Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Jon

The wind and drizzle whipped Jon in the face as he kicked his spurs across the swollen stream.Beside him, Lord Commander Mormont tugged at the hood of his cloak, muttering curses at the weather.His crow perched on his shoulder, the wind ruffling its feathers, making it look as wet and restless as the Old Bear himself.The new wind rises, and the wet leaves fly like a flock of dead birds.The Haunted Forest, Jon thought pitifully, might as well be the Flooded Forest. He secretly hoped that Sam, following behind, would hold out.He hadn't ridden well even in mild weather, and now it had rained for six full days and the roads had turned rough with ooze and gravel.The wind blew up, and the rain fell into the eyes.The warm rain mixed with the melting snow filled all the creeks and rivers, making one think that the Great Wall of the South might also be washed down by them.At this moment, Pyp and Todd would be sitting by the fire in the great hall, drinking their pre-dinner mulled wine.Jon envied them.His own soggy wool was sticking to him, wet and itchy, his neck and shoulders aching from the weight of his armor and sword, and he had had enough of salt cod, corned beef, and hard meat. The taste of cheese.

Ahead, a hunting horn made a trembling sound, which looked very hazy through the intertwined torrential rain. "It's Buckwell," the old bear announced, "Gods be blessed, Custer has not moved." His crow flapped its big black wings, called "corn" hoarsely, and went back to preening its feathers . Jon had heard stories of Craster and his stronghold from the brothers in black, and now he saw it with his own eyes.After passing seven deserted villages, everyone began to wonder if Craster's keep was as dead and desolate as the rest, but luckily that fear didn't come true.Maybe Elder Bear can find the answers he's been looking for there, he thought, but at least we'll get out of the rain.

Earlier, Thoren Smallwood had assured everyone that Craster, despite his bad reputation, was a friend of the Night's Watch. "I admit, this guy is not quite right," he told the old bear, "but if you spend your whole life in this cursed forest, you will be like him. Although he is crazy, he never rejects us rangers. Mance Rayder is even less fond of Mance Rayder. He should be able to give us some advice." As long as he provided a hot meal, provided a roof, and dried clothes, I was content.According to Devon, Custer not only killed his relatives, but also a liar, a robber and a coward. He even hinted that the other party was dealing with the slave trader and the devil. "What's worse," added the old forester, chewing his wooden dentures "crack-crack," "is the bastard smells of cold, really."

"Jon," Commander Mormont ordered, "ride back and tell everyone the news. Also, remind the officers to restrain their men. I will not allow anyone to think about Craster's wife. No one is allowed to mess with it, it's all right Stop talking to them." "Yes, my lord." Jon turned the horse back the way it was.Even though it didn't take long for Fei Yu to leave his face temporarily, he also felt comfortable.All the way through brothers, each looking like weeping, the whole procession stretched half a mile through the woods. Among the baggage wagons, Jon met Samwell Tarly, sitting listlessly in his saddle, wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat.He rode a tall, lumbering pack horse and yelled at several other horses.The raindrops buzzed on the tarpaulin covering the iron cage, and the ravens inside flapped and neighed, protesting unceasingly. "Ha, did you let a fox in?" Jon greeted.

Sam looked up, rain pouring down the brim of his hat. "Hey, hello, Jon. No, they just hate the rain, just like us." "How are you feeling, Sam?" "Wet." The fat boy tried his best to put on a smile. "Fortunately, there is no danger." "That's all right. Craster's keep lies ahead, and may the gods bless him, he'll let us spend the night by a warm fire." Sam looked dubious. "Melancholic Eddie said Custer was a horrible savage. He married his own daughter and obeyed no laws but his own. Devon also told Grenn that he had heartless black blood on his body." Blood, because his mother was a wild woman who committed adultery with the rangers, that's why he's a bastard..." Suddenly he stopped.

"Bastard," Jon laughed, "just bluntly, Sam, I've never heard of it before." He kicked his spurs, pushing the sturdy pony forward. "I have to go to Sir Odin. By the way, don't mess with Custer's woman." As if Samwell needed to be reminded, "We will talk after camping." Sir Odin Wylers was found, leading the rearguard aloft along the way.Ser Odin was about the same age as Mormont, short, with a pointed face, and always looked so tired (same at Castle Black).The heavy rain washed over him relentlessly. "Good news," he said, "the moisture here's soaking into my bones, and look, the saddle is probably protesting. It hurts."

On the way back, Jon avoided the long queues and took a shortcut through the dense forest.The voices of the people and horses gradually diminished and were swallowed up in the moist green wasteland. After a while, only the sound of the pouring rain hitting the leaves, trees and rocks remained in the ears.It was just afternoon, but the forest was as dark as dusk.Jon found his way between rocks and puddles, through great oaks and gray-green sentinels and black iron trees.Thick boughs sheltered him from the rain for a while.As he rode past a lightning-struck chestnut tree full of wild white roses, he heard rustling in the grass. "Ghost," he called, "Ghost, come here."

