| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 A younger Mellario of Norvos, by Rae Lavergne © | ||||
|
| ||||
| Alias | Mellario of Norvos[1] | |||
| Titles |
| |||
| Allegiance | House Martell | |||
| Culture | Norvoshi[3] | |||
| Born |
or between 248 AC and 264 AC[4] Norvos[3] | |||
| Spouse | Prince Doran Martell[2] | |||
| Issue | ||||
| Books |
| |||
Lady Mellario is a noblewoman of the Free City of Norvos. She is the estranged wife of Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne, by whom she had three children: Arianne, Quentyn, and Trystane.[2][5]
Character
[edit]According to a semi-canon source, Mellario was full of life in her youth. According to the same source, she has some resentment that her children remained behind in Dorne after she separated from Doran Martell and moved back to Norvos.[6]
History
[edit]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. The older Doran[7] caught her eye during a festival, where the three bells were ringing and bears were dancing.[8]
When Doran returned to Dorne, Mellario went with him, escorted by Areo, her sworn shield.[9][8] By 273 AC, Doran and Mellario were betrothed.[1] They married not long after, as their first child, Princess Arianne was born in 276 AC.[10] Two more children would follow: Prince Quentyn, born in 281 AC,[11] and Prince Trystane, born in 287 AC.[12] Areo became Doran's captain of the guard after he became Prince of Dorne.[13]
Despite the fact that Mellario and Doran had married for love, it was not a good marriage.[6] Mellario and Doran spent much of their marriage arguing with each other.[3] The customs in Dorne were much different from those in Norvos, including the fostering away of children.[6] When Doran sent their eldest son, Quentyn, to be fostered with House Yronwood, Mellario heavily protested. Norvoshi did not foster out their children, and Mellario believed her son to be much too young. Doran sent Quentyn away regardless, and Mellario never forgave him.[14]
When Doran planned to send their daughter, Arianne, to serve as the Archon of Tyrosh's cupbearer, Mellario threatened to harm herself, should Doran steal another one of her children. This time, Doran relented, and Arianne remained in Dorne.[8]
Despite this, however, the issues in their marriage were still unsolved. Since divorce in Westeros is uncommon,[6] Mellario eventually returned to Norvos.[N 1][3] There is 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.[6]
Recent Events
[edit]A Storm of Swords
[edit]When Lord Tywin Lannister discusses potential marriage candidates for his daughter, Cersei Lannister, he considers Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne, 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.[7]
A Feast for Crows
[edit]As punishment for his part in Princess Arianne Martell's failed conspiracy to crown Princess Myrcella Baratheon, Ser Andrey Dalt is sent by Prince Doran to serve Lady Mellario for three years in Norvos.[8]
During her imprisonment at Sunspear, Arianne considers appealing to her mother Mellario for help. However, since Doran has not listened to his wife in many years, and because Mellario is so far away, Arianne is against trying to contact her.[8]
A Dance with Dragons
[edit]When Prince Quentyn Martell is in Meereen, about to attempt stealing a dragon, he realizes he wants to visit Norvos to see where his mother came from and to assure her that he has not forgotten her.[3]
Quotes by Mellario
[edit]Doran: I like it no more than you do, but there is a blood debt, and Quentyn is the only coin Lord Ormond will accept.
Mellario: Coin? He is your son. What sort of father uses his own flesh and blood to pay his debts?[14]—Doran Martell and Mellario
Quotes about Mellario
[edit]
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.[6]
Doran: The bells were ringing, and the bears danced down the steps. Areo will recall the day.
Areo: I remember. 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.[8]—Doran Martell and Areo Hotah
Doran Martell and his Norvoshi wife had spent half their marriage apart and the other half arguing. It was the only rash thing his father had ever done, to hear some tell it, the only time he had followed his heart instead of his head, and he had lived to rue it.[3]
—thoughts of Quentyn 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]
—thoughts of Quentyn Martell
Family
[edit]| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ 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 3.7 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 6.5 So Spake Martin: Asshai.com Interview in Barcelona, July 28, 2012
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 19, Tyrion III.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 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
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Doran Martell.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 21, The Queenmaker.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 13, The Soiled Knight.