“难怪你会披上白袍，换我也会的。”

“Small wonder you took the white. I’d have done the same.”

“噢，当年的莱莎和现在不一样。”她那时很漂亮，精致的脸庞上长着酒窝，还有长长的枣红秀发。然而她太害羞，不爱说话，只会偷偷嘻笑，丝毫没有瑟曦的激情。她姐姐凯特琳更有吸引力，然而却已许配给了北方人，临冬城的传人……不过在那个年龄，詹姆对任何女孩的兴趣都不如对霍斯特那成名的弟弟的兴趣大，布林登·徒利刚在石阶列岛的九铜板王之战中建功，于是乎餐桌上，詹姆一贯忽略可怜的菜莎，追着布林登询问“凶暴的”马里斯和乌木王子的故事。当年的布林登爵士比现在的我年轻，詹姆忆起，而当年的我比现在的小派更小。

“Oh, Lysa was not so fearsome as all that.” She had been a pretty girl, in truth; dimpled and delicate, with long auburn hair. Timid, though. Prone to tongue-tied silences and fits of giggles, with none of Cersei’s fire. Her older sister had seemed more interesting, though Catelyn was promised to some northern boy, the heir of Winterfell … but at that age, no girl interested Jaime half so much as Hoster’s famous brother, who had won renown fighting the Ninepenny Kings upon the Stepstones. At table he had ignored poor Lysa, whilst pressing Brynden Tully for tales of Maelys the Monstrous and the Ebon Prince. Ser Brynden was younger then than I am now, Jaime reflected, and I was younger than Peck.

红叉河最近的渡口在城堡上游，要到达冯爵士的驻地，先得经过艾蒙·佛雷的营区，经过那些屈膝回归国王治下的三河诸侯们的帐篷。詹姆发现了莱彻斯特、凡斯、鲁特和古柏勒的旗帜，还有斯莫伍德家的橡果与派柏伯爵的舞蹈少女，但他真正在乎的是那些没看到的纹章：梅利斯特家族的银色飞鹰、布雷肯家族的红马、莱格家族的垂柳和培吉家族的缠绕双蛇。虽然这些家族一再重申效忠铁王座，但均不愿派兵参与围困。詹姆知道，布雷肯家族在跟布莱伍德家族打仗，脱不开身情有可原，但其他的……

The nearest ford across the Red Fork was upstream of the castle. To reach Ser Daven’s camp they had to ride through Emmon Frey’s, past the pavilions of the river lords who had bent their knees and been accepted back into the king’s peace. Jaime noted the banners of Lychester and Vance, of Roote and Goodbrook, the acorns of House Smallford and Lord Piper’s dancing maiden, but the banners he did not see gave him pause. The silver eagle of Mallister was nowhere in evidence; nor the red horse of Bracken, the willow of the Rygers, the twining snakes of Paege. Though all had renewed their fealty to the Iron Throne, none had come to join the siege. The Brackens were fighting the Blackwoods, Jaime knew, which accounted for their absence, but as for the rest …

我们的新朋友根本不是朋友。他们的忠诚只浮于表面。奔流城必须尽快拿下，拖延就是鼓励反抗，鼓励泰陀斯·布莱伍德这类人。

Our new friends are no friends at all. Their loyalty goes no deeper than their skins. Riverrun had to be taken, and soon. The longer the siege dragged on, the more it would hearten other recalcitrants, like Tytos Blackwood.

到了渡口，凯切镇的肯洛斯爵士吹起赫洛克之号。这大概能引得黑鱼上城头观察吧。雨果爵士租德莫特爵士走在最前，踏过浑浊的红褐河水，高举御林铁卫的纯白旗帜和托曼的雄鹿狮子旗。詹姆紧随其后，接着是大队人马。

At the ford, Ser Kennos of Kayce blew the Horn of Herrock. That should bring the Blackfish to the battlements. Ser Hugo and Ser Dermot led Jaime’s way across the river, splashing through the muddy red-brown waters with the white standard of the Kingsguard and Tommen’s stag and lion streaming in the wind. The rest of the column followed hard behind them.

兰尼斯特军的营地充斥着木锤敲打声，一座崭新的攻城塔正在建造中。另有两座已建立起来，用生马皮半掩。在这两座塔之间，还有一根撞锤，以大树树干制成，铁索固定，顶端削尖后用火淬硬，上面铺有木制顶棚。看来，老表并未无所事事。

The Lannister camp rang to the sound of wooden hammers where a new siege tower was rising. Two other towers stood completed, half-covered with raw horsehide. Between them sat a rolling ram; a tree trunk with a fire-hardened point suspended on chains beneath a wooden roof. My coz has not been idle, it would seem.

“大人，”小派问，“您在哪里搭营？”

“My lord,” Peck asked, “where do you want your tent?”

