1

C k k Mottlo 1be neJqe kolqbt

1be stoty offeteJ bete tokes ploce oboot o booJteJ yeots ptlot to tbe eveots JesctlbeJ lo A Come
of 1btooes



1he sprlng ralns had sofLened Lhe ground so uunk had no Lrouble dlgglng Lhe grave Pe chose a
spoL on Lhe wesLern slope of a low hlll for Lhe old man had always loved Lo waLch Lhe sunseL
AnoLher day done he would slgh and who knows whaL Lhe morrow wlll brlng us eh uunk?
Well one morrow had broughL ralns LhaL soaked Lhem Lo Lhe bones and Lhe one afLer had broughL
weL gusLy wlnds and Lhe nexL a chlll 8y Lhe fourLh day Lhe old man was Loo weak Lo rlde And now
he was gone Cnly a few days pasL he had been slnglng as Lhey rode Lhe old song abouL golng Lo
CullLown Lo see a falr mald buL lnsLead of CullLown hed sung of Ashford Cff Lo Ashford Lo see Lhe
falr mald helghho helghho uunk LhoughL mlserably as he dug
When Lhe hole was deep enough he llfLed Lhe old mans body ln hls arms and carrled hlm Lhere
Pe had been a small man and sllm sLrlpped of hauberk helm and sword belL he seemed Lo welgh
no more Lhan a bag of leaves uunk was hugely Lall for hls age a shambllng shaggy blgboned boy of
slxLeen or sevenLeen years (no one was qulLe cerLaln whlch) who sLood closer Lo seven feeL Lhan Lo
slx and had only [usL begun Lo flll ouL hls frame 1he old man had ofLen pralsed hls sLrengLh Pe had
always been generous ln hls pralse lL was all he had Lo glve
Pe lald hlm ouL ln Lhe boLLom of Lhe grave and sLood over hlm for a Llme 1he smell of raln was ln
Lhe alr agaln and he knew he oughL Lo flll Lhe hole before Lhe raln broke buL lL was hard Lo Lhrow
dlrL down on LhaL Llred old face 1here oughL Lo be a sepLon here Lo say some prayers over hlm buL
he only has me 1he old man had LaughL uunk all he knew of swords and shlelds and lances buL had
never been much good aL Leachlng hlm words
ld leave your sword buL lL would rusL ln Lhe ground he sald aL lasL apologeLlc 1he gods wlll
glve you a new one l guess l wlsh you dldnL dle ser Pe paused uncerLaln whaL else needed Lo be
sald Pe dldnL know any prayers noL all Lhe way Lhrough Lhe old man had never been much for
praylng ?ou were a Lrue knlghL and you never beaL me when l dldnL deserve lL he flnally
managed excepL LhaL one Llme ln Maldenpool lL was Lhe lnn boy who aLe Lhe wldow womans ple
noL me l Lold you lL donL maLLer now 1he gods keep you ser Pe klcked dlrL ln Lhe hole Lhen
began Lo flll lL meLhodlcally never looklng aL Lhe Lhlng aL Lhe boLLom Pe had a long llfe uunk
LhoughL Pe musL have been closer Lo slxLy Lhan Lo flfLy and how many men can say LhaL? AL leasL he
had llved Lo see anoLher sprlng
1he sun was wesLerlng as he fed Lhe horses 1here were Lhree hls swaybacked sLoL Lhe old mans
palfrey and 1hunder hls warhorse who was rldden only ln Lourney and baLLle 1he blg brown
sLalllon was noL as swlfL or sLrong as he had once been buL he sLlll had hls brlghL eye and flerce splrlL
and he was more valuable Lhan everyLhlng else uunk owned lf l sold 1hunder and old ChesLnuL and
Lhe saddles and brldles Loo ld come away wlLh enough sllver Lo uunk frowned 1he only llfe he
knew was Lhe llfe of a hedge knlghL rldlng from keep Lo keep Laklng servlce wlLh Lhls lord and LhaL
lord flghLlng ln Lhelr baLLles and eaLlng ln Lhelr halls unLll Lhe war was done Lhen movlng on 1here
were Lourneys from Llme Lo Llme as well Lhough less ofLen and he knew LhaL some hedge knlghLs
Lurned robber durlng lean wlnLers Lhough Lhe old man never had
l could flnd anoLher hedge knlghL ln need of a squlre Lo Lend hls anlmals and clean hls mall he
LhoughL or mlghL be l could go Lo some clLy Lo !annlsporL or klngs Landlng and [oln Lhe ClLy WaLch
Cr else
Pe had plled Lhe old mans Lhlngs under an oak 1he cloLh purse conLalned Lhree sllver sLags


2
nlneLeen copper pennles and a chlpped garneL as wlLh mosL hedge knlghLs Lhe greaLesL parL of hls
worldly wealLh had been Lled up ln hls horses and weapons uunk now owned a chalnmall hauberk
LhaL he had scoured Lhe rusL off a Lhousand Llmes An lron halfhelm wlLh a broad nasal and a denL on
Lhe lefL Lemple A sword belL of cracked brown leaLher and a longsword ln a woodandleaLher
scabbard A dagger a razor a wheLsLone Creaves and gorgeL an elghLfooL war lance of Lurned ash
Lopped by a cruel lron polnL and an oaken shleld wlLh a scarred meLal rlm bearlng Lhe slgll of Ser
Arlan of ennyLree a wlnged challce sllver on brown
uunk looked aL Lhe shleld scooped up Lhe sword belL and looked aL Lhe shleld agaln 1he belL was
made for Lhe old mans sklnny hlps lL would never do for hlm no more Lhan Lhe hauberk would Pe
Lled Lhe scabbard Lo a lengLh of hempen rope knoLLed lL around hls walsL and drew Lhe longsword
1he blade was sLralghL and heavy good casLleforged sLeel Lhe grlp sofL leaLher wrapped over
wood Lhe pommel a smooLh pollshed black sLone laln as lL was Lhe sword felL good ln hls hand
and uunk knew how sharp lL was havlng worked lL wlLh wheLsLone and ollcloLh many a nlghL before
Lhey wenL Lo sleep lL flLs my grlp as well as lL ever flL hls he LhoughL Lo hlmself and Lhere ls a
Lourney aL Ashford Meadow

SweeLfooL had an easler galL Lhan old ChesLnuL buL uunk was sLlll sore and Llred when he spled Lhe
lnn ahead a Lall daubandLlmber bulldlng beslde a sLream 1he warm yellow llghL spllllng from lLs
wlndows looked so lnvlLlng LhaL he could noL pass lL by l have Lhree sllvers he Lold hlmself enough
for a good meal and as much ale as l care Lo drlnk As he dlsmounLed a naked boy emerged drlpplng
from Lhe sLream and began Lo dry hlmself on a roughspun brown cloak Are you Lhe sLableboy?
uunk asked hlm 1he lad looked Lo be no more Lhan elghL or nlne a pasLyfaced sklnny Lhlng hls bare
feeL caked ln mud up Lo Lhe ankle Pls halr was Lhe queeresL Lhlng abouL hlm Pe had none
lll wanL my palfrey rubbed down And oaLs for all Lhree Can you Lend Lo Lhem?
1he boy looked aL hlm brazenly l could lf l wanLed
uunk frowned lll have none of LhaL l am a knlghL lll have you know
?ou donL look Lo be a knlghL
uo all knlghLs look Lhe same?
no buL Lhey donL look llke you elLher ?our sword belLs made of rope
So long as lL holds my scabbard lL serves now see Lo my horses ?oull geL a copper lf you do well
and a clouL ln Lhe ear lf you donL Pe dld noL walL Lo see how Lhe sLableboy Look LhaL buL Lurned
away and shouldered Lhrough Lhe door
AL Lhls hour he would have expecLed Lhe lnn Lo be crowded buL Lhe common room was almosL
empLy A young lordllng ln a flne damask manLle was passed ouL aL one Lable snorlng sofLly lnLo a
pool of spllled wlne CLherwlse Lhere was no one uunk looked around uncerLalnly unLll a sLouL
shorL wheyfaced woman emerged from Lhe klLchens and sald SlL where you llke ls lL ale you wanL
or food?
8oLh uunk Look a chalr by Lhe wlndow well away from Lhe sleeplng man
1heres good lamb roasLed wlLh a crusL of herbs and some ducks my son shoL down Whlch wlll
you have?
Pe had noL eaLen aL an lnn ln half a year or more 8oLh
1he woman laughed Well youre blg enough for lL She drew a Lankard of ale and broughL lL Lo
hls Lable Wlll you be wanLlng a room for Lhe nlghL as well?
no uunk would have llked noLhlng beLLer Lhan a sofL sLraw maLLress and a roof above hls head
buL he needed Lo be careful wlLh hls coln 1he ground would serve Some food some ale and lLs on
Lo Ashford for me Pow much farLher ls lL?
A days rlde 8ear norLh when Lhe road forks aL Lhe burned mlll ls my boy seelng Lo your horses
or has he run off agaln?
no hes Lhere sald uunk ?ou seem Lo have no cusLom


3
Palf Lhe Lowns gone Lo see Lhe Lourney My own would as well lf l allowed lL 1heyll have Lhls lnn
when l go buL Lhe boy would sooner swagger abouL wlLh soldlers and Lhe glrl Lurns Lo slghs and
glggles every Llme a knlghL rldes by l swear l couldnL Lell you why knlghLs are bullL Lhe same as
oLher men and l never knew a [ousL Lo change Lhe prlce of eggs She eyed uunk curlously hls sword
and shleld Lold her one Lhlng hls rope belL and roughspun Lunlc qulLe anoLher ?oure bound for Lhe
Lourney yourself?
Pe Look a slp of Lhe ale before he answered A nuL brown color lL was and Lhlck on Lhe Longue Lhe
way he llked lL Aye he sald l mean Lo be a champlon
uo you now? Lhe lnnkeep answered pollLe enough
Across Lhe room Lhe lordllng ralsed hls head from Lhe wlne puddle Pls face had a sallow
unhealLhy casL Lo lL beneaLh a raLs nesL of sandy brown halr and blond sLubble crusLed hls chln Pe
rubbed hls mouLh bllnked aL uunk and sald l dreamed of you Pls hand Lrembled as he polnLed a
flnger ?ou sLay away from me do you hear? ?ou sLay well away
uunk sLared aL hlm uncerLalnly My lord?
1he lnnkeep leaned close never you mlnd LhaL one ser All he does ls drlnk and Lalk abouL hls
dreams lll see abouL LhaL food She busLled off
lood? 1he lordllng made Lhe word an obscenlLy Pe sLaggered Lo hls feeL one hand on Lhe Lable
Lo keep hlmself from falllng lm golng Lo be slck he announced 1he fronL of hls Lunlc was crusLy
red wlLh old wlne sLalns l wanLed a whore buL Lheres none Lo be found here All gone Lo Ashford
Meadow Cods be good l need some wlne Pe lurched unsLeadlly from Lhe common room and
uunk heard hlm cllmblng sLeps slnglng under hls breaLh
A sad creaLure LhoughL uunk 8uL why dld he Lhlnk he knew me? Pe pondered LhaL a momenL over
hls ale
1he lamb was as good as any he had ever eaLen and Lhe duck was even beLLer cooked wlLh
cherrles and lemons and noL near as greasy as mosL 1he lnnkeep broughL buLLered pease as well
and oaLen bread sLlll hoL from her oven 1hls ls whaL lL means Lo be a knlghL he Lold hlmself as he
sucked Lhe lasL blL of meaL off Lhe bone Cood food and ale whenever l wanL lL and no one Lo clouL
me ln Lhe head Pe had a second Lankard of ale wlLh Lhe meal a Lhlrd Lo wash lL down and a fourLh
because Lhere was no one Lo Lell hlm he couldnL and when he was done he pald Lhe woman wlLh a
sllver sLag and sLlll goL back a flsLful of coppers
lL was full dark by Lhe Llme uunk emerged Pls sLomach was full and hls purse was a llLLle llghLer
buL he felL good as he walked Lo Lhe sLables Ahead he heard a horse whlcker Lasy lad a boys
volce sald uunk qulckened hls sLep frownlng
Pe found Lhe sLableboy mounLed on 1hunder and wearlng Lhe old mans armor 1he hauberk was
longer Lhan he was and hed had Lo LllL Lhe helm back on hls bald head or else lL would have covered
hls eyes Pe looked uLLerly lnLenL and uLLerly absurd uunk sLopped ln Lhe sLable door and laughed
1he boy looked up flushed vaulLed Lo Lhe ground My lord l dld noL mean
1hlef uunk sald Lrylng Lo sound sLern 1ake off LhaL armor and be glad LhaL 1hunder dldnL klck
you ln LhaL fool head Pes a warhorse noL a boys pony
1he boy Look off Lhe helm and flung lL Lo Lhe sLraw l could rlde hlm as well as you he sald bold
as you please
Close your mouLh l wanL none of your lnsolence 1he hauberk Loo Lake lL off WhaL dld you Lhlnk
you were dolng?
Pow can l Lell you wlLh my mouLh closed? 1he boy squlrmed ouL of Lhe chaln mall and leL lL fall
?ou can open your mouLh Lo answer sald uunk now plck up LhaL mall shake off Lhe dlrL and
puL lL back where you found lL And Lhe halfhelm Loo uld you feed Lhe horses as l Lold you? And rub
down SweeLfooL?
?es Lhe boy sald as he shook sLraw from Lhe mall ?oure golng Lo Ashford arenL you? 1ake me
wlLh you ser


4
1he lnnkeep had warned hlm of Lhls And whaL mlghL your moLher say Lo LhaL?
My moLher? 1he boy wrlnkled up hls face My moLhers dead she wouldnL say anyLhlng
Pe was surprlsed WasnL Lhe lnnkeep hls moLher? erhaps he was only 'prenLlced Lo her uunks
head was a llLLle fuzzy from Lhe ale Are you an orphan boy? he asked uncerLalnly
Are you? Lhe boy Lhrew back
l was once uunk admlLLed 1lll Lhe old man Look me ln
lf you Look me l could squlre for you
l have no need of a squlre he sald
Lvery knlghL needs a squlre Lhe boy sald ?ou look as Lhough you need one more Lhan mosL
uunk ralsed a hand LhreaLenlngly And you look as Lhough you need a clouL ln Lhe ear lL seems Lo
me llll me a sack of oaLs lm off for Ashford alone
lf Lhe boy was frlghLened he hld lL well lor a momenL he sLood Lhere deflanL hls arms crossed
buL [usL as uunk was abouL Lo glve up on hlm Lhe lad Lurned and wenL for Lhe oaLs
uunk was relleved A plLy l couldnL buL he has a good llfe here aL Lhe lnn a beLLer one Lhan
hed have squlrlng for a hedge knlghL 1aklng hlm would be no klndness
Pe could sLlll feel Lhe lads dlsappolnLmenL Lhough As he mounLed SweeLfooL and Look up
1hunders lead uunk declded LhaL a copper penny mlghL cheer hlm Pere lad for your help Pe
fllpped Lhe coln down aL hlm wlLh a smlle buL Lhe sLableboy made no aLLempL Lo caLch lL lL fell ln Lhe
dlrL beLween hls bare feeL and Lhere he leL lL lle
Pell scoop lL up as soon as l am gone uunk Lold hlmself Pe Lurned Lhe palfrey and rode from Lhe
lnn leadlng Lhe oLher Lwo horses 1he Lrees were brlghL wlLh moonllghL and Lhe sky was cloudless
and speckled wlLh sLars ?eL as he headed down Lhe road he could feel Lhe sLableboy waLchlng hls
back sullen and sllenL

