#mariya darry

[maid-with-sunset-in-her-hair]

#i think i would like this more if Lancel hadn't decided to take a turn for religious extremism in AFFC #instead of doing his duty for the smallfolk of Darry

@agentrouka-blog ​actually, Lancel giving up his duties and rights to the Darry lands is what makes me think his endgame will be becoming Lord of Casterly Rock? He was initially granted those lands because the Lannisters were trying to steal them from the rightful heiress:

A more significant lordship by far was granted to Ser Lancel Lannister. Joffrey awarded him the lands, castle, and rights of House Darry, whose last child lord had perished during the fighting in the riverlands, "leaving no trueborn heirs of lawful Darry blood, but only a bastard cousin." (ACOK Sansa VIII)

The phrasing makes it sound like the child lord accidentally died during the fighting, when in reality he was needlessly murdered by Gregor Clegane, but also his aunt Mariya Darry is still alive. By law, the lands should pass to her, but because she’s married to Merret Frey and the Freys were allied by the Starks at that time, the Lannisters shamelessly lie about the lack of heirs to try to steal her inheritance.

After the Red Wedding, Kevan magically remembers Mariya’s existence and marries Lancel to her eldest daugther Amarai Frey to try to legitimatize this usurpation:

As he waited for a response from the castle, Jaime eyed the banner floating brown and crimson above his cousin's barbican. Lancel had taken to quartering the lion of Lannister with the Darry plowman, it would seem. He saw his uncle's hand in that, as in Lancel's choice of bride. House Darry had ruled these lands since the Andals cast down the First Men. No doubt Ser Kevan realized that his son would have an easier time of it if the peasants saw him as a continuation of the old line, holding these lands by right of marriage rather than royal decree. (AFFC Jaime IV)

Understandably, Mariya never shows any anger in front of Jaime, but she’s probably isn't happy that the Lannisters killed her brother, nephew and son-in-law and then stole her childhood home, downgrading her daughter from heirness to wife.

Lancel admired Jaime and only wanted to be like him, but when Jaime tells him to consummate his marriage and participate in the subjugation of the Riverlands, Lancel refuses:

"If I do, will you eat a bowl of porridge?" When his coz did not answer, Jaime sighed. "You should be sleeping with your wife, not with the Maid. You need a son with Darry blood if you want to keep this castle."

"A pile of cold stones. I never asked for it. I never wanted it. I only wanted..." Lancel shuddered. "Seven save me, but I wanted to be you."

Jaime had to laugh. "Better me than Blessed Baelor. Darry needs a lion, coz. So does your little Frey. She gets moist between the legs every time someone mentions Hardstone. If she hasn't bedded him yet, she will soon."

"If she loves him, I wish them joy of one another."

(...)

"You are not wrong," said Lancel, "but my folly is behind me, ser. I have asked the Father Above to show me the way, and he has. I am renouncing this lordship and this wife. Hardstone is welcome to the both of them, if he likes. On the morrow I will return to King's Landing and swear my sword to the new High Septon and the Seven. I mean to take vows and join the Warrior's Sons." (AFFC Jaime VI)

I think that GRRM wrote this chapter not only to advance Jaime’s arc, but also to justify why Lancel will inherit Casterly Rock. He reminds us that Lancel’s only crime is poisoning Cersei's abusive husband to protect her, and then he makes sure we know Lancel refuses to benefit from the atrocities committed by the Lannisters and the Freys. Even if his decision is fueled by religious fanaticism and sexual trauma, renouncing his titles is still the right thing to do. This makes Lancel and Tyrion foils of each other: both their fathers married them off to steal a woman's inheritance, and both never consummated their marriage, but only one will choose to annul it, and only one will be Lord of Casterly Rock.

I’m completely sure that Lancel Lannister will not only survive to the end of the series, but also inherit Casterly Rock after Cersei and her children die. She always wanted to be Tywin’s heir, and resented Jaime for getting that by virtue of his gender, so what better narrative punishment than the inheritance she always wanted going to the cousin she sexually abused? Lancel looks like Jaime and only wanted to be like him growing up, so it makes sense if his endgame is becoming the Lord of the Westerlands, becoming what Jaime could’ve been if he hadn’t given up his lands and titles for Cersei.

Not to mention that GRRM will probably want to resolve the conflict between the Lannisters and the Starks before the series’ end, and unfortunately for all the pedo shippers who wanted Sansa’s forced marriage to Tyrion to become the cornerstone of peace, Lancel and Sansa being the ones that sign the armistice is more thematically coherent. She saved his life during the Battle of the Blackwater even though he was her enemy, and a Lannister always pays his debts. Peace will be born from an act of mercy, not from Tywin’s attempt to steal a girl’s inheritance and subjugate the North.

[warsofasoiaf]

This is such an irrelevant topic but I’m confused about this, who is the head of House Darry now that Lancel abdicated? the wiki says that it’s Mariya Darry but it doesn’t cite a source :/

Well, technically, she is the eldest surviving member of the female line of House Darry, so that sounds correct.

Thanks for the question, Anon.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

[hollowwhisperings]

Frey Civil War: The Many Walders & Waldas Frey

1. Lord Walder Frey of The Crossing (92 y/o), Patriarch of House Frey. Has outlived 7 wives & married an 8th. Hosted the Red Wedding.

2. Walda Frey (9 y/o), daughter of Janyce Hunter. 2nd in the Frey line of inheritance, as the assumed heir of Edwyn Frey (eldest son of Ryman, the eldest son of Ser Stevron by his 1st wife, Corenna Swann: Ser Stevron was Lord Frey's eldest son, by his 1st wife Perra Royce, & was found dead in his tent after the Battle of Oxcross).

3. "Black" Walder Frey (20~42 y/o), 2nd son of an unnamed spouse & the late Ryman Frey (a key conspirator of the RW, later found hanged by outlaws near Fairmarket). He is the younger brother of Edwyn & the elder half-brother of Walton. Black Walder was a key conspirator in the Red Wedding & the killer of a Vance.

4. Walder Vance (9~29 y/o), eldest son of Ser Dafyn Vance & the late Maegelle Frey (only daughter of Ser Stevron, born of his 2nd marriage with Jeyne Lydden). His exact relation to Houses Vance of Atranta & Wayfarer's Rest is uncertain, as is his relation to the Vance slain by Black Walder at the RW.

5. Walton Frey (32~52 y/o), 3rd son of Ser Stevron & his only child by his 3rd wife (Marsella Waynwood, died in childbirth). He has only appeared in appendices, thus far.

6. "Fair" Walda Frey (18 y/o), only daughter of Deana Hardyng & Walton Frey. She was one of many Frey women who danced with King Robb Stark at the Red Wedding.

7. "Red" Walder Frey (15 y/o), 4th & youngest son of Genna Lannister & Emmon Frey (2nd son of Lord Frey by his 1st wife, Perra Royce). He is a squire at Casterly Rock.

8. "White" Walda Frey (11 y/o), only daughter of Jeyne Beesbury & Rhaegar Frey (2nd son of Ser Aenys, Lord Frey's 3rd son by his 1st wife). Her father is currently MIA.

9. Walder Haigh (5 y/o), eldest son of Ser Harys Haigh (eldest son of Perriane, Lord Frey's eldest daughter & his last child with Perra Royce). Knights of House Haigh participated in the RW massacre.

10. Walder Goodbrook (10 y/o), eldest son of Ser Garse Goodbrook & Kyra Frey (daughter of Ser Jared, 4th son of Lord Frey & 1st by his 2nd wife, Cerenna Swann). Knights of House Goodbrook participated in the RW massacre.

11. "Fat" Walda Frey (16 y/o), daughter of Mariya Darry & the late Merrett Frey (9th son of Lord Frey & the 4th by his 3rd wife, Amarei Crakehall). She was one of the many Frey women to dance with King Robb at the RW & was then wed to Lord Roose Bolton.

12. "Little" Walder Frey (9 y/o), only son of Mariya Darry & Merrett Frey. Found dead at Winterfell.

