Bran had no answer for that. “King Robert has a headsman,” he said, uncertainly.
“He does,” his father admitted. “As did the Targaryen kings before him. Yet our way is the older way. The blood of the First Men still flows in the veins of the Starks, and we hold to the belief that the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. If you would take a man’s life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man does not deserve to die.
“One day, Bran, you will be Robb’s bannerman, holding a keep of your own for your brother and your king, and justice will fall to you. When that day comes, you must take no pleasure in the task, but neither must you look away. A ruler who hides behind paid executioners soon forgets what death is.”
That was when Jon reappeared on the crest of the hill before them. He waved and shouted down at them. “Father, Bran, come quickly, see what Robb has found!” Then he was gone again.
Jory rode up beside them. “Trouble, my lord?”
“Beyond a doubt,” his lord father said. “Come, let us see what mischief my sons have rooted out now.” He sent his horse into a trot. Jory and Bran and the rest came after.
Headsman 劊子手
Crest 山頂
Trot （馬）小跑
布蘭想不出答案。"我只知道勞勃國王有個劊子手。"他不太確定地說。
"他確實是由王家劊子手代勞，執行國王律法"他父親承認，"在他之前的坦格利安王朝也是如此。但我們遵循古老的傳統，史塔克家族的人體內仍流有'先民'的血液，而我們相信判決死刑的人必須親自動手。如果你要取人性命，你至少應該注視他的雙眼，聆聽他的臨終遺言。倘若做不到這點，那麼或許他罪不致死。"
"布蘭，有朝一日你會成為羅柏的封臣，為你哥哥和國王治理屬於自己的領地，屆時你也必須執掌律法。當那天來臨時，你絕不可以殺戮為樂，亦不能逃避責任。統治者若是躲居幕後，付錢給劊子手執行，很快就會忘記死亡為何物。"
這時瓊恩出現在他們面前的坡頂，揮手朝下大喊："父親大人，布蘭，快來看看羅柏找到了什麼！"語畢又消失在丘陵的彼方。
喬裡趕上前來，"大人，出事了嗎？"
"那還用說，"他的領主父親答道，"來罷，我們去看看我那調皮的兒子又闖了什麼禍。"他策馬狂奔，喬裡、布蘭以及其他人也跟了上去。
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