It was Devon who got out, riding a gray pony with a messy mane, and Grenn was beside him.Xiong Lao sent Qing cavalry on both sides of the marching column, not only to scout the terrain, but also to warn the approaching enemy.He didn't dare to be careless, and ordered the scouts to act in groups of two and two. "Ah, it's you, Lord Snow." Devon grinned. His dentures were carved from oak wood and they didn't match up very well. "The boy and I thought we'd met a White Walker. Why, the wolf got lost?" "He went hunting." Bai Ling didn't like to go with the team, but he wouldn't run far either.Whenever people set up camp, he would find the Lord Commander's tent and return to Jon.

"From my point of view, I'm afraid it's just fishing. There's a torrent of water everywhere." Devon said. "My mother used to say that more rain is good for the crops," Grant interjected optimistically. "Scary, the mold grows faster on the crops," Devon said, "The only benefit that this kind of rain can bring is that it saves you the time to take a bath." His wooden dentures made a crisp snap. "Bookwell found Craster," Jon told them. "Has he ever lost him?" Devon giggled, "You guys, don't mess with Custer's wife, do you hear me?"

Jon smiled, "Do you want to monopolize the fragrance, Devon?" Devon chewed on his dentures again. "Don't tell me, I really have this kind of plan. Custer doesn't have ten fingers for a dick, and the number can be eleven at most. Two or three less, I can't find it even if I think about it." "Seriously, how many wives does he have?" Grant asked. "Anyway, you'll never try to compare, brother. Well, the wife gives birth to herself, as much as she wants. Oh, Snow, your fellow is back." Bai Ling trotted to the side of Jon's horse, his tail was raised high, and his white fur looked much thicker in the heavy rain.He came and went silently, and Jon didn't know when he appeared.Glenn's horses backed away at the first smell—even now, after more than a year, the horses still hadn't gotten used to the direwolf's presence. "Come with me, Ghost," Jon rode toward Craster's keep.

He didn't dare to imagine that a stone castle could be found so far away from the Great Wall, so he sketched a picture of a wooden building surrounded by a fence among the trees. Unexpectedly, the reality was even worse: There is only a rubbish heap, a pigsty, an empty sheepfold, and a hall covered with branches and earth, not worth mentioning, not even a window.The hall is long and low, with rough wood and grass on the roof.This "fortress" was built on a slope which hardly deserved the name of a hill, and was surrounded by an earthen embankment.Perennial rainwater has eroded countless small holes in the embankment, and the brown water flows down the slope and merges into a rushing stream that winds northward. Because of the heavy rain, the originally rich stream has become a dark torrent. In the southwest of the embankment, there is a small open door, beside the door is a pair of long poles with animal skulls inserted: one is a bear's head, the other is a sheep's head.Jon joined the procession through the door, and saw that there was still a bit of flesh and blood on the bear's head.Inside, Jarmen Bookwell's scouts and Thoren Smallwood's advance guard had lined up their horses and were busy pitching tents.In the pigsty, a large group of piglets nestled next to three fat sows.Nearby, a little girl squats naked in a vegetable garden in the rain pulling turnips, while two other women prepare to slaughter a pig.The screams of the animals were high and terrible, like the cries of people in great distress.Chett's hounds barked wildly in response, and no matter how much Chett cursed to stop them, they kept barking, prompting Custer's pack of dogs to bark in response.But as soon as they saw Bai Ling, they all shut up and ran away with their tails between their legs. Only a few of them were still complaining in a low voice, refusing to admit defeat.The direwolf ignored them, and neither did Jon. Well, maybe thirty of us can get warmed up and dry our clothes now, and Jon took a good look at the house and concluded that it might hold fifty.However, this place is too small to sleep two hundred people, so most of them must stay outside.But where should they live?In this messy courtyard, apart from the ankle-deep puddles, there is only wet mud.It seems that another gloomy night is waiting in front of us. The Lord Commander had left the mount in the care of sad Eddie.When Jon