13. Walda Frey (5 y/o), 2nd daughter of Leonella Lefford & "Lame" Lothar Frey (12th son of Lord Frey & 1st by his 4th wife, Alyssa Blackwood). Her father, alongside Lord Roose Bolton, was one of the primary engineers of the RW.

14. "Big" Walder Frey (9 y/o), eldest son of Sallei Paege & Ser Jammos Frey (13th son of Lord Frey, 2nd by his 4th wife). He has been a ward at Winterfell for most of the series, alongside his late cousin Little Walder.

15. Walder Brax (6 y/o), 2nd son of Ser Flement Brax & Morya Frey (3rd daughter of Lord Frey, 1st by his 4th wife). Knights of House Brax participated in the RW.

16. Waltyr Frey (10 y/o), 21st son of Lord Frey & 3rd by his 7th wife, Annara Farring. He & the other children of Annara Farring are alleged as being bastards of Black Walder.

17. "Bastard" Walder Rivers, eldest of Lord Frey's bastards. He lead the charge on those camped outside The Twins for the RW.

18. Walda Rivers, daughter of Bastard Walder & a Lady Charlton.

19. Walda Rivers (5 y/o), daughter of Ser Aemon Rivers (son of Bastard Walder) & niece of the other Walda Rivers.

Just For Fun:

the average age of a Walder "Frey" is 19½ years old. this does not take into account Walders whose ages are vague estimates.

with Lord Walder (an outlier who should not have been counted) Excluded, the average Walder is 9 years old.

the average "Walda" is 10/11 years old.

in addition to those named above, ASOIAF has four other "Walders": 2 historic Ser Walders from the reign of Daeron II, of Houses Woodmere & Stackspear; the last known Lord of House Tarbeck, Lord Walderan; and the Objectively Best Walder in the series, Walder of Winterfell (16~ y/o).

[ao3feed-tywin]

Bound by Blood and Duty

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/IoRCtB5

by margotdavid

Seeing they are about to die, Hermione and Daphne perform a blood spell to take down the Death Eaters. However, the spell was unforeseen consequences.

In Westeros, the year is 259 AC, and Alys Arryn Targaryen finally finds herself pregnant with a long-awaited child. A curly-haired Targaryen princess is born to now King Aemon I Targaryen.

In 266 AC, it is the six-year of King Aerys II's reign, after the little princess was deposed by her uncle, and Joanna Lannister finds herself giving birth to two beautiful twins.

It would some years for Rhaenyra Targayren to meet Cersei Lannister. But as in their previous life, Hermione and Daphne will soon have to deal with a war they can't escape.

Words: 3707, Chapters: 2/?, Language: English

Series: Part 1 of Wizards in Westeros

Fandoms: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV), A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Major Character Death

Categories: F/M, Multi

Characters: Hermione Granger, Daphne Greengrass, Cersei Lannister, Arthur Dayne, Alys Arryn Waynwood, Rhaegar Targaryen, Tywin Lannister, Aerys II Targaryen, Jaime Lannister, Elia Martell, Oberyn Martell, Baelor Hightower, Ashara Dayne, Rhonda Rowan, Mariya Darry, Robert Baratheon, Lyanna Stark

Relationships: Hermione Granger/Rhaegar Targaryen, Hermione Granger/Arthur Dayne, Hermione Granger & Daphne Greengrass, Baelor Hightower/Elia Martell, Lyanna Stark/Rhaegar Targaryen, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added

Additional Tags: Hermione Granger as Rhaenyra Targaryen, not that one, Daphne Greengrass as Cersei Lannister, Canon Divergence - Battle of Hogwarts, Canon Divergence - Robert's Rebellion, Westerosi Politics, Arranged Marriage, Infidelity, War, Hermione Granger & Daphne Greengrass Friendship, Bisexual Cersei Lannister

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/IoRCtB5

[meryllfrey]

Meryll of House Frey (OC) -- Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire

FULL NAME:  Meryll Frey BORN: 281 AC ALLEGIANCE: House Frey CULTURE: Riverlands STATUS: Unmarried RELIGION:  The Seven LOCATION: The Twins, Riverlands SOCIAL CLASS: Noble SPOKEN LANGUAGES: Westerosi Common Tongue, High Valyrian

MOTHER: Mariya Frey (of House Darry) FATHER: Merrett Frey, Ninth Son of Walder Frey SIBLINGS: Amerei "Gatehouse Ami" Frey, "Fat" Walda Frey, Marissa Frey, "Little" Walder

FACE CLAIM: Gemma Arterton HAIR COLOR: Chestnut Brown EYE COLOR: Light Brown TATTOO(S): N/A SCAR(S): N/A

ATTRACTS WITH: Captivating charm and compassion, complexity, humour, loyalty, marvellous mind, eccentricities, humanitarian conscience, high ideals and inspiring imagination, exaggerated curiosity

LOSES WITH: Self-righteousness and brutal honesty, emotional defenses and paralysis, lack of deep personal engagement, unreasonable arguments and opposition

BIOGRAPHY: Meryll was the fourth daughter born to Merrett and Mariya Frey. Four girls, and no sons. Her father had been greatly disappointed by the birth of another daughter. Meryll can't remember if anyone ever told her that, but as a child, she must have sensed it on some level, because as early as she can remember, she tried to be the son her father wanted. She dressed in boys clothing and followed him everywhere. He taught her how to care for the horses, how to fish, how to ford the river when the waters were high, and other practical skills.

After Meryll's tenth nameday, Merrett and Mariya were finally blessed with a boy -- "Little" Walder, and her father finally had a real son. She was getting to an age were she couldn't really pass herself off as a boy anymore anyway. Around this same time, Merrett began suffering terrible headaches as a result of a head injury suffered when he was a squire. He started drinking heavily and became known as the Twin's biggest drunk, none of which improved his mood. He was a mean drunk and Meryll began to feel as if her very existence offended him somehow. Fortunately, her Uncle Danwell and Aunt Winnifrei, who had not been able to have children, stepped in and raised Meryll as if she was their own.

Meryll begged for a sword but Uncle Danwell didn't think it wise to give such an unruly girl a blade, and instead presented her with a bow. She turned out to be a natural with a good eye and steady hand.

Growing up at the Twins, Meryll was close with her three sisters, Amerei, Walda and Marissa, as well as an uncle of similar age to her, Olyvar, and a cousin, Alesander. Meryll didn't have a bad relationship with her mother, but Mariya wasa prickly woman, lacking in warmth.

While home at the Twins, Meryll spends as much time as possible outdoors, and can often be found reading by the riverbank. She is particularly fond of tales of the great knights, her favourite being Ser Barristan the Bold, Ser Gerald Hightower, and Ser Duncan the tall -- in that order.

VERSES:

There will be blood | Pre- Red Wedding (AGOT, ACOK)

This is a time of uncertainty for House Frey. Meryll has kinsmen who are loyal to the Starks, and kinsmen who think the only way for House Frey to survive is to kneel to King Joffrey. In this verse, Meryll can be found in: 

The Twins (default)

Kings Landing – attending the Tourney of  the Hand with her Uncle Danwell

Winterfell – as Catelyn’s wards along with Little Walder and Big Walder

The Dreadfort – helping pregnant sister Walda

10 things I hate about you | Post- Red Wedding

Meryll is conflicted about her family’s actions and is looking for a way to leave The Twins. It is a dangerous time, however, with House Frey being persona non grata, and it’s hard to know who to trust. In this verse, Meryll can be found:

At The Twins, plotting her escape

Travelling around Westeros, hiding her identity

Across the Narrow Sea | Post- Red Wedding, in Essos

Meryll has accompanied her childhood hero, Ser Barristan Selmy, to Essos to find Daenerys Stormborn. In this verse, Meryll can be found:

in various locations of Essos, still searching for Daenerys

anywhere along Daenerys’ book or show route

[sansacherie]

Funniest moments in asoiaf?

1. In his chainmail shirt with a sword in his hand, Gendry looked almost a man grown, and dangerous. Hot Pie looked like Hot Pie.

2. "Is that what they say?" Cersei smiled. "How foolish. I have never looked upon you as a rival, not even for a moment."

