The Stark Kids' Most Advantageous Marriages/Betrothals During The Wot5K

[The Mountain That Flies]

These matches are made on the premise of the thread (Ned preparing) and what other houses would reasonably consent to.

Robb-Rosilin Frey: People will say this match is beneath the Starks' station, but the Freys play a critical role in both the economic and military borders of the two regions Robb has familial ties to. Get the girl away from her family and she's a pretty decent person, the strategic value makes it more than worth the shit Ned would have to eat.

Sansa-Willas Tyrell: The Tyrell's get a pretty and well-behaved woman who wants nothing more than to please them, plus a bride for their crippled heir. The Starks get the might of the Reach backing them up.

Arya-Trystane Martell: A bit harder to pull off, but Arya would thrive in Dorne and Doran could be sold on expanding his network/hostages. And having Dorne on your side never, ever hurts.

Bran-Wylla  Manderly: Got to lock down/reward a good bannerman, and their shared sense of social justice would pair well. Plus since Ned has this vision pre-crippling, the Manderly's would be helpful in training the kid to be a knight.

Rickon-Shireen: Stannis needs to be locked down, and his daughter is an easy way in. Plus Rsensimg Rickon to be fostered on Dragonstone could give the kid some discipline.

Jon-The Wall: It sounds stupid but if Ned really had a vision of everything, he would know how valuable Jon is to preventing war with the Others. Having him in the Watch facilitates this.

[Good Guy Garlan]

4 hours ago, Lady Blizzardborn said:

Hey are we getting scored on this or anything? Like even a thumbs up or thumbs down on our choices? Cause I think I really scored a home run with Rickon and Emresande. I'm amazed nobody else picked up on her. Why should the Lannisters get another fortune? Besides Rickon is much closer to her age than Tyrek is. The two of them could presumably have a conversation...you know, whatever toddlers talk about.

I'm stumped by my own question! 

Let's see, here's my guess:

Robb-Myrcella: I think that's necessary if you wanna keep ol' Ned alive, since she stays at Winterfell as a ward/hostage. And if something happens to Ned, Myrcella will be losing more than just her ear...*evil laugh* And as someone mentioned before, the betrothal can be set aside for incest-related reasons and then Robb can marry Ysilla Royce and get the Vale on his side. (A marriage to the Starks might give Royce the motivation to defy Lysa's ban and get into the fray.)

Sansa-Renly: Without the Tyrells in his pocket, Renly can't count on his "wait and see" approach. No, now he's honor bound to march either to the Riverlands and help Robb and the Tullys or to KL to save Ned. Either way, it helps the Stark cause: Tywin couldn't defeat both Robb's and Renly's forces, and if Renly attacks KL sooner he takes the city without complications like Tyrion's chain or wildfire. 

Also, Renly keeps Loras as a squire/lover/hostage, so Mace better not try any funny business like joining the Lannisters, or his favorite kid gets it. Additionally, this marriage works for Sansa because she might get to be the meat in some hot Renly-Loras sandwiches. She would be boning the two hottest dudes in the 7K, and if they're feeling handsy with each other she just goes to the kitchen to fix herself a snack, like Ross in that one "Friends" episode. 

Arya-Monterys Velaryon: The Velaryons are technically sworn to Dragonstone, but Monford Velaryon wanted to attack KL like RIGHT NOW. So, Renly attacking KL sooner (see above) and a marriage bonding him to the Starks might be enough of a push to get Monford to switch sides and join Renly. Plus, a House as important as the Velaryons deserting him might be a blow big enough to keep Stannis out of the running for a while.

Bran-Shireen: This would be ideal as long as it's Shireen going to Winterfell as a ward and not the other way around, because that way Stannis won't try to go against the Starks. Yay for more child wards/hostages! I know Stannis doesn't like Ned, but is not like poor Shireen gets dozens of marriage offers due to her greyscale. Plus, Stannis was always jealous of Robert-Ned and low-key wanted what they had, so he'd agree to a marriage connecting him to the Stark family.

