One of my biggest passions is A Song of Fire and Ice
which is the base for the smash hit A Game of Thrones. Being an ex-renaissance faire enthusiast and
SCA member as well as a silver in clan Drum Thunder, anything that’s old world
and mystic appeals to my tender heart, but what really sold it for me was the
characters that Martin wrote into his world.
Particularly, House Bolton.
Known for its cryptic words, “Our Blades are Sharp,” and
sigil of a flayed man, the Bolton’s pride themselves on being the cruel torture
driven house of Westros. So, why do I
love them? How could I choose this twisted,
blood thirsty house of the power hungry Lannisters or the noble Starks? Simple,
they are who they are. They do not hide
their nature under the guise of honor or ceremony. From the first encounter, until they are
skinning you alive they are never false in their intensions. Now, may will point out Rooses hand in the
red wedding, his willingness to draw in Katlynn and Rob to their demise, shows
that he is willing to hide his nature.
However, consider this, Roose may have known it was a trap but, it was
the Starks arrogance that truly led to their undoing. To believe that everything would be okay just
because you say sorry, if you ask me it was Rob that put them in their own
graves. Lord Bolton simply plays his
hand according to what is at stake for his own house. If you plan to survive you must look at the
risk and when Rob betrayed Walder it was clear that the Starks were blind to
the betterment of their own banner men.
This is a risk that needed to be removed if Lord Bolton is going to see
the Dreadforte survive this power play, so it isn’t about breaking loyalty when
your leader wants to march you into extinction.
Another wonderful trait is they never forget offense, and
when called upon to solve a problem, you can bet your ass, they will solve it. In fact not only will they solve it, but they
will stop it from ever coming back. They
are not afraid to use everything at their disposal to make sure that nothing
gets in the way and their enemies become warnings.
In spite of this ruthlessness and strength, they still
understand that being the head means people will always be trying to cut you
off. Essentially they become, almost
like a neck. They lend support to the strongest
and guide it to and fro and without their support a head cannot control the
body. These are all traits that I do pride
myself on, whether or not anyone else believes them to be positive. I know what I am, much like the Bolton’s. I know to whom I am loyal and I face her every
day when I look in the mirror.
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