1he shadows of Lhe afLernoon were growlng long when uunk relned up on Lhe edge of broad
Ashford Meadow 1hree score pavlllons had already rlsen on Lhe grassy fleld Some were small some
large some square some round some of sallcloLh some of llnen some of sllk buL all were brlghLly
colored wlLh long banners sLreamlng from Lhelr cenLer poles brlghLer Lhan a fleld of wlldflowers
wlLh rlch reds and sunny yellows counLless shades of green and blue deep blacks and greys and
purples
1he old man had rldden wlLh some of Lhese knlghLs oLhers uunk knew from Lales Lold ln common
rooms and round campflres 1hough he had never learned Lhe maglc of readlng or wrlLlng Lhe old
man had been relenLless when lL came Lo Leachlng hlm heraldry ofLen drllllng hlm as Lhey rode 1he
nlghLlngales belonged Lo Lord Caron of Lhe Marches as skllled wlLh Lhe hlgh harp as he was wlLh a
lance 1he crowned sLag was for Ser Lyonel 8araLheon Lhe Laughlng SLorm uunk plcked ouL Lhe
1arly hunLsman Pouse uondarrlons purple llghLnlng Lhe red apple of Lhe lossoways 1here roared
Lhe llon of LannlsLer gold on crlmson and Lhere Lhe dark green sea LurLle of Lhe LsLermonLs swam
across a pale green fleld 1he brown LenL beneaLh red sLalllon could only belong Lo Ser CLho 8racken
who was called Lhe 8ruLe of 8racken slnce slaylng Lord CuenLyn 8lackwood Lhree years pasL durlng a
Lourney aL klngs Landlng uunk heard LhaL Ser CLho sLruck so hard wlLh Lhe blunLed longaxe LhaL he
sLove ln Lhe vlsor of Lord 8lackwoods helm and Lhe face beneaLh lL Pe saw some 8lackwood
banners as well on Lhe wesL edge of Lhe meadow as dlsLanL from Ser CLho as Lhey could be
Marbrand MalllsLer Cargyll WesLerllng Swann Mullendore PlghLower llorenL lrey enrose
SLokeworLh uaffy arren Wylde lL seemed as Lhough every lordly house of Lhe wesL and souLh had
senL a knlghL or Lhree Lo Ashford Lo see Lhe falr mald and brave Lhe llsLs ln her honor
?eL however flne Lhelr pavlllons were Lo look upon he knew Lhere was no place Lhere for hlm A
Lhreadbare wool cloak would be all Lhe shelLer he had LonlghL Whlle Lhe lords and greaL knlghLs
dlned on capons and suckllng plgs uunks supper would be a hard sLrlngy plece of salL beef Pe
knew full well LhaL lf he made hls camp upon LhaL gaudy fleld he would need Lo suffer boLh sllenL


5
scorn and open mockery A few perhaps would LreaL hlm klndly yeL ln a way LhaL was almosL worse
A hedge knlghL musL hold LlghL Lo hls prlde WlLhouL lL he was no more Lhan a sellsword l musL
earn my place ln LhaL company lf l flghL well some lord may Lake me lnLo hls household l wlll rlde ln
noble company Lhen and eaL fresh meaL every nlghL ln a casLle hall and ralse my own pavlllon aL
Lourneys 8uL flrsL l musL do well 8elucLanLly he Lurned hls back on Lhe Lourney grounds and led hls
horses lnLo Lhe Lrees
Cn Lhe ouLsklrLs of Lhe greaL meadow a good half mlle from Lown and casLle he found a place
where a bend ln a brook had formed a deep pool 8eeds grew Lhlck along lLs edge and a Lall leafy
elm preslded over all 1he sprlng grass Lhere was as green as any knlghLs banner and sofL Lo Lhe
Louch lL was a preLLy spoL and no one had yeL lald clalm Lo lL 1hls wlll be my pavlllon uunk Lold
hlmself a pavlllon roofed wlLh leaves greener even Lhan Lhe banners of Lhe 1yrells and Lhe
LsLermonLs
Pls horses came flrsL AfLer Lhey had been Lended he sLrlpped and waded lnLo Lhe pool Lo wash
away Lhe dusL of Lravel A Lrue knlghL ls cleanly as well as godly Lhe old man always sald lnslsLlng
LhaL Lhey wash Lhemselves head Lo heels every Llme Lhe moon Lurned wheLher Lhey smelled sour or
noL now LhaL he was a knlghL uunk vowed he would do Lhe same
Pe saL naked under Lhe elm whlle he drled en[oylng Lhe warmLh of Lhe sprlng alr on hls skln as he
waLched a dragonfly move lazlly among Lhe reeds Why would Lhey name lL a dragonfly? he
wondered lL looks noLhlng llke a dragon noL LhaL uunk had ever seen a dragon 1he old man had
Lhough uunk had heard Lhe sLory half a hundred Llmes how Ser Arlan had been [usL a llLLle boy
when hls grandfaLher had Laken hlm Lo klngs Landlng and how Lheyd seen Lhe lasL dragon Lhere Lhe
year before lL dled Shed been a green female small and sLunLed her wlngs wlLhered none of her
eggs had ever haLched Some say klng Aegon polsoned her Lhe old man would Lell 1he Lhlrd
Aegon LhaL would be noL klng uaerons faLher buL Lhe one Lhey named uragonbane or Aegon Lhe
unlucky Pe was afrald of dragons for hed seen hls uncles beasL devour hls own moLher 1he
summers have been shorLer slnce Lhe lasL dragon dled and Lhe wlnLers longer and crueler
1he alr began Lo cool as Lhe sun dlpped below Lhe Lops of Lhe Lrees When uunk felL gooseflesh
prlckllng hls arms he beaL hls Lunlc and breeches agalnsL Lhe Lrunk of Lhe elm Lo knock off Lhe worsL
of Lhe dlrL and donned Lhem once agaln Cn Lhe morrow he could seek ouL Lhe masLer of Lhe games
and enroll hls name buL he had oLher maLLers he oughL Lo look lnLo LonlghL lf he hoped Lo challenge
Pe dld noL need Lo sLudy hls reflecLlon ln Lhe waLer Lo know LhaL he dld noL look much a knlghL so
he slung Ser Arlans shleld across hls back Lo dlsplay Lhe slgll Pobbllng Lhe horses uunk lefL Lhem Lo
crop Lhe Lhlck green grass beneaLh Lhe elm as he seL ouL on fooL for Lhe Lourney grounds

ln normal Llmes Lhe meadow served as a commons for Lhe folk of Ashford Lown across Lhe rlver
buL now lL was Lransformed A second Lown had sprung up overnlghL a Lown of sllk lnsLead of sLone
larger and falrer Lhan lLs elder slsLer uozens of merchanLs had erecLed Lhelr sLalls along Lhe edge of
Lhe fleld selllng felLs and frulLs belLs and booLs hldes and hawks earLhenware gemsLones
pewLerwork splces feaLhers and all manner of oLher goods !ugglers puppeLeers and maglclans
wandered among Lhe crowds plylng Lhelr Lrades as dld Lhe whores and cuLpurses uunk kepL a wary
hand on hls coln
When he caughL Lhe smell of sausages slzzllng over a smoky flre hls mouLh began Lo waLer Pe
boughL one wlLh a copper from hls pouch and a horn of ale Lo wash lL down As he aLe he waLched a
palnLed wooden knlghL baLLle a palnLed wooden dragon 1he puppeLeer who worked Lhe dragon was
good Lo waLch Loo a Lall drlnk of waLer wlLh Lhe ollve skln and black halr of uorne She was sllm as a
lance wlLh no breasLs Lo speak of buL uunk llked her face and Lhe way her flngers made Lhe dragon
snap and sllLher aL Lhe end of lLs sLrlngs Pe would have Lossed Lhe glrl a copper lf hed had one Lo
spare buL [usL now he needed every coln
1here were armorers among Lhe merchanLs as he had hoped A 1yroshl wlLh a forked blue beard


6
was selllng ornaLe helms gorgeous fanLasLlcal Lhlngs wroughL ln Lhe shapes of blrds and beasLs and
chased wlLh gold and sllver Llsewhere he found a swordmaker hawklng cheap sLeel blades and
anoLher whose work was much flner buL lL was noL a sword he lacked
1he man he needed was all Lhe way down aL Lhe end of Lhe row a shlrL of flne chaln mall and a palr
of lobsLered sLeel gaunLleLs dlsplayed on Lhe Lable before hlm uunk lnspecLed Lhem closely ?ou do
good work he sald
none beLLer A sLumpy man Lhe smlLh was no more Lhan flve feeL Lall yeL wlde as uunk abouL
Lhe chesL and arms Pe had a black beard huge hands and no Lrace of humlllLy
l need armor for Lhe Lourney uunk Lold hlm A sulL of good mall wlLh gorgeL greaves and
greaLhelm 1he old mans halfhelm would flL hls head buL he wanLed more proLecLlon for hls face
Lhan a nasal bar alone could provlde
1he armorer looked hlm up and down ?oure a blg one buL lve armored blgger Pe came ouL
from behlnd Lhe Lable kneel l wanL Lo measure Lhose shoulders Aye and LhaL Lhlck neck o yours
uunk knelL 1he armorer lald a lengLh of knoLLed rawhlde along hls shoulders grunLed sllpped lL
abouL hls LhroaL grunLed agaln LlfL your arm no Lhe rlghL Pe grunLed a Lhlrd Llme now you can
sLand 1he lnslde of a leg Lhe Lhlckness of hls calf and Lhe slze of hls walsL ellclLed furLher grunLs l
have some pleces ln me wagon LhaL mlghL do for you Lhe man sald when he was done noLhlng
preLLled up wlLh gold nor sllver mlnd you [usL good sLeel sLrong and plaln l make helms LhaL look
llke helms noL wlnged plgs and queer forelgn frulLs buL mlne wlll serve you beLLer lf you Lake a lance
ln Lhe face
1haLs all l wanL sald uunk Pow much?
LlghL hundred sLags for lm feellng klndly
LlghL hundred? lL was more Lhan he had expecLed l l could Lrade you some old armor made
for a smaller man a halfhelm a mall hauberk
SLeely aLe sells only hls own work Lhe man declared buL lL mlghL be l could make use of Lhe
meLal lf lLs noL Loo rusLed lll Lake lL and armor you for slx hundred
uunk could beseech aLe Lo glve hlm Lhe armor on LrusL buL he knew whaL sorL of answer LhaL
requesL would llkely geL Pe had Lraveled wlLh Lhe old man long enough Lo learn LhaL merchanLs
were noLorlously mlsLrusLful of hedge knlghLs some of whom were llLLle beLLer Lhan robbers lll
glve you Lwo sllvers now and Lhe armor and Lhe resL of Lhe coln on Lhe morrow
1he armorer sLudled hlm a momenL 1wo sllvers buys you a day AfLer LhaL l sell me work Lo Lhe
nexL man
uunk scooped Lhe sLags ouL of hls pouch and placed Lhem ln Lhe armorers callused hand ?oull
geL lL all l mean Lo be a champlon here
uo you? aLe blL one of Lhe colns And Lhese oLhers l suppose Lhey all came [usL Lo cheer you
on?

1he moon was well up by Lhe Llme he Lurned hls sLeps back Loward hls elm 8ehlnd hlm Ashford
Meadow was ablaze wlLh LorchllghL 1he sounds of song and laughLer drlfLed across Lhe grass buL hls
own mood was somber Pe could Lhlnk of only one way Lo ralse Lhe coln for hls armor And lf he
should be defeaLed Cne vlcLory ls all l need he muLLered aloud 1haLs noL so much Lo hope
for
Lven so Lhe old man would never have hoped for lL Ser Arlan had noL rldden a LllL slnce Lhe day he
had been unhorsed by Lhe rlnce of uragonsLone ln a Lourney aL SLorms Lnd many years before lL
ls noL every man who can boasL LhaL he broke seven lances agalnsL Lhe flnesL knlghL ln Lhe Seven
klngdoms he would say l could never hope Lo do beLLer so why should l Lry?
uunk had suspecLed LhaL Ser Arlans age had more Lo do wlLh lL Lhan Lhe rlnce of uragonsLone dld
buL he never dared say as much 1he old man had hls prlde even aL Lhe lasL l am qulck and sLrong
he always sald so whaL was Lrue for hlm need noL be Lrue for me he Lold hlmself sLubbornly


7
Pe was movlng Lhrough a paLch of weed chewlng over hls chances ln hls head when he saw Lhe
fllcker of flrellghL Lhrough Lhe bushes WhaL ls Lhls? uunk dld noL sLop Lo Lhlnk Suddenly hls sword
was ln hls hand and he was crashlng Lhrough Lhe grass
Pe bursL ouL roarlng and curslng only Lo [erk Lo a sudden halL aL Lhe slghL of Lhe boy beslde Lhe
campflre ?ou! Pe lowered Lhe sword WhaL are you dolng here?
Cooklng a flsh sald Lhe bald boy uo you wanL some?
l meanL how dld you geL here? uld you sLeal a horse?
l rode ln Lhe back of a carL wlLh a man who was brlnglng some lambs Lo Lhe casLle for my lord of
Ashfords Lable
Well youd besL see lf hes gone yeL or flnd anoLher carL l wonL have you here
?ou canL make me go Lhe boy sald lmperLlnenL ld had enough of LhaL lnn
lll have no more lnsolence from you uunk warned l should Lhrow you over my horse rlghL now
and Lake you home
?oud need Lo rlde all Lhe way Lo klngs Landlng sald Lhe boy ?oud mlss Lhe Lourney
klngs Landlng lor a momenL uunk wondered lf he was belng mocked buL Lhe boy had no way of
knowlng LhaL he had been born ln klngs Landlng as well AnoLher wreLch from llea 8oLLom llke as
noL and who can blame hlm for wanLlng ouL of LhaL place?
Pe felL foollsh sLandlng Lhere wlLh sword ln hand over an elghLyearold orphan Pe sheaLhed lL
glowerlng so Lhe boy would see LhaL he would suffer no nonsense l oughL Lo glve hlm a good beaLlng
aL Lhe leasL he LhoughL buL Lhe chlld looked so plLlful he could noL brlng hlmself Lo hlL hlm Pe
glanced around Lhe camp 1he flre was burnlng merrlly wlLhln a neaL clrcle of rocks 1he horses had
been brushed and cloLhes were hanglng from Lhe elm drylng above Lhe flames WhaL are Lhose
dolng Lhere?
l washed Lhem Lhe boy sald And l groomed Lhe horses made Lhe flre and caughL Lhls flsh l
would have ralsed your pavlllon buL l couldnL flnd one
1heres my pavlllon uunk swepL a hand above hls head aL Lhe branches of Lhe Lall elm LhaL
loomed above Lhem
1haLs a Lree Lhe boy sald unlmpressed
lLs all Lhe pavlllon a Lrue knlghL needs l would sooner sleep under Lhe sLars Lhan ln some smoky
LenL
WhaL lf lL ralns?
1he Lree wlll shelLer me
1rees leak
uunk laughed So Lhey do Well lf LruLh be Lold l lack Lhe coln for a pavlllon And youd besL Lurn
LhaL flsh or lL wlll be burned on Lhe boLLom and raw on Lhe Lop ?oud never make a klLchen boy
l would lf l wanLed Lhe boy sald buL he Lurned Lhe flsh
WhaL happened Lo your halr? uunk asked of hlm
1he maesLers shaved lL off Suddenly selfconsclous Lhe boy pulled up Lhe hood of hls dark brown
cloak coverlng hls head
uunk had heard LhaL Lhey dld LhaL someLlmes Lo LreaL llce or rooLworms or cerLaln slcknesses Are
you lll?
no sald Lhe boy WhaLs your name?
uunk he sald
1he wreLched boy laughed aloud as lf LhaL was Lhe funnlesL Lhlng hed ever heard uunk? he sald
Ser uunk? 1haLs no name for a knlghL ls lL shorL for uuncan?
Was lL? 1he old man had called hlm [usL uunk for as long as he could recall and he dld noL
remember much of hls llfe before uuncan yes he sald Ser uuncan of uunk had no oLher
name nor any house Ser Arlan had found hlm llvlng wlld ln Lhe sLews and alleys of llea 8oLLom Pe
had never known hls faLher or moLher WhaL was he Lo say? Ser uuncan of llea 8oLLom dld noL


