Rise of the North (asoiaf)

In the year 260 AC, Lord Edwyle received a raven from the south stating that King Jaehaerys II had called his banners to fight the pretender Meleys Blackfyre in the Stepstones. Edwyle would do his duty, and his younger brothers and his son and heir Rickard would all join the royal army in the south with 150 warships of the Eastern Fleet, and 15,000 men, Edwyle would be wielding Ice and be armored in a set of Valyrian Armor, while his son and heir Rickard would wield Wintersbane and be armored in the other suit of Valyrian Armor, while his twin brother Dorren would wield the Valyrian sword Genesis, while his younger brother Roderick would wield both the Valyrian swords Valor and Nightfall as when Artos took him under his wing, Roderick became the best fighter out of all his sons. While in the war all of the Starks would distinguish themselves in the fighting. 

Roderick Stark would slay Samarro Saan and Xhobar Qhoqua, two founding members of the band of nine along with countless other knights and soldiers. Lord Edwyle had killed Ser Derrick Fossoway in a duel in single combat that lasted 30 minutes. Dorren Stark had killed the Butcher Spotted Tom who was the captain of one of the sellsword companies in the Band of Nine. Rickard Stark would kill Liomond Lashare a famed sellsword captain who was nicknamed the Lord of Battles as he was undefeated in battle up until he faced Rickard. The Starks covered themselves in glory in this war however, this glory would come at a great cost. Two Starks would die in the fighting, and both Lord Edwyle and his twin brother Dorren would perish. Edwyle was killed by Meleys Blackfyre in single combat, in his failed attempt at killing him and trying to end the war quickly, as Meleys had driven a dagger through Edwyle's eye slit, while Dorren would be killed shortly after recovering his twin brother's body as he had taken over a dozen wounds recovering his body. Rickard would hold both his father Edwyle and his uncle Dorren as the last of their lifeblood ran out on the ground beneath them. 

However, this war would form bonds and friendships that would change the fate of Westeros. The young Lords Rickard Stark, Steffon Baratheon, and Hoster Tully, along with Ser Tywin Lannister had formed friendships with each other that would change the course of Westeros, they would also befriend the elder Lords Jon Arryn, and Lord Quellon Greyjoy, as he sought to reform the Ironborn and turn them away from their former ways of raiding and plundering. Lord Rickard had also formed close friendships with Ser Robb Reyne, Lord Roger Reyne's eldest son and heir. While Rickard's uncle Roderick Stark would form a close friendship with Ser Brynden Tully, as they formed a warrior's bond from fighting together in several battles in the war. The bonds these lords made would be felt for generations. 

After the war was won, King Jaehaerys II would throw a huge victory feast along with a tournament in King's Landing to celebrate their victory. During the feast Ser Tywin introduced Rickard to his sister Genna Lannister, Rickard and Genna immediately took a liking to each other, Genna was a beautiful woman with gracious curves, a full bosom, and hips meant for childbearing. Rickard had spoken to them both about a possible betrothal between the two of them, however, their father Lord Tytos Lannister had just announced a betrothal between Genna and Ser Emmon Frey. Tywin had previously tried to prevent the betrothal from being announced as Emmon was unfit to marry her, he was twice her age, and he was nowhere near the line of succession of the Twins, he had an elder brother Stevron who already had three sons. Rickard was confused at why a great would betroth his only daughter to someone of such low standing. However, he would not allow Emmon to marry her for he had already decided that he wanted her, and he would not allow some weasel-faced Frey to marry her.

Within a few hours he, Tywin, and Genna came up with a plan where Rickard would insult and shame Emmon publicly in order for Rickard to challenge him to a duel of honor as he was quick to anger and then challenge him to a duel of honor. Rickard would then immediately begin insulting him in the center of the feast hall, insulting his manhood, calling him a craven coward because of him staying in the rear during the war, calling him a forgettable dimwit, and a disappointment, Emmon had erupted in rage going as far as to draw steel before everyone in the realm, Rickard then challenged him by saying "If you have even a single ounce of manhood in you then you'll face me in a duel of honor come morning ser." Emmon would immediately agree. Emmon had fallen for Rickard's trap easily, and come morning, in the dueling ground of the Red Keep, the two had donned their arms and armor, Rickard in his black Valyrian armor gleaming with blue sapphires and red rubies, and Ser Emmon in his blue-silver steel plate armor with the sigil of House Frey engraved along the chest plate of the armor. The duel itself would be over quickly, with in 15 seconds Rickard would be standing Ser Emmon's corpse, as with only a few swings of Ice, Rickard had cut Emmon in half. Songs would be sung by many singers telling of how the heroic wolf lord had saved the beautiful maiden lioness from the old and foolish weasel-faced Frey.

Immediately after the duel was over, the betrothal of Rickard and Genna would be announced. The two would be married in Winterfell Godswood within a month after the feast and tourney of King's Landing had ended. Rickard would arrange for month-long celebrations for their marriage, complete with a grand feast, tourney, and a large melee. At the wedding feast, Rickard had talked with his friends Ser Robb Reyne to take his daughter, Ella Reyne, as his wife's lady-in-waiting and would remain in Winterfell after the wedding. Once the wedding was over Lady Genna would quickly announce that she was with child a month after the wedding was over, their son and heir Brandon Stark would be born the year after the wedding in 262 AC.

