Brandon had been twenty when he died, 布兰登死时不过二十，

strangled by order of the Mad King Aerys Targaryen only a few short days before he was to wed¹ Catelyn Tully of Riverrun. 就在他和奔流城的凯特琳·徒利成婚前几天，被绞死於疯王伊里斯·坦格利安二世的命令之下。

His father had been forced to watch him die. He was the true heir, the eldest², born to rule. 他父亲被迫全程目睹爱子惨死的经过。其实布兰登才是真正的继承人，他既是长子，又是天生的领袖。

Lyanna had only been sixteen, a child-woman of surpassing loveliness. 莱安娜香消玉殡那年才十六岁，还是个童心未泯的女孩。

Ned had loved her with all his heart. Robert had loved her even more. She was to have been his bride. 奈德全心全意地疼爱这个妹妹，劳勃对她的爱犹有过之。她原本是要当他新娘的。

She was more beautiful than that, the king said after a silence. 她比这漂亮多了。一阵沉默之後，国王开口说。

His eyes lingered on Lyanna’s face, as if he could will her back to life. 他的眼光仍眷恋在莱安娜脸上不忍离去，彷佛这样可以将她唤回人世。

Finally he rose, made awkward by his weight. Ah, damn it, Ned, did you have to bury her in a place like this? 最後他终於站起身，步履却因为过於肥胖而显得有些不稳。妈的，奈德，你真有必要把她埋葬在这种地方麽？

His voice was hoarse³ with remembered grief. She deserved more than darkness? 他的声音因为忆起的悲痛而嘶哑了起来：她不该这样与阴暗为伍……

She was a Stark⁴ of Winterfell, Ned said quietly. This is her place. 她是临冬城史塔克家族的人，奈德平静地说：她属於这里。

She should be on a hill somewhere, under a fruit tree, 她应该安葬在风景优美的山丘上，坟上种棵果树，头

with the sun and clouds above her and the rain to wash her clean. 顶上有阳光和白云与她为伴，还有风霜雨露为她沐浴。

I was with her when she died, Ned reminded the king. She wanted to come home, to rest beside Brandon and Father. 她临终前我在她身边，奈德提醒国王，她只想要回家，长眠在布兰登和父亲身畔。

He could hear her still at times. Promise me, she had cried, in a room that smelled of blood and roses. 他偶尔还听得见她死前的呓语：答应我！她在那个弥漫血腥味和玫瑰馨香的房间里朝他喊道：

Promise me, Ned. The fever had taken her strength and her voice had been faint as a whisper, 奈德，答应我！迟迟不退的高烧吸走了她的力量，当时她气若游丝。

but when he gave her his word, the fear had gone out of his sister's eyes. 但当他保证将信守诺言时，妹妹眼里的恐惧顿时一扫而空。

Ned remembered the way she had smiled then, how tightly her fingers had clutched his as she gave up her hold on life, 奈德记得她最後的微笑，还有她如何紧紧抓住他的手，然後离开人世，

the rose petals⁵ spilling from her palm, dead and black. After that he remembered nothing. 玫瑰花瓣自她掌心倾流而出，沉暗而没有生气。在那之後发生了什麽事，他全部都不记得了。

They had found him still holding her body, silent with grief. The little crannogman, Howland Reed, had taken her hand from his. 後来他们找到他的时候，他仍然紧紧抱著她了无生息的躯体，哀恸得说不出话。最後是那个矮小的泽地人霍兰·蔡德将她的手自他手中抽开。

Ned could recall none of it. I bring her flowers when I can, he said. Lyanna was fond of flowers. 奈德完全想不起来。我一有机会就会带花来看她，莱安娜她……一直很喜欢花。