Ⅳ 群鴉的盛宴 Chapter21 擁女王者

THE QUEENMAKER

在多恩的烈日下，水就跟金子一樣珍貴喳篇，人們狂熱地守護著水源棒坏。然而沙巖城的井干了一百年臭挽，守護者們也離開這里，前往有水的地方絮爷，這座中等規(guī)模趴酣、有雕紋柱和三重拱門的要塞因此被荒廢了。沙漠漸漸回來坑夯，重新占據(jù)此地岖寞。

Beneath the burning sun of Dorne, wealth was measured as much in water as in gold, so every well was zealously guarded. The well at Shandystone had gone dry a hundred years before, however, and its guardians had departed for some wetter place, abandoning their modest holdfast with its fluted columns and triple arches. Afterward the sands had crept back in to reclaim their own.

亞蓮恩·馬泰爾跟德雷、希爾娃一起到達時正值日落柜蜈，西方的天空仿佛一片金紫色的織錦仗谆，云層綻放出鮮紅光彩。這片廢墟同樣閃爍著亮光淑履，傾倒的柱子泛出淡淡的紅隶垮，血色陰影在石地板的縫隙間蔓延，白晝將盡秘噪，沙漠本身也由金變橙狸吞，再轉為紫。蓋林幾小時前已經(jīng)到達指煎，而被稱做“暗黑之星”的騎士前一天就來了蹋偏。

Arianne Martell arrived with Drey and Sylva just as the sun was going down, with the west a tapestry of gold and purple and the clouds all glowing crimson. The ruins seemed aglow as well; the fallen columns glimmered pinkly, red shadows crept across the cracked stone floors, and the sands themselves turned from gold to orange to purple as the light faded. Garin had arrived a few hours earlier, and the knight called Darkstar the day before.

“這里真美，”德雷一邊說贯要，一邊幫蓋林飲馬暖侨。水是自帶的。多恩的沙地戰(zhàn)馬迅捷而不知疲倦崇渗，外地馬精疲力竭時，它們還能走很長的路，即便如此宅广，也不能不喝水葫掉。“你怎么知道這地方跟狱？”

“It is lovely here,” Drey observed as he was helping Garin water the horses. They had carried their own water with them. The sand steeds of Dorne were swift and tireless, and would keep going for long leagues after other horses had given out, but even such as they could not run dry. “How did you know of this place?”

“我叔叔帶我來過俭厚，跟特蕾妮和薩蕾拉一起∈浑”回憶讓亞蓮恩露出微笑挪挤。“他抓了些毒蛇关翎，教特蕾妮如何安全地擠出毒液扛门。薩蕾拉翻遍每塊石頭论寨，抹去馬賽克上的沙子爽茴，想更多地了解曾經(jīng)生活在這里的人們葬凳』鹧妫”

“My uncle brought me here, with Tyene and Sarella.” The memory made Arianne smile. “He caught some vipers and showed Tyene the safest way to milk them for their venom. Sarella turned over rocks, brushed sand off the mosaics, and wanted to know everything there was to know about the people who had lived here.”

“那你干什么了，公主殿下胧沫？”“斑點”希爾娃問琳袄。

“And what did you do, princess?” asked Spotted Sylva.

我嗎址否？我坐在井邊佑附，假裝是被強盜騎士搶來的音同，等待他來擺布我权均，她心想叽赊，他真是個高大結實的男人必指，黑眼睛，尖額頭』Т牵回憶讓她扭捏不安咆课∈轵剑“我在做夢，”她說为流，“太陽落山后，我盤腿坐在叔叔腳邊莲祸，乞求他講故事锐帜〗裳郑”

I sat beside the well and pretended that some robber knight had brought me here to have his way with me, she thought, a tall hard man with black eyes and a widow’s peak. The memory made her uneasy. “I dreamed,” she said, “and when the sun went down I sat cross-legged at my uncle’s feet and begged him for a story.”

“奧柏倫親王是個故事大王述暂∶车洌”那天蓋林也在据过，身為亞蓮恩的乳奶兄弟绳锅，從學會走路之前開始眷柔，他們倆就形影不離驯嘱。“他講了蓋林親王的故事——我的名字就是跟著他取的剃幌「合纾”

“Prince Oberyn was full of stories.” Garin had been with them as well that day; he was Arianne’s milk brother, and they had been inseparable since before they learned to walk. “He told about Prince Garin, I remember, the one that I was named for.”

“偉大的蓋林，”德雷說钉答，“羅伊拿的奇跡∮冶模”

“Garin the Great,” offered Drey, “the wonder of the Rhoyne.”

“就是他何陆，令瓦雷利亞顫抖淘这÷燎睿”

“That’s the one. He made Valyria tremble.”

“他們顫抖，”杰洛爵士說宁脊，“然后殺了他。如果我?guī)ьI二三十萬人走向死亡语稠，他們會稱我為‘偉大的杰洛’嗎仙畦？”他嗤之以鼻，“我想我仍舊會被叫做‘暗黑之星’寸士，算了，至少那是我自己的名號婶博∶常”他拔出長劍传睹，坐到干涸的井沿上，開始用油石打磨堂油。

“They trembled,” said Ser Gerold, “then they killed him. If I led a quarter of a million men to death, would they call me Gerold the Great?” He snorted. “I shall remain Darkstar, I think. At least it is mine own.” He unsheathed his longsword, sat upon the lip of the dry well, and began to hone the blade with an oilstone.

亞蓮恩小心翼翼地注視著他吱窝。他血統(tǒng)高貴兴使，足以成為相稱的配偶发魄，她心想，父親或許會質疑我的判斷苹粟，但我的孩子將和龍王們一樣漂亮。杰洛·戴恩爵士稱得上是多恩領最帥的男子苛秕，鷹鉤鼻，高顴骨港准，下巴堅強有力轨帜。他總把臉頰刮得干干凈凈，濃密的頭發(fā)直垂到衣領苟弛，仿佛銀色冰川，中間被一縷漆黑如午夜的黑發(fā)一分為二缤削。然而他嘴巴的線條很銳利，舌頭則更利帅刀。他坐在那里打磨長劍，落日余暉勾勒出他的輪廓娇妓，那對眼睛似乎是黑色的，但她曾在近處看過着绷，它們是紫色。暗紫色彬向。一對黑暗而飽含怒火的眼睛遍希。

Arianne watched him warily. He is highborn enough to make a worthy consort, she thought. Father would question my good sense, but our children would be as beautiful as dragonlords. If there was a handsomer man in Dorne, she did not know him. Ser Gerold Dayne had an aquiline nose, high cheekbones, a strong jaw. He kept his face clean-shaven, but his thick hair fell to his collar like a silver glacier, divided by a streak of midnight black. He has a cruel mouth, though, and a crueler tongue. His eyes seemed black as he sat outlined against the dying sun, sharpening his steel, but she had looked at them from a closer vantage and she knew that they were purple. Dark purple. Dark and angry.

他一定感覺到她的凝視绝编，因而視線離開了長劍丧蘸，抬頭與她目光交會氮发，微微一笑仇祭。亞蓮恩臉上發(fā)熱没讲。我不該帶他來爬凑。如果亞歷斯在的時候他這么看我，沙地就會染上鮮血。她說不準會是誰的血卦溢。按照傳統(tǒng)贬芥，御林鐵衛(wèi)是七大王國中最優(yōu)秀的騎士……但“暗黑之星”畢竟是“暗黑之星”。

He must have felt her gaze upon him, for he looked up from his sword, met her eyes, and smiled. Arianne felt heat rushing to her face. I should never have brought him. If he gives me such a look when Arys is here, we will have blood on the sand. Whose, she could not say. By tradition the Kingsguard were the finest knights in all the Seven Kingdoms … but Darkstar was Darkstar.

多恩沙漠的夜晚冷極了。蓋林為大家搜集木柴壹甥，白花花的枝干來自一百年前枯死的樹木。德雷一邊吹口哨溯职，一邊用燧石打出火星，點起篝火。

The Dornish nights grow cold out upon the sands. Garin gathered wood for them, bleached white branches from trees that had withered up and died a hundred years ago. Drey built a fire, whistling as he struck sparks off his flint.

