The second born child of Prince Doran Martell and Lady Mellario in 281AC, Quentyn Martell
was raised in Sunspear, the capital of Dorne. The Eldest son of the realm’s ruler Quentyn was taught
to be wise, sensible, loyal and dutiful while tutored by maesters and trained by warriors,
learning to ride at the age of six. After the prince’s brother Oberyn
Martell killed Lord Edgar Yronwood, allegedly by poisoning his blade in a duel, Doran made peace
by sending his son Quentyn to be fostered by House Yronwood. Growing close to their family,
Lord Anders was like a second father while the eldest son Cletus became his best friend.
Quentyn’s mother Lady Mellario was orignally from Norvos and did not understand the Westerosi foster
system, resenting her husband for sending away her child. Though she had another son Trystane,
Lady Mellario eventually left Dorne and returned to her homeland.
Quentyn never established a close relationship with his elder sister Arianne,
as she suspected her father and brother were plotting to steal her rightful inheritance.
Although male preferred inheritance rights were common in the rest of Westeros, Dorne’s
laws dated back to their Rhoynar ancestors, meaning they practiced Absolute Primogeniture,
naming the eldest child heir, no matter their gender. Therefore, Arianne expected to succeed
as Princess of Dorne once her father passed. However in 290 AC, everything changed when she
read a letter her father wrote for her Quentyn, where he encouraged his son to excel in his
studies and training so he might one day rule as Prince of Dorne. Believing she was betrayed,
Arianne never cared for her brother and started plotting against her father.
Yet what Arianne did not understand was that Prince Doran had larger plans for her,
negotiating a secret marriage pact with House Targaryen, to eventually make her queen of all
Westeros. Seeking vengeance for the death of Elia Martell during Robert’s Rebellion,
Doran sent his brother Oberyn to Braavos where he signed a contract with the Targaryen loyalist
Ser Willem Darry, acting as guardian to the exiled children of the murdered king. This pact,
stated that Viserys Targaryen, eldest living son of Aerys II, would marry Arianne Martell of Dorne,
and together they would take the Iron Throne and rule the Seven Kingdoms of
Westeros. With Arianne as Queen, her brother would be left to rule as Prince of Dorne.
Understanding the plan, Quentyn took his responsibilities very seriously, working hard
to accomplish all that was asked of him, thereby developing many admirable traits. Yet he was not
particularly handsome, lacked confidence and had little charisma, resulting in insecurities that
made him act with great caution, gaining little fame or notoriety throughout his life. Knighted
by his foster father Lord Anders Yronwood at the age of 18, Quentyn watched as the Seven Kingdoms
tore itself apart in the War of the Five Kings following the death of King Robert Baratheon.
Entering into the game fo Thrones, he was informed of significant changes to their longterm plans.
In the years since signing of the secret marriage pact, Ser Willem Darry, who represented House
Targaryen died without informing the children of the alliance, and so Prince Viserys tried to
raise an army of his own by wedding his sister Daenerys to the Dothraki Horse Lord Khal Drogo.
Yet Viserys was an arrogant fool who got himself killed in Vaes Dothrak, meaning the original terms
of the contract with Dorne were no longer valid. In order to salvage what they could of this deal,
Doran Martell sent his son Quentyn with a party of loyal companions, east to find
Daenerys Taragaryen, the last known living child of Aerys II. The new plan was for Quentyn to
propose marriage so they might rule over the Seven Kingdoms together, leaving Arianne to inherit
Dorne. Although Quentyn was nervous in front of women, and terrified of failure, he did his duty
and made the journey to Slaver’s Bay, accompanied by Ser Cletus Yronwood, Ser Gerris Drinkwater,
Ser Willam Wells, Ser Archibald Yronwood, and Maester Kedry. Unfortunatley for the party,
the voyage was treacherous and they suffered a number of setbacks and delays, with Cletus,
William, and Maester Kedry slain in a corsair attack near lys while the others remained stuck
in Volantis, unable to find a ship headed for Meereen, as all of Slaver’s Bay was a war zone.
Seeing no alternative, they joined the Windblown mercenary Company who were
on their way east to join the alliance against Queen Daenerys of Meereen. Once in Slaver’s Bay,
Quentyn, Gerris and Archibald pretended to switch allegiances in order to get
an audience with Daenerys, where they finally revealed their true identities.
Presenting the Queen with the original contract signed between Houses Martell and Targaryen,
she informed them it was too late, as she was already betrothed to Hizdar zo Loraq,
and was committed to consolidating her rule in Meereen, with no immediate plans for returning to
Westeros. Unwilling to leave empty handed, Quentyn remained in the city as a guest, but it was clear
the Queen was not interested in his advances. Even after the Daenerys accidentally abandoned
the city by flying away on the back of the dragon Drogon, Quentyn refused to leave, ignoring the
warning from Queensguard Ser Barristan Selmy that his life was in danger. Desperate to return
home a hero, he decided to risk everything by hiring the Windblown mercenary company to help
free one of the dragons held in captivity. As Quentyn had some Targaryen blood from his
ancestors, he hoped to tame one these great beasts, but the mission failed,
and he was burned alive by Rhaegal before both dragons escaped captivity.
Although he was not immediately killed, Quentyn died a few days later from his wounds,
leaving his last 2 remaining companions to sign up with Barristan Selmy,
who led a coup against Hizdar zo Loraq and was now ruling Meereen in the Queen’s name.
Unaware of Quentyn’s ultimate fate, his sister back in Westeros was convinced he went east to
hire the mercenaries and so she plotted with her cousins the Sand Snakes to overthrow her father
before her brother returned. Yet the plan was betrayed and mission failed, resulting
in the arrest of Arianne and the Sand Snakes. Once in custody, Doran revealed the truth to
his daughter, and she stopped her rebellion to take a place by his side. Learning that a fleet
of ships from Volantis were headed to Westeros, Arianne thought it might be Quentyn and Daenerys,
but instead learned it was a young man naming himself Aegon Targaryen, the supposed son of
Rhaegar and grandson of King Aerys II. Aegon claimed his life was secretly saved as child and
now returned with the merecenary Golden Company to claim his rightful throne. Landing in the
Stormlands with 10,000 warriors and the Targaryen loyalist Jon Connington, Arianne was sent with
a party of companions to meet this claimant King and investigate the truth of his origins.