Catelyn found her husband beneath the weirwood, seated on a moss-covered stone. The great sword Ice was across his lap, and he was cleaning the blade in those waters black as night. A thousand years of humus lay thick upon the godswood floor, swallowing the sound of her feet, but the red eyes of the weirwood seemed to follow her as she came. “Ned,” she called softly.
He lifted his head to look at her. “Catelyn,” he said. His voice was distant and formal. “Where are the children?”
He would always ask her that. “In the kitchen, arguing about names for the wolf pups.” She spread her cloak on the forest floor and sat beside the pool, her back to the weirwood. She could feel the eyes watching her, but she did her best to ignore them. “Arya is already in love, and Sansa is charmed and gracious, but Rickon is not quite sure.”
“Is he afraid?” Ned asked.
“A little,” she admitted. “He is only three.”
Ned frowned. “He must learn to face his fears. He will not be three forever. And winter is coming.”
“Yes,” Catelyn agreed. The words gave her a chill, as they always did. The Stark words. Every noble house had its words. Family mottoes, touchstones, prayers of sorts, they boasted of honor and glory, promised loyalty and truth, swore faith and courage. All but the Starks. Winter is coming, said the Stark words. Not for the first time, she reflected on what a strange people these northerners were.
Humus 腐殖质
凯特琳在鱼梁木下找到了她的丈夫，他正静坐在苔藓爬盖的磐石上。宝剑"寒冰"斜躺于膝，而他正用那漆黑如永夜的池水清洗剑上的血污。千年累积的腐植质厚厚地覆盖在神木林的土地上，吸走了她的足音，但鱼梁木那双红眼却彷彿紧跟不舍。"奈德。"她轻声唤道。
他抬起头看着她。"凯特琳，"他的语调庄重而遥远。"孩子们呢？"
他总是会先问这句。"都在厨房里，为了要帮小狼们取些什么名字正吵架呢。"她把披风铺在林地上，然后在池边坐下，背靠鱼梁木。她感觉得到那双眼睛正盯着自己看，但她竭尽所能去忽略它。"艾莉亚已经爱得发狂，珊莎也很喜欢，瑞肯则还不太确定。"
"他害怕吗？"奈德问。
"有一点，"她承认，"毕竟他才三岁。"。
奈德皱眉："他得学着面对自己的恐惧，他不可能永远都是三岁，更何况凛冬将至。"
"是啊，"凯特琳也同意，最后那句话一如既往地教她不寒而栗。这是史塔克家族的铭言，每一个贵族家族都有着自己的箴言警句：或是世代相传的座右铭，或是待人处事的衡量标准，或是针对困境的祷词；有的夸耀荣誉，有些讲究忠贞诚信，还有的为信仰和勇气宣誓，唯独史塔克家族例外。凛冬将至，史塔克家族的铭言如是说。她已经不只一次在心里暗忖：这些北方人究竟是什么样的一群怪人。
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