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You're Ned: find some marriage betrothals for your kids


James Steller

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Robb gets Myrcella, or Margaery, or one of the Manderly sisters if Ned wants to keep things within North.

Sansa marries to the Royce heir if he isn't too old. Otherwise she marries an heir within Riverlands or becomes lady Karstark.

Arya marries within the North.

Bran, marries to some side branch of a principal house or a smaller principal house from Riverlands or Vale, gets a holdfast in the North.

Rickon goes NW.

 

 

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Robb gets the Umber girl closest to his age. Don't care if Robb looks smaller. Meera Reed 2nd. Alys Karstark 3rd.  Manderly girls 4th. 

Sansa gets one of Manderly Vassals that holds the Old Gods, thats as far south as she is going to go. Maybe the heir of Karstark? Wasn't the next heir of House Dustin around her age?

Bran gets the youngest Blackwood girl,

Arya gets the Northern Mountain Clan House Liddle, They're one of the stronger ones I think. Glovers. Or the heir of House Dustin....

Rickon, besides the mormonts, I don't know. I think I might have to go outside. Maybe wait a while for a powerful house to have a daughter. 

 

Jon one way ticket straight to Celtigar or Velaryon. If not, then the Robb's list but not their first daughter, we won't be able to get that imo.

 

 

 

Edmure Tully - Jason Mallister's daughter

Blackfish - House Frey daughter 

 

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4 hours ago, Daenerys Targaryen's slave said:

What the hell would a marriage to Edric give them? It's unlikely Edric will marry a northerner, more likely marry someone from Dorne to strengthen ties. The North offers him nothing

There's a lot of weird matches, they're forgetting that both sides have to agree with it. Also we had a generation of 4 Starks that married outside the North. So they're going to be a little upset.

 

Margaery Tyrell and Robb Stark. lol? seriously?

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5 hours ago, Nevets said:

Rickon is too young to draw any conclusions about who he should marry. 

With some exceptions (Joffrey), Sansa and Arya are somewhat interchangeable as far as potential husbands go.  Sansa would likely go first.  Arya is more likely to be somewhat picky and would probably have, and exercise, veto power.

No one’s ever too young; just look at Ermesande Hayford.

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4 hours ago, Daenerys Targaryen's slave said:

What the hell would a marriage to Edric give them? It's unlikely Edric will marry a northerner, more likely marry someone from Dorne to strengthen ties. The North offers him nothing

And Ned Stark isn’t one to look to politics for his children. Plus, it would be interesting, considering the history between Houses Stark and Dayne during Robert’s Rebellion. Ned might have killed Arthur Dayne and Ashara Dayne may or may not be Jon’s mother, and they must be on some good terms for Edric to be nicknamed Ned.

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4 hours ago, Daenerys Targaryen's slave said:

What the hell would a marriage to Edric give them? It's unlikely Edric will marry a northerner, more likely marry someone from Dorne to strengthen ties. The North offers him nothing

Yeah I'd agree. Although Arya and Edric got along in the books and Ned had a crush on Ashara, for arranged, political matches a Dayne-Stark marriage makes zero sense. House Dayne is a vassal to a different ruling house at the opposite end of the entire continent. (Unlike vassal houses in the Riverlands).

What use will the Daynes be to Ned? If the North is in trouble, they'll ignore their responsibilities/own alliances in Dorne and charge the entire way up to the North - past the more powerful houses Ned could have married into - to fight in unfamiliar terrain and weather? Or they're going to constantly be hanging out, and trading with the Starks from so far away? If they're both at court what political alliances/things will they both be fighting for?

At most if you're going for a far-South match you'll want it to be with another paramount house: The Martells - Quentyn or Trystane with Arya or Sansa. Or the Tyrells - Robb/Margaery or Sansa/Willas. And even then it's such a great distance, there's no natural trade or borders between those houses and the North. And it seems super unlikely the Tyrells would send Marg to the North, when she's the best catch in the kingdom and could be looking at Joffrey, Renly, Edmure etc. instead.

But at least if it's another ruling house you're heading towards making a ruling bloc a la Southern Ambitions with the Stark/Tully/Arryn/Baratheon combo.You won't get that with a minor Dornish house.

 

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Margaery Tyrell would get vetoed on the spot by her family. 

She will be miserable like her aunt that was married to Jorah,

It would anger a lot of northerners 

When you marry Margaery, you also marry their problems. I don't see any Notherners eagerly spending almost a year going to High Garden or wherever and vice versa. The Trident and The Vale are the southernmost that they should be looking for. 