等木柴點燃述么，他們便圍坐在火焰邊饵撑，一袋夏日紅傳來遞去……“暗黑之星”除外肄梨，他寧愿喝不加糖的檸檬水侨赡。蓋林情緒活躍，他給大家講述從綠血河口的板條鎮(zhèn)傳來的新聞稠茂，孤兒們在那里與狹海對岸的各類船只進行交易。假如那些水手可以相信的話，東方大陸正風起云涌：阿斯塔波爆發(fā)奴隸起義丐箩，魁爾斯有巨龍出現(xiàn)，夷地流行灰疫病，新的海盜王統(tǒng)治了蛇蜥群島犀概，并出發(fā)洗劫高樹鎮(zhèn)铛绰，科霍爾城中紅袍僧的信徒們引發(fā)騷亂，企圖焚毀黑羊神鸥昏。“密爾跟里斯開戰(zhàn)前夜膳汪，黃金團突然解除了與密爾人的合約≌髯郑”

Once the kindling caught, they sat around the flames and passed a skin of summerwine from hand to hand … all but Darkstar, who preferred to drink unsweetened lemonwater. Garin was in a lively mood and entertained them with the latest tales from the Planky Town at the mouth of the Greenblood, where the orphans of the river came to trade with the carracks, cogs, and galleys from across the narrow sea. If the sailors could be believed, the east was seething with wonders and terrors: a slave revolt in Astapor, dragons in Qarth, grey plague in Yi Ti. A new corsair king had risen in the Basilisk Isles and raided Tall Trees Town, and in Qohor followers of the red priests had rioted and tried to burn down the Black Goat. “And the Golden Company broke its contract with Myr, just as the Myrmen were about to go to war with Lys.”

“里斯人將他們收買了锤躁∠敌撸”希爾娃不假思索地說郭计。

“The Lyseni bought them off,” suggested Sylva.

“聰明的里斯人，”德雷評論椒振，“膽小而聰明的里斯人昭伸∨煊”

“Clever Lyseni,” Drey said. “Clever, craven Lyseni.”

亞蓮恩想得更多庐杨。假如昆廷有黃金團作依靠……他們的口號是“黃金在下，寒鐵在上”夹供。想趕我走的話灵份，弟弟，寒鐵可不夠哮洽。亞蓮恩在多恩廣受愛戴填渠，對此，昆廷所知甚微鸟辅。沒有任何傭兵可以改變這點氛什。

Arianne knew better. If Quentyn has the Golden Company behind him …? “Beneath the gold the bitter steel,” was their cry. You will need bitter steel and more, brother, if you think to set me aside. Arianne was loved in Dorne, Quentyn little known. No company of sellswords could change that.

杰洛爵士站起身，“我去尿尿匪凉∏姑迹”

Ser Gerold rose. “I believe I’ll have a piss.”

“小心腳下，”德雷警告再层，“奧柏倫親王有一陣子沒在這兒擠蛇毒了贸铜”の常”

“Watch where you set your feet,” Drey cautioned. “It has been a while since Prince Oberyn milked the local vipers.”

“對毒液，我有抗力萨脑，達特隐轩。哪條毒蛇敢咬我，它會后悔的渤早≈俺担”杰洛爵士消失在一株死樹后面。

“I was weaned on venom, Dalt. Any viper takes a bite of me will rue it.” Ser Gerold vanished through a broken arch.

其余人交換了幾個眼神鹊杖°擦椋“原諒我，公主殿下骂蓖，”蓋林輕聲說积瞒，“但我不喜歡那人〉窍拢”

When he was gone, the others exchanged glances. “Forgive me, princess,” said Garin softly, “but I do not like that man.”

“真可惜茫孔，”德雷說，“我相信他幾乎愛上你了被芳＄直矗”

“A pity,” Drey said. “I believe he’s half in love with you.”

“我們需要他，”亞蓮恩提醒大家畔濒，“他的劍倒不一定剩晴，但他的城堡必不可少∏肿矗”

“We need him,” Arianne reminded them. “It may be that we will need his sword, and we will surely need his castle.”

“高隱城并非多恩唯一的城堡赞弥，”“斑點”希爾娃指出，“還有很多愛戴你的騎士趣兄。比如德雷绽左。”

“High Hermitage is not the only castle in Dorne,” Spotted Sylva pointed out, “and you have other knights who love you well. Drey is a knight.”

“是的艇潭，”他確認妇菱，“我有一匹好馬，一把寶劍暴区，而能與我相提并論的騎士只有……好吧，實際上還是有幾個辛臊∠闪唬”

“I am,” he affirmed. “I have a wonderful horse and a very fine sword, and my valor is second to … well, several, actually.”

“是幾百個，爵士先生彻舰》ジ睿”蓋林道候味。

“More like several hundred, ser,” said Garin.

亞蓮恩留下他們互相取笑。除了堂姐特蕾妮隔心，德雷和“斑點”希爾娃是她最親近的朋友白群，而蓋林自他倆在他母親奶頭上喝奶開始就一直揶揄她。此刻的她無心嬉笑硬霍。太陽已經(jīng)消失帜慢，天空繁星密布，多得怕人唯卖。她背靠一根雕紋柱尋思粱玲，無論弟弟身在何處，是否也在凝望同樣的星空拜轨。你看到那顆白星了嗎抽减，昆廷？那是娜梅莉亞的星橄碾，燃燒得熾熱卵沉，而后面那條乳白色飄帶就是她的一萬艘船。她的光輝如此耀眼法牲，不比任何男人差史汗，我也將如此。你搶不走我的繼承權皆串！

Arianne left them to their banter. Drey and Spotted Sylva were her dearest friends, aside from her cousin Tyene, and Garin had been teasing her since both of them were drinking from his mother’s teats, but just now she was in no mood for japery. The sun was gone, and the sky was full of stars. So many. She leaned her back against a fluted pillar and wondered if her brother was looking at the same stars tonight, wherever he might be. Do you see the white one, Quentyn? That is Nymeria’s star, burning bright, and that milky band behind her, those are ten thousand ships. She burned as bright as any man, and so shall I. You will not rob me of my birthright!

昆廷被送往伊倫林時還很小淹办，按母親的話來說，是太小了恶复。孩子們并非在諾佛斯裙撫養(yǎng)長大怜森，而梅拉莉歐夫人始終不肯原諒道朗親王將兒子從她身邊帶走“担“我跟你一樣副硅，不希望如此，”亞蓮恩曾偷聽見父親說翅萤，“但這筆血債是我們欠他家的恐疲，而昆廷是奧蒙德伯爵唯一愿意接受的籌碼√酌矗”

Quentyn had been very young when he was sent to Yronwood; too young, according to their mother. Norvoshi did not foster out their children, and Lady Mellario had never forgiven Prince Doran for taking her son away from her. “I like it no more than you do,” Arianne had overheard her father say, “but there is a blood debt, and Quentyn is the only coin Lord Ormond will accept.”

“籌碼培己？”母親尖叫，“他是你兒子胚泌！什么樣的父親會拿自己的骨肉來還債省咨？”

“Coin?” her mother had screamed. “He is your son. What sort of father uses his own flesh and blood to pay his debts?”

“當親王的父親＄枋遥”道朗·馬泰爾回答零蓉。

“The princely sort,” Doran Martell had answered.

道朗親王仍然假裝她弟弟跟伊倫伍德大人在一起笤受，卻不知其早已在板條鎮(zhèn)被蓋林的母親發(fā)現(xiàn)了。弟弟扮成商人敌蜂，伙伴中有一位是弱視箩兽，跟安德斯伯爵那個放蕩兒子克萊圖斯·伊倫伍德一模一樣，還有一位是精通各種語言的學士章喉。我弟弟沒有他自以為的那么聰明汗贫。聰明人應該從舊鎮(zhèn)出發(fā)。雖然行程更遠囊陡，但更安全芳绩，也許不會被認出來。亞蓮恩在板條鎮(zhèn)的綠血河孤兒中有很多朋友撞反，其中某些人很好奇妥色，為什么親王要跟領主的兒子一道化名遠行，偷偷搭船穿越狹海遏片。有人夜里爬進窗戶嘹害，撬開昆廷的小保險箱，發(fā)現(xiàn)了里面的卷軸吮便。

Prince Doran was still pretending that her brother was with Lord Yronwood, but Garin’s mother had seen him at the Planky Town, posing as a merchant. One of his companions had a lazy eye, the same as Cletus Yronwood, Lord Anders’s randy son. A maester traveled with them too, a maester skilled in tongues. My brother is not as clever as he thinks. A clever man would have left from Oldtown, even if it meant a longer voyage. In Oldtown he might have gone unrecognized. Arianne had friends amongst the orphans of the Planky Town, and some had grown curious as to why a prince and a lord’s son might be traveling under false names and seeking passage across the narrow sea. One of them had crept through a window of a night, tickled the lock on Quentyn’s little strongbox, and found the scrolls within.

若能證明這次穿越狹海的秘密行動是昆廷自己的計劃笔呀，與他人無涉，亞蓮恩愿意付出任何代價……但他所攜帶的羊皮紙上蓋有多恩領馬泰爾家族的長槍貫日紋章髓需，蓋林的親戚不敢拆印閱讀许师，這……

Arianne would have given much and more to know that this secret trip across the narrow sea was Quentyn’s own doing, and his alone … but parchments he had carried had been sealed with the sun and spear of Dorne. Garin’s cousin had not dared break the seal to read them, but …

“公主×糯遥”杰洛·戴恩爵士站在她身后微渠，一半在星光中，一半在陰影里咧擂。

“Princess.” Ser Gerold Dayne stood behind her, half in starlight and half in shadow.

