Black Walder Frey

Black Walder Frey is a great-grandson of Walder Frey. His father is Ryman Frey, eldest son of Ser Stevron Frey, eldest son of Walder Frey. Even among the Freys, Black Walder has a particularly vile reputation and is known for his foul temper. Black Walder has a particular feud with his elder brother Edwyn Frey, planning to succeed to the Twins.

Black Walder is believed to have been having affairs with many of the women at the Twins. He is suspected of having affairs with both his brothers' wives, his step-great-grandmother, Walder Frey's seventh wife Anarra Farring, his notoriously promiscuous cousin "Gatehouse Ami" Amerei Frey, and it is common knowledge he slept with another cousin, "Fair" Walda Frey. These cast doubts on the paternity of some of the Freys, such as Edwyn's daughter Walda, and Walder Frey's six children from his seventh wife.

Daven Lannister tells his cousin Jaime Lannister "From what Edwyn tells me, though, I'd best pick one who hasn't flowered yet, or I'm like to find that Black Walder has been there first."

During the Red Wedding Catelyn sees Black Walder hamstring a Vance who had been fighting Ser Harys Haigh. Patrek Mallister, heir to Seagard, is captured during the Red Wedding. His father, Lord Jason Mallister, is forced to surrender Seagard when Black Walder threatens to hang Patrek, after which the Mallisters are kept prisoner in their own castle.

When Black Walder's younger brother Petyr "Pimple" Frey is captured by the Brotherhood without Banners, Walder Frey's ninth son Merrett Frey offers to deliver the ransom of a hundred dragons to Oldstones. He thinks about how his father will soon die, at which a struggle for power will break out among the Freys. Edwyn and Black Walder intend to throw most of their relatives out of the Twins and Merrett hopes to remain in the good graces of the main Frey branch by delivering the ransom. However he finds Petyr already hanged and is then hanged himself.

Black Walder leads the search for the outlaws that hanged Petyr and Merrett at Oldstones. He manages to learn from peasants in Hag's Mire that the slayer is Lady Stoneheart, but he is unable to find her.

When Ryman Frey is sent back to the Twins by Jaime for his mismanagement of the siege of Riverrun, he is hanged along with the three Knights and twelve men accompanying him, probably by the Brotherhood without Banners. On hearing of this, Edwyn tells Jaime Black Walder is responsible, as now only Edwyn stands between Black Walder and the Twins.

Trivia

 * It is theorized by some readers that Black Walder may be responsible for the death of his grandfather Ser Stevron Frey, heir to the Twins and one of the few decent Freys, due to Walder raising him to be a good heir. Stevron was wounded at Oxcross and though apparently fine, died in his tent a few days later. Stevron was over 60 at the time, so he may have simply succumbed to his wounds. However Edwyn's belief that Black Walder was willing to kill his father to move a step closer to inheriting the Twins and Black Walder's presence at Oxcross helps this theory.