House Frey (The Seven Kingdoms)

"House Frey... What do people think when they hear those words? Do they think of our own words 'We Stand Together'? No, no they do not.

The smallfolk? They think of the Twins and the tolls we charge them to pass. They think of the tax collector coming for the toll on the land they till. They think of the banners as their sons leave for war. They think of the field they sow in our name, and the harvest that follows. They think of the aid we shall give them should the next winter be a harsh one.

The lords and knights of this realm? They think of the Twins aye, but they also think of the lands we now control. Of those we crushed and served to extend our borders to where they are. They think of their own borders and land they took from Riverlords centuries ago. They think of the Starks, for all those long years we served them. And now... well... Now they will think of the Darklyns, about how we pushed that once noble and ambitious House into the north we once called liege.

And what do I think? I think of all we have done, of all we have achieved. Oldstones was rebuilt generations ago. The great curtain walls of the Kings of the Trident stand tall as they once did, and before them lays a throng of people which grows larger with every passing year. I think of the Hoares, the Durrandons, the Teagues, the Justmans, the Fishers and the Mudds. I think of them and assure myself, House Frey will join their ranks as Lords of the Rivermen."

- Lord Paramount Perwyn Frey, Master of laws to High King Gyles of The Realm.

House Frey
The Frey's are not an old house, a mere 300 years has passed since their founding. Though they are not a weak house, they do not lack wealth, men or land. This is made possible by their formidable home The Twins, two identical castles on either side of the Green Fork river connected by the largest bridge in the realm, the only crossing point of the Green Fork for over a hundred leagues in either direction. Naturally travelers, merchants, nobles and whoever else had business on either side of the river came to the Twins to cross, and naturally the Frey's took their due. Over 300 years the tolls added up, and soon the Frey's were the richest Lords in the Tridant, if not the most popular or the most respected. But it mattered not, they had their bridge, their castles and they had their gold.

They have had enemies certainly, the occasional squabble with the more established Mallisters, Blackwoods, Brackens and whoever else in the Tridant had issue with the so called 'upstarts'. But none were so constant a thorn in the side of Lords of the Crossing than the bog-men of the Neck. The Reeds and their savage kinsman have exacted a toll of their own on the Frey's, and not one of gold.

Being Riverlords the Frey's have known Kings come and go. First it was the Durrandon Storm Kings, a boisterous and arrogant lot who had conquered the Tridant from the Teagues, the last true King in the Riverlands. Then it was the Hoare Iron Kings, slave drivers and even more arrogant than the Durrandons ever were. The Hoares have ruled for 100 years, and in that time the Frey's have begrudgingly been loyal and stalwart bannermen. Well... as loyal and stalwart as a Frey can be.

Lord Manfryd of the Twins
Lord Manfryd Frey, the fool of the Crossing. Only born child of Lord Walder Frey, Manfryd himself has three trueborn children, the boy Patrek, the boy Petyr and the girl Melessa when he came into his fathers holdings.

A year after taking his birthright, Lord Manfryd arranged both a betrothal between Melessa Frey and Perkin Brune, firstborn son of Lord Godry Brune and heir of Dyre Den. Shortly after arranging a marriage between his own firstborn son Patrek Frey and Brella Crabb, daughter of Lord Gendry Crabb of the Whispers.

The marriage alliance with House Crabb would not last long though, as the Brunes of Dyre Den conquered the Whispers, resulting in the Twins becoming the refuge of most of the surviving Crabbs. Lady Brella Crabb would also around this time come into ownership of Crab's Pincer, the Valyrian Steel axe.

These politcal moves though, were soon overshadowed by Manfryd's fateful decision to press his (under close inspection clearly fabricated) claim on Seagard. Iron King Harren 'The Black' Hoare ordered Manfryd to stand down in short order, a command Manfryd foolishly refused to honour in his quest for power.

Predictably, the Frey army was wiped out in the field affter a failed assault on Seaguard and Lord Manfryd was imprisoned by the Iron King. Manfryd was stripped of the over-lordship of the Crossing and swiftly executed, leaving the young Patrek Frey the Lord of the Twins and little else.