dismounted, he was busy scrubbing mud off the horse's hooves. "Commander Mormont is in the hall," he announced, "and he bids you come. But you'd better keep the wolf out, for he's so hungry you'd think he was going to catch Craster's boy and eat him. Well, seriously, I'm hungry enough to eat his kid myself, as long as it's served hot. Go ahead, leave it to me. By the way, if it's warm and dry inside, don't tell me No one asked me in," he said, flicking a pinch of wet mud from the bottom of the horse's hooves. "Does this mud look like shit? Could it be that the entire hillside was made by Castella?" Jon smiled and said, "Well, I heard that he has lived here for a long time." "You can't comfort me. Go in and see Old Xiong." "Ghost, stay here," he ordered.The door to Craster's Keep was two buckskins, and Jon pushed them open and stooped over the lintel.Before him, twenty or so ranger leaders had already entered the house and stood around the brazier in the middle of the mud floor, water running down their boots and forming small pools.The hall smelled badly of soot, dung, and wet dogs.However, although the smell of smoke is heavy, the air is still humid.Rainwater seeped in through smoke holes in the roof.It was the only room in the house, plus a sleeping loft on top, connected by a rickety ladder. Jon still remembers how he felt on the day he set off from the Great Wall: Even though he was as nervous as a married girl, he was still full of longing, looking forward to the mystery and miracle behind the rising unfamiliar horizon ahead.Well, now I've found one, he told himself as he looked at the dirty, smelly hall.The acrid smoke made his eyes water.What a pity Pyp and Todd missed out on such a wonderful event. Castor leaned against the firepit, the only one in the room with a chair.Even Admiral Mormont could only huddle on the bench, his raven whispering on his shoulder.Jarmen Buckwell stood behind him, dripping with patched armor and glisteningly wet leather, and Thoron Smallwood stood beside him, wearing the breastplate that had once belonged to Ser Jeremy and sable cloak. In comparison, Castor's sheepskin vest and animal skin cloak looked shabby, but on his thick wrist, there was a bracelet, which was quite heavy and glittered with gold.Although he seems to have entered the end of his life, his hair has turned from gray to white, and the time should not be long, but there is no doubt that he is still a very powerful person.His flat nose and drooping lips gave him a murderous look, and he was missing one ear.This is the real savage.Jon thought of the barbarian that Old Nan had talked about drinking blood from a skull.But Castor in front of him drank light beer in an ashlar cup.Maybe he didn't know those stories at all. "Haven't seen Benjen Stark for three years," he told Mormont, "and I don't miss him at all, to tell the truth." Six or seven little black dogs and a pig or two who were alone were sitting on the bench. From time to time hide and seek, women in ragged buckskins brought mugs of beer, lit the fires, and began chopping turnips and onions into pots. "Just last year, he should have passed by," said Thoren Smallwood.A dog sniffed at his leg.He kicked it up, making it bark. Commander Mormont said, "Ben was out looking for Ser Waymar Royce, who disappeared with Garry and Little Will." "Oh, I also know these three. The noble young master in the lead is not much older than these bastards. He wears a ermine cloak and holds a black sword. He is so proud that he doesn't even bother to sleep in my room. But my wives do Eyes wide open, looking at him." He turned his head and squinted at the woman closest to him. "Gary said they were after bandits. I told him, you're a rookie on your own, and you better not really catch up. As far as crows go, Gary isn't too bad of a breed. This guy, He has fewer ears than me, and they were all bitten by the cold wind, just like me." Custer smiled, "Now, I heard that he has lost his head. I don't know which road he fell on?" Jon thought of the pool of red blood that had been sprinkled in the white snow, and of Theon Greyjoy kicking a dead man's head.This man is a deserter.On the way back to Winterfell, Jon and Robb race together and find six direwolf pups in the snow.The past of a thousand years ago. "Where did Sir Waymar go after he left?" Castor shrugged, "I have a lot of things to do. I don't have time to control where the crows come and fly." He drank the wine and put the glass aside. "Hey, there