Quentyn Martell attempts to steal dragons

Quentyn Martell, the eldest son of Prince Doran Martell of Dorne, had crossed half the world to offer his hand in marriage to Daenerys Targaryen, only to find her wed to the Meereenese nobleman Hizdahr zo Loraq. Spurned and desperate to salvage his mission and prove his worth, Quentyn conceived a reckless plan: to steal one of Daenerys's dragons, believing that controlling a dragon would make him a power in his own right and force the queen to reconsider his suit. He enlisted the aid of the sellsword company the Windblown, promising their commander, the Tattered Prince, the city of Pentos in return for their help.

The Descent into the Pit

On the night of the attempt, Quentyn, accompanied by his Dornish companions Ser Gerris Drinkwater and Ser Archibald Yronwood, and a band of Windblown sellswords led by Caggo Corpsekiller and Pretty Meris, made their way through the Great Pyramid to the underground pit where Viserion and Rhaegal were chained. They killed the Brazen Beast guards at the door, a bloody prelude to the disaster to come. The plan was to feed the dragons to make them sluggish, then chain them and transport them to a waiting ship. Quentyn, armed with a whip as Daenerys had used to cow Drogon in Daznak's Pit, stepped forward to confront the beasts.

The Dragons Unleashed

The dragons, however, were far from docile. Rhaegal, the green dragon, snatched a thrown sheep from the air and began to feed, but Viserion, the white dragon, launched himself from the ceiling, his broken chain swinging wildly. The sellswords panicked. A crossbowman loosed a quarrel at Viserion, enraging him. The dragon killed the man, tearing his neck open with his teeth. The Windblown began to flee. Quentyn, trying to assert control, cracked his whip and commanded the dragon to get down. Viserion hissed, and then Rhaegal, the green dragon, attacked from behind. Quentyn turned and raised his arm to shield his face from the furnace wind, but it was too late. He was engulfed in dragonflame.

The Aftermath and Death

Ser Archibald Yronwood beat out the flames with his bare hands, suffering severe burns himself, but Quentyn was already hideously burned. He was carried to the queen's own bed, where he lingered for three days in agony. His flesh had sloughed away, his eyes were pools of pus, and he had no lips. He died just before dawn on the third day. Ser Barristan Selmy, who had taken command in Daenerys's absence, covered the prince's face and ordered his body preserved to be returned to Dorne. The attempt had not only cost Quentyn his life but had also loosed two dragons upon the city of Meereen, causing fires, destruction, and further chaos in the already besieged metropolis.