3. "Outlaws killed him," sobbed Lady Amerei. "Father had only gone out to ransom Petyr Pimple. He brought them the gold they asked for, but they hung him anyway."

"Hanged, Ami. Your father was not a tapestry." Lady Mariya turned back to Jaime. "I believe you knew him, ser."

4. "Without a son of Winterfell to stand beside me, I can only hope to win the north by battle. That requires stealing a leaf from my brother's book. Not that Robert ever read one."

5. "I just want to say to whoever is voting for me that I would certainly make an awful Lord Commander. But so would all these others.”

6.Color rose to his cheeks. "I was unforgiveably rude to you in the yard. You must forgive me.""Must?" She tossed her hair, took a sip of wine, made him wait. "How can you forgive someone who is unforgiveably rude? Will you explain that to me, ser?"

8.“It’s almost as good as if some wolf killed your traitor brother. Maybe I’ll feed him to wolves after I’ve caught him. Did I tell you, I intend to challenge him to single combat?”“I should like to see that, Your Grace.”  More than you know.

9. Celtigar pronounced it admirable. If I showed him the contents of my privy, he would declare that admirable as well."

10."There are worse ways to die than warm and drunk. I knew a brother drowned himself in wine once. It was a poor vintage, though, and his corpse did not improve it.”“You drank the wine?”“It’s an awful thing to find a brother dead. You’d have need of a drink as well, Lord Snow.”

11. When I'm king in my own right, I'm going to outlaw beets."

12. I just want to say to whoever is voting for me that I would certainly make an awful Lord Commander. But so would all these others."

13.  "If not for my Hand I might not have come at all"

14.  "We'll defend the wall to the last man," Said Cotter Pyke. "Probably me," said Dolorous Edd in a resigned tone.

15.  “I was born in a house much like this,” declared Dolorous Edd. “Those were my enchanted years. Later I fell on hard times.”

16. "His natural daughter?" Lady Sybell looked as if she had swallowed a lemon. "You want a Westerling to wed a bastard?""No more than I want Joy to marry the son of some scheming turncloak bitch. She deserves better."

17. "You took me unaware, my lord. I was not told of your coming." "And I seem to have prevented yours."

[mrsjadecurtiss]

Merrett Frey and his family- from left: Amerei, Fat Walda, Little Walder, Merrett, Mariya Darry, Marissa

[makerkenzie]

Grassroots justice

Not quite sure where this is going, but I want to do a little thinky on the role of the smallfolk in the Riverlands situation. Start from this conversation here:

Jaime pulled back his golden fingers and turned once more to Lady Mariya. “How far did Black Walder track this hooded woman and her men?”

“His hounds picked up their scent again north of Hag’s Mire,” the older woman told him. “He swears that he was no more than half a day behind them when they vanished into the Neck.”

“Let them rot there,” declared Ser Kennos cheerfully. “If the gods are good, they’ll be swallowed up in quicksand or gobbled down by lizard-lions.”

“Or taken in by frogeaters,” said Ser Danwell Frey. “I would not put it past the crannogmen to shelter outlaws.”

“Would that it were only them,” said Lady Mariya. “Some of the river lords are hand in glove with Lord Beric’s men as well.”

“The smallfolk too,” sniffed her daughter. “Ser Harwyn says they hide them and feed them, and when he asks where they’ve gone, they lie. They lie to their own lords!”

“Have their tongues out,” urged Strongboar.

“Good luck getting answers then,” said Jaime. “If you want their help, you need to make them love you. That was how Arthur Dayne did it, when we rode against the Kingswood Brotherhood. He paid the smallfolk for the food we ate, brought their grievances to King Aerys, expanded the grazing lands around their villages, even won them the right to fell a certain number of trees each year and take a few of the king’s deer during the autumn. The forest folk had looked to Toyne to defend them, but Ser Arthur did more for them than the Brotherhood could ever hope to do, and won them to our side. After that, the rest was easy.”

Martin, George R.R.. A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 4) (p. 510). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Here’s Jaime’s framework for pulling the rug out from under outlaw bands: both outlaws and nobles are dependent on the smallfolk. Nobles tend to think it’s the other way around, but realistically, the nobility needs to have a reliable population of commoners to grow their food, make their clothes, and maintain their castles. Many nobles are so accustomed to the smallfolk giving them tireless productivity and unflagging loyalty, they don’t see how their lifestyles depend on the common people far more than vice versa. 

Meanwhile, outlaw bands also cannot exist without the peasantry on their side. Outlaw bands tend to be poor on infrastructure, liquid assets, and other resources. Their combat style relies on subterfuge rather than brute force. Common households give them hiding space so they can escape detection and capture by the nobles’ knights and men-at-arms. Commoners feed them so the outlaws can approach the nobles on their own terms. To neutralize the threat posed by outlaw bands, the nobility needs to have the peasantry on their side. 

That’s where Jaime comes in and says: you don’t brute-force the peasants’ loyalty. The way to deny the outlaws their support system is by being nice to the smallfolk. Not just nice, but respectful. Ser Arthur Dayne was generous and communicative with the people supporting the Kingswood Brotherhood. He made them feel heard and appreciated. He showed them that the crown would allow them greater security and prosperity if they supported the crown’s interests. Without the shelter, food and discretion of the smallfolk, the Kingswood Brotherhood were vulnerable and easily defeated. 

For a little digression, I want to ask: can anyone imagine Tywin Lannister taking this approach to law enforcement? Lord Tywin, the one who arranged the gang-rape of a young girl because she had the cheek to give her love to his son? Jaime had to learn that from Ser Arthur, and only when his father was far, far away, because Lord Tywin would’ve washed his mouth out with soap. 

That much aside, if we look at Jaime’s leadership in his Feast/Dance arc, he’s already taken an interest in playing nicely with the smallfolk. He orders his soldiers to stay out of the fields, he has them stay in the village and use their own provisions at Pennytree, for example. He also executes one of the Mountain’s guys (ergo the crown’s forces now) for merely attempting to rape a serving girl. By demonstrating to his soldiers a zero-tolerance policy on rape, he’s making the women of the Riverlands much safer. 

He doesn’t think of this as the way to disempower the outlaws, though. The fields are off-limits and the villagers’ pantries remain untouched because the commoners need to eat. The attempting rapist has to die because girls like Pia shouldn’t have to deal with that shit. 

However, this is not to say Jaime doesn’t respect the danger posed by outlaws in the Riverlands. He’s not about to be lax with security at Castle Darry:

The castle gates swung open slowly. “My coz will not have room to accommodate a thousand men,” Jaime told Strongboar. “We’ll make camp beneath the western wall. I want the perimeters ditched and staked. There are still bands of outlaws in these parts.” 

“They’d need to be mad to attack a force as strong as ours.” 

“Mad or starving.” Until he had a better notion of these outlaws and their strength, Jaime was not inclined to take any risks with his defenses. “Ditched and staked,” he said again, before spurring Honor toward the gate.

Martin, George R.R.. A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 4) (p. 502). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 

Again, it’s not a matter of brute force, it’s about the balance of risk and benefit. Widespread hunger makes the army’s work more difficult. And he understands that his father’s warmongering has left a lot of Riverlanders with little to eat. 

Not that the Lannisters are all alone in taking food out of peasants’ mouths:

“Can we starve the castle out?” 

Ser Daven shook his head. “The Blackfish expelled all the useless mouths from Riverrun and picked this country clean. He has enough stores to keep man and horse alive for two full years.”

Martin, George R.R.. A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 4) (p. 555). Random House Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Here’s the contrast between Uncle Brynden and Lord Edmure Tully: when Edmure has frightened smallfolk, he brings them into the castle. Catelyn thinks it’s sweet of him to have that impulse, but when a castle is about to be under siege, you don’t want to increase the ratio of warm bodies to food stores. Then we have Uncle Brynden the Blackfish, who chases the inessential folks out of the castle AND scours all the spare food stores from the countryside to keep the castle out of the Freys’ hands. 