“这里，这个高地上，”他用金手一指——虽然它不太适合这任务。“把辎重和马匹分开，妥善利用我好心的表弟为我们挖的便池。亚当爵士，扎营后仔细检查外围，不得有任何疏漏之处。”一朝被蛇咬，十年怕井绳，呓语森林的事绝不能再发生了。

“There, upon that rise.” He pointed with his golden hand, though it was not well suited to that task. “Baggage there, horse lines there. We’ll use the latrines my cousin has so kindly dug for us. Ser Addam, inspect our perimeter with an eye for any weaknesses.” Jaime did not anticipate an attack, but he had not anticipated the Whispering Wood either.

“要我召唤黄鼠狼们来开作战会议吗？”达冯问。

“Shall I summon the stoats for a war council?” Daven asked.

“不，等我和黑鱼谈了再说，”詹姆招呼“没胡子”琼恩·本特利，“打上和平的旗帜，去城堡送信，转告布林登·徒利爵士：明天一大早，我与他谈判。我会亲自来到护城河边，跟他在吊桥上会面。”

“Not until I’ve spoken to the Blackfish.” Jaime beckoned to Beardless Jon Bettley. “Shake out a peace banner and bear a message to the castle. Inform Ser Brynden Tully that I would have words with him, at first light on the morrow. I will come to the edge of the moat and meet him on his drawbridge.”

“大人，城上的十字弓手……”小派警告。

Peck looked alarmed. “My lord, the bowmen could …”

“没事。”詹姆翻身下马，“升帐，立起我的大旗。”我们来看看谁会先到，到得有多快。

“They won’t.” Jaime dismounted. “Raise my tent and plant my standards.” And we’ll see who comes running, and how quickly.

没让他久等。皮雅取出火盆，正忙着点燃煤炭，小派跑去帮她。最近一段时间，伴随詹姆入睡的往往是他俩挤在帐篷一角做爱的声音。当加列特为他解开护胫甲时，帐门被掀开了。“你终于来了，对吗？”姑妈大声说。她的身躯挤满了整个门，而她的佛雷丈夫凑在后面偷偷往里瞧，“久别重逢，你就不想给你肥胖的老姑妈一个热情的拥抱吗？”她边说边张开双臂，詹姆只能接受。

It did not require long. Pia was fussing at a brazier, trying to light the coals. Peck went to help her. Of late, Jaime oft went to sleep to the sound of them fucking in a corner of the tent. As Garrett was undoing the clasps on Jaime’s greaves, the tent flapped open. “Here at last, are you?” boomed his aunt. She filled the door, with her Frey husband peering out from behind her. “Past time. Have you no hug for your old fat aunt?” She held out her arms and left him no choice but to embrace her.

吉娜·兰尼斯特年轻时是个相当有形的女人，最爱开玩笑说自己有朝一日定会长胖。今天她的体形业已四四方方，脸庞宽阔平坦，脖子犹如粉色梁柱，胸部高耸。总而言之，她的体重应有她丈夫的两倍之多。詹姆尽责地抱着她，等待姑妈捏自己耳朵，从有记忆开始，姑妈就喜欢捏他的耳朵。不过今天她忍住了，只在他脸上印下潮湿柔软的吻。“对你失去的，我感到很遗憾。”

Genna Lannister had been a shapely woman in her youth, always threatening to overflow her bodice. Now the only shape she had was square. Her face was broad and smooth, her neck a thick pink pillar, her bosom enormous. She carried enough flesh to make two of her husband. Jaime hugged her dutifully and waited for her to pinch his ear. She had been pinching his ear for as long as he could remember, but today she forbore. Instead, she planted soft and sloppy kisses on his cheeks. “I am sorry for your loss.”

“我有了只新手，纯金打造。”他展示给她看。

“I had a new hand made, of gold.” He showed her.

“好看得很，不过你能用纯金为自己打造一个新父亲吗？”吉娜姑妈尖刻地问，“我指的是泰温。”

“Very nice. Will they make you a gold father too?” Lady Genna’s voice was sharp. “Tywin was the loss I meant.”

“泰温·兰尼斯特是千年一遇的传奇。”姑丈宣布。艾蒙·佛雷是个神经兮兮的人，一双手总是不安地扭动。他的体重最多十石……而且还要在浑身甲胄，被水浸过的前提之下。穿羊毛衣的他仿佛一根芦苇，没下巴，突出的喉结十分可笑。三十岁之前，他一半头发便已脱落，现在他年满四十，头顶只剩几根稀疏的白丝。

“A man such as Tywin Lannister comes but once in a thousand years,” declared her husband. Emmon Frey was a fretful man with nervous hands. He might have weighed ten stone … but only wet, and clad in mail. He was a weed in wool, with no chin to speak of, a flaw that the prominence of the apple in his throat made even more absurd. Half his hair had been gone before he turned thirty. Now he was sixty and only a few white wisps remained.