“你尿得怎樣了逞盆？”亞蓮恩嬉戲地詢問。

“How was your piss?” Arianne inquired archly.

“沙子挺感激的松申≡坡”戴恩單腳踏住一座雕像的頭，那顆頭原本屬于某位處女贸桶，然而沙子磨平了她的臉龐舅逸。“我尿尿的時候在想皇筛，你這個計劃似乎無法達成你的目標堡赔。”

“The sands were duly grateful.” Dayne put a foot upon the head of a statue that might have been the Maiden till the sands had scoured her face away. “It occurred to me as I was pissing that this plan of yours may not yield you what you want.”

“我的目標是什么设联，爵士善已？”

“And what is it I want, ser?”

“釋放‘沙蛇’。為奧柏倫和伊莉亞復仇离例。記得《多恩人的妻子》那首歌吧换团？你想品嘗獅血的味道」”

“The Sand Snakes freed. Vengeance for Oberyn and Elia. Do I know the song? You want a little taste of lion blood.”

這些艘包，再加上我的繼承權。我要陽戟城耀盗，我要父親的寶座想虎，我要統(tǒng)治多恩領∨芽剑“我的目標是伸張正義舌厨。”

That, and my birthright. I want Sunspear, and my father’s seat. I want Dorne. “I want justice.”

“管你叫它什么忿薇。給蘭尼斯特的女孩加冕是個空洞的姿態(tài)裙椭。她永遠坐不上鐵王座，你也得不到想要的戰(zhàn)爭署浩。只怕獅子沒那么沖動揉燃。”

“Call it what you will. Crowning the Lannister girl is a hollow gesture. She will never sit the Iron Throne. Nor will you get the war you want. The lion is not so easily provoked.”

“沒那么沖動筋栋？小獅子死了炊汤，剩下兩只崽，誰知道母獅喜歡哪只弊攘？”

“The lion’s dead. Who knows which cub the lioness prefers?”

“她自己窩里那只抢腐。”杰洛爵士拔劍出鞘肴颊，利刃在星光中閃爍氓栈，猶如謊言一樣鋒利⌒鲎牛“你得靠這個發(fā)動戰(zhàn)爭授瘦。不用金冠，用鐵器竟宋√嵬辏”

“The one in her own den.” Ser Gerold drew his sword. It glimmered in the starlight, sharp as lies. “This is how you start a war. Not with a crown of gold, but with a blade of steel.”

我不會謀害兒童∏鹣溃“收起來徒欣。彌賽菈受我保護。而且亞歷斯爵士決不會允許誰傷害他寵愛的公主蜗字，這點你一清二楚打肝≈拢”

I am no murderer of children. “Put that away. Myrcella is under my protection. And Ser Arys will permit no harm to come to his precious princess, you know that.”

“不，小姐粗梭，我清楚的是争便，戴恩家數(shù)千年來一直在殺奧克赫特《弦剑”

“No, my lady. What I know is that Daynes have been killing Oakhearts for several thousand years.”

他的傲慢令她呼吸急促滞乙。“在我看來鉴嗤，奧克赫特也殺了同樣多的戴恩斩启。”

His arrogance took her breath away. “It seems to me that Oakhearts have been killing Daynes for just as long.”

“我們都有自己的家族傳統(tǒng)醉锅⊥么兀”“暗黑之星”還劍入鞘，“月亮升起之時荣挨，嗯男韧，你的模范騎士來了∧ⅲ”

“We all have our family traditions.” Darkstar sheathed his sword. “The moon is rising, and I see your paragon approaching.”

他的眼神很銳利此虑。騎在灰色高頭大馬上的果然是亞歷斯爵士，亞歷斯催馬在沙地上疾馳口锭，純白披風威武地飄蕩朦前。彌賽菈公主坐在他后面，裹一件帶頭巾的長袍鹃操，隱藏起金色鬈發(fā)韭寸。

His eyes were sharp. The horseman on the tall grey palfrey did indeed prove to be Ser Arys, white cloak fluttering bravely as he spurred across the sand. Princess Myrcella rode pillion behind him, swaddled in a cowled robe that hid her golden curls.

亞歷斯爵士扶她下馬，德雷單膝跪倒荆隘，“陛下恩伺。”

As Ser Arys helped her from the saddle, Drey went to one knee before her. “Your Grace.”

“主人椰拒【”“斑點”希爾娃跪在他身邊。

“My lady liege.” Spotted Sylva knelt beside him.

“女王陛下燃观，我是您的人褒脯。”蓋林雙膝跪地缆毁。

“My queen, I am your man.” Garin dropped to both knees.

彌賽菈很疑惑番川，她抓住亞歷斯·奧克赫特的胳膊。“他們?yōu)槭裁唇形冶菹掳涠剑俊彼帽г沟目跉鈫柤模皝啔v斯爵士，這是什么地方沉御，他們是誰往核？”

Confused, Myrcella clutched Arys Oakheart by the arm. “Why do they call me Grace?” she asked in a plaintive voice. “Ser Arys, what is this place, and who are they?”

難道他什么也沒告訴她？亞蓮恩趕緊迎上前嚷节，絲衣盤旋飛舞，她微笑著安撫女孩虎锚，“他們是我忠實的朋友硫痰，陛下……也會成為您的朋友〈芑ぃ”

Has he told her nought? Arianne moved forward in a swirl of silk, smiling to put the child at ease. “They are my true and loyal friends, Your Grace … and would be your friends as well.”

“亞蓮恩公主效斑？”女孩張開雙臂擁抱她，“他們?yōu)槭裁唇形遗踔悖客新鍪铝藛峄和溃俊?/p>

“Princess Arianne?” The girl threw her arms around her. “Why do they call me queen? Did something bad happen to Tommen?”

“他被一群奸臣挾持了，陛下护侮，”亞蓮恩解釋敌完，“他們慫恿他盜取您的王座⊙虺酰”

“He fell in with evil men, Your Grace,” Arianne said, “and I fear they have conspired with him to steal your throne.”

“我的王座滨溉？你是指鐵王座嗎？”女孩更加疑惑不解长赞』拊埽“他沒有偷過，托曼……”

“My throne? You mean, the Iron Throne?” The girl was more confused than ever. “He never stole that, Tommen is …”

“……比你小得哆，沒錯吧脯颜？”

“… younger than you, surely?”

“我比他大一歲》肪荩”

“I am older by a year.”

“意味著鐵王座應該由您繼承栋操，”亞蓮恩宣布，“你弟弟只是個小男孩乐设，您千萬不要責怪他讼庇，都是重臣們的錯……好在您還有忠實的朋友。不知我有沒有這個榮幸來親自介紹他們近尚？”她拉起孩子的手蠕啄。“陛下，這位是安德雷·達特爵士歼跟，檸檬林的繼承人和媳。”

“That means the Iron Throne by rights is yours,” Arianne said. “Your brother is only a little boy, you must not blame him. He has bad counselors … but you have friends. May I have the honor of presenting them?” She took the child by the hand. “Your Grace, I give you Ser Andrey Dalt, the heir to Lemonwood.”

“朋友們管叫我德雷哈街，”他說留瞳，“假如陛下也肯這樣稱呼我，我會感到萬分榮幸骚秦∷龋”

“My friends call me Drey,” he said, “and I should be greatly honored if Your Grace would do the same.”

盡管德雷表情坦率，笑得從容作箍，彌賽菈仍然保持警惕硬梁。“我還是會用‘爵士’的頭銜稱呼你胞得，直到了解你為止荧止。”

Though Drey had an open face and an easy smile, Myrcella regarded him warily. “Until I know you I must call you ser.”

“無論陛下怎么稱呼阶剑，我都是您的人跃巡。”

“Whatever name Your Grace prefers, I am her man.”

希爾娃清清嗓子牧愁，亞蓮恩繼續(xù)介紹素邪，“這位是希爾娃·桑塔加小姐，女王陛下递宅，我最親愛的‘斑點’希爾娃娘香。”

Sylva cleared her throat, till Arianne said, “Might I present Lady Sylva Santagar, my queen? My dearest Spotted Sylva.”

“他們?yōu)槭裁唇o你起這個外號呢办龄？”彌賽菈問烘绽。

“Why do they call you that?” Myrcella asked.

“因為我的雀斑啊，陛下俐填，”希爾娃答道安接，“但他們都找借口說，由于我是斑木林繼承人的緣故英融「夥牵”

“For my freckles, Your Grace,” Sylva answered, “though they all pretend it is because I am the heir to Spottswood.”

