Gerold Merryweather

Gerold Merryweather, third son of Lord Merryweather born on the 8th Moon of 413.

Appearance and Personality
With a head of golden curly hair and amber eyes to match, Gerold is a rather attractive sort. While not possessing any of the muscle that is so common on many other members of the nobility he is a healthy individual with good form due to frequent horse riding.

Gerold is a friendly character who always seeks to find the best in people. He can often be viewed as a naive and spineless scion of a noble house, however, this is not quite the case. His conflicts with his lord father and struggles to find his own path has led Gerold to become a strong individual with the confidence to pursue his own dreams in life.

The Weather Isn't so Merry. (413-423)
Born the third son of the Merryweather line, Gerold started life as he lived it; with a warm smile and laughter. It was said that as a baby that Gerold never cried, no, instead he smiled and laughed in his crib, seemingly fascinated by all around him. As he and his siblings grew older, his brothers and father would hunt and ride their lands while Gerlod would instead be found playing with blocks or exploring the castle.

His father was not amused at his youngest sons antics, or perhaps his sons lack of antics. He had little interest in a son more interested in building castles then conquering them. True, their family was not one of great warriors but the level of spinelessness that Gerold seemed to be plagued by was too much for the Lord.

Despite Gerold's protest, of which protests were quickly squashed by his father, the two would go on a hunt. It was on this hunt that his father saw just how weak his son really was. He could pull back a bowstring finally enough, well for someone of his stature that was, but when the time came to use the weapon there was nothing. Gerold had no bloodlust in him, he saw the animals in the forests as fascinating creatures rather than something to be killed. Disappointed at his son's meekness he would call off the hunt, refusing to speak to his son during the journey back.

The relationship between Gerold and his father would remain cold from that point on. For all of their disagreements, Gerold had never intended to push his father away like this, but he also knew that no matter how much the pain of his father’s dismissal of him was, the pain of completely changing himself would be much worse. It was then to his surprise that his father assigned him under the close tutelage of a Maester renowned for both his intelligence and sternness. His father had hoped that learning under such a hard master would break his son’s fantasies of architecture, however, like most things, his son would disappoint. He took to his studies vigorously, as the difficulty mounted in the Maester’s lessons so would Gerold’s enthusiasm for the craft. In time the Maester would grow respect for Gerold, appreciating his student's vigor in learning all there was to turn. In an act of surprising kindness, he would even teach the art of healing after seeing Gerold’s attempts to heal one of his families dogs. With his educating complete the old Maester departed leaving Gerold with kind words and more enthusiasm than ever.

Clear Skies Fly Away (423-424)
He would spend his early 20s wandering across the Reach, favoring Oldtown especially. It was on one of these escapades that Gerold would meet Edmund. While Gerold was in many ways the opposite of the young heir to Wayfarer’s Rest, the two became fast friends. Gerold would find Edmund a shoulder to lean on in his personal issues while also finding a compangion to discuss buildings and architecture. He would be saddened when Edmund departed shortly after but the two promised to see each other again should they ever find themselves nearby.

Alas, all was not well in Gerold’s life. His father, seeing little more use for him than a marital alliance, arranged a marriage with another Lord’s daughter without asking the consent or knowledge of Gerold. He would only learn after the betrothal was arranged, for a marriage that would be taking place.

Upon learning of this he would protest to his father, however after his father's refusal to hear more of it he backed down. Shortly after a feast was arranged between the two families to take place before the wedding. It was here he first met his soon to be wife. To his surprise, he and his wife would become fast friends. The marriage he had so protested only days before became an exciting prospect, a happiness that would not last. She was only the lady of a minor house so when the offer of a marriage came from another Principle House the betrothal was broken. His angel instead replaced by a rotten woman who’s shallowness made a puddle seem deep.

It was a night of fury and protest and Gerold has never come close to before. He demanded his father to reinstate the marriage with the other family and demanded autonomy in his own life. His father refused it all, threatening Gerold if he were to continue to put up such a fuse. He would storm out in protest, for the first time in his life Gerold would stand up to his father.

Taking his favorite stallion from the stable he would ride to the nearby seat of his love’s house, the keep of Applewood. Upon reaching the keep he would be met by the lord of Applewood. Angered at the breaking of the marriage, the Lord had planned to ride on the very same night to protest the decision. After Gerold explained that he planned on wedding his daughter anyway the Lord allowed him to see his daughter both as he knew his daughter would be happiest with Gerold and to spite Lord Merryweather. With the blessing of Lord Applewood, the couple would quickly marry in the Sept before riding off in the night. Gerold would return one less time to his former home to take whatever items and money he had before riding off to Oldtown.

A Ray of Hope (424-Today)
The two would live a hard life but a happy life. They had just enough money to buy a small house but other than that they were always in want. Gerold would start a medical practice, the arts of healing that his Maester had taught him so long ago would end up saving his own life. They lived like this for about a year, his wife getting pregnant in the meantime. It seemed that this would be their fate for the rest of their lives until an unlikely savior arrived. Edmund Vance having returned to Oldtown to visit remembered his promise to meet Gerold again. Learning of his old friends practice he would visit. Upon learning of his less than admirable situation he would offer Gerold a place at Wayfarer’s Rest, going as far as to offer him the role of a steward. He would happily take up his friends offer and the three would begin their journey to The Riverlands. Since then Gerold has lived happily at The Rest, his son, Tommen, being born shortly after their arrival.