House Marbrand of Ashemark

The Marbrands rose when the Andals reached the west and the Kings of the Rock chose to win over their old enemies rather than crush them, marrying their own children to them. Out of that bargain came one of the houses raised at Ashemark.

Generations later, the widowed queen Rhaena Targaryen passed through Ashemark during her progress across the Westerlands, between 50 and 51 AC. Four years after that, in 55 AC, King Jaehaerys I himself stopped there on his own tour of the region.

The visits spared the house no grief: in 59 AC an outbreak known as the Shivers took the lord of Ashemark, along with many other western lords.

Ser Lorent Marbrand wore the white cloak of the Kingsguard under Viserys I, and later served as Lord Commander of Rhaenyra Targaryen's own guard.

Generations on, under Daeron II, a Marbrand named Denys took part in the tourney held at Ashford in 209 AC, riding under his house's burning tree.

Jeyne Marbrand, daughter of Lord Alyn Marbrand, married Tytos Lannister at Casterly Rock in 235 AC and bore him five children.

She did not live to see them grown: she died in 255 AC, a month after giving birth to the youngest, Gerion.

The tie between the two houses ran through another branch as well — Darlessa Marbrand married her own cousin, Tygett Lannister, and had a son with him, Tyrek.

Addam Marbrand grew up serving as a page at Casterly Rock, where he struck up a friendship with the lord's son, Jaime Lannister — a bond that would outlast their childhood.

When the lords of the realm gathered for the Tournament of the Hand, the Marbrands' burning tree flew among the assembled banners.

With war already declared, Tyrion Lannister spotted that same sigil among his father's ranks. Addam Marbrand rode at the head of the Lannister scouts, and at the Battle of the Green Fork he held the right flank, commanding some four thousand men.

While King Robb Stark carried his campaign into the Westerlands, his northmen, with Ser Brynden Tully among them, took Ashemark.

Far from there, Addam was unhorsed three times at the Battle of the Fords, but distinguished himself afterward at the Battle of the Blackwater. Once the fighting ended, he presented himself before King Joffrey I Baratheon.

Tywin Lannister put Addam in command of the City Watch of King's Landing. Tyrion, in turn, had him gather a guard of honor of gold cloaks to receive Prince Oberyn Martell and the Dornish party arriving in the capital.

Addam gave King Joffrey a pair of silver spurs as a wedding gift. After the feast, he was left in charge of guarding Tyrion during the trial that followed.

With his right hand gone, Jaime asked his childhood friend to test his new left-handed swordplay. Addam did not go easy on him: he beat him soundly.

After Tywin's murder, Addam's gold cloaks combed King's Landing for Tyrion, without success.

Jaime asked to take Addam with him to settle the Siege of Riverrun, and there Addam once again led the scouts, this time hunting for Ser Brynden Tully, who had slipped out of the castle.