接下來介紹蓋林杀迹，這家伙跟往常一樣，懶懶散散，長鼻子术裸，黑皮膚蓝角，一邊耳朵釘著一粒翡翠级遭》椅唬“這位是放蕩的孤兒蓋林先生龙巨，最喜歡逗我開心，”亞蓮恩道熊响，“他母親曾是我的乳母旨别。”

Garin was next, a loose-limbed, swarthy, long-nosed fellow with a jade stud in one ear. “Here is gay Garin of the orphans, who makes me laugh,” said Arianne. “His mother was my wet nurse.”

“我很難過她死了汗茄〗粘冢”彌賽菈說。

“I am sorry she is dead,” Myrcella said.

“她沒死洪碳，親愛的女王递览。”蓋林的金牙一閃——那是亞蓮恩給買的瞳腌，以代替被她打掉的牙齒非迹。“小姐的意思是纯趋，我是綠血河上的孤兒±淅耄”

“She’s not, sweet queen.” Garin flashed the golden tooth Arianne had bought him to replace the one she’d broken. “I’m of the orphans of the Greenblood, is what my lady means.”

逆流而上的旅途中吵冒，彌賽菈有的是時間了解綠血河孤兒們的歷史。于是亞蓮恩引領未來的女王來到她這小小團隊中最后一位成員面前西剥，“這是最后痹栖，但也是最英勇的一位，杰洛·戴恩爵士瞭空，星墜城的下屬揪阿。”

Myrcella would have time enough to learn the history of the orphans on her voyage up the river. Arianne led her queen-to-be to the final member of her little band. “Last, but first in valor, I give you Ser Gerold Dayne, a knight of Starfall.”

杰洛爵士單膝跪下咆畏。他鎮(zhèn)定自若地打量著女孩南捂，月光在他深黯的眼睛里閃耀。

Ser Gerold went to one knee. The moonlight shone in his dark eyes as he studied the child coolly.

“曾有一位亞瑟·戴恩旧找，”彌賽菈說溺健，“他在‘瘋王’伊里斯時代是御林鐵衛(wèi)∨ブ耄”

“There was an Arthur Dayne,” Myrcella said. “He was a knight of the Kingsguard in the days of Mad King Aerys.”

“他是‘拂曉神劍’鞭缭。他死了∥和牵”

“He was the Sword of the Morning. He is dead.”

“那你現(xiàn)在是‘拂曉神劍’嗎岭辣？”

“Are you the Sword of the Morning now?”

“不。人們叫我‘暗黑之星’甸饱，我屬于夜晚沦童。”

“No. Men call me Darkstar, and I am of the night.”

亞蓮恩將孩子拉開「愣“您一定餓了躏精。我們有椰棗、奶酪和橄欖鹦肿，還有甜檸檬水喝矗烛。但您不可以吃喝太多，稍事休息箩溃，我們就必須騎馬出發(fā)瞭吃。在這片沙漠里，最好是晚上趕路涣旨，在太陽臨空之前趕路歪架。這樣對坐騎比較仁慈∨福”

Arianne drew the child away. “You must be hungry. We have dates and cheese and olives, and lemonsweet to drink. You ought not eat or drink too much, though. After a little rest, we must ride. Out here on the sands it is always best to travel by night, before the sun ascends the sky. It is kinder to the horses.”

“對騎手也一樣和蚪，”“斑點”希爾娃補充，“來吧烹棉，陛下攒霹，暖暖身子。如果準許我來服侍您浆洗，我會感到非常榮幸催束。”

“And the riders,” Spotted Sylva said. “Come, Your Grace, warm yourself. I should be honored if you’d let me serve you.”

她領著公主走向火堆伏社，杰洛爵士俏無聲息地出現(xiàn)在亞蓮恩身后抠刺。“我的家族歷史可以追溯一萬年摘昌，直至黎明之紀元速妖，”他抱怨，“為什么我那個親戚是唯一被人們記得的戴恩聪黎？”

As she led the princess to the fire, Arianne found Ser Gerold behind her. “My House goes back ten thousand years, unto the dawn of days,” he complained. “Why is it that my cousin is the only Dayne that anyone remembers?”

“他是個偉大的騎士买优。”亞歷斯·奧克赫特插話挺举。

“He was a great knight,” Ser Arys Oakheart put in.

“他有一把偉大的劍杀赢。”“暗黑之星”說湘纵。

“He had a great sword,” Darkstar said.

“還有一顆偉大的心脂崔。”亞歷斯爵士握住亞蓮恩的手臂梧喷∑鲎螅“公主脖咐，我想跟你私下談談』愦酰”

“And a great heart.” Ser Arys took Arianne by the arm. “Princess, I beg a moment’s word.”

“過來屁擅。”她領亞歷斯爵士進入廢墟深處产弹。騎士在披風下穿一件金線外套派歌，飾有三片綠橡葉的族徽，頭戴帶刺輕鐵盔痰哨，跟多恩人一樣用黃頭巾纏繞胶果。那披風是他與眾不同之處，閃光的白絲綢皓如明月斤斧，柔若清風早抠。毫無疑問，他把御林鐵衛(wèi)的披風穿來了撬讽，這個英勇的傻瓜蕊连。“孩子知道多少游昼？”

“Come.” She led Ser Arys deeper into the ruins. Beneath his cloak, the knight wore a cloth-of-gold doublet embroidered with the three green oak leaves of his House. On his head was a light steel helm topped by a jagged spike, wound about with a yellow scarf in the Dornish fashion. He might have passed for any knight, but for the cloak. Of shimmering white silk it was, pale as moonlight and airy as a breeze. A Kingsguard cloak beyond all doubt, the gallant fool. “How much does the child know?”

“沒多少咪奖。離開君臨前，她舅舅囑咐她酱床，我是她的保護人，我的任何決定都是為了保護她的安全趟佃。她也聽見了街市中的人們高呼復仇扇谣，知道這不是游戲。這女孩很勇敢闲昭，她的睿智超越年齡罐寨。我要她做的她完全照辦，從不多問序矩⊙炻蹋”騎士拉住她的手，環(huán)顧四周簸淀，壓低聲音瓶蝴。“還有其他消息你該聽一聽租幕。泰溫·蘭尼斯特死了舷手。”

“Little enough. Before we left King’s Landing, her uncle reminded her that I was her protector and that any commands that I might give her were meant to keep her safe. She has heard them in the streets as well, shouting out for vengeance. She knew this was no game. The girl is brave, and wise beyond her years. She did all I asked of her, and never asked a question.” The knight took her arm, glanced about, lowered his voice. “There are other tidings you should hear. Tywin Lannister is dead.”

令人震驚劲绪∧锌撸“死了盆赤？”

That was a shock. “Dead?”

“小惡魔殺的。太后已經(jīng)攝政歉眷∥”

“Murdered by the Imp. The queen has assumed the regency.”

“是嗎？”女人坐上了鐵王座汗捡？亞蓮恩考慮片刻淑际，斷定情況只會向好的方向發(fā)展。如果七國諸侯習慣了瑟曦太后的統(tǒng)治凉唐，那么向彌賽菈女王屈膝也容易些庸追。況且泰溫公爵是個危險的對手，沒有他台囱，多恩的日子好過多了淡溯。蘭尼斯特自相殘殺，真是大快人心簿训≡廴ⅲ“那侏儒呢？”

“Has she?” A woman on the Iron Throne? Arianne thought about that for a moment and decided it was all to the good. If the lords of the Seven Kingdoms grew accustomed to Queen Cersei’s rule, it would be that much easier for them to bend their knees to Queen Myrcella. And Lord Tywin had been a dangerous foe; without him, Dorne’s enemies would be much weaker. Lannisters are killing Lannisters, how sweet. “What became of the dwarf?”

“他逃跑了强品，”亞歷斯爵士說膘侮，“現(xiàn)今不管是誰獻上他的腦袋，瑟曦都會賜予領主身份的榛∏砹耍”鋪著地磚的內庭半埋于流沙之中，他將她推到一根柱子邊親吻夫晌，手伸向她胸口雕薪。他的吻綿長而有力，若非亞蓮恩笑著掙脫晓淀，他還想撩起她的裙子所袁。“我知道擁立女王讓你很興奮凶掰，爵士燥爷，可我們沒時間干那事。稍后吧懦窘，稍后前翎，我向你保證〕┩浚”她撫摸他的臉頰鱼填。“你沒碰到什么麻煩吧毅戈？”

“He’s fled,” Ser Arys said. “Cersei is offering a lordship to whosoever delivers her his head.” In a tiled inner courtyard half-buried by the drifting sands, he pushed her back against a column to kiss her, and his hand went to her breast. He kissed her long and hard and would have pushed her skirts up, but Arianne broke free of him, laughing. “I see that queenmaking excites you, ser, but we have no time for this. Later, I promise you.” She touched his cheek. “Did you meet with any problems?”

