Chapter 16 Chapter 15 Caitlin

On the eighteenth night after Ned and the two daughters left, Maester Luwin came to Bran's sickroom with a writing lamp and ledgers. "Madame, it is time for us to count the accounts," he said, "so that you will know the cost of this royal entertainment." Caitlin looked at Bran on the sickbed, brushing away the thin hair on his forehead, and suddenly realized that his hair was very long, and she had to find time to trim it for him as soon as possible. "Master Luwin, don't show me the accounts," she told him, keeping her eyes on Bran. "I know how dreadful expenses can be for a banquet. Take the ledger away."

"Ma'am, the king's men have a lot of food, we have to replenish the food in the city quickly, so as not to..." She interrupted him: "As I said, take the ledger away. Leave these matters to the manager." "We have no steward," Maester Luwin reminded her.He's like a squirrel, she thought, who won't let go of his bite. "Poole went south to King's Landing with the master to manage Lord Ed's housework." Catelyn nodded casually. "Oh, yes, I remember." Bran looked so pale, she wondered if she could move the hospital bed to the window so he could get some morning sun.

Maester Luwin set the lamp in the alcove by the door, twisting the wick wildly. "Madame, there are a number of positions for you to decide at once. As well as the steward, we need a new captain of the guard to take Jory's place, and a new steward of stables—" Her eyes flicked away, fixed on him. "Stable master?" Her voice cracked like a whip. The old maester was visibly taken aback. "Yes, ma'am, Hu Lun also went south with Lord Ed, so—" "Luwin, my son is lying here in pieces waiting to die, and you're talking to me about a horseman? Do you think I care what happens in the stables? You think what's going on over there has something to do with me. A bit? If killing all the horses in the city would open Bran's eyes, I'd be more than happy to do it myself, do you understand? Do you understand?"

He looks down. "Ma'am, I understand, but these positions can't wait-" "I'll arrange it," Robb said. Catelyn didn't hear Robb's footsteps, but looked up to find him standing in the aisle, watching her intently.She thought of her yelling just now, and her face turned red, ashamed of herself.What is wrong with me?She just felt so tired and her head hurt all day long. Maester Luwin looked from Catelyn to her son. "I've made a list of suitable candidates," he said, taking a piece of paper from his sleeve and handing it to Robb. Her son glanced at the names on the list.Only then did Caitlin realize that he had just come back from the outside, his cheeks flushed from the cold, and his hair blown tousled by the wind. "All good candidates," he said. "We'll talk about that tomorrow." He handed the list back to Maester Luwin.

"Yes, my lord." The paper disappeared immediately up his sleeve. "You step back first." Robb said.Maester Luwin nodded and left. Robb closed the door and turned to face her.She saw that he was also equipped with a sword. "Mother, why are you bothering?" Caitlyn had always thought Robb looked like her the most.Like Bran, Rickon, and Sansa, he had the beautiful colors of the Tully family-maroon red hair and blue eyes. Now she once again read Ed Stark's look on his face, a kind of belonging to the Tully family. The fortitude of the North is grim. "What's the matter with me?" She replied confusedly, "How can you ask such a thing? What do you think I'm doing, I'm taking care of your brother, I'm taking care of Bran."

"What kind of care is this? Since Bran was injured, you haven't stepped out of this room. You didn't even go to the gate of the city to see off your father and sister when they went south." "I said goodbye to them in this room and watched them go from the window." She had begged Ned not to go, especially after this tragedy.Can't he see that everything has changed now?In vain, he said he had no choice but to go south. "I can't leave him, not even for a moment, he could take his last breath at any moment. I have to guard him, lest... lest..." She took her son's lifeless palm and slid his fingers through your fingers.He was so fragile and thin, with no strength in his hands, but fortunately, he could still feel the warmth of life through his skin.