Lord Patrek of the Twins
Trueborn son of Lord Manfryd Frey. Patrek Frey had yet to produce a child with his wife Brella Crabb by the time of his ascension to the Lord of the Twins, but not the Crossing. Languishing as Lord of the Twins under his new Overlord Lord Jonos Charlton of Mistlewood, Lord Patrek Frey focused his early reign on restoring the prestige of House Frey after the disastrous rule of his lord father. This is agreed as the time in which Lord Patrek became an avid hunter and falconer alongside his lady wife, earning him some measure of respect that would eventually mark him different from his father.

For 7 years Lord Patrek loyally served Lord Jonos Charlton until one day the chamberlain of Lord Jonos dishonoured Lady Brella in the most flagrant manner. Seeking recompense, Lord Patrek petitioned Lord Jonos but was refused. His tempter flared, Lord Patrek chose this as the time to prove his loyalty to House Hoare so that he might be allowed to claim his birthright again and punish the new Lord of the Crossing.

Travelling to Harrenhal, Lord Patrek was made to kiss the ring of Iron King Harren 'The Black' Hoare, a small price to pay to be sure, but for a zealous and wroth man such as Patrek, something not done lightly.

Thus granted permission, Lord Patrek returned to the Twins and called his banners, marshaling an army of some 4000 against the meager 1000 of Lord Charlton. What followed was short, brutal and a clear message to the other Riverlords. Besieging and assaulting Mistlewood, the castle fell in short order and Lord Jonos was forced to surrender the Crossing to its rightful owners. Lord Jonos was then forced to return to his cell naked before being released and allowed to retain his castle, but he would not be allowed at court for the rest of his days.

The true price of his birthright though, was revealed. Lord Patrek's then only child, the girl Joyeuse, would be betrothed to a Hoare, without options of a different partner of Frey's choosing.

This would be compounded by the birth of a second daughter, the girl Della. During this time, Lord Patrek was especially careful, lest his house become little more than a Cadet branch of House Hoare.

Finally though, a son was born, the unfortunately ugly boy Colmar, followed by Walder and finally by Madden.

Then Harren 'The Black' died, leaving his depressed son Harwyn Hoare as the Iron King. He did not last long before he died of mourning, the exact cause unknown, leaving the babe Unella as Queen of the Tridant. But not of the Iron Islands, who elected their own King.

Seeing an opportunity, Lord Triston of Duskendale declared himself King of the Shadowlands and raised his banners for a fight of independence. The war would have been short, were it not for the Starks, who chose to come south to aid the Darklyn's under the pretense of claiming Freylands for the Reeds.

Finally having enough of the troubles of the Tridant, Lord Patrek declared his own war of Inependence as the Kings of the Vale, Rock and Stormlands all descended on the Tridant to carve it among themselves. Lord Patrek insisted his adamant in not being subject to this carving. The war was possibly the easiest for both sides among the various wars, simply being a prolonged siege of Seagard. The siege was not completed by the time Queen Unella's regents cut their losses with the Freylands and declared a White Peace so that they could focus on the bigger wars.

And so, for the first time the Frey's had no Lords. And this left them weak, open. Lord Patrek has a few options. He could bend the Knee to the Arryn's, fellow Andals and followers of the Seven, but they would just leave them open to the Bog-men. So, biting his pride and his seething hatred for the followers of the Old Gods, Lord Patrek bent the knee to the Starks of Winterfell.

To say the North was stable compared to the Riverlands would be like saying a castle was stable compared to a wattle and daub house built by the town drunk and supervised by the local idiot.

Isolated by being South of the Neck, House Frey carried on as it had done for centuries, charging tolls of travelers and steadily producing heir after heir. And Lord Patrek busied himself with ensuring this remained so by both keeping out of all dealings in the Riverlands at large and by fending off the occasional Ironborn raid, as they were no longer in the same realm and now open to the Ironborn to reave to their salt filled hearts content.

This changed, however, when several Riverlords declared a war of independence, likely following the example of the aging Darklyn who now styled himself as "King of the Shadowlands". A pompous title if ever there was one, for the Shadowland Kings of old were oft defeated and ruled the very same Clawmen King Triston now called his vassals.

Seeing an opportunity, Lord Patrek Frey of the Crossing, with permission of the King in the North, marched on Seagard to lay claim to a number of towns and holdfasts formally sworn to the Mallisters. Unlike the previous attempt of the Frey's to expand, this war was a success, as the resolution of the siege brought these holdings into the fold of the Crossing, though not Seagard itself.