8
sound very knlghLly Pe could Lake ennyLree buL whaL lf Lhey asked hlm where lL was? uunk had
never been Lo ennyLree nor had Lhe old man Lalked much abouL lL Pe frowned for a momenL and
Lhen blurLed ouL Ser uuncan Lhe 1all Pe was Lall no one could dlspuLe LhaL and lL sounded
pulssanL
1hough Lhe llLLle sneak dld noL seem Lo Lhlnk so l have never heard of any Ser uuncan Lhe 1all
uo you know every knlghL ln Lhe Seven klngdoms Lhen?
1he boy looked aL hlm boldly 1he good ones
lm as good as any AfLer Lhe Lourney Lheyll all know LhaL uo you have a name Lhlef?
1he boy heslLaLed Lgg he sald
uunk dld noL laugh Pls head does look llke an egg Small boys can be cruel and grown men as well
Lgg he sald l should beaL you bloody and send you on your way buL Lhe LruLh ls l have no
pavlllon and l have no squlre elLher lf youll swear Lo do as youre Lold lll leL you serve me for Lhe
Lourney AfLer LhaL well well see lf l declde youre worLh your keep youll have cloLhes on your
back and food ln your belly 1he cloLhes mlghL be roughspun and Lhe food salL beef and salL flsh and
maybe some venlson from Llme Lo Llme where Lhere are no foresLers abouL buL you wonL go
hungry And l promlse noL Lo beaL you excepL when you deserve lL
Lgg smlled ?es my lord
Ser uunk correcLed l am only a hedge knlghL Pe wondered lf Lhe old man was looklng down
on hlm l wlll Leach hlm Lhe arLs of baLLle Lhe same as you LaughL me ser Pe seems a llkely lad
mlghL be one day hell make a knlghL
1he flsh was sLlll a llLLle raw on Lhe lnslde when Lhey aLe lL and Lhe boy had noL removed all Lhe
bones buL lL sLlll LasLed a world beLLer Lhan hard salL beef
Lgg soon fell asleep beslde Lhe dylng flre uunk lay on hls back nearby hls blg hands behlnd hls
head gazlng up aL Lhe nlghL sky Pe could hear dlsLanL muslc from Lhe Lourney grounds half a mlle
away 1he sLars were everywhere Lhousands and Lhousands of Lhem Cne fell as he was waLchlng a
brlghL green sLreak LhaL flashed across Lhe black and Lhen was gone
A falllng sLar brlngs luck Lo hlm who sees lL uunk LhoughL 8uL Lhe resL of Lhem are all ln Lhelr
pavlllons by now sLarlng up aL sllk lnsLead of sky So Lhe luck ls mlne alone

ln Lhe mornlng he woke Lo Lhe sound of a cock crowlng Lgg was sLlll Lhere curled up beneaLh Lhe
old mans secondbesL cloak Well Lhe boy dld noL run off durlng Lhe nlghL LhaLs a sLarL Pe prodded
hlm awake wlLh hls fooL up 1heres work Lo do 1he boy rose qulck enough rubblng hls eyes
Pelp me saddle SweeLfooL uunk Lold hlm
WhaL abouL breakfasL?
1heres salL beef AfLer were done
ld sooner eaL Lhe horse Lgg sald Ser
?oull eaL my flsL lf you donL do as youre Lold CeL Lhe brushes 1heyre ln Lhe saddle sack ?es
LhaL one
1ogeLher Lhey brushed ouL Lhe palfreys sorrel coaL hefLed Ser Arlans besL saddle over her back
and clnched lL LlghL Lgg was a good worker once he puL hls mlnd Lo lL uunk saw
l expecL lll be gone mosL of Lhe day he Lold Lhe boy as he mounLed ?oure Lo sLay here and puL
Lhe camp ln order Make sure no oLher Lhleves come noslng abouL
Can l have a sword Lo run Lhem off wlLh? Lgg asked Pe had blue eyes uunk saw very dark
almosL purple Pls bald head made Lhem seem huge somehow
no sald uunk A knlfes enough And you had besL be here when l come back do you hear me?
8ob me and run off and lll hunL you down l swear l wlll WlLh dogs
?ou donL have any dogs Lgg polnLed ouL
lll geL some sald uunk !usL for you Pe Lurned SweeLfooLs head Loward Lhe meadow and
moved off aL a brlsk LroL hoplng Lhe LhreaL would be enough Lo keep Lhe boy honesL Save for Lhe


9
cloLhes on hls back Lhe armor ln hls sack and Lhe horse beneaLh hlm everyLhlng uunk owned ln Lhe
world was back aL LhaL camp l am a greaL fool Lo LrusL Lhe boy so far buL lL ls no more Lhan Lhe old
man dld for me he reflecLed 1he MoLher musL have senL hlm Lo me so LhaL l could pay my debL
As he crossed Lhe fleld be heard Lhe rlng of hammers from Lhe rlverslde where carpenLers were
nalllng LogeLher [ousLlng barrlers and ralslng a lofLy vlewlng sLand A few new pavlllons were golng up
as well whlle Lhe knlghLs who had come earller slepL off lasL nlghLs revels or saL Lo break Lhelr fasLs
uunk could smell woodsmoke and bacon as well
1o Lhe norLh of Lhe meadow flowed Lhe rlver CockleswenL a vassal sLream Lo Lhe mlghLy Mander
8eyond Lhe shallow ford lay Lown and casLle uunk had seen many a markeL Lown durlng hls [ourneys
wlLh Lhe old man 1hls was preLLler Lhan mosL Lhe whlLewashed houses wlLh Lhelr LhaLched roofs
had an lnvlLlng aspecL Lo Lhem When he was smaller he used Lo wonder whaL lL would be llke Lo llve
ln such a place Lo sleep every nlghL wlLh a roof over your head and wake every mornlng wlLh Lhe
same walls wrapped around you lL may be LhaL soon lll know Aye and Lgg Loo lL could happen
SLranger Lhlngs happened every day
Ashford CasLle was a sLone sLrucLure bullL ln Lhe shape of a Lrlangle wlLh round Lowers rlslng LhlrLy
feeL Lall aL each polnL and Lhlck crenellaLed walls runnlng beLween Crange banners flew from lLs
baLLlemenLs dlsplaylng Lhe whlLe sunandchevron slgll of lLs lord MenaLarms ln orangeandwhlLe
llvery sLood ouLslde Lhe gaLes wlLh halberds waLchlng people come and go seemlngly more lnLenL
on [oklng wlLh a preLLy mllkmald Lhan ln keeplng anyone ouL uunk relned up ln fronL of Lhe shorL
bearded man he Look for Lhelr capLaln and asked for Lhe masLer of Lhe games
lLs lummer you wanL hes sLeward here lll show you
lnslde Lhe yard a sLableboy Look SweeLfooL for hlm uunk slung Ser Arlans baLLered shleld over a
shoulder and followed Lhe guards capLaln back of Lhe sLables Lo a LurreL bullL lnLo an angle of Lhe
curLaln wall SLeep sLone sLeps led up Lo Lhe wallwalk Come Lo enLer your masLers name for Lhe
llsLs? Lhe capLaln asked as Lhey cllmbed
lLs my own name lll be puLLlng ln
ls lL now? Was Lhe man smlrklng? uunk was noL cerLaln 1haL door Lhere lll leave you Lo lL and
geL back Lo my posL
When uunk pushed open Lhe door Lhe sLeward was slLLlng aL a LresLle Lable scraLchlng on a plece
of parchmenL wlLh a qulll Pe had Lhlnnlng grey halr and a narrow plnched face ?es? he sald
looklng up WhaL do you wanL man?
uunk pulled shuL Lhe door Are you lummer Lhe sLeward? l came for Lhe Lourney 1o enLer Lhe
llsLs
lummer pursed hls llps My lords Lourney ls a conLesL for knlghLs Are you a knlghL?
Pe nodded wonderlng lf hls ears were red
A knlghL wlLh a name mayhaps?
uunk Why had he sald LhaL? Ser uuncan 1he 1all
And where mlghL you be from Ser uuncan Lhe 1all?
Lveryplace l was squlre Lo Ser Arlan of ennyLree slnce l was flve or slx 1hls ls hls shleld Pe
showed lL Lo Lhe sLeward Pe was comlng Lo Lhe Lourney buL he caughL a chlll and dled so l came ln
hls sLead Pe knlghLed me before he passed wlLh hls own sword uunk drew Lhe longsword and lald
lL on Lhe scarred wooden Lable beLween Lhem
1he masLer of Lhe llsLs gave Lhe blade no more Lhan a glance A sword lL ls for a cerLalnLy l have
never heard of Lhls Arlan of ennyLree however ?ou were hls squlre you say?
Pe always sald he meanL for me Lo be a knlghL as he was When he was dylng he called for hls
longsword and bade me kneel Pe Louched me once on my rlghL shoulder and once on my lefL and
sald some words and when l goL up he sald l was a knlghL
Pmpf 1he man lummer rubbed hls nose Any knlghL can make a knlghL lL ls Lrue Lhough lL ls
more cusLomary Lo sLand a vlgll and be anolnLed by a sepLon before Laklng your vows Were Lhere


10
any wlLnesses Lo your dubblng?
Cnly a robln up ln a Lhorn Lree l heard lL as Lhe old man was saylng Lhe words Pe charged me Lo
be a good knlghL and Lrue Lo obey Lhe seven gods defend Lhe weak and lnnocenL serve my lord
falLhfully and defend Lhe realm wlLh all my mlghL and l swore LhaL l would
no doubL lummer dld noL delgn Lo call hlm ser uunk could noL help buL noLlce l shall need Lo
consulL wlLh Lord Ashford Wlll you or your laLe masLer be known Lo any of Lhe good knlghLs here
assembled?
uunk LhoughL a momenL 1here was a pavlllon flylng Lhe banner of Pouse uondarrlon? 1he black
wlLh purple llghLnlng?
1haL would be Ser Manfred of LhaL Pouse
Ser Arlan served hls lord faLher ln uorne Lhree years pasL Ser Manfred mlghL remember me
l would advlse you Lo speak Lo hlm lf he wlll vouch for you brlng hlm here wlLh you on Lhe
morrow aL Lhls same Llme
As you say mlord Pe sLarLed for Lhe door
Ser uuncan Lhe sLeward called afLer hlm
uunk Lurned back
?ou are aware Lhe man sald LhaL Lhose vanqulshed ln Lourney forfelL Lhelr arms armor and
horse Lo Lhe vlcLors and musL needs ransom Lhem back?
l know
And do you have Lhe coln Lo pay such ransom?
now he knew hls ears were red l wonL have need of coln he sald praylng lL was Lrue All l need
ls one vlcLory lf l wln my flrsL LllL lll have Lhe losers armor and horse or hls gold and l can sLand a
loss myself
Pe walked slowly down Lhe sLeps relucLanL Lo geL on wlLh whaL he musL do nexL ln Lhe yard he
collared one of Lhe sLableboys l musL speak wlLh Lord Ashfords masLer of horse
lll flnd hlm for you
lL was cool and dlm ln Lhe sLables An unruly grey sLalllon snapped aL hlm as he passed buL
SweeLfooL only whlckered sofLly and nuzzled hls hand when he ralsed lL Lo her nose ?oure a good
glrl arenL you? he murmured 1he old man always sald LhaL a knlghL should never love a horse
slnce more Lhan a few were llke Lo dle under hlm buL he never heeded hls own counsel elLher uunk
had ofLen seen hlm spend hls lasL copper on an apple for old ChesLnuL or some oaLs for SweeLfooL
and 1hunder 1he palfrey had been Ser Arlans rldlng horse and she had borne hlm Llrelessly over
Lhousands of mlles all up and down Lhe Seven klngdoms uunk felL as Lhough he were beLraylng an
old frlend buL whaL cholce dld he have? ChesLnuL was Loo old Lo be worLh much of anyLhlng and
1hunder musL carry hlm ln Lhe llsLs
Some Llme passed before Lhe masLer of horse delgned Lo appear As he walLed uunk heard a blare
of LrumpeLs from Lhe walls and a volce ln Lhe yard Curlous he led SweeLfooL Lo Lhe sLable door Lo
see whaL was happenlng A large parLy of knlghLs and mounLed archers poured Lhrough Lhe gaLes a
hundred men aL leasL rldlng some of Lhe mosL splendld horses LhaL uunk had ever seen Some greaL
lord has come Pe grabbed Lhe arm of a sLableboy as he ran pasL Who are Lhey?
1he boy looked aL hlm queerly CanL you see Lhe banners? Pe wrenched free and hurrled off
1he banners As uunk Lurned hls head a gusL of wlnd llfLed Lhe black sllk pennon aLop Lhe Lall
sLaff and Lhe flerce Lhreeheaded dragon of Pouse 1argaryen seemed Lo spread lLs wlngs breaLhlng
scarleL flre 1he bannerbearer was a Lall knlghL ln whlLe scale armor chased wlLh gold a pure whlLe
cloak sLreamlng from hls shoulders 1wo of Lhe oLher rlders were armored ln whlLe from head Lo heel
as well klngsguard knlghLs wlLh Lhe royal banner Small wonder Lord Ashford and hls sons came
hurrylng ouL Lhe doors of Lhe keep and Lhe falr mald Loo a shorL glrl wlLh yellow halr and a round
plnk face She does noL seem so falr Lo me uunk LhoughL 1he puppeL glrl was preLLler
8oy leL go of LhaL nag and see Lo my horse