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Robb-Ysilla Royce

For Sansa & Arya it has to be southerner as Ned  and cat had septa training their daughters in faith and other stuffs so she and Arya were meant to marry south and it’s even mentioned by Ned in his POV so I’ll have

Sansa-Renly/Hightower heir ( but dunno if Baelor has any male heirs or heirs at all)

Arya-Redwyn/Rowan heir(Really powerful and influential houses)

Bran-meera reed or some ryswells/Umbers

Rickon-Glovers/Tallhart 

 

 

 

 

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On 4/27/2016 at 0:58 PM, James Steller said:

It's just before the beginning of AGOT. You're Eddard Stark, lord of Winterfell, and you want to arrange some future marriages for your kids so that they're provided for. The Northern lords all have their marriage offers, and your wife Catelyn suggests that there are options in the Riverlands too.

Excluding Jon Snow and Rickon, find the best matches you can for your four eldest kids.

  1. Robb, heir to Winterfell, had good prospects.  Probably Myrcella since his family is in bed with the usurper.
  2. Sansa would do fine to marry Joffrey.  She's dazzled by glamour and all that shallow stuff. 
  3. Arya is not the marrying kind but assuming she does.  Elmar Frey was actually a very good match for Arya.  She's not attractive and she has an unreasonable demeanor (my opinion) so let's hope Elmar is a patient boy.  If not Elmar, perhaps Jojen.
  4. Bran and any daughter of a bannerman.
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I think it would benefit the Paramount houses to alternate.  One generation have the heir marry one of their vassals (while attempting to marry his sister to an another kingdom's influential or paramount or royal house.  The next generation would reverse that with the heir making an outside alliance and at least one girl strengthening connections inside their kingdom .

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With that in mind, Robb should marry a Northern Maiden: Alys Karstark or Wylla Manderly.  Sands should marry Tommen (assuming Ned meets the two boys first and sees how cruel Jjoffrey is.  Tommen is a royal match to Ned's best friends son and second in line to the Iron Throne and Paramount of the Storm lands and Paramount of Westerlands. He would strengthen ties to Lannister and Baratheon and the Throne and together they would have a potential place, if he didn't inherit, in Storms End, Casterly Rock, Winter fell, or River run

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Arya has several intriguing possibilities.  Quentin Martell, second in line to Sun Spear, would help heal relations with Dorne, and give Arya a place in Dorne where women can fight and rule and be unladylike.   If these betrothals occur far enough before GOT - SweetRobin is heir to the Vale of Arryn (which also has a history of ruling Ladies); he's the son of Ned's friend/foster father/ hand of the King, Ned was partially raised in the Vale and Lysa is Cat's sister.  Arya is good at math and other ruling qualities and he could benefit from a strong woman guiding him. Of course this is contingent on Jon getting SweetRobin away from Lysa and to the North for fostering before getting murdered.  Also, of interest is The on, Heir to the Iron Islands, would help bind The on and the Iron Islands to the Greenlands/ and the North and help Theon consider the Starks true family.  The Iron Islands seem to have fewer rules on ladylike behavior and Arya has a strong enough personality to survive there.  Of course this is contingent on a gradual tricky reintroduction of The on to the Iron Is!ands from a position of leverage and strength.

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  I matched them as if I was Ned and how it looks best logically:

Robb - Alys Karstark: I think that this doesn't need much of an explanation. Right age and is Karstark, who Starks married since forever.

Arya - Edric Dayne: Ned would've liked his girl to be married to a boy from the same house women he loved was from. Arya would be happy in Dorne. He's the heir to Starfall. Cat probably loves South more than North. 

Bran - Bethany Blackwood: Cat would made this happen. Starks already married Blackwoods, who are vassals of her house. He also could be the heir to Harrenhal, so it's perfect marriage.

Rickon - Erena Glover: Girl of a right age which house is close to the Starks. 

 

  I am not sure for Sansa. She has couple of fitting boys to marry, but one of them makes sence more than another. Cat would like to marry her to a southern heir of a great castle and Ned would like his girl to be happy, so he would listen to Cat. I didn't count Royce boys, because they're probably too old for Sansa and Blackwoods becaouse they are probably small house for Cat and Sansa's ambitions, same goes to countless Northerners.

- Joffrey Baratheon: Heir to the Iron Throne. Sansa would be the future queen, but Ned probably wouldn't want for her to suffer.

- Willas Tyrell: Highgarden is a place where Sansa would be the happiest. Cat could make this happen. Olenna probably knew Hoster and surely Rickard.