“崔斯坦不肯依苹丸。他鬧著要坐在彌賽菈床邊愤惰，跟她玩席瓦斯棋∽咐恚”

“Only Trystane. He wanted to sit beside Myrcella’s bedside and play cyvasse with her.”

“他四歲時得過紅斑病宦言，我囑咐過你了，這種病是非成棠＃可怕的奠旺。你放出消息說彌賽菈患了灰鱗病，就能讓他避得遠遠的施流∠炀危”

“He had redspots when he was four, I told you. You can only get it once. You should have put out that Myrcella was suffering from greyscale, that would have kept him well away.”

“那男孩也許會，但你父親的學士不會瞪醋》拊危”

“The boy perhaps, but not your father’s maester.”

“卡洛特，”她說银受，“他要去看她践盼？”

“Caleotte,” she said. “Did he try to see her?”

“我不止一次地向他描述她臉上的紅斑。他也沒什么療方宾巍，只能讓病情自行消退咕幻，最后給了我一罐藥膏，說是為緩解瘙癢顶霞∫蕹蹋”

“Not once I described the red spots on her face. He said that nothing could be done until the disease had run its course, and gave me a pot of salve to soothe her itching.”

從來沒有十歲以下的人死于紅斑病，但對成年人來說它是致命的选浑，而卡洛特學士小時候沒得過這種病——這點亞蓮恩八歲就知道了蓝厌，當時她自己也受到紅斑的折磨∠式模“很好，”她說诸典，“那侍女怎么樣描函？她能騙過去嗎？”

No one under ten ever died of redspots, but it could be mortal in adults, and Maester Caleotte had never suffered it as a child. Arianne learned that when she suffered her own spots, at eight. “Good,” she said. “And the handmaid? Is she convincing?”

“從遠處看能混過去狐粱。小惡魔舍棄眾多出身高貴的女孩選擇了她肌蜻，就是為這一目的。彌賽菈親自弄卷了她的頭發(fā)蒋搜，并在她臉上涂紅點判莉。知道嗎育谬？她們是遠親券盅，蘭尼斯港中有許多蘭尼膛檀、蘭尼茲咖刃、蘭特爾以及較卑微的蘭尼斯特嚎杨，他們中半數(shù)人有黃頭發(fā)。穿著彌賽菈的睡袍翠胰，臉上涂滿學士的藥膏……在昏暗的光線下之景，她甚至有可能騙過我锻狗。尋找我的替身就比較難了轻纪。戴克跟我身高相近刻帚，可他太胖崇众，因此我讓羅德穿我的板甲顷歌，并告誡他萬不可掀起面罩眯漩。此人比我矮三寸赦抖，但假如我不站在他身邊摹芙，也許沒人注意浮禾。無論如何盈电，他會死死地看守著彌賽菈的房間熬词』ナ埃”

“From a distance. The Imp picked her for this purpose, over many girls of nobler birth. Myrcella helped her curl her hair, and painted the dots on her face herself. They are distant kin. Lannisport teems with Lannys, Lannetts, Lantells, and lesser Lannisters, and half of them have that yellow hair. Dressed in Myrcella’s bedrobe with the maester’s salve smeared across her face … she might even have fooled me, in a dim light. It was a deal harder to find a man to take my place. Dake is closest to my height, but he’s too fat, so I put Rolder in my armor and told him to keep his visor down. The man is three inches shorter than I am, but perhaps no one will notice if I’m not there to stand beside him. He’ll keep to Myrcella’s chambers in any case.”

“放心颜矿，我們只需爭取幾天時間骑疆，到時候箍铭，公主就不在我父親的控制范圍之內了±涫兀”

“All we need is a few days. By that time the princess will be beyond my father’s reach.”

“我們究竟去哪里教沾？”他將她拉近，用鼻尖輕觸她的頸項孙咪，“該是把計劃的其余部分告訴我的時候了翎蹈，你覺得呢荤堪？”

“Where?” He drew her close and nuzzled at her neck. “It’s time you told me the rest of the plan, don’t you think?”

她笑著將他推開澄阳，“不低剔，該是騎馬出發(fā)的時候了襟齿〔缕郏”

She laughed, pushing him away. “No, it’s time we rode.”

當他們從干涸塵封的沙巖城廢墟出發(fā)替梨，朝西南方前進時副瀑，月亮已經(jīng)爬上月女座。亞蓮恩和亞歷斯爵士領頭狈孔，彌賽菈騎一匹精力充沛的母馬行在他倆中間均抽，蓋林和“斑點”希爾娃緊緊跟隨油挥，而她的兩名多恩騎士押后深寥。七個人则酝，亞蓮恩突然意識到沽讹，似乎是個好兆頭妥泉，七名騎手奔向榮耀盲链，有朝一日刽沾，歌手會讓我們永垂不朽侧漓。德雷想帶更多人布蔗，但那會引人注目纵揍，招惹麻煩泽谨，而且每多一人，遭遇背叛的風險就會翻倍雄卷。至少在這點上丁鹉，父親教導了我鳄炉。即便在壯年時代，道朗·馬泰爾也行事謹慎小心谈竿，習慣沉默空凸，口風嚴緊⊙街蓿現(xiàn)在是時候讓他卸下負擔了，但我不會容許對他榮譽甚或人身的任何傷害滓窍。她將把他送回流水花園吏夯，讓他在兒童們的嬉笑聲中度過余生，沉浸于檸檬和橙子的香氣杠园。嗯抛蚁，昆廷可以跟他做伴瞧甩。等我為彌賽菈加冕爷辙，并釋放沙蛇之后膝晾，多恩領將團結在我的旗幟之下。伊倫伍德家也許會繼續(xù)為昆廷撐腰臊旭，可惜他們勢單力孤离熏，構不成威脅滋戳；假如他們一黨投靠托曼和蘭尼斯特，她正好派出“暗黑之星”將其連族誅滅府喳。

The moon had crowned the Moonmaid as they set out from the dust-dry ruins of Shandystone, striking south and west. Arianne and Ser Arys took the lead, with Myrcella on a frisky mare between them. Garin followed close behind with Spotted Sylva, whilst her two Dornish knights took the rear. We are seven, Arianne realized as they rode. She had not thought of that before, but it seemed a good omen for their cause. Seven riders on their way to glory. One day the singers will make all of us immortal. Drey had wanted a larger party, but that might have attracted unwelcome attention, and every additional man doubled the risk of betrayal. That much my father taught me, at the least. Even when he was younger and stronger, Doran Martell had been a cautious man much given to silences and secrets. It is time he put his burdens down, but I will suffer no slights to his honor or his person. She would return him to his Water Gardens, to live out what years remained him surrounded by laughing children and the smell of limes and oranges. Yes, and Quentyn can keep him company. Once I crown Myrcella and free the Sand Snakes, all Dorne will rally to my banners. The Yronwoods might declare for Quentyn, but alone they were no threat. If they went over to Tommen and the Lannisters, she would have Darkstar destroy them root and branch.

“我累了，”騎了數(shù)小時之后，彌賽菈抱怨碎捺，“還很遠嗎收厨？我們要去哪里？”

“I am tired,” Myrcella complained, after several hours in the saddle. “Is it much farther? Where are we going?”

“亞蓮恩公主要帶陛下去一個安全的地方拧额〗慕酰”亞歷斯爵士向她保證快毛。

“Princess Arianne is taking Your Grace to a place where you’ll be safe,” Ser Arys assured her.

“這是一段很長的旅途，”亞蓮恩說建芙，“但抵達綠血河后，就會輕松多了赶熟。蓋林的朋友們將在那里與我們碰頭，他們是綠血河孤兒邑退，居住在船上，平時撐船沿綠血河及其支流捕魚莫矗、摘果作谚，他們以船為家，無論做什么都離不開它彬伦』毓伲”

“It is a long journey,” Arianne said, “but it will go easier once we reach the Greenblood. Some of Garin’s people will meet us there, the orphans of the river. They live on boats, and pole them up and down the Greenblood and its vassals, fishing and picking fruit and doing whatever work needs doing.”

“對歉提，”蓋林愉快地喊道，“我們會在水上唱歌跳舞做游戲侄泽，還精于醫(yī)術。比如我母親便是維斯特洛最好的產(chǎn)婆闺魏，我父親則能治愈疣瘤∨牍牵”

“Aye,” Garin called out cheerfully, “and we sing and play and dance on water, and know much and more of healing. My mother is the best midwife in Westeros, and my father can cure warts.”

“你有父母，怎么會是孤兒峦树？”女孩問。

“How can you be orphans if you have mothers and fathers?” the girl asked.

“他們是羅伊拿人谷遂，”亞蓮恩解釋畴嘶，“他們的母親是羅恩河窗悯。”

“They are the Rhoynar,” Arianne explained, “and their Mother was the river Rhoyne.”