It was not long after that the Ironborn crushed the independence movement and peace returned. At least until King Lyman of the Rock decided he was an exemplar of the Faith of the Seven and declared holy war on the Hoares, a war the Frey's took no part in.

Lord Patrek II of the Twins
Truebon son of Colmar Frey, son of Lord Patrek Frey. Lord Patrek ascended to the Twins at the tender age of six, then under the guardianship of King Brandon 'the Old' Stark along with his betrothed, Princess Jonelle Stark of Winterfell (Following King Brandon's death the two would continue the same arragement under Queen Lyessa 'the Blessed' Stark) Patrek Frey was an unassuming man, prone to illness and wallowed in depression for some fifteen years until his death when his wife gave birth to a stillborn daughter.

Achieving little in his reign besides amassing the wealth necessary to begin the grand reconstruction of the ancient capital of the Riverlands, Oldstones, Lord Patrek was nevertheless devoted to Queen Lyessa and followed her to battle. Following her death at the hands of the vile Pirate who thought himself Emperor, Lor Patrek became devoted to a similar fashion to her heir, Queen Jeyne 'the She-Wolf' Stark, culminating in being named the designated regent of the North (Though this was more due to loyalty to the Starks than competence).

Patrek Frey's greatest achievements, however, were his children. While his first born, the girl Amyra, would show little aptitude similar to her father, his son would become a fearsome warrior and leader of men, while his other three daughters would become great diplomats and "persuaders".

Lord Patrek accompanied both Queen's of the North in the War of the Dawn, along with joining the Frey host with the Stark host during the War of Five Kings and participating in the Battle of Riverrun, the largest battle in recorded Westerosi history with some hundred thousand combatants, a third of whom would die that day. The Frey host was however decimated in the assault on Riverrun itself, as they formed the disastrous vanguard and lost many lives.

Lord Patrek the second died of the illness that often plagued him at the age of forty one, leaving the Twins to his son, Patrek Frey III

Lord Patrek III of the Crossing, Seagard and Oldstones
Trueborn son of Lord Patrek II of the Twins. Patrek Frey ascended to the Twins at the age of 21 following the passing of his father, Patrek Frey. Lord Patrek has of yet done little of note besides father two trueborn sons, the boy Patrek and the boy Rormund, with his wife Lady Donella Stark, and a natural born son, the boy Narbert, with Ravella Rivers.

Lord Patrek is also widely known to be fiercely loyal to both the Queen Jeyne 'the She-Wolf' and her firstborn daughter and heir, Princess Bellena Stark.

During his reign, the Gardener Kings of the Reach have begun unifying Westeros through acts of marriage, intimidation and the petty theft of kingdoms.

Patrek Frey III died of a poor constitution inherited from his Lord father, leaving his son Patrek Frey as the new Lord of the Twins, Seagard and Oldstones.

Lord Patrek IV of the Crossing, Seagard and Oldstones
Trueborn son of Lord Patrek III of the Twins. Patrek Frey ascended to the Twins at the age of 24 following the passing of his father, Patrek Frey. Father to three trueborn children by his wife, the lady Lacey Stark. The girl Walda, the boy Patrek, and the boy Lewys. Known to be ruthless in his manner of doing things and zealously loyal to the faith of his forefathers, the Holy Seven. Lord Patrek IV is a far cry from the devotedly loyal Patrek II and Patrek III, for he is known to detest the faith of the Queen Bellena 'The Tickler' Stark.

Lord Patrek has however fostered close familiar relations with the Starks of Raventree Hall, marrying several of his relatives into the Stark cadet branch. Due to this alliance, the levies of the Freys have fought beside those of the former Blackwood holdings on three seperate occasions during Patrek IV's as of yet short reign.

It was during his reign that the mighty Wall fell mysteriously and shockingly. However, with the War of the Dawn fought, there are naught but men in that frozen wasteland, naught but ragged and ill disciplined rabble. What are more concerning, are the hordes of southerners loyal to the Gardener Kings of the South, who would surely not look kindly on those loyal Stark Bannermen.

These concerns proved unfounded, however. For after the Queen Bellena 'The Tickler' Stark passed of a sickness that plagued her for some weeks, her daughter, Lyanna Stark. The Stark woman, convinced of her cause as soon as she came into her crown, buried the crown of winter with her mother. Before long she declared a cut in taxation to all Lords of the North, a move that prove popular. However her second announcement less so, the North would bend the knee to the Flower Kings of the South.

