Thank You For Your Generous Support Of Arbor Brothers: Fill & Download for Free

In the books, I think there's room to argue that the Redwynes will betray the Tyrells.Paxter Redwyne is a Blackfyre supporter. He's pledged his allegiance to Varys and Illyrio. In exchange, they've promised to make his son, Horas, Lord of Highgarden.Let's consider that after Mace, Willas, Garlan, Loras (before joining the KG), and Margaery, Horas Redwyne comes next in line to become Lord of Highgarden through his mother, Mina Tyrell.The general consensus is that the Redwynes are too tightly bound to the Tyrells to ever conspire against them. Paxter is Mace's brother-in-law and first cousin. They're always seen together, and their names are often mentioned in the same breath. We assume that the Tyrell agenda and the Redwyne agenda are one and the same. However, when you assume that Paxter is greedy and ambitious, then it all falls apart. Blood ties and family ties are no guarantee of loyalty - look at the Tallharts, Freys, and Karstarks conspiring against each other for power.Tyrion chose a cask of strongwine marked as the private stock of Lord Runceford Redwyne, the grandfather of the present Lord of the Arbor. The taste of it was languorous and heady on the tongue, the color a purple so dark that it looked almost black in the dim-lit cellar.(Tyrion I, ADWD)I think this is proof enough that the Redwynes are colluding with Illyrio. And Tyrion even comments that the wine looks almost black, as in, Blackfyre.Runceford Redwyne wanted his daughter to marry into the Targaryen family, and was probably deeply insulted when Prince Daeron set her aside. That's enough to turn a red dragon black, I think.If we consider that the Redwynes are Blackfyre supporters, this passage is very telling:Tyrion watched the faces of the Lords Tyrell, Redwyne, and Rowan, wondering if any of the three would be bold enough to say, “But Lord Tywin, wasn’t it you who presented the bodies to Robert, all wrapped up in Lannister cloaks?” None of them did, but it was there on their faces all the same. Redwyne does not give a fig, he thought, but Rowan looks fit to gag.(Tyrion III, ASOS)Mentioning the murder of the Targaryen children doesn't even make him flinch. If you don't think Paxter is a Blackfyre loyalist, you at least have to admit that that's a very cold-blooded response. Paxter Redwyne seems to have more in common with ruthless Randyll Tarly than he does with jolly Mace.Tyrion III, ASOS, has a lot of Paxter Redwyne material to unpack, so much of which points toward his allegiance being to Aegon."That chain of yours, that was cunning," Mace Tyrell had said in a jolly tone, and Lord Redwyne nodded and said, "Quite so, quite so, my lord of Highgarden speaks for all of us," and very cheerfully too.Paxter's thrilled that Stannis didn't take King's Landing, because his failure at the Blackwater benefits Aegon. Stannis would have been a much more fearsome enemy of Aegon than the Lannisters are.And then, Paxter actually tries to sabotage the Lannisters from within:Lord Redwyne laughed. "What is there north of the Neck that any sane man would want? If Greyjoy will trade swords and sails for stone and snow, I say do it, and count ourselves lucky." (...)Lord Redwyne pinched at his nose. "May we return to the matter of the Greyjoy alliance? In my view, there is much to be said for it. Greyjoy's longships will augment my own fleet and give us sufficient strength at sea to assault Dragonstone and end Stannis Baratheon's pretensions."(Tyrion III, ASOS)Paxter doesn't need the Greyjoys to help him with Dragonstone. His proposal to just give Balon Greyjoy the North is simply idiotic, and Tywin rightfully shoots it down, because it will make Joffrey and the Lannisters look weak. That's really obvious. I'm convinced that Paxter was deliberately trying to hurt the Lannisters for Aegon's benefit. It's certainly not for the Tyrells’ benefit, they're trying to hitch their wagon to the Lannisters with the Joffrey-Margaery marriage.Let's remember how the Lannisters, and Cersei in particular, have treated the Redwynes:The Redwyne twins were the queen's unwilling guests, even as Sansa was. She wondered whose notion it had been for them to ride in Joffrey's tourney. Not their own, she thought.(Sansa I, ACOK)"Ser Horas and Ser Hobber Redwyne have bribed a guard to let them out a postern gate, the night after next. Arrangements have been made for them to sail on the Pentoshi galley Moonrunner, disguised as oarsmen.""Can we keep them on those oars for a few years, see how they fancy it?" He smiled. "No, my sister would be distraught to lose such treasured guests. Inform Ser Jacelyn. Seize the man they bribed and explain what an honor it is to serve as a brother of the Night's Watch. And have men posted around the Moonrunner, in case the Redwynes find a second guard short of coin."