Taena Merryweather

M

MSBorba

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Can someone help explain to me how Cersei allows Taena to enter her circle of trust so easily? In my mind, even Cersei would see Taena as a possible spy, in fact, I would be shocked if she didn't. I kept trying to see how Cersie was using Taena instead of the other way around, but try as I might, I couldn't figure it out. The other Cersie mistakes in AFfC are all perfectly understandable, but this one baffles me.
 
I know what you mean, she assimilated her into the fold rather quickly! The way I understood it was that she brought her in assuming that she was a spy and was attempting to win trust and then feed false information. If I am wrong I am sure someone will let me know.

snow
 
I think Cersei took Taena in quickly because the other woman was so good at acting almost worshipful towards Cersei. Cersei believes herself to be deserving of respect and awe. Taena gave her what she wanted: information on Margaery, as well as the feeling that finally someone was reacting to her in such a manner.

I'm wondering who Taena is really working for, though. Is she the Queen of Thorn's pawn, or someone else's? If I recall correctly, she is Dornish, right? Perhaps she is working for someone in Dorne, then...
 
Or as mentioned in another thread, she's working for Saalador Saan the pirate seeing as she bedded a pirate with a scarred face (fits the bill), I'm also quite interested to see exactly how Saan fits into this, he seems to be a character who could have a lot of fingers in a lot of pies.

Just my thoughts....
 
Actually, I think Taena is from one of the Free Cities. Anyway, I'm also of the opinion that Taena was someone else's pawn;mainly from her reluctance to bring her son to court and her swift departure after Cersei was taken by the High Septon.
 
Taena gained Cersei's favor by fingering Senelle as a spy for Marge. Doesn't seem like it should be that easy, but the CIA has been employing this technique since day 1. All it takes is a charismatic agent (Taena), a sufficiently credulous 'asset' (Cersei), and a believable fall-guy (Senelle). Actual proof is optional. I read this in a book that contained declassified CIA reports, one of which was a list of sucessful contact and interrogation techniques.
 
Adasunshine said:
Or as mentioned in another thread, she's working for Saalador Saan the pirate seeing as she bedded a pirate with a scarred face (fits the bill)
Click to expand...

But to what end? Just because they crossed paths once, why would that automatically mean she was, all these years later, working for him? More likely she is working for her own family's gain, I would say. I believe it's mentioned a number of times her devotion to her son. She may very well be playing a number of sides - Cersei for if the Lannisters prevail, Olenna in case the Tyrells get up, and possibly even Varys/Illyrio against the possibility of Dany coming home....
 
I was thinking that Taena had a connection to Stannis and was probably his spy. Adasunshine mentions above that her old pirate lover is most likely Saan, and I agree with this. I believe Saan is also loyal to Stannis, therefore the connection. Rather loose, I know, but that's what makes this type of speculation fun. Feel free to shoot me full of holes.....
 
First hole. Salla doesn't seem all that loyal to Stannis. He's only in it for the gold he has been promised, the title he has been granted, and probably more than he'd abmit, his friendship with Davos. So if Taena is working for Saan (which I still doubt, I think it was just another weave in the rich tapestry of the world's history) it wouldn't necessarily mean she was working for Stannis.
 
maybe Im confused and need to reread that section.

I seem to recall feeling fairly well certain that Taena had to be working with the Tyrells. I could have been misintrepreting fuzzy circumstantial evidence though. That is at least what I took away from the reading.

As to why Cersei took her in as a confidant....Cersei always had an unfortunately large overestimation of her own intellect. It would be inconceivable to her that someone could infiltrate her confidence without her suspecting it.
In addition, there had to be someone close to her that she could share all her "great victories" with after her rift with Jaime. Great ego feeds upon adulation. Taena provided that and sort of took on the role of a "wife" to Cersei.
JMI (just my interpretation)
UnSUCS (unlikely to stand up under close scrutiny):)
 
Taena is a Tyrell spy. She's the obvious one... there must be hidden ones the Cersei did not see.