Robb's tone softened. "Mother, he won't die. Maester Luwin said the danger period is over." "What if Maester Luwin is wrong? What if I'm not there when Bran needs me?" "The one who needs you is Rickon," Robb said sharply, "he's only three years old, and he can't figure out what's going on. He just thinks everyone doesn't want him, so he follows me all day, hugs my thigh and cries It's making trouble again, I really don't know what to do!" At this point, he stopped suddenly, biting his lower lip as he was used to when he was a child. "Mom, I need you too. I've tried so hard, but I... I can't do it alone!" With this sudden emotional agitation, his voice suddenly became hoarse, and Kaitlyn remembered that he just Fourteen.She wanted to get up and hug him, but Bran still held her hand and she couldn't move.

A wolf howled from outside the tower, and Catelyn shuddered. "It's Bran's wolf." Robb opened the window, letting the evening wind into the stifling chamber of the tower.The howling of wolves was getting louder and louder, it was a heart-piercing and lonely sound, full of melancholy and despair. "Keep the window open," she told him, "to keep Bran warm." "He needs to hear the wolf pup," said Robb.Somewhere in Winterfell, another wolf joined Howl's lineup, and then another, this time closer to the Tower. "It's Shaggydog and Gray Wind." Amidst the ups and downs of howling wolves, Robb said, "Listen carefully, you can tell them apart."

Catelyn was still shaking, not only from sadness, from the cold, but from the cry of the direwolf.Night after night, day after day, the howling of wolves, the cold wind, and the gray and empty castle continued endlessly, never changing, while her beloved son was lying on the bed, the sweetest child of hers, the one who loved to laugh, Bran, who loves to climb and dream of being a knight, is all gone now. I'm afraid he will never hear his laughter again in this life.Thinking of this, she couldn't help crying, and desperately pulled her hands out of his palms, covered her ears, and didn't want to hear the terrifying wolf howling outside. "Tell them to stop screaming!" she shouted, "I can't stand it, tell them to stop screaming, stop screaming, it doesn't matter if you kill them, as long as they stop screaming!"

She couldn't remember when she fell, but she was, and Robb lifted her up, wrapping his strong arms around her. "Mother, don't be afraid, they will never hurt Bran." He helped her to her narrow bed in the corner of the ward. "Close your eyes," he said softly, "and rest well. Maester Luwin told me you have hardly closed your eyes since what happened to Bran." "How can I rest?" she sobbed. "Gods open, Robb, I can't rest if he passes while I'm asleep, if...if..." The howling of wolves continued outside the window.She screamed loudly, covering her ears again. "Oh, dear, dear, close the window!"

