Chapter 62

The firelight shone on Mei Yi's face, and she felt that everyone in the Brotherhood was staring at her.

"Halwin, you say you want to protect the common folk—how many can you protect?" Without waiting for his answer, she asked the other Brotherhood members, "And you? How many can you protect?"

She felt she could say countless things, even launch into a long speech, but what would it mean to these people, what would it mean to Lady Stoneheart?

Lahorro blamed the present with future events that have not yet happened? If that is its scheme, it indeed has some skill.

But she did not come in as someone being judged.

"Only I can protect the nation's common folk. What kind of person is that if not a queen? What if not a protector of the realm?"

"You neither serve the Starks nor swear fealty to them, so how could you care about the lives of Stark children? Moreover, you even captured a Stark and planned to sell her."

That is their stain.

"Kinslayer." Lady Stoneheart roared in a low voice.

"I don't recall ever having done that. Now you, in broad daylight, are killing guests and yet you worry about kinslaying?"

I remember every living relative of mine perfectly clear—look, Bran, chestnut hair, blue eyes; Rickon, who perfectly inherited his mother Lady Catelyn's traits, reddish‑brown hair, blue eyes, and since his mother left Winterfell he has refused to cut his hair, so perhaps his hair is now even longer than mine?

And Sansa, she is a beauty, just as lovely as her mother; Arya, she is rather special, resembling me, with brownish hair, a long face, but gray eyes.

So, Thoros, if you truly can see into the fire, you had better help me find my mother; otherwise I might really end up hacking my mother and the half‑brothers born of other men to death, which would be awful.

But that you can see such absurd things in the fire suggests you are only a half‑trained novice.

As for you, Lady Stoneheart, no need for your instruction—though the mothers of Bran and Rickon, Sansa and Arya are not the same as mine, I still recall that I am older than they; after Lady Catelyn went south, I was the one who guarded Winterfell, I was the one who looked after Bran and Rickon, and oh, if the little ones still needed a mother, then I was the one who took on that mother's duty.

They are still alive and well in Winterfell;

As for Sansa, I've heard she has already fled King's Landing, I haven't seen her yet, and Arya even more so—some people lost her and gave her to the hound.

So, tell me, whom did I kill as a kinslayer? Rickon? You must be blind as an old bat.

Lady Stoneheart spoke with difficulty, not as quickly as Mei Yi; several times she readied to speak, only to be deliberately interrupted by Mei Yi.

"You haven't killed Rickon yet, but you soon will." Thoros said.

"I don't kill children, unlike you lot of bandits. Besides, what does it have to do with you?"

"Of course it's related. Lady Stoneheart is Lady Catelyn. She has the right to avenge her children or eliminate threats to them." Lemon Cloak interjected.

"I am Lady Catelyn's foster daughter, having lived beside her since childhood; I know her appearance better than you, better than anyone here, and I know better than you all whether this Lady Stoneheart before us is Lady Catelyn, so shut up, idiot." Her gaze swept over the crowd, lingered a moment on Halwin, then coldly flicked at him.

The flames in Lady Stoneheart's eyes burned brightly, radiating intense hatred toward Mei Yi.

Where does your hatred come from? "This person before me, I have never known. Lady Catelyn faithful to the Seven, how could she be resurrected by the God of Light? How could she turn to the Red God? Lady Catelyn is a high‑born noble lady, how could she treat her foster daughter with such demeanor and attitude? Lady Catelyn still has four living children, plus a brother and an uncle alive, how could she be here with you lot as outlaws?"

"We are not outlaws; we are members of the Brotherhood Without Banners." Lemon Cloak said.

"Spare me, which brotherhood isn't an outlaw outfit?" Mei Yi ignored him, saying, "Thoros, when you get to Lady Stoneheart's presence you'd better tell me a few things about my brothers and sisters quickly—I still need to ask about my father Lord Eddard's bones later. I didn't come here to play with you."

Lady Stoneheart pulled on a felt hat, slipped a hand under her cloak, gripped tightly the neck where bone could be seen deep within, and snarled at Mei Yi, "I have nothing to say."

Everyone knew she was referring to the matter of Lord Eddard's bones.

Mei Yi glanced at Lady Stoneheart and felt the flames still blazing.

"I heard that the Silent Sisters are bringing my father Lord Eddard's bones back north, escorted by a small guard led by Harys Swyft, but we've heard nothing from the north. Now that the Cleft has opened, they seem to have vanished completely from the world." She finished, yet no one replied, leaving her feeling disappointed.

This 'Lady Stoneheart' probably has no more information either.

"Forget it. Why should I waste words with a bunch of outlaws?" she said with a smile, "Thoros, give me a full account of my brothers and sisters—I'd like to know what sort of turtle‑god spirit would think I killed Rickon."

Two members burst out laughing at that sudden colloquialism.

The solemn atmosphere instantly restored the appropriate silence they should maintain. Mei Yi noticed that the two were still half‑grown kids, about the same size as Rickon.