Despite protests from Patrek IV and the Starks of Raventree Hall, the Lady Lyanna's mind was made up. Travelling south with all her lords, she bent the knee to the Flower King and let the man kill the last White Walker of legend south of what remained of the Wall.

With their new fealty to the Kings of the South (Soon renamed to the Kingdom of Westeros, though it lacked the lands beyond what remained of the wall), Patrek IV returned to his lands and continued the grand project of three generations of House Frey, the reconstruction of Oldstones (where earlier in his reign, the old tomb of the last Mudd King was found and by happenstance, still contained his crown. Patrek IV had taken to wearing the crown, as his right as Lord of Oldstones).

A winter following the submission of the North, the Lady Lacey Stark, wife to Patrek IV, died of a fever. He mourned little for the Stark girl he loved little. And it was not long before he took a second wife, the Reyne girl Elenya (The Reynes had inherited Lordship of the Westerlands after the extinction of the main Lannister Line). Though the girl was known to have little beauty and generous in weight beyond what was accepted, Lord Patrek was said to adore his "Little Lion" very much, the name a reference to the difference in age between them of some twenty years. The same year of their marriage, the lady Elenya gave birth to a healthy boy, who was to be also named Patrek, despite having a brother of the same name who had fathered only girls.

Then in the long summer, Oldstones was finally completed. With much pomp and celebrating from House Frey, the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Rivers and Hills was restored to its once formidable state, becoming at once second only to Harrenhal in the former lands of the Trident.

However it was around this time that lord Patrek grew tired of his alliance with the Starks of Raventree Hall. Despite marrying his daughter to the Stark heir, he made several disruptions. Claiming Wycombe to be his by right and beginning an extensive program of construction in the hopes of rivaling his by now powerful neighbor to the south who held the former lands of the Blackwoods, the Tullys, and the Brackens along with much of the eastern side of the Green Fork.

Back in the Twins though, the increasing population due to the building program resulted in a new town forming along the western bank of the Green Fork river, less than a league from the Twins. Financed by Lord Patrek, the new town was named Hampole.

Lord Patrek IV was not to see the prosperity that this brought, for an old wound he had taken during a jousting accident. Despite the Maestors attention, it festered and reportedly oozed puss. A year of agony later, Patrek IV passed from the world with his "little lion" at his side (Who, despite seeing a man behind his back, still held a dear place in his heart). Leaving the way clear for his son, Patrek V Frey.

Lord Patrek V of the Crossing, Seagard and Oldstones
Trueborn son of Lord Patrek IV of the Twins. Patrek Frey ascended to the Twins at the age of 36 following the passing of his father, Patrek Frey. Father to six trueborn children by his wife, the lady Zia Greyjoy. The girl Eldacey, the girl Harra, the girl Ilyse, the girl Bess, the girl Sarra and the boy Patrek.

At first an ambitious man who mellowed in his elder days thanks to the influence of his loving wife, Zia Greyjoy. Lord Patrek was near the polar opposite of his Lord father, being just where he was ruthless, tolerant where his father was zealous.

During his reign, the Darklyns of the Dunn Fort made their final ambitions against the Hoares known, and pressed them for their seat at Harrenhal. Deciding the former overlords of the Riverlands had suffered enough, Lord Patrek V made his objections and was close to marshaling the Frey forces before Lady Lyanna Stark declared for the Darklyns.

Declaring his hatred to the Brunes and Darklyns, Lord Patrek returned to peaceful rule of the Frey lands. Furthering the alliance with the Blackwood Starks by the marriage of his young sister to the Stark heir (Though by now the two houses were so closely linked there were serious risks of inbreeding.).

Following the death of his wife Zia Greyjoy, Lord Patrek fell into a depression and drinking, eventually drinking himself to death in the process and joining his love in the afterlife.

Lord Patrek VI of the Crossing, Seagard and Oldstones. Marshall of the Southern Marches
Trueborn son of Lord Patrek V of the Twins. Patrek Frey ascended to the Twins at the age of 14 following the passing of his father, Patrek Frey. Unmarried at his ascension, Lord Patrek was fostered at Casterly Rock for two years under Lord Tywin Reyne. Leaving the Twins in the care of his aunt, the baseborn daughter of Patrek IV Eleyne Snow.