hasn't been any good wine from the south for a whole year! I'm short of wine, and I'm short of a new axe. The old one is too blunt to be useful, and I have a lot of wives to protect." He looked around at his busy group. wife. "There are few people here, and you are isolated and helpless," said Old Xiong. "As long as you are willing, I will send someone to escort you south to the Great Wall." The crows seemed to like the offer. "The Wall," it screamed, spreading its black wings, and what appeared to be a high collar around Mormont's neck. The master gave a dirty grin, showing a mouth full of broken yellow teeth. "What are we doing there, serving your dinner? We're born free folk. I, Custer, will never serve anyone." "These are difficult times, and it's not right to live alone in the wilderness. The cold wind has blown." "Let them blow. My roots are deep." Castor snapped a passing woman by the waist. "Tell him, wife. Tell Lord Crow how much we like this place." Woman licks thin lips. "This is our land. Craster's Keep keeps us safe. We would rather die free than slaves." "Slave," muttered the crow. Mormont leaned forward. "Every village was abandoned along the way. You're the first place we've seen a living person since we left the Wall. Everyone else disappeared... killed, fled, Or captive, I don't know. Not even the animals. Nothing. Earlier we found the bodies of two of Benjen Stark's rangers just a few leagues from the Wall. They Pale and cold, with black hands and feet, and bloodless wounds. We brought them back to Castle Black, and they got up in the middle of the night to kill. One of them killed Ser Jeremy Lake, and the other came to kill me, so although they kept Some memories from his lifetime, but they have been replaced by an inhuman vicious heart." The woman closed her mouth from ear to ear, her face looked like a wet pink hole, but Castor snorted, "We don't have that kind of trouble here... I thank you for not saying such evil things under my roof. I I am a god-worshiping person, and the gods will keep me safe. Even if the corpses turn into ghosts and crawl out, I know how to send them back to the grave. But first, I need to find a new and sharp ax.” He slapped his wife, He yelled at her to act quickly, "Bring some more beer, hurry up." "Since you have no fear of the dead," said Jarmen Buckwell, "what about the living, my lord? What does your king say?" "King!" screamed Mormont's raven. "King, king, king." "That Mance Rayder?" Castor blew a mouthful toward the fire. "The so-called 'King Beyond the Wall'? Well, what do the free folk want a king for?" He turned his head and squinted at Mormont. "Well, I can tell you about what Red and he did, but I don't remember Good. Tell you, these empty villages are all done by him. If I am so easy to bully, I will be gone by the time you find this place. He sent a horseman and told me to leave my fort. Go to his feet and wag your tail. I drove him away, but his tongue. Here, nailed to the wall." He pointed, "Perhaps I can tell you where to find Mance Rayder, if I Remember." He grinned again, "We can talk about this slowly. You probably really want to live under my roof, hehe, I'm afraid you still want to pay off all my pigs." "We are grateful to have a roof over our heads, my lord," said Mormont. "We have walked a long way, and we are soaked." "Then, tonight you are considered guests here. Just tonight, I don't like crows very much. My wife and I spit on the attic above, and you can arrange the floor below as you like. I provide meat for twenty people." And beer, not much. The extra black crows under your command can peck at the corn you brought." "We have enough provisions, my lord," said the old bear, "and we will gladly share our food and drink with you." Castor wiped his drooping lips with the back of his hairy hand. "I'll taste your wine, Lord Crow, I will. One last thing: I'll chop off any foul hand that touches my wife." "It's up to you under your roof," said Thoren Smallwood, and Lord Mormont nodded stiffly, looking unhappy at all. "Then it's settled," Custer snorted reluctantly, "is there any crow in your group who can draw?" "Sam Tarly," Jon pushed forward. "Sam loves maps." Mormont beckoned him closer. "Tell him to come when he's had his fill, and bring a quill and parchment. Send Tollett too, and let him take my ax, as a thank-you gift to my lord." "Who's this guy?" Jon was about to leave when Craster said, "He looks like a Stark." "He is my steward and