Rickon-Perra Frey: She's in line to inherit the Twins and quite possibly Nightsong as well. Catch all around, Rickon you (Shaggy)dog, you! As long as Walder lets the Starks use his damn bridge is all gravy. Plus, she's sent to Winterfell as a ward, so more hostages!

Jon Snow-Wylla Manderly: Gotta keep them rich Manderlys happy. 

[1000th Lord Commander]

Hmmm, I agree with a few posts that the best option seems to be to wait til Robert turns up, reveal the truth about the Lannister bastards, take out Ice and remove Jamie and Ceresi's heads. Tywin wouldn't be able to do much with his last son as a hostage. But let's see.

We need to provide a alternative king, so I marry Sansa off to Edric Baratheon, legitimized as Robert's heir.

We need to placate Stannis, so we marry Robb off to Shireen.

I agree with marrying Jon off to Arianne. Bastards are less of a insult to Dorne, and this brings Dorne back into the fold.

Bran might be offered to one of the lesser Reach lords, if Mace insists on refusing for Margery. One of Redwyne's daughters, or one of Tarlys.

Arya is a tricky one. she won't be happy in many places. Maybe Tyrion?

Rickon we can keep, and see how thing play out.

[Lady Blizzardborn]

11 hours ago, 1000th Lord Commander said:

Hmmm, I agree with a few posts that the best option seems to be to wait til Robert turns up, reveal the truth about the Lannister bastards, take out Ice and remove Jamie and Ceresi's heads. Tywin wouldn't be able to do much with his last son as a hostage. But let's see.

We need to provide a alternative king, so I marry Sansa off to Edric Baratheon, legitimized as Robert's heir.

We need to placate Stannis, so we marry Robb off to Shireen.

I agree with marrying Jon off to Arianne. Bastards are less of a insult to Dorne, and this brings Dorne back into the fold.

Bran might be offered to one of the lesser Reach lords, if Mace insists on refusing for Margery. One of Redwyne's daughters, or one of Tarlys.

Arya is a tricky one. she won't be happy in many places. Maybe Tyrion?

Rickon we can keep, and see how thing play out.

That's why I kept all but Robb's and Jon's as betrothals. Things happen. People who are betrothed die. It leaves some wiggle room.

[Lady Blizzardborn]

On 3/2/2017 at 4:12 PM, Renly's Banana said:

I don't get why a lot of you seem to think Robb with Margaery is a realistic betrothal. If this scenario is before Robert's death and the war, then Mace has very little reason to throw away his only daughter to the man who broke his siege and made him bend the knee not that long ago. Highgarden doesn't have any historical ties to Winterfell, why would he marry her to Robb? What would he gain? And even if this scenario is AFTER the war breaks out -- Robb doesn't want anything to do with the Iron Throne. He'd be throwing House Tyrell into a war just so his daughter can be.. queen in the north? Why? What he wants is King's Landing.

What's more, we know he was basically saving Marg to make her a Baratheon queen by any means. If she didn't seduce Robert like they planned then he would have most likely married her to Renly anyway, just to be closer to the succession. Hell, I can see him pushing Margaery on Stannis before Robb.

The Martells are also on a similar boat. In Doran's eyes, the Starks must seem only a shade less awful than the Lannisters for what they helped to do. Maybe, MAYBE Trystane to Arya, and even that's pushing it. 

Well what was the incentive for Hoster Tully to make Catelyn Lady of the North?

The Starks are an ancient and powerful family, Ned is the best friend of the king and Warden of the North (which technically puts him above Mace) and so far as we know pushing Margaery at Robert was Renly's idea. Mace could certainly do worse, and it's not unheard of for powerful men to plan to see a grandchild on the throne instead of a child. Given the close ties between Ned and Robert, if Robert hadn't gotten boar-ed he might have lived to arrange the betrothal of Joffery's first son to Robb and Margaery's daughter, giving Mace descendants sitting the throne in time anyway. His plans for making Marg a queen were never about her, they were about him and his bloodline, same as Tywin making Cersei queen. Only for the Tyrell's there's a psychological component of have having been upjumped stewards that makes them a bit more desperate.

