sweetness in rot
腐败中的甜蜜

"There is sweetness in rot, and rot in all that ripens."
“腐烂中也有甜蜜，所有成熟的东西都有腐烂。”
For Malenia, she would have done anything.
为了玛莲尼亚，她愿意做任何事。
From Caelid to the Haligtree, she carried her.
从盖利德到哈圣树，她抱着她。
There, she would lay them both to rest.
在那里，她会让她们俩安息。

It was the hardest part.
这是最艰难的部分。
How long had she carried her, dragging her own body beneath her, only to find the challenge true in releasing her?
她抱着她，不知道拖着她自己的身体走了多久，才发现释放玛莲妮亚才是真正的挑战?
Her limbs ached to let go, yet resisted, locked in place around her as she took the last steps towards what she knew would become both their resting place.
她的四肢疼得想要放开，但又抗拒，紧紧地锁在她身边，当她向她知道将成为她们安息之地的地方迈出最后一步时。
Harder, she found, than the thousand countless steps before.
她发现，这比之前的无数步都要艰难。
To push her feet, bloody and crumbling, off the dirt, one, then the other, took what will she had left.
把她那双血淋淋、摇摇欲坠的脚从泥土上推开，一只，然后另一只，带走了她所剩下的一切。
To lay her in the throne took all else.
为了带她回王座，我会付出一切。

Caelid was a ceaseless battlefield of rot. It was all left in ruin, the aftermath of a demigod scorned, the price inconsequential to the unbeaten blade.
盖利德是一个永不停息的腐烂战场。一切都变成了废墟，这是一个半神被蔑视的后果，对战无不胜之刃来说，代价是微不足道的。
Hers were not the eyes which over the rotting and burning remains of the Lands Between roamed.
她的眼睛并不是在中间地带腐烂燃烧的废墟上漫游的眼睛。
She was not the one left to walk waist deep in rot. Her face met not the burning and bubbling air which choked all which would not bend to its whim and adapt.
她不是那个在烂泥中走到齐腰深的人。她的脸没有碰到灼热冒泡的空气，那种空气使一切不愿屈服于它的突发而适应的存在都窒息了。
Bodies left catatonic, swayed only by the rot which festered and overtook, did not greet the great Malenia, they did not bend for her, they did not rise, not to jeer nor stare in awe.
身体处于紧张状态，只被溃烂的腐烂所左右，不向伟大的玛莲妮亚致敬，不向她弯腰，不站起来，不嘲笑她，也不敬畏地盯着她。
Only the twisted limbs of trees did reach, unknowing, to catch at her hair, hands grabbing, clawing, begging her to stay with them.
只有扭曲的树枝伸出手来，不知不觉地抓着她的头发，双手抓着，抓着，乞求她留在他们身

Once,
Caelid might have been beautiful. To Finlay, it still was.A monument of Malenia’s power, rotted and wild. In the pools of scarlet did bloom flowers,and upon the crooked stripped trees did red climbing vine twine. Enormous crimson bloomswere sprouting, moving, growing as fast as one could perceive them. From them came morerot, and in its rain did Finlay find purpose.
Under a scarlet sky she would carry her, and ever onwards beyond.
曾经，盖利德可能很漂亮。对芬雷来说，仍然如此。玛莲妮亚力量的纪念碑，腐烂而狂野。在猩红色的水池中，花朵盛开，在弯曲的裸露的树木上，红色的藤蔓缠绕着。巨大的深红色花朵正在发芽，移动，以最快的速度生长
-Even in battle she was not her equal. Only for her loyalty was she held above the rest, to fightat her lady’s side. She was not better than the rest of Malenia’s knights, only more willing todie for her, yet it was that which set Finlay upon equal footing to her, if only on the stage ofbattle.The stalwart protector, her lady’s shield for she carried none, was all she had ever been.Or, that was all others knew her to be, and as she spun, sword high, back to back withMalenia, she knew she was more.
即使在战斗中，她也无法并肩。只是因为她的忠诚，她才凌驾于其他人之上，与她的女士并肩战斗。她并不玛莲妮亚的其他骑士更好，只是更愿意为她而死，但正是这一点使芬雷与她处于平等的地位，即使只是在战斗的舞台上。
芬雷，这位坚强的保护者，她夫人的盾牌，因为玛莲妮亚没有随身携带，这就是她的全部。
或者，其他人都知道她是这样的，当她旋转时，剑高悬，背对背玛莲尼亚，这时，她更强大。