squire, Jon Snow." "Oh, bastard?" Castor looked Jon up and down. "A man who wants to sleep with a woman should take her as his wife, like me." He waved Jon away. "Okay, hurry up, little bastard, and get me a good, sharp axe, rusty iron won't do." Jon Snow bowed stiffly and left hastily.Ser Odin Wheelers had just arrived on the way out, and the two nearly collided by the buckskin gate.Outside the door, the rain was slowing down, tents were set up everywhere in the courtyard, and there were also under the trees outside the embankment. Sad Eddie is feeding the horses. "Why not give the wildling an axe?" He pointed to Mormont's weapon, a gilded hatchet with a black iron blade. "He'll pay us back, I swear. But when the time comes, it will be in the old bear's skull, which is better than nothing. Why don't we give him all the battle axes and long swords? When riding, they jingle Well, it's noisy. Without them, we'll probably go faster, straight to the gates of hell. Does it rain in hell too, you say? Maybe Custer should wear a good hat." Jon laughed. "He wants an ax, and wine." "You see, that's where Old Bear is at his best. Get the wildling drunk first, and when he kills us with the axe, he'll probably cut off only the ear. There's only one head, but there are two ears." "Smallwood said Craster was a friend of the Night's Watch." "Do you know the difference between a wildling who is a friend of the Night's Watch and a wildling who is not a friend of the Night's Watch?" said the sullen squire, "the enemy will leave us in the wild to feed crows and wolves; Bury it. I wonder how long has the bear been hanging on the door, and what was Custer hanging on the door before we came yelling?" Eddie eyed the ax suspiciously, the rain kept streaming His long face. "Is there anything to do in there?" "Of course it's much better than outside." "If I don't get too close to the fire after I go in, maybe they won't find me until the morning. Although the person who entered the room was the first to die, at least his body was dry when he died." Jon couldn't help laughing. "Caster is one man, and we have two hundred brothers. Who can he kill?" "You're reassuring me," Eddie said, his voice dead low. "Well, it's not bad to die with a good axe. To be murdered with a mallet is a terrible thing. I saw a man once hit with a mallet, and the skin wasn't broken at all, but the inside of the head was smashed and swollen. Like a big gourd, all turned purple. He was good looking, but he was ugly when he died. Thank goodness we didn't send you a mallet." Eddie shook his head and walked away, dripping from his sodden black cloak. Jon had fed the horses before remembering that he hadn't eaten his supper.He was thinking where to find Sam, when he heard a terrified scream: "Wolf!" He ran down the hall, rushing towards the direction of the sound, his boots sinking into the mud.A Craster's woman leaned against a mud-spattered wall, "Don't come here!" She screamed at Bai Ling, "You don't come here!" The direwolf held a rabbit in its mouth, and a bloody dead body lay beside him. rabbit. "Help me to drive him away, my lord," she begged when she saw him. "He won't hurt you," he said with one glance and he knew the problem: a small wooden crate with broken slats and scattered wet grass. "He must be hungry. He hasn't seen a game for a long time." Jon whistled.The direwolf immediately swallowed the rabbit in several mouthfuls, chewing on the broken bone between his teeth, and walked gently to his side. The woman stared at them nervously.It was only then that he realized how young she was, probably only fifteen or sixteen years old. Because of the rain, her black hair was messily stuck to her haggard face, and her bare feet were covered in mud up to her ankles.Under the patchwork and sewn clothes of animal skins, her body showed signs of pregnancy. "Are you Custer's daughter?" he asked. She puts one hand on her belly. "It's his wife now," she said, walking along the wall, carefully avoiding the wolves, and kneeling sadly before the broken rabbit box. "I came to feed the rabbits. We have no sheep." "We of the Night's Watch will make it up to you." Jon didn't have a copper on him, or he would have given it all... though he didn't know what a handful of coppers or even a silver would do to her beyond the Wall. "I will speak to Lord Commander Mormont tomorrow." She wiped her hands on her skirt. "grown ups--" "I'm not a grown-up." However, attracted by the woman's scream and