Thoros walked up to the fire, muttering words—nothing more than the usual prayer to the Red God, which Mei Yi had heard many times in the eastern continent. He spoke in some Valyrian dialect that Mei Yi understood a little. After a long prayer, he took off the wineskin at his waist, pulled the stopper, and gulped deeply, the liquor streaming down his gray beard, as filthy as it could be.

He hadn't taken two sips when the wineskin was already empty; he sighed long and said, "These days keep getting harder. There's no more ransom, no more wine and meat, nor…"

Mei Yi took the wineskin at her side and threw it to him.

Without hot water, alcohol is for quenching thirst, but Mei Yi's wine is for disinfecting and saving lives—I hope he can handle it.

"This wine is fierce." He said, "I feel my whole body warming. If you gave me such wine every day, I would gladly serve you."

"Anyone who serves me and drinks this wine in the army will be hanged by me." You'd better get back to Robert's side—"When you've had enough, speak quickly; I don't have much time, after I take Halwin I'm heading north."

"My lady?" Halwin said.

"I'm quite sure I didn't misspeak. I've already readied a horse for you. Hallo is badly wounded, may not survive, and I want you to go see him."

"What?" He looked toward Lady Stoneheart.

Mei Yi couldn't understand how a woman who struggles so much to speak could lead a band of outlaws; if it were only by mysterious power and faith, it would make more sense for them to gather around Thoros.

"I, I saw…" he hiccuped, Mei Yi wanting to kick him, "Sansa Stark, she was wearing what might be the finest clothing in the world, dancing for a group of men. She was crying."

"Where is she?"

"I didn't see the location."

"What else did you see? What did the men look like?"

"He sat high in the seat of honor, but vague and blurry—I could never make him out clearly, a naked woman lay on his thigh."

"Any conspicuous decorations around? House sigils?"

"Sorry, I might have seen them earlier, but now I can't recall that much."

"That's odd—how can you be sure that girl is Sansa Stark and not someone else? Did her fine clothes have her name written on them?"

He wiped his beard, "Indeed strange, indeed strange—the purple robe actually bears her name embroidered. I'm not fluent in the common tongue, but I still recognize the words 'Sansa Stark.'"

It is no less astonishing than what you saw—Mei Yi Stark killing Rickon Stark.

"Now it's Bran's turn."

Lady Stoneheart's cloak trembled in the gloom.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see anything more than with Sansa. He lay fallen in the castle's dirt, his throat torn open, blood pooling all around, an old maester weeping beside him. His jacket bore the direwolf sigil."

"Rickon." Mei Yi felt numb.

"You drove your sword hard into his back; I'm quite certain it's the very blade you hold."

"How do you know that's Ruiken?"

"I heard you describe his hair color and length, which matched perfectly. Of course, there was also a black tundra wolf howling wildly at you. If that doesn't count, I don't know what would."

"Meiyi took a deep breath, realizing these gave her no clues at all. The only thing they produced was disgust—deep disgust."

"Qiongen."

"He was surrounded by enemies; I don't think he had any chance to escape."

"Ailiya."

"I've already said that. She looks harmless."

"Stoneheart Lady rose again from the shadows, her eyes full of fury containing fire."

"\"Kill her, kill her! \" Stoneheart Lady commanded at that moment."

"The voice was hoarse and weak, yet miraculously, everyone in the cavern could hear it clearly."

"\"Lady. I drank his wine. \" He hiccuped, \"I'm afraid I must refuse your order. \""

"Those who had originally drawn their swords began to hesitate a bit."

"Who exactly is their true leader? A madman or a drunkard?"

"\"You deserve to die. \" she snarled at the red-robed monk."

"\"Kill him! \" She looked at Ningmeng Doupeng, beginning to order him to kill Suoluosi."

"\"This, this, Lady... \" Meiyi felt him trembling and struggling, but his hand involuntarily reached for the sword at his waist."

"Everyone knew something was wrong with him."

"Meiyi stepped forward and grabbed Ningmeng's hand; soon he began to return to normal, then the whole person collapsed from fright, as if exhausted."

"\"I curse you. \" Stoneheart Lady snarled at Meiyi."

"At that moment, the bonfire twisted wildly, casting her face in an even more terrifying light."

"\"No, you're blessing me. \""

"\"Never. \" The fire in her eyes reached its peak."

"The fire outside began to burn abnormally fast."

"Is there any better opportunity than this?"

"Meiyi drew Passion and stabbed fiercely at Stoneheart Lady's heart, sinking in completely."

"No blood spattered. The firelight in her eyes began to become even more frenzied and scorching."

"The members of the Brotherhood Without Banners were stunned by this scene, each not knowing how to react."

"\"Hehe, you've done this, and you will never have peace. \" Her eyes were endless voids, only a frenziedly burning fire."

"\"No, the world will only praise you; for justice, you have given everything to me. \" She leaned close to her ear and whispered softly."

"Passion began to shine brightly, like a sword just taken from a furnace."

"The fire in her eyes slowly faded, and the lady slumped softly into Meiyi's arms."

"\"Oh... \" were her last words."

"A tear slid down her pale cheek from her dim eyes, dripping onto the sword and producing a hissing, boiling sound."