Adrenaline was all that pushed her through the night. That which in daylight served reminderof her purpose in night became a temptation, calling her back to bed with a curled finger andhidden smile. She could hear her, that golden voice bidding her rest, begging her, breathless,to stay. As she always had, she dipped her head and demurred, to attend to her duties.It was midnight when when she emerged, Caelid a red rotting ruin behind her, Limgrave abeacon before her.A beacon of flame, as through the air came the last cry of a dragon felled by a blade twistedwith rot. Adrenaline shot through her as she dropped her arm, sword cutting through the grassas its tip fell to dirt. Her numbed nerves tingled, her face lifted to the clear night sky, and shebreathed in the chilled air.Once she might have spun, turned to face her lady with elation, to be met by a warm handand the quiet promise she had performed admirably in battle.When she turned, Malenia had not moved.Sleeping, Finlay repeated as she knelt before her. She had thought the word so many times ithad become less a word, unstuck from its own meaning to don a purpose beyond itself. Nolonger was it the act of sleep, but the state of living, distinct from dead.Holding her hand, she bent her head, and with unworthy lips kissed the frigid gold.A jolt like lightning, and she found more than adrenaline willed her, arms around her lady asshe lifted her from where she slumbered.
肾上腺素让她熬过了一夜。那在白天起提醒作用的东西
但在夜里，这种目的变成了一种诱惑，用卷曲的手指把她叫回床上
隐藏的微笑。她能听到她，听到那金色的声音在命令她休息，哀求她喘不过气来，
留下来。像往常一样，她低下头，不愿履行自己的职责。
当她出现的时候，已经是午夜了，她身后是一堆红色的腐烂的废墟
灯塔在她前面。
火焰的灯塔，就像在空中传来一条龙被扭曲的刀刃击倒的最后叫声
当她放下手臂，剑划过草丛时，肾上腺素传遍了她的全身
当它的尖端落入泥土。她麻木的神经刺痛了，她抬起头来面对晴朗的夜空，她
呼吸着寒冷的空气。
从前，她可能会转过身来，兴高采烈地面对她的夫人，迎接她的是一只温暖的手
还有她在战斗中表现得令人钦佩的默默承诺。
当她转身时，玛莲尼亚没有动。睡着了。
芬雷跪在她面前重复道。这个词她已经想了好多次了
已经不再是一个词了，脱离了它本身的意义，去追求一个超越它本身的目的。没有
这不再是睡眠的行为，而是一种不同于死亡的生活状态。
她握着她的手，低下头，用不配的嘴唇吻了吻那冰冷的金子。
一阵闪电般的震动，她发现比肾上腺素更能控制她，双臂环绕着她的女士
她把她从沉睡的地方抱起来。

