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 Lord Stark faces his father, Bael the Bard by Roman Papsuev | ||||
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| Allegiance | House Stark | |||
| Culture | Northmen | |||
| Born | Winterfell | |||
| Father | Bael the Bard | |||
| Mother | Rose of Winterfell | |||
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Lord Stark was the son of the legendary raider and King-beyond-the-Wall Bael the Bard with the rose of Winterfell, the only child of Lord Brandon Stark, according to wilding songs.
History
[edit]The Lord Stark was part of a song, supposedly written by the legend King-beyond-the-Wall, Bael the Bard. Bael the Bard traveled to Winterfell and tricked the Lord Brandon Stark, disappearing with and deflowering his only daughter..[1]
After a year of searching without any sign of her, Lord Brandon lost hope and took to his bed. One night, as Lord Brandon lay awaiting death, he heard a child's crying. Following the sound, he found his daughter back in her bedchamber, sleeping with a baby at her breast. According to the song penned by Bael, she loved him so dearly she bore him a son. Bael left the child to his grandfather in payment for the rose he had plucked unasked.[1]
Through this son, House Stark and the wildings both share Bael's blood. However, thirty after his birth, Bael led an invasion south as King-beyond-the-Wall. In the battle that followed, Lord Stark unknowingly slew his own father, who was not willing to harm his son. Although Lord Stark became a kinslayer unknowingly, he still bore the curse of it. When his mother saw Bael's head upon her son's spear when he returned from battle, she threw herself from a tower in grief. Not long after, Lord Stark himself was killed by one of his own lords, who peeled off his skin and wore it as a cloak.[1]
Maester Yandel questioned the veracity of the tale of Bael getting the Stark maid with child and believed it was an improbable story.[2]
Recent Events
[edit]A Clash of Kings
[edit]After Jon Snow takes her captive, Ygritte tells him the tale of Bael the Bard and his son. Ygritte says that because the son grew up to be the next Lord Stark, she and Jon both have Bael's blood.[1]
Jon admits to Qhorin Halfhand that he let Ygritte go unscathed and tells him that she claimed they were kin. Qhorin is familiar with the song because Mance Rayder would sing it when he was in the Night's Watch.[3]
Family
[edit]
Quotes about Lord Stark
[edit]Ygritte: It was young Lord Stark who met him at the Frozen Ford… and killed him, for Bael would not harm his own son when they met sword to sword.
Jon: So the son slew the father instead.
Ygritte: Aye, but the gods hate kinslayers, even when they kill unknowing.[1]
References
[edit]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 51, Jon VI.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Wall and Beyond: The Wildlings.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 53, Jon VII.