Near polar opposite to his father, Patrek VI was known to be ruthless like his grandfather and a prodigy in many things, primarily warfare. He was also content in his place and a wroth man who made a dangerous enemy and a firm friend.

The Starks of Blackwood forgot this during their rebellion. Though the Twins were at first open to them on their way to White Harbor, when Lady Sansa Stark declared them traitors, the Twins were closed to them. Not deterred, Harrion Stark, Lord Freys cousin, lay siege to his kins holdings, trying to force him into joining the rebellion.

Staying true to the liege lords who had given them Seagard and security, Lord Patrek declared for Lady Sansa and marshaled his forces when the Blackwood Starks retreated to consolidate their forces. With some 15,000 men behind him, Lord Patrek VI joined the true Stark host and marched south. In what would become known as the Second Massacre at Riverrun, the site of the greatest battle Westeros had ever seen during the War of Five Kings and the last great hurrah of the independent North, Lord Patrek lead the vanguard, eager to prove his loyalty. Fighting alongside his men and wearing the old Mudd crown, Lord Frey and his men crashed into the traitors lines, leaving many more dead on the enemy side than his own.

After the routing of the Blackwood host, Lord Patrek settled down to siege his cousin out of Riverrun, neither he nor Lady Sansa wanting a retread of the infamous assault on Riverrun those decades before.

Elsewhere the war progressed, the Vale (who had declared for the Blackwood Starks) retreated back to the Bloody Gate and the Braavosi (paid mercenaries) returned to their Essosi lands when payments stopped. The only ally remaining to the traitors were the Hightowers, who were routed at Pyke. With the Darklyns, Starks and Freys besieging vital lands, the Blackwood Starks finally surrendered.

Stripped of his lands, Harrion Stark was exiled and his lands divided. All lands east of the Green Fork were granted to House Frey, for their devoted loyalty. Now they were one again the most powerful vassal of the North, and the second most powerful in the Riverlands behind the Darklyns.

In recognition for his new position as the paramount Northern power South of the Neck, Lord Patrek VI was formally instated with the title Marshall of the Southern Marches.

Along with this new title, came legal right to all Northern lands South of the Neck. Marshaling the men of the Freylands once again, Lord Patrek VI subdued the formerly rebellious lords of Raventree Hall, Riverrun and Stone Hedge. Following a short but bloody war, the Freys now controlled all lands sworn to the Starks of Winterfell South of the Neck, and rivaled the Darklyns for power in what was once the Trident.

Marshall Patrek VI Frey also took the lady Lyanna Stark, daughter of the Lady Sansa, as his wife following his victory. Eventually having five sons. The boy Patrek, the boy Geremy, the boy Hosteen, the boy Thaddeus and the boy Bryan.

It was not the end of conflict however, for soon the Darklyns would propose to the Arryns of the Eyrie a payment for the lands of Darry, which had been claimed and taken by the Waxley's of Wickenden along with the town of Saltpans. Not wishing the Darklyns to gain even more power, Patrek VI matched and exceeded the offered price. It was for naught however, as the Arryns would not part with any of their lands. All that was achieved, was a resumed bitterness between the only two remaining Riverlord Houses in Westeros.

It was around this time, that Lady Sansa Stark, the second Lady of the North, passed peacefully in her sleep and was entombed with reverence in the great crypt of Winterfell. Her eldest daughter having passed from the Great Plague some years before, the North passed to her grandson, Lord Jonos Stark.

Not long into his rein, Lord Jonos set out on a journey across the Narrow Sea to search for ancient lore concerning the Dragon Egg his Lady Grandmother had managed to procure. However, either owing to the ineptitude of his captain or a general sense of misdirection from everyone on board the vessel, Lord Stark was absent for several years, leaving control of the North in the hands of Marshall Patrek VI and the new Lord Hothor of White Harbor (With whom the Freys were allied and had assisted in their failed attempt to wrest lands from the Hornwoods).

It was during this time of stewardship that Marshall Patrek VI approached his hated Darklyn neighbors with the offer of purchasing a few nearby villages and towns for generous sums of golden crowns. The effort was unsuccessful but a vulgar if accurate remark to the new Lord Brune about the suicide of his mother prompted a duel. A duel Marshall Patrek promptly won and threw the Lord Brune from the highest tower of Harrenhal castle.

