Water Gardens

The Water Gardens are Prince Doran Martell's favorite palace in Dorne, a place of beauty and peace built by his Targaryen ancestor Daenerys to please his bride and free her from the dust and heat of Sunspear. They serve as a symbol of Doran's philosophy of rule—a place where children of all stations play together, embodying the principle that a wise prince must remember the innocent before calling the spears.

History and Founding

The Water Gardens were built by an ancestor of Prince Doran, Daenerys Targaryen, who was sister to King Daeron the Good. Her marriage to the Prince of Dorne made Dorne part of the Seven Kingdoms. Though the realm knew that Daenerys loved Daemon Blackfyre and was loved by him in turn, the king was wise enough to see that the good of thousands must come before the desires of two. The gardens were constructed to please Daenerys and free her from the dust and heat of Sunspear. It was Daenerys who filled the gardens with laughing children—her own children at the start, but later the sons and daughters of lords and landed knights were brought in to be companions to the boys and girls of princely blood. One summer's day when it was scorching hot, she took pity on the children of her grooms and cooks and serving men and invited them to use the pools and fountains too, a tradition that has endured till this day.

Description and Atmosphere

The Water Gardens are described as beautiful and peaceful, with cool breezes, sparkling water, and the laughter of children. They are made of pink marble, with pools and fountains, overlooking the sea. The gardens are Doran's favorite place in this world, a refuge from the dust and heat of Sunspear. When Ser Balon Swann visits, Doran tells him he has heard they are very beautiful, and the prince replies that they are indeed.

Narrative Significance

Prince Doran uses the Water Gardens as a teaching tool for his nieces, the Sand Snakes, telling them there are lessons there if they have the wit to see them. He recounts how Daenerys watched the children splashing in the pools from amongst the orange trees, and a realization came to her: she could not tell the highborn from the low. Naked, they were only children—all innocent, all vulnerable, all deserving of long life, love, protection. "There is your realm," she told her son and heir, "remember them, in everything you do." Doran's own mother said those same words to him when he was old enough to leave the pools. He tells his nieces that it is an easy thing for a prince to call the spears, but in the end the children pay the price. For their sake, the wise prince will wage no war without good cause, nor any war he cannot hope to win. The Water Gardens thus embody Doran's cautious, patient approach to statecraft—a contrast to the fiery vengeance sought by the Sand Snakes.