- Edmure Tully: Incest, but Cat could've wanted her girl to be married into her mother's house. It could also happen that Edmure marries Margaery Tyrell and that they arrange marriage between Sansa and Willas.

- Robert Arryn: Incest again. Lysa is Cat's sister and Jon is second father to Ned.

- Domeric Bolton: Northerner. Ned could've liked this idea. If they were connected by blood, Boltons wouldn't rebel in future. Domeric seemed to be a good lad and romantic. Sansa at first would be against it, but she'd understand.

 

   And if we count Jon, he would either join the Night's Watch or marry some female heir and take their name, so either Dacey Mormont or Wynafryd Manderly, even though they are older than him.

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7 hours ago, Bullrout said:

Arya is not the marrying kind but assuming she does.  Elmar Frey was actually a very good match for Arya.  She's not attractive and she has an unreasonable demeanor (my opinion) so let's hope Elmar is a patient boy

Who said that?

Kindly Man says that she has a pretty face. Also, she's just a child, it's too early to say if she's attractive. 

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Robb - Alys Karstark, Wylla/Wynafryd Manderly and Meera Reed are the top picks for me.  With either Dacey, Lyra or Jorelle Mormont being an option.  I would betroth the Tully-looking and southron-born Robb to a woman of the North.  Rickard Karstark seems only to have gone for a betrothal with Daryn Hornwood because Robb didn't work out (Alys mentions in ADWD that her father was keen on a marriage alliance with the Starks) so Alys would have been a good candidate if the Starks get in there first.  To be honest, I think Rickard would break the Hornwood betrothal if it meant marrying Alys to Robb.  She would have represented a consolidation of the familial links between Stark and Karstark. 

Wynafryd is from a rich and powerful family, and White Harbor is the only city in the North.  As she is heir to White Harbor, she would need to pass that inheritance to Wylla to prevent problems in the future.  Wylla is a strong woman with a deep loyalty to House Stark - she'd make an excellent consort to the Lord of Winterfell.  It would be an acknowledgement of House Manderly's standing.  And for Catelyn, the Manderlys practicing the Faith of the Seven might seem a compromise for wedding Robb to a Northern family.  Betrothing Robb to Meera would signify the personal closeness of the Houses Stark and Reed, and be a reward, I guess, of sorts for their loyalty.

With Dacey there is the same issue as Wynafryd - current heir - but again a disavowal of entitlement could solve that.  The Mormont women are tough, and it would signify a desire to bind the Northerners and their way of life to Robb.    

If I had to pick, I would go for Alys and arrange a betrothal before Daryn Hornwood gets in there.

 

Sansa - If I was going to marry any child out of the North, it would be Sansa.  For me, two good candidates would be Brynden Blackwood and Andar Royce, both of whom are heirs to their fathers.  The Blackwoods follow the Old Gods, and the Royces have First Men blood.  Sansa would get the southron life she dreams of, but still retain a reminder of home, and it would continue the links between House Stark and either the Vale or the Riverlands.  I would personally pick Brynden.  

 

Arya - I wouldn't contemplate betrothing her anywhere but the North.  I don't think she has the temperament for a southron match.  Jojen Reed, Benfred Tallhart, Eddard Karstark and Cley Cerwyn are all options.  Jojen is a good idea for Arya for the same reasons Meera would be a good match for Robb.  I also think that Howland's loyalty to Lyanna, whom Arya takes after, would mean her tomboyishness would not be a big issue.  Again, the reasons for Arya/Eddard match up with those for Robb/Alys.  If I'm not going to agree to a marriage between Robb and Alys, then I would offer Arya for his heir as a consolation prize.  It would be a way to shore up the Stark/Karstark link without making a Karstark Lady of Winterfell.  Castle Cerwyn is relatively close to Winterfell, and so Arya would remain close to home and House Stark would build further links with their neighbors.  

 

Bran - A betrothal for Bran depends on what you intend for him.  If he is to be given a holdfast/lands then perhaps Wylla or Meera would be a good idea - or Eddara Tallhart.  Possibly Lyanna Mormont.  Again, Meera solidifies the personal link between their families, and Wylla is symbolic of the power of House Manderly in the North.  Eddara would provide a marriage link to a Northern House the Starks haven't involved themselves with before (at least, according to the Stark family tree).  Lyanna is a good way of uniting the two families without giving the other party a betrothal to the heir.  Also, if I'm giving Bran a holdfast to the north of Winterfell, then it may be preferable to wed him to someone with knowledge of the area.