彌賽菈不明白，“我以為你們多恩人都是……你們都是羅伊拿人呢辞友〔耄”

Myrcella did not understand. “I thought you were the Rhoynar. You Dornishmen, I mean.”

“我們有一部分羅伊拿血統(tǒng)间驮，陛下扛施，我體內既流淌著娜梅莉亞的血液，也有莫爾斯·馬泰爾的血液——他就是跟娜梅莉亞結婚的多恩領主妄荔。婚禮那天篷角，娜梅莉亞燒毀了所有船只虐块，好讓她的人民明白沒有退路。大多數(shù)人歡欣鼓舞敞嗡，因為來多恩的旅程漫長而可怕，許許多多人死于風暴箕肃、疾病和奴役；然而也有少數(shù)人感到悲哀今魔，他們不喜歡這片干燥的紅土地勺像，不喜歡這片土地上的七面神，堅持舊日的生活方式错森。他們敲下焚毀的船殼吟宦，釘成小船涩维，做了綠血河上的孤兒殃姓。他們歌唱的母親并非我們的圣母，而是母親河羅恩瓦阐，其河水自世界之初就滋養(yǎng)著他們蜗侈。”

“We are in part, Your Grace. Nymeria’s blood is in me, along with that of Mors Martell, the Dornish lord she married. On the day they wed, Nymeria fired her ships, so her people would understand that there could be no going back. Most were glad to see those flames, for their voyagings had been long and terrible before they came to Dorne, and many and more had been lost to storm, disease, and slavery. There were a few who mourned, however. They did not love this dry red land or its seven-faced god, so they clung to their old ways, hammered boats together from the hulks of the burned ships, and became the orphans of the Greenblood. The Mother in their songs is not our Mother, but Mother Rhoyne, whose waters nourished them from the dawn of days.”

“我聽說羅伊拿人有個烏龜神睡蟋√せ茫”亞歷斯爵士道。

“I’d heard the Rhoynar had some turtle god,” said Ser Arys.

“河中老人是個次級神戳杀，”蓋林說该面，“他也誕生于母親河中，戰(zhàn)勝蟹王后豺瘤，贏得了統(tǒng)治水下住民的權利吆倦。”

“The Old Man of the River is a lesser god,” said Garin. “He was born from Mother River too, and fought the Crab King to win dominion over all who dwell beneath the flowing waters.”

“哦坐求〔显螅”彌賽菈感嘆。

“Oh,” said Myrcella.

“聽說您也打過一些大仗，陛下须妻，”德雷用最愉快的語調說仔蝌，“聽說您在席瓦斯棋桌上對我們勇敢的崔斯坦王子毫不留情』睦簦”

“I understand you’ve fought some mighty battles too, Your Grace,” said Drey in his most cheerful voice. “It is said you show our brave Prince Trystane no mercy at the cyvasse table.”

“他總是相同的布局夫否，所有的山都放前面朴爬，而大象在隘口中孵淘，”彌賽菈分析道婚温，“因此我派我的龍去吃掉他的大象±芡澹”

“He always sets his squares up the same way, with all the mountains in the front and his elephants in the passes,” said Myrcella. “So I send my dragon through to eat his elephants.”

“您的侍女也玩這種棋嗎特恬？”德雷問。

“Does your handmaid play the game as well?” asked Drey.

“蘿莎蒙徐钠？”彌賽菈說癌刽，“不。我想教她尝丐，但她說規(guī)則太難显拜。”

“Rosamund?” asked Myrcella. “No. I tried to teach her, but she said the rules were too hard.”

“她也是蘭尼斯特家的人爹袁？”希爾娃小姐問远荠。

“She is a Lannister as well?” said Lady Sylva.

“她是蘭尼斯港的蘭尼斯特，不是凱巖城的蘭尼斯特呢簸。她頭發(fā)顏色跟我一樣矮台，卻是直發(fā)乏屯，并非卷的根时。其實，蘿莎蒙長得不像我辰晕，但穿上我的衣服后蛤迎，能蒙過陌生人『眩”

“A Lannister of Lannisport, not a Lannister of Casterly Rock. Her hair is the same color as mine, but straight instead of curly. Rosamund doesn’t truly favor me, but when she dresses up in my clothes people who don’t know us think she’s me.”

“你們以前這么干過替裆？”

“You have done this before, then?”

“哦，是的窘问。前往布拉佛斯途中辆童，我們在海捷號上互換身份。伊蘭婷修女給我的頭發(fā)涂上棕色染料惠赫。她嘴上說是扮家家把鉴，其實我知道是為了保護我的安全，以防船只萬一被我叔叔史坦尼斯俘獲⊥タ常”

“Oh, yes. We traded places on the Seaswift, on the way to Braavos. Septa Eglantine put brown dye in my hair. She said we were doing it as a game, but it was meant to keep me safe in case the ship was taken by my uncle Stannis.”

女孩顯然累了场晶，因此亞蓮恩下令停止前進。他們再次飲馬怠缸，休息了一會兒诗轻，享用奶酪和水果。彌賽菈跟“斑點”希爾娃分享一個橙子揭北，而蓋林吃橄欖扳炬，然后朝德雷吐核。

The girl was plainly growing tired, so Arianne called a halt. They watered the horses once again, rested for a bit, and had some cheese and fruit. Myrcella split an orange with Spotted Sylva, whilst Garin ate olives and spit the stones at Drey.

亞蓮恩滿心希望日出前能趕到河邊搔体，但他們的出發(fā)時間已經(jīng)比計劃晚了許多鞠柄，因此，當東方的天空漸漸變紅時嫉柴，大家還在騎馬厌杜。“暗黑之星”趕到她身邊计螺『痪。“公主，”他說登馒，“必須加快速度匙握，除非你改變了主意，打算殺死那孩子陈轿。我們沒有帳篷圈纺，而白天的沙漠殘酷無情÷笊洌”

Arianne had hoped to reach the river before the sun came up, but they had started much later than she’d planned, so they were still in the saddle when the eastern sky turned red. Darkstar cantered up beside her. “Princess,” he said, “I’d set a faster pace, unless you mean to kill the child after all. We have no tents, and by day the sands are cruel.”

“我跟你一樣了解沙漠蛾娶，爵士∏鼻铮”她反擊道蛔琅，但還是接受了建議。這對坐騎來說很殘酷峻呛，然而失去六匹馬好過失去公主罗售。

“I know the sands as well as you do, ser,” she told him. All the same, she did as he suggested. It was hard on their mounts, but better she should lose six horses than one princess.

很快，風從西面吹來钩述，熱辣辣干燥的風寨躁，漫天沙礫。亞蓮恩拉起面紗牙勘，它由微微泛光的絲綢織成职恳，上半部淡綠色，下半部是黃色，兩種顏色逐漸融合過渡话肖，作裝飾用的綠色小珍珠串隨著騎行互相撞擊北秽，發(fā)出輕微的嗒嗒聲。

Soon enough the wind came gusting from the west, hot and dry and full of grit. Arianne drew her veil across her face. It was made of shimmering silk, pale green above and yellow below, the colors blending into one another. Small green pearls gave it weight, and rattled softly against each other as she rode.

“我知道我的公主為什么戴上面紗最筒，”她將面紗系到銅盔上時贺氓，亞歷斯爵士說，“否則她的美麗會蓋過天上太陽的光輝床蜘≌夼啵”

“I know why my princess wears a veil,” Ser Arys said as she was fastening it to the temples of her copper helm. “Elsewise her beauty would outshine the sun above.”

她忍不住笑起來⌒暇猓“不扬蕊，你的公主戴面紗是要遮擋耀眼的光線，并防止沙子入口丹擎。你也該這么做尾抑，爵士〉倥啵”她心想再愈，不知她的白騎士操持愚勇有多少年了，亞歷斯爵士在床上是個令人愉快的伴侶护戳，但智慧與他形同陌路翎冲。

She had to laugh. “No, your princess wears a veil to keep the glare out of her eyes and the sand out of her mouth. You should do the same, ser.” She wondered how long her white knight had been polishing his ponderous gallantry. Ser Arys was pleasant company abed, but wit and he were strangers.