“最近有很多奇怪的谣言，”詹姆遣散皮雅与侍从们之后，吉娜姑妈说，“教我这个老妇人难以置信。提利昂怎么可能害了泰温？是不是你姐姐的诽谤中伤？”

“Some queer tales have been reaching us of late,” Lady Genna said, after Jaime dismissed Pia and his squires. “A woman hardly knows what to believe. Can it be true that Tyrion slew Tywin? Or is that some calumny your sister put about?”

“事情是真的。”金手越来越沉，他摸索向手腕处固定用的皮带。

“It’s true enough.” The weight of his golden hand had grown irksome. He fumbled at the straps that secured it to his wrist.

“儿子谋害父亲，”艾蒙爵士道，“滔天大罪啊。如今是维斯特洛最黑暗的时代，泰温大人不在了，我真替大家担心。”

“For a son to raise his hand against a father,” Ser Emmon said. “Monstrous. These are dark days in Westeros. I fear for us all with Lord Tywin gone.”

“若他此刻在这里，你才该替大家担心。”吉娜把丰满的屁股摆到一张折叠椅上，椅子顿时发出危险的“吱噶”声。“侄儿，讲讲我们的儿子克里奥爵士，讲讲他怎么死的。”

“You feared for us all when he was here.” Genna settled her ample rump upon a camp stool, which creaked alarmingly beneath her weight. “Nephew, speak to us of our son Cleos and the manner of his death.”

詹姆解开最后一个索扣，把金手放下。“我们路遇土匪，克里奥爵士挺身而出，企图引开对方，不料出了意外。”谎言很容易出口，尤其是它明显安慰了面前这对夫妇。

Jaime undid the last fastening and set his hand aside. “We were set upon by outlaws. Ser Cleos scattered them, but it cost his life.” The lie came easy; he could see that it pleased them.

“孩子很勇敢，我一直这么说。这来源于他的血脉。”艾蒙爵士说话时溅出粉红唾沫，他喜欢咀嚼酸草叶。

“The boy had courage, I always said so. It was in his blood.” A pinkish froth glistened on Ser Emmon’s lips when he spoke, courtesy of the sourleaf he liked to chew.

“他的尸骨应该埋在凯岩城下的英雄之厅，”吉娜姑妈宣布，“他究竟安息于何处呢？”

“His bones should be interred beneath the Rock, in the Hall of Heroes,” Lady Genna declared. “Where was he laid to rest?”

无处安息。血戏子们剥了他的尸体，把血肉留给乌鸦享用。“一条小溪旁，”他撒谎道，“等战争结束，我便会带他回家。”这些日子里，只有骨头没人要。

Nowhere. The Bloody Mummers stripped his corpse and left his flesh to feast the carrion crows. “Beside a stream,” he lied. “When this war is done, I will find the place and send him home.” Bones were bones; these days, nothing was easier to come by.

“战争结束……”听见这话，未来的艾蒙老爷顿时来了精神，他清清嗓子，突出的喉结上上下下，“你看见外面的攻城器械了：撞锤、投石机、攻城塔。不能蛮干啊，詹姆，达冯要破坏我的城墙，砸毁了我的城门，他还说要把沥青火桶丢进去，点燃城堡。那可是我的城堡啊！”他伸手进衣袖，取出一张羊皮纸，凑到詹姆眼前。“我有王上签署的授予状，看看，上面是托曼的亲笔签名，国王的印章，雄鹿和狮子。我是奔流城的合法领主，我不允许任何人损坏我的财产。”

“This war …” Lord Emmon cleared his throat, the apple in his throat moving up and down. “You will have seen the siege machines. Rams, trebuchets, towers. It will not serve, Jaime. Daven means to break my walls, smash in my gates. He talks of burning pitch, of setting the castle afire. My castle.” He reached up one sleeve, brought out a parchment, and thrust it at Jaime’s face. “I have the decree. Signed by the king, by Tommen, see, the royal seal, the stag and lion. I am the lawful lord of Riverrun, and I will not have it reduced to a smoking ruin.”

“噢，把这蠢东西拿开，”他夫人叫道，“只要黑鱼还在城内，你就只能拿这张纸揩屁股。”吉娜姑妈虽嫁到佛雷家五十年了，但骨子里仍是个兰尼斯特。不折不扣的兰尼斯特。“詹姆会把城堡交给你。”

“Oh, put that fool thing away,” his wife snapped. “So long as the Blackfish sits inside Riverrun you can wipe your arse with that paper for all the good it does us.” Though she had been a Frey for fifty years, Lady Genna remained very much a Lannister. Quite a lot of Lannister. “Jaime will deliver you the castle.”