"If you promise me some sleep, I'll close it." Robb walked to the window, and as he reached for it, a new voice was added to the direwolf's moaning. "It's a dog barking," he listened intently. "All the dogs in the city are barking. They didn't do this before..." Kaitlyn heard his breath choked in her throat, and raised her head to see his face under the light. Pale. "Fire," he murmured. There was a fire, and her first reaction was, save Bran! "Help me," she urged, "help me pick Bran up." But Robb didn't seem to hear at all. "The library tower is on fire," he said. Through the open window, Catelyn saw flickers of red light.She was relieved that Bran was safe, and the Library Tower was outside the city walls, and there was no possibility of the fire spreading here anyway. "Thank goodness," she whispered. Robb looked at her as if he regarded her as a lunatic, "Mother, please stay here, and I will come back after the fire is extinguished." After finishing speaking, he ran out.She heard him issue orders to the guard outside the door, and then they rushed downstairs in three steps at a time. From the square outside came the shouts of "Fire!", the screams, the sound of running feet, the neighing of frightened horses and the frantic barking of dogs.Amidst the bursts of discordant sounds, she suddenly found that she couldn't hear the howling of wolves. For some reason, the direwolves became quiet. Caitlin walked to the window and prayed silently to the Supreme Seven in her heart to express her gratitude.Across the city wall, long tongues of fire can be seen shooting out from the windows of the tall tower of the library.She watched the smoke go straight into the sky, and she couldn't help but secretly feel sorry for the rare and ancient books caught in the flames. They are the essence of the Stark family that has been accumulated through so many generations of hard work.Then she closed the window. Turning around, she realized that there was another man in the room. "You shouldn't be here," he muttered darkly, "no one should be here." He was dressed in dirty brown clothes, was small, and reeked of horse odor.Caitlin knew the servants who worked in the stables like the back of their hands, but she had no impression of the person in front of her.A bony man with limp blond hair, dark eyes sunken in a bony face, and a dagger in his hand. Catelyn looked at the knife, then at Bran. "No," she said.Words stuck in his throat, only the faintest whisper. He must have heard it anyway. "It's for his own good," he said. "He's as good as a dead man anyway." "No," Caitlin found her voice, speaking louder. "No, you are not allowed to do this!" She rushed to the window and wanted to call for help, but the other party's movements were astonishingly fast, he quickly stretched out a hand to cover her mouth, and pulled her head back, Then the sharp blade was on her throat.He stinks so badly that she almost suffocates. She reached out to grab the dagger with both hands and pulled it away from her throat desperately.His cursing came from beside her ear, and even though her fingers were dripping with blood, she still refused to let go.The grip on her mouth tightened, making it difficult for her to breathe.Caitlin turned her head violently, found his hand between her upper and lower teeth, and bit down hard on it.The man grunted in pain, and she clenched her teeth and tore hard, forcing him to let go of his hand abruptly.With blood all over her mouth, she took a deep breath and screamed.Seeing this, the man quickly grabbed her by the hair and pushed her hard, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground.He stood beside her panting loudly, trembling, still holding the dagger tightly in his right hand, the blade was covered with blood. "You shouldn't be here," he repeated awkwardly. At this moment, Caitlin saw a dark figure slipping in through the doorway behind him, and let out a low growl, not really a growl, but a threatening whisper.But he must have heard it anyway, for he was about to turn when the wolf sprang at him.The man and the wolf both tumbled to the ground, lying where Catelyn had fallen.The wolf opened its mouth and bit, and the man's scream lasted less than a second before the wolf turned its head and twisted half of his throat. The blood splashed on her face like a warm rain. The wolf stared at her intently, its mouth was red and wet, and its pupils shone golden in the dark room.It dawned on her that this was Bran's wolf, of course it was. "Thank you," Caitlin said softly, her voice weak and small.She raised her hand, but couldn't stop shaking.The little wolf approached lightly, smelled her fingers, and then licked the blood between the fingers with his rough but warm tongue.After licking it off, he turned quietly and jumped onto Bran's hospital bed, lying down beside him.Caitlin laughed hysterically. This was what Robb, Maester Luwin, and Ser Rodrik saw later, when they burst into the room with more than half the guards of Winterfell.When the laughter finally died down, they