Deziel Martell

## Prince of Dorne

Addam Martell

Meria Martell

Elana Martell

**Deziel Martell**, affectionately referred to as **Dez** by some, is the third son of Oberyn and Lorenza Martell. He is the only child to have married; he wed Argella Selmy in 397 AC.

## Appearance

Deziel is lean-bodied, with long dark hair and a cleanly shaven face. He has a darker complexion common of the salty Dornish people.

## History

Deziel is the youngest son of Oberyn and Lorenza Martell, and the third child of their marriage. He was born in Sunspear, where he spent the earliest years of his life before being sent to the Water Gardens.

As the third child, he never suspected that he himself would ever rule Dorne. Throughout his childhood, while Deziel's father Oberyn doted on his two elder siblings, Deziel contented himself with making friends with any animal he saw. He would often steal away from the dinner table and carry sweets to the horses in the stables. As he grew older, Deziel became fascinated with more dangerous animals.

When he was eight years old, the Prince found a viper on one of his many trips outside the palace. By feeding it mice, Deziel was able to train the viper to follow his commands. Eventually, his mother found out about the viper and had the snake killed.

As he grew older, Deziel enjoyed hunting, and would frequently take trips to both the desert and the mountains in search of exciting hunts. On one trip, Deziel captured and befriended a "sand dog" that he trained as a loyal hunting companion.

A consequence of growing up appreciating nature, Deziel is not naturally confrontational or belligerent, always preferring to leave that kind of behavior to his older brother and sister. However, the Master-at-Arms of Sunspear had a duty to teach the boy to fight. Deziel showed average competence with a spear, but his true talents laid in the commanding of men. Deziel eagerly devoured books on strategy and histories of great battles, becoming a capable commander of men.

In the battle against the Sand King, when the knight that Deziel was serving as a squire to fell in battle, Deziel took up his command and fought admirably, though he was too far away from the center of battle itself to be considered instrumental in the victory.

In 397, Deziel was married to Argella Selmy, the first of Oberyn's children to wed despite having two older siblings. The two have a single daughter, Nymeria, one year old, whom Deziel calls "Little Nym."

The trial of his sister Obara weighed heavily upon Deziel. He loves all his siblings, and it hurt him to hear Oberyn spread the truth of all Obara's misdeeds. However, at the same time, he could not deny the truth: Obara was wrong for Dorne. He looked away as she fought Ser Joffrey Dayne but was relieved when Oberyn spared her life.

When Oberyn began preparations for going to war, he entrusted his brother Deziel with the defense and protection of Sunspear. However, before he left the city, he was killed in a duel with Lord Justyn Dayne. Deziel's heart ached as he was brought the news of his brother's death, but as the grim reality that Dorne was now his set in, he wept. He questioned how Lord Dayne, his own cousin, could have done this to their family, but was resolved to keep Dorne safe in these troubled times.

## Timeline

* 378 AC - Deziel is born.
* 386 AC - Deziel is caught with a pet viper in Sunspear by his mother.
* 388 AC - Deziel goes on his first hunt.
* 390 AC - Prince Oberyn Martell dies at the hands of Saan pirates in the Third Targaryen Rebellion. His older sister Obara takes control of Dorne.
* 393 AC - Deziel, still a squire, participates in the Siege and Battle of Vaith against the Sand King. When the knight that Deziel was squiring for falls in battle, Deziel takes command of the soldiers that were under that knight's command.
* 397 AC - Deziel is married to Argella Selmy.
* 398 AC - The Great Council, Obara taken captive. Deziel is sent to Essos to find a master blacksmith by Oberyn.
* 399 AC - Oberyn calls a council to reveal the crimes of Obara and takes control of Dorne. Justyn Dayne, refusing submit to Oberyn and ally with King Beron, murders the Prince in the street, making Deziel the new ruling Prince of Dorne.