the sound of the rabbit box breaking, other people also gathered around at this time. "Little sister, don't trust him," said Lark, the sister boy. He came from the Three Sisters Islands and was a scoundrel among the rangers. "He is Lord Snow." "The illegitimate son of Winterfell is still the king's brother," Chett sneered, leaving the Hound alone to join in the fun. "The wolf is looking at you hungrily, little sister," said Rucker, "and maybe he's thinking about that tender lump of meat in your belly." Jon didn't think it was funny. "Don't scare her." "Warning her, to be exact." Chett's grin was as ugly as his boils. "We can't talk to you," the girl suddenly remembered. "Wait," Jon said, but it was too late.She jumped up suddenly and ran away. Rucker tried to catch the remaining rabbit, but Ghost was faster.He showed his sharp teeth, and the sister boy slipped on the muddy floor in fright, and fell to the ground with his thin buttocks.Everyone roared with laughter.The direwolf picked up the rabbit and handed it to Jon. "There's no need to scare little girls," he told them. "Stop teaching us, bastard." Chett had always hated Jon for costing him his good job with Maester Aemon.In fact, this also made sense, if he hadn't found Aemon for Sam Tarly, Chett would have been able to take care of the blind old man, instead of leading this group of hard-to-serve hounds all day long. "You're just the commander-in-chief's puppy, and you haven't become the commander-in-chief yet... If you don't carry this monster all the time, how dare you fucking talk like that?" "Beyond the Wall, I don't want to fight my brother," Jon said, his voice unexpectedly cold. Lark propped up one leg. "He's afraid of you, Chett. In our Three Sisters there's a special name for such a man." "I haven't heard any of my titles, so just save yourself." He left after speaking, followed closely by Bai Ling.By the time we got to the gate, the rain had eased into a fine drizzle.It was getting dark, and another wet and cold night was approaching.Layers of cloud would obscure the moon, obscure the stars, obscure Mormont's torch, and turn the woods as black as pitch.If his fears were true, maybe even urinating at night would be a big risk. In the woods outside the courtyard, the rangers gathered enough fallen leaves and dry branches to set up a bonfire under the rocks of the ridge.Some even pitched tents or hung cloaks on low-hanging branches to make a simple shelter.The giant found a dead oak tree and barely squeezed himself into the tree hole. "Hey, how is my castle, Lord Snow?" "It looks so warm. Do you know where Sam is?" "Just keep going in this direction. If you don't see Sir Odin's tent, you've gone too far." The giant smiled. "Unless Sam finds a tree too. It would be a big tree." Soon, Bai Ling found Sam.The direwolf galloped away like arrows shot from a crossbow.Under an overhang of rock—which more or less held out the rain—Sam was feeding the ravens.With every step he took, his boots creaked. "My feet are soaked," he confessed miserably. "When I got off my horse, I accidentally stepped into a hole, and the water was up to my knees." "Take off your boots and dry your socks first. I'll get some dry wood. If the ground under these rocks isn't too wet, we can make a fire," Jon said, waving the rabbit before Sam's eyes, "and then we'll have a good meal. .” "Aren't you in the hall with Commander Mormont?" "No, it is you who are going. The Old Bear told you to draw a map. Craster will show us where Mance Rayder is." "Oh," it looked like Sam didn't really want to see Craster, even if it meant a warm fire. "Well, he told you to eat before you go. Now, dry your feet." Jon ran off to gather fuel, digging deep in the piled foliage of the ground for dry twigs.Then he carefully peeled back the wet pine needles until he was sure they would start a fire.Even with this choice, it still took a long time before sparks were sparked.He took off his cloak and threw it over the rock to protect the small, smoking fire.Finally, he finally built a small warm space for the two of them. Sam had taken off his boots when he knelt down to skin the rabbit. "I think there must be moss between the toes," he announced sadly, wiggling his toes in confusion. "The rabbit looks good, the blood... never mind, I don't care..." he said, turning his head, "Uh, there's still a little..." Jon forked the rabbit, and found two stones to lean against the fire, on which to rest their supper.Rabbits may be