wrapped her in warm blankets and took her back to the main castle bedroom.Old Nan took off her clothes, helped her take a scalding hot bath, and wiped off the blood on her body with a soft cloth.Maester Luwin bandaged her wound afterwards.The knife wound between her fingers was so deep that the bones were almost visible, and the scalp was also bleeding from the few locks of hair that had been roughly pulled off just now.The old master told her that the pain had just begun, and asked her to drink poppy milk to sleep peacefully. Finally she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep. When she opened her eyes again, they told her that four days had passed.Caitlin nodded and sat up, thinking of everything that happened since Bran fell from the building, full of blood and sadness, like a nightmare, but the scars on her hands told her that everything was true.Her hands and feet were weak and her head was light, but her thoughts were surprisingly clear and decisive, and she felt relieved. "I want some bread and honey," she told the servants, "and tell Maester Luwin that my wound needs to be changed." They looked at her in amazement, and hurriedly did as they were told. Catelyn thought of herself these days and felt ashamed.She failed everyone's expectations, her children, her husband and her family's reputation.The same thing will never happen a second time.She would show the northmen how strong the Tullys at Riverrun were. Before the food was delivered, Robb arrived first.They were joined by Roderick Cassel and her husband's adopted son, Theon Greyjoy, and Harris Moran, a muscular man with a boxy tan beard.Robb says he's the new captain of the guard.She saw her son wrapped in leather and armor, with a sword on his waist. "Who the hell is he?" she asked them. "Nobody knows the guy's name," Harris Moran told her. "Ma'am, he is not from Winterfell at all, but someone saw him haunting the castle a few weeks ago." "Must be one of the king's men," she said, "or a Lannister lackey. He probably went into hiding when the others left." "It's very possible," Hal said, "Winterfell was full of outsiders a while ago, and no one can say for sure where he came from." "He's in the stables," said Greyjoy. "You can smell it on him." "Then why no one noticed?" she asked sharply. Harris Moran flushed. "Except for the horses that Lord Eddard took south and the ones we gave to the Night's Watch, there weren't many horses left in the stables. It shouldn't be too hard to avoid the stable boy. Maybe Hodor saw him and heard about the boy." It's been weird recently, but he's such a simple person..." Hal shook his head. "We found where he slept," Robb put in. "He hid a leather pouch under the straw with ninety silver stags in it." "Then my son's life is worth a fortune," Caitlin said bitterly. Harris Moran looked at her puzzled. "Ma'am, excuse me, do you mean that this fight is the young master's idea?" Greyjoy looked suspicious. "It's crazy." "He's coming for Bran," Catelyn said. "He's going on and on and on, saying I shouldn't be here. Apparently he set the Library Tower on fire, thinking I'd take all the guards and Go out to fight the fire. If I hadn't lost my way with grief, I'm afraid he would have succeeded." "But why did you lay hands on Bran?" said Robb. "Gods, he's just a little boy, sick and sleepy..." Catelyn gave her eldest son a sharp look. "Robb, if you want to rule the North, you have to learn to think about this kind of problem. Think about your own problems. Why would anyone want to lay hands on a sleeping child?" Before he could answer, the servant brought a hot meal: warm bread, butter, honey and black plum jam, bacon and hard-boiled eggs, as well as cheese and a pot of mint tea, which was much richer than she had asked for. .Then Maester Luwin came in. "Master, how is my son?" Caitlin looked at the rich food in front of her, but she had no appetite. Maester Luwin bowed his head: "Ma'am, your condition has not changed." It was exactly the answer she had expected, no more, no less.Her hand injury was painful, as if the sharp knife was still there, cutting deeper and deeper.She dismissed the servants and looked back at Robb. "Do you have an answer?" "Because he's afraid Bran will wake up," Robb said, "and what he'll say or do when he wakes up, and what he'll know." Caitlin was proud of him. "Very good." She turned to the new captain of the guard. "The so-called one has two, we have to protect Bran well." "How many guards do you want, ma'am?" Hal asked. "Now that Lord Ed is not here, my son is the Lord of Winterfell." She told him. Robb raised his head and said: "Send one man to guard the room, one to guard the door, day and night, and two more at the bottom of the stairs. No one is allowed to approach Bran without my or my mother's permission." "Yes, my lord." "Do it now," Caitlin suggested. "Keep his wolf in the room with him," Robb added. "Yes," Caitlin said, and repeated, "that's fine." Harris Moran nodded and left the room. "Lady Stark," Ser Rodrik asked after the captain of