grrm.astormofswords-第84部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
he never hurt no one； not even Theon。 She just told stories。 Theon wouldn't hurt someone like that。 Would he？〃
〃Some people hurt others just because they can；〃 said Jojen。
〃And it wasn't Theon who did the killing at Winterfell；〃 said Meera。 〃Too many of the dead were ironmen。〃 She shifted her frog spear to her other hand。 〃Remember Old Nan's stories； Bran。 Remember the way she told them； the sound of her voice。 So long as you do that； part of her will always be alive in you。〃
〃I'll remember；〃 he promised。 They climbed without speaking for a long time； following a crooked game trail over the high saddle between two stony peaks。 Scrawny soldier pines clung to the slopes around them。 Far ahead Bran could see the icy glitter of a stream where it tumbled down a mountainside。 He found himself listening to Jojen's breathing and the crunch of pine needles under Hodor's feet。 〃Do you know any stories？〃 he asked the Reeds all of a sudden。
Meera laughed。 〃Oh； a few。〃
〃A few；〃 her brother admitted。
〃Hodor；〃 said Hodor； humming。
〃You could tell one；〃 said Bran。 〃While we walked。 Hodor likes stories about knights。 I do； too。〃
〃There are no knights in the Neck；〃 said Jojen。
〃Above the water；〃 his sister corrected。 〃The bogs are full of dead ones； though。〃
〃That's true；〃 said Jojen。 〃Andals and ironmen； Freys and other fools； all those proud warriors who set out to conquer Greywater。 Not one of them could find it。 They ride into the Neck； but not back out。 And sooner or later they blunder into the bogs and sink beneath the weight of all that steel and drown there in their armor。〃
The thought of drowned knights under the water gave Bran the shivers。 He didn't object； though； he liked the shivers。
〃There was one knight；〃 said Meera； 〃in the year of the false spring。 The Knight of the Laughing Tree； they called him。 He might have been a crannogman； that one。〃
〃Or not。〃 Jojen's face was dappled with green shadows。 〃Prince Bran has heard that tale a hundred times； I'm sure。〃
〃No；〃 said Bran。 〃I haven't。 And if I have it doesn't matter。 Sometimes Old Nan would tell the same story she'd told before； but we never minded； if it was a good story。 Old stories are like old friends； she used to say。 You have to visit them from time to time。〃
〃That's true。〃 Meera walked with her shield on her back； pushing an occasional branch out of the way with her frog spear。 just when Bran began to think that she wasn't going to tell the story after all； she began； 〃Once there was a curious lad who lived in the Neck。 He was small like all crannogmen； but brave and smart and strong as well。 He grew up hunting and fishing and climbing trees； and learned all the magics of my people。〃
Bran was almost certain he had never heard this story。 〃Did he have green dreams like Jojen？〃
〃No；〃 said Meera； 〃but he could breathe mud and run on leaves； and change earth to water and water to earth with no more than a whispered word。 He could talk to trees and weave words and make castles appear and disappear。〃
〃I wish I could；〃 Bran said plaintively。 〃When does he meet the tree knight？〃
Meera made a face at him。 〃Sooner if a certain prince would be quiet。〃
〃I was just asking。〃
〃The lad knew the magics of the crannogs；〃 she continued； 〃but he wanted more。 Our people seldom travel far from home； you know。 We're a small folk； and our ways seem queer to some； so the big people do not always treat us kindly。 But this lad was bolder than most； and one day when he had grown to manhood he decided he would leave the crannogs and visit the Isle of Faces。〃
〃No one visits the Isle of Faces；〃 objected Bran。 〃That's where the green men live。〃
〃It was the green men he meant to find。 So he donned a shirt sewn with bronze scales； like mine； took up a leathern shield and a threepronged spear； like mine； and paddled a little skin boat down the Green Fork。〃
Bran closed his eyes to try and see the man in his little skin boat。 In his head； the crannogman looked like Jojen； only older and stronger and dressed like Meera。
〃He passed beneath the Twins by night so the Freys would not attack him； and when he reached the Trident he climbed from the river and put his boat on his head and began to walk。 It took him many a day； but finally he reached the Gods Eye； threw his boat in the lake； and paddled out to the isle of Faces。〃
〃Did he meet the green men？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Meera； 〃but that's another story； and not for me to tell。 My prince asked for knights。〃
〃Green men are good too。〃
〃They are；〃 she agreed； but said no more about them。 〃All that winter the crannogman stayed on the isle； but when the spring broke he heard the wide world calling and knew the time had e to leave。 His skin boat was just where he'd left it； so he said his farewells and paddled off toward shore。 He rowed and rowed； and finally saw the distant towers of a castle rising beside the lake。 The towers reached ever higher as he neared shore； until he realized that this must be the greatest castle in all the world。〃
〃Harrenhal！〃 Bran knew at once。 〃It was Harrenhal！〃
Meera smiled。 〃Was it？ Beneath its walls he saw tents of many colors； bright banners cracking in the wind； and knights in mail and plate on barded horses。 He smelled roasting meats； and heard the sound of laughter and the blare of heralds' trumpets。 A great tourney was about to mence； and champions from all over the land had e to contest it。 The king himself was there； with his son the dragon prince。 The White Swords had e； to wele a new brother to their ranks。 The storm lord was on hand； and the rose lord as well。 The great lion of the rock had quarreled with the king and stayed away； but many of his bannermen and knights attended all the same。 The crannogman had never seen such pageantry； and knew he might never see the like again。 Part of him wanted nothing so much as to be part of it。〃
Bran knew that feeling well enough。 When he'd been little； all he had ever dreamed of was being a knight。 But that had been before he fell and lost his legs。
〃The daughter of the great castle reigned as queen of love and beauty when the tourney opened。 Five champions had sworn to defend her crown； her four brothers of Harrenhal； and her famous uncle； a white knight of the Kingsguard。〃
〃Was she a fair maid？〃
〃She was；〃 said Meera； hopping over a stone； 〃but there were others fairer still。 One was the wife of the dragon prince； who'd brought a dozen lady panions to attend her。 The knights all begged them for favors to tie about their lances。〃
〃This isn't going to be one of those love stories； is it？〃 Bran asked suspiciously。 〃Hodor doesn't like those so much。〃
〃Hodor；〃 said Hodor agreeably。
〃He likes the stories where the knights fight monsters。〃
〃Sometimes the knights are the monsters； Bran。 The little crannogman was walking across the field； enjoying the warm spring day and harming none； when he was set upon by three squires。 They were none older than fifteen； yet even so they were bigger than him； all three。 This was their world； as they saw it； and he had no right to be there。 They snatched away his spear and knocked him to the ground； cursing him for a frogeater。〃
〃Were they Walders？〃 It sounded like something Little Walder Frey might have done。
〃None offered a name； but he marked their faces well so he could revenge himself upon them later。 They shoved him down every time he tried to rise； and kicked him when he curled up on the ground。 But then they heard a roar。 'That's my father's man you're kicking/ howled the she…wolf。〃
〃A wolf on four legs； or two？〃
〃Two；〃 said Meera。 〃The she…wolf laid into the squires with a tourney sword； scattering them all。 The crannogman was bruised and bloodied； so she took him back to her lair to clean his cuts and bind them up with linen。 There he met her pack brothers： the wild wolf who led them； the quiet wolf beside him； and the pup who was youngest of the four。
〃That evening there was to be a feast in Harrenhal； to mark the opening of the tourney； and the she…wolf insisted that the lad attend。 He was of high birth； with as much a right to a place on the bench as any other man。 She was not easy to refuse； this wolf maid； so he let the young p
