Areo Hotah

Areo was born in Norvos, the youngest of six children, and was given away as a boy to the city's bearded priests. At sixteen he finished his training among them: they placed a longaxe in his hands as though it were a bride and branded his chest with a hot iron.

He crossed the sea to Dorne alongside Mellario of Norvos when she married Prince Doran Martell. The heat, the spices, and the Dornish customs felt foreign to him at first, but he stayed in the Martells' service even after Mellario returned to her home city, and eventually rose to command the prince's guard.

He watched Doran's children grow up and came to feel an almost fatherly affection for Arianne, whom he calls "little princess," though his obedience to the prince outweighs any fondness: he repeats three words to himself whenever an order troubles him: "Serve. Obey. Protect." When Doran's failing health forced him to move to the Water Gardens, Areo went with him, though the prince still sends him back to Sunspear from time to time.

After Oberyn Martell's death, Areo escorts Doran back to Sunspear, where the prince orders him to arrest his late brother's bastard daughters, the Sand Snakes.

Soon after, Doran sends him to stop Arianne, who is plotting to crown Myrcella Baratheon queen of the Seven Kingdoms. In the clash, Areo fights Ser Arys Oakheart: once crossbowmen bring down the knight's horse, Areo severs his arm and then beheads him with his longaxe. He orders his men to chase down Ser Gerold Dayne, who has wounded Myrcella, but Darkstar escapes, leaving him furious.

Areo escorts Arianne back to Sunspear to face her father.

Areo is present when Ser Balon Swann brings Doran the skull of Gregor Clegane, and finds himself comparing the knight to Ser Arys, wondering whether the two of them will ever meet in combat.

He also attends a private council between the prince, Arianne, Tyene, Obara, and Nymeria, where they agree to tell Balon Swann that Darkstar was the one who killed Ser Arys.