Taena is expendable to the Tyrells. She has bred and given a son. If she fails, then the Tyrells disavow her as a stupid, scheming, Myrish whore.

Taena's mission was to feed Cersei some harmless truths, some harmful lies, and to get any information on Cersei's private life that she could. Cersei let Taena see much more than she should have.

Imo, Taena did this mission with relish, but also to gain access to the throne and assess for herself the probable winner of the Lannister-Tyrell power struggle. If the Lannisters looked to win, then Taena and her Tyrell son might be the inheritors of Highgarden. I think she was working both sides to the best of her abilities.
 
YOSSARIAN said:
Doesn't seem like it should be that easy, but the CIA has been employing this technique since day 1. All it takes is a charismatic agent (Taena), a sufficiently credulous 'asset' (Cersei), and a believable fall-guy (Senelle). Actual proof is optional. I read this in a book that contained declassified CIA reports, one of which was a list of sucessful contact and interrogation techniques.
Click to expand...

Wow, that's scary! :eek:
Intelligence gatherers just seem to be a bunch of hyper-paranoid rumour-mongers, huh?

Anyhoo, back to the point. I don't think Taena was a Tyrell spy - think about it, if she was in Cersei's circle of trust why didn't she try harder to divert her from them?
Instead she actually gave her information which led to Margery's arrest. At the very least, she knew about what was going to happen in plenty of time to warn her what was coming and give them time to hide her.

I don't think the Stannis connection fits either - even if she was in cahoots (i love that word) with Saan, he's a mercenary who'll switch sides at the drop of several coins.
If I was to suggest a guiding hand, it would be Illyrio. He has motive (Targaryen loyalist or so it seems...), the connections (Varys) and is the only one to benefit by a power vaccum at Kings Landing and furthering the chaos in Westeros.
The Tyrells had more than they could have dreamed off, they would not have rocked the boat. The Dornish were up to their own internal schemes, the Northmen are scattered & leaderless, and the Iron Islanders just want to pillage the crap out of everyone. :)
 
Could she also be working for Littlefinger? I mean who knows how many pies he's got his fingers in. He did say to Sansa at one point in AFFC that Cersei is going to learn her lesson and get what's coming to her (I don't have to exact quote at this time). My inclination is still that she is working for Varys (isn't he Myrish as well???) sine the Tyrell connection is too obvious.
 
Yoss, yes, that technique has worked throughout history.

Iirc, some Roman leader captured a soldier of one of his enemy. But he could not get information from the man. So one of his own officers volunteered to be thrown in jail along with the prisoner. The jailers beat the officer in front of the prisoner and the prisoner concluded that the officer was on his side... so he confided in him. The officer was released and told the leader everything... and the leader destroyed his enemy.
 
Nah. Her pirate lover is definitely Jaqen. Or who he becomes when he leaves Harrenhall. Read the description of his face when Arya last sees him and then the description of the man in the prologue of AFFC. Then read the description of the pirate lover. Is she in cahoots with the house of the dead, or wherever Arya is at the end of AFFC? It is kind of weird. This beautiful, brainy woman who wants to get close to Cersei and then gives her all kinds of bad advice. . . . or goes along with her retarded scheming, anyway. And she just suddenly marries this old fart from the Seven Kingdoms? Maybe she did have an affair with Jaqen, but whether she was of the house of the dead before or after is the debate.
 
I was rereading AFFC and noticed something I had overlooked the first time. When Doran orders Hotah to have the Sand Snakes rounded up Hotah asks about Saella (sp?), and Doran says to leave her to her games. Is it possible Taena is Saella? Taena claims to be from the Free Cities, but her physical attributes could be just as likely attributed to Dornish blood. Not much evidence to prove anything (this is the only time Saella is mentioned)-just throwing it out there.
 
Sarella is actually Alleras the Sphinx that is encountered in the prologue and later by Sam in Oldtown. It is known.
 
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