11
A rlder had dlsmounLed ln fronL of Lhe sLables Pe ls Lalklng Lo me uunk reallzed l am noL a
sLableboy mlord
noL clever enough? 1he speaker wore a black cloak bordered ln scarleL saLln buL underneaLh was
ralmenL brlghL as flame all reds and yellows and golds Sllm and sLralghL as a dlrk Lhough only of
mlddllng helghL he was near uunks own age Curls of sllvergold halr framed a face sculpLed and
lmperlous hlgh brow and sharp cheekbones sLralghL nose pale smooLh skln wlLhouL blemlsh Pls
eyes were a deep vloleL color lf you cannoL manage a horse feLch me some wlne and a preLLy
wench
l mlord pardons lm no servlng man elLher l have Lhe honor Lo be a knlghL
knlghLhood has fallen on sad days sald Lhe prlncellng buL Lhen one of Lhe sLableboys came
rushlng up and he Lurned away Lo hand hlm Lhe relns of hls palfrey a splendld blood bay uunk was
forgoLLen ln an lnsLanL 8elleved he slunk back lnslde Lhe sLables Lo walL for Lhe masLer of horse Pe
felL lllaLease enough around Lhe lords ln Lhelr pavlllons he had no buslness speaklng Lo prlnces
1haL Lhe beauLlful sLrlpllng was a prlnce he had no doubL 1he 1argaryens were Lhe blood of losL
valyrla across Lhe seas and Lhelr sllvergold halr and vloleL eyes seL Lhem aparL from common men
uunk knew rlnce 8aelor was older buL Lhe youLh mlghL well have been one of hls sons valarr who
was ofLen called Lhe ?oung rlnce Lo seL hlm aparL from hls faLher or MaLarys Lhe Lven ?ounger
rlnce as old Lord Swanns fool had named hlm once 1here were oLher prlncellngs as well couslns
Lo valarr and MaLarys Cood klng uaeron had four grown sons Lhree wlLh sons of Lhelr own 1he llne
of Lhe dragonklngs had almosL dled ouL durlng hls faLhers day buL lL was commonly sald LhaL uaeron
ll and hls sons had lefL lL secure for all Llme
?ou Man ?ou asked for me Lord Ashfords masLer of horse had a red face made redder by hls
orange llvery and a brusque manner of speaklng WhaL ls lL? l have no Llme for
l wanL Lo sell Lhls palfrey uunk broke ln qulckly before Lhe man could dlsmlss hlm Shes a good
horse sure of fooL
l have no Llme l Lell you 1he man gave SweeLfooL no more Lhan a glance My lord of Ashford
has no need of such 1ake her Lo Lhe Lown perhaps Penly wlll glve you a sllver or Lhree 1haL qulck
he was Lurnlng away
1hank you mlord uunk sald before he could go Mlord has Lhe klng come?
1he masLer of horse laughed aL hlm no Lhank Lhe gods 1hls lnfesLaLlon of prlnces ls Lrlal enough
Where am l golng Lo flnd Lhe sLalls for all Lhese anlmals? And fodder? Pe sLrode off shouLlng aL hls
sLableboys
8y Lhe Llme uunk lefL Lhe sLable Lord Ashford had escorLed hls prlncely guesLs lnLo Lhe hall buL
Lwo of Lhe klngsguard knlghLs ln Lhelr whlLe armor and snowy cloaks sLlll llngered ln Lhe yard Lalklng
wlLh Lhe capLaln of Lhe guard uunk halLed before Lhem Mlords l am Ser uuncan Lhe 1all
Well meL Ser uuncan answered Lhe blgger of Lhe whlLe knlghLs l am Ser 8oland Crakehall and
Lhls ls my Sworn 8roLher Ser uonnel of uuskendale
1he seven champlons of Lhe klngsguard were Lhe mosL pulssanL warrlors ln all Lhe Seven klngdoms
savlng only perhaps Lhe crown prlnce 8aelor 8reakspear hlmself Pave you come Lo enLer Lhe llsLs?
uunk asked anxlously
lL would noL be flLLlng for us Lo rlde agalnsL Lhose we are sworn Lo proLecL answered Ser uonnel
red of halr and beard
rlnce valarr has Lhe honor Lo be one of Lady Ashfords champlons explalned Ser 8oland and
Lwo of hls couslns mean Lo challenge 1he resL of us have come only Lo waLch
8elleved uunk Lhanked Lhe whlLe knlghLs for Lhelr klndness and rode ouL Lhrough Lhe casLle gaLes
before anoLher prlnce should Lhlnk Lo accosL hlm 1hree prlncellngs he pondered as he Lurned Lhe
palfrey Loward Lhe sLreeLs of Ashford Lown valarr was Lhe eldesL son of rlnce 8aelor second ln llne
Lo Lhe lron 1hrone buL uunk dld noL know how much of hls faLhers fabled prowess wlLh lance and
sword he mlghL have lnherlLed AbouL Lhe oLher 1argaryen prlnces he knew even less WhaL wlll l do


12
lf l have Lo rlde agalnsL a prlnce? Wlll l even be allowed Lo challenge one so hlghborn? Pe dld noL
know Lhe answer 1he old man had ofLen sald he was Lhlck as a casLle wall and [usL now he felL lL

* * *

Penly llked Lhe look of SweeLfooL well enough unLll he heard uunk wanLed Lo sell her 1hen all Lhe
sLableman could see ln her were faulLs Pe offered Lhree hundred sllvers uunk sald he musL have
Lhree Lhousand AfLer much argulng and curslng Lhey seLLled aL seven hundred flfLy sllver sLags 1haL
was a deal closer Lo Penlys sLarLlng prlce Lhan Lo uunks whlch made hlm feel Lhe loser ln Lhe LllL
buL Lhe sLableman would go no hlgher so ln Lhe end he had no cholce buL Lo yleld A second
argumenL began when uunk declared LhaL Lhe prlce dld noL lnclude Lhe saddle and Penly lnslsLed
LhaL lL had
llnally lL was all seLLled As Penly lefL Lo feLch hls coln uunk sLroked SweeLfooLs mane and Lold her
Lo be brave lf l wln lll come back and buy you agaln l promlse Pe had no doubL LhaL all Lhe
palfreys flaws would vanlsh ln Lhe lnLervenlng days and she would be worLh Lwlce whaL she was
Loday
1he sLableman gave hlm Lhree gold pleces and Lhe resL ln sllver uunk blL one of Lhe gold colns and
smlled Pe had never LasLed gold before nor handled lL uragons men called Lhe colns slnce Lhey
were sLamped wlLh Lhe Lhreeheaded dragon of Pouse 1argaryen on one slde 1he oLher bore Lhe
llkeness of Lhe klng 1wo of Lhe colns Penly gave hlm had klng uaerons face Lhe Lhlrd was older
well worn and showed a dlfferenL man Pls name was Lhere under hls head buL uunk could noL read
Lhe leLLers Cold had been shaved off lLs edges Loo he saw Pe polnLed Lhls ouL Lo Penly and loudly
1he sLableman grumbled buL handed over anoLher few sllvers and a flsLful of coppers Lo make up
Lhe welghL uunk handed a few of Lhe coppers rlghL back and nodded aL SweeLfooL 1haLs for her
he sald See LhaL she has some CaLs LonlghL Aye and an apple Loo
WlLh Lhe shleld on hls arm and Lhe sack of old armor slung over hls shoulder uunk seL ouL on fooL
Lhrough Lhe sunny sLreeLs of Ashford Lown 1he hefL of all LhaL coln ln hls pouch made hlm feel
queer almosL glddy on one hand and anxlous on Lhe oLher 1he old man had never LrusLed hlm wlLh
more Lhan a coln or Lwo aL a Llme Pe could llve a year on Lhls much money And whaL wlll l do when
lLs gone sell 1hunder? 1haL road ended ln beggary or ouLlawry 1hls chance wlll never come agaln l
musL rlsk all
8y Lhe Llme he splashed back across Lhe ford Lo Lhe souLh bank of Lhe CockleswenL Lhe mornlng
was almosL done and Lhe Lourney grounds had come Lo llfe once more 1he wlnesellers and sausage
makers were dolng a brlsk Lrade a danclng bear was shuffllng along Lo hls masLers playlng as a
slnger sang 1he 8ear Lhe 8ear and Lhe Malden lalr [ugglers were [uggllng and Lhe puppeLeers
were [usL flnlshlng anoLher flghL
uunk sLopped Lo waLch Lhe wooden dragon slaln When Lhe puppeL knlghL cuL lLs head off and Lhe
red sawdusL spllled ouL onLo Lhe grass he laughed aloud and Lhrew Lhe glrl Lwo coppers Cne for
lasL nlghL he called She caughL Lhe colns ln Lhe alr and Lhrew hlm back a smlle as sweeL as any he
had ever seen
ls lL me she smlles aL or Lhe colns? uunk had never been wlLh a glrl and Lhey made hlm nervous
Cnce Lhree years pasL when Lhe old mans purse was full afLer half a year ln Lhe servlce of bllnd Lord
llorenL hed Lold uunk Lhe Llme had come Lo Lake hlm Lo a broLhel and make hlm a man Ped been
drunk Lhough and when he was sober he dld noL remember uunk had been Loo embarrassed Lo
remlnd hlm Pe was noL cerLaln he wanLed a whore anyway lf he could noL have a hlghborn malden
llke a proper knlghL he wanLed one who aL leasL llked hlm more Lhan hls sllver
Wlll you drlnk a horn of ale? he asked Lhe puppeL glrl as she was scooplng Lhe sawdusL blood
back lnLo her dragon WlLh me l mean? Cr a sausage? l had a sausage lasL nlghL and lL was good
1heyre made wlLh pork l Lhlnk


13
l Lhank you mlord buL we have anoLher show 1he glrl rose and ran off Lo Lhe flerce faL
uornlshwoman who worked Lhe puppeL knlghL whlle uunk sLood Lhere feellng sLupld Pe llked Lhe
way she ran Lhough A preLLy glrl and Lall l would noL have Lo kneel Lo klss LhaL one Pe knew how
Lo klss A Lavern glrl had showed hlm one nlghL ln LannlsporL a year ago buL shed been so shorL she
had Lo slL on Lhe Lable Lo reach hls llps 1he memory made hls ears burn WhaL a greaL fool he was lL
was [ousLlng he should be Lhlnklng abouL noL klsslng
Lord Ashfords carpenLers were whlLewashlng Lhe walsLhlgh wooden barrlers LhaL would separaLe
Lhe [ousLers uunk waLched Lhem work awhlle 1here were flve lanes arrayed norLh Lo souLh so none
of Lhe compeLlLors would rlde wlLh Lhe sun ln hls eyes A LhreeLlered vlewlng sLand had been ralsed
on Lhe easLern slde of Lhe llsLs wlLh an orange canopy Lo shleld Lhe lords and ladles from raln and
sun MosL would slL on benches buL four hlghbacked chalrs had been erecLed ln Lhe cenLer of Lhe
plaLform for Lord Ashford Lhe falr mald and Lhe vlslLlng prlnces
Cn Lhe easLern verge of Lhe meadow a qulnLaln had been seL up and a dozen knlghLs were LllLlng
aL lL sendlng Lhe pole arm splnnlng every Llme Lhey sLruck Lhe spllnLered shleld suspended from one
end uunk waLched Lhe 8ruLe of 8racken Lake hls Lurn and Lhen Lord Caron of Lhe Marches l do noL
have as good a seaL as any of Lhem he LhoughL uneaslly
Llsewhere men were Lralnlng afooL golng aL each oLher wlLh wooden swords whlle Lhelr squlres
sLood shouLlng rlbald advlce uunk waLched a sLocky youLh Lry Lo hold off a muscular knlghL who
seemed llLhe and qulck as a mounLaln caL 8oLh had Lhe red apple of Lhe lossoways palnLed on Lhelr
shlelds buL Lhe younger mans was soon hacked and chlpped Lo pleces Peres an apple LhaLs noL
rlpe yeL Lhe older sald as he slammed Lhe oLhers helm 1he younger lossoway was brulsed and
bloody by Lhe Llme he ylelded buL hls foe was hardly wlnded Pe ralsed hls vlsor looked abouL saw
uunk and sald ?ou Lhere ?es you Lhe blg one knlghL of Lhe wlnged challce ls LhaL a longsword
you wear?
lL ls mlne by rlghLs uunk sald defenslvely l am Ser uuncan Lhe 1all
And l Ser SLeffon lossoway Would you care Lo Lry me Ser uuncan Lhe 1all? lL would be good Lo
have someone new Lo cross swords wlLh My couslns noL rlpe yeL as youve seen
uo lL Ser uuncan urged Lhe beaLen lossoway as he removed hls helm l may noL be rlpe buL
my good cousln ls roLLen Lo Lhe core knock Lhe seeds ouL of hlm
uunk shook hls head Why were Lhese lordllngs lnvolvlng hlm ln Lhelr quarrel? Pe wanLed no parL
of lL l Lhank you ser buL l have maLLers Lo aLLend Pe was uncomforLable carrylng so much coln
1he sooner he pald SLeely aLe and goL hls armor Lhe happler he would be
Ser SLeffon looked aL hlm scornfully 1he hedge knlghL has maLLers Pe glanced abouL and found
anoLher llkely opponenL lolLerlng nearby Ser Crance well meL Come Lry me l know every feeble
Lrlck my cousln 8aymun has masLered and lL seems LhaL Ser uuncan needs Lo reLurn Lo Lhe hedges
Come come
uunk sLalked away redfaced Pe dld noL have many Lrlcks hlmself feeble or oLherwlse and he dld
noL wanL anyone Lo see hlm flghL unLll Lhe Lourney 1he old man always sald LhaL Lhe beLLer you
knew your foe Lhe easler lL was Lo besL hlm knlghLs llke Ser SLeffon had sharp eyes Lo flnd a mans
weakness aL a glance uunk was sLrong and qulck and hls welghL and reach were ln hls favor buL he
dld noL belleve for a momenL LhaL hls skllls were Lhe equal of Lhese oLhers Ser Arlan had LaughL hlm
as besL he could buL Lhe old man had never been Lhe greaLesL of knlghLs even when young CreaL
knlghLs dld noL llve Lhelr llves ln Lhe hedges or dle by Lhe slde of a muddy road 1haL wlll noL happen
Lo me uunk vowed l wlll show Lhem LhaL l can be more Lhan a hedge knlghL
Ser uuncan 1he younger lossoway hurrled Lo caLch hlm l should noL have urged you Lo Lry my
cousln l was angry wlLh hls arrogance and you are so large l LhoughL well lL was wrong of me
?ou wear no armor Pe would have broken your hand lf he could or a knee Pe llkes Lo baLLer men ln
Lhe Lralnlng yard so Lhey wlll be brulsed and vulnerable laLer should he meeL Lhem ln Lhe llsLs
Pe dld noL break you


14
no buL l am hls own blood Lhough hls ls Lhe senlor branch of Lhe apple Lree as he never ceases
Lo remlnd me l am 8aymun lossoway
Well meL Wlll you and your cousln rlde ln Lhe Lourney?
Pe wlll for a cerLalnLy As Lo me would LhaL l could l am only a squlre as yeL My cousln has
promlsed Lo knlghL me buL lnslsLs LhaL l am noL rlpe yeL 8aymun had a square face a pug nose and
shorL woolly halr buL hls smlle was engaglng ?ou have Lhe look of a challenger lL seems Lo me
Whose shleld do you mean Lo sLrlke?
lL makes no dlfference sald uunk 1haL was whaL you were supposed Lo say Lhough lL made all
Lhe dlfference ln Lhe world l wlll noL enLer Lhe llsLs unLll Lhe Lhlrd day
And by Lhen some of Lhe champlons wlll have fallen yes 8aymun sald Well may Lhe Warrlor
smlle on you ser
And you lf he ls only a squlre whaL buslness do l have belng a knlghL? Cne of us ls a fool 1he
sllver ln uunks pouch cllnked wlLh every sLep buL he could lose lL all ln a hearLbeaL he knew Lven
Lhe rules of Lhls Lourney worked agalnsL hlm maklng lL very unllkely LhaL he would face a green or
feeble foe
1here were a dozen dlfferenL forms a Lourney mlghL follow accordlng Lo Lhe whlm of Lhe lord who
hosLed lL Some were mock baLLles beLween Leams of knlghLs oLhers wlld melees where Lhe glory
wenL Lo Lhe lasL flghLer lefL sLandlng Where lndlvldual combaLs were Lhe rule palrlngs were
someLlmes deLermlned by loL and someLlmes by Lhe masLer of Lhe games
Lord Ashford was sLaglng Lhls Lourney Lo celebraLe hls daughLers LhlrLeenLh nameday 1he falr
mald would slL by her faLhers slde as Lhe relgnlng Cueen of Love and 8eauLy llve champlons
wearlng her favors would defend her All oLhers musL perforce be challengers buL any man who
could defeaL one of Lhe champlons would Lake hls place and sLand as a champlon hlmself unLll such
Llme as anoLher challenger unseaLed hlm AL Lhe end of Lhree days of [ousLlng Lhe flve who remalned
would deLermlne wheLher Lhe falr mald would reLaln Lhe crown of Love and 8eauLy or wheLher
anoLher would wear lL ln her place
uunk sLared aL Lhe grassy llsLs and Lhe empLy chalrs on Lhe vlewlng sLand and pondered hls
chances Cne vlcLory was all he needed Lhen he could name hlmself one of Lhe champlons of
Ashford Meadow lf only for an hour 1he old man had llved nlgh on slxLy years and had never been a
champlon lL ls noL Loo much Lo hope for lf Lhe gods are good Pe LhoughL back on all Lhe songs he
had heard songs of bllnd Symeon SLarLyes and noble Serwyn of Lhe Mlrror Shleld of rlnce Aemon
Lhe uragonknlghL Ser 8yam 8edywne and llorlan Lhe lool 1hey had all won vlcLorles agalnsL foes
far more Lerrlble Lhan any he would face 8uL Lhey were greaL heroes brave men of noble blrLh
excepL for llorlan And whaL am l? uunk of llea 8oLLom? Cr Ser uuncan Lhe 1all?
Pe supposed he would learn Lhe LruLh of LhaL soon enough Pe hefLed Lhe sack of armor and
Lurned hls feeL Loward Lhe merchanLs sLalls ln search of SLeely aLe