Mace wanted Margaery to be a queen, but he clearly didn't care much whose queen she'd be or he would have hightailed it to KL as soon as Ned was dead and offered her for Joffrey in place of Sansa the traitor's daughter. Renly had the weakest claim to being king of any of the 5 in the war, yet Mace gave Marg to him. 

Pushing Marg at Stannis wouldn't have done any good with Mel in the mix.

About Dorne: Ned had nothing to do with what happened to Elia and her children. Doran only wants revenge against the Lannisters. Oberyn only wants revenge against the Lannisters. We get zero "usurper's dog" references to Ned from House Martell. They accepted Myrcella, granddaughter of Tywin the man they hate most in the world. So why not take Arya? If things go south she's a hostage instead of a future family member.

[The Fresh PtwP]

1 hour ago, Lady Blizzardborn said:

Well what was the incentive for Hoster Tully to make Catelyn Lady of the North?

The Starks are an ancient and powerful family, Ned is the best friend of the king and Warden of the North (which technically puts him above Mace) and so far as we know pushing Margaery at Robert was Renly's idea. Mace could certainly do worse, and it's not unheard of for powerful men to plan to see a grandchild on the throne instead of a child. Given the close ties between Ned and Robert, if Robert hadn't gotten boar-ed he might have lived to arrange the betrothal of Joffery's first son to Robb and Margaery's daughter, giving Mace descendants sitting the throne in time anyway. His plans for making Marg a queen were never about her, they were about him and his bloodline, same as Tywin making Cersei queen. Only for the Tyrell's there's a psychological component of have having been upjumped stewards that makes them a bit more desperate.

Mace wanted Margaery to be a queen, but he clearly didn't care much whose queen she'd be or he would have hightailed it to KL as soon as Ned was dead and offered her for Joffrey in place of Sansa the traitor's daughter. Renly had the weakest claim to being king of any of the 5 in the war, yet Mace gave Marg to him. 

Pushing Marg at Stannis wouldn't have done any good with Mel in the mix.

About Dorne: Ned had nothing to do with what happened to Elia and her children. Doran only wants revenge against the Lannisters. Oberyn only wants revenge against the Lannisters. We get zero "usurper's dog" references to Ned from House Martell. They accepted Myrcella, granddaughter of Tywin the man they hate most in the world. So why not take Arya? If things go south she's a hostage instead of a future family member.

1.) the STAB power bloc that was being created to check/put down the Targaryens or more specifically Aerys.

2.) Mace is Warden of the South, so no, Ned is not above Mace. At least not until he is named Hand.

3.) Renly had the weakest claim, but also had the charisma and the Stormlands backing him. Still good points, I too wonder why the Tyrells sided with Renly. 

4.) Mostly agree about Dorne, distance is an issue, and as Myrcella shows Doran may get better matches but I don't think it would be anything RR related that would prevent a match.

[Lady Blizzardborn]

13 minutes ago, The Fresh PtwP said:

1.) the STAB power bloc that was being created to check/put down the Targaryens or more specifically Aerys.

2.) Mace is Warden of the South, so no, Ned is not above Mace. At least not until he is named Hand.

3.) Renly had the weakest claim, but also had the charisma and the Stormlands backing him. Still good points, I too wonder why the Tyrells sided with Renly. 

4.) Mostly agree about Dorne, distance is an issue, and as Myrcella shows Doran may get better matches but I don't think it would be anything RR related that would prevent a match.

1) Allegedly.

2) Oh. Thank you for that info. For some reason I thought the Martells might be Wardens of the South, probably because they are the southernmost Lords Paramount, and the only family outside of the ruling one that can style themselves princes and princesses. But then the Warden of the South position might date to before Dorne joined the realm, and I could see the Tyrells being the first line of defense against the Dornish.

3) Charisma does not win wars. The Stormlands were only one region. Without the Tyrell's Renly would be dead in the water. Without Renly the Tyrells still have plenty of options.

[MasterOfDeath]

If I were a precognitive Ned before the WOT5K, I would marry Sansa to Loras Tyrell securing the Reach, marry Arya to Prince Tristayne of Dorne, marry Robb to Asha (or Yara in show) securing the Iron Islands and then I would count on the Riverlands being loyal because of Cat and the Vale being loyal because of Lysa. I would also expect the Stormlands to be on my side since Robert would still be alive.