In terms of giving the middle finger to the Freys and Lannisters, Uncle Brynden knows what he’s doing. In terms of maintaining relations with the smallfolk, though…the peasants don’t care about which family holds Riverrun nearly as much as they care about how they’ll feed their kids through the winter. When they’re going hungry, they’ll remember who emptied out their pantries. Jaime seems to think their chances of capturing the Blackfish are slim following the Riverrun surrender, and that may be true, but at the same time, I’m not sure how far Blackfish will get in a countryside that he made sure to pick clean of food. 

And I don’t think the Freys are making themselves any more popular with the peasantry, either, but they’re not the ones who took the bread off hungry Riverlanders’ tables. Just sayin’, the smallfolk may not be real invested in the position of House Tully in the near future.

Surely, there’s a reason for Feast/Dance having so much to say about the realm, especially the Riverlands, going hungry following the war. Maybe it’s simply GRRM’s way of showing us how the Riverlands are a tinderbox and it’s about to get very ugly very soon. That much may be true, but then so much of our data on the Riverlands situation comes to us through Jaime’s consideration for the smallfolk. The part where he advises Ami and Mariya on how to keep the smallfolk on their side, especially, is noteworthy.

Will any of this play a role in Brienne and Jaime’s conflict with Zombie Catelyn and the Gang? I’m not sure what, if any, that role would be. I think it’s a factor that should be kept in consideration, though, until we get TWOW. They’re dealing with outlaws, depending on smallfolk, and Jaime has some well-tested ideas about how to interact with outlaws and with smallfolk.

[asongofsilks]

ASOIAF FANCASTING --> EVERY NAMED FEMALE CHARACTER ABOVE THE AGE OF FIVE, PART VI

Goodwife Amabel (main series era): A servant from Lady Shella Whent's household in Harrenhal. She is friends with Goodwife Harra, and they oversee the prisoners brought to Harrenhal by Gregor Clegane's men. When Harra is executed by Lord Bolton after Arya sets the northmen free, Amabel is distraught. By the time Jaime arrives at Harrenhal on his way to lift the siege of Riverrun, Amabel is gone. Fancast: Glenis Levistam.

Amanda Arryn (b. approx. 74 AC): Daughter of Lord Rodrik Arryn of the Eyrie and his first wife. Princess Daella Targaryen became her stepmother. Amanda welcomed her and wrote letters on her behalf. Fancast: Alexandrea Owens-Sarno.

Amarei Crakehall (c. 230-264 AC): Third wife of Lord Walder Frey and mother to seven of his children. Fancast: Alexandra Tydings.

Septa Amarys (lived around 131 AC): She was tasked with the religious instruction of Baela Targaryen, daughter of Prince Daemon Targaryen, but did not succeed in taming her wild nature. Fancast: Julie Andrews.

Amerei Frey (b. 282 AC): Daughter of Merrett Frey, Lord Walder's ninth son, and his wife Mariya Darry. She is the granddaughter of Amarei Crakehall. After being caught with three grooms in the stables, Amerei is married off to a hedge knight, who is later slain by Gregor Clegane. She is then married to Lancel Lannister in order to strengthen his hold on Darry lands, but Lancel dissolves the marriage. Fancast: Hudson Leick.

The Amethyst Empress (Age of Heroes): Legendary eighth ruler of the Great Empire of the Dawn and descendant of the gods. She was usurped and slain by her brother, the treacherous Bloodstone Emperor. According to the annals of the Further East, this act ushered in the Long Night and ended the Empire of the Dawn. Fancast: Li Bingbing.

Annara Farring (c. 270-298 AC): Lord Walder Frey's seventh wife and mother to six of his children. Fancast: Erin Cummings.

Anya Waynwood (main series era): Lady of Ironoaks and Head of House Waynwood. She has three sons and many daughters and grandchildren. Harrold Hardyng, the heir to the Vale, is her cousin and ward. She is one of the Lords Declarant who swear to drive Petyr Baelish out of the Vale after Lysa Arryn's death. However, Petyr manages to manipulate the situation to his advantage and even persuades Anya to allow Harrold to marry his bastard daughter, Alayne Stone, who is really Sansa Stark in disguise. Fancast: Maggie Smith.

Anya Weatherwax (b. 126 AC): She was presented to King Aegon III Targaryen at the Maiden's Day Ball after the death of his first wife. She told the king of her horse Twinklehoof, whom she loved very much. Fancast: Aubrey Elise.

Aregelle Stark (b. approx. 180 AC): Second daughter of Serena Stark and her husband Edric Stark, who was also her uncle. Serena was the younger daughter of Rickon Stark, who was the heir to Winterfell before his death, but none of Rickon's descendants inherited Winterfell. Aregelle's older twin brothers, Cregard and Torrhen, probably died young. Aregelle was married to Lord Robard Cerwyn and bore him children. Fancast: Lily Sullivan.

Previous

[goodqueenaly]

@frootnarcissist​ replied to your post “Hi, big fan of the blog and seen a lot of your...”

Thank you so much for your detailed response! My bet would be on the Hightowers; the appearance of Alerie and Lynesse, the name Baelor, and perhaps some hint with Lord Leyton’s wife’s name being an anagram of Rhae.

Although I do wonder what, if anything, may be implied by Robert having a “stronger claim” than Jon and Ned, who don’t seem to have any claim whatsoever. The Stark family tree would seem to preclude any descent from Rhae (unless she married a Locke), and it would seem odd not to mention Jon having a Targaryen mother. I suppose Jasper Arryn would be my second guess though.

It’s possible that the current Hightowers are descendants of Rhae, although I don’t personally find any of those points particularly compelling. For one, it’s unclear whether Alerie’s silver hair is due to birth or age: after all, GRRM describes her as “handsome”, a term he often uses to denote women who are older rather than younger (compare Catelyn’s first view of Sybell Spicer as “a handsome older lady”, or the “still handsome though grown somewhat stout” Lady Hewett, or Mariya Darry, who “was still a handsome woman” though “[her] hair was streaked with grey”). Likewise, putting aside Jorah’s insistence that Lynesse looked like Daenerys - which may be less a straightforward truth and more evidence of Jorah’s utterly creepy and possessive sexual obsession with Daenerys herself - his niece Dacey only notes that Lynesse had “hair like spun gold”, which is a specific description GRRM never uses for the Targaryens but several times for the Lannisters (Joffrey, Cersei, and Jaime’s dream of Joanna are all described this way, and Lancel is noted as specifically lacking this color hair compared to Jaime). Nor are Targaryen namesakes exclusive to Targaryen descendants: Daeron Vaith, Aemon Estermont, and the five current Freys with Targaryen names all exist without any specific, known bloodline connection to the Targaryens (and personally, I would much rather have more Targaryen namesakes without specific familial connections). As for Rhea Florent, she is not the only holder of her name; Rhea Royce was the Lady of Runestone in the reign of Viserys I. (Whether you think it coincidental or significant that she was married to a Targaryen is I suppose up to you; I think the former.) But again, with really nothing to go on, there is no way to rule out any family conclusively, any more than there is to suggest one.

As for this quote ...

Robert sat down again. “Damn you, Ned Stark. You and Jon Arryn, I loved you both. What have you done to me? You were the one should have been king, you or Jon.”

“You had the better claim, Your Grace.”

... I take that less as a sign that all three - Jon, Ned, and Robert - had bloodline claims and more a sign that Robert, uniquely among them, had an extra dynastic boost from his blood connection to the Targaryens. Robert’s Rebellion did not start as a war to replace the Targaryens with the Baratheons (even if I tend to think the aim of the southron ambitions bloc was to use such a threat to compel the Targaryen dynasty to honor its wishes); it was only shortly before the Trident that Robert declared his intent to take the throne and the rebel faction’s leaders acclaimed Robert king. I imagine that once the rebel faction realized that it was impossible to work with the Targaryen dynasty any longer - Rhaegar explicitly demonstrating that he condoned his father’s actions - the faction’s leaders had long talks among themselves about who should be acclaimed the new king - but since there had never been a change in dynasty in the history of unified Westeros, the very radicalness of this move potentially opened the door to a completely unrelated individual to take the crown. Ned Stark, of the major commanders of the rebel faction, had been arguably the most personally wronged by the Targaryens - his sister apparently abducted by the crown prince, his father and brother cruelly murdered by the king in a gross mockery of justice, his own head called for by that same monarch - and that emotional background might have lent sympathy to a claim by Ned to take the crown instead. Jon Arryn had been the early leader of the rebel faction, indeed the true instigator of the rebellion - it had been he who had defied the king’s demand for his wards’ heads and called his banners instead - and as the elder statesman of the rebel faction he might have been seen as the most senior and seasoned candidate to take the throne. 