“那当然，那当然，”艾蒙老爷承认，“詹姆爵士，你父亲大人信任我是很有道理的。你看，我会把封臣牢牢掌控住，但不会太过严苛。无论布莱伍德、布雷肯、杰森·梅利斯特、凡斯还是派柏，他们都将明白我艾蒙·佛雷是个公正的封君。哦，还有我父亲——他是河渡口领主没错，然而现在我是奔流城领主了。儿子有责任服从父亲，没错，但封臣更应该服从封君。”

“To be sure,” Lord Emmon said. “Ser Jaime, your lord father’s faith in me was well placed, you shall see. I mean to be firm but fair with my new vassals. Blackwood and Bracken, Jason Mallister, Vance and Piper, they shall learn that they have a just overlord in Emmon Frey. My father as well, yes. He is the Lord of the Crossing, but I am the Lord of Riverrun. A son has a duty to obey his father, true, but a bannerman must obey his overlord.”

噢，诸神慈悲……“你不是你父亲的封君，爵士。请认真阅读你手里面这张纸，它将城堡、封地和税赋赐予你和你夫人，仅此而已。培提尔·贝里席才是河间地总督，奔流城必须服从赫伦堡的管辖。”

Oh, gods be good. “You are not his overlord, ser. Read your parchment. You were granted Riverrun with its lands and incomes, no more. Petyr Baelish is the Lord Paramount of the Trident. Riverrun will be subject to the rule of Harrenhal.”

艾蒙老爷不高兴了。“赫伦堡不过是座闹鬼的废墟，被诅咒之地，”他反对，“而贝里席……只会数铜板，能当什么总督？他的出生……”

That did not please Lord Emmon. “Harrenhal is a ruin, haunted and accursed,” he objected, “and Baelish … the man is a coin counter, no proper lord, his birth …”

“你若不满意，请直接去君临向我亲爱的老姐投诉。”毫无疑问，瑟曦几口便能将瘦弱的艾蒙·佛雷吞下肚，他连塞牙缝都不够——除非，除非她忙着跟奥斯蒙·凯特布莱克做爱，没空答理。

“If you are unhappy with the arrangements, go to King’s Landing and take it up with my sweet sister.” Cersei would devour Emmon Frey and pick her teeth with his bones, he did not doubt. That is, if she’s not too busy fucking Osmund Kettleblack.

吉娜姑妈哼了一声，“没必要用这些废话去打扰太后陛下，阿蒙，你就不能先出去，呼吸点新鲜空气吗？”

Lady Genna gave a snort. “There is no need to trouble Her Grace with such nonsense. Emm, why don’t you step outside and have a breath of air?”

“呼吸点新鲜空气？”

“A breath of air?”

“或者撒泡尿，成不成？我侄儿要跟我讨论家务事。”

“Or a good long piss, if you prefer. My nephew and I have family matters to discuss.”

艾蒙老爷脸红了。“是啊，里边太热，我还是到外面逛逛吧。夫人，爵士。”他小心翼翼地卷好羊皮纸，朝詹姆一鞠躬，颤巍巍踏出帐门。

Lord Emmon flushed. “Yes, it is warm in here. I will wait outside, my lady. Ser.” His lordship rolled up his parchment, sketched a bow toward Jaime, and tottered from the tent.

说心里话，艾蒙·佛雷很难不让人轻蔑。他十四岁那年来到凯岩城，娶了一位只有他一半年纪的母狮子。提利昂常说泰温公爵给他的结婚礼物就是“掉肉”——艾蒙因为紧张而什么也吃不下，越来越瘦。这其中吉娜也有份。记得若干次宴会上，艾蒙只能闷闷不乐地拨弄食物，他老婆则兴高采烈地跟坐在她左手边的骑士——无论是谁——开下流玩笑，他们的谈话总是伴随着突然爆发的大笑。当然，她给了佛雷四个儿子，或者说她声称他们是他的。凯岩城内没人敢质疑吉娜，尤其是艾蒙爵士。

It was hard not to feel contemptuous of Emmon Frey. He had arrived at Casterly Rock in his fourteenth year to wed a lioness half his age. Tyrion used to say that Lord Tywin had given him a nervous belly for a wedding gift. Genna has played her part as well. Jaime remembered many a feast where Emmon sat poking at his food sullenly whilst his wife made ribald jests with whatever household knight had been seated to her left, their conversations punctuated by loud bursts of laughter. She gave Frey four sons, to be sure. At least she says they are his. No one in Casterly Rock had the courage to suggest otherwise, least of all Ser Emmon.

老公前脚离开，老婆便翻起白眼。“这便是我的夫君。你老爸究竟考虑些什么，居然封他为奔流城伯爵？”

No sooner was he gone than his lady wife rolled her eyes. “My lord and master. What was your father thinking, to name him Lord of Riverrun?”

“我猜他考虑的是你的儿子们。”

“I imagine he was thinking of your sons.”