(Tyrion II, ACOK)Varys seems to have fueled Redwyne-Lannister enmity. Going back to that second quote, it's suspicious that Horas and Hobber wanted to escape on a Pentoshi galley - one can speculate that Varys himself offered them a ride on a boat that may belong to his friend Illyrio, who their father Paxter may know (back to that cask of wine). After dangling freedom over their heads, Varys made it so it would appear the Lannisters snatched it away, embittering the twins and their father against the Lannisters.[Renly] has the power of Storm's End and Highgarden behind him, you little fool," Cersei snapped down at him. "All the Tyrell bannermen but for the Redwynes, and you have me to thank for that. So long as I hold those poxy twins of his, Lord Paxter will squat on the Arbor and count himself fortunate to be out of it."(Tyrion IV, ACOK)"I'll include Horror and Slobber in my party, and send them on to their lord father afterward. A gesture of goodwill. We need Paxter Redwyne, he's Mace Tyrell's oldest friend, and a great power in his own right.""And a traitor," the queen said, balking. "The Arbor would have declared for Renly with all the rest, except that Redwyne knew full well his whelps would suffer for it.""Renly is dead, Your Grace," Littlefinger pointed out, "and neither Stannis nor Lord Paxter will have forgotten how Redwyne galleys closed the sea during the siege of Storm's End. Restore the twins and perchance we may win Redwyne's love."Cersei remained unconvinced. "The Others can keep his love, I want his swords and sails. Holding tight to those twins is the best way to make certain that we'll have them."Tyrion had the answer. "Then let us send Ser Hobber back to the Arbor and keep Ser Horas here. Lord Paxter ought to be clever enough to riddle out the meaning of that, I should think."(Tyrion VIII, ASOS)Paxter Redwyne, Lord of the Arbor, marched down the length of the hall flanked by his twin sons Horror and Slobber, the former limping from a wound taken in the battle.(Sansa VIII, ACOK)Paxter will not have forgotten how Cersei threatened his sons' lives, and how the Lannisters forced Horas to fight at the Blackwater. The Redwynes publicly reconciled with the Lannisters along with the Tyrells, but the way Paxter's kids were threatened and had their lives put in danger, you wouldn't expect a loving father to forgive or forget. And Paxter has to suffer Cersei rubbing it in later:She was all charm, flirting with Lord Tyrell as they spoke of Joffrey's wedding feast, complimenting Lord Redwyne on the valor of his twins(Tyrion III, ASOS)You'd think Paxter would hate Cersei for this. Except, for the rest of ASOS and AFFC, he's unnaturally, unfailingly nice to her.Paxter spends altogether far too much time kissing the Lannisters' asses - so much so, that it doesn't read as genuine, and it doesn't seem to be for the Tyrells' benefit - Mace is never this nice to the Lannisters."Gods be praised!" said Paxter Redwyne. "A great victory for King Joffrey!"(Tyrion III, ASOS)Why is Paxter cheerfully singing the praises of the Lannisters for no reason, considering they threatened to kill his sons just one book ago?Lord Redwyne asked only for thirty years' remission of the taxes that Littlefinger and his wine factors had levied on certain of the Arbor's finest vintages. When that was granted, he pronounced himself well satisfied and suggested that they send for a cask of Arbor gold, to toast good King Joffrey and his wise and benevolent Hand.Completely insincere. Also, Arbor gold is speculated to be a signal of dishonesty in this series.Again, he's too nice to the Lannisters. He's kissing their asses far too much. He should hate these people. He's clearly being duplicitous. And his niceness to Cersei later has to be fake, because she makes little effort to be nice to him.At that Cersei lost patience. "It's swords Joff needs, not toasts," she snapped. "His realm is still plagued with would-be usurpers and self-styled kings.""But not for long, I think," said Varys unctuously.We know, of course, that Varys is savoring a little joke. It's Aegon's realm that is plagued with would-be usurpers and self-styled kings. And Paxter is probably sharing his mirth.More fake niceness to Cersei from the Redwynes:"Does Cersei have witnesses against me?""More every day." (...)Lord Redwyne, Lord Celtigar, and Ser Flement Brax had heard Tyrion threaten the king. (...)Lord Gyles, Ser Hobber Redwyne, and Ser Philip Foote had observed him fill the wedding chalice.