Taena of Myr/Lady Merryweather: a double agent?

[The guy from the Vale]

@Fire Eater: That's not really confirmation though. Rather, it means that Ser Balon has two tasks: bringing the Mountain's head to Dorne, and bringing Myrcella back. There's no hint of an ambush being set up by Cersei, or that she wants to have Trystane killed. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I wouldn't take those passages as proof that she did have that ambush set up just yet.

And indeed, the ambush, to me, looks more like it's set up deliberately to feed Cersei's paranoia with all the 'Halfman! Halfman!' chants. It might be the case that Cersei wanted it that way, but it's just as likely that someone is playing both sides here, or that Doran isn't telling the Sand Snakes the entire truth.

[Sneak]

@Fire Eater: That's not really confirmation though. Rather, it means that Ser Balon has two tasks: bringing the Mountain's head to Dorne, and bringing Myrcella back. There's no hint of an ambush being set up by Cersei, or that she wants to have Trystane killed. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I wouldn't take those passages as proof that she did have that ambush set up just yet.

And indeed, the ambush, to me, looks more like it's set up deliberately to feed Cersei's paranoia with all the 'Halfman! Halfman!' chants. It might be the case that Cersei wanted it that way, but it's just as likely that someone is playing both sides here, or that Doran isn't telling the Sand Snakes the entire truth.

So you don't think she was spying for Dorne? Who do you think she was passing info onto? My guess is Doran Martell, and if it turns out not to be him, then maybe LF. She's definitely spying for someone.

[Lion of Judah]

He mentions his "friends at court" in "The Watcher", Areo's POV chapter in ADWD, when Doran tells Arianne and the Sand Snakes about Cersei's plot to kill Trystane. We know that this plot was conceived prior to Cersei's imprisonment (she makes a subtle internal reference to it back in AFFC), at a time when Taena was still at court. (We also know this plot was so secret that Cersei didn't even tell her own Small Council about it, so the pool of likely candidates is somewhat low.) In "The Watcher", Doran sends Nymeria to the Red Keep because he claims Dorne needs "a voice in council, an ear at court". But he supposedly already has "an ear at court"---someone highly-placed enough to know about Cersei's super-secret plans to murder Trystane. The last bit of "highly classified" info that we're told Doran has access to came prior to Taena leaving court; this, combined with Doran's wording of his charge to Nymeria, would align with the idea that he had a "friend" extremely high in Cersei's confidence, but someone who was no longer present at court in ADWD (hence the need for a new "ear at court"). Taena fits the bill.

Now I really miss the "Like" button. This is an excellent point.

I am strongly believe she works for Doran, you asked about the pool of candidates that would know and there are only two Taena and Qyburn.

[Beets]

I am strongly believe she works for Doran, you asked about the pool of candidates that would know and there are only two Taena and Qyburn.

I don't think Doran's the kind of guy willing to work with Qyburn, and besides, we see where Qyburn's been for the last couple books. It's definitely Taena.

[The guy from the Vale]

I just think there's more to the Dorne plot than meets the eye at first. I'm also pretty open to the idea that Myrcella is already dead (and that the ambush was set up by Doran to cover it all up).

Taena might well be a spy for Doran; that wouldn't mean he's feeding the Sand Snakes accurate information. She might also be a triple agent who sells out Doran to some other faction - Varys and LF might be the most obvious suspects here; more so Varys, with his Myrish connections.

As for Taena's son - one possible reason she might be unwilling to bring him to court is that he's one of Robert's bastards.

[Lion of Judah]

I don't think Doran's the kind of guy willing to work with Qyburn, and besides, we see where Qyburn's been for the last couple books. It's definitely Taena.

Yes, exactly. which is why I believe it to be Taena.

[Fire Eater]

@Fire Eater: That's not really confirmation though. Rather, it means that Ser Balon has two tasks: bringing the Mountain's head to Dorne, and bringing Myrcella back. There's no hint of an ambush being set up by Cersei, or that she wants to have Trystane killed. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I wouldn't take those passages as proof that she did have that ambush set up just yet.