However, as Ned pointed out in that quote, he and Jon surely both realized that the best chance the rebel faction had to replace the Targaryens was to go with the individual who represented the nearest relation to the Targaryens, suggesting a continuity of power even as the Targaryen dynasty was overthrown. Robert was not simply the handsome, victorious young battlefield commander who had consistently demonstrated his personal bravery and leadership during the course of the war, but the most senior female-line Targarye relative (excluding, obviously, the lines of Rhaella and Shaera, who had of course married back into the main Targaryen male line). Aerys II’s tyranny and Rhaegar’s support of that tyranny may have made it impossible to tolerate the continued presence of the Targaryens on the Iron Throne, but it had still been the Targaryens who had established the united Westerosi state and had ruled over that state uninterrupted for the better part of 300 years. Robert represented a much more palatable choice for greater Westerosi acceptance in this respect; here was not a dictator with an army claiming the crown by killing everyone else (as the unrelated Ned or Jon might have been seen) but the nearest relation to the Targaryens themselves, claiming a familial right with the Targaryens having lost the throne through their tyranny.

[sayruq]

Taking Riverrun from Emmon to randomly give back to Edmure won't happen, even if Tywin's sister is its lady. Mariya and Yohn had to support Emmon as lord of Riverrun and Aegon wouldn't antagonize Darry and Runestone for a deposed lord. Also, Randyll might convince Aegon to get the lord of Maidenpool as the liege lord to elevate Dickon's marriage with Eleanor. When Catelyn will kill everyone, Aegon might give the castle to William to consolidate his lordship.

i definitely think emmon won’t survive for very long. darry isn’t strong enough to oppose aegon. they’re down to a baby and they can not keep control over their castle with the lannister’s help. yohn royce will be too busy with littlefinger and the north to get angry at aegon for restoring riverrun to its rightful ruler.

sure randyll can try to convince aegon to do that but he’ll already get his rewards when he is made lord paramount. hell he might even receive highgarden as well (unless the redwynes are aegon supporters like someone theorised). he won’t have the leverage you think he’ll have.

aegon supporting edmure is very possible. they have a common enemy who murdered their family. it will be so dumb of aegon to restructure the most politically volatile region when edmure is right there. aegon is trying to get people to support him but pulling a move like making maidenpool the seat of the lord paramount would ensure that he never has full control over the riverlands.

[dwellordream]

THE H/H APPENDIX VOL. II

THE KINGDOM OF THE RIVERLANDS

HOUSE TULLY OF RIVERRUN:

EDMURE TULLY, King of the Riverlands and the Trident, son of Lord Hoster Tully, Lord of Riverrun, and his wife, Lady Minisa, of House Whent

His wife, QUEEN ROSLIN, of House Frey

His son, PRINCE HOSTER

His daughter, PRINCESS CATELYN

His wards:

DELLA, of House Frey, daughter of Benfrey and Jyanna Frey

OSMUND, of House Frey, daughter of Benfrey and Jyanna Frey

HOUSE FREY OF THE CROSSING:

PERWYN FREY, Lord of the Twins, son of Lord Walder Frey, and his wife, Lady Bethany, of House Rosby

His wife, LADY WALDA, of House Frey

His daughter, ARWYN

His son, BENFREY

His sisters:

PERIANNE, LYTHENE, JEYNE, MORYA, TYTA, MELLARA, and SHIREI

His brothers:

LUCEON, MELWYS, WILLAMEN, OLYVAR, COLMAR, WALTYR, and ELMAR

His nieces:

MAEGELLE, MARIANNE, WALDA, PERRA, WHITE WALDA, KYRA, ZIA, JEYNE, RYELLA, HOSTELLA, ELYANA, ALYX, AMEREI, FAT WALDA, MARISSA, CYNTHEA, SERRA, SARRA, CERSEI, WALDA, EMBERLEI, LEANA, MERIANNE, and DELLA

His nephews:

WALDER, PATREK, RED WALDER, WILLEM, ROBERT, JONOS, WALDER, ZACHERY, WALDER, ANDROW, ALYN, ALESANDER, BRADAMAR, SANDOR, ROBERT, MALWYN, JAIME, TYWIN, BIG WALDER, DICKON, MATHIS, HOSTER, ROBERT, WALDER, JON, and DONNEL

HOUSE PAEGE OF SNAKE’S DEN:

HALMON PAGE, Knight of Snake’s Den

His wife, LADY MURIEL, of House Grey

His son, GARRETT

His son, MALCOLM

His daughter, JANNA

His daughter, PIPPA

His sister, SALLEI, widow of Ser Jammos, of House Frey

His sister, SYLWA, widow of Ser Whalen, of House Frey

His nephews:

WALDER, DICKON, MATHIS, and HOSTER

His nieces:

MERIANNE and DANELLE

His brother, DAMON

His goodsister, MELLARA, widow of Ser Robert Paege

HOUSE BLACKWOOD OF RAVENTREE HALL:

BRYNDEN BLACKWOOD, Lord of Raventree Hall

His wife, LADY CATELYN, of House Bracken

His son, ROBB

His brothers:

LUCAS, HOSTER, EDMUND, and ALYN

His sister, BETHANY

His mother, LADY ELLA, of House Butterwell

HOUSE BRACKEN OF STONE HEDGE:

BARBARA BRACKEN, Lady of Stone Hedge

Her husband, SER LUCAS, of House Blackwood

Her daughter, DONELLA

Her sisters:

JAYNE, CATELYN, BESS, and ALYSANNE

Her mother, LADY LUCINDA, of House Smallwood

Her cousin, SER HENDRY

His wife, TYTA, of House Frey

Her nephew, DONNEL

HOUSE DARRY OF CASTLE DARRY:

MARIYA DARRY, Lady of Castle Darry, widow of Ser Merrett Frey

Her daughters, AMEREI, FAT WALDA, and MARISSA

Her sister, JEYNE, widow of Ser Cleos Frey

Her nephews, TYWIN and WILLEM

HOUSE MALLISTER OF SEAGARD:

JEFFORY MALLISTER, Lord of Seagard, son of Lord Jason Mallister, and his wife, Lady Meredyth, of House Shawney

His wife, LADY BESS, of House Bracken

His sister, ALICENT

His brother, WILLEM

His mother, LADY MEREDYTH, of House Shawney

HOUSE MOOTON OF MAIDENPOOL:

ELEANOR MOOTON, Lady of Maidenpool, son of Lord William Mooton, and his wife, Lady Perra, of House Piper

Her husband, LORD DICKON, of House Tarly

Her mother, LADY PERRA, of House Piper

Her sister, MARJORIE 

HOUSE PIPER OF PINKMAIDEN:

MARQ PIPER, Lord of Pinkmaiden, son of Lord Clement Piper, and his wife, Lady Melissa, of House Bracken

His wife, LADY ALICENT, of House Mallister

His daughter, CLEMENTINE

His brother, LEWYS

His mother, LADY MELISSA

HOUSE SMALLWOOD OF ACORN HALL:

CARELLEN SMALLWOOD, Lady of Acorn Hall, daughter of Lord Theomar Smallwood, and his wife, Lady Ravella, of House Swann

Her husband, SER LEWYS, of House Piper

Her mother, LADY RAVELLA, of House Swann

HOUSE VANCE OF ATRANTA:

RONALD VANCE, Lord of Atranta, son of Lord Norbert Vance, and his wife, Lady Dorothea, of House Perryn

His wife, LADY ROBYN, of House Hawick

His son, NORBERT

His daughter, ALYSSA

His daughter, MARA

His brother, SER KIRTH

His goodsister, ALYX

His nephew, HUGO

His nephew, ELLERY

His brother, JON

HOUSE VANCE OF WAYFARER’S REST:

LIANE VANCE, Lady of Wayfarer’s Rest, daughter of Lord Karyl Vance, and his wife, Lady Araminta, of House Terrick

Her mother, LADY ARAMINTA

Her sister, RHIALTA

Her sister, EMPHYRIA

[goodqueenaly]

I think it's a bit of a complicated situation that may become more unstable in TWOW.

