Twins

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The Twins
Castle, river crossing
Thetwins loganfeliciano.jpg
The Twins, by Logan Feliciano © Fantasy Flight Games
Location Westeros, riverlands
Government House Frey, feudal lord
Ruler Lord Walder Frey
Religion Faith of the Seven
Founded six hundred years ago
Named for its twin castles
Notable places Water Tower
The riverlands and the location of the Twins
The riverlands and the location of the Twins
The Twins
The riverlands and the location of the Twins

The Twins, sometimes known as the Crossing, is the seat of House Frey in the northern riverlands, located south of the bogs of the Neck and west of the kingsroad.[1] A fortified crossing of the Green Fork of the Trident, the Twins consists of identical castles on each side of the river and a tower in the middle of the bridge which connects them.[2] It is one of the most formidable strongholds of the Seven Kingdoms.[3]

Household

Brenett serves as the castles' maester[4] and Lame Lothar, one of Lord Walder Frey's sons, is the steward.[5] Jinglebell, one of Walder's grandsons, entertains as a fool,[4] and Sedgekins is a servant.[6]

Layout

The Twins consist of two identical stone castles standing on a margin of the Green Fork of the Trident, where the river runs swift and deep.[2] The castles have high curtain walls, deep moats, and a barbican and portcullis in each.[2] Channels have been dug to form moats, turning each castle into an island.[4] Scorpions can be placed on the battlements.[2] Each castle has a courtyard, and the Freys can slide plank bridges from sally ports to cross their moats.[2] The castles have high tower windows.[6]

A bridge of smooth grey rock arches between the castles, with the bridge footings rising from within the inner keeps. This bridge is wide enough for two wagons to cross abreast. It is the only crossing point over the Green Fork for hundreds of miles in either direction, from the north to the western riverlands. It lies directly athwart the main route from Winterfell to Riverrun.[2]

The bridge is guarded in the middle by the Water Tower, which also has command over the Green Fork. This structure has arrow slits, murder holes, and portcullises for defense.[2] Guests of honor can reside in its richly-furnished chambers and at least one suite, and their featherbeds have corner posts carved in the shape of towers. The tower has curved steps.[4]

The seat of the Lord of the Crossing, located in the great hall of the east castle,[2] is a chair of black oak, tall and massive. Its back is carved in the shape of two towers joined by an arched bridge.[2][4] The chambers of the maester are found in a turret accessible from Lord Frey's hall by a covered bridge.[4]

An apple orchard and a cornfield are near the eastern castle,[6] and hills are found to the west.[2]

History

Armsmen of House Frye, by Mark Bulahao © Fantasy Flight Games

House Frey has held the crossing of the Green Fork for six hundred years, beginning when a petty lord built a rickety wooden bridge over the narrowest portion of the river.[3] It took the family three generations to complete the bridge in stone, after which they built timber keeps on each bank of the river.[2]

The Freys have grown wealthy by charging a heavy toll on all those who need to cross—a fact which irks many older or more powerful houses. The timber keeps have since been replaced by stone. These castles are what give the stronghold its name, for they are identical.[2] Given their strong castle, strategic location, wealth, and numbers, the Freys are one of the most powerful bannermen sworn to House Tully, now able to raise about four thousand men.[7]

During the Dance of the Dragons, Lord Roderick Dustin and the Winter Wolves stopped by the Twins during their journey south to support Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen.[8] Lady Sabitha Frey fled back to the Twins after Prince Aemond Targaryen attacked Harrenhal with Vhagar.[8] Sabitha, widowed after the death of Lord Forrest Frey at the Fishfeed, joined the host of Ser Addam Velaryon for the Second Battle of Tumbleton.[9] Widow Fairs were held at the Twins after the war.[10]

In the story of the Knight of the Laughing Tree, a crannogman passed the Twins by night to avoid being attacked by the Freys.[11]