If he is to go south and pursue knighthood, then he clearly states in AGOT it would be with the ultimate aim of joining the Kingsguard - so a betrothal is a waste of time. But if I had to pick a wife for Bran, it'd be a toss-up between Lyanna and Meera (though I probably lean more towards Meera). 

 

Adding them in anyway.......

 

Rickon - Again, it depends on what you intend for him.  As with Bran, I'll go on the assumption he'd be given lands.  Age-wise, Erena Glover is a possibility.  I think her possibly the only Northern girl we know in his age range and after what happened last generation I want to shore up my Northern links and keep my family as close to home as possible (after all, the pack survives).  And House Stark has wed the Glovers before.  If you aren't worried about the age difference, then Lyanna Mormont would also be a possibility.  If Rickon's wildness continues, a tough Mormont woman would be a good personality match!

 

Jon - I think that realistically, there are only four candidates.  The first two are Jeyne Poole and Beth Cassel.  Both have grown up in Winterfell and know Jon well, and could be considered "safe"; he would be marrying within the household.  It would keep Jon in Winterfell where he could grow to be Master-at-Arms or Captain of the Guards (seemingly Cassel posts, but Beth is the only other one left) or establish himself as an adviser to Robb.  Their families are loyal to House Stark, and that is important when arranging Jon's betrothal in particular given his hidden heritage.  Jeyne and Beth are both daughters of men who would jump at the chance to wed a daughter to Ned Stark's son.  

The third candidate for me is one of the Mormont women.  Given what Alysane Mormont says about bears fathering the children of Mormont women, I would guess they'd have fewer hesitations regarding Jon's bastardy than other Houses.  And given Jorah's dishonor, Maege may jump at the chance of betrothing her daughter into Ned Stark's family, even if it is to Jon.  I would push for Dacey, but Jorelle or Lyra would also be acceptable.  And it would put Jon even further from Robert's reach.  Also, given Jon and Arya's closeness, and Needle, it is clear Jon doesn't have an issue with women learning to fight.  

The fourth and final possibility is Meera Reed.  Howland's loyalty to Lyanna and his presence at the Tower of Joy would make this match a symbol of the friendship between House Reed and House Stark, which has Lyanna at its core.  There is also the advantage of Howland knowing the truth of Jon's parentage.  

It may be born of reading Jon's book chapters, but I love the idea of a Jon/Mormont marriage.

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I'd agree with @dornishdame on most of those suggestions, esp around betrothing Southern/Tully looking Robb to a Northern girl. As you said Alys and Wylla offer more practical benefit, but Meera would be a nice show of friendship. I'd think she's a bit old for Bran and suited to Robb in normal circumstances. And yes if one kid is going South is definitely Sansa. 

The Mormonts would actually be a great option for Jon, they're too small and isolated a house to be worth making a match with Robb/Bran/Rickon and could offend the bigger houses, but offering Jon (with lands) as a show of personal friendship to an unconventional family would work well. 

In general as a lot of people have said: Robb = Northern match with one of the more powerful houses; Sansa = Southern match in the Riverlands or Vale; Arya = Northern match; Bran = Could go either Northern or Southern; Rickon = Likewise, though leaning towards Northern. That gives a nice balance between strengthening relationships with your own bannerman and sustaining connections with the nearby Southern neighbours. 

This is of course still going on just keeping the status quo and focusing on the North, if Ned was looking at gaining more central power throughout Westeros it's a whole different game.

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I am going to go a different way than most of the commenters here did. I actually think Eddard Stark himself would have chosen mostly Northerners for his children, but I am speaking as me, and I would do something similar to Rickard Stark, aiming at an alliance against Lannisters. 

Robb - My number one choice would be Shireen Baratheon. This would connect me to house Baratheon, and not House Lannister. However, Stannis would probably not agree to this match. So I will change it to Margery Tyrell. If the Tyrells refuse, my third choice would be Ysilla Royce. This would connect me to the strogest non-lords Paramount in the Vale. 

Sansa - Renly Baratheon. This one works best if Robb marries Margerry or Ysilla. I think Renly might agree and it would connect me to a powerful Lord, one I wish Eddard would have trusted more in the actual book. As a second choice, I have Willas Tyrell. This would be if Robb failed with Margerry, and married Shireen or Ysilla. 

Arya - Given that one of my best options happen (one Baratheon and one Tyrell), I would marry Arya to Robert Arryn. I know, I know. He is weak. I might also discuss Harold Hardying as a back up in case he dies. I have no back up here because I think Lysa would agree to this wedding. Maybe I am being a fool, but I think if not Harrold Hardying would be on the table. And then convince Robert Arryn to take dangerous paths as he grows older. 