The golden arm when not controlled hung with twice the weight of a normal limb. By its ownweight, it became unwieldy. A disgrace, to Malenia and her honour, to lack control over it,even in her rest.Practiced hands removed it at the shoulder, and as she walked the cobble road, Finlay daredhold it, fingers slotted between gilded fingers.-Their moments of peace, fleeting as they were, gave Finlay’s life meaning. Service was herpurpose, but Malenia, the time she got with her, those scarce seconds that in all the worldwere theirs alone, gave her more than merely purpose.It was what made her sacrifice, her unwavering loyalty, true.She was not a delusional follower as those who clung to Miquella. She was not misled, norloyal to an ideal. She was loyal to Malenia alone, to her lady, not her wants or needs, not herwhims, not her title. It was, had always been, and felt as if it would always be, Malenia alonewho gave her all she was.Their moments of peace, most often captured in a small field of flowers which bloomedwhite, proved such loyalty earned.
黄金手臂在没有控制的情况下，悬挂着比普通肢体重两倍的重量。由于自身的重量，它变得难以控制。对于玛莲妮亚和她的荣誉来说，休息时失去对它的控制甚至是一种耻辱。
熟练的双手在肩膀处将其取下，当她走在鹅卵石路上时，芬雷才敢于握住它，黄金的手指间扣着黄金的手指。
虽然短暂而瞬息即逝，但她们的宁静时刻给了芬雷生活意义。侍奉是她的目的，但是玛莲妮亚，与她在一起的时间，那些稀少的瞬间，在整个世界中只属于她们，给了她的不仅仅是目的。
这才是她的牺牲，她坚定的忠诚，真正的意义所在。她不是像那些追随米凯拉（米凯拉：差不多得了）的妄想者一样。她没有被误导，也不忠诚于一种理想。她只忠诚于玛莲妮亚，只忠诚于她的女士，而不是她的欲望和需求，不是她的突发奇想，不是她的头衔。这一直都是，也感觉着永远都是，只有玛莲妮亚给予她所有的一切。
她们的宁静时刻，经常被捕捉在一个开满白花的小花田里，证明了这样的忠诚是值得的。

On their backs, in the flowers, side by side, the world was them and no others. Prostheticremoved, helmet discarded, other arm draped over herself, Malenia knew not a challenger inall the world. She knew only the woman who at the side of her sword arm laid, and who, in agentle hand, held her own.Finlay had only ever known Malenia, and in that moment, for that, they were equal.
她们躺在花丛中，肩并肩地，世界只有她们两人，没有其他人。假肢被取下，头盔被丢弃，另一只手臂搭在自己身上，玛莲妮亚在整个世界中没有对手。她只认识那个靠在她剑臂旁边的女人，那个用温柔的手握住她自己的女人。
芬雷只认识玛莲妮亚，而在那一刻，她们因此平等。

It was under a tree that she knew she would, inevitably, succumb.She could feel nought but that which touched Malenia, what skin touched her warmed, allelse numb to sensation. Long through Limgrave had she carried her. Her greaves creakedcrimson.Fingers curling at the earth, she took a breath, knowing her end was Malenia’s. Unworthy, tosubject her lady to such a fate for her own weakness. Disgraceful, disloyal, and she closed herfingers around dirt and plant alike. When she pulled up, to lay her other arm over Malenia, tocradle her in a last embrace, she found earth spilling from her fingers.Dirt, and in it, roots, which, as her fingers opened, wound upwards into the thin and frail stemof a single white flower.Closing her fingers, Finlay pushed with her hand off the ground, and pushed onward.-‘Malenia-’‘I am sworn to Miquella.’ There would be no further discussion.Or, there should not have been were it any other but Finlay. ‘That is not the same, he is butyour brother and has a consort his own. I would swear myself to you.’‘You can not be sworn the same, you are not as I.’‘I need not be,’ Finlay insisted. Her hand caught at the golden fingers, pulling. ‘Even yourmother once took a human consort. Let this be no different.’‘Speak not of him, nor her, not here.’‘As your consort I act presently, I lack only title, grant me it, and the knowing, so in yourlight I may walk and in your name fight.’Malenia stilled. ‘You speak candidly.’‘I speak truthfully.’‘Your truth,’ Malenia corrected. Her hand moved, slow and gentle, and a golden fingerbrushed back a strand of Finlays hair. She told her, in that voice like red winds, ‘A worthyknight you are, not a worthy consort.’‘How?’‘How?’ repeated Malenia, head tilting.‘How can I become your worthy consort?’A smile tugged those long drawn stern lips, and Malenia said, ‘When it is not for selfish loveyou serve me.’
她知道，在树下，她将不可避免地屈服。
除了触碰到玛莲妮亚的东西外，她几乎感觉不到任何其他东西，皮肤触摸到她的身体会被温暖，其他感觉都麻木了。她已经长时间地穿过着宁姆格福。她的护腿发出了红色的吱吱声。
她的手指在土地上弯曲，她深吸了一口气，知道她的结局就是玛莲妮亚的结局。因为自己的软弱而使她的女士承受这样的命运。这是可耻的，不忠诚的，她合上了手指，抓住了泥土和植物。当她抬起来，将另一只手臂放在玛莲妮亚上，用最后的拥抱把她抱在怀里时，她发现泥土从她的手指间流下来。
泥土，以及其中的根，当她的手指张开时，缠绕在一根纤细脆弱的白花茎上。
芬雷合上手指，用手在地面上推了起来，继续前行。
“玛莲妮亚-”
"我宣誓效忠于米凯拉。"不会再有进一步的讨论了。
或者，如果不是芬雷的话，就不会有这样的人了。
“那不一样，他只是你的哥哥，会有自己的配偶。我愿意效忠于你。”
“你不能和我一样效忠一个人，你不是像我一样的人。”
"我不需要成为那样的人，"
芬雷坚持说。她的手抓住了金色的手指，拉着。 “即使你的母亲也曾经有一个人类的配偶。与这次没有什么不一样。”
“不要在这里谈论他，也不要谈论她。”
"作为你的配偶，我现在就行动，我只缺少头衔，给我头衔和认同，这样我可以在你的光芒下行走，在你的名字下战斗。"玛莲妮亚静止了下来。 “你说得坦率。”
“我说的是真话。”
"你的真话，"玛莲妮亚纠正道。她的手慢慢地移动，轻轻地，一根金色的手指抚过芬雷的一缕头发。她用那如红色风的声音告诉她，“你是一个值得尊敬的骑士，但不是一个值得尊敬的配偶。”
“怎样才能成为你值得尊敬的配偶？”
一个微笑勾起了那双长长的严肃嘴唇，玛莲妮亚说道，“当你为了无私的爱而服务于我时。”