the guard had left, "have you noticed the dagger with which the assassin murdered?" "I didn't have time to take a closer look at that time, but I can be sure of its sharpness." Caitlin replied with a wry smile. "Why do you ask this?" "The assassin was still holding the dagger in his hand when he died. I don't think his status is enough to use such a sophisticated weapon, so I spent a long time studying it carefully. The blade is made of Valyrian steel. The material used is keel. Such a weapon cannot appear in his hands, someone must have given it to him." Caitlin nodded and pondered. "Robb, close the door." He gave her a strange look in his eyes, and then followed suit. "What I am going to tell you now must not go out," she told them. "If any part of my suspicions are true, then Ned and my daughters are in danger. It might kill them. So I need you to swear to secrecy." "Lord Eddard treats me like a father," said Greyjoy. "I swear I won't tell what I've heard today." "I swear to secrecy," Maester Luwin said. "Me too, madam," replied Ser Rodrik. She looks at her son. "Robb, what about you?" He nodded. "My sister Lysa thinks her husband, Jon Arryn, the former Prime Minister, was murdered by the Lannisters." Caitlin said to them, "I think of the day Bran fell, Jaime Lannister Nestor did not participate in the king's hunting activities, but stayed in the city." The room was dead silent. "So I'm sure Bran didn't stumble and fall," she finished quietly. "It was thrown down instead." Shock and awe were clearly written on everyone's faces. "Ma'am, this is really shocking," Roderick Cassel said, "Even the 'Kingslayer' would probably not be able to do such a thing of mutilating innocent children." "Oh, is it?" replied Theon Greyjoy, "I doubt it." "With all the ambition and arrogance of the Lannisters, there's nothing they can't do," Catelyn replied. "Bran's boy has never been in trouble before," Maester Luwin mused. "He knows every brick and tile of Winterfell like the back of his hand." "Damn it," swore Robb, his young face clouded with rage. "If this is true, he will pay the price sooner or later." He drew his sword and waved it in the air. "I'm going to kill him with my own hands!" Ser Rodrik raged. "Put your sword away! Lannister is hundreds of miles away, you fool. How many times have I told you not to draw your sword unless you have to!" Robb complied shamefully, then childishly again for a moment.Catelyn said to Ser Rodrik, "It seems my son has begun to wear arms." The old coach replied: "I think it's time." Robb watched her nervously. "It's long overdue," she said. "Winterfell may soon be put on emergency alert, and wooden swords will be useless then." Theon Greyjoy put his hand on the hilt of his sword. "If there is war, my lady, our house will be at our disposal." Maester Luwin tugged at the place where the metal necklace had scuffed his neck. "We can only guess now. The person accused of murder is none other than the younger brother of the current queen. This matter must not reach her ears. Unless we have evidence, we must not act rashly." "The dagger is the proof," said Ser Rodrik, "someone must have seen such a fine and famous knife." Caitlyn knew there was only one place to go if she were to discover the truth. "Someone has to go to King's Landing." "I'll go," said Robb. "No," she told him, "you will stay here. After all, there will be a Stark at the head of Winterfell." Maester Luwin in the robes, and Greyjoy, a young, thin but impulsive and reckless, who should be sent?Who is most trustworthy?She already had the answer in her heart.Catelyn struggled to push the blanket away, her bandaged fingers stiff as a rock, and she crawled out of bed. "I'll go myself." "Ma'am," Maester Luwin said, "is that all right? The Lannisters will be suspicious of your presence." "What about Bran?" Robb asked.The poor boy was bewildered with confusion. "You can't leave him alone, can you?" "I did everything I could for him," she said, putting her wounded hand on his arm. "His life is up to the gods and Maester Luwin. Didn't you remind me too? I have other children to think about, Robb." "Madam, you need an escort." Theon said. "I told Hal to go with you with a team of guards," Robb said. "No," Catelyn said, "a large party will only attract unwanted attention. I do not want the Lannisters to know that I am going south." Sir Rodrik argued: "Madam, at least let me go with you. The King's Road is dangerous, and it is not convenient for you to be a woman." "I'm not going to take the Kingsroad," Catelyn replied.She thought for a while, then nodded to confirm. "Two people on horseback are no slower than a single person, but much faster than a caravan and a wheelhouse. Sir Rodrik, you are welcome to come with me. We will walk along the White Knife towards the sea, and then hire a boat at White Harbor. By water. If the horses are fast and the sea breeze is good, we can get to King's Landing before Ned and the Lannisters." Then, she thought to herself, we will see. ※※※※※※※ ① Hal is Harris' nickname.