Bran - With the Vale, the Stormlands, and the Reach hopefully covered at this point, I would turn to shoring up loyalty in the North or Riverlands. However, if I fail with Robert Arryn, and Robb married Maergerry or Shireen, Ysilla Royce may be a good choice again. Anyways, my main plan would be for Bethany Blackwood or Alys Karstark. 

Rickon - Yeah, I am just gonna go ahead and marry him too. Let's go with Eddara Tallhart (the Lady of Torrhen's Square) as my number one choice. Back options would be Erena Glover, Wylla Manderly (I know she is 10 years older, but so what), or Emphyria Vance (we don't know her age, but I think she is young). 

Anyways in conclusion, these are my number one choices :

Robb : Maergerry Tyrell

Sansa : Renly Baratheon

Arya : Robert Arryn/Harold Hardying

Bran : Bethany Blackwood/Alys Karstark

Rickon : Eddara Tallhart/Erena Glover/Emphyria Vance 

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Marriages to build a Westeros-wide power bloc like the Southern Ambitions approach is a really interesting question.

Going through the options to marry into other regions/paramount houses:

Dorne/Martells: Quentyn or Trystane with Sansa or Arya.

There's less benefit in allying so far South and allying with a region that's poorer than many others. So that would be a low choice and at most you're going to be offering second-daughter Arya if other options are exhausted. She'd also like Dorne more than Sansa and there's more freedom for women, so that's a bonus. But still unlikely.

The Reach/Tyrells: Robb/Margaery; Sansa with Willas or Garland - maybe Arya as a backup.

I agree with other posters that the Tyrells would probably refuse Robb for Marg, they'd prefer marrying her to Renly, Edmure or Joffrey, and she'd probably dislike the North. So Sansa/Willas seems more viable, Sansa would love the Reach and he seems like a good option personally. Arya is probably a bit too young for the Tyrell boys.

The Stormlands/Baratheons: Renly/Sansa, maybe Renly/Arya.

Good option if the Tyrells don't get there first. I think Ned would be wary of Renly and Arya, both bc of age difference and also because of personal trauma about what happened when Lyanna-original-recipe-Arya was forced to marry the Stormlands ruler. 

Dragonstone/Baratheons: Bran or Rickon with Shireen. Not Robb as both he and Shireen are heirs. Dragonstone isn't as wealthy or an actual paramount house so less beneficial. 

Crownlands/Baratheon-Lannisters: Myrcella with Robb/Bran; Sansa or Arya with Joffrey or Tommen. 

Sansa/Joffrey would give a Stark as Queen (Ned and Cat weren't so stupid accepting than match after all) but again the Tyrells could get in first. Robb/Myrcella would be next best, especially with the lack of Lord paramount daughters. Ofc the personal problems with Joffrey being a pyscho come in, but on paper it's great. 

The Westerlands/Lannisters: Not really anyone on the table. 

The Riverlands: Ditto. And you're already covered as the kid's are all nieces and nephews of Edmure. 

The Vale/Arryns: Arya/Robin. If Robin dies, Harry/Sansa or Harry/Arya. Again, Robin stinks on a personal level, but tbh if he just whined in the corner and Arya took control of the place and acted as ruling lady it would be manageable - and certainly the Vale would be grateful for having a capable ruler. Pre-GoT Sansa would be thrilled with handsome Harry. 

The big question for the Starks is does Joffrey go with Marg or Sansa (his two most likely options):

If he goes Marg, the best scenario for the Starks - assuming all the other families agree - would be: 

  • Robb/Myrcella - Baratheon-Lannisters covered
  • Sansa/Willas - Tyrells covered
  •  Arya/Robin - Arryn's covered.
  • Shireen/Bran - Baratheons of DS covered
  • Rickon with a Northern or Riverlands girl - covering what is needed.

That gives you alliances across the Crownlands, Reach, Vale, Dragonstone, Riverlands and even the Westerlands. You're only missing Dorne and the Stormlands. 

If Joffrey goes with Sansa,  then yay a Stark is the future Queen of Westeros! But that makes Robb/Myrcella unlikely and unnecessary - and there aren't any other Lord Paramount daughters for Robb to marry. (Asha?? Though Balon wouldn't let her leave the Iron Islands. A Northern or Riverlands girl after all??) It also means a Tyrell-Stark alliance is harder, unless you go Arya with Willas or Garland - and Arya in the Reach seems like a bad idea, the Vale would be an easier and nearer option.

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