Walder Frey, Lord of the Crossing, claims to have hosted three kings during his life.[2][N 1] Walder offered to host young Robert Arryn as a ward at the Twins, but the suggestion was declined by Lord Jon Arryn and Lady Lysa Arryn.[2]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

After Catelyn Stark seizes Tyrion Lannister at the crossroads inn,[12] a contingent of Freys report back to Lord Walder Frey.[13]

Hoster Tully, the Lord Paramount of the Trident, is ill at Riverrun and does not attend the wedding of Walder and his eighth wife, Lady Joyeuse Erenford, at the Twins.[2]

After Lord Eddard Stark is arrested in King's Landing and the riverlands are attacked by House Lannister, his son Robb leads a northern army south. Lord Frey gathers nearly four thousand soldiers and fortifies the Twins, his intentions unknown. To prevent Walder from potentially informing Lord Tywin Lannister of Robb's movements, Ser Brynden Tully's archers shoot down any ravens sent from the Twins.[2]

Catelyn enters the Twins as Robb's envoy and meets with Lord Frey in his hall. They negotiate an alliance between Houses Stark and Frey, which includes Robb promising to marry one of Walder's daughters and Arya Stark to marry Elmar Frey.[2]

The Freys contribute one thousand mounted knights and near three thousand foot to Robb's cause.[7] The army splits at the Twins, with Robb crossing to the west bank of the Green Fork to take the horse to Riverrun and Lord Roose Bolton keeping the foot to distract Tywin on the east bank. Ser Helman Tallhart remains at the Twins with four hundred archers and swordsmen to bolster and ensure the loyalty of Walder's garrison of the same size.[2]

After being defeated by Tywin in the battle on the Green Fork, Roose reforms the survivors at the mouth of the causeway.[14]

A Clash of Kings

Having gathered his host to the Twins,[15][16] Roose Bolton marries[17] Walda Frey,[18] one of Lord Walder's granddaughters.[19]

Roose marches south and takes the ruby ford and the crossroads.[17] When Tywin leads his host west to face Robb, Ser Edmure Tully orders Helman Tallhart to leave the Twins and assist Roose with capturing Harrenhal from its Lannister garrison.[17]

A Storm of Swords

Robb Stark and his men enter the Twins, by Michael Komarck ©

Lords Tytos Brax and Regenard Estren are held captive at the Twins after the battle in the Whispering Wood.[20][21]

After the storming of the Crag, Robb, now King in the North and King of the Trident, marries Jeyne Westerling instead of one of Walder's daughters. In response Ser Ryman Frey leads the angry Frey soldiers with Robb's army in the westerlands back to the Twins.[7] The Freys are Riverrun also angrily depart for their home after learning of the marriage.[22] In order to regain the Freys for Robb's cause, Edmure Tully, now Lord of Riverrun and Walder's liege, agrees to marry Roslin Frey.[5]

After Robb arrives at the Twins from Riverrun amid heavy rainfall, Lord Walder has the young king apologize to the Frey women gathered in the hall. Catelyn asks for food to secure guest right. Edmure, Robb, and Catelyn are given guest chambers in the Water Tower and three great feast tents are set up on the eastern bank for Robb's men. Roose arrives from Harrenhal with the remainder of the northern foot, with Ser Aenys Frey having already returned with his Frey contingent.[4]

After Edmure and Roslin are wed, the highborn nobles feast in one of the Twins, while knights, lesser lords, and bastards eat in the opposing castle. Common soldiers celebrate in the tents outside. After bride and groom depart Walder's hall, however, the Freys and Boltons betray the Starks and Tullys. Robb and Catelyn are killed in the massacre known as the Red Wedding.[19][23]

As a reward from the Iron Throne for the Red Wedding, the Freys are to receive Riverrun, which is still held in Robb's name by Brynden the Blackfish.[24] Ryman leads two thousand spears from the Twins to support the siege of Riverrun.[25]

A Feast for Crows

Captives held at the Twins include the Greatjon and Ser Marq Piper.[26] The Freys take Edmure to Riverrun as a hostage.[27]