“我也在为他们打算。阿蒙成不了合格的领主，但小泰可以试试，只要他懂得效法我而不是效法他爹。”她扫视帐篷。“有酒吗？”

“I think of them as well. Emm will make a wretched lord. Ty may do better, if he has the sense to learn from me and not his father.” She looked about the tent. “Do you have wine?”

詹姆取来酒壶，单手为姑妈倒酒。“你怎么在这儿，姑妈？照理说，城堡攻陷之前，你该留在凯岩城才对。”

Jaime found a flagon and poured for her, one-handed. “Why are you here, my lady? You should have remained at Casterly Rock until the fighting’s done.”

“阿蒙一听说自己当上了领主，便迫不及待地前来伸张权利。”吉娜姑妈喝下一大口酒，用袖子揩揩嘴巴。“你父亲应该给我们戴瑞城才是。记得吗？克里奥的老婆是农人旗下的女子，如今这悲伤的寡妇正为自己的儿子无法继承她父亲的领地而备感愤怒。门房阿丽不过从母系上讲拥有戴瑞的血脉，而我媳妇简妮乃是她老妈玛丽亚夫人的妹妹，论辈分是阿蕊丽的姨妈，名副其实的戴瑞家人。”

“Once Emm heard he was a lord, he had to come at once to claim his seat.” Lady Genna took a drink and wiped her mouth on her sleeve. “Your father should have granted us Darry. Cleos married one of the plowman’s daughters, you will recall. His grieving widow is furious that her sons were not granted her lord father’s lands. Gatehouse Ami is Darry only on her mother’s side. My good-daughter Jeyne is her aunt, a full sister to Lady Mariya.”

“你也知道她是妹妹，”詹姆提醒对方，“而且小泰将来会继承奔流城，这份奖赏比戴瑞城丰厚多了。”

“A younger sister,” Jaime reminded her, “and Ty will have Riverrun, a greater prize than Darry.”

“这是一份有毒的奖赏。戴瑞家族的男性业已绝种，徒利家族正好相反。那傻瓜莱曼爵士在艾德慕脖子上绕绳子，却不敢当真吊死他，而萝丝琳肚子里怀着一只小鳟鱼。只要徒利家的继承人还活在世上，我的儿孙们便坐不稳江山。”

“A poisoned prize. House Darry is extinguished in the male line, House Tully is not. That muttonhead Ser Ryman puts a noose round Edmure’s neck, but will not hang him. And Roslin Frey has a trout growing in her belly. My grandsons will never be secure in Riverrun so long as any Tully heir remains alive.”

她真是一针见血，詹姆心想。“若萝丝琳怀的是女儿——”

She was not wrong, Jaime knew. “If Roslin has a girl—”

“——就把她嫁给小泰。是的，我想过这点，不过得先说动瓦德老大人。另一方面，若生出来的是男孩，他那根小鸡巴将来就会制造麻烦了。布林登爵士也不能不纳入考量，若他脱困，将来或许会以自己……或者小劳勃·艾林的名义来要求奔流城。”

“—she can wed Ty, provided old Lord Walder will consent. Yes, I’ve thought of that. A boy is just as likely, though, and his little cock would cloud the issue. And if Ser Brynden should survive this siege, he might be inclined to claim Riverrun in his own name … or in the name of young Robert Arryn.”

詹姆记得在君临见过的小劳勃，四岁时还吸老妈的奶子，“艾林不会活到生育年龄。再说，鹰巢城公爵千里迢迢索要奔流城做什么？”

Jaime remembered little Robert from King’s Landing, still sucking on his mother’s teats at four. “Arryn won’t live long enough to breed. And why should the Lord of the Eyrie need Riverrun?”

“为何有了一罐金子的人还想要另一罐？贪心不足蛇吞象哪，詹姆，泰温本该把奔流城给凯冯，戴瑞城留给我的阿蒙。如果他舍得来问我，我一定会劝他，不过你父亲除了凯冯之外还会跟谁商量呢？”她长叹口气。“算了，我不能责怪凯冯想为自己的儿子找个安全窝，我太了解他了。”

“Why does a man with one pot of gold need another? Men are greedy. Tywin should have granted Riverrun to Kevan and Darry to Emm. I would have told him so if he had troubled to ask me, but when did your father ever consult with anyone but Kevan?” She sighed deeply. “I do not blame Kevan for wanting the safer seat for his own boy, mind you. I know him too well.”

“原来如此……不过凯冯想要的和蓝赛尔想要的似乎是两码事。”他把蓝赛尔弃绝妻子、封地和爵位，加入教会骑士团的事和盘托出。“你想要戴瑞城，只管写信向瑟曦请求。”

“What Kevan wants and what Lancel wants appear to be two different things.” He told her of Lancel’s decision to renounce wife and lands and lordship to fight for the Holy Faith. “If you still want Darry, write to Cersei and make your case.”

