Come day of the trial Ser Humfrey Hardyng and Ser Humfrey Beesbury agree to fight on Duncan's behalf and Aegon/Egg recruits Ser Robyn Rhysling and the formidable Ser Lyonel Baratheon. Aegon/Egg promises to round up warriors to fight with and for Duncan.ĭunk meets up once more with his armorer Steely Pate who gives him a new shield with his personal sigil-a parting gift from Tanselle. Aerion however complicates matters by demanding a variant of trial by combat called a “Trial of Seven” which involves mounted and close quarter combat between two battle groups composed of seven knights each. Dunk’s crime cannot go unpunished though so he opts to undergo trial by combat rather than endure mutilation.

While resting in the tent of one of the competitors, Egg rushes to report that Tanselle is being assaulted by Prince Aerion for a perceived slight.ĭunk strikes Aerion in defense of Tanselle and nearly is executed on the spot until Egg intervenes, finally revealing himself to be Prince Aegon Targaryen, the younger brother of Aerion and heir to the Iron Throne.

Dunk is barred from using Ser Arlan’s coat of arms so he commissions a beautiful puppeteer named Tanselle to paint him a different one. The pair makes to Ashford and manages to participate in the competition after having been guaranteed by Prince Baelor Targaryen. Ser Arlan dies of illness before he can bestow the title of knight upon him so he takes his armor, weapons, and whatever remaining equipment he has left behind, heading off to the town of Ashford to make a name for himself as a hedge knight at the fete cum jousting competition at Ashford, adopting the name “Ser Duncan the Tall.” While staying at an inn he runs into a mysterious, feisty, bald boy calling himself “Egg” who persistently pushes that he be allowed to serve as his squire. Here, Dunk is a squire to Ser Arlan of Pennytree, a hedge knight or a mercenary knight who follows a certain chivalric code of conduct. The first novella in the series is The Hedge Knight which details the how Duncan/Dunk begins his journey as an itinerant “hedge knight” and how the young Aegon/Egg ends up becoming his squire. It chronicles the adventures and misadventures of Ser Duncan “Dunk” the Tall, who would eventually become the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, and his squire Aegon “Egg” Targaryen V, who would become the future King Aegon. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own.Ī Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, also entitled “Tales of Dunk and Egg,” is the collection of fantasy novellas set about 90 years prior to events in the A Song of Ice and Fire novel universe, namely the The Hedge Knight, The Sworn Sword, and The Mystery Knight.

These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.

A knight of seven kingdoms