With the deaths of Ser Raymun Darry and his young son and heir Lyman in AGOT and ACOK, respectively, House Darry appears to have lost its last male-line male dynasts. The only remaining (known, living, legitimate) male-line Darrys are the late Raymun’s two sisters, Mariya (the elder) and Jeyne (the younger). Each of the Darry sisters married a Frey brother (or half-brother, technically), with Mariya marrying (the late) Merrett and Jeyne marrying (the late) Cleos. Mariya had three surviving daughters (Amerei, “Fat” Walda, and Marissa) and a son, “Little” Walder, while Jeyne had two sons, Tywin and Willem.

So when House Darry went extinct in the (legitimate) male line, and Tywin distributed Darry to his eldest nephew, Kevan sought to bolster Lancel’s claim through a quasi-Darry marriage. As the eldest child of the elder Darry daughter, Amerei had (and has) a strong claim in her own right to Darry (if, at the moment of the grant and betrothal, Amerei’s claim might have been argued to be slightly weaker, as purely a matter of male-preference primogeniture, than that of her younger brother). Jaime correctly recognized, when visiting the castle in AFFC, that “House Darry had ruled [its] lands since the Andals cast down the First Men”, and that Lances “would have an easier time of it if the peasants saw him as a continuation of the old line, holding these lands by right of marriage rather than royal decree”. Amerei was not named Lady of Darry in her own right - Tywin was far too keen on securing prizes for the Lannisters wherever he could - but her bloodline claim directly influenced her marriage to the crown’s appointed Lord of Darry.

However, with Lancel voluntarily surrendering the lordship to join the Warrior’s Sons (and leaving his bride childless), the question of the Darry succession is at best unclear. Genna Lannister offered a neat (for the Lannisters, anyway) solution, to substitute Lancel’s only surviving brother, Martyn, as Amerei’s lord husband, about as direct a transition of power from the crown’s original nominee as possible. Though Jaime countered Genna’s dynastic complaints about not receiving Darry in the first place by suggesting that Genna “write to Cersei and make your case”, Genna dismissed the idea, citing her husband’s ambition to “rule the riverlands” despite their own grant, of Riverrun, being in her opinion a “poisoned prize”. Interestingly, Genna does not nominate Cleos’ younger son, Willem, for the lordship, though as the only surviving, legitimate, eligible male of Darry blood remaining (since elder brother Tywin is set, ostensibly, to inherit Riverrun after his grandfather), Willem could, at least on paper, make a case for himself. Nor does the Darry question arise during Kevan’s last meeting with the small council (despite nearly every other political issue across Westeros being addressed, or at least noted).

So Darry, going into TWOW, has no clear heir, much less actively ruling and so-named lord (or lady). Is it possible that Amerei marries Lyle Crakehall, who consoled her as Jaime departed Darry, and Lyle claims Darry as its jure uxoris lord? Is it possible the remaining Freys at Darry are too distracted by wider circumstances to debate the problem (the antagonistic smallfolk Amerei so naively honestly reported to Jaime), perhaps even something like a second Red Wedding? Is it possible someone - like, say, the would-be King Aegon VI - distributes Darry to one of his supporters (perhaps to that bastard Darry cousin alluded to in the grant of Darry to Lancel, or at least someone who claims to be that person)? Any or none of these might be possible for Darry’s fate.

Given that she was the Lady of Darry, wouldn't Amerei technically rule the fiefdom?

I think part of that was the Lannister appointment of Lancel as the Lord of Darry in an attempt to consolidate control over the Riverlands via marriages and appointment of loyalists. Given that the authority was given through the Iron Throne's appointment of Lancel, who is disinterested, and given that the Iron Throne is about to have a whole boatload of other problems, that claim isn't very strong if Ami can't find people to enforce it.

Thanks for the question, Anon.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

[hollowwhisperings]

The Real Housewives of Westeros: Wives & Widows Frey

I saw the Joke and Ran With It. Most of these women exist as Names Only, few having much in the way of Personal Biography. I have "Made Do", when plausible, by connecting them to Each Other &/or to Better Known Characters. As their ages are generally Not Given (or are of Ridiculous Range), feel free to HC them as the Reality TV Stars of Your Choosing: my knowledge of such shows ends with their having Fun Titles & Dubious Authenticity.

CW: spoilers on canoical character deaths (TWoW excerpts included), reference to the Red Wedding ("RW"), implications of infidelity (& thus in-setting slutshaming), mentions of canonical cousin-incest (& occasional debunkings thereof), casual speculation on Theories of Varying Degrees of Crackiness (largely shoved into As Yet Unposted "Footnote" Posts but I may have Missed Some).

The (As Yet Unwidowed) Housewives of House Frey

• Lady Joyeuce Erenford of the Crossing, b. 282/283 AC (17). The 8th & current wife of Lord Walder Frey (92). Pregnant, allegedly by "Black" Walder (a great-grandson of her husband). Expectant Widow.

• Janyce Hunter, wife of Edwyn Frey (Heir Apparent of Lord Walder Frey). Mother of Walda (9~10, 2nd in line to inherit The Twins). Expectant Widow & Prospective Bride of "Black" Walder Frey (...assuming he doesn't claim his Nieces as his bastards, delegitimizing them all). Of unknown relation to the current Lord Hunter of Longbow Hall (while a Rosby-Frey does serve as that Castle's Maester, Janyce married into the Royce-Freys).

• Deana Hardyng, wife of Walton Frey (a character in Name-Only). Mother of Steffon "the Sweet" (20~40), "Fair" Walda (19/20) & Bryan (9~19, a squire). Of unknown relation to Ser Harrold Hardyng, likely an aunt or cousin.

• Lady Genna Lannister of Riverrun (55), wife of Lord Emmon Frey (RW participant). Only sister of the late Lord Tywin Lannister & a maternal figure to his 3 children. Mother of Ser Cleos (killed pre-RW), Ser Lyonel (27~32, likely RW participant), Tion (murdered pre-RW) & "Red" Walder (15, a page at Casterly Rock). Goodsister of Perriane Frey. Expectant Widow (by her own husband, no less!).

• Melesa Crakehall, wife of Ser Lyonel Frey (likely participant in the RW). Without issue. Her husband is 3rd in line to inherit Riverrun & 15th in line to inherit The Twins. Goodsister of Jeyne Darry. Of unknown relation to Shiera Crakehall (wife of Ser Damion Lannister, the current castellan of Casterly Rock), Lord Roland of Crakehall (for whom both Merrett Frey & Ser Jaime Lannister squired in their Begrudgingly Shared Childhood) or the late Lady Amarei Crakehall (3rd wife of Lord Frey). Her husband is of the Royce-Freys (the line of Lord Walder by his 1st wife, Perra Royce), Just In Case you were Worried.

• Ryella Royce, wife of Ser Arwood Frey (a Schrodinger's RW participant). Mother of Ryella (6), twins Androw & Alyn (4) & Hostella (~1). Probably a daughter of Lord Yohn Royce & thusly the "Goodsister" of Ser Mychel Redfort. Of unknown relation to the late Perra Royce and her line of Royce-Freys. Her husband is of the Crakehall-Freys, just in case you were Worried.

• Lady Lythene Frey, wife of Lord Lucias Vypren (RW participant). Mother of Elyana (19~37) & Ser Damon (18~36). Goodsister of Bellena Hawick, Betharios of Braavos, Wynafrei Whent, Lady Mariya Darry, Carolei Waynwood & Beony Beesbury. Likely RW Conspirator.