small, but they smell like a king's meal.The other rangers responded with envious looks.Even Ghost looked up greedily, sniffing, the firelight in his red eyes. "Your portion has been eaten," Jon reminded him. "Is this Craster... really as wild as the Rangers say?" Sam asked.The rabbit was roasted undercooked, but it was delicious. "What was his castle like?" "A dump with a roof and a brazier." Jon told Sam what he had seen and heard in Craster's Keep. When he finished speaking, it was already dark, and Sam licked his fingers: "This rabbit is good. I really want to have another leg of lamb. I want a whole leg. I will eat it by myself. I want to sprinkle mint, honey and cloves on it. You see the inside Is there a lamb?" "There are sheepfolds, but there are no sheep." "Then how does he feed his people?" "Isn't it? I didn't see any men, just Custer himself, his wives and a few little girls. I don't know how he keeps it here. His defenses are not worth mentioning at all, just a Dirt embankment. Well, it's time for you to go to the hall to draw a picture, can you find the way?" "It's all right, as long as you don't get stuck in the mud," Sam scrambled into his boots, took out his quill and parchment, and squeezed into the night, rain beating on his cloak and bonnet. Ghost put his head on his front paws and snuggled up by the fire to sleep.Jon stretched himself out beside him, silently grateful for the warmth of the fire.Although he was still cold and wet, he was much better than before.Maybe tonight, Old Xiong will know how to find Uncle Ban Yang... When he awoke, his breath was misty in the cold morning air.As soon as I got up, my bones ached.Ghost was gone, and the fire was long gone.Jon pulled back the cloak that hung from the rock, finding it hard and icy.He crawled out of the shelter and went outside, where he stood in the crystal forest. The pale pink morning light shone on the branches and leaves and rocks.Every piece of fragrant grass is carved with emeralds, and every drop of dew has become a brilliant diamond.Flowers and mushrooms seemed to be clothed in glass, and even the sewage puddles glowed bright brown.In a glistening forest green, the brothers' black tent was wrapped in a perfect ice sculpture. In this way, there is magic beyond the Great Wall.He couldn't help but think of his sisters, maybe he dreamed of them last night.Sansa would call the wonder here magic, and be moved to tears; and Arya would laugh and howl, running around to touch everything with her own hands. "Lord Xue Nuo?" Someone called, softly and docilely.He turned his head. The woman in charge of the rabbit house squatted on the big rock that sheltered him from the wind and rain last night, wrapped in a big black cloak, which was so big that it almost drowned her.This is Sam's cloak, Jon recognized it at a glance, why is she wearing Sam's cloak? "The fat man said he could find you here, my lord," she said. "I'm really sorry, we ate the rabbit." Confessing the truth made him feel absurdly guilty. "That old Lord Crow, the one with the talking bird on his shoulder, gave Custer a crossbow worth a hundred rabbits." She clasped her hand to her swollen belly. "Is it true, my lord? Are you really the king's brother?" "Half-brother," he admitted, "I am Ned Stark's bastard son, and my brother Robb is King in the North now. By the way, what do you want me for?" "It's the fat man, Sam, who sent me to you. He told me to put on his cloak, so I wouldn't be seen." "Aren't you afraid that Custer will be angry if you do this?" "Father drank too much of Mr. Crow's wine last night, and probably slept for a long time." Her rapid and tense panting frosted the air. "They say the king does justice and protects the weak," she said, scrambling awkwardly down the rock.The ice on the rock face was slippery, and her foot slipped, but Jon caught her just in time and helped her land safely.She knelt on the icy ground, "My lord, I beg you—" "Ask me for nothing. Go back to your hall, you should not be here. We are ordered not to speak to Craster's women." "You needn't talk to me, my lord. Just take me with you when you go, that's all I ask of you." Just ask me, he thought, as if it were easy. "If you please, I will... I will be your wife. My father, he has nineteen, and it doesn't matter if one is missing." "Brother in black swore never to marry a wife, don't you know? Besides, we are guests of your father's house." "You are not," she said, "I have looked carefully. You have never eaten at his table or slept by his fire. He has not given you guest rights, so you have no obligation to him. For This child, I must leave." "But I don't even know your name yet." "Gilly, he called me Gilly after the violet flower." “好美，”他忆起珊莎曾指导他，当小姐透露姓名时，应该怎么应答。