道：“有何不可？这年头，人人都想当国王当王子。史坦尼斯的信有没有送到临冬城啊？” “史坦尼斯？我不知道。” “他现在也是国王啰，”克雷说，“他指控瑟曦太后和她弟弟乱伦，所以乔佛里是私生子。” “'孽种'乔佛里，”一名赛文家的骑士咆哮道，“有弑君者这种老爸，难怪他性情乖张。” “可不是嘛，”另一人说，“诸神最痛恨的就是乱伦，瞧瞧坦格利安家什么下场。” 一时之间，布兰只觉呼吸困难，彷佛有一只巨手在锤击他的胸膛。他觉得自己正在下坠，连忙死命抓紧小舞的缰绳。 他的恐惧一定形露于色，“怎么了？布兰？”克雷·赛文说，“你不舒服吗？不过就是另外一个国王嘛。” “罗柏会把他也打败。”他调转小舞的马头，朝马厩走去，赛文家众人对他投以困惑的眼神，他却浑然不觉。他的耳中轰隆作响，若非被绑在马鞍上，很可能当下落马。 当晚，布兰向父亲的诸神祷告，希望一夜无梦。若诸神在天有闻，他们一定以他的请愿为嘲戏，因为他们送来的梦魇比狼梦更骇人。 “若是不飞，就只有摔死一途！”三眼乌鸦一边啄他，一边厉声尖叫。他哭着苦苦哀求，然而乌鸦全无怜悯之心。它先啄掉他的左眼，然后是右眼，等他双眼全瞎，陷入黑暗，它又啄他额头，那张恐怖的锐利鸟喙深深钻进头骨。他疯狂惨叫，直叫到肺部肿胀欲裂。疼痛有如利斧，把他的头颅劈成两半，可当乌鸦抽出沾满碎骨和脑浆的黏糊鸟喙时，布兰却又看得见了。眼前的景象，使他恐惧地屏住呼吸，他正攀在一座好几里高的塔楼边缘，手指逐渐滑开，指甲扒着石砖，瘫软无用的蠢笨双脚正把他往下拖。“救命！”他大叫。一名金发男子出现在上方的天空中，把他拉了上去。“好好想一想，我为爱情做了些什么。”他轻声低语，随后把拼命踢腿挣扎的布兰抛入半空。