吉娜姑妈挥挥杯子，以示否定。“不行，离弦之箭收不回来了。如今阿蒙那颗尖脑袋里已经装满了统治河间地的幻想，而蓝赛尔……我看这事不妙。献身于总主教和当御林铁卫没区别，恐怕凯冯会大为光火，就跟你一时冲动披上白袍后激怒了泰温一样。好在凯冯至少还有马丁做继承人，他可以用马丁去娶门房阿丽，以代替蓝赛尔。七神保佑。”姑妈又叹口气，“说到七神，瑟曦为何准许教会重新武装呢？”

Lady Genna waved her cup in dismissal. “No, that horse has left the yard. Emm has it in his pointed head that he will rule the riverlands. And Lancel … I suppose we should have seen this coming from afar. A life protecting the High Septon is not so different from a life protecting the king, after all. Kevan will be wroth, I fear. As wroth as Tywin was when you got it in your head to take the white. At least Kevan still has Martyn for an heir. He can marry him to Gatehouse Ami in Lancel’s place. Seven save us all.” His aunt gave a sigh. “And speaking of the Seven, why would Cersei permit the Faith to arm again?”

詹姆耸肩，“大概她自有道理吧。”

Jaime shrugged. “I am certain she had reasons.”

“道理？”吉娜姑妈粗鲁地喷了口鼻息，“不晓得她有什么好道理！连坦格利安王朝都难以应付圣剑骑士团和星辰武士团。征服者伊耿对待教会十分谨慎，处处小心，生怕出事。伊耿死后，维斯特洛的领主们蜂拥而起，来造他儿子的反，这两大教团武装正是叛乱的中坚力量，虔诚的领主纷纷倒戈，更吸引了无数平民百姓。如果我的历史记得不差，梅葛王不仅宣布他们为非法，还悬赏通缉，一颗战士之子的首级值一枚金龙，一张穷人集会成员的头皮值一枚银鹿。数千人因之被杀，但更多人在七国上下继续反抗，如燎原之势，直到铁王座杀掉了梅葛，杰赫里斯王登基后大赦天下，宣布只要放下武器，一律既往不咎，这才渐渐平息了动乱。”

“Reasons?” Lady Genna made a rude noise. “They had best be good reasons. The Swords and Stars troubled even the Targaryens. The Conqueror himself tread carefully with the Faith, so they would not oppose him. And when Aegon died and the lords rose up against his sons, both orders were in the thick of that rebellion. The more pious lords supported them, and many of the smallfolk. King Maegor finally had to put a bounty on them. He paid a dragon for the head of any unrepentant Warrior’s Son, and a silver stag for the scalp of a Poor Fellow, if I recall my history. Thousands were slain, but nigh as many still roamed the realm, defiant, until the Iron Throne slew Maegor and King Jaehaerys agreed to pardon all those who would set aside their swords.”

“这些故事我都快忘光了。”詹姆承认。

“I’d forgotten most of that,” Jaime confessed.

“你和你姐姐都没长记性。”她又喝了一口酒。“听说泰温躺在棺材里面笑了，是真的吗？”

“You and your sister both.” She took another swallow of her wine. “Is it true that Tywin was smiling on his bier?”

“他在棺材里面腐烂，嘴巴扭曲罢了。”

“He was rotting on his bier. It made his mouth twist.”

“如此而已？”听他这样说，姑妈有些悲哀。“人们都说泰温从来不笑，这不是真的。和你母亲成婚那一天，还有被伊里斯任命为首相的那一天，他都笑得十分开心。提盖还跟我讲，当塔贝克厅坍塌崩溃，埋葬了那狡诈的婆娘艾莲夫人时，泰温笑了。在你出生的时候，詹姆，他也笑过，这是我亲眼所见，绝无虚假。你和瑟曦，两个粉红色的小东西，完美无瑕，犹如一个豆荚里的两颗豌豆……呵呵，只有两腿间不同。你那时候的嗓门就很大！”

“Was that all it was?” That seemed to sadden her. “Men say that Tywin never smiled, but he smiled when he wed your mother, and when Aerys made him Hand. When Tarbeck Hall came crashing down on Lady Ellyn, that scheming bitch, Tyg claimed he smiled then. And he smiled at your birth, Jaime, I saw that with mine own eyes. You and Cersei, pink and perfect, as alike as two peas in a pod … well, except between the legs. What lungs you had!”

“听我怒吼嘛，”詹姆咧嘴笑道，“下回你就要称赞他是多么喜欢笑了。”

“Hear us roar.” Jaime grinned. “Next you’ll be telling me how much he liked to laugh.”

“不，泰温不信任笑容，他见过太多人嘲笑你祖父。”姑妈皱起眉头。“告诉你，这场围城的闹剧若给他瞧见，不大发雷霆才怪。现在你来了，说说，想怎么做？”

“No. Tywin mistrusted laughter. He heard too many people laughing at your grandsire.” She frowned. “I promise you, this mummer’s farce of a siege would not have amused him. How do you mean to end it, now that you’re here?”