Ser Arwood Frey and the brothers Harys and Donnel Haigh lead fifty men from the Twins to investigate the raid on Saltpans.[28] Lord Walder sends men to hunt outlaws like the Hound.[29]

Ryman's tent outside Riverrun is decorated to resemble the Twins.[30] While riding back to the Twins from Riverrun, Ryman and his party of three knights and twelve men-at-arms are ambushed by the brotherhood without banners.[31]

After achieving Riverrun's surrender, Ser Jaime Lannister tells Edwyn Frey and Ser Walder Rivers that all captives from the Red Wedding held at the Twins are to be sent to King Tommen I Baratheon in King's Landing.[31]

A Dance with Dragons

Roose Bolton marches from the Twins to Moat Cailin via the causeway. His vanguard consists of four hundred mounted Freys led by Ser Aenys Frey and Ser Hosteen Frey, while the rearguard consists of at least another thousand Frey troops.[32]

The pregnant Roslin Frey is to remain at the Twins until she gives birth, after which she and the newborn may join the captive Edmure at Casterly Rock.[33]

Chapters that take place at the Twins

Quotes

The Twins in Game of Thrones

The Twins—two squat, ugly, formidable castles, identical in every respect, with the bridge arching between—had guarded the crossing for centuries.[2]

—thoughts of Catelyn Stark

Roose: That cannot be assaulted, my lords.
Helman: Nor can we take it by siege, without an army on the far bank to invest the other castle.[2]

The gatehouse towers emerged from the rain like ghosts, hazy grey apparitions that grew more solid the closer they rode. The Frey stronghold was not one castle but two; mirror images in wet stone standing on opposite sides of the water, linked by a great arched bridge.[4]

—thoughts of Catelyn Stark

In the Twins, you learned early that only full blood siblings could be trusted, and them not very far.[34]

—thoughts of Merrett Frey

My son Wendel came to the Twins a guest. He ate Lord Walder's bread and salt, and hung his sword upon the wall to feast with friends. And they murdered him. Murdered, I say, and may the Freys choke upon their fables.[35]

The world won't miss a few Freys. There's plenty more down at the Twins should we ever have need of one.[36]

Walder Frey's fourth wife was a Blackwood, but kinship counts for no more than guest right at the Twins.[33]

Notes

  1. Those three kings would be among the following options: Maekar I, Aegon V, Jaehaerys II (unlikely given his short reign and sickly disposition), Aerys II and Robert I.

References

  1. The Lands of Ice and Fire, Westeros.
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 59, Catelyn IX.
  3. 3.0 3.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Riverlands: House Tully.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 49, Catelyn VI.
  5. 5.0 5.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 35, Catelyn IV.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 50, Arya X.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 14, Catelyn II.
  8. 8.0 8.1 Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Triumphant.
  9. Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - Rhaenyra Overthrown.
  10. Fire & Blood, Under the Regents - The Hooded Hand.
  11. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 24, Bran II.
  12. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 28, Catelyn V.
  13. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 31, Tyrion IV.
  14. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 71, Catelyn XI.
  15. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 16, Bran II.
  16. A Clash of Kings, Appendix.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 39, Catelyn V.
  18. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 64, Arya X.
  19. 19.0 19.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 51, Catelyn VII.
  20. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 63, Catelyn X.
  21. A Storm of Swords, Appendix.
  22. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 7, Jon I.
  23. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 52, Arya XI.
  24. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 53, Tyrion VI.
  25. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 60, Tyrion VIII.
  26. A Feast for Crows, Appendix.
  27. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 33, Jaime V.
  28. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 30, Jaime IV.
  29. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 31, Brienne VI.
  30. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 38, Jaime VI.
  31. 31.0 31.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 44, Jaime VII.
  32. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 20, Reek II.
  33. 33.0 33.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 48, Jaime I.
  34. A Storm of Swords, Epilogue.
  35. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 29, Davos IV.
  36. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 32, Reek III.

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