And indeed, the ambush, to me, looks more like it's set up deliberately to feed Cersei's paranoia with all the 'Halfman! Halfman!' chants. It might be the case that Cersei wanted it that way, but it's just as likely that someone is playing both sides here, or that Doran isn't telling the Sand Snakes the entire truth.

You asked for citations, and I gave them to you as they were all I could find. I wasn't trying to prove anything. I don't think Doran had any reason to lie to the Sand Snakes as they already wanted to go to war, and they had sworn him a vow on their father's grave.

[Sneak]

Varys and LF might be the most obvious suspects here; more so Varys, with his Myrish connections.

I disagree here. He does have Free Cities / Myrish connections, but he prefers the tongueless child type spy. Varys doesn't need someone to get close to Cersei, he can just listen through the walls, like he's been doing for years.

[The guy from the Vale]

I disagree here. He does have Free Cities / Myrish connections, but he prefers the tongueless child type spy. Varys doesn't need someone to get close to Cersei, he can just listen through the walls, like he's been doing for years.

The 'little birds' are useless as double or triple agents, though, as their mere existence is a well-guarded secret. If Varys wants to have the Martells do something specific, they are useless compared to a 'real' spy.

Still, I'm not saying Taena could never be spying for Doran alone, or that Cersei would never contemplate anything like killing Trystane; I'm just not convinced that the common interpretation of Doran's speech and Cersei's throwaway remarks is correct; I've seen Martin exploit ambiguities like these before, in both directions. I'm just saying we shouldn't be too sure of this interpretation, as there are other explanations possible.

[Aibhlin]

It struck me upon rereading AFFC that Jaime, while in Harrenhal, thinks something to the extent of lord Merryweather's suggestion about appointing ser Bonifer Hasty (the saintly knight) being the correct course of action in trying to set the riverlands to rights.

Who is, at least in name and with indirect interest in any profit generated from the domain of Harrenhal, the liege lord of the Riverlands?

Of course, this could amount to nothing but I don't think LF would set aside any opportunity to gain something from somewhere.

[the Scorpion Knight]

It struck me upon rereading AFFC that Jaime, while in Harrenhal, thinks something to the extent of lord Merryweather's suggestion about appointing ser Bonifer Hasty (the saintly knight) being the correct course of action in trying to set the riverlands to rights.

Who is, at least in name and with indirect interest in any profit generated from the domain of Harrenhal, the liege lord of the Riverlands?

Of course, this could amount to nothing but I don't think LF would set aside any opportunity to gain something from somewhere.

the fun part is LF doesn'rt even care what happens in harrenhall

[Queen Cersei I]

Taena of Myr is both a double agent and Robert Baratheon Babymamma #16.

Her son seems very likely to turn out to be yet another bun from King Bob's kingly oven.

Joke on Cersei #10000!

[Cliche Guevara]

Taena of Myr is both a double agent and Robert Baratheon Babymamma #16.

Her son seems very likely to turn out to be yet another bun from King Bob's kingly oven.

Joke on Cersei #10000!

I've seen this posted a few times now, is it just based on Taena's discomfort whenever Cersei mentions bringing her son to court? ie he's got the obvious "Robert's bastard look" going on so she can't let Cersei see him?

[Dargor]

Another guy who gained the favor of Cersei was Aurane Waters, could he have been working for someone?

[voodooqueen126]

You've convinced me. Taena was spying for Dorne.

I also don't think his only spies were the Kettleblacks. Especially when he basically said he doesn't think they are reliable anymore. No idea who is working for him who is high enough to pass along the info he has in AFFC though.

Perhaps he has others, like servants he has placed, court functionaries... and Taena as a triple agent: The Tyrells think she is spying for them out of Reach loyalty, Littlefinger thinks she is spying for him for financial gain, and the Martells for ideology and love.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motives_for_spying

I'll buy that she is working for Dorne

But I think she knows Euron, too.

The "dark, dangerous pirate" from her past could be Crow's Eye.

I presume she would, having been in a relationship with Euron, now hate him with a seething passion. So, given that she remembers her lover fondly, I doubt it's him.

Although the dark and dangerous pirate could just be a beard.

So you don't think she was spying for Dorne? Who do you think she was passing info onto? My guess is Doran Martell, and if it turns out not to be him, then maybe LF. She's definitely spying for someone.