• Elyana Vypren (19~37), wife of Ser Jon Wylde (probable RW participant). Mother of Rickard (5).

• Betharios of Braavos, wife of Symond Frey (RW participant). Mother of Alesander the Singer (19~27), Alyx (18) & Bradamer (11, ward of a Braavosi merchant). Possible spymaster. Both her husband & eldest child have Disappeared: her son from the RW, alongside Olyvar & Ser Perwyn; her husband was last seen leaving White Harbour for Barrowton on a gifted palfrey*. As ever, I have Theories (noted far below, in Footnotes): notably, to me, none of her children are named for Lord Walder (a good guide on Which Freys have Ambitions, generally speaking).

• Wynafrei Whent, wife of Ser Danwell Frey (RW participant). Without issue, to the distress of them both. Of unknown relation to the Late Ladies: Sarya (5th wife of Lord Frey, one of Danwell's step-mothers), Shella (last Lady of Harrenhal), or Minisa Whent (mother of Catelyn, Lysa & Edmure Tully). She & her husband are guests at Castle Darry.

• Lady Walda Frey of the Dreadfort, b. 283/284 AC (16). Wife of Lord Roose Bolton (key engineer of the RW & Murderer of King Robb). Pregnant & Rightfully Terrified: the latest Victim in the Winterfell Murder Mysteries was her brother, "Little" Walder Frey (9), & she's been living with Ramsay Bolton. The Safety of the pregnant Lady Bolton is Motive for the Darry-Freys to "Turncloak" on their kin or, at least, Houses Bolton & Lannister. A Certain Northern Spymaster (recent escapee of the Boltons of Winterfell), may prove "Helpful" in this regard... assuming Littlefinger or an Envoy of "Aegon Targaryen" don't beat him to it.

• Beony Beesbury, wife of Ser Raymund Frey (murderer of Lady Catelyn Tully of Winterfell). Mother of Robert (17, an acolyte of the Citadel), Malwyn (16, an apprentice alchemist in Lys), the twins Serra & Sarra (15), Cersei "Little Bee" (7), & the twins Jaime & Tywin (<1). Her having "twin" sets of twins whilst living at "The Twins" likely aided in Inspiring the Ambitions of her husband & (presumably) herself. Of unknown relation to the late Jeyne Beesbury (wife of Rhaegar Frey of the Royce-Freys) or Lord Warryn Beesbury of Honeyholt.

• Leonella Lefford, wife of "Lame" Lothar Frey (key engineer of the RW). Mother of Tysane (8), Walda (5), Emberlei (3) & Leana (~1). Of unknown relation to Lady Alysanne Lefford of Golden Tooth. Goodsister of Sallei & Sylwa Paege, of Morya & Tyta "the Maid" Frey. Her involvement in her husband's [war crimes] is Unspecified but she does have a daughter named "Walda".

• Sallei Paege, wife of Ser Jammos Frey (RW participant). Mother of "Big" Walder (9) & the twins Dickon & Mathis (6). Likely a sister of Sylwa Paege (entry below Sallei's though I suspect Sylwa is the elder of the two). Of unknown relation to Ser Halmon (last known Head of House Paege) or Ser Robert (friend of Edmure Tully) Paege.

• Sylwa Paege, wife of Ser Whalen Frey (RW participant). Mother of Hoster (13) & "Merry" Frey (12). Likely a sister of Sallei.

• Morya Frey, wife of Ser Flement Brax (RW participant). Mother of Robert (10), Walder (7) & Jon (4).

• Roslin Frey (18), wife of Edmure Tully. Traumatised Bride of The RW. Currently a Pregnant Hostage of the Lannister-Freys of Riverrun. Goodsister of the late Ladies Stark & Arryn. Part of the Conditions for Ser Jaime's success in lifting the Siege of Riverrun was the Safe Reunion of Edmure & Roslin... as hostages in Casterly Rock (after she gives birth). Known to pray for a girl (lest a son get Immediately Murdered).

• The Schrodinger's Mother of Walder Haigh, presumably the living wife of Ser Harys Haigh (RW participant). "Exists" due to Walder (5) being of Legitimate birth; does not Exist due to her lacking any indication whatsoever of being Alive (or Dead).

The (Current) Widows Frey

• Mylenda Caron, b. 258~266 AC (34~42). Widow of Petyr Frey (RW participant). Mother of Perra Frey (6), 4th in line to inherit The Twins. Prospective bride of "Black" Walder, assuming he doesn't wed her Goodsister, delegitimize both their children (& their mothers with them) or, y'know, just Kills Them All (a fear of Edwyn Frey's). Potential claimant to Nightsong, where a Ser Rolland Storm is Lord (by the decree of King Stannis, due to the deaths of his Lord Father & legitimate half-brother) though their exact relation is unknown.

• Jeyne Darry, widow of Ser Cleos Frey (killed prior to the RW). Mother of "Ty" (12, heir of Riverrun), & Willem (10, a page at Ashemark). Goodsister of Melessa Crakehall (wife of Ser Lyonel of the Royce-Freys) & the Crakehall-Freys (children of Lord Walder by the late Amarei Crakehall, her relation to Melessa being unknown) through her elder sister, Lady Mariya Darry. Resents being "displaced" in the inheritance of Castle Darry (despite her rather comfortable position as the Future Regent of Riverrun).

• Perriane Frey (50's), widow of Ser Leslyn Haigh (RW participant). Eldest daughter of Lord Walder (by the late Perra Royce). Mother of Ser Harys (17~49), Ser Donnel (16~48) & Alyn (9~47, a squire). At least 2 of her sons participated in the RW. 22nd in line for The Twins. The relation of Lord Yohn Royce to the late Perra Royce (& thus the Royce-Freys) is unspecified.

• Zhoe Blanetree, widow of Ser Tytos Frey (killed outside the RW). Mother of Zia (15) & Zachery (13, student at the Sept of Oldtown). Goodsister of Kyra Frey.

• Kyra Frey (30-40's), widow of Ser Garse Goodbrook (RW participant). Daughter of Ser Jared Frey by his cousin, the late Alys Frey. Mother of Walder (10) & Jeyne (7).

• Bellena Hawick, widow of Ser Hosteen Frey (RW participant, killed in TWoW?). Mother of Ser Arwood (18~40). Goodsister of the Crakehall-Freys. Probable guest at Castle Darry.

• Lady Mariya Darry. Widow of Merrett Frey (RW participant). Mother of "Gatehouse" Ami (18), "Fat" Walda (17), Marissa (15) & the late "Little" Walder Frey (9). She & her children are Directly Responsible for my gaining An Interest in the Intrigues of the Frey Civil War.

• Lady Amerei Frey of Castle Darry (18). Eldest daughter of Lady Mariya Darry by the late Merrett Frey (RW participant). Twice-married & newly single, whomever wins Ami's Hand in Matrimony shall have Lordship (of Castle Darry). Her Loyalties & Tracts of Land are Actually Rather Important**, plot-wise.

• Carolei Waynwood, widow of Ser Geremy Frey ("drowned"). Mother of Sandor (14, a squire) & Cynthea (9, a ward at Iron Oaks). Probably a daughter of Lady Anya Waynwood, given her children's places within Lady Waynwood's Household. Both children are in attendance for the upcoming Tourney of the Winged Brotherhood at the Gates of the Moon (held for Lord Robert Arryn by the suggestion of "Alayne Stone"). If she yet lives, Carolei is likely sheltering with her Goodsisters at Castle Darry.

• Jyana Frey, widow of her cousin Ser Benfrey Frey (RW participant). Mother of "Deaf" Della (4) & Osmund (3). Goodsister of Roslin Frey.

Footnotes (links to Elaborated Tinhattery)

*Betharios of Norvos & Frey Pies: "They Were Ahorse". [Post upcoming].

**"Gatehouse Ami" & the Gate Next Door: How Wooing Darry Could Win Conquest of Westeros. [Post upcoming].

[thebluelemontree]

Hi!!! love you blog!!! I am re-reading AFFC and it's look like GRRM is foreshadowing and setting up a showdown btween Sandor and Sir Lyle crackhall. Do you think they both you met in TWOW?

