Lady Meredyth Karstark, née Brax, is the Dowager Lady of Karhold and the former Justiciar of Hornvale, as the widow of Lord Cregard Karstark. By him, she has two sons, Perceon and Arnolf. She is the first daughter and third child of late Rona Brax, Lady of Hornvale, by her husband, Ser Lucias Prester.

She is known for her rumoured insanity and the fact she was maimed after the Battle of the Unicorn's Forrest, also known as the Battle for Hornvale.

She resides in Hornvale, leaving her husband's keep after his death and after she found out about Perceon's affairs.

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Appearance and character

Meredyth is quite an unusual specimen of Westermen nobility. A woman with curves that replaced the muscular body she had prior to her injury that hasn't changed much since her pregnancies, Meredyth is slightly taller than an average woman, though still shorter than an average man. Her breasts are small, perky, as white as the rest of her skin is. Her stomach is graced by a few faded scars (as well as other marks of pregnancies), as well as her thigh, though the one there is visible, gruesome, obviously a deep cut and almost always under a bandage, even though it had healed.

Her hair is a strawberry blonde, taking a bit more of the reddish side, though in the sunlight, it might appear light auburn. She often wears it loose, in a light wave it naturally has, up to her breasts. Her lips are pink, and her eyes a deep dark blue, like the night, with a amused and teasing shine in them.

As for her manner of dress, alongside rejecting the godly demeanor, she also rejected its constrictions in clothing. Her dresses are tight in the waist, aided by a corset, lifting her bussom, open but not so as to be improprer, when dealing with the public. She wears minimal jewelery, simple necklaces and earrings, and can quite often be seen with gloves, to hide the caloused surfaces of her palms. Though, in the cold environment of the North, she is mostly wrapped up in furs.

It seems like all seriousness was wiped from Meredyth's personality the moment she was robbed of her sanity. Her face is always in a smile, a grin or a smirk, or the variation, an emotion her eyes follow suit ; her natural reaction to everything is a bout of laughter, though she hesitates to show it most of the time. A proud, loyal demeanor, accompanied by a charismatic aura hides a deeply troubled young person, eager to prove herself. She'd give her life, if need be, for the greater good, it being the well-being of her House and family.

History

Brightness impersonated

Meredyth Brax was born in 382 AC to Rona Brax, called the Mad Unicorn later in her life, and her husband Ser Lucias Prester as their third child and first daughter. From an early age, she was a bright, cute child, joy to both her parents and her two older brothers, Alyn and Lyonel.

And as time would show, she was born in the last year of relative peace within the Brax famiy. In 383 AC, her aunt, Janna Brax nee Kyndall, fell pregnant. She and her husband, Ser Tytos Brax, who was the heir to Hornvale, could not concieve a child during their 8-year-long marriage, so it was natural for Ser Danyel Hill, the then Castellan of Hornvale, to accuse Janna of infidelity. While most Braxes believed Danyel, Tytos defended his wife, and requested that the matter be sorted in a duel between him and a champion of Danyel's choosing.

Danyel agreed. He chose his brother, Ser Courtnay Hill, a famed knight. The whole of Hornvale watched in anticipation as the heir and the bastard fought, valiantly and beautifuly, before the bastard landed a strong hit in an adrenaline rush, knocking Tytos out. He would never rise again, dying on the spot.

It is said that Rona, his sister, screamed in pain, desperately trying to wake her brother up, but to no avail. In the coming weeks, she lost her mind to her pain and sadness, and their father, Lord Owen, his health already failing, died in the midst of all that chaos. Ser Courtnay fled Hornvale.

In a power vacuum, Rona organized a coup-d'etat, seizing control as the Lady of Hornvale. Her actions were described as those of a lunatic, rather than a sane person. That same year, Janna gave birth to Regenard and Falyse, whose physical apparance was a proof that the late Tytos was indeed their father.

Meredyth and her brothers flourished in their new positions. Afforded best education, they became educated, bright children. Since an early age, Meredyth had an aura of charisma around her, drawing people in. The next two siblings, sisters Myrcella and Delonne, born in 387 AC, were given the same priviledges. Meredyth was taught in the skill of governing, as were all her siblings as well. She excelled. Her teachers also taught her the intigue, but she has never taken much interest in it, so she remains at the basics.

Brightness fallen

However, in 394 AC, when Mere was 12 years old, she first started showing what her mother referred to as "madness." In reality, it was just a bit more emotional and excessive side of Mere's personality, but it didn't stop Rona from trying to violently and harshly deal with that madness within her daughter. Mere would often leave her mother's rooms in tears and bruises, and as it went on, it did bad for the girl. She started having panic attacks, and during a particularly bad one, she was approached by her younger sister Delonne, who comforted her in her time of need. The two would become inseparable since then.

Next tragedy would strike in 405 AC. Delonne, being a religious girl and following the Starry ways, took her own life as punishment for an unnamed sin she committed. When Mere found her body, she yelled, trying to get her back, but to no avail. Her mind started to slip away only days after the event, resulting in a suicide attempt as she tried to hold to her fading sanity. The attempt was an utter failure, obviously, and she was given guardians to help her deal with the issue at hand: Lady Alyssa Greenfield, a healer ; her own father, Ser Lucias, who alongside a young Edwyn Jast helped Mere train her combat skills and skills as tactian and military commander.