Lgg had worked manfully aL Lhe campslLe uunk was pleased he had been half afrald hls squlre
would run off agaln uld you geL a good prlce for your palfrey? Lhe boy asked
Pow dld you know ld sold her?
?ou rode off and walked back and lf robbers had sLolen her youd be more angry Lhan you are
l goL enough for Lhls uunk Look ouL hls new armor Lo show Lhe boy lf youre ever Lo be a
knlghL youll need Lo know good sLeel from bad Look here Lhls ls flne work 1hls mall ls double
chaln each llnk bound Lo Lwo oLhers see? lL glves more proLecLlon Lhan slnglechaln And Lhe helm
aLes rounded Lhe Lop see how lL curves? A sword or an axe wlll sllde off where Lhey mlghL blLe
Lhrough a flaLLopped helm uunk lowered Lhe greaLhelm over hls head Pow does lL look?
1heres no vlsor Lgg polnLed ouL
1heres alr holes vlsors are polnLs of weakness SLeely aLe had sald as much lf you knew how
many knlghLs have Laken an arrow ln Lhe eye as Lhey llfLed Lhelr vlsor for a suck o cool alr youd


15
never wanL one hed Lold uunk
1heres no cresL elLher sald Lgg lLs [usL plaln
uunk llfLed off Lhe helm laln ls flne for Lhe llkes of me See how brlghL Lhe sLeel ls? lL wlll be your
Lask Lo keep lL LhaL way ?ou know how Lo scour mall?
ln a barrel of sand sald Lhe boy 8uL you donL have a barrel uld you buy a pavlllon Loo ser?
l dldnL geL LhaL good a prlce 1he boy ls Loo bold for hls own good l oughL Lo beaL LhaL ouL of
hlm Pe knew he would noL Lhough Pe llked Lhe boldness Pe needed Lo be bolder hlmself My
squlre ls braver Lhan l am and more clever ?ou dld well here Lgg uunk Lold hlm Cn Lhe
morrow youll come wlLh me Pave a look aL Lhe Lourney grounds Well buy oaLs for Lhe horses and
fresh bread for ourselves Maybe a blL of cheese as well Lhey were selllng good cheese aL one of Lhe
sLalls
l wonL need Lo go lnLo Lhe casLle wlll l?
Why noL? Cne day l mean Lo llve ln a casLle l hope Lo wln a place above Lhe salL before lm done
1he boy sald noLhlng erhaps he fears Lo enLer a lords hall uunk reflecLed 1haLs no more Lhan
mlghL be expecLed Pe wlll grow ouL of lL ln Llme Pe wenL back Lo admlrlng hls armor and
wonderlng how long he would wear lL

Ser Manfred was a Lhln man wlLh a sour look on hls face Pe wore a black surcoaL slashed wlLh Lhe
purple llghLnlng of Pouse uondarrlon buL uunk would have remembered hlm anyway by hls unruly
mane of redgold halr Ser Arlan served your lord faLher when he and Lord Caron burned Lhe vulLure
klng ouL of Lhe 8ed MounLalns ser he sald from one knee l was only a boy Lhen buL l squlred for
hlm Ser Arlan of ennyLree
Ser Manfred scowled no l know hlm noL nor you boy
uunk showed hlm Lhe old mans shleld 1hls was hls slgll Lhe wlnged challce
My lord faLher Look elghL hundred knlghLs and near four Lhousand fooL lnLo Lhe mounLalns l
cannoL be expecLed Lo remember every one of Lhem nor whaL shlelds Lhey carrled lL may be LhaL
you were wlLh us buL Ser Manfred shrugged
uunk was sLruck speechless for an lnsLanL 1he old man Look a wound ln your faLhers servlce how
can you have forgoLLen hlm? 1hey wlll noL allow me Lo challenge unless some knlghL or lord wlll
vouch for me
And whaL ls LhaL Lo me? sald Ser Manfred l have glven you enough of my Llme ser
lf he wenL back Lo Lhe casLle wlLhouL Ser Manfred he was losL uunk eyed Lhe purple llghLnlng
embrolded across Lhe black wool of Ser Manfreds surcoaL and sald l remember your faLher Lelllng
Lhe camp how your house goL lLs slgll Cne sLormy nlghL as Lhe flrsL of your llne bore a message
across Lhe uornlsh Marches an arrow kllled hls horse beneaLh hlm and spllled hlm on Lhe ground
1wo uornlshmen came ouL of Lhe darkness ln rlng mall and cresLed helms Pls sword had broken
beneaLh hlm when he fell When he saw LhaL he LhoughL he was doomed 8uL as Lhe uornlshmen
closed Lo cuL hlm down llghLnlng cracked from Lhe sky lL was a brlghL burnlng purple and lL spllL
sLrlklng Lhe uornlshmen ln Lhelr sLeel and kllllng Lhem boLh where Lhey sLood 1he message gave Lhe
SLorm klng vlcLory over Lhe uornlsh and ln Lhanks he ralsed Lhe messenger Lo lordshlp Pe was Lhe
flrsL Lord uondarrlon so he Look for hls arms a forked purple llghLnlng bolL on a black fleld
powdered wlLh sLars
lf uunk LhoughL Lhe Lale would lmpress Ser Manfred he could noL have been more wrong Lvery
poL boy and groom who has ever served my faLher hears LhaL sLory soon or laLe knowlng lL does noL
make you a knlghL 8egone wlLh you ser

lL was wlLh a leaden hearL LhaL uunk reLurned Lo Ashford CasLle wonderlng whaL he mlghL say so
LhaL lummer would granL hlm Lhe rlghL of challenge 1he sLeward was noL ln hls LurreL chamber
however A guard Lold hlm he mlghL be found ln Lhe CreaL Pall Shall l walL here? uunk asked


16
Pow long wlll he be?
Pow should l know? uo whaL you please
1he CreaL Pall was noL so greaL as halls wenL buL Ashford was a small casLle uunk enLered
Lhrough a slde door and spled Lhe sLeward aL once Pe was sLandlng wlLh Lord Ashford and a dozen
oLher men aL Lhe Lop of Lhe hall Pe walked Loward Lhem beneaLh a wall hung wlLh wool LapesLrles
of frulLs and flowers
more concerned lf Lhey were your sons lll wager an angry man was saylng as uunk
approached Pls sLralghL halr and squarecuL beard were so falr Lhey seemed whlLe ln Lhe dlmness of
Lhe hall buL as he goL closer he saw LhaL Lhey were ln LruLh a pale sllvery color Louched wlLh gold
uaeron has done Lhls before anoLher replled lummer was sLandlng so as Lo block uunks vlew
of Lhe speaker ?ou should never have commanded hlm Lo enLer Lhe llsLs Pe belongs on a Lourney
fleld no more Lhan Aerys does or 8haegel
8y whlch you mean hed sooner rlde a whore Lhan a horse Lhe flrsL man sald 1hlckly bullL and
powerful Lhe prlnce he was surely a prlnce wore a leaLher brlgandlne covered wlLh sllver sLuds
beneaLh a heavy black cloak Lrlmmed wlLh ermlne ox scars marked hls cheeks only parLly
concealed by hls sllvery beard l do noL need Lo be remlnded of my sons falllngs broLher Pe has
only elghLeen years Pe can change Pe wlll change gods be damned or l swear lll see hlm dead
uonL be an uLLer fool uaeron ls whaL he ls buL he ls sLlll your blood and mlne l have no doubL
Ser 8oland wlll Lurn hlm up and Aegon wlLh hlm
When Lhe Lourney ls over perhaps
Aerlon ls here Pe ls a beLLer lance Lhan uaeron ln any case lf lL ls Lhe Lourney LhaL concerns you
uunk could see Lhe speaker now Pe was seaLed ln Lhe hlgh seaL a sheaf of parchmenLs ln one hand
Lord Ashford hoverlng aL hls shoulder Lven seaLed he looked Lo be a head Laller Lhan Lhe oLher Lo
[udge from Lhe long sLralghL legs sLreLched ouL before hlm Pls shorLcropped halr was dark and
peppered wlLh grey hls sLrong [aw cleanshaven Pls nose looked as Lhough lL had been broken more
Lhan once 1hough he was dressed very plalnly ln green doubleL brown manLle and scuffed booLs
Lhere was a welghL Lo hlm a sense of power and cerLalnLy
lL came Lo uunk LhaL he had walked ln on someLhlng LhaL he oughL never have heard l had besL go
and come back laLer when Lhey are done he declded 8uL lL was already Loo laLe 1he prlnce wlLh
Lhe sllvery beard suddenly Look noLe of hlm Who are you and whaL do you mean by bursLlng ln on
us? he demanded harshly
Pe ls Lhe knlghL LhaL our good sLeward was expecLlng Lhe seaLed man sald smlllng aL uunk ln a
way LhaL suggesLed he had been aware of hlm all Lhe Llme ?ou and l are Lhe lnLruders here
broLher Come closer ser
uunk edged forward uncerLaln whaL was expecLed of hlm Pe looked aL lummer buL goL no help
Lhere 1he plnchfaced sLeward who had been so forceful yesLerday now sLood sllenL sLudylng Lhe
sLones of Lhe floor My lords he sald l asked Ser Manfred uondarrlon Lo vouch for me so l mlghL
enLer Lhe llsLs buL he refuses Pe says he knows me noL Ser Arlan served hlm Lhough l swear lL l
have hls sword and shleld l
A shleld and a sword do noL make a knlghL declared Lord Ashford a blg bald man wlLh a round
red face lummer has spoken Lo me of you Lven lf we accepL LhaL Lhese arms belonged Lo Lhls Ser
Arlan of ennyLree lL may well be LhaL you found hlm dead and sLole Lhem unless you have some
beLLer proof of whaL you say some wrlLlng or
l remember Ser Arlan of ennyLree Lhe man ln Lhe hlgh seaL sald quleLly Pe never won a
Lourney LhaL l know buL he never shamed hlmself elLher AL klngs Landlng slxLeen years ago he
overLhrew Lord SLokeworLh and Lhe 8asLard of Parrenhal ln Lhe melee and many years before aL
LannlsporL he unhorsed Lhe Crey Llon hlmself 1he llon was noL so grey Lhen Lo be sure
Pe Lold me abouL LhaL many a Llme sald uunk
1he Lall man sLudled hlm 1hen you wlll remember Lhe Crey Llons Lrue name l have no doubL


17
lor a momenL Lhere was noLhlng ln uunks head aL all A Lhousand Llmes Lhe old man had Lold LhaL
Lale a Lhousand Llmes Lhe llon Lhe llon hls name hls name hls name Pe was near despalr when
suddenly lL came Ser uamon LannlsLer! he shouLed 1he Crey Llon! Pes Lord of CasLerly 8ock
now
So he ls sald Lhe Lall man pleasanLly and he enLers Lhe llsLs on Lhe morrow Pe raLLled Lhe
sheaf of papers ln hls hand
Pow can you posslbly remember some lnslgnlflcanL hedge knlghL who chanced Lo unhorse uamon
LannlsLer slxLeen years ago? sald Lhe prlnce wlLh Lhe sllver beard frownlng
l make lL a pracLlce Lo learn all l can of my foes
Why would you delgn Lo [ousL wlLh a hedge knlghL?
lL was nlne years pasL aL SLorms Lnd Lord 8araLheon held a hasLllude Lo celebraLe Lhe blrLh of a
grandson 1he loLs made Ser Arlan my opponenL ln Lhe flrsL LllL We broke four lances before l flnally
unhorsed hlm
Seven lnslsLed uunk and LhaL was agalnsL Lhe rlnce of uragonsLone! no sooner were Lhe
words ouL Lhan he wanLed Lhem back uunk Lhe lunk Lhlck as a casLle wall he could hear Lhe old
man chldlng
So lL was 1he prlnce wlLh Lhe broken nose smlled genLly 1ales grow ln Lhe Lelllng l know uo
noL Lhlnk lll of your old masLer buL lL was four lances only l fear
uunk was graLeful LhaL Lhe hall was dlm he knew hls ears were red My lord no LhaLs wrong
Loo ?our Crace Pe fell Lo hls knees and lowered hls head As you say four l meanL no l never
1he old man Ser Arlan he used Lo say l was Lhlck as a casLle wall and slow as an aurochs
And sLrong as an aurochs by Lhe look of you sald 8aelor 8reakspear no harm was done ser
8lse
uunk goL Lo hls feeL wonderlng lf he should keep hls head down or lf he was allowed Lo look a
prlnce ln Lhe face l am speaklng wlLh 8aelor 1argaryen rlnce of uragonsLone Pand of Lhe klng and
helr apparenL Lo Lhe lron 1hrone of Aegon Lhe Conqueror WhaL could a hedge knlghL dare say Lo
such a person? ?you gave hlm back hls horse and armor and Look no ransom l remember he
sLammered 1he old Ser Arlan he Lold me you were Lhe soul of chlvalry and LhaL one day Lhe
Seven klngdoms would be safe ln your hands
noL for many a year sLlll l pray rlnce 8aelor sald
no sald uunk horrlfled Pe almosL sald l dldnL mean LhaL Lhe klng should dle buL sLopped
hlmself ln Llme l am sorry mlord ?our Crace l mean
8elaLedly he recalled LhaL Lhe sLocky man wlLh Lhe sllver beard had addressed rlnce 8aelor as
broLher Pe ls blood of Lhe dragon as well damn me for a fool Pe could only be rlnce Maekar Lhe
youngesL of klng uaerons four sons rlnce Aerys was booklsh and rlnce 8haegel mad meek and
slckly nelLher was llke Lo cross half Lhe realm Lo aLLend a Lourney buL Maekar was sald Lo be a
redoubLable warrlor ln hls own rlghL Lhough ever ln Lhe shadow of hls eldesL broLher
?ou wlsh Lo enLer Lhe llsLs ls LhaL lL? asked rlnce 8aelor 1haL declslon resLs wlLh Lhe masLer of
Lhe games buL l see no reason Lo deny you
1he sLeward lncllned hls head As you say my lord
uunk Lrled Lo sLammer ouL Lhanks buL rlnce Maekar cuL hlm off very well ser you are graLeful
now be off wlLh you
?ou musL forglve my noble broLher ser sald rlnce 8aelor 1wo of hls sons have gone asLray on
Lhelr way here and he fears for Lhem
1he sprlng ralns have swollen many of Lhe sLreams sald uunk erhaps Lhe prlnces are only
delayed
l dld noL come here Lo Lake counsel from a hedge knlghL rlnce Maekar declared Lo hls broLher
?ou may go ser rlnce 8aelor Lold uunk noL unklndly
?es my lord Pe bowed and Lurned


18
8uL before he could geL away Lhe prlnce called afLer hlm Ser Cne Lhlng more ?ou are noL of Ser
Arlans blood?
?es mlord l mean no lm noL
1he prlnce nodded aL Lhe baLLered shleld uunk carrled and Lhe wlnged challce upon lLs face 8y
law only a Lrueborn son ls enLlLled Lo lnherlL a knlghLs arms ?ou musL needs flnd a new devlce ser
a slgll of your own
l wlll sald uunk 1hank you agaln ?our Crace l wlll flghL bravely youll see As brave as 8aelor
8reakspear Lhe old man would ofLen say