Eventually, after several years, Lord Jonos returned from his far flung voyage and resumed control of his own realm. And then the Lord Stark did what no one thought possible and few even believed.

He hatched a Dragon.

The news was the talk of the entire realm of Westeros for several years, many Lord came to visit to see the newborn dragon of myth. Including the Lady Darklyn and the new Lord Brune, though an incident was avoided somehow.

A year following the hatching, Marshall Patrek Frey, sixth of his name, passed from the world at the age of thirty eight from poor health, similar to that of the second and third of his name. In his place he left his eldest son, Patrek Frey, seventh of his name.

Lord Patrek VII of the Crossing, Seagard and Oldstones. Marshall of the Southern Marches
Trueborn son of Marshall Patrek VI of the Twins. Patrek Frey ascended to the Twins at the age of sixteen following the passing of his father, Patrek Frey. Unmarried at his ascension, Marshall Patrek quickly arranged a marriage to Lady Alyssa Umber of Last Hearth, soon fathering the boy Patrek. Resuming the post his father held as Master at Arms of Winterfell soon after his ascension. Patrek VII was known to be a genius like his father, though surpassed him military matters and was an able duelist. Similar to his Lord father, Patrek VII was Ruthless, wroth and brave. Though he was also ambitious where his father was content, and cruel where his father was neutral.

Like several of his forefathers, Patrek VII has fostered a close relationship with members of House Stark, mot notably the son of Lord Jonos Stark, Brandon Stark, with the two nigh inseparable in the halls of Winterfell, often referring to each other as brother.

A year following his ascension, Lord Jonos Stark did yet another unthinkable thing.

He learnt to ride his dragon.

Things were not well in the rest of the Kingdom of Westeros, though, for the King Alester (formerly known as 'the noble' though now known as 'the mad king') arrested and maimed the Lord Durrandon for little more than being a competent Hand of the King.

In response, the Lords Stark, Darklyn and the Braavosi declared that King Alester must renounce his throne to allow his son, the boy Marq, to inherit. This only fueled the chaos, as the Mad King thought the new Lord Durrandon was the true traitor and had him seized, beginning the war that would become known as 'the Stag's defiance'. With the North, Dusklands, Stormlands and lands of Braavos against the loyalists of the Reach and the Vale.

The first and only grand battle of the war was fought at the Bloody Gate, the infamous entrance to the Vale of Arryn which had never been breached. Upon that ancient fortifaction, a combined army of some sixty thousand Northmen, Rivermen and Clawman smashed against some thirty thousand Valemen. The Dusklands host was the first to engage and struggled to progress until the Northern host arrived. At their head the Lord Jonos Stark atop his dragon. Thousands burned or were cut down as they fled, the Lord of the Vale himself, the so called 'knight of kisses' burned along with the cream of his nobility. The day won, the rebel armies marched south towards the Reach, confident after knocking the Vale of Arryn out of the war.

However tragedy struck. For not long after the victory at the Bloody Gate, Lord Jonos died suddenly. Few know what caused it, and whispers abound of murder and assassination. All that is certain however, is that the Northern host returned back to their homeland under their new Lord, the just Lord Brandon Stark.

The war continued, though the North payed no part and only ended when the Mad King himself died of his wounds. But for the North and the Freylands there was peace, no matter the arguments of his friend Marshall Patrek.

The realm once again at peace under the new Kingship of the boy Marq, a tourney was held in the Reach to allow the various Lords to set aside the hostilities of the civil war. Some though, saw it as an opportunity to act on hostility.

Lord Patrek, seventh of his name, Lord of the Crossing, Seagard and Oldstones, Marshall of the Southern Marches, was murdered by the Brunes of Harrenhal during the tourney of Highgarden.

Lord Patrek VIII of the Crossing, Seagard and Oldstones. Marshall of the Southern Marches
Trueborn son of Marshall Patrek VII of the Twins. Patrek Frey ascended to the Twins at the age of three after the murder of his father, Patrek Frey. Being a mere child at his ascension, a regent ruled in his stead. At the age of six, Patrek Frey was sent to foster with his fathers close friend and cousin, the Lord Brandon Stark. Growing into manhood, Patrek grew in to a just, gregarious and charitable man. Though he was also wroth like his father and known for being quick and skilled at lying. He was known to be a genius like his father and grandfather before him, though focusing on diplomatic pursuits more than military ones. The young Patrek however also grew to become a great warrior, surpassing any and all of his forefather in his skill with the axe Crab's Pincer, ancestral weapon of House Frey.