 

So you'd have all the might of the six kingdoms plus the King's backing against the Lannisters and the Westerlands.

[The Fresh PtwP]

16 minutes ago, Lady Blizzardborn said:

1) Allegedly.

2) Oh. Thank you for that info. For some reason I thought the Martells might be Wardens of the South, probably because they are the southernmost Lords Paramount, and the only family outside of the ruling one that can style themselves princes and princesses. But then the Warden of the South position might date to before Dorne joined the realm, and I could see the Tyrells being the first line of defense against the Dornish.

3) Charisma does not win wars. The Stormlands were only one region. Without the Tyrell's Renly would be dead in the water. Without Renly the Tyrells still have plenty of options.

1.) The reason is up for debate but there is an unprecedented amount of LP betrothals going on.

2.) No problem.

3.) Yeah it is odd why the Tyrells sided with Renly in the first place...convenience? Loras and Renly's plotting? Promises? Insight of Joffery and Cersei's nature? Just spitballing, it's something I never considered but now does seem really, really odd...

[Lady Blizzardborn]

1 minute ago, The Fresh PtwP said:

1.) The reason is up for debate but there is an unprecedented amount of LP betrothals going on.

2.) No problem.

3.) Yeah it is odd why the Tyrells sided with Renly in the first place...convenience? Loras and Renly's plotting? Promises? Insight of Joffery and Cersei's nature? Just spitballing, it's something I never considered but now does seem really, really odd...

1) I do agree about that. Even without madness Aerys had some grounds for suspicion or caution there.

3) Now I'm wondering too. Could be nothing more than the plot demanding it, or it could be something more. I guess we'll have to wait and see if we get anymore info. This is where a Tyrell POV would have helped us.

[Endymion I Targaryen]

Robb: Myrcella Baratheon to have a Lannister hostage. I think Cersei and Twyin would like an ally against Robert's brothers.Margaery and Arianne are excellent choices too but their famillies plotted for them to marry kings, so Robb would be rejected. Ysilla Royce and Winafryd Manderly could serve as backups if Robb-Myrcella failed.

Sansa: Willas Tyrell. This is the easiest way to enter the Tyrell family. Robert Arryn and Andar Royce would be backups.

Arya: Elmar Frey

Bran: Shireen Baratheon

Rickon: Willa Manderly.

Theon Greyjoy: Alys Karstark.

I would be interested in making a good betrothal for Edmure too. Probably Roslin Frey or Mathis Rowan's daughter.

 

[Lion of the West]

If I could see that its the North and Riverlands against pretty much everyone else then I'd say that these would be my suggestions, based on the need to keep internal unity because as it would be, there are precious few friends for the Starks to make. As I see it, the coming enemies will be the Lannister and the Tyrells and nothing will counter Lannister wrath and  and Tyrell greed to turn these against the Iron Throne.Likewise I think that the relation with Lysa has already been lost, Balon is revenge-minded and a bit mad while Stannis will not accept anything but total submission and could be a real threat to the Old Gods' religion. And the Dornish of course wants a new Targaryen king so no help from those lands.

Robb - Alys Karstark

Sansa - Brynden Blackwood (I'll assume that he'll be single, or if not some other son of Lord Blackwood)

Bran - Betrothed to Barbra Bracken (or if she's married, to another of Lord Bracken's daughters)

Arya - Betrothed to Patrek Mallister

Rickon - Keep him as spare to be betrothed away if the need or oppertunity would present itself, like to House Frey or whatever.

Jon - I don't think a marriage will go well for Jon, its better to leave him as Robb's spare heir.

The way I see it, this should leave Robb with some strong allies in the Riverlands and North to keep the ship floating while the storm comes. The downside is of course that Robb would need to manover the feud between the Blackwoods and Brackens, and given Robb's earlier actions I am not sure that he could manage that, so Eddard would probably need to give some extra thoughts in order to let Robb handle the political leadership of the North as well.