1he wlnesellers and sausage makers were dolng a brlsk Lrade and whores walked brazenly among
Lhe sLalls and pavlllons Some were preLLy enough one redhalred glrl ln parLlcular Pe could noL help
sLarlng aL her breasLs Lhe way Lhey moved under her loose shlfL as she saunLered pasL Pe LhoughL
of Lhe sllver ln hls pouch l could have her lf l llked Shed llke Lhe cllnk of my coln well enough l
could Lake her back Lo my camp and have her all nlghL lf l wanLed Pe had never laln wlLh a woman
and for all he knew he mlghL dle ln hls flrsL LllL 1ourneys could be dangerous buL whores could be
dangerous Loo Lhe old man had warned hlm of LhaL She mlghL rob me whlle l slepL and whaL would
l do Lhen? When Lhe redhalred glrl glanced back over her shoulder aL hlm uunk shook hls head and
walked away
Pe found Lgg aL Lhe puppeL show slLLlng crosslegged on Lhe ground wlLh Lhe hood of hls cloak
pulled all Lhe way forward Lo hlde hls baldness 1he boy had been afrald Lo enLer Lhe casLle whlch
uunk puL down Lo equal parLs shyness and shame Pe does noL Lhlnk hlmself worLhy Lo mlngle wlLh
lords and ladles leL alone greaL prlnces lL had been Lhe same wlLh hlm when he was llLLle 1he world
beyond llea 8oLLom had seemed as frlghLenlng as lL was exclLlng Lgg needs Llme LhaLs all lor Lhe
presenL lL seemed klnder Lo glve Lhe lad a few coppers and leL hlm en[oy hlmself among Lhe sLalls
Lhan Lo drag hlm along unwllllng lnLo Lhe casLle
1hls mornlng Lhe puppeLeers were dolng Lhe Lale of llorlan and !onqull 1he faL uornlshwoman was
worklng llorlan ln hls armor made of moLley whlle Lhe Lall glrl held !onqulls sLrlngs ?ou are no
knlghL she was saylng as Lhe puppeLs mouLh moved up and down l know you ?ou are llorlan Lhe
lool
l am my lady Lhe oLher puppeL answered kneellng As greaL a fool as ever llved and as greaL a
knlghL as well
A fool and a knlghL? sald !onqull l have never heard of such a Lhlng
SweeL lady sald llorlan all men are fools and all men are knlghLs where women are
concerned
lL was a good show sad and sweeL boLh wlLh a sprlghLly swordflghL aL Lhe end and a nlcely
palnLed glanL When lL was over Lhe faL woman wenL among Lhe crowd Lo collecL colns whlle Lhe glrl
packed away Lhe puppeLs
uunk collecLed Lgg and wenL up Lo her
Mlord? she sald wlLh a sldeways glance and a halfsmlle She was a head shorLer Lhan he was
buL sLlll Laller Lhan any oLher glrl he had ever seen
1haL was good Lgg enLhused l llke how you make Lhem move !onqull and Lhe dragon and all l
saw a puppeL show lasL year buL Lhey moved all [erky ?ours are more smooLh
1hank you she Lold Lhe boy pollLely
uunk sald ?our flgures are well carved Loo 1he dragon especlally A fearsome beasL ?ou make
Lhem yourself?
She nodded My uncle does Lhe carvlng l palnL Lhem
Could you palnL someLhlng for me? l have Lhe coln Lo pay Pe sllpped Lhe shleld off hls shoulder
and Lurned lL Lo show her l need Lo palnL someLhlng over Lhe challce
1he glrl glanced aL Lhe shleld and Lhen aL hlm


19
WhaL would you wanL palnLed?
uunk had noL consldered LhaL lf noL Lhe old mans wlnged challce whaL? Pls head was empLy
uunk Lhe lunk Lhlck as a casLle wall l donL lm noL cerLaln Pls ears were Lurnlng red he
reallzed mlserably ?ou musL Lhlnk me an uLLer fool
She smlled All men are fools and all men are knlghLs
WhaL color palnL do you have? he asked hoplng LhaL mlghL glve hlm an ldea
l can mlx palnLs Lo make any color you wanL
1he old mans brown had always seemed drab Lo uunk 1he fleld should be Lhe color of sunseL
he sald suddenly 1he old man llked sunseLs And Lhe devlce
An elm Lree sald Lgg A blg elm Lree llke Lhe one by Lhe pool wlLh a brown Lrunk and green
branches
?es uunk sald 1haL would serve An elm Lree buL wlLh a shooLlng sLar above Could you do
LhaL?
1he glrl nodded Clve me Lhe shleld lll palnL lL Lhls very nlghL and have lL back Lo you on Lhe
morrow
uunk handed lL over l am called Ser uuncan Lhe 1all
lm 1anselle she laughed 1anselle 1oo1all Lhe boys used Lo call me
?oure noL Loo Lall uunk blurLed ouL ?oure [usL rlghL for Pe reallzed whaL he had been
abouL Lo say and blushed furlously
lor? sald 1anselle cocklng her head lnqulslLlvely
uppeLs he flnlshed lamely

1he flrsL day of Lhe Lourney dawned brlghL and clear uunk boughL a sackful of foodsLuffs so Lhey
were able Lo break Lhelr fasL on goose eggs frled bread and bacon buL when Lhe food was cooked
he found he had no appeLlLe Pls belly felL hard as a rock even Lhough he knew he would noL rlde
Loday 1he rlghL of flrsL challenge would go Lo knlghLs of hlgher blrLh and greaLer renown Lo lords
and Lhelr Sons and champlons from oLher Lourneys
Lgg chaLLered all Lhrough Lhelr breakfasL Lalklng of Lhls man and LhaL man and how Lhey mlghL
fare Pe was noL [aplng me when he sald he knew every good knlghL ln Lhe Seven klngdoms uunk
LhoughL ruefully Pe found lL humbllng Lo llsLen so lnLenLly Lo Lhe words of a scrawny orphan boy buL
Lggs knowledge mlghL serve hlm should he face one of Lhese men ln a LllL
1he meadow was a churnlng mass of people all Lrylng Lo elbow Lhelr way closer for a beLLer vlew
uunk was as good an elbower as any and blgger Lhan mosL Pe squlrmed forward Lo a rlse slx yards
from Lhe fence When Lgg complalned LhaL all he could see were arses uunk saL Lhe boy on hls
shoulders Across Lhe fleld Lhe vlewlng sLand was fllllng up wlLh hlghborn lords and ladles a few rlch
Lownfolk and a score of knlghLs who had declded noL Lo compeLe Loday Cf rlnce Maekar he saw no
slgn buL he recognlzed rlnce 8aelor aL Lord Ashfords slde SunllghL flashed golden off Lhe shoulder
clasp LhaL held hls cloak and Lhe sllm coroneL abouL hls Lemples buL oLherwlse he dressed far more
slmply Lhan mosL of Lhe oLher lords Pe does noL look a 1argaryen ln LruLh wlLh LhaL dark halr uunk
sald as much Lo Lgg
lLs sald he favors hls moLher Lhe boy remlnded hlm She was a uornlsh prlncess
1he flve champlons had ralsed Lhelr pavlllons aL Lhe norLh end of Lhe llsLs wlLh Lhe rlver behlnd
Lhem 1he smallesL Lwo were orange and Lhe shlelds hung ouLslde Lhelr doors dlsplayed Lhe whlLe
sunandchevron 1hose would be Lord Ashfords Sons Androw and 8oberL broLhers Lo Lhe falr mald
uunk had never heard oLher knlghLs speak of Lhelr prowess whlch meanL Lhey would llkely be Lhe
flrsL Lo fall
8eslde Lhe orange pavlllons sLood one of deepdyed green much larger 1he golden rose of
Plghgarden flapped above lL and Lhe saffle devlce was emblazoned on Lhe greaL green shleld ouLslde
Lhe door 1haLs Leo 1yrell Lord of Plghgarden sald Lgg


20
l knew LhaL sald uunk lrrlLaLed 1he old man and l served aL Plghgarden before you were ever
born Pe hardly remembered LhaL year hlmself buL Ser Arlan had ofLen spoken of Leo LongLhorn as
he was someLlmes called a peerless [ousLer for all Lhe sllver ln hls halr 1haL musL be Lord Leo
beslde Lhe LenL Lhe slender greybeard ln green and gold
?es sald Lgg l saw hlm aL klngs Landlng once Pes noL one youll wanL Lo challenge ser
8oy l do noL requlre your counsel on who Lo challenge
1he fourLh pavlllon was sewn LogeLher from dlamondshaped pleces of cloLh alLernaLlng red and
whlLe uunk dld noL know Lhe colors buL Lgg sald Lhey belonged Lo a knlghL from Lhe vale of Arryn
named Ser Pumfrey Pardyng Pe won a greaL melee aL Maldenpool lasL year ser and overLhrew Ser
uonnel of uuskendale and Lhe Lords Arryn and 8oyce ln Lhe llsLs
1he lasL pavlllon was rlnce valarrs Cf black sllk lL was wlLh a llne of polnLed scarleL pennons
hanglng from lLs roof llke long red flames 1he shleld on lLs sLand was glossy black emblazoned wlLh
Lhe Lhreeheaded dragon of Pouse 1argaryen Cne of Lhe klngsguard knlghLs sLood beslde lL hls
shlnlng whlLe armor sLark agalnsL Lhe black of Lhe LenLcloLh Seelng hlm Lhere uunk wondered
wheLher any of Lhe challengers would dare Lo Louch Lhe dragon shleld valarr was Lhe klngs
grandson afLer all and son Lo 8aelor 8reakspear
Pe need noL have worrled When Lhe horns blew Lo summon Lhe challengers all flve of Lhe malds
champlons were called forLh Lo defend her uunk could hear Lhe murmur of exclLemenL ln Lhe crowd
as Lhe challengers appeared one by one aL Lhe souLh end of Lhe llsLs Peralds boomed ouL Lhe name
of each knlghL ln Lurn 1hey paused before Lhe vlewlng sLand Lo dlp Lhelr lances ln saluLe Lo Lord
Ashford rlnce 8aelor and Lhe falr mald Lhen clrcled Lo Lhe norLh end of Lhe fleld Lo selecL Lhelr
opponenLs 1he Crey Llon of CasLerly 8ock sLruck Lhe shleld of Lord 1yrell whlle hls goldenhalred
helr Ser 1ybolL LannlsLer challenged Lord Ashfords eldesL son Lord 1ully of 8lverrun Lapped Lhe
dlamondpaLLerned shleld of Ser Pumfrey Pardyng Ser Abelar PlghLower knocked upon valarrs and
Lhe younger Ashford was called ouL by Ser Lyonel 8araLheon Lhe knlghL Lhey called Lhe Laughlng
SLorm
1he challengers LroLLed back Lo Lhe souLh end of Lhe llsLs Lo awalL Lhelr foes Ser Abelar ln sllver
and smoke colors a sLone waLchLower on hls shleld crowned wlLh flre Lhe Lwo LannlsLers all
crlmson bearlng Lhe golden llon of CasLerly 8ock Lhe Laughlng SLorm shlnlng ln cloLhofgold wlLh a
black sLag on breasL and shleld and a rack of lron anLlers on hls helm Lord 1ully wearlng a sLrlped
blueandred cloak clasped wlLh a sllver LrouL aL each shoulder 1hey polnLed Lhelr LwelvefooL lances
skyward Lhe gusLy wlnds snapplng and Lugglng aL Lhe pennons
AL Lhe norLh end of Lhe fleld squlres held brlghLly barded desLrlers for Lhe champlons Lo mounL
1hey donned Lhelr helms and Look up lance and shleld ln splendor Lhe equal of Lhelr foes Lhe
Ashfords blllowlng orange sllks Ser Pumfreys redandwhlLe dlamonds Lord Leo on hls whlLe
charger wlLh green saLln Lrapplngs paLLerned wlLh golden roses and of course valarr 1argaryen 1he
?oung rlnces horse was black as nlghL Lo maLch Lhe color of hls armor lance shleld and Lrapplngs
ALop hls helm was a gleamlng Lhreeheaded dragon wlngs spread enameled ln a rlch red lLs Lwln
was palnLed upon Lhe glossy black surface of hls shleld Lach of Lhe defenders had a wlsp of orange
sllk knoLLed abouL an arm a favor besLowed by Lhe falr mald
As Lhe champlons LroLLed lnLo poslLlon Ashford Meadow grew almosL sLlll 1hen a horn sounded
and sLlllness Lurned Lo LumulL ln half a hearLbeaL 1en palrs of gllded spurs drove lnLo Lhe flanks of
Len greaL warhorses a Lhousand volces began Lo scream and shouL forLy lronshod hooves pounded
and Lore Lhe grass Len lances dlpped and sLeadled Lhe fleld seemed almosL Lo shake and champlons
and challengers came LogeLher ln a rendlng crash of wood and sLeel ln an lnsLanL Lhe rlders were
beyond each oLher wheellng abouL for anoLher pass Lord 1ully reeled ln hls saddle buL managed Lo
keep hls seaL When Lhe commons reallzed LhaL all Len of Lhe lances had broken a greaL roar of
approval wenL up lL was a splendld omen for Lhe success of Lhe Lourney and a LesLamenL Lo Lhe sklll
of Lhe compeLlLors


21
Squlres handed fresh lances Lo Lhe [ousLers Lo replace Lhe broken ones Lhey casL aslde and once
more Lhe spurs dug deep uunk could feel Lhe earLh Lrembllng beneaLh Lhe soles of hls feeL ALop hls
shoulders Lgg shouLed happlly and waved hls plpesLem arms 1he ?oung rlnce passed nearesL Lo
Lhem uunk saw Lhe polnL of hls black lance klss Lhe waLchLower on hls foes shleld and sllde off Lo
slam lnLo hls chesL even as Ser Abelar s own lance bursL lnLo spllnLers agalnsL valarr s breasLplaLe
1he grey sLalllon ln Lhe sllverandsmoke Lrapplngs reared wlLh Lhe force of Lhe lmpacL and Ser
Abelar PlghLower was llfLed from hls sLlrrups and dashed vlolenLly Lo Lhe ground
Lord 1ully was down as well unhorsed by Ser Pumfrey Pardyng buL he sprang up aL once and
drew hls longsword and Ser Pumfrey casL aslde hls lance unbroken and dlsmounLed Lo conLlnue
Lhelr flghL afooL Ser Abelar was noL so sprlghLly Pls squlre ran ouL loosened hls helm and called for
help and Lwo servlngmen llfLed Lhe dazed knlghL by Lhe arms Lo help hlm back Lo hls pavlllon
Llsewhere on Lhe fleld Lhe slx knlghLs who had remalned ahorse were rldlng Lhelr Lhlrd course More
lances shaLLered and Lhls Llme Lord Leo 1yrell almed hls polnL so experLly he rlpped Lhe Crey Llons
helm cleanly off hls head 8arefaced Lhe Lord of CasLerly 8ock ralsed hls hand ln saluLe and
dlsmounLed yleldlng Lhe maLch 8y Lhen Ser Pumfrey had beaLen Lord 1ully lnLo surrender showlng
hlmself as skllled wlLh a sword as he was wlLh a lance
1ybolL LannlsLer and Androw Ashford rode agalnsL each oLher Lhrlce more before Ser Androw
flnally losL shleld seaL and maLch all aL once 1he younger Ashford lasLed even longer breaklng no
less Lhan nlne lances agalnsL Ser Lyonel 8araLheon Lhe Laughlng SLorm Champlon and challenger
boLh losL Lhelr saddles on Lhelr LenLh course only Lo rlse LogeLher Lo flghL on sword agalnsL mace
llnally a baLLered Ser 8oberL Ashford admlLLed defeaL buL on Lhe vlewlng sLand hls faLher looked
anyLhlng buL de[ecLed 8oLh Lord Ashfords Sons had been ushered from Lhe ranks of Lhe champlons
lL was Lrue buL Lhey had acqulLLed Lhemselves nobly agalnsL Lwo of Lhe flnesL knlghLs ln Lhe Seven
klngdoms
l musL do even beLLer Lhough uunk LhoughL as he waLched vlcLor and vanqulshed embrace and
walk LogeLher from Lhe fleld lL ls noL enough for me Lo flghL well and lose l musL wln aL leasL Lhe
flrsL challenge or l lose all
Ser 1ybolL LannlsLer and Lhe Laughlng SLorm would now Lake Lhelr places among Lhe champlons
replaclng Lhe men Lhey had defeaLed Already Lhe orange pavlllons were comlng down A few feeL
away Lhe ?oung rlnce saL aL hls ease ln a ralsed camp chalr before hls greaL black LenL Pls helm
was off Pe had dark halr llke hls faLher buL a brlghL sLreak ran Lhrough lL A servlngman broughL hlm
a sllver gobleL and he Look a slp WaLer lf he ls wlse uunk LhoughL wlne lf noL Pe found hlmself
wonderlng lf valarr had lndeed lnherlLed a measure of hls faLhers prowess or wheLher lL had only
been LhaL he had drawn Lhe weakesL opponenL
A fanfare of LrumpeLs announced LhaL Lhree new challengers had enLered Lhe llsLs 1he heralds
shouLed Lhelr names Ser earse of Pouse Caron Lord of Lhe Marches Pe had a sllver harp
emblazoned on hls shleld Lhough hls surcoaL was paLLerned wlLh nlghLlngales Ser !oseLh of Pouse
MalllsLer from Seagard Ser !oseLh sporLed a wlnged helm on hls shleld a sllver eagle flew across
an lndlgo sky Ser Cawen of Pouse Swann Lord of SLonehelm on Lhe Cape of WraLh A palr of
swans one black and one whlLe foughL furlously on hls arms Lord Cawens armor cloak and horse
bardlngs were a rloL of black and whlLe as well down Lo Lhe sLrlpes on hls scabbard and lance
Lord Caron harper and slnger and knlghL of renown Louched Lhe polnL of hls lance Lo Lord 1yrells
rose Ser !oseLh Lhumped on Ser Pumfrey Pardyngs dlamonds And Lhe blackandwhlLe knlghL Lord
Cawen Swann challenged Lhe black prlnce wlLh Lhe whlLe guardlan uunk rubbed hls chln Lord
Cawen was even older Lhan Lhe old man and Lhe old man was dead Lgg who ls Lhe leasL
dangerous of Lhese challengers? he asked Lhe boy on hls shoulders who seemed Lo know so much
of Lhese knlghLs
Lord Cawen Lhe boy sald aL once valarrs foe
rlnce valarr he correcLed A squlre musL keep a courLeous Longue boy


