House Florent of Brightwater Keep

Legend holds that the Florents descend from Florys the Fox, one of the legendary daughters of Garth Greenhand. From that root they draw an argument passed down through generations: that their blood runs older than the Tyrells', and that Highgarden should by rights be theirs.

In the year 206, with Daeron II Targaryen on the Iron Throne, the house was ruled by a lord who had already gone blind. Ser Arlan of Pennytree entered his service along with his squire Dunk, two names history would remember for other reasons.

After the death of Queen Jaehaera Targaryen, Lady Samantha Tarly wrote to the young King Aegon III proposing a list of possible wives drawn from the great houses of the Reach. Among those names were ladies of House Florent.

When Robert Baratheon died and accusations of incest fell on Queen Cersei Lannister, the Florents followed the Tyrells in backing Renly Baratheon's claim to the Iron Throne. Renly's death made them switch sides: they threw their support behind Stannis, the other brother, partly so that Selyse Florent could become queen.

Selyse and Lord Alester Florent were the first among Stannis's followers to embrace the red faith of R'hllor, the Lord of Light.

Melisandre burned Lord Alester Florent alive to raise favorable winds for the expedition north. His eldest son, Alekyne, inherited the title and became the new Lord of Brightwater.

The defeat at the Battle of the Blackwater sealed the house's fate: Tywin Lannister, as Hand of the King, stripped them of Brightwater Keep and all their holdings and handed them to Garlan Tyrell as reward for his loyalty.