[Renly's Banana]

5 hours ago, Lady Blizzardborn said:

Well what was the incentive for Hoster Tully to make Catelyn Lady of the North?

The Starks are an ancient and powerful family, Ned is the best friend of the king and Warden of the North (which technically puts him above Mace) and so far as we know pushing Margaery at Robert was Renly's idea. Mace could certainly do worse, and it's not unheard of for powerful men to plan to see a grandchild on the throne instead of a child. Given the close ties between Ned and Robert, if Robert hadn't gotten boar-ed he might have lived to arrange the betrothal of Joffery's first son to Robb and Margaery's daughter, giving Mace descendants sitting the throne in time anyway. His plans for making Marg a queen were never about her, they were about him and his bloodline, same as Tywin making Cersei queen. Only for the Tyrell's there's a psychological component of have having been upjumped stewards that makes them a bit more desperate.

But see, Hoster Tully is not Mace Tyrell. 
I'm taking into consideration all of these characters' personalities when I think about what they'd do, and there's just no way in hell I see Mace settling for having his only daughter be the (maybe) queen of an independent, inferior kingdom on the other side of the continent from him that has nothing to do with his lands or politics. Riverrun is nowhere near as rich and influential (not to mention proud) as Highgarden. Hoster giving away his daughters to the lords of the north and Vale actually makes sense; they're his two closest neighbors and they share a lot of historical ties. They formed a very powerful bloc that was strong enough to take down the Targaryens. 

The only reason Mace backed Renly is because Renly was the lord of the Stormlands and already a close friend to his family. He had a good shot at bypassing Stannis and taking King's Landing -- again, the only goal he wanted all along. In their eyes the Starks are foreigners. Strangers that didn't even want to sit the iron throne. 

18 hours ago, Good Guy Garlan said:

Additionally, this marriage works for Sansa because she might get to be the meat in some hot Renly-Loras sandwiches. She would be boning the two hottest dudes in the 7K, and if they're feeling handsy with each other she just goes to the kitchen to fix herself a snack, like Ross in that one "Friends" episode. 

Everybody else go home. This here is the best strategy in the thread

[Lady Blizzardborn]

3 hours ago, Renly's Banana said:

But see, Hoster Tully is not Mace Tyrell. 
I'm taking into consideration all of these characters' personalities when I think about what they'd do, and there's just no way in hell I see Mace settling for having his only daughter be the (maybe) queen of an independent, inferior kingdom on the other side of the continent from him that has nothing to do with his lands or politics. Riverrun is nowhere near as rich and influential (not to mention proud) as Highgarden. Hoster giving away his daughters to the lords of the north and Vale actually makes sense; they're his two closest neighbors and they share a lot of historical ties. They formed a very powerful bloc that was strong enough to take down the Targaryens. 

The only reason Mace backed Renly is because Renly was the lord of the Stormlands and already a close friend to his family. He had a good shot at bypassing Stannis and taking King's Landing -- again, the only goal he wanted all along. In their eyes the Starks are foreigners. Strangers that didn't even want to sit the iron throne. 

<snip

Except that Renly didn't really have a shot at bypassing Stannis and taking King's Landing. He might have been in good stead if he'd accepted Stannis' offer to be his heir, then he would have been king in time (and Margaery queen) and the brothers together, with the Tyrell army helping of course, might have had a shot at beating the Lannisters. 

Good point on personalities but do we really know Mace's personality? He's either an idiot or a mastermind who's very good at pretending to be an idiot. And until we've got that much figured out, personality assessments are a bit risky. Still, any personality can be ambitious. And Mace himself is far more likely to suffer from the "upjumped stewards" complex than his mother or daughter would.

[Renly's Banana]

@Lady Blizzardborn
Renly absolutely had a very good shot at taking King's Landing. He had the entire Stormlands and Reach at his back. He cut off the food supply into the city and was starving them out while he slowly marched there with a massive army. Before Renly died, Stannis was almost an afterthought to the Lannisters and not as big a threat; his forces were a joke compared to what his brother had. The outcome of everything would have been extremely different if Melisandre had not killed Renly. Stannis would have most likely died or been captured and King's Landing would have fallen to Renly and the Tyrells. Tywin would have gotten into the city before him and prepared, but there's no way they would have been able to hold out for very long with his forces so scattered and spent. And right of conquest would have made Renly king.. though not a very secure one. It was a risky gamble for Mace, but one that almost paid off.

