The Myrish wife of Lord Orton Merryweather and Lady of Longtable, born in the Free City of Myr around 276 AC and mother to a single son, Russell. She met Orton during his exile from the Seven Kingdoms and returned with him when King Robert lifted his banishment. A beautiful, shapely woman — olive-skinned, black-haired, and dark-eyed, sultry and witty besides — she first drew notice when she danced provocatively at the wedding feast of Sansa Stark and Tyrion Lannister, and she later gave false testimony against Tyrion at his trial for the murder of King Joffrey.
After the death of Lord Tywin Lannister, Taena caught the eye of the Queen Regent Cersei Lannister and swiftly made herself indispensable, feeding Cersei reports on Margaery Tyrell while telling Margaery only what the queen wished. She became Cersei's closest confidante and bedmate — the queen would name her "her one true friend" — and shared her schemes and her dread of the valonqar even as Lord Orton was raised to Hand of the King. When the Faith seized Cersei in the Great Sept of Baelor, Taena carried word of the accusations to the small council and fled with her husband to Longtable, bearing away dangerous knowledge of the queen's secrets. She remains beyond Cersei's reach through the events of A Dance with Dragons.