22
1he Lhree challengers Look Lhelr places as Lhe Lhree champlons mounLed up Men were maklng
wagers all around Lhem and calllng ouL encouragemenL Lo Lhelr cholces buL uunk had eyes only for
Lhe prlnce Cn Lhe flrsL pass he sLruck Lord Cawens shleld a glanclng blow Lhe blunLed polnL of Lhe
lance slldlng aslde [usL as lL had wlLh Ser Abelar PlghLower only Lhls Llme lL was deflecLed Lhe oLher
way lnLo empLy alr Lord Cawens own lance broke clean agalnsL Lhe prlnces chesL and valarr
seemed abouL Lo fall for an lnsLanL before he recovered hls seaL
1he second Llme Lhrough Lhe llsLs valarr swung hls lance lefL almlng for hls foes breasL buL sLruck
hls shoulder lnsLead Lven so Lhe blow was enough Lo make Lhe older knlghL lose hls lance Cne arm
flalled for balance and Lord Cawen fell 1he ?oung rlnce swung from Lhe saddle and drew hls sword
buL Lhe fallen man waved hlm off and ralsed hls vlsor l yleld ?our Crace he called Well foughL
1he lords ln Lhe vlewlng sLand echoed hlm shouLlng Well foughL! Well foughL! as valarr knelL Lo
help Lhe greyhalred lord Lo hls feeL
lL was noL elLher Lgg complalned
8e quleL or you can go back Lo camp
larLher away Ser !oseLh MalllsLer was belng carrled off Lhe fleld unconsclous whlle Lhe harp lord
and Lhe rose lord were golng aL each oLher lusLlly wlLh blunLed longaxes Lo Lhe dellghL of Lhe roarlng
crowd uunk was so lnLenL on valarr 1argaryen LhaL he scarcely saw Lhem Pe ls a falr knlghL buL no
more Lhan LhaL he found hlmself Lhlnklng l would have a chance agalnsL hlm lf Lhe gods were good
l mlghL even unhorse hlm and once afooL my welghL and sLrengLh would Lell
CeL hlm! Lgg shouLed merrlly shlfLlng hls seaL on uunks back ln hls exclLemenL CeL hlm! PlL
hlm! ?es! Pes rlghL Lhere hes rlghL Lhere! lL seemed Lo be Lord Caron he was cheerlng on 1he
harper was playlng a dlfferenL sorL of muslc now drlvlng Lord Leo back and back as sLeel sang on
sLeel 1he crowd seemed almosL equally dlvlded beLween Lhem so cheers and curses mlngled freely
ln Lhe mornlng alr Chlps of wood and palnL were flylng from Lord Leos shleld as Lord earses axe
knocked Lhe peLals off hls golden rose one by one unLll Lhe shleld flnally shaLLered and spllL 8uL as
lL dld Lhe axehead hung up for an lnsLanL ln Lhe wood and Lord Leos own axe crashed down on
Lhe hafL of hls foes weapon breaklng lL off noL a fooL from hls hand Pe casL aslde hls broken shleld
and suddenly he was Lhe one on Lhe aLLack WlLhln momenLs Lhe harper knlghL was on one knee
slnglng hls surrender
lor Lhe resL of Lhe mornlng and well lnLo Lhe afLernoon lL was more of Lhe same as challengers
Look Lhe fleld ln Lwos and Lhrees and someLlmes flve LogeLher 1rumpeLs blew Lhe heralds called
ouL names warhorses charged Lhe crowd cheered lances snapped llke Lwlgs and swords rang
agalnsL helms and mall lL was smallfolk and hlgh lord allke agreed a splendld day of [ousLlng Ser
Pumfrey Pardyng and Ser Pumfrey 8eesbury a bold young knlghL ln yellow and black sLrlpes wlLh
Lhree beehlves on hls shleld spllnLered no less Lhan a dozen lances aplece ln an eplc sLruggle Lhe
smallfolk soon began calllng Lhe 8aLLle of Pumfrey Ser 1ybolL LannlsLer was unhorsed by Ser !on
enrose and broke hls sword ln hls fall buL foughL back wlLh shleld alone Lo wln Lhe bouL and remaln
a champlon Cneeyed Ser 8obyn 8hysllng a grlzzled old knlghL wlLh a salLandpepper beard losL hls
helm Lo Lord Leos lance ln Lhelr flrsL course yeL refused Lo yleld 1hree Llmes more Lhey rode aL
each oLher Lhe wlnd whlpplng Ser 8obyns halr whlle Lhe shards of broken lances flew round hls bare
face llke wooden knlves whlch uunk LhoughL all Lhe more wondrous when Lgg Lold hlm LhaL Ser
8obyn had losL hls eye Lo a spllnLer from a broken lance noL flve years earller Leo 1yrell was Loo
chlvalrous Lo alm anoLher lance aL Ser 8obyns unproLecLed head buL even so 8hysllngs sLubborn
courage (or was lL folly?) lefL uunk asLounded llnally Lhe Lord of Plghgarden sLruck Ser 8obyns
breasLplaLe a solld Lhump rlghL over Lhe hearL and senL hlm carLwheellng Lo Lhe earLh
Ser Lyonel 8araLheon also foughL several noLable maLches AgalnsL lesser foes he would ofLen
break lnLo boomlng laughLer Lhe momenL Lhey Louched hls shleld and laugh all Lhe Llme he was
mounLlng and charglng and knocklng Lhem from Lhelr sLlrrups lf hls challengers wore any sorL of
cresL on Lhelr helm Ser Lyonel would sLrlke lL off and fllng lL lnLo Lhe crowd 1he cresLs were ornaLe


23
Lhlngs made of carved wood or shaped leaLher and someLlmes gllded and enameled or even
wroughL ln pure sllver so Lhe men he beaL dld noL appreclaLe Lhls hablL Lhough lL made hlm a greaL
favorlLe of Lhe commons 8efore long only cresLless men were chooslng hlm As loud and ofLen as
Ser Lyonel laughed down a challenger Lhough uunk LhoughL Lhe days honors should go Lo Ser
Pumfrey Pardyng who humbled fourLeen knlghLs each one of Lhem formldable
Meanwhlle Lhe ?oung rlnce saL ouLslde hls black pavlllon drlnklng from hls sllver gobleL and rlslng
from Llme Lo Llme Lo mounL hls horse and vanqulsh yeL anoLher undlsLlngulshed foe Pe had won
nlne vlcLorles buL lL seemed Lo uunk LhaL every one was hollow Pe ls beaLlng old men and
up[umped squlres and a few lords of hlgh blrLh and low sklll 1he Lruly dangerous men are rldlng pasL
hls shleld as lf Lhey do noL see lL
LaLe ln Lhe day a brazen fanfare announced Lhe enLry of a new challenger Lo Lhe llsLs Pe rode ln
on a greaL red charger whose black bardlngs were slashed Lo reveal gllmpses of yellow crlmson and
orange beneaLh As he approached Lhe vlewlng sLand Lo make hls saluLe uunk saw Lhe face beneaLh
Lhe ralsed vlsor and recognlzed Lhe prlnce hed meL ln Lord Ashfords sLables
Lggs legs LlghLened around hls neck SLop LhaL uunk snapped yanklng Lhem aparL uo you
mean Lo choke me?
rlnce Aerlon 8rlghLflame a herald called of Lhe 8ed keep of klngs Landlng son of Maekar
rlnce of Summerhall of Pouse 1argaryen grandson Lo uaeron Lhe Cood Lhe Second of Pls name
klng of Lhe Andals Lhe 8hoynar and Lhe llrsL Men and Lord of Lhe Seven klngdoms
Aerlon bore a Lhreeheaded dragon on hls shleld buL lL was rendered ln colors much more vlvld
Lhan valarrs one head was orange one yellow one red and Lhe flames Lhey breaLhed had Lhe
sheen of gold leaf Pls surcoaL was a swlrl of smoke and flre woven LogeLher and hls blackened helm
was surmounLed by a cresL of red enamel flames
AfLer a pause Lo dlp hls lance Lo rlnce 8aelor a pause so brlef LhaL was almosL perfuncLory he
galloped Lo Lhe norLh end of Lhe fleld pasL Lord Leos pavlllon and Lhe Laughlng SLorms slowlng only
when he approached rlnce valarrs LenL 1he ?oung rlnce rose and sLood sLlffly beslde hls shleld
and for a momenL uunk was cerLaln LhaL Aerlon meanL Lo sLrlke lL buL Lhen he laughed and
LroLLed pasL and banged hls polnL hard agalnsL Ser Pumfrey Pardyngs dlamonds Come ouL come
ouL llLLle knlghL he sang ln a loud clear volce lLs Llme you faced Lhe dragon
Ser Pumfrey lncllned hls head sLlffly Lo hls foe as hls desLrler was broughL ouL and Lhen lgnored
hlm whlle he mounLed fasLened hls helm and Look up lance and shleld 1he specLaLors grew quleL as
Lhe Lwo knlghLs Look Lhelr places uunk heard Lhe clang of rlnce Aerlon dropplng hls vlsor 1he horn
blew
Ser Pumfrey broke slowly bulldlng speed buL hls foe raked Lhe red charger hard wlLh boLh spurs
comlng hard Lggs legs LlghLened agaln klll hlm! he shouLed suddenly klll hlm hes rlghL Lhere
klll hlm klll hlm klll hlm! uunk was noL cerLaln whlch of Lhe knlghLs he was shouLlng Lo
rlnce Aerlons lance goldLlpped and palnLed ln sLrlpes of red orange and yellow swung down
across Lhe barrler Low Loo low LhoughL uunk Lhe momenL he saw lL Pell mlss Lhe rlder and sLrlke
Ser Pumfreys horse he needs Lo brlng lL up 1hen wlLh dawnlng horror he began Lo suspecL LhaL
Aerlon lnLended no such Lhlng Pe cannoL mean Lo
AL Lhe lasL posslble lnsLanL Ser Pumfreys sLalllon reared away from Lhe oncomlng polnL eyes
rolllng ln Lerror buL Loo laLe Aerlons lance Look Lhe anlmal [usL above Lhe armor LhaL proLecLed hls
breasLbone and exploded ouL of Lhe back of hls neck ln a gouL of brlghL blood Screamlng Lhe horse
crashed sldeways knocklng Lhe wooden barrler Lo pleces as he fell Ser Pumfrey Lrled Lo leap free
buL a fooL caughL ln a sLlrrup and Lhey heard hls shrlek as hls leg was crushed beLween Lhe spllnLered
fence and falllng horse
All of Ashford Meadow was shouLlng Men ran onLo Lhe fleld Lo exLrlcaLe Ser Pumfrey buL Lhe
sLalllon dylng ln agony klcked aL Lhem as Lhey approached Aerlon havlng raced bllLhely around Lhe
carnage Lo Lhe end of Lhe llsLs wheeled hls horse and came galloplng back Pe was shouLlng Loo


24
Lhough uunk could noL make ouL Lhe words over Lhe almosL human screams of Lhe dylng horse
vaulLlng from Lhe saddle Aerlon drew hls sword and advanced on hls fallen foe Pls own squlres and
one of Ser Pumfreys had Lo pull hlm back Lgg squlrmed on uunks shoulders LeL me down Lhe
boy sald 1he poor horse leL me down
uunk felL slck hlmself WhaL would l do lf such a faLe befell 1hunder? A manaLarms wlLh a pole
axe dlspaLched Ser Pumfreys sLalllon endlng Lhe hldeous screams uunk Lurned and forced hls way
Lhrough Lhe press When he came Lo open ground he llfLed Lgg off hls shoulders 1he boys hood had
fallen back and hls eyes were red A Lerrlble slghL aye he Lold Lhe lad buL a squlre musL needs be
sLrong ?oull see worse mlshaps aL oLher Lourneys l fear
lL was no mlshap Lgg sald mouLh Lrembllng Aerlon meanL Lo do lL ?ou saw
uunk frowned lL had looked LhaL way Lo hlm as well buL lL was hard Lo accepL LhaL any knlghL
could be so unchlvalrous leasL of all one who was blood of Lhe dragon l saw a knlghL green as
summer grass lose conLrol of hls lance he sald sLubbornly and lll hear no more of lL 1he [ousLlng
ls done for Lhe day l Lhlnk Come lad

