Symond Frey

Symond Frey is the current Lord of the Crossing, the eldest child of the late Lady Elana Frey and Ser Lancelyn Erenford. He is the younger brother of Cassana Vance and eldest surviving brother of Walter and Jeyne Frey. His wife, Imogen Blackwood, is expecting his first legitimate child, while he has fathered two bastard children, Harry Waters and Brynden Rivers.

Appearance and Character
Standing at 6'3", Symond is considerably taller than most in his family though he is unable to match his height in muscle. He is a willowy man, with a fair complexion and prominent dark eyes to match his dark hair. His cheeks are high, his nose soft, and full lips pronounced by an absence of facial hair. He typically styles his hair short and combed to the side, but once upon a time he opted to grow it out, wearing it in a bun atop his head. Despite his newfound wealth, Symond seldom chooses to dress the part.

Symond is not the image of a storybook knight; despite his best intents, things go awry beyond his abilities to repair, sometimes born of his own obliviousness. However, as a true knight should, Symond shows a genuine love and concern for those beneath him, and a desire to see his lands guided by justice. He's seldom been presented with opportunities to make that a reality, unfortunately, and House Frey must discover if its untested Lord is able to chase ambitions as well as skirts. While once a man of many lovers, his marriage has seen him have eyes for his wife alone; though, his lovers were never taken with shallowness, and he felt genuine affection for every woman he has bedded and shows no disdain for the children born as a result, instead being the best father he can while his sons are reared with their mothers' family. Once, he showed interest in a challenge known as "making the eight", and though he only made it through three kingdoms, his marriage vows leave him second-guessing his goal as one worth pursuing. He naturally follows a more submissive role in his marriage, in part due to the intimidation he feels towards his wife. In his brotherly relations, he and Walter could not be farther apart; where young Walter was round, young Symond was gaunt; where Walter was bookish, Symond was outgoing.

Early History
Born on the 13th Day of the 7th moon in 419 AC, not a moment has passed since that Symond was silent. Similarly, there was never a time after his twin brother Walter's birth only a few moments following his own that Walter was first in their mother's arms. Symond was born the celebrated Heir to the Crossing in Elana's eyes, relieved of the grief she felt over her daughter Cassana Vance's absence. Lady Elana's bitterness towards Lord Perceon Vance never entirely subsided, perhaps more to do with his primary role in Cassana's upbringing as opposed to Elana's longtime unrequited affections, though the Lady was such a bitter woman that it is hard to say with certainty. Though all three of the children born of Elana's second marriage would grow to feel fiercely for one another on one level or another, she showed no desire to send any of them to King's Landing to be with their older sister. Years would reveal a lifelong disdain for the city and the negative experiences and people encountered there. However, one disdain seemed to subside, at least as far as Lady Elana was concerned, when Lord Jon II Stark wrote to her proposing his granddaughter Berena be betrothed to the Frey heir in 424 AC. Years of bettered relations followed, with talk of allowing the Starks to pass toll-free thereafter (though the odds of this coming to fruition were slim) and Symond, for one, was as enthralled as a child could be about being tied down for the rest of their days. These dreams died an angry death in 427 AC when a raven arrived, announcing Berena as the Heir to Winterfell. It was said that Lady Elana became so infuriated, that not a soul in the Crossing slept soundly that night. For a fleeting moment, she thought perhaps to offer her second-born son Walter to Lord Stark; but her newly-returned sister, the now-Lady of Raventree Hall Visaera Frey, swore to Elana that both her dreams and their late sister would be avenged.

Symond seemingly grew up with a sword in one hand and a book in the other; his knightly father taught him for a time, until Symond's prowess proved itself with a sword instead of a lance. To that end, Lady Elana arranged for her sister, the Lady of Raventree Hall, to further instruct her son in 430 AC. It was then Symond received his first ass whipping. If nothing else, Elana managed to pass on her adeptness at stewardship to her son, as well as the knowledge and understanding of how to keep their bridge-home well fortified in times of crisis, though in this she was aided by her military men. While he lacked his brother's mind for figures, Symond compensated by exerting his greater strength, and perhaps greater initial proficiency with people, returning Walter safely to his shadow. He left for Heart's Home in 332 AC to squire for Brynden Corbray.

