Mellario
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 A younger Mellario of Norvos, by Rae Lavergne © | ||||
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| Alias | Mellario of Norvos[1] | |||
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| Allegiance | House Martell | |||
| Culture | Norvoshi[3] | |||
| Born |
or between 248 AC and 264 AC[4] Norvos[3] | |||
| Spouse | Prince Doran Martell[2] | |||
| Issue | ||||
| Books |
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Lady Mellario is a noblewoman of the Free City of Norvos, and the estranged wife of Doran Martell, the Prince of Dorne. She had three children by him: Arianne, Quentyn, and Trystane.[2][5]
Contents
History
Mellario was born in Norvos.[3] Accompanied by her guardsman, Areo Hotah, she met Prince Doran Martell when he was visiting the city of her birth. Doran caught her eye during a festival, where the three bells of Norvos were ringing and the bears were dancing.[6] When Doran returned to Dorne, Mellario went with him, escorted by Areo Hotah.[7] By 273 AC, Doran and Mellario were betrothed.[1] They would marry not long after, as their first child, Princess Arianne was born in 276 AC.[8] Two more children would follow: Prince Quentyn, born in 281 AC,[9] and Prince Trystane, born in 287 AC.[10]
Despite the fact that Mellario and Doran had married for love, it was not a good marriage.[11] Half of their marriage, Mellario, and Doran spent arguing with each other.[3] The customs in Dorne were much different from those in Norvos, including the fostering away of children.[11] When Doran sent their eldest son, Quentyn, to be fostered by Lord Anders Yronwood, Mellario heavily protested. Norvoshi did not foster out their children, and Mellario believed her son to be much too young. Doran would send Quentyn away regardless, and Mellario never forgave him.[12] When Doran planned to send their daughter, Arianne, to Tyrosh, to serve as the Archon's cupbearer, Mellario threatened to harm herself, should Doran steal another one of her children. This time, Doran relented, and Arianne remained in Dorne.[6]
Despite this, however, the issues in their marriage were still unsolved. Since divorce in Westeros is uncommon,[11] Mellario eventually returned to Norvos.[3] There's some bitterness about this from Mellario, as Doran was the Prince of Dorne, which enabled his children to stay with him, while she had to leave them behind.[11]
Recent Events
A Storm of Swords
When Lord Tywin Lannister discusses potential marriage candidates for his daughter, Cersei Lannister, he considers Prince Doran Martell. However, as Doran is still married to Mellario, and as Mellario is younger than her husband, and likely to outlive him, Tywin decides against that option.[13]
A Feast for Crows
During her imprisonment, Princess Arianne Martell considers appealing to her mother Mellario for help. However, since Prince Doran has not listened to his wife in many years, and because Mellario is so far away, she is against trying to contact her.[6] As punishment for his part in Arianne's conspiracy to crown Princess Myrcella Baratheon, Ser Andrey Dalt is sent to serve Lady Mellario for three years in Norvos.[6]
A Dance with Dragons
When Prince Quentyn Martell is in Meereen, about to attempt stealing a dragon, he realises he wants to visit Norvos, to see where his mother came from, and to assure her that he has not forgotten her.[3]
Family
| Princess of Dorne | Prince Consort | Lewyn | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Doran | Mellario of Norvos | Mors | Olyvar | Elia | Rhaegar Targaryen | Various women | Oberyn | Ellaria Sand | Manfrey | Unknown wife | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Arianne | Quentyn | Trystane | Rhaenys Targaryen | Aegon Targaryen | Obara Sand | Tyene Sand | Elia Sand | Dorea Sand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nymeria Sand | Sarella Sand | Obella Sand | Loreza Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Quotes about Mellario
It wasn't a good marriage. They married because of an attraction to something new and exotic. Sometimes, attraction happens when you least expect it. He was a prince of a distant country, and she was a woman full of life, who was very appealing, who came from a very different culture.[11]
Sometimes the marriages of convenience in the Seven Kingdoms come out well and those that are for love don't. Sometimes a couple loves one another, and then at some point they don't. There are marriages that also develop out of nothing more than lust (laughs). There's no guarantee that things will go well and the consequence of this is that disappointments develop and you end up estranged, each person going their own way. There's some bitterness from Mellario about this, because as Prince of Dorne, Doran has been able to stay with his children and she has had to leave them.[11]
The bears danced and the bells rang, and the prince wore red and gold and orange. My lady asked me who it was who shone so bright.[6]
—Areo Hotah about Mellario's first meeting with Doran Martell
I should have gone to Norvos to see my mother and the place that gave her birth, so she would know that I had not forgotten her.[3]
—Quentyn Martell's regrets
Quotes by Mellario
—Mellario to Doran Martell
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 70, Tyrion X.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 A Game of Thrones, Appendix.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 68, The Dragontamer.
- ↑ See the Mellario calculation.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Appendix.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 40, Princess In The Tower.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 2, The Captain Of Guards.
- ↑ See the calculation for Arianne Martell
- ↑ See the calculation for Quentyn Martell
- ↑ See the calculation for Trystane Martell
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 So Spake Martin: Asshai.com Interview in Barcelona (July 28, 2012)
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 21, The Queenmaker.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 19, Tyrion III.