Chapter 22: The Telling and the Return （讲述与归途）

　　The journey with the Theramore delegation was a world apart from the desperate flight through the wilderness. They moved at a steady, measured pace along the muddy track that skirted the edge of the Wetlands. Soldiers on horseback flanked the column, their eyes scanning the misty horizon for threats that, to Leon, seemed distant and abstract compared to the immediate, snarling dangers he had faced. He rode in a supply wagon, jostling gently with sacks of grain and crates of trade goods, wrapped in a thick woolen cloak that smelled faintly of salt and smoke—the smells of a seafaring city.

　　与塞拉摩外交使团同行的旅程，与在荒野中的亡命奔逃截然不同。他们沿着湿地边缘的泥泞小路，以稳健、从容的步伐行进。骑马的士兵护卫在队伍两侧，他们的眼睛扫视着雾气蒙蒙的地平线，寻找着威胁。这些威胁对里昂来说，似乎遥远而抽象，远不及他曾经面对的那些迫在眉睫、咆哮着的危险。他坐在一辆补给马车上，随着装满谷物和贸易货物的麻袋和板条箱轻轻摇晃，身上裹着一件厚羊毛斗篷，散发着淡淡的咸味和烟味——那是一座航海城市的气息。

　　The commander, whose name was Captain Valen, was a man of few words but keen observation. He did not press Leon for his story immediately. Instead, he let the boy eat, sleep, and simply exist in the relative safety of the column for a full day. He watched as Leon devoured the simple soldier's rations—hardtack and salted beef—with a gratitude that spoke of recent hunger. He noted how the boy's eyes would sometimes dart towards the dense tree line with a flicker of unease, a habit born from weeks of vigilance.

　　指挥官名叫瓦伦上尉，是个言语不多但观察敏锐的人。他没有立刻逼问里昂的经历，而是让这个男孩先吃饭、睡觉，在队伍提供的相对安全的环境中平静地待了一整天。他看着里昂狼吞虎咽地吃着简单的士兵口粮——硬饼干和咸牛肉——那份感激之情透露出他不久前还食不果腹。他注意到男孩的眼睛有时会不安地瞥向茂密的树林边缘，这是几周来保持警惕养成的习惯。

　　On the evening of the second day, as they made camp in the lee of a rocky hill, Captain Valen sat down by the fire opposite Leon. He handed the boy a cup of watered wine. "Alright, lad," he said, his voice low and steady. "Start from the beginning. How does a boy from Goldshire end up in the hands of the kaldorei in the middle of nowhere?"

　　第二天晚上，当他们在一座石山背风处扎营时，瓦伦上尉在篝火旁坐在了里昂对面。他递给男孩一杯兑水的葡萄酒。“好了，小子，”他的声音低沉而平稳。“从头说起吧。一个闪金镇的孩子，怎么会落到卡多雷手里，在这荒郊野外的？”

　　And so, Leon told his story again. This time, the words came more easily. The sharp edges of fear had been smoothed by time and distance. He spoke of his foolish curiosity, of the gnoll, of meeting Iris. He described the river, the orc pauldron, the troll raft, the blighted outpost, Maeva's kindness, the worg pack, and the final, desperate flight to the Sentinels. He spoke of Astranaar, of the Moonwell, of Priestess Arianne's judgment. And he spoke of Iris—her sharp ears, her quiet strength, the way she moved through the forest like it was part of her.

　　于是，里昂再次讲述了他的故事。这一次，话语变得流畅了些。恐惧的尖锐边缘已被时间和距离磨平。他谈到自己愚蠢的好奇心、豺狼人、遇到艾莉丝。他描述了河流、兽人肩甲、巨魔木筏、被污染的前哨站、梅娃的善意、座狼群，以及最后绝望地逃向哨兵。他谈到了阿斯特兰纳、月井、女祭司阿里安妮的裁决。他还谈到了艾莉丝——她的尖耳朵、她沉静的力量、她宛如森林一部分般穿行其中的样子。

　　Captain Valen listened without interruption, his expression grave. When Leon finished, the only sounds were the crackling of the fire and the distant calls of wetland birds.

　　"By the Light," Valen breathed finally, shaking his head. "You've walked through a dozen fires and lived to tell the tale." He leaned forward, his eyes intent. "The orc activity near the Thandol Span... the Forsaken pushing east from the Sepulcher... this is valuable information, lad. Troubling, but valuable." He looked at Leon not as a child, but as a witness. "You're sure about what you saw? The symbol on the pauldron? The color of the troll's waterskin?"

　　瓦伦上尉一言不发地听着，表情严肃。当里昂讲完时，只有篝火的噼啪声和远处湿地鸟类的鸣叫声。

　　“以圣光之名，”瓦伦终于吁了口气，摇着头。“你穿过了重重火海，居然活下来讲述了这段经历。”他向前倾身，目光专注。“萨多尔大桥附近的兽人活动……被遗忘者从瑟伯切尔向东推进……这是宝贵的信息，孩子。令人不安，但很宝贵。”他看着里昂，不再把他当作孩子，而是当作一个目击者。“你确定你看到的？肩甲上的符号？巨魔水囊的颜色？”

　　Leon nodded firmly, the images burned into his memory. "Yes, sir."