However, the happiness of the marriage would not last long. Shortly after Ser Tywin had returned South, he had forced Houses Reyne and Tarbeck to rise up against as with authority he didn't have, he declared them traitors and summoned them to Casterly Rock to answer for their crimes, those crimes being nothing, as Lord Tytos had already forgiven them, and absolved them of their debts. Ser Tywin had quickly marched off with 8,000 highly trained veterans of the war in the Stepstones and had quickly attacked the unprepared force of House Tarbeck, before bringing down the castle with Trebuchets within a day, before ambushing a small force that Lord Roger Reyne had sent to relive them and then marching on Castamere and drowning the castle and everyone in it. Not a single Reyne nor Tarbeck in the Westerlands had survived the short war, that Tywin chose to call the "Reyne-Tarbeck Uprising" including Rickard's friend. Rickard was furious and wanted justice for his friends, however shortly after King Jaehaerys II had perished his son Aerys II became king and appointed Tywin as his hand of the king. This would greatly sour relations between the two for years. However, Tywin had later tried to promise that Ella would be allowed to return and would be married into a good House and will be able to rebuild her home, but Rickard didn't allow it, as he could trust him.

Though Tywin would still rebuild both castles and even begin the continue the development of the cities that Lords Tarbeck and Reyne had started, as shortly before the Reyne-Tarbeck Revolt, they were discovered to have several freshly discovered veins of Gold and Silver, these newly discovered veins were very large, and Tywin knew that had to have those areas repaired and brought back up and running as they would be useless otherwise. Tywin would plan to give the lands to loyal members of his family after they were repaired. 

After the "Reyne-Tarbeck Rebellion" Rickard would be more reserved with Tywin. However his love for his Genna did not fade, and he would have many more children with her. One year after the birth of their eldest son Brandon, their second son Eddard Stark would be born in 263 AC. Three years after the birth of Eddard their third child and only daughter Lyanna would be born in the year 266 AC. While their fourth son and final child Benjen would be born a year after Lyanna in 267 AC. The North celebrated every one of their births. Another thing of note is that Lord Rickard's uncle, Roderick Stark, would leave to be a sellsword in Essos fighting in the Company of the Rose, however, he had told him he would only be gone for a few years, and he would return after six years as an even better-experienced warrior, where he earned the nickname "The Wandering Wolf".

Halfway into Lord Rickard's reign, he would begin to hear reports of King Aerys losing himself and taking tyrannical actions. They began after the Defiance of Duskendale, where he was taken prisoner and kept prisoner for half a year, after he had refused Lord Tywin's advice to summon Lord Darklyn there to King's Landing instead of personally going to Duskendale instead, however, had grown jealous over how Tywin had been said to be ruling the kingdom as hand instead of Aerys, however once he got there, Aerys' guardsmen and kingsguard were killed and he himself was thrown into a dungeon. He'd hear of how Tywin besieged the city, and rumors of him saying that the king was already lost, and we have a good option in Prince Rhaegar.

However, before Tywin gave the order to storm the castle Ser Barristan Selmy, asked to try to save King Aerys alone, Tywin allowed it as he couldn't refuse it. Ser Barristan would then sneak into the castle under the cover of night, free Aerys, and then escape the castle with him, this would be one of the most heroic acts a kingsguard has ever taken in history. Once Aerys was back inside the royalist camp, Tywin had the castle and city stormed and put to the sword, not a single man, woman, nor child would be safe, and Houses Darklyn and Hollard would all be burned alive, with the exception of the baby Dontos Hollard after King Aerys had granted Barristan Selmy's request to spare him.

The Defiance of Duskendale would be the first major step into seeing the mental decline of King Aerys, he was already cracked when he arrived at Duskendale, however, this would completely break him. After Duskendale the king would begin to burn countless people alive at the slightest steps out of line, and many would call King Aerys, "The Mad King", however never to his face or near his presence as everyone knew the price that they would pay. 

Rickard was ambitious in nature, and through his powerful friends, he would arrange many things, due to seeing the increasing tyrannical intent of King Aerys II he and his friends wanted to create a power block of lords strong enough to oppose him if necessary, and if possible, peacefully force Aerys off of the throne. He would send his second son to foster in the Eyrie under Lord Jon Arryn along with Robert Baratheon, the heir to Storm's End and the Stormlands. At the Eyrie his son Eddard and Robert Baratheon would strike up a friendship that made them brothers in all but blood. Rickard would arrange a betrothal for his son and heir Brandon to the eldest daughter of Lord Hoster Tully Catelyn Tully. While several years after Eddard had warded off with Jon Arryn, he would betroth his daughter Lyanna to Robert Baratheon on Eddard's words. While Brandon and Lyanna would be against these betrothals as Brandon loved Barbrey Ryswell and Lyanna didn't like Robert's whoring ways and how he has already sired a bastard. One other thing of note was that all of Rickard and Genna's children would be born with the Stark hair and eyes.

Brandon of the mind that, North is secure as North has strong fleet and defenses on both of its coast and no army can march inside it by passing through Neck and Moat Cailin, didn't see the point in these alliances and wanted North to not get involved in the southern affairs. That's why he went against his father's wishes and dishonoring the betrothals would go onto marry Barbrey Ryswell in secret in the godswood of Castle Barrow. By the time Rickard Stark learned of it, Barbrey was already in the last stages of her pregnancy. Rickard while furious at first but agreed to accept the marriage at his wife's insistence. A healthy son named, Symeon Stark will be born from the union, who is said to be born during the Hour of the Wolf when wolfs were howling loudly and so was named, Symeon Wolfborn Stark. But Rickard, still unwilling to give up his ambition would try to shift the betrothal from Brandon to Eddard or have Catelyn be taken as Brandon's second wife.