House Words Wednesdays: House Glover
Welcome to House Words Wednesdays! Each week, I take a House without known canon or semi-canon words and present what I think could make sense as that House’s motto. You’re free to suggest more as well, if your favored House has not yet been suggested; take a look at this link to see what has already been suggested, and shoot me an ask through Tumblr if you have another House you’d like to see done.
House Glover is a noble House of the North, sworn bannermen of the Starks of Winterfell. Although the Glovers are one of the principal vassals of House Stark, their rank is masterly, rather than lordly - a position that seems roughly analogous to the landed knights sworn to paramount lords below the Neck. Nevertheless, the Glovers should not be taken as dynastically unimportant for only being Masters of Deepwood Motte. In more ancient days the Glovers were kings in their own right, before eventually submitting to the Stark Kings of Winter, and still maintain their own sworn vassals. At least two Glovers have married Stark lords - Gilliane, wife of Lord Rickon and mother of Cregan the One-Day Hand, and Lyanne, wife of Rickard's grandfather Willam - while Brandon Stark made Ethan Glover his squire (and Ned later took him and five other companions to the Tower of Joy, where Ethan died). Nor have the Glovers been neglected by their fellow northmen: Jorah Mormont's first wife was a lady of House Glover, and it was to Deepwood Motte that Lord Halys Hornwood sent his bastard son, Larence, to be fostered.
The Glovers are one of the more visible northern families in the main series, appearing in the views of no fewer than five POV characters. It's Robett Glover who, when Robb calls the northern banners, uses a "smile and a jest" to demand the honor of command, and his elder brother Galbart who fights beside Robb in the Battle of the Whispering Wood and the Battle of the Camps. It's also Robett who is captured and held in Harrenhal, eventually freed by Arya along with the other captured northmen. Galbart was one of the few individuals in Robb's "court" who witnessed the all-important will the young king made, almost certainly legitimizing Jon as his heir; perhaps even more importantly, Galbart is one of only two witnesses (probably) still alive and free (Catelyn is the undead Lady Stoneheart, Edmure on his way to internal exile in Casterly Rock, the Greatjon a captive inside the Twins, and Jason Mallister a prisoner in his own seat of Seagard). Nor has Lady Sybelle Glover - born a Locke of Oldcastle - been ignored in the story: initially a captive of Asha's when the latter took Deepwood, Lady Sybelle was brought back to her castle, though - much to her sorrow - her children were left at Ten Towers, in the care of Asha's Harlaw aunts. Robett, for his part, made his way (after his second capture) to White Harbor, where he's been conspiring with Wyman Manderly to retrieve young Rickon Stark as the rightful Lord of Winterfell.
The Glover sigil is a mailed fist, silver on scarlet (almost certainly developed after the Andal Invasion, when iron armor became de rigueur for Westerosi warriors). Given the appearance of the fist, I thought I would make the Glover words Trust Us to Hold. With Deepwood in a prime strategic location - both close to the sea and in the wolfswood - the Glovers may boast in their words that they could be trusted to hold both: they could hold the coast by giving early warning of potential ironborn invasion and could hold the wolfswood, which otherwise might become a haven for thieves and outlaws. The Glovers we've met have held admirably, whether the subjecting of their holding is the young Larence Snow or command in Robb's army in the War of the Five Kings. I like these words as well for the trust placed in the Glover brothers with the secrets they hold: both Galbart's knowledge of Robb's named heir and Robett's knowledge of young Rickon's true location - secrets with dramatic potential political consequences for the North - will be sure to pay off in spectacular ways in TWOW.
Tell me how you like these words for House Glover. Next week goes from a family of stalwart loyalty to a family whose very name is a joke on their moral bankruptcy.