(Tyrion IX, ASOS)The Redwynes are helping Cersei as witnesses at Tyrion's trial. They should hate her - why are they helping her when it's uncalled for? None of the Tyrells took the stand for Cersei....the mourners buzzed about them thick as flies, eager to shower her with useless condolences. The Redwyne twins both kissed her hand, their father her cheeks.(Cersei II, AFFC)Lord Redwyne kissed her on one cheek and Mace Tyrell on both.(...)The only one of Tyrell's lickspittles who seemed to remember her at all was Paxter Redwyne, who rose to make his own toast, swaying slightly. "To both our queens!" he chirruped. "To the young queen and the old!"(Cersei III, AFFC)They are too nice to her because they're working with Varys, just like Lady Merryweather, and they're backing Aegon.Paxter Redwyne is trying to win other lords to Aegon's cause as well:"Bethany Redwyne wed Lord Rowan years ago," Catelyn reminded him. "She has three children by him."(Catelyn XI, AGOT)Lords Redwyne and Rowan were talking furtively.(Cersei III, AFFC)I'll bet anything that Paxter Redwyne is trying to convince Mathis Rowan, his in-law, to back Aegon's claim to the throne. And with Mathis being a true Targaryen supporter, Paxter is lying to him, telling him that Aegon is Rhaegar's son, come home to take his rightful place. Mathis Rowan, a "prudent, sensible” man, is likely to think that Aegon, as a grown man, is far better suited to wear the crown than Tommen, a mere child.There's even more suspicious activity from Paxter Redwyne in AFFC, surrounding his daughter's suitors.In chapter 15 of AFFC, it is recalled that Samwell Tarly had quite the experience with the Redwynes:He had been no more than ten when he set sail on Lord Redwyne's galleas, the Arbor Queen. (...)And when they reached the Arbor, things had gone from bad to worse. Lord Redwyne's twin sons had despised Sam on first sight. Every morn they found some fresh way to shame him in the practice yard. On the third day Horas Redwyne made him squeal like a pig when he begged for quarter. On the fifth his brother Hobber clad a kitchen girl in his own armor and let her beat Sam with a wooden sword until he began to cry. When she revealed herself, all the squires and pages and stableboys howled with laughter."The boy needs a bit of seasoning, that's all," his father had told Lord Redwyne that night, but Redwyne's fool rattled his rattle and replied, "Aye, a pinch of pepper, a few nice cloves, and an apple in his mouth." Thereafter, Lord Randyll forbade Sam to eat apples so long as they remained beneath Paxter Redwyne's roof.He had been seasick on their voyage home as well, but so relieved to be going that he almost welcomed the taste of vomit at the back of his throat. It was not until they were back at Horn Hill that his mother told Sam that his father had never meant for him to return. "Horas was to come with us in your place, whilst you remained on the Arbor as Lord Paxter's page and cupbearer. If you had pleased him, you would have been betrothed to his daughter."(Samwell II, AFFC)I think Paxter never intended to marry Desmera to Sam, even if Sam had been a more “manly" boy, like Dickon. If Paxter really wanted a marriage alliance with House Tarly, he wouldn't have included the loophole, "if [Samwell] had pleased him". Paxter had hoped to win the Tarlys' friendship, but considering how Horas and Hobber shamed Sam, that wasn't going to happen, so he gave up.Paxter clearly had someone else in mind to be his daughter's husband. But, if according to him, the heir to Horn Hill isn't a good enough match for his daughter, who is? The answer we are given in chapter 33 of AFFC is baffling.My own father was treating with Paxter Redwyne before Oxcross, did you know? Redwyne has a nicely dowered daughter . . .""Desmera?" Jaime laughed. "How well do you like freckles?"(Jaime V, AFFC)It is so, so incredibly odd that Paxter Redwyne, one of the most powerful lords in all of Westeros, would seriously consider marrying his only daughter to Daven Lannister, a minor cousin of Lord Tywin who has no lands, too little money, no clout, and is so far removed from the main branch of the family that in normal circumstances, he would inherit nothing. Daven is practically an afterthought for Tywin, who was far more generous to his closer nephews: Lancel, Tyrek, and Genna's sons.Daven's father, Stafford Lannister, is so far beneath Paxter Redwyne in social status that it would be highly inappropriate and presumptuous for Stafford to contact Paxter and propose this match - we must assume that Paxter contacted Stafford and proposed the match.The big questions are, why would Paxter want to marry Desmera to Daven instead of say, Lancel? Why isn't Paxter Redwyne trying to marry his daughter to a great lord or heir? Why is he looking into a landless minor cousin of the Lannisters?Unless he anticipates a future