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The water ran over her fingers as a wind upon her face. She could not feel the frigid water ofthe lake, she could not fathom feeling beyond pain, eased only by the water she tipped fromher palm over the gashes in her arm.A glance, and she saw beneath the tree, arm laid over her lap, the slumbering form ofMalenia.If her lips smiled, she did not feel them, as she bent, hand curved, to bring more water to herarm. She recalled with more anguish than already she felt, and more joy than ever shethought she could feel again, the first time she had met Malenia to bathe in the lakes. Herhand shook as she let water trickle against the bloody cut, though not for pain.Malenia had never been playful. She was quiet, contemplative, hardened by battle. She stoodeven to bathe as though she were ahead of a thousand soldiers, leading battle, back straightand eyes forward.Only one person save herself had ever had the honour of removing her prosthetics.Eyes fixed on the distance, Finlay closed her fist around the water in her hand. It fell back tothe lake, bloody and dirtied. Straightening herself, Finlay bent not at the knees but at thewaist, scooping water into her palm. Methodical, she tipped it over her arm, and again, untilwhen she closed her eyes it was gold which beneath her fingers stung cold.The water ran clear off her skin in time, no longer carrying with it blood, and in greater timeyet, rot would seal the wounds
水流过她的手指，就像风吹过她的脸。她感觉不到冰冷的水
湖，她无法理解的感觉，除了痛苦之外，只有她从手掌中倒出的水在她手臂上的伤口上才能缓解。
她瞥了一眼，看见树下，一只胳膊搭在她膝上，是沉睡的玛伦尼亚。
她的嘴唇微微一笑，但她却感觉不到，因为她弯着腰，手弯着，想给自己带来更多的水
手臂。她回忆起第一次和玛莱尼亚在湖里洗澡的情景，心里感到无比痛苦，也感到无比快乐。她的手颤抖着，让水滴落在血淋淋的伤口上，但不是为了止痛。
玛莲尼亚从来就不是一个爱玩的人。她沉默寡言，沉思默想，因战争而变得坚强。
她甚至站着洗澡，仿佛她是在一千名士兵的前面，背挺直，眼睛向前看。
除了她自己，只有一个人曾有幸摘掉她的义肢。
芬雷眼睛盯着远方，握紧拳头，攥住手中的水。它又落回了湖里，血迹斑斑，脏兮兮的。芬利挺直身子，不是膝盖弯着，而是腰弯着，把水舀到手掌里。她有条不紊地把它倒在胳膊上，然后又倒了一次，直到她闭上眼睛，那是金子，在她的手指下刺得冰凉。
水很快就从她的皮肤上流光了，不再带血，再过一段时间，腐烂就会封住伤口