Rollin' n' Tollin'
Symond spent the duration of The Bleeding in Heart's Home or generally accompanying Lord Brynden while his Lady-Mother Elana was content to let the Warsmiths be snuffed out in time. Walter, however, elected to lead a band of troops into their lands to weed out the Warsmiths under their banners behind his mother's back, and while Walter and his men performed the expected chasing, he also made an example of a few very unfortunate Warsmiths, leaving their corpses to sway from the trees as Winter crept forward. Enraged by her second-born son's audacity, Elana presented Walter with a choice: the Citadel, or the Wall. Walter, having always had an insatiable appetite for knowledge (and suddenly, less for food, leading to Walter becoming considerably more slim) elected to go to the Citadel, though he never earned his chain. He does possess a few links.

After years of training beneath his aged mentor, Symond was finally knighted in 435 AC. He elected to depart the Vale shortly after, no matter the flurry; before abandoning the mountainous place completely, he bedded Bessie the Innkeeper's Daughter, losing his virginity and beginning his quest to "make the eight". It was during the times of greatest colds that Symond's fieriest tales were born; presently, they are often shared with drinking companions. Tales of icy brawls, warm brothels, and punching a grisly bear in the face are prominently-told stories. On his way to King's Landing with the intentions of a short stay, Symond ultimately never makes his destination when he makes a detour to Hayrford where he tumbles into the warm arms of Lord Renfred Hayford's second-born daughter Hostella. Nine moons later, Hostella births him a natural son named Harrold Waters- Symond is not there for it, nor any of the pregnancy. In 436 AC, Symond returns to the Crossing in time to be tasked by his mother to deliver his sister Jeyne to Casterly Rock where she will be a lady-in-waiting in the court of Lady Lannister. A treacherous and wholly unpleasant journey- made worse by his sister being such a "woman"- Symond feels an unparalleled sense of relief when they finally arrive at the opulent castle. He could not have predicted the relief to come. What began as an unwanted trip undertaken on his mother's command became a time so rich he nearly renounced his very name to make it last longer. A Lannister paid their debts and then some, but eventually Symond realized he needed to resume his responsibilities, now as a proper knight.

But not before stopping in Darry on the way home for refuge, where a still-lovesick Symond falls into the arms of Lady Amerei Darry's daughter, Bethany. Moons later he discovers that Bethany is with child, and despite his mother's fury at the news, Symond shies away from marrying her. Elana eventually lets go of her anger, in favor of introducing her son to a more familiar bride.

Symond wed his now-wife Imogen Frey née Blackwood in the 14th Day of the 2nd Moon of 438 AC, in a so-called "frost fair", a celebration of the two families' friendship for eternity. Lady Elana's vigilant stewardship- one of the few lessons she manged to pass to her son- saw that the Crossings' reserves were plentiful, and their relatively small family made it possible to host another with ease, and a band of bards temporarily lodging at his family's keep brought another level of merriment to the event. It is regarded as one of the happiest days in Symond's life, despite the pandemonium surrounding it. Though of course they did not marry for love, Symond could feel it growing between himself and his bride, and knew it for certain a few short moons later when his wife's change began. Tragedy would strike the Frey household in the 9th Moon of 438 AC when, after suffering a harsh winter and countless years of alcoholism, Elana Frey's liver could take no more and she up and died. Symond was despondent immediately following, because for all her faults, that never changed that she was his mother, and the only one he'd ever have. And now, she was dead. He felt remorseful that he was the only child at her bedside when she died, especially knowing how fragile his sister could be, but he trusted her to be well cared for at Casterly Rock. His brother was more complicated, but all Symond could do was be on alert for any ravens from Oldtown. He gave his mother a burial befitting one of her status, with Imogen by his side the entire time; she'd become his rock throughout the ordeal.

With winter over, Symond feels nothing but confidence in his House's future. His doubt never strays from his shadow.

Recent Events
Lord Symond made his way to Fairmarket with his expectant Lady-Wife to swear fealty to his new liege, while his younger siblings are off to Oldtown. He is eager, while remaining mournful of his mother.

Family Members and Household

 * Lord Symond Frey (†)
 * m. Cassana Vance (†)
 * Lady Jeyne Frey (†)
 * Forrest Frey (†)
 * Donnel Frey (†)
 * Lady Elana Frey
 * m. Lancelyn Erenford
 * Petyr Vance (†)
 * Cassana Vance
 * Lord Symond Frey
 * m. Imogen Blackwood
 * Walter Frey
 * Jeyne Frey
 * Visaera Blackwood
 * m. Ambrose Blackwood
 * Bowen Blackwood (†)
 * Imogen Blackwood
 * Benjen Blackwood
 * Lenore Blackwood
 * Damion Blackwood
 * Phoebe Blackwood