As for his personality, we do know what he's like fairly well, actually. When your own mother calls you a power-hungry buffoon, that's pretty cut-and-dry. Pretty much everyone in our story has a consistent picture of who he is. Mace Tyrell is a very proud and very pompous man that wants to see his children and name take over the world. He's not the best military leader or the most intelligent but he's always had an eye on every possible opportunity and isn't afraid to take a lot of risks. Southron lords have very little interest in the affairs of the North; marrying his golden cash cow daughter to a Stark rebel would be a slight and a waste.

[Lady Blizzardborn]

13 hours ago, Renly's Banana said:

@Lady Blizzardborn
Renly absolutely had a very good shot at taking King's Landing. He had the entire Stormlands and Reach at his back. He cut off the food supply into the city and was starving them out while he slowly marched there with a massive army. Before Renly died, Stannis was almost an afterthought to the Lannisters and not as big a threat; his forces were a joke compared to what his brother had. The outcome of everything would have been extremely different if Melisandre had not killed Renly. Stannis would have most likely died or been captured and King's Landing would have fallen to Renly and the Tyrells. Tywin would have gotten into the city before him and prepared, but there's no way they would have been able to hold out for very long with his forces so scattered and spent. And right of conquest would have made Renly king.. though not a very secure one. It was a risky gamble for Mace, but one that almost paid off.

As for his personality, we do know what he's like fairly well, actually. When your own mother calls you a power-hungry buffoon, that's pretty cut-and-dry. Pretty much everyone in our story has a consistent picture of who he is. Mace Tyrell is a very proud and very pompous man that wants to see his children and name take over the world. He's not the best military leader or the most intelligent but he's always had an eye on every possible opportunity and isn't afraid to take a lot of risks. Southron lords have very little interest in the affairs of the North; marrying his golden cash cow daughter to a Stark rebel would be a slight and a waste.

You're right, I misspoke...er....mistyped. He did have a shot at KL. What he did not have a decent shot at was taking ALL of Westeros.

That's assuming his mother is telling the truth and not in on a deception that includes him being a buffoon. Power-hungry I grant, but I'm not convinced Mace is as stupid as he lets people think he is.

Nobody is a rebel at this point. These matches are meant to be at the beginning of the story, before Robert gets to Winterfell. Possibly even before Renly has suggested that Margaery marry Robert. In those circumstances marriage to the future LP and Warden of the North doesn't look so bad...and it would give Margaery's children a heritage of royal blood that the Tyrells themselves lack (Alerie's being a Hightower doesn't seem to have abated Mace's feelings on this point).

[TheYellowAppleFossoway]

Great hypothetical!

Having knowledge of the Wot5K makes this very interesting. Though, respectfully, I think a lot of people in this thread have made terrible matchings.

I see two ideal strategies, and both are admittedly similar.  One involves solidifying power in the north with loyal houses that are not too big to risk them having a hostage or a gateway to the northern throne. The second does the same thing but incorporates the iron islands for naval support/raiding deterrent/mending fences.

Option 1. Mary up in the north and stay out of the stupid game of thrones (sorry Tullys). 

Robb - Dacey Mormont. Wolfbears. Awesome.

Sansa - possibly Daryn Hornwood or possibly give her hand to Waymar Royce when he visits Winterfell and install him as house Royce of the north in the new gift to keep wildlings at bay (Ned contemplates abstractly doing something like this in the future.) It could be bad PR to deprive the watch of a recruit, but having a Royce vassal to help combat wildlings would be an asset. 

Arya - Cley Cerwyn. He's not too old and not too far away. Good and loyal house.

Bran - I'm tempted to say Meera because they seem to like each other, but I'm not sure how much she'd like life outside the swamp. Perhaps a Manderly daughter and he could achieve something akin to knighthood.