“跟黑鱼谈判。”

“Treat with the Blackfish.”

“谈判不管用。”

“That won’t work.”

“我会向他提出慷慨的条件。”

“I mean to offer him good terms.”

“达成条件需以信任为基础。然而佛雷在自家屋檐下谋害宾客，你呢，好吧……我没别的意思，亲爱的，但你确实杀了自己宣誓守护的国王。”

“Terms require trust. The Freys murdered guests beneath their roof, and you, well … I mean no offense, my love, but you did kill a certain king you had sworn to protect.”

“如果黑鱼不投降，我还会杀了他。”他抑制不住尖刻的语调，他现下可没心情听人把自己和伊里斯·坦格利安扯在一起。

“And I’ll kill the Blackfish if he does not yield.” His tone was harsher than he’d intended, but he was in no mood for having Aerys Targaryen thrown in his face.

“怎么杀，用你这条毒舌吗？”姑妈责难道，“我是个肥胖的老妇人，但耳朵没毛病，我敢打赌，黑鱼也一样。听着，空洞的威胁毫无意义。”

“How, with your tongue?” Her voice was scornful. “I may be an old fat woman, but I do not have cheese between my ears, Jaime. Neither does the Blackfish. Empty threats won’t daunt him.”

“你要我怎么做？”

“What would you counsel?”

她沉重地一耸肩，“阿蒙想要艾德慕的脑袋，这回我倾向于支持他，再怎么说，莱曼爵士的绞架已成了笑柄。你必须让布林登爵士看到你的利齿，事情才有转机。”

She gave a ponderous shrug. “Emm wants Edmure’s head off. For once, he may be right. Ser Ryman has made us a laughingstock with that gibbet of his. You need to show Ser Brynden that your threats have teeth.”

“依我看，杀害艾德慕只可能坚定布林登爵士守城的决心。”

“Killing Edmure might harden Ser Brynden’s resolve.”

“关于决心，黑鱼布林登从来不缺，已故的霍斯特·徒利对此体会最深。”吉娜姑妈干了杯中酒。“嗯，本来也不当由我来指导你作战，你好自为之吧，我清楚自己的位置……不像你姐姐。瑟曦真的烧了红堡？”

“Resolve is one thing Brynden Blackfish never lacked for. Hoster Tully could have told you that.” Lady Genna finished her wine. “Well, I would never presume to tell you how to fight a war. I know my place … unlike your sister. Is it true that Cersei burned the Red Keep?”

“她只烧了首相塔。”

“Only the Tower of the Hand.”

姑妈翻翻白眼。“她应该将她的首相烧死，把塔留下。哈瑞斯·史威佛？诸神在上，如果说有谁最像自己的纹章，非哈瑞斯爵士莫属。还有盖尔斯·罗斯比，天哪，我还以为他八百年前就进了坟墓。玛瑞魏斯……我告诉你，你父亲称此人的祖父为‘傻笑的痴呆’，他说老玛瑞魏斯大人唯一能做的就是在国王说俏皮话时咯咯傻笑。如果我没记错，这位大人最终因为不合时宜的傻笑而遭到流放。瑟曦还在御前会议里安插进一个私生子，用什么凯特克领导御林铁卫，重新武装了教会，拒绝偿付布拉佛斯人的债务——以上种种倒行逆施，只要她简单地任命她叔叔当首相，都是绝不会发生的。”

His aunt rolled her eyes. “She would have done better to leave the tower and burn her Hand. Harys Swyft? If ever a man deserved his arms, it is Ser Harys. And Gyles Rosby, Seven save us, I thought he died years ago. Merryweather … your father used to call his grandsire ‘the Chuckler,’ I’ll have you know. Tywin claimed the only thing Merryweather was good for was chuckling at the king’s witticisms. His lordship chuckled himself right into exile, as I recall. Cersei has put some bastard on the council too, and a kettle in the Kingsguard. She has the Faith arming and the Braavosi calling in loans all over Westeros. None of which would be happening if she’d had the simple sense to make your uncle the King’s Hand.”

“凯冯爵士拒绝担任国王之手。”

“Ser Kevan refused the office.”

“是的，但他没说为什么。他一定有难言之隐，难以开口的想法。”吉娜姑妈扮个鬼脸。“凯冯从来都是尽心尽职地完成托付，拒绝承担责任，这不是他的性格。我嗅得出来，里面不对劲。”

“So he said. He did not say why. There was much he did not say. Would not say.” Lady Genna made a face. “Kevan always did what was asked of him. It is not like him to turn away from any duty. Something is awry here, I can smell it.”

“他说他累了。”他知道，那晚在父亲的尸身前面，瑟曦告诉他，他知道了我们的秘密。

“He said that he was tired.” He knows, Cersei had said, as they stood above their father’s corpse. He knows about us.