他帮不了这女孩，但礼貌殷勤或许能让她开心，“卡斯特吓着你了吗，吉莉？” “我是为孩子，不是为自己。如果这是个女孩，那么一切还好说，长大之后他便会娶她。可妮拉告诉我这是个男孩，她已经生了六个孩子，对这些事算得很准的。他将把男孩奉献给神。当白色寒神到来，父亲便会动手。最近他的来临越来越频繁，起初父亲奉献羊羔——其实他自己最喜欢羊肉。现在连一只羊都没有了，接着便会轮到狗，再往后……”她垂下眼睛，抚摸肚子。 “神？什么神？”琼恩猛然想起在卡斯特的堡垒中根本不见一个男孩，更别说成年男子。这里只有卡斯特一位男性。 “寒冷之神，”她说，“只在夜间行走。如同苍白的阴影。” 刹那间，琼恩仿佛又回到了司令塔。一只僵硬的手掌爬上小腿，他用剑尖撬开，它掉在地上翻腾，指头开开阖阖。死人爬起来，劈成两半的肿胀脸庞上，湛蓝的眼睛发出非人的光芒。他腹部的大裂口旁悬挂着撕烂的肌肉，却一点血也没有。 “他们的眼睛是什么颜色？”他问她。 “蓝的。明亮犹如蓝色的星。充满寒意。” 她见过他们，他意识道。卡斯特在撒谎。 “您会带我走吗？只到长城边就好——” “我们不去长城。我们往北走，追踪曼斯·雷德，以及这些鬼怪、白影、幽灵之类的东西。我们在追寻它们，吉莉。你的宝宝跟着我们并不安全。” 她的恐惧清楚明白地写在脸上。“可是，你们会回来的。等您把仗打完，您还会经过这儿。” “我们'可能'会。”如果我们之中还有谁活下来的话。“不过那得由熊老决定，就那位被你称做乌鸦大人的老人。我只是他的侍从，不能自作主张。” “不要，”他听出她声音里极度的挫败感。“很抱歉麻烦您，大人。我只是想……人家说国王会保护人民平安，所以我只是想……”她绝望地别过头，跑开了，山姆的斗篷在她身后扑打，宛如硕大的黑翼。 琼恩目送她离开，清晨朦胧易碎的美所带来的好心境随之消逝。她真该死，他愤愤不平地想，山姆更该死，居然叫她来找我。他以为我能为她做什么？我们是来和野人打仗的，不是来营救他们的。 这时，其他人也纷纷从他们的遮蔽所里爬出，打着呵欠，伸着懒腰。魔法已然褪色，在初升的秋日下，闪亮的冰晶化为露水。有人升起了火，他闻到林间飘荡的柴火烟味，以及培根的味道。琼恩拿下斗篷，对着岩石猛拍，好把昨晚结成的薄冰壳敲碎。然后他拿起长爪，套上肩带，走开几码，对着一丛结冰的灌木小便。尿液在寒气中蒸腾，所到之处，冰雪竞相融化。最后他系好黑羊毛马裤，循香而去。 一群兄弟围坐在火堆边，其中包括葛兰和戴文。哈克递给琼恩一份夹心面包，里面有焦培根和被培根油脂弄热的大块腌鱼。他三两口吞下食物，一边听戴文吹嘘昨晚睡了三个卡斯特的女人。 “你才没有，”葛兰板起脸孔说，“不然我看得到。” 戴文用手背给了对方耳朵一巴掌，“就你？看得到？你比伊蒙学士还瞎。你连熊都看不见。” “什么熊？这里有熊？” “别说这里，上哪儿都有熊，”忧郁的艾迪语调中透着他惯有的无可奈何。“我小时候，不知从哪儿冒出一只熊把我哥杀了。后来它还用皮带把他的牙齿串好戴在脖子上。那是口好牙，比我的好。我最烦我这一口烂牙。” “山姆在哪儿？昨晚睡大厅里吗？”琼恩问他。 “照我说，那不能称之为'睡'。地那么硬，草席一股怪味，兄弟们的呼噜更是吓人。嘿，说到熊，熊的鼾声准没黄伯纳厉害。说真的，暖和倒暖和，因为晚上一群狗全爬上我身子，不过斗篷正要干的当口，却被它们尿在上面。或许是黄伯纳干的也说不定。你们注意到没？我刚进屋，头上遮着呢，雨就停止；现在我出来了，瞧着吧，雨马上又要开始啦。诸神和野狗都拿我当尿壶咧。” “我去看看莫尔蒙司令有什么需要，”琼恩道。 雨虽然停了，院里仍是一片充斥浅坑烂泥的泽国。黑衣兄弟们正在收拾帐篷，喂养马匹，一边嚼着腌牛肉条。贾曼·布克威尔的侦察兵已在整束鞍带，准备出发了，“琼恩，”马上的布克威尔跟他打招呼，“记得把你那柄杂种剑磨利点，很快就要派上用场了。” 天亮以后，卡斯特的大厅仍很昏暗。厅内，几根夜间点的火把快要燃尽，摇摇摆摆，太阳的光芒几无所见。最先发现他的是莫尔蒙司令的乌鸦。它抬起巨大的黑翅，懒洋洋地扇了三下，飞到长爪的剑柄上。“玉米？”它啄住琼恩一绺头发。 “别理这狡猾的乞丐鸟，琼恩，我才把半份培根给了它。”熊老坐在卡斯特的桌边，与其他军官一起吃着早餐——烤面包，培根和羊肉香肠。卡斯特的新斧头就放在桌上，镀金装饰在火炬微光下闪烁。它的新主人在阁楼里睡得不省人事，只有女人们集体起身，忙碌不休。“天气如何？”莫尔蒙问。 “有些冷，但雨已经停了。” “好，好。去把我的马鞍配妥当，我打算即刻动身。吃过了吗？卡斯特这儿食物普通，分量倒足。” 我不能吃卡斯特的东西，他突然下了决心。“我和弟兄们一起用过早餐了，大人。”琼恩把乌鸦从长爪上赶开，鸟儿飞回熊老的肩膀，迅速拉出一堆屎。“留给我干嘛？在琼恩那儿方便了不就好？”熊老抱怨，乌鸦尖叫回应。 他在屋后找到山姆，对方正站在破损的兔笼前与吉莉谈话。女人帮他穿回斗篷，当她回头发现琼恩，却连忙逃开。山姆给了他一个受伤的表情，“我以为你会帮她。” “怎么帮？”琼恩尖刻地说，“把她包进你的斗篷，然后带她一起走？别忘了，我们奉命不得与——” “我知道，”山姆愧疚地说，“但她真的好害怕。我明白恐惧的滋味，所以我告诉她……”他嗫嚅着。 “告诉她什么？告诉她我们要带她一起走？” 山姆的胖脸胀成紫红。“只是回程时顺路带她而已，”他不敢看琼恩的眼睛，“她快生孩子了。” “山姆，你完全丧失理智了吗？我们连回程走不走这条路都不知道。就算会经过这儿，你以为熊老会准我们偷走卡斯特的老婆？” “我是想……或许到时候……能找到什么办法……” “我可没工夫关心这个。我得去照管马匹。”琼恩大步走开，心里又气又急。山姆那颗心，真和他的身躯一般大，在琼恩眼中，他简直跟葛兰一样没头脑。这是不可能的事，不名誉的事。可是，我拒绝他，为何又觉得自己可耻呢？ 准备妥当后，守夜人弟兄们川流不息地越过高挂头骨的栅门，再度出发。琼恩和往常一样，骑行在熊老身边。人们沿着一条弯曲的狩猎小径，朝西北行去。古树枝头，融雪滴落，犹如徐缓的雨，配着轻柔的节律。堡垒以北，小溪泛滥，浮满落叶和枝条，所幸先前出发的斥候已经找到了渡口，足够人马涉过。渡口的水直淹到马肚子。白灵当先游过去，白毛滴着污水，出现在对岸。他甩甩身子，泥水四处飞溅。乌鸦朝他尖叫，但莫尔蒙一直保持沉默。 “大人，”当他们再度深入丛林后，琼恩静静地开口道，“卡斯特家没有羊。他也没有儿子。” 莫尔蒙没有作答。 “在临冬城，有位老女仆很喜欢说故事，”琼恩续道，“她常对我们说，野人会与异鬼苟合，繁衍半人半鬼的恐怖后代。” “那不过是炉边故事。难道你觉得，卡斯特看来不像人？” 他不像人的地方可多了。“他把自己的儿子丢进森林。” There was a long silence. “是啊，”熊老最后说，“是啊。”乌鸦边嘀咕边昂首阔步地走着，“是啊，是啊，是啊。” “您早知道？” “斯莫伍德告诉过我，那是很久以前的事了。其实游骑兵们都知道，只是大家嘴上不提而已。” “我叔叔也知道。” “游骑兵们都知道，”莫尔蒙重复了一遍，“你是不是觉得我该阻止他，甚至杀了他？”熊老叹口气，“唉，要真是因为他养不活孩子，我很乐意叫尤伦或康威来带他们走。我们可以让他们穿上黑衣，守夜人军团就缺人手。但野人侍奉的神比你我的神更残酷，这些孩子是卡斯特的祭品……唉，是他的祈祷方式。” Yeah?他老婆的祈祷可与他大相径庭。琼恩心想。 “这些事，你怎么知道？”熊老转而问他，“卡斯特的老婆给你说的？” “是的，大人，”琼恩坦承，“但我不能告诉您这是谁说的。她吓坏了，她向我求助。” “琼恩，世界如此辽阔，到处都有求助的人。其中有的人，或许该鼓起勇气，自己拯救自己。这会儿，卡斯特就瘫在阁楼上，浑身酒臭，毫无知觉。楼下的长桌搁着咱们新赠的利斧。如果我是他老婆，我会把这当成天神对祈祷的回应，就此了结他。” yes.琼恩想起了吉莉，想起了她的姐妹们，她们共有十九人，卡斯特孤身一个，可…… “其实对我们而言，卡斯特的死并不值得庆幸。你叔叔若健在，必会告诉你卡斯特堡垒对我们的游骑兵来说，通常意味着生与死的差别。” “我父亲说……”他犹豫起来。 “说吧，琼恩。想说什么只管说。” “我父亲告诉过我，有的人是咎由自取，罪有应得，”琼恩道，“一个残暴不公的封臣不仅玷污了自己，还玷污了他的主人。” “卡斯特是个自由人，他没有对我们宣誓，并不需遵从我们的律法。你有一颗高贵的心，琼恩，但你得学会这一课：我们不能按自己的想法来塑造这个世界，这并非我们的目的，咱们守夜人军团的职责只是战斗。” 战斗，是啊，我必须谨记。“贾曼·布克威尔也说我的剑很快就要派上用场。” “是吗？”莫尔蒙看来有些忧虑，“昨晚，卡斯特对我们说了许多，完全印证了我之前的担心。我躺在地板上，一夜没睡。曼斯·雷德正在霜雪之牙上聚集部众，因此村落纷纷荒废。这跟出发之前，丹尼斯·梅利斯特爵士的部下从大峡谷里抓到的野人口中得到的消息一模一样。惟一的区别在于，卡斯特把他们集结的确切地点告诉了我们，情况越来越复杂了。” “他是想建筑要塞？还是要组织军队？” “是啊，这正是关键所在。那里'究竟'有多少野人？其中又有多少能操起武器作战？没有人说得清。霜雪之牙是一片严酷、冷漠、荒凉的冰山，无法供养大批人群长期停留。照我分析，曼斯·雷德只有一个目的——南下长城，扫荡七大王国。” “从前，野人也曾大举入侵，”在临冬城时，这些故事琼恩都听老奶妈和鲁温师傅讲过，“在我祖父的祖父的时代，'红胡子'雷蒙率领他们南下，再往前，'吟游诗人'贝尔也曾兵临城下。” “不错，比他们更早，有'长角王'，'兄弟王'詹德尔和戈尼，在远古，还有吹响冬之号角、从地底唤醒巨人的乔曼，他们都做过同样的尝试，但每次不是在长城下一败涂地，就是被临冬城的援军奋力杀退……但如今，且不论守夜人军团的实力只有夕日的一鳞半爪，又有谁会与我们并肩作战、对抗野人呢？临冬城主已经丧命，他的继承人带着所有军队南下与兰尼斯特交兵。对野人们而言，这是千载难逢的大好机会。琼恩，我很了解曼斯．雷德，不错，他背弃了誓言……但他为人一向目光敏锐，行事果断，是个千里挑一的人才。” “我们该怎么办？”琼恩问。 “找到他，”莫尔蒙道，“了结他，阻止他。” 凭这区区三百人，琼恩心想，前去对抗整个北野洪荒的愤怒。他的五指开开合合。