where Daven will be a great lord - the Lord of Casterly Rock. But for that, Paxter would need to anticipate a future where the Lannister main branch would be eliminated. I believe Varys and Illyrio promised Paxter that while Aegon was crowned, they would eliminate as many main line Lannisters as possible, and name Daven the Lord of Casterly Rock, with Desmera as his lady.The only thing that Daven has going for him is that he is quite a renowned fighter. Varys would likely see someone like him as ideal for being Aegon's Warden of the West. Daven has climbed quite a few rungs on the succession ladder, with so many Lannisters being killed or attainted (Varys played an active role in weakening the major Lannisters with Tywin and Kevan's deaths). A man of great martial prowess like Daven could far more easily win the love and support of the westermen than Martyn the young squire, Janei the three year old, disappeared Tyrek (also a young squire), and Genna's sons, who are Freys, scorned by all. There are also Damion, Lucion, and Lanna to consider, but we have almost zero information on them.Some fans believe Varys had Tyrek kidnapped during the bread riot and wants to advance him as the next Lord of Casterly Rock. On the other hand, there's a fair argument to be made that the bread riot of King's Landing was actually started by Littlefinger and that he is Tyrek's true kidnapper. I don't think Varys would go for Tyrek as Lord of the Rock, because he is still a young boy and he became a complete laughingstock when he married the infant (now toddler) Lady Ermesande. Daven, by comparison, is a grown man, a respected warrior, still single (his Frey betrothal isn't all that binding), and far more appealing despite being down the order of succession.What's also very suspicious is that the Redwyne twins start courting Margaery:The Redwyne twins come calling too. Slobber brings flowers and fruit, and Horror's taken up the lute. To hear Osney tell it, you could make a sweeter sound strangling a cat.(Cersei V, AFFC)"The Redwyne twins," said Taena. "Both of them have fallen in love with Lady Margaery. They used to fight over which would be the next Lord of the Arbor. Now both of them want to join the Kingsguard, just to be near the little queen.""The Redwynes have always had more freckles than wits."(Cersei IV, AFFC)We're supposed to believe that Horas and Hobber are just dumb, hormonal teens with crushes on a pretty girl. However, a Redwyne takeover of Highgarden would go much more smoothly if Horas or Hobber could marry Margaery, which would be very simple to do once King Aegon VI pressed the High Septon to annul Margaery's marriage to Tommen.I'm going to highlight this line:They used to fight over which would be the next Lord of the Arbor.Why? Horas, the elder twin, is recognised by law as the heir.Unless there are two noble seats for the Redwynes to occupy: one is the Arbor, and the other is Highgarden.Why is Paxter doing all this and going against his liege lord? To pull up a relevant quote from Littlefinger about Nestor Royce:He wants more for his son. Men of honor will do things for their children that they would never consider doing for themselves."(Sansa I, AFFC)Paxter Redwyne is the same. He wants more for his children. He wants his son Horas to be Lord of Highgarden, his son Hobber to be Lord of the Arbor, and his daughter Desmera to be Lady Lannister of Casterly Rock.How would one go about taking Highgarden from the Tyrells? Well, House Vyrwel were Blackfyre supporters, and Igon Vyrwel is captain of the guard at Highgarden. If Aegon's army were to march on Highgarden, I think they would find the gates wide open, courtesy of Ser Igon. Willas, Alerie, and Olenna would be given a choice - submit or die.But wait - if Varys has an anti-Tyrell agenda, why encourage a Sansa-Willas betrothal in ASOS? Well, I think Varys intended for Sansa to marry Aegon, and wanted to send her to Highgarden because he was confident he could get Willas killed later on, or confident that Willas would not consummate the marriage - he's gentle, good-hearted, and twenty-five years old to Sansa's thirteen. Varys probably wanted to keep Sansa a maiden for Aegon, and at that point in ASOS, it seemed likely Joffrey would make Sansa his mistress.All of Paxter Redwyne's schemes will come to naught, however, as his greatest asset, the Redwyne fleet, is about to be wiped off the map by Euron Greyjoy.It's unlikely Varys would honor their agreement if the Redwynes lost all their power in one fell swoop. Varys may decide to declare the Tyrells' rule illegitimate, because their blood ties to the Gardener kings were weak. He may grant Highgarden to Ser Erren Florent, who has been in Highgarden's dungeon for three books now.