“累了？”姑妈撅起嘴唇。“好吧，他有权喊累。凯冯活得很辛苦，一辈子笼罩在泰温的阴影下，实际上，我的哥哥弟弟们都有这份困扰。泰温洒下长长的黑影，其他人只得在影子中挣扎着寻求阳光。提盖特想凭自个儿闯出一片天地，但始终比不上你父亲，结果越来越烦躁；吉利安喜欢开玩笑，因为嘲笑游戏本身总比认输好受些；凯冯打一开始就明白自己的位置，他认准方向，终其一生尽力辅佐你父亲。”

“Tired?” His aunt pursed her lips. “I suppose he has a right to be. It has been hard for Kevan, living all his life in Tywin’s shadow. It was hard for all my brothers. That shadow Tywin cast was long and black, and each of them had to struggle to find a little sun. Tygett tried to be his own man, but he could never match your father, and that just made him angrier as the years went by. Gerion made japes. Better to mock the game than to play and lose. But Kevan saw how things stood early on, so he made himself a place by your father’s side.”

“你呢？”詹姆问她。

“And you?” Jaime asked her.

“这场游戏并非女人的游戏。我是我父亲最珍爱的小公主……也是泰温的小公主，直到我让他失望。我哥不允许别人令他失望。”她说罢站起身来。“我把要说的话说完了，不想再占用你的时间。你就照着泰温会做的那样去做吧。”

“It was not a game for girls. I was my father’s precious princess … and Tywin’s too, until I disappointed him. My brother never learned to like the taste of disappointment.” She pushed herself to her feet. “I’ve said what I came to say, I shan’t take any more of your time. Do what Tywin would have done.”

“你爱他吗？”詹姆听见自己问。

“Did you love him?” Jaime heard himself ask.

姑妈用奇特的眼光打量他，“当年瓦德·佛雷替阿蒙向我父亲大人求婚时，我才七岁，然而阿蒙是次子，连继承人都不是。我父亲本来排行老三，他知道做弟弟的有多渴望证明自己，佛雷正是嗅到他这一弱点，才用次子来做交易。我的订婚是在一场西境半数诸侯列席的大宴会上宣布的，听罢消息，艾莲·塔贝克哈哈大笑，而那红狮子愤然离席。其他人沉默不语，只有泰温站起来坚决反对——十岁的他，言辞激烈，吵得父亲大人脸色惨白如马奶，而瓦德·佛雷浑身打颤。”姑妈微微一笑，“经历了这件事，我怎能不爱他呢？当然，我爱他不代表我就赞成他做的所有事情，或者欣赏他后来变成的那个样子……但每个小姑娘心中总是希望有大哥哥保护的。泰温从小就是个巨人。”她发出第三次叹息，“今天，谁来保护我们呢？”

His aunt looked at him strangely. “I was seven when Walder Frey persuaded my lord father to give my hand to Emm. His second son, not even his heir. Father was himself a thirdborn son, and younger children crave the approval of their elders. Frey sensed that weakness in him, and Father agreed for no better reason than to please him. My betrothal was announced at a feast with half the west in attendance. Ellyn Tarbeck laughed and the Red Lion went angry from the hall. The rest sat on their tongues. Only Tywin dared speak against the match. A boy of ten. Father turned as white as mare’s milk, and Walder Frey was quivering.” She smiled. “How could I not love him, after that? That is not to say that I approved of all he did, or much enjoyed the company of the man that he became … but every little girl needs a big brother to protect her. Tywin was big even when he was little.” She gave a sigh. “Who will protect us now?”

詹姆吻了她的脸，“他留下一个儿子。”

Jaime kissed her cheek. “He left a son.”

“是啊，他的确留下一个。但说实话，这才是最让我担心的。”

“Aye, he did. That is what I fear the most, in truth.”

她的说法很奇怪。“有什么好担心的呢？”

That was a queer remark. “Why should you fear?”

“詹姆，”姑妈伸手拉住他耳朵，“亲爱的，我是看着你在乔安娜的奶子上吸奶，一点一点长大的。你笑的模样像吉利安，打起仗来像提盖，你身上还有某些属于凯冯的精神，否则就不会披上白袍了……但提利昂才是泰温的儿子，不是你。这话我对你父亲说过一次，之后他整整半年没有理睬我。男人就是这样顽固的傻瓜，即便像他这么千年一遇的人物也不例外。”

“Jaime,” she said, tugging on his ear, “sweetling, I have known you since you were a babe at Joanna’s breast. You smile like Gerion and fight like Tyg, and there’s some of Kevan in you, else you would not wear that cloak … but Tyrion is Tywin’s son, not you. I said so once to your father’s face, and he would not speak to me for half a year. Men are such thundering great fools. Even the sort who come along once in a thousand years.”