At the age of fourteen, Thaddeus Frey, uncle of Lord Patrek Frey, became regent of the Southern Marches. Acting quickly in his vile betrayal, he took personal control of the castle of Oldstones and the surrounding city. This new lordship was not to last long, as lords loyal to the Lord Patrek rallied their forces and evicted the would be Lord Frey.

Around this time Lord Brandon Stark was killed in combat by Morra Marsh, leaving Winterfell and the North to the Lady Alysane Stark, who would also become Lord Patrek's guardian and eventual lover. This love affair would result in a bastard Lyanna raised as a legitimate child of Lady Alysane's husband while her true father was Patrek.

Soon coming into his majority, Lord Patrek Frey married Jynessa Martell of Sunspear, daughter of Princess Lynesse Martell. Some years later the union proved fruitful in the birth of the boy Perwyn Frey, the first firstborn son of the main Frey line not named Patrek in some seven generations. This was followed two years later by the birth of the girl Cyrene Frey.

During his early rein, the King Marq Gardener desired to reward the Arryns of the Vale for staying true to his father, the Mad King, in the Civil war and announced he was to award them with the lands of House Brune, noted vassals of the Darklyns of Duskendale and sworn enemies of the Freys of the Crossing. However, mere hours following the decleration, King Marq was murdered in his solar, leaving rule of Westeros to his infant son, Robin.

A mere year later, King Robin too was found dead, murdered like his father before him. The crown of Westeros passing to King Marq's sister, the Princess Alison, rumours began circling of Martell involvement due to the marriage between Queen Alison and Gulian Martell.

Her first act as Queen was to arrest the Shadow Queen Danelle Darklyn and strip her of her Queenly title for the suspected murders of King Marq and King Robin, though Lady Danelle was to soon die in the cells of Highgarden from what was claimed to be natural causes.

Though Patrek's rein began with promise, it soon became apparent that all was not well within both himself and the realm at large. For Patrek began to feel the bite of what had brought many great men and rulers low, stress. According to some, it began due to the difficult nature of his close relationship to Lady Alysane. To others, it was due to the actions of his treacherous uncle, who even after being banished from the North, sought to take what was rightfully others. Raising an army of mercenaries and other vagabonds, Thaddeus Frey marched for the North to try and wrest Winterfell and all else from the Stark's grasp.

Needless to say he did not succeed, his host was smashed on the shores of the Red Fork and once again he went in to exile, this time to the court of the High Septon. Perhaps he sought redemption for his actions, or perhaps he sought aid from the head of the religious house opposed to the Old Gods of the Forest.

Following the defeat of his uncle, Lord Patrek Frey was summoned south by the Hand of the King. Upon arriving in Highgarden he was given an offer, lordship over all of the Tridant, so long as he forgot his vows to the Starks. The Freys however, are not quick to forget oaths and alliances, the Starks had raised them from mere Lords of the Crossing to Lords of over half of the Tridant, and so Patrek refused, returning north.

However, in his thirty sixth year, Lord Patrek Frey, eighth of his name, Lord of the Crossing, Seagard and Oldstones, Marshall of the Southern Marches, died from complications related to heavy drink and stress.

Lord Paramount Perwyn of the Trident, Lord of the Crossing, Seagard and Oldstones
Trueborn son of Marshall Patrek VIII of the Twins. Perwyn Frey ascended to the Twins at the age of sixteen after the death of his father, Patrek Frey. Unmarried at his ascension, Perwyn Frey quickly arranged a match between himself and the daughter of Lord Beric Durrandon, Lord of the Stormlands, Dragonstone and Driftmark, Marshall Lord of Westeros, the Lady Donyse Durrandon. The match soon proved fruitful, as a year later the Lady Donyse birthed twins, the boy Edmund, and the girl Amerei (who would tragically die in infancy). In the following years Lady Donyse would birth five more sons, the boys Edwyn, Tristifer, Illifer, Merrett and Patrek. Similar to the past generations of House Frey, Perwyn Frey was known to have an intellect few could match and was ambitious like his grandfather. Once more interested more in military matters than diplomatic ones like his father, Perwyn was recognized as one of the more capable commanders in Westeros, if not one of the more capable warriors. What set Perwyn apart from his forefathers was his rather sloth way of life, preferring to sit by and watch events than partake in them.

