Secret marriage pact

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According to the pact Viserys Targaryen was to wed Arianne Martell. © Fantasy Flight Games

The secret marriage pact is a clandestine agreement signed in Braavos about a decade before the start of A Game of Thrones, forging an alliance between Dorne and House Targaryen. Its purpose is to aid in the overthrow of King Robert I Baratheon and restore House Targaryen to the Iron Throne. The alliance is to be sealed by a marriage between Viserys Targaryen and Princess Arianne Martell.[1]

Viserys died unaware of the secret pact. His younger sister, Daenerys Targaryen, was not made aware of the pact until she became Queen of Meereen.[1]

About

The pact was written on parchment, in the Common Tongue. It has seals, with gold and ribbons and signatures. It is yellowed with age. It was made in Braavos when Daenerys was a little girl. Ser Willem Darry signed on behalf of House Targaryen, and Prince Oberyn Martell signed for Dorne. The Sealord of Braavos was a witness.[1] The pact verbatim has not been revealed (unlike, for example, the Bastard Letter). Viserys was still an immature child when the pact was signed, and since he wasn't yet ready for the information, Darry did not inform him about it.[2] When Viserys was around thirteen or fourteen,[3] Willem Darry took ill and died[4] without ever informing him of the marriage pact.

According to Ser Barristan Selmy, the secret marriage pact contains "not a word" about Daenerys Targaryen,[5] although Daenerys states after reading the pact that Ser Willem Darry signed "for us".[1] Neither Varys nor Illyrio Mopatis are aware of the secret pact.[2]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Viserys Targaryen dies unaware of the secret pact.[6][1]

A Feast For Crows

Prince Doran Martell reveals to his daughter, Princess Arianne Martell, that she had secretly been promised to the now-dead Viserys as part of his planned vengeance for his sister Elia Martell. He informs her her that the man she had been promised to is dead, and because of this, her brother Quentyn has gone across the Narrow Sea to meet with Viserys's sister, Daenerys, and wed her.[7]

A Dance with Dragons

Prince Quentyn Martell journeys to Meereen with the pact parchment hidden in a flap in his boot. Once presented to Daenerys, Quentyn and his two companions reveal themselves to the queen as Westerosi knights. Quentyn hands the parchment, which he refers to as a gift, to Daenerys so that she can read it. When Ser Barristan Selmy asks her what the parchment says, Dany hands it to him, saying,

The alliance is to be sealed by a marriage, it says. In return for Dorne's help overthrowing the Usurper, my brother Viserys is to take Prince Doran's daughter Arianne for his queen.

As Ser Barristan Selmy reads the pact, he remarks to Dany,

If Robert had known of this, he would have smashed Sunspear as he once smashed Pyke, and claimed the heads of Prince Doran and the Red Viper ... and like as not, the head of this Dornish princess too.

Dany replies that no doubt that was why Prince Doran chose to keep the pact a secret, since,

If my brother had known that he had a Dornish princess waiting for him, he would have crossed to Sunspear as soon as he was old enough to wed.

Prince Quentyn then reveals his true identity to Daenerys. She immediately surmises that with Viserys dead, Quentyn means to marry her, that it is now she who must seal the pact if she wants Dorne as an ally. Quentyn tries to convince Daenerys to marry him, telling her that it will mean fifty thousand Dornish swords pledged to her service. The queen, however, does not accept Quentyn's proposition. She tells him of her upcoming marriage to Hizdahr zo Loraq, and remarks that it would have been different if he had come earlier. When Quentyn objects that it is not yet too late, Daenerys replies that she will be the judge of that. Still, Daenerys is courteous to Quentyn and his companions, and has them given quarters suitable to their high birth. After she dismisses her audience, she examines the pact again, and realizes that it was executed in Braavos, while they were living in the house with the red door. She wonders why that makes her feel strange. After Ser Barristan tells her that the sigil of House Martell is a sun transfixed by a spear, Daenerys is reminded of Quaithe's prophecy to not trust the "sun's son", and shivers.[1]

Daenerys soon goes through with her marriage to Hizdahr zo Loraq. After hosting the wedding feast, Daenerys is counselled by Ser Barristan. Their talk turns to her options; he reminds her that there is another road, and Daenerys knows he means the Dornish. He tells her that House Martell is ancient and noble, and has been a leal friend to House Targaryen for more than a century. Daenerys replies that she needs to protect her people, and that Quentyn cannot help her in this, as his fifty thousand spears are all the way in Westeros, and they are in Meereen. She feels that Quentyn should return to Dorne, and believes he will die in Meereen unless there is something to him she has not yet seen. Daenerys then meets with Quentyn, introducing him to her imprisoned dragons and telling him that "the dragon has three heads", suggesting that her marriage to Hizdahr need not be the end of his hopes. Unfortunately Quentyn's reaction to the dragons disappoints her, and Daenerys councils him to leave, but he refuses.[8]

After Hizdahr zo Loraq assumes control of Meereen in Daenerys's absence, Ser Barristan realises that Quentyn's continued presence is a provocation for Hizdahr.[5] In the audience chamber of the Great Pyramid, Ser Barristan warns Quentyn to leave Meereen. When Quentyn brings up the marriage pact, Ser Barristan immediately interrupts him, saying that the pact contained not a word about Daenerys or Quentyn, but instead promised Arianne's hand to Viserys, who is dead, and thus the pact is unenforceable. He adds that while Daenerys might have considered the marriage alliance while in Qarth, Quentyn is now too late.[5]

Quotes

You were promised, Arianne.

— Prince Doran Martell, to his daughter[7]

Quentyn Martell: The marriage pact—
Barristan Selmy: —was made by two dead men and contained not a word about the queen or you. It promised your sister's hand to the queen's brother, another dead man. It has no force. Until you turned up here, Her Grace was ignorant of its existence. Your father keeps his secrets well, Prince Quentyn. Too well, I fear. If the queen had known of this pact in Qarth, she might never have turned aside for Slaver's Bay, but you came too late. I have no wish to salt your wounds, but Her Grace has a new husband and an old paramour, and seems to prefer both of them to you.[5]

References and Notes