Hi and thank you!!! Um... Respectfully, my friend, no. I don’t think that’s what’s happening.  

I don’t think Ser Lyle’s (Strongboar’s) statements are a foreshadowing to a confrontation with the real Sandor Clegane anymore than Ser Tanton’s. Well, first of all, Sandor’s story doesn’t have any relevance to Lyle Crakehall. There’s no backstory between them. No conflict to resolve. Strongboar is in it purely for the glory-seeking. Hell, he even wanted a crack at The Blackfish. Hunting notorious outlaws is a means of earning honors and rewards for warriors not currently serving in military campaigns. There’s nothing that feels like his declared intentions have raised the stakes for Sandor in any way. This is a subplot of a subplot involving a tertiary character, which IMO, doesn’t feel like it fits with a redeemed Sandor’s return to the story. But even more than that, there are far better reasons to speculate that Lyle is destined to meet someone else instead.    

The biggest sought after fish in the region are Dondarrion, Thoros of Myr, the BwB, and the “Mad Dog of the Saltpans.” Rumor has it that all of these guys are in league with each other, which is not true at all, but this belief will be important later. It’s also important to note why this rumor was perpetuated:

"If [Sandor Clegane] is with Dondarrion . . . ?"

"He's not. Alyn is certain of that. Dondarrion's men are looking for him too. They have put out word that they mean to hang him for what he did at Saltpans. They had no part of that. Lord Randyll is putting it about that they did in hopes of turning the commons against Beric and his brotherhood. He will never take the lightning lord so long as the smallfolk are protecting him. -- Brienne V, AFFC. 

There are grains of truth but a lot of deliberate misinformation going around. Despite word of Dondarrion being killed by the Mountain, he’s still credited with leading assaults on anyone harming the smallfolk even well after he’s permanently dead. The BwB since broke into two factions, and one is now being led by Lady Stoneheart. Rumors of The Hangwoman, The Silent Sister, and Mother Merciless are just starting to enter the mix with their own partial truths. What matters is that the general consensus is that if you rout out the BwB, you find all the outlaw leaders, including Sandor Clegane. 

Of course, Sandor isn’t responsible for the Saltpans massacre. He was misidentified when Rorge stole the Hound’s helm from the cairn. Brienne killed Rorge at the inn at the crossroads while defending the orphans, but the true identity of the one responsible for the massacre is not yet common knowledge outside of the BwB. The Hounds helm found a new owner in Lem “Lemoncloak” of Stoneheart’s band.

"There is nothing good about that helm, nor the men who wore it," said the red priest. "Sandor Clegane was a man in torment, and Rorge a beast in human skin."

"I'm not them.”

"Then why show the world their face? Savage, snarling, twisted . . . is that who you would be, Lem?" 

"The sight of it will make my foes afraid."

"The sight of it makes me afraid." -- Brienne VIII, AFFC. 

Considering that Sandor is believed to be with the BwB, what do you think the chances are that Lem is being set up to be misidentified as the “Mad Dog of the Saltpans” in the very near future? The answer is high, very high. 

To trace Lem’s link to Strongboar, we need to back up a bit to the ASOS Epilogue and the hanging of Merritt Frey near Old Stones. The BwB lured Merritt under the pretense of ransoming his nephew, Petyr Pimple. It ends with the reveal of Lady Stoneheart, her confirming Merritt was a participant in the Red Wedding and Merritt’s hanging. Guess who is holding the other end of the noose when he’s strung up? Lem, identified as a man in a yellow cloak.  

Fast forward to Feast when Jaime has dinner with Lady Mariya (Merritt’s widow) and Lady Amerei Frey (Merritt’s daughter) who is now married to Lancel Lannister at Castle Darry. They have a long conversation about who killed Merritt, the Saltpans massacre, and the whereabouts of the BwB.  

[Jaime] turned back to Lady Mariya. "The outlaws who killed your husband . . . was it Lord Beric's band?"

"So we thought, at first." Though Lady Mariya's hair was streaked with grey, she was still a handsome woman. "The killers scattered when they left Oldstones. Lord Vypren tracked one band to Fairmarket, but lost them there. Black Walder led hounds and hunters into Hag's Mire after the others. The peasants denied seeing them, but when questioned sharply they sang a different song. They spoke of a one-eyed man and another who wore a yellow cloak . . and a woman, cloaked and hooded." -- Jaime IV, AFFC.

Guess who is also sitting at the table? Lyle Crakehall, who will now be on the lookout for the man in the yellow cloak. Surely, if/when he does see this man, he’ll also be wearing the Hound’s helm. 

Strongboar filled his cup again. "Lady Mariya, Lady Amerei, your distress has moved me. You have my word, once Riverrun has fallen I shall return to hunt down the Hound and kill him for you. Dogs do not frighten me." 

This one should. Both men were large and powerful, but Sandor Clegane was much quicker, and fought with a savagery that Lyle Crakehall could not hope to match.

Lady Amerei was thrilled, however. "You are a true knight, Ser Lyle, to help a lady in distress." -- Jaime IV, AFFC.

And uh, Strongboar might have also thought to sweeten the victory a bit because Amerei has a bit of a reputation and he’s seen her flirting with Jaime across the table as she asked him to hunt the outlaws. As Aunt Genna says “you know why they call her Gatehouse Ami? She raises her portcullis for every knight who happens by.”

Then later after Riverrun is sorted out:

Strongboar was the next to depart. He wanted to return to Darry as he'd promised and fight the outlaws. "We rode across half the bloody realm and for what? So you could make Edmure Tully piss his breeches? There's no song in that. I need a fight. I want the Hound, Jaime. Him, or the marcher lord."

"The Hound's head is yours if you can take it," Jaime said, "but Beric Dondarrion is to be captured alive, so he can be brought back to King's Landing. A thousand people need to see him die, or else he won't stay dead." Strongboar grumbled at that, but finally agreed. -- Jaime VII, AFFC. 

Darry’s ownership is currently in limbo since Lancel renounced his lordship and unconsummated marriage to Amerei so he could join the Warrior’s Sons. Genna speculates that Kevan will marry his other son, Martyn, to Amerei instead and claim Darry. But it is worth considering that a second son like Ser Lyle might then hope to wed Amerei himself and gain the lordship of Darry Castle in his own right. What better way to do that than by doing what Lancel could not? He isn’t allowed to kill Beric, but it’s open season on the Hound and he swore as a knight that he would avenge Merrit’s murder by killing the Hound for Mariya and Amerei.   

So where is Lem right now?  He has to be still around the outskirts of the Fairmarket area since that’s where he was last seen attempting to hang Brienne, Hyle, and Podrick. Brienne then shows up at Pennytree, just west of Fairmarket, where she reunites with Jaime, supposedly to lead him back to Stoneheart and the BwB. Brienne tells Jaime that the Hound has Sansa and that they are located not too far away. "A day's ride. I can take you to her, ser … but you will need to come alone. Elsewise, the Hound will kill her." There were two guards present to witness their exchange. 

Darry is half a day’s ride south of the Trident. If Strongboar is in Darry in TWOW, he will probably head north from there after word gets around that Jaime Lannister has gone missing (my guess) while riding out to meet the Hound, his quarry. That would be some powerful motivation to ride fast and headlong into BwB controlled territory, where he would see the man in a yellow cloak with a Hound’s helm. Who would win in that fight? No idea.  Maybe one dies, or both. I could definitely see Ser Lyle looking upon the unburned face of a nobody under the helm and realizing he didn’t bag the big prize he desperately wanted all. 

[game-of-style]

House Darry - Ashi Studio Fall 2018

House Darry was historically more prominent before Robert’s Rebellion, fighting for the Targaryens to the bitter end which cost them many lives and most of their lands and wealth. Ser Willam Darry was the one who smuggled Viserys and the newborn Daenerys across to Braavos after Aerys’ death. The last male heir to House Darry, an eight year old boy was slain by Gregor Clegane and his mercenaries thus making Amarei Frey, the daughter of Mariya Darry and soon-to-be wife of Lancel Lannister its heir.