This however would not be an option. For a year after his ascension he was summoned to Highgarden by the Hand of the King. Again his House was offered the Tridant and again a Frey Lord refused. This time though, no was not an option. As soon as he returned to his lands, a royal decree was announced ordering Lady Alysane Stark to release control of the Freys from their control or face the consequences for treason.

Now formally known as Lord Paramounts of the Trident, with all of their previous lands and the Brunes now under their vassalage, House Frey became among the most powerful noble houses in Westeros.

This was however quickly undermined when the Hand of the King Lord Reginald and Lord Darklyn arrived at the Twins to 'oversee' the transition of power. And while the Hand's power was accepted, Lord Darklyn's was not. This was made somewhat worse when Lady Jeyne Prinksett of Riverrun, killed herself for being sent back to Riverrun by the Lord Hand, her infant son Beren left in the guardianship of Lord Perwyn.

As one can imagine, a short standoff between Lord Perwyn Frey and Lord Damon Darklyn was inevitable, and one did occur over the chambers assigned to Lord Darklyn. When Lord Reginald momentarily returned to Casterly Rock to bury his lady wife, Lord Perwyn and Lord Damon prepared for another standoff. The arrival of Lord Rolland Brune, former student of Lord Damon and goodbrother of Lord Perwyn, only increased the inevitability.

And then the Starks of Pyke arrived.

Coming to 'enforce order' with a host of twenty thousand, Lord Hugo Stark of Pyke set up camp outside the Twins and refused to move no matter who or what commanded him, still insisting he was there purely to stop three men shouting at each other.

Then the Royces decided to turn up, hand over the flag of the Arryns, and swiftly return to the Vale of Arryn like children playing a game. Needless to say, Lord Perwyn threw the flag into the Green Fork.

This continued for several years until finally Lord Damon and Lord Perwyn lost all patience and called their banners. Marching upon the Ironborn camp, Lord Damon slew Lord Hugo while the combined Rivermen hosts evicted the Ironborn. Afterwards Lord Frey and Lord Darklyn decided to just move on and Lord Damon returned to the Dunn Fort.

Not long afterwards, Lord Perwyn made a final offer to the Arryns of the Vale. For a purse of one thousand five hundred golden crowns, Darry would return to Rivermen hands. They refused. Marshaling the forces of the Trident, Lord Perwyn marched for the Bloody Gate, only to be ordered to stand down by the Hand of the King Lord Roger Reyne.

And then news came from the North. The Others had returned, and they brought winter with them. The Durrandons were sent north, resting at the Twins due to the familial relation between Lord Perwyn and Lord Raymund Durrandon. When the Stormlords eventually marched further north, they took with them Ardon Frey, grandson of Lord Perwyn, to be taught the ways of bloody battle.

While the Lord Hand expressed his disbelief of the tales and the futility of sending the Stormlords north, King Gyles was nearly swayed, but stood by his decision to send his vassals north, with permission granted for all lords of Westeros to go north if they wished.

The Freys were one such House, alongside the Starks of Pyke (Now under Lord Harrion Stark), Durrandons of Storm's End, Starks of Winterfell, Liddles of Last Hearth, Hightowers of Oldtown and the Brunes of Harrenhal (Who were actually ordered north by the Freys). Sailing north rather than deal with the snows, the hosts of the Trident aided those others on several occasions and stormed several strongholds of wights. Lord Perwyn himself is even reported to have killed an Other personally. After several years of ceaseless fighting, and the death of Lord Rolland Brune who finally fell after cleaving his way through ranks of Others, the Second War for the Dawn was won. Though the costs were terrible, the Others were driven back to the lands of always winter and the victorious armies rejoiced, though they too mourned their dead.

Limping home, Lord Perwyn hosted a grand funeral for Lord Rolland and all those who fell. Following this he was summoned to Highgarden.

Times were changing in the capital. Lord Roger was out of favour for refusing to accept the existence of the Others and the victorious Freys and Durrandons were now valued figures at court. Taking the post of Master of Law, Lord Perwyn now serves King Gyles in the very halls of power.

There is another thing he was granted however... For too long the Dusklands have been prone to disloyalty. And now, with Lord Perwyn and Lord Raymund at their borders, the shadow is coming for the realm of the Shadowlord.