Rickon - I would marry him to an Umber or maybe a Karstark to keep them loyal. Don't want a big and old northern house to feel left out and jealous. His marriage is a token gesture.

Jon - Send to the wall to be LC. 

Gameplan: guard the north and wait it out. Bend the knee if necessary when the smoke clears.

Option 2: Marry up in the north and incorporate an iron islands alliance. Less realistic, which is why this is plan #2.

Robb - Asha Greyjoy. Might be hard to keep her happy in the woods, but this is a political marriage. Suck it up.

Sansa: Theon Greyjoy. She will be a vulnerable hostage, but she can hopefully influence the rule on the islands. A key part of this would be grooming and supporting Theon's claim to the Iron Islands. 

Arya - Cley Cerwyn or Daryn Hornwood.

Bran - Manderly daughter.

Rickon - Meera Reed. Let Bran learn the ways of the swamp. 

Jon - Send to the wall to be LC.

Gameplan: Groom Theon for leadership, strengthen ties to II, sit out the Wot5K.

[Curled Finger]

Oh what fun.   I thought I was so original with Sansa/Theon so it's good to see other folks understand that thinking.   So I reckon this is what I would have suggested:

Robb/Myrcella            *   valuable hostage

Jon/Nymeria Sand      *  teach Jon some sword and whip play

Sansa/Theon              *  better to have Ironborn Alliance than foes

Arya/Sweet Robert      *  get those lazy Vale bums involved

Bran/Wylla Manderly   *  keep the locals happy and loyal 

Rickon/Little Frey Girl  *  secure passage

[Lynesse]

(Long time lurker, but this is my first ever post, so hallo )

Robb - Margaery would no doubt be the best choice, but I agree that Mace likely would not have it. (Myrcella Baratheon is too young to give Robb heirs for a couple of years still. Alys Karstark is betrothed to Daryn Hornwood.) So my second, and way more likely, choice would be Ysilla Royce. And I'd arrange the wedding asap.

Sansa - Willas Tyrell

Arya - Elmar Frey. (Unfortunately, we really need the Freys.) Have him sent to Winterfell as a ward.

Bran - Myrcella Baratheon. Have her sent to Winterfell as a ward, if at all possible.

Rickon - Keep him as a spare so he can be betrothed at need.

Jon - Send him to the Wall and let his arc unfold there the way it does.

Theon - an Umber daughter, so he is off the board and really tied to the North.

As for marrying into the Greyjoys, Balon hates the Starks about as much as anyone, and, well, Ned has Theon anyway.

(As Ned without a time machine, or without the Wot5k looming, most of my choices would be different, though.)

[Lion of the West]

On 2017-03-05 at 11:07 PM, Curled Finger said:

Oh what fun.   I thought I was so original with Sansa/Theon so it's good to see other folks understand that thinking.   So I reckon this is what I would have suggested:

Robb/Myrcella            *   valuable hostage

Jon/Nymeria Sand      *  teach Jon some sword and whip play

Sansa/Theon              *  better to have Ironborn Alliance than foes

Arya/Sweet Robert      *  get those lazy Vale bums involved

Bran/Wylla Manderly   *  keep the locals happy and loyal 

Rickon/Little Frey Girl  *  secure passage

The problem I see with this is that there's no reason for Myrcella to go to Winterfell before the war breaks out as she would be to young for a formal marriage. As such I think this could at worst just be tying up Robb instead of giving him a wife from another House which could provide some more concrete support. Now I think that Robert could agree to the match, even while he may also reject his as he's himself already thinking of a match between Joffrey and Sansa and so don't want to put a double tie to a single House.

Also I am not sure that a match between Arya and Robert Arryn would ammount to much. Like the thing above, both kids are far to young for a formal marriage and I doubt that it would be enough to get Lysa from under Littlefinger's foot.

Most of the others could work, although I would personally not send Sansa to the Iron Islands given how likely it is that she and Theon would not get along very well and she would stand out like a fish on land among the Ironmen. I think that Arya would actually be more suited to a life there than Sansa, who could be more useful in a match further south.