Brightness survived

Rouge-like attacks hit Brax army that year. Their motif or leader were unknown at the time, but were soon

found out to be Jon "The White" Brax, an albino minor cousin, his comrade Ser Elyas Hill, and Regenard Brax, son of Tytos and Janna. Mere assumed leadership in dealing with these rebels, and was successful in 406 AC, where the two armies crashed just beneath Hornvale. The main forces were victorious, though Mere paid a terrible price for it - a wound to the leg, preventing her from ever taking or doing anything other than walking with a limp. The rebels were caught, Jon and Regenard sent to the Wall and Elyas executed, though a weak claim of Falyse Brax, Regenard's sister still remains, but is pushed back by Mere and Alyn.

Her reputation grew, and as a reward for her brave actions, she was given the title of Justiciar and tasked with dealing with all public affairs. She does her duty with pride in 407 AC.

407-408 AC

6th Moon, 407 AC:

After having given up hope of ever finding a match, the first thing that happened when she arrived at Harenhall was to get a marriage proposal from a northern lord, Cregard Karstark. While she was considering his proposal, on the great feast, she did become a part-time lover of Aegon Targaryen, before he married Milanna Sunderland. He also fullfilled her life-long wish of riding a dragon, Meleyx.

She did, before her own wedding, arrange a marriage between her younger sister Myrcella and Tygett Lannister, a match she thought her family might benefit from. Later on, she married Cregard in Godswood on the Isle of Faces, in a ceremony of the old, First Men faith.

7th Moon, 407 AC:

She arrived home, to Hornvale, much to the joy of her father Lucias, alongside her siblings and husband, for the wedding of Alyssa Piper and her own brother, Alyn.

10th Moon, 407 AC:

After the wedding, she travelled with her husband to Karhold.

11th Moon, 407 AC:

In Winterfell, where she travelled with her husband, she suggested herself as a peace negotator between the North and the Riverlands in case of a war, but was turned down.

408-418 AC

Most of Meredyth's time passed in travelling from Karhold to Hornvale, where she still retained the title of Justiciar, though only in name as she was mostly away in the North. In her absence, her brother and former lover, Lyonel, replaced her, and upon her second visit there, she officially resigned and gave the title to her brother. In the last moon of 408 AC, she gave birth to her first son, a boy of strawberry blonde hair like his mother, given a very Andal name Perceon.

Upon her 6th visit to Hornvale, she tried to arrange a match between Lyonel and one scion of House Jast, though the match didn't go on as planned due to the maiden marrying someone else.

It would appear that during these 10 years, her instability had calmed down, leaving her with a clear head, especially after the birth of her second son, a Northern-looking boy called Arnolf, in 416 AC, clear enough to even train her sons (occassionally) and educate them. She often joined in on the military exercises, alongside her husband, and tried to join in on rulling the House itself as much as she could.

However, hidden in a secret corner of her room, all the prayerbooks she collected from Delonne's rooms during her visits to Hornvale, wait to be read every night, a comforting method, and not only does she only allowed herself to access her mental state, but also refuses to talk about it unless specifically asked.

Just before the start of 4th moon of 418 AC, Meredyth returned to Karhold after a visit to Hornvale, one among many.

418- AC

The fam

http://www.familyecho.com/?p=START&c=ibza7rk6zc&f=834069688763845454

NPCs

The fam

Ser Bryan Sarwyck, head of her personal guards.

Ser Leo Sarwyck, Bryan's brother, and fellow head.

(more certainly.)

Quotes about Meredyth

"She looked in most ways to be just another lady of some house, but decidedly different. She had a wild look in her eyes, uncommon in most ladies of Westeros.." - thoughts of Selwyn Storm

"Are you really Meredyth Brax? The Justicar of Hornvale, who rode into battle for her title? Because if you are, I heard your tale while I was at Highgarden last year, and you were so brave I nearly wept." - Elinor Crane

"There was a certain power within her beauty, the kind of woman who would have little problem making her mind known. It was an attractive quality in Leona's opinion, she'd never been one willing to stay silent for long. Where the Lady of the Rills chose a subtle approach, it seemed that Meredyth would immediately have her voice heard." - thoughts of Leona Ryswell

"You're quite clever for your age, Mylady. Just don't overestimage yourself, alright?" - Reginar Crakehall

"No, Meredyth, you always keep a good posture, I could witness that from the very day onwards when I’ve seen you first. And, Gods know, that was a miserable day for you, back then. But, back to the topic. This night now especially, you shine greater than the vast majority of the other young ladies here. For many of them have not been through anything similar to what you have been through. But if you have been, and you emerge from that, with the ability to wear a dress with such a poise, keep such a graceful posture all evening long and display such a calm confidence, all the more when you can’t move your leg – then that is true beauty for me." - Reginar Crakehall

"They are queer women, these Braxes." - thoughts of Garlan Sunglass