House Royce of the Gates of the Moon
House Royce of the Gates of the Moon | |
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Coat of arms |
A black portcullis over a white crescent moon on purple bordered with runes on bronze (Purpure, a moon increscent argent surmounted by a portcullis sable, all within a bordure bronze charged with ancient runes of the third) |
Seat | Gates of the Moon |
Head | Lord Nestor Royce |
Region | Vale of Arryn |
Title | Keeper of the Gates of the Moon |
Heir | Ser Albar Royce[1] |
Overlord | House Arryn |
House Royce of the Gates of the Moon is a noble house from the Gates of the Moon in the Vale of Arryn. They began as a junior branch of House Royce of Runestone.[2] According to semi-canon sources, they blazon their arms with a black portcullis over a white crescent moon on purple bordered with runes on bronze.[3] Their motto has not appeared yet.
Contents
History
House Royce of the Gates of the Moon began as a junior branch to the senior Royces of Runestone. They have intermarried with noble houses from the Vale of Arryn, and potentially one of the Great Houses as well if the branch that married into House Stark is the same branch. Benedict Royce, a younger son of Lord Raymar Royce of the junior branch, married Jocelyn Stark.[4][5][N 1] According to Catelyn Stark, the marriage between Benedict and Jocelyn produced three daughters who married into other Vale houses. One married a Waynwood, another a Corbray, and the third might have married a Templeton.[4]
Lord Nestor is called "a formidable lord in his own right" by Catelyn Stark[6] before he is granted lordship over the Gates of the Moon, so the branch may have held a lordship before that.
Recent Events
A Game of Thrones
Lord Nestor Royce has been High Steward of the Vale for fourteen years in Lord Jon Arryn's absence as Hand of the King in King's Landing, and many whisper that he should rule as regent until young Lord Robert Arryn comes of age. Nestor has offered himself as a suitor to the widowed Lady Lysa Arryn, but she has rejected him. Nestor welcomes Lady Catelyn Stark, Ser Brynden Tully, Tyrion Lannister, and Bronn to the Gates of the Moon.[6]
Nestor and his son, Ser Albar Royce, witness Tyrion's trial by combat at the Eyrie.[7]
In King Joffrey I Baratheon's first session of court, both Lord Royces and their sons are among the nobles commanded to do him fealty or be labeled as traitors.[8]
A Storm of Swords
Robb Stark, King in the North and King of the Trident, considers whom he can choose as his heir apparent, due to the apparent deaths of his brothers Bran and Rickon and the marriage of his sister Sansa to Tyrion. His mother, Catelyn Stark, refers to the Jocelyn Stark-Benedict Royce marriage, saying one of their descendants could be Robb's heir.[4]
Lysa counts Nestor among those who want to wed her, but she finds him dreadful.[9]
A Feast for Crows
Lord Nestor, his son Albar, and Ser Marwyn Belmore come to the Eyrie to hear Marillion confess to the murder of Lysa. Sansa Stark, pretending to be Alayne Stone, bastard daughter of Lord Petyr Baelish, falseley confirms for Nestor that the singer had killed Lysa, as she had actually been murdered by her new husband, Petyr. Although the Keeper of the Gates of the Moon has not been a hereditary position, Petyr, the Lord Protector of the Vale, grants the castle to the Royces in perpetuity, stating it was the wish of Lady Lysa before her death. In his words to Nestor, Petyr grants them the lordship "for their loyal service", but privately to Sansa he admits to "buying their support."[10]
Nestor closes his gates against his cousin, Bronze Yohn, and the rest of the Lords Declarant. His garrison is less than three hundred men, and each of the six lords outside has a thousand. Nestor accompanies them when they climb to the Eyrie to treat with Lord Baelish.[11]
Nestor's daughter, Myranda Royce, was once married, but her husband died while they were having sex on her wedding night. Nestor offers Myranda as a match for Harrold Hardyng, but his offer is rejected by Lady Anya Waynwood.[12]
House Royce at the end of the third century
The known Royces during the timespan of the events described in A Song of Ice and Fire are:
- Nestor Royce, High Steward of the Vale and castellan of the Gates of the Moon.[1]
- His wife, long dead by 300 AC.[12]
- Ser Albar Royce, his son and heir.[1]
- Myranda Royce, his daughter and a widow.[1]
- His wife, long dead by 300 AC.[12]
Household
- Ser Marwyn Belmore, captain of guards.
- Mya Stone, a 19-year-old guide and mule-handler. The eldest of Robert Baratheon's bastard offspring.
- Ossy and Carrot, mule handlers.
Historical Members
- Lord Raymar Royce, Lord of the junior branch of House Royce in the middle of the third century AC.[4][N 1] (possibly; unconfirmed)
- Benedict Royce, a younger son of Lord Raymar. He married Jocelyn Stark and had issue.[13] (possibly; unconfirmed)
Quotes
Nestor: I will not say I had not hoped for this. Whilst Lord Jon ruled the realm as Hand, it fell to me to rule the Vale for him. I did all that he required of me and asked nothing for myself. But by the gods, I earned this!
Petyr: You did, and Lord Robert sleeps more easily knowing that you are always there, a staunch friend at the foot of his mountain. So ... a toast, my lord. To House Royce, Keepers of the Gates of the Moon ... now and forever.[10]
Notes
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 A Feast for Crows, Appendix.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Appendix.
- ↑ The Citadel. Heraldry: Houses in the Vale
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 45, Catelyn V.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Appendix:Stark Lineage.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 34, Catelyn VI.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 38, Tyrion V.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 57, Sansa V.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 68, Sansa VI.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 10, Sansa I.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 23, Alayne I.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 41, Alayne II.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Appendix:Stark Lineage.
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