A Dance with Dragons- The Merchant's Man

This week we are introduced to Quentyn Martell, the son of the prince of Dorne. Quentyn is trying to book passage to Meereen so he can present himself to Daenerys and ask her hand in marriage. This is apparently part of a plot to wed Quentyn and Dany and thus restore Dany to the throne. Quentyn and his companions have been in Volantis for twenty days, but no ship will take them to Slavers Bay due to the fighting there. They are posing as wine merchants, since what they do is treason. Quentyn's companions are Gerris Drinkwater (what a name) and Ser Archibald Yronwood. Drinkwater is easygoing and charismatic, while Arch is prone to seasickness, which has affected their voyage.

They lost Maester Kedry, william Wells and Cletus Yronwood (who had been Quentyn's best friend) when corsairs swarmed their ship the Meadowlark. Kedry was an expert on the Free Cities. They are able to book passage on a ship but the captain is unsavory and they don't trust him. They return to the Merchant's House and find the mercenary company Windblown recruiting for the conflict in Slavers Bay. They realize they have to get to Dany as fast as possible. Drink has an idea...

COMMENTARY: 

Here we are introduced to the free city of Volantis. Also to Quentyn and his quest to reach Dany. Quentyn is described as stocky, kinda plain, not very attractive- and his mission is top secret. Quentyn is not sure Dany will be interested in him, but he's sure she will want Dorne's swords. We learn that the Long Lances have already sailed for Yunkai, and the Windblown and Company of the Cat will follow when they are finished recruiting. The Golden Company marches east as well, we are told. Yunkai also has an envoy in Volantis hiring swords. New Ghis has allied with Yunkai. The upshot of all this is that Dany is apparently going to have her hands full with all the mercenaries heading to Slavers Bay.

We also learn a bit about Quentyn. When he was first fostered at Yronwood he had fallen for Ynys, the eldest daughter. He never said anything, and eventually she was wed to Ser Ryon Allyrion, the heir of Godsgrace. After Ynys he had gotten his first kiss from one of the Drinkwater twins- then Gwyneth, all of twelve and Yronwood's youngest daughter, started following him around and saying she would marry him when she flowered, Most of this probably doesn't matter, but with Martin you never know- whenever he drops names you have to wonder if he's going to bring that person back up 500 pages later or something.

So now we have Quentyn Martell on his way to Dany, just as Tyrion is. This should be interesting when everyone gets to her! Quentyn is not at all sure she would have him, if not for the fact that she needs Dorne to win Westeros. That's the calculation Doran is making, clearly. They've had a hard road getting this far, and it doesn't look like it's going to get easier. We'll see what their plan is the next time we check in on Quentyn, I guess.



And now the most beautiful woman in the world was waiting in Meereen, and he meant to do his duty and claim her for his bride. She will not refuse me. She will honor the agreement.