Tucked against the slumbering body of her lady, she allowed herself indulgence, and wherethere was none, she found hope.-Each step through the city was her body begging to give out.She was slumped, head bowed, eyes meeting nobody’s. Malenia was slung over her shoulder,no longer the graceful carry of the early journey, but a necessity for her own survival - moreso, for Malenia’s.There was no beauty in battle, no grace in survival, and dignity came only in victory. Thosewords in red winds were all which carried her, aching and bleeding, through the capital city.Up the stairs was smeared rot and blood, and across that gilded marble jewel of the LandsBetween she would drag herself, until she was crawling. To reach the Haligtree, she wouldhave ripped herself inch by merciless inch across the entirety of the world, Malenia on herback. She would have stripped bare each inch of herself to alleviate weight, dragging herselfnaked, flesh tearing and fingers broken and bleeding.Until she was limbless, breathless, weakened beyond sense, she would carry on.
她偎依在她夫人熟睡的身体上，放纵自己，在没有希望的地方，她找到了希望
每走一步，她的身体都在乞求停止。
她瘫倒在地，低着头，眼睛跟谁也看不见。马莲尼亚挂在她的肩上，
不再是早期旅程的优雅携带，而是她自己生存的必需品——更多
所以，对于玛莲妮亚来说。
战斗没有美丽，生存没有优雅，只有胜利才有尊严。
这些用红色的风写成的文字，带着她痛苦地、流血地穿过了首都。
楼梯上满是腐烂和鲜血，穿过那块土地上的镀金大理石宝石
她会拖着身子，直到爬起来。为了到达哈利特里河，她会一寸一寸无情地撕裂自己，穿过整个世界，背着玛莲妮娅。为了减轻体重，她会把自己的每一寸衣服都剥光，拖着自己
赤身裸体，血肉撕裂，手指骨折流血。
直到她失去四肢，喘不过气来，虚弱得失去知觉，她才会坚持下去。

Finlay told her often she was beautiful.
Beautiful was a word Malenia did not much care for.
It was a word upon her brother flung with frequency unnerving. There was a bite in those who said it to her, who said it with a smile too tight and eyes that lingered on her shoulder, where the rot crept in at the sides of her face. Not Finlay. Never Finlay. All she said she said with honesty, trust, a loyalty unwavering and fine.
It was a word that from her never came sharply. It came softly, sweetly, heavily between
laboured breaths in battle or caught in the red hair between her thighs.
She did not say it in turn, nor thank her. Finlay never did mind it.
The only indication that she had heard her at all, were she not to notice the slightest
inclination of her head - which Finlay always noticed - was the way her fingers brushed her
hand when next they stood shoulder to shoulder.
芬雷经常对她说她很漂亮。
“美丽”是玛莲尼亚不太喜欢的一个词。
这是她对她哥哥经常说的话，这使她心慌意乱。那些对她说这句话的人都很尖刻，他们说这话的时候笑得太紧，眼睛一直盯着她的肩膀，腐烂的东西爬到了她的脸两边。芬雷不是。应该说芬雷永远不会。她所说的一切都带着诚实、信任、坚定和美好的忠诚。
这句话从来没有从她嘴里说出来。它轻轻地、甜蜜地、沉重地在我和她之间飞来
在战斗中挣扎的呼吸或者夹在她大腿间的红头发里。
她没有回敬她，也没有感谢她。芬雷从不介意。
她根本没有注意到这一点，这是她听到她说话的唯一迹象
芬利总是注意到她的头的倾斜，这是她的手指拂过她的方式
当她们肩并肩站在一起时，她们手牵手。