幾個多恩人也紛紛遮住臉，“斑點”希爾娃幫小公主戴上面紗媳荒，唯有亞歷斯爵士固執(zhí)地披掛白袍抗悍，不久后，汗水便順著他的臉流淌下來钳枕，他的面頰泛起紅暈缴渊。只怕再過一會兒，他就要被悶熟了么伯，她心想疟暖。他并非多恩烈日的第一個受害者卡儒，過往諸多世紀中田柔，許多軍隊旗幟飄飄地越過親王隘口南下，卻在熾熱的多恩沙漠里倍受折磨骨望，不戰(zhàn)而潰硬爆。“馬泰爾家族的紋章由太陽與長矛組成擎鸠，那也是多恩人最得力的兩樣武器缀磕，”少龍主在那部自負的《多恩征服記》中寫道，“兩者之中，太陽更致命袜蚕≡惆眩”

Her Dornishmen covered their faces as she did, and Spotted Sylva helped veil the little princess from the sun, but Ser Arys stayed stubborn. Before long the sweat was running down his face, and his cheeks had taken on a rosy blush. Much longer and he will cook in those heavy clothes, she reflected. He would not be the first. In centuries past, many a host had come down from the Prince’s Pass with banners streaming, only to wither and broil on the hot red Dornish sands. “The arms of House Martell display the sun and spear, the Dornishman’s two favored weapons,” the Young Dragon had once written in his boastful Conquest of Dorne, “but of the two, the sun is the more deadly.”

謝天謝地，他們無須橫越大沙漠縱深牲剃，只須通過一塊旱地遣疯。一只鷹在無云的天空中高高盤旋，亞蓮恩知道最艱苦的路程已被拋在腦后凿傅。他們很快又發(fā)現(xiàn)了一棵歪歪扭扭缠犀、滿是疙瘩的樹，樹上的棘刺跟樹葉一樣多聪舒。這種樹被稱為“沙漠乞丐”辨液，遇見它，就意味著離水不遠了箱残。

Thankfully, they did not need to cross the deep sands but only a sliver of the drylands. When Arianne spied a hawk wheeling high above them against a cloudless sky, she knew the worst was behind them. Soon they came upon a tree. It was a gnarled and twisted thing with as many thorns as leaves, of the sort called sandbeggars, but it meant that they were not far from water.

“快到了滔迈，陛下”患”蓋林愉快地告訴彌賽菈亡鼠。前方有更多沙漠乞丐樹，密密麻麻敷待，圍著一條干涸的河床生長间涵。陽光如同熾熱的鐵錘敲打著大家，但眼見旅程即將結束榜揖，人人都很放松勾哩，再度飲馬后，大家深深啜飲皮袋子里的水举哟，并用它沾濕面紗思劳，然后上馬作最后沖刺。奔過半里格妨猩，他們已踏在惡魔草上潜叛，經(jīng)過片片橄欖樹林，巖石山嶺后面壶硅，草長得更綠更茂盛威兜，蛛網(wǎng)般的古老渠道灌溉了檸檬果園。蓋林頭一個發(fā)現(xiàn)閃爍著綠光的河流庐椒，他大喊一聲椒舵，飛馳而前。

“We’re almost there, Your Grace,” Garin told Myrcella cheerfully when they spied more sandbeggars up ahead, a thicket of them growing all around the dry bed of a stream. The sun was beating down like a fiery hammer, but it did not matter with their journey at its end. They stopped to water the horses again, drank deep from their skins and wet their veils, then mounted for the last push. Within half a league they were riding over devilgrass and past olive groves. Beyond a line of stony hills the grass grew greener and more lush, and there were lemon orchards watered by a spider’s web of old canals. Garin was the first to spy the river glimmering green. He gave a shout and raced ahead.

亞蓮恩·馬泰爾渡過曼德河一次约谈，當時是陪三位沙蛇去拜訪特蕾妮的母親笔宿。跟那條強勁的水道相比犁钟，綠血河幾乎不足以被稱做河，然而它卻實實在在是多恩的命脈泼橘。它的名字得自于泥濘淤塞的綠色河水涝动，然而隨著人們靠近，陽光似乎將水染成了金色炬灭。她鮮少見到如此的美景捧存。接下來，行程會放慢担败，然而也比較單純昔穴，她心想，沿綠血河逆流上行提前，直達維斯吗货，撐篙船最多只能到達那里。其間正好協(xié)助彌賽菈為即將到來的一切作好準備狈网。過了維斯宙搬，前方便是大沙漠，旅行要想順利拓哺，需得沙石城和獄門堡的幫助——她相信他們會配合勇垛，畢竟，紅毒蛇是被沙石城撫養(yǎng)長大的士鸥，而奧柏倫親王的情婦艾拉莉亞·沙德出自烏勒伯爵闲孤，有四位沙蛇算來是伯爵的外孫女。我就在獄門堡給彌賽菈加冕烤礁，在那里揭竿而起讼积。

Arianne Martell had crossed the Mander once, when she had gone with three of the Sand Snakes to visit Tyene’s mother. Compared to that mighty waterway, the Greenblood was scarce worthy of the name of river, yet it remained the life of Dorne. It took its name from the murky green of its sluggish waters; but as they approached, the sunlight seemed to turn those waters gold. She had seldom seen a sweeter sight. The next part should be slow and simple, she thought, up the Greenblood and onto the Vaith, as far as a poleboat can go. That would give her time enough to prepare Myrcella for all that was to come. Beyond Vaith the deep sands waited. They would need help from Sandstone and the Hellholt to make that crossing, but she did not doubt that it would be forthcoming. The Red Viper had been fostered at Sandstone, and Prince Oberyn’s paramour Ellaria Sand was Lord Uller’s natural daughter; four of the Sand Snakes were his granddaughters. I will crown Myrcella at the Hellholt and raise my banners there.

他們在下游半里格處，一棵綠色大垂柳下找到了船脚仔。多恩的撐篙船頂棚低矮勤众，空間寬闊，沒什么復雜工藝鲤脏，少龍主貶損它們是“建在木筏上的破房子”们颜。其實這很不公平，除了最貧窮卑微的綠血河孤兒猎醇，大家都努力把船雕畫得美輪美奐窥突。眼前這艘船漆著深淺不一的綠，木舵柄雕成美人魚姑食，欄桿扶手上一張張魚臉向外張望波岛。它的甲板上堆滿撐竿、繩子和橄欖油罐音半，若干鐵燈籠隨風搖晃则拷。然而亞蓮恩沒看到一個綠血河孤兒出來迎接。船夫呢曹鸠？她疑惑地想煌茬。

They found the boat half a league downstream, hidden beneath the drooping branches of a great green willow. Low of roof and wide abeam, the poleboats had hardly any draft to speak of; the Young Dragon had disparaged them as “hovels built on rafts,” but that was hardly fair. All but the poorest orphan boats were wonderfully carved and painted. This one was done in shades of green, with a curved wooden tiller shaped like a mermaid, and fish faces peering through her rails. Poles and ropes and jars of olive oil cluttered her decks, and iron lanterns swung fore and aft. Arianne saw no orphans. Where is her crew? she wondered.

蓋林在柳樹底下勒馬〕固遥“快醒醒坛善，你們這幫賴床的死魚眼睛，”他邊喊邊翻身下馬邻眷，“女王駕到眠屎，趕緊出來歡迎陛下∷寥模快起來呀改衩，出來，我們一起唱歌喝甜酒驯镊。我的嘴巴已經(jīng)——”

Garin reined up beneath the willow. “Wake up, you fish-eyed lagabeds,” he called as he leapt down from the saddle. “Your queen is here, and wants her royal welcome. Come up, come out, we’ll have some songs and sweetwine. My mouth is set for—”

撐篙船的門“嘩”的一聲掀開葫督，阿利歐·何塔走出來，踏入陽光之中板惑，長斧在手橄镜。

The door on the poleboat slammed open. Out into the sunlight stepped Areo Hotah, longaxe in hand.

蓋林驟然停下。亞蓮恩仿佛被那斧子結結實實地砍中腹部冯乘。事情不該如此結束洽胶。事情不是這樣的●陕“這是我最不希望看見的一張臉妖异。”她聽見德雷說领追，陡然意識到自己必須采取行動他膳。“快跑绒窑！”她一邊喊棕孙，一邊躍上馬鞍，“亞歷斯些膨，保護公主——”

Garin jerked to a halt. Arianne felt as though an axe had caught her in the belly. It was not supposed to end this way. This was not supposed to happen. When she heard Drey say, “There’s the last face I’d hoped to see,” she knew she had to act. “Away!” she cried, vaulting back into the saddle. “Arys, protect the princess—”

何塔把長柄斧的斧垛往甲板上一捶蟀俊，撐篙船的雕花欄桿后便涌出來十幾個侍衛(wèi)，個個裝備著短矛和十字弓订雾。更多衛(wèi)兵出現(xiàn)在船艙頂上肢预。“趕快投降洼哎，公主殿下烫映，”侍衛(wèi)隊長喝道沼本，“否則我們就得殺死所有人，只留你和那孩子锭沟，這是你父親的命令抽兆。”

Hotah thumped the butt of his longaxe upon the deck. Behind the ornate rails of the poleboat, a dozen guardsmen rose, armed with throwing spears or crossbows. Still more appeared atop the cabin. “Yield, my princess,” the captain called, “else we must slay all but the child and yourself, by your father’s word.”