　　Valen sat back, stroking his chin. "The kaldorei were right to send you to us. Sending you back alone would have been madness." He was silent for a moment, then his tone softened slightly. "And this elf girl... Iris. You trust her?"

　　里昂坚定地点点头，那些画面已烙印在他的记忆中。“是的，长官。”

　　瓦伦靠回去，摩挲着下巴。“卡多雷把你交给我们是对的。让你独自回去简直是疯了。”他沉默了片刻，然后语气稍微柔和了一些。“而这个精灵女孩……艾莉丝。你信任她？”

　　"With my life," Leon said without hesitation, the words coming from a place deeper than thought.

　　A faint smile touched Valen's lips. "A strong bond, forged in danger. I've seen it before." He sighed. "It's a shame. The world could use more of that, and less of the suspicion that'll likely keep you two apart." He stood up, placing a heavy hand on Leon's shoulder. "Get some rest, son. We reach Menethil Harbor in a few days. From there, a ship to Theramore, and then... home."

　　“以性命相托，”里昂毫不犹豫地说，这话语来自比思维更深的地方。

　　瓦伦嘴角露出一丝淡淡的微笑。“在危险中结下的牢固情谊。我以前见过。”他叹了口气。“真可惜。这世界本应多一些这样的情谊，少一些可能会把你们分开的猜疑。”他站起来，把一只沉重的手放在里昂肩上。“休息吧，孩子。再过几天我们就到米奈希尔港了。从那里乘船去塞拉摩，然后……就回家了。”

　　The word home echoed in Leon's chest, a bittersweet ache. Goldshire. His father. The familiar streets. It was what he had dreamed of during the cold, hungry nights. But now, the dream felt... smaller. The world had grown vast around him, filled with ancient forests, elven magic, and shadows that hunted. Could he ever truly go back to being the boy who had run off to explore the Whispering Woods?

　　“家”这个词在里昂心中回荡，带着一种苦乐参半的痛楚。闪金镇。他的父亲。熟悉的街道。这是他在寒冷饥饿的夜晚所梦想的。但现在，这个梦想感觉……变小了。世界在他周围变得广阔，充满了古老的森林、精灵的魔法和狩猎的阴影。他还能真正变回那个跑出去探索低语森林的男孩吗？

　　The journey to Menethil Harbor passed in a blur of damp air and the cries of gulls. The port city was a bustling, noisy place of humans and dwarves, a stark contrast to the serene order of Astranaar. The sight of so many familiar faces should have been comforting, but Leon felt oddly disconnected. He watched the sailors unloading crates and the fishermen mending nets, their lives simple and grounded in a way his no longer was.

　　前往米奈希尔港的旅程在潮湿的空气和海鸥的鸣叫声中模糊地过去了。这座港口城市是人类和矮人熙熙攘攘、喧闹繁忙的地方，与阿斯特兰纳的宁静有序形成鲜明对比。看到这么多熟悉的面孔本该令人安慰，但里昂却感到一种奇怪的疏离感。他看着水手们卸货，渔民们补网，他们的生活简单而踏实，而他的生活已不再如此。

　　Captain Valen was true to his word. He secured passage for Leon on a coastal trader bound for Theramore. As he stood on the dock, ready to board the ship, Valen handed him a small, sealed letter. "Give this to the harbormaster in Theramore. It explains your situation. They'll see you get to Stormwind." He looked down at Leon, his gaze direct. "You've got a stout heart, lad. Don't let this world harden it completely. And don't forget what you've learned. Or who helped you."

　　瓦伦上尉信守了诺言。他为里昂安排了一艘前往塞拉摩的沿海商船的舱位。当里昂站在码头上准备登船时，瓦伦递给他一封封好的短信。“把这个交给塞拉摩的港务长。里面说明了你的情况。他们会安排你去暴风城。”他低头看着里昂，目光直率。“你有一颗坚强的心，孩子。别让这个世界把它完全变硬。也别忘记你学到的东西。或者帮助过你的人。”

　　Leon took the letter, his throat tight. "Thank you, sir. For everything."

　　Valen nodded. "Safe travels, Leon Baros."

　　As the ship pulled away from the dock, its sails catching the wind, Leon stood at the railing and watched the misty shores of the Wetlands recede. He was heading south, towards the warmth of the sea, towards the city of Theramore, and eventually, towards home. But as the distance grew, he knew that a part of him would always be north, in the whispering shadows of the forests, with a girl whose eyes held the light of the moon.

　　里昂接过信，喉咙发紧。“谢谢您，长官。为了一切。”

　　瓦伦点点头。“一路平安，里昂·巴洛斯。”

　　当船驶离码头，风帆鼓满风时，里昂站在栏杆旁，望着雾气蒙蒙的湿地海岸渐渐远去。他正向南航行，驶向温暖的海洋，驶向塞拉摩城，并最终驶向家乡。但随着距离越来越远，他知道自己的一部分将永远留在北方，留在森林的低语阴影中，与一个眼眸蕴含月光的女孩在一起。

　　The adventure was over. But the boy who returned would not be the same as the boy who had left.

　　冒险结束了。但归来的男孩，已不再是离开时的那个男孩了。