I think she is spying for Littlefinger for money and the Dornish for friendship/ideology with financial benefits, the Tyrells probably think she is working for them, though given how she encouraged Cersei to turn against Margaery/her failure to warn them about Cersei's plot, they can't be terribly pleased with her services.

Taena of Myr is both a double agent and Robert Baratheon Babymamma #16.

Her son seems very likely to turn out to be yet another bun from King Bob's kingly oven.

Joke on Cersei #10000!

I don't think so. I think Taena is a genuine lesbian and that she and Orton Merryweather are in a lavendar marriage.

I think Russell is Orton's son, and that she doesn't want him at court for the same reason you or I wouldn't want our children at the Lannister court: the Lannisters are known to seize hostages and mistreat them. That is reason enough.

[direwolves_and_dragons]

I just thought I'd had a brain wave in thinking she was a Martell, I suddenly remembered her "olive skin" and general physical description and reminded me of Arianne. So nice one Lord Reek, big fan of this theory. I've only just started AFFC re-read so going to be interesting with this in mind.

[Mithras]

Taena is officially working for Doran and by his order, she is spying on both Margaery and Cersei. But I think above all, her primary allegiance is to Varys. I think her husband Orton is one of the "friends of the GC in the Reach". I started a thread about the council of Cersei a while ago. I collected a lot of stuff for the Part 2 but still there is much to do.

[Lord Martin]

Any chance Taena is acting on her own? Just a scheming up-jump hoping to make a better place for her son by getting in good with both Queens?

Most evidence would suggest that she is loyal to Highgarden. House Merryweather is a formerly great house from the Reach. Taena comes to court with Margery for the wedding and must have some degree of a rapport with the Tyrells, otherwise she wouldn't be allowed in the inner circle. But she still lets Margery stumble into Cersei's clumsy trap with the High Septon, so she can't be 100% for High Garden.

I have to admit I like the Dornish angle. But would Doran Martell trust a Myrish foreigner who married into a prominent house from the Reach? Plus Doran's comments about friends at court implied the friend had been there for a while. "Dorne still has friends at court." My money is on Varys as the "friend", but that's just me.

Speaking of Varys it is possible that she works for Varys or even Illyrio as she told Cersei she has powerful friends across the narrow sea and I bet the rich merchants of Pentos and the power brokers in Myr know one another. But Varys is still in KL, what does he need Taena for?

Cersei is surrounded by ambitious schemers, like Aurane Waters. He got the ships he wanted and decided to leave for greener pastures. Why would Taena be any different?

I'll throw out another suspect, what about the High Septon? Did anyone else think it very odd that he let Taena go when Cersei was arrested? He questioned all of Margery's cousins and courtiers, but not the unmistakably attractive woman who has been seen paling around with both of them? That seems odd to me.

[The Poster Who Was Promisd]

The evidence that Taena is working for Doran seems thin, to me. It rests almost entirely on his "friends at court" comment and his knowledge of the Balon Swann plot. As Theguyfromthevale notes, however, we are not sure that there even is a plot, and if there is, it could easily have been overheard by Varys' little birds. If Varys is prepping the path for Aegon and/or Dany, it makes good sense for him to be feeding info of this sort to Doran. This would make Taena superfluous. It seems much more likely that Taena is working for Olenna Tyrell, with or without Margery's knowledge. That she seems not to have informed Margery about Cersei's plot is no evidence at all, since said plot predictably backfired on Cersei spectacularly. All Cersei had was Osney, the Blue Bard and the moon tea. Osney recanted, which conceivably could have been predicted, and the Blue Bard bears obvious signs of torture. This leaves the moon tea, which has always been fishy to me. Why would Margery have asked Pycelle? Why not Ballabar, or bring her own Maester, or at least send an intermediary? I think the moon tea was bait to induce Cersei to do exactly what she did. The only thing Olenna could not forsee was Robert Strong, without whom Cersei's goose would surely be cooked.

[Tiggy4Real]

As for Taena's son - one possible reason she might be unwilling to bring him to court is that he's one of Robert's bastards.

While that's not impossible, what makes you think that?

I'm a big fan of Robert's bastards