彌賽菈公主一動不動地騎在馬上族淮。蓋林緩緩退離撐篙船辫红，雙手高舉。德雷解開劍帶祝辣√蓿“投降似乎是最明智的方法◎保”他一邊沖亞蓮恩叫喊名惩，一邊率先扔下武器。

Princess Myrcella sat motionless upon her mount. Garin backed slowly from the poleboat, his hands in the air. Drey unbuckled his swordbelt. “Yielding seems the wisest course,” he called to Arianne, as his sword thumped to the ground.

“決不乍炉！”亞歷斯·奧克赫特爵士驅馬擋在亞蓮恩與十字弓之間绢片，長劍在他手中閃動著銀光。他已經(jīng)解下盾牌岛琼，左臂穿進綁帶底循。“只要我有一口氣在槐瑞，你就別想帶走她熙涤！”

“No!” Ser Arys Oakheart put his horse between Arianne and the crossbows, his blade shining silver in his hand. He had unslung his shield and slipped his left arm through the straps. “You will not take her whilst I still draw breath.”

魯莽的笨蛋，亞蓮恩心頭焦躁困檩，你要干什么祠挫？

You reckless fool, was all that Arianne had time to think, what do you think you’re doing?

“暗黑之星”縱聲長笑，“你瞎了還是傻了悼沿，奧克赫特等舔？眾寡懸殊，趕快放下武器糟趾』胖玻”

Darkstar’s laughter rang out. “Are you blind or stupid, Oakheart? There are too many. Put up your sword.”

“照他說的做，亞歷斯爵士义郑〉粒”德雷勸促。

“Do as he says, Ser Arys,” Drey urged.

我們被逮住了非驮，爵士交汤，亞蓮恩想喊出來，即便你犧牲自己也于事無補劫笙。你若是愛你的公主芙扎，就投降吧星岗。這番話卡在她喉嚨里。

We are taken, ser, Arianne might have called out. Your death will not free us. If you love your princess, yield. But when she tried to speak, the words caught in her throat.

亞歷斯·奧克赫特爵士渴望地看了她最后一眼纵顾，然后金馬刺一踢伍茄，發(fā)起沖鋒栋盹。

Ser Arys Oakheart gave her one last longing look, then put his golden spurs into his horse and charged.

他徑直朝撐篙船沖去施逾，純白披風迎風飛舞。亞蓮恩·馬泰爾沒見過如此英勇例获，卻又愚蠢之極的舉動汉额。“不——”她厲聲尖叫榨汤，但等她能出聲時蠕搜，已經(jīng)太遲。一把十字弓“砰”地發(fā)射收壕，接著是另一把妓灌。何塔吼出命令。如此近的距離蜜宪，白騎士的鎖甲猶如羊皮紙虫埂。第一箭射穿橡木盾牌，釘在他肩膀上圃验，第二支箭擦過太陽穴掉伏。一根短矛擊中亞歷斯爵士坐騎的側面，然而那匹馬仍在向前沖澳窑，向前斧散，踉踉蹌蹌地跨上跳板√“不鸡捐，”某個女孩在呼喊，某個愚蠢的小女孩麻裁，“不箍镜，求求你，事情不是這樣的悲立÷拐”她聽見彌賽菈也在尖叫，刺耳的嗓音中充滿恐懼薪夕。

He rode headlong for the poleboat, his white cloak streaming behind him. Arianne Martell had never seen anything half so gallant, or half so stupid. “Noooo,” she shrieked, but she had found her tongue too late. A crossbow thrummed, then another. Hotah bellowed a command. At such close range, the white knight’s armor had as well been made of parchment. The first bolt punched right through his heavy oaken shield, pinning it to his shoulder. The second grazed his temple. A thrown spear took Ser Arys’s mount in the flank, yet still the horse came on, staggering as he hit the gangplank. “No,” some girl was shouting, some foolish little girl, “no, please, this was not supposed to happen.” She could hear Myrcella shrieking too, her voice shrill with fear.

亞歷斯爵士的長劍左右揮舞脚草，瞬間撂倒兩個矛兵。他的馬人立起來原献，踢中一個試圖裝彈的十字弓兵的臉馏慨，但其他弓弩一齊發(fā)射埂淮，那匹高頭大馬頓時釘滿了弩箭。坐騎轟然倒下写隶，連帶騎士的腿倔撞，一齊砸在甲板上。然而亞歷斯·奧克赫特爵士居然掙脫了出來慕趴，他仍然握著長劍痪蝇，勉力跪在垂死的馬匹旁邊……

Ser Arys’s longsword slashed right and left, and two spearmen went down. His horse reared, and kicked a crossbowman in the face as he was trying to reload, but the other crossbows were firing, feathering the big courser with their quarrels. The bolts hit home so hard they knocked the horse sideways. His legs went out from under him and sent him crashing down the deck. Somehow Arys Oakheart leapt free. He even managed to keep hold of his sword. He struggled to his knees beside his dying horse …

……阿利歐·何塔籠罩在他面前。

… and found Areo Hotah standing over him.

白騎士舉劍格擋冕房，但動作太過遲緩躏啰。何塔的長斧將他右臂齊肩斬下，胳膊旋轉著甩出去耙册，鮮血如泉水噴灑给僵。然后何塔雙手握斧，一記勢大力沉的劈砍详拙，奧克赫特爵士的腦袋飛到了半空帝际，落在蘆葦叢里，濺起一陣輕輕的水花饶辙。綠血河淹沒了紅色的熱血蹲诀。

The white knight raised his blade, too slowly. Hotah’s longaxe took his right arm off at the shoulder, spun away spraying blood, and came flashing back again in a terrible two-handed slash that removed the head of Arys Oakheart and sent it spinning through the air. It landed amongst the reeds, and the Greenblood swallowed the red with a soft splash.

亞蓮恩不記得自己從馬上爬下來，或許是跌下來的畸悬。她什么都不記得了侧甫，只知道四肢趴在沙地里，一邊顫抖蹋宦，一邊哭泣披粟，把昨天的晚餐嘔了出來。不冷冗，不守屉，我不想讓誰受傷害，一切按計劃進行蒿辙，我很謹慎很小心拇泛，她能想到的只有這些。她聽見阿利歐·何塔的吼叫：“快追思灌。不能讓他跑了俺叭。快追泰偿！”彌賽菈倒在地上哀號戰(zhàn)栗熄守，雙手捂著蒼白的臉，鮮血從指縫間流出。亞蓮恩搞不明白裕照。一些人手忙腳亂地上馬攒发，其他人則一涌而上，圍住她和她的伙伴們晋南。一切都讓人摸不著頭腦惠猿。她認為自己墜入了夢中，恐怖的紅色噩夢负间。這不是真的偶妖。我很快就會醒來，并嘲笑自己的驚恐唉擂。

Arianne did not remember climbing from her horse. Perhaps she’d fallen. She did not remember that either. Yet she found herself on her hands and feet in the sand, shaking and sobbing and retching up her supper. No, was all that she could think, no, no one was to be hurt, it was all planned, I was so careful. She heard Areo Hotah roar, “After him. He must not escape. After him!” Myrcella was on the ground, wailing, shaking, her pale face in her hands, blood streaming through her fingers. Arianne did not understand. Men were scrambling onto horses whilst others swarmed over her and her companions, but none of it made sense. She had fallen into a dream, some terrible red nightmare. This cannot be real. I will wake soon, and laugh at my night terrors.

他們反綁她時餐屎，她沒反抗玩祟。一名衛(wèi)兵使勁把她拽起來空扎，他穿的衣服是她父親的顏色，另一個衛(wèi)兵彎腰從她靴子里摸出飛刀润讥，那是她堂姐娜梅送的禮物。

When they sought to bind her hands behind her back, she did not resist. One of the guardsmen jerked her to her feet. He wore her father’s colors. Another bent and seized the throwing knife inside her boot, a gift from her cousin Lady Nym.

阿利歐·何塔接過刀撮慨，皺了皺眉〈嘀啵“親王吩咐我必須把你帶回陽戟城，”他的面頰和額頭上斑斑點點变隔，那是亞歷斯·奧克赫特的血匣缘，“很抱歉肌厨，我的小公主〕郴ぃ”

Areo Hotah took it from the man and frowned at it. “The prince said I must bring you back to Sunspear,” he announced. His cheeks and brow were freckled with the blood of Arys Oakheart. “I am sorry, little princess.”

亞蓮恩抬起淚跡斑斑的臉何址。“他怎么知道原押？”她問侍衛(wèi)隊長诸衔，“我很謹慎很小心笨农。他怎么可能知道帖渠？”

Arianne raised a tear-streaked face. “How could he know?” she asked the captain. “I was so careful. How could he know?”

“有人告密唄空郊，”何塔聳聳肩狞甚，“總是有人告密⌒逞”

“Someone told.” Hotah shrugged. “Someone always tells.”