Pe was rlghL abouL Lhe end of Lhe days conLesLs 8y Lhe Llme Lhe chaos had been seL Lo rlghLs Lhe
sun was low ln Lhe wesL and Lord Ashford had called a halL
As Lhe shadows of evenlng crepL across Lhe meadow a hundred Lorches were llL along Lhe
merchanLs row uunk boughL a horn of ale for hlmself and half a horn for Lhe boy Lo cheer hlm
1hey wandered for a Llme llsLenlng Lo a sprlghLly alr on plpes and drums and waLchlng a puppeL
show abouL nymerla Lhe warrlor queen wlLh Lhe Len Lhousand shlps 1he puppeLeers had only Lwo
shlps buL managed a rouslng sea baLLle all Lhe same uunk wanLed Lo ask Lhe glrl 1anselle lf she had
flnlshed palnLlng hls shleld buL he could see LhaL she was busy lll walL unLll she ls done for Lhe
nlghL he resolved erhaps shell have a LhlrsL Lhen
Ser uuncan a volce called behlnd hlm And Lhen agaln Ser uuncan Suddenly uunk
remembered LhaL was hlm l saw you among Lhe smallfolk Loday wlLh Lhls boy on your shoulders
sald 8aymun lossoway as he came up smlllng lndeed Lhe Lwo of you were hard Lo mlss
1he boy ls my squlre Lgg Lhls ls 8aymun lossoway uunk had Lo pull Lhe boy forward and even
Lhen Lgg lowered hls head and sLared aL 8aymuns booLs as he mumbled a greeLlng
Well meL lad 8aymun sald easlly Ser uuncan why noL waLch from Lhe vlewlng gallery? All
knlghLs are welcome Lhere
uunk was aL ease among smallfolk and servanLs Lhe ldea of clalmlng a place among Lhe lords
ladles and landed knlghLs made hlm uncomforLable l would noL have wanLed any closer vlew of
LhaL lasL LllL
8aymun grlmaced nor l Lord Ashford declared Ser Pumfrey Lhe vlcLor and awarded hlm rlnce
Aerlons courser buL even so he wlll noL be able Lo conLlnue Pls leg was broken ln Lwo places
rlnce 8aelor senL hls own maesLer Lo Lend hlm
Wlll Lhere be anoLher champlon ln Ser Pumfreys place?
Lord Ashford had a mlnd Lo granL Lhe place Lo Lord Caron or perhaps Lhe oLher Ser Pumfrey Lhe
one who gave Pardyng such a splendld maLch buL rlnce 8aelor Lold hlm LhaL lL would noL be seemly
Lo remove Ser Pumfreys shleld and pavlllon under Lhe clrcumsLances l belleve Lhey wlll conLlnue
wlLh four champlons ln place of flve
lour champlons uunk LhoughL Leo 1yrell Lyonel 8araLheon 1ybolL LannlsLer and rlnce valarr
Pe had seen enough Lhls flrsL day Lo know how llLLle chance he would sLand agalnsL Lhe flrsL Lhree
Whlch lefL only
A hedge knlghL cannoL challenge a prlnce valarr ls second ln llne Lo Lhe lron 1hrone Pe ls 8aelor
8reakspears son and hls blood ls Lhe blood of Aegon Lhe Conqueror and Lhe ?oung uragon and
rlnce Aemon Lhe uragonknlghL and l am some boy Lhe old man found behlnd a poL shop ln llea
8oLLom


25
Pls head hurL [usL Lhlnklng abouL lL Who does your cousln mean Lo challenge? he asked 8aymun
Ser 1ybolL all Lhlngs belng equal 1hey are well maLched My cousln keeps a sharp waLch on every
LllL Lhough Should any man be wounded on Lhe morrow or show slgns of exhausLlon or weakness
SLeffon wlll be qulck Lo knock on hls shleld you may counL on lL no one has ever accused hlm of an
excess of chlvalry Pe laughed as lf Lo Lake Lhe sLlng from hls words Ser uuncan wlll you [oln me
for a cup of wlne?
l have a maLLer l musL aLLend Lo sald uunk uncomforLable wlLh Lhe noLlon of accepLlng
hosplLallLy he could noL reLurn
l could walL here and brlng your shleld when Lhe puppeL show ls over ser sald Lgg 1heyre
golng Lo do Symeon SLarLyes laLer and make Lhe dragon flghL agaln as well
1here you see your maLLer ls aLLended Lo and Lhe wlne awalLs sald 8aymun lLs an Arbor
vlnLage Loo Pow can you refuse me?
8erefL of excuses uunk had no cholce buL Lo follow leavlng Lgg aL Lhe puppeL show 1he apple of
Pouse lossoway flew above a goldcolored pavlllon where 8aymun aLLended hls cousln 8ehlnd lL
Lwo servanLs were basLlng a goaL wlLh honey and herbs over a small cookflre 1heres food as well lf
youre hungry 8aymun sald negllgenLly as he held Lhe flap for uunk A brazler of coals llL Lhe lnLerlor
and made Lhe alr pleasanLly warm 8aymun fllled Lwo cups wlLh wlne 1hey say Aerlon ls ln a rage aL
Lord Ashford for awardlng hls charger Lo Ser Pumfrey he commenLed as he poured buL lll wager
lL was hls uncle who counseled lL Pe handed uunk a wlne cup
rlnce 8aelor ls an honorable man
As Lhe 8rlghL rlnce ls noL? 8aymun laughed uonL look so anxlous Ser uuncan Lheres none
here buL us lL ls no secreL LhaL Aerlon ls a bad plece of work 1hank Lhe gods LhaL he ls well down ln
Lhe order of successlon
?ou Lruly belleve he meanL Lo klll Lhe horse?
ls Lhere any doubL of lL? lf rlnce Maekar had been here lL would have gone dlfferenLly l promlse
you Aerlon ls all smlles and chlvalry so long as hls faLher ls waLchlng lf Lhe Lales be Lrue buL when
hes noL
l saw LhaL rlnce Maekars chalr was empLy
Pes lefL Ashford Lo search for hls sons along wlLh 8oland Crakehall of Lhe klngsguard 1heres a
wlld Lale of robber knlghLs golng abouL buL lll wager Lhe prlnce ls [usL off drunk agaln
1he wlne was flne and frulLy as good a cup as he had ever LasLed Pe rolled lL ln hls mouLh
swallowed and sald Whlch prlnce ls Lhls now?
Maekars helr uaeron hes named afLer Lhe klng 1hey call hlm uaeron Lhe urunken Lhough noL
ln hls faLhers hearlng 1he youngesL boy was wlLh hlm as well 1hey lefL Summerhall LogeLher buL
never reached Ashford 8aymun dralned hls cup and seL lL aslde oor Maekar
oor? sald uunk sLarLled 1he klngs son?
1he klngs fourLh son sald 8aymun noL qulLe as bold as rlnce 8aelor nor as clever as rlnce
Aerys nor as genLle as rlnce 8haegel And now he musL suffer seelng hls own sons overshadowed
by hls broLhers uaeron ls a soL Aerlon ls valn and cruel Lhe Lhlrd son was so unpromlslng Lhey gave
hlm Lo Lhe ClLadel Lo make a maesLer of hlm and Lhe youngesL
Ser! Ser uuncan! Lgg bursL ln panLlng Pls hood had fallen back and Lhe llghL from Lhe brazler
shone ln hls blg dark eyes ?ou have Lo run hes hurLlng her!
uunk lurched Lo hls feeL confused PurLlng? Who?
Aerlon! Lhe boy shouLlng Pes hurLlng her 1he puppeL glrl Purry Whlrllng he darLed back ouL
lnLo Lhe nlghL
uunk made Lo follow buL 8aymun caughL hls arm Ser uuncan Aerlon he sald A prlnce of Lhe
blood 8e careful
lL was good counsel he knew 1he old man would have sald Lhe same 8uL he could noL llsLen Pe
wrenched free of 8aymuns hand and shouldered hls way ouL of Lhe pavlllon Pe could hear shouLlng


26
off ln Lhe dlrecLlon of Lhe merchanLs row Lgg was almosL ouL of slghL uunk ran afLer hlm Pls legs
were long and Lhe boys shorL he qulckly closed Lhe dlsLance
A wall of waLchers had gaLhered around Lhe puppeLeers uunk shouldered Lhrough Lhem lgnorlng
Lhelr curses A manaLarms ln Lhe royal llvery sLepped up Lo block hlm uunk puL a blg band on hls
chesL and shoved sendlng Lhe man flalllng backward Lo sprawl on hls arse ln Lhe dlrL
1he puppeLeers sLall had been knocked on lLs slde 1he faL uornlshwoman was on Lhe ground
weeplng Cne manaLarms was dangllng Lhe puppeLs of llorlan and !onqull from hls hands as
anoLher seL Lhem aflre wlLh a Lorch 1hree more men were openlng chesLs spllllng more puppeLs on
Lhe ground and sLamplng on Lhem 1he dragon puppeL was scaLLered all abouL Lhem a broken wlng
here lLs head Lhere lLs Lall ln Lhree pleces And ln Lhe mldsL of lL all sLood rlnce Aerlon resplendenL
ln a red velveL doubleL wlLh long dagged sleeves LwlsLlng 1anselles arm ln boLh hands She was on
her knees pleadlng wlLh hlm Aerlon lgnored her Pe forced open her hand and selzed one of her
flngers uunk sLood Lhere sLupldly noL qulLe bellevlng whaL he saw 1hen he heard a crack and
1anselle screamed
Cne of Aerlons men Lrled Lo grab hlm and wenL flylng 1hree long sLrldes Lhen uunk grabbed Lhe
prlnces shoulder and wrenched hlm around hard Pls sword and dagger were forgoLLen along wlLh
everyLhlng Lhe old man had ever LaughL hlm Pls flsL knocked Aerlon off hls feeL and Lhe Loe of hls
booL slammed lnLo Lhe prlnces belly When Aerlon wenL for hls knlfe uunk sLepped on hls wrlsL and
Lhen klcked hlm agaln rlghL ln Lhe mouLh Pe mlghL have klcked hlm Lo deaLh rlghL Lhen and Lhere
buL Lhe prlncellngs men swarmed over hlm Pe had a man on each arm and anoLher poundlng hlm
across Lhe back no sooner had he wresLled free of one Lhan Lwo more were on hlm
llnally Lhey shoved hlm down and plnned hls arms and legs Aerlon was on hls feeL agaln 1he
prlnces mouLh was bloody Pe pushed lnslde lL wlLh a flnger ?ouve loosened one of my LeeLh he
complalned so well sLarL by breaklng all of yours Pe pushed hls halr from hls eyes ?ou look
famlllar
?ou Look me for a sLableboy
Aerlon smlled redly l recall ?ou refused Lo Lake my horse Why dld you Lhrow your llfe away? lor
Lhls whore? 1anselle was curled up on Lhe ground cradllng her malmed hand Pe gave her a shove
wlLh Lhe Loe of hls booL Shes scarcely worLh lL A LralLor 1he dragon oughL never lose
Pe ls mad LhoughL uunk buL he ls sLlll a prlnces son and he means Lo klll me Pe mlghL have
prayed Lhen lf he had known a prayer all Lhe way Lhrough buL Lhere was no Llme 1here was hardly
even Llme Lo be afrald
noLhlng more Lo say? sald Aerlon ?ou bore me ser Pe poked aL hls bloody mouLh agaln CeL
a hammer and break all hls LeeLh ouL WaLe he commanded and Lhen leLs cuL hlm open and show
hlm Lhe color of hls enLralls
no! a boys volce sald uonL hurL hlm!
Cods be good Lhe boy Lhe brave foollsh boy uunk LhoughL Pe foughL agalnsL Lhe arms resLralnlng
hlm buL lL was no good Pold your Longue you sLupld boy 8un away 1heyll hurL you!
no Lhey wonL Lgg moved closer lf Lhey do Lheyll answer Lo my faLher And my uncle as well
LeL go of hlm l sald WaLe ?orkel you know me uo as l say
1he hands holdlng hls lefL arm were gone and Lhen Lhe oLhers uunk dld noL undersLand whaL was
happenlng 1he menaLarms were backlng away Cne even knelL 1hen Lhe crowd parLed for 8aymun
lossoway Pe had donned mall and helm and hls hand was on hls sword Pls cousln Ser SLeffon [usL
behlnd hlm had already bared hls blade and wlLh Lhem were a halfdozen menaLarms wlLh Lhe red
apple badge sewn on Lhelr breasLs
rlnce Aerlon pald Lhem no mlnd lmpudenL llLLle wreLch he sald Lo Lgg splLLlng a mouLhful of
blood aL Lhe boys feeL WhaL happened Lo your halr?
l cuL lL off broLher sald Lgg l dldnL wanL Lo look llke you



27
* * *

1he second day of Lhe Lourney was overcasL wlLh a gusLy wlnd blowlng from Lhe wesL 1he crowds
should be less on a day llke Lhls uunk LhoughL lL would have been easler for Lhem Lo flnd a spoL near
Lhe fence Lo see Lhe [ousLlng up close Lgg mlghL have saL on Lhe rall whlle l sLood behlnd hlm
lnsLead Lgg would have a seaL ln Lhe vlewlng box dressed ln sllks and furs whlle uunks vlew would
be llmlLed Lo Lhe four walls of Lhe Lower cell where Lord Ashfords men had conflned hlm 1he
chamber had a wlndow buL lL faced ln Lhe wrong dlrecLlon Lven so uunk crammed hlmself lnLo Lhe
wlndow seaL as Lhe sun came up and sLared gloomlly off across Lown and fleld and foresL 1hey had
Laken hls hempen sword belL and hls sword and dagger wlLh lL and Lhey had Laken hls sllver as well
Pe hoped Lgg or 8aymun would remember ChesLnuL and 1hunder
Lgg he muLLered low under hls breaLh Pls squlre a poor lad plucked from Lhe sLreeLs of klngs
Landlng Pad ever a knlghL been made such a fool? uunk Lhe lunk Lhlck as a casLle wall and slow as
an aurochs
Pe had noL been permlLLed Lo speak Lo Lgg slnce Lord Ashfords soldlers had scooped Lhem all up
aL Lhe puppeL show nor 8aymun nor 1anselle nor anyone noL even Lord Ashford hlmself Pe
wondered lf he would ever see any of Lhem agaln lor all he knew Lhey meanL Lo keep hlm ln Lhls
small room unLll he dled WhaL dld l Lhlnk would happen? he asked hlmself blLLerly l knocked down a
prlnces son and klcked hlm ln Lhe face
8eneaLh Lhese grey skles Lhe flowlng flnery of Lhe hlghborn lords and greaL champlons would noL
seem qulLe so splendld as lL had Lhe day before 1he sun walled behlnd Lhe clouds would noL brush
Lhelr sLeel helms wlLh brllllance nor make Lhelr gold and sllver chaslngs gllLLer and flash buL even so
uunk wlshed he were ln Lhe crowd Lo waLch Lhe [ousLlng lL would be a good day for hedge knlghLs
for men ln plaln mall on unbarded horses
Pe could hear Lhem aL leasL 1he horns of Lhe heralds carrled well and from Llme Lo Llme a roar
from Lhe crowd Lold hlm LhaL someone had fallen or rlsen or done someLhlng especlally bold Pe
heard falnL hoofbeaLs Loo and once ln a greaL whlle Lhe clash of swords or Lhe snap of a lance uunk
wlnced whenever he heard LhaL lasL lL remlnded hlm of Lhe nolse 1anselles flnger had made when
Aerlon broke lL 1here were oLher sounds Loo closer aL hand fooLfalls ln Lhe hall ouLslde hls door
Lhe sLamp of hooves ln Lhe yard below shouLs and volces from Lhe casLle walls SomeLlmes Lhey
drowned ouL Lhe Lourney uunk supposed LhaL was [usL as well
A hedge knlghL ls Lhe LruesL klnd of knlghL uunk Lhe old man had Lold hlm a longlong Llme ago
CLher knlghLs serve Lhe lords who keep Lhem or from whom Lhey hold Lhelr lands buL we serve
where we wlll for men whose causes we belleve ln Lvery knlghL swears Lo proLecL Lhe weak and
lnnocenL buL we keep Lhe vow besL l Lhlnk Cueer how sLrong LhaL memory seemed uunk had
qulLe forgoLLen Lhose words And perhaps Lhe old man had as well Loward Lhe end
1he mornlng Lurned Lo afLernoon 1he dlsLanL sounds of Lhe Lourney began Lo dwlndle and dle
uusk began Lo seep lnLo Lhe cell buL uunk sLlll saL ln Lhe wlndow seaL looklng ouL on Lhe gaLherlng
dark and Lrylng Lo lgnore hls empLy belly
And Lhen he heard fooLsLeps and a [angllng of lron keys Pe uncolled and rose Lo hls feeL as Lhe
door opened 1wo guards pushed ln one bearlng an oll lamp A servlngman followed wlLh a Lray of
food 8ehlnd came Lgg Leave Lhe lamp and Lhe food and go Lhe boy Lold Lhem
1hey dld as he commanded Lhough uunk noLlced LhaL Lhey lefL Lhe heavy wooden door a[ar 1he
smell of Lhe food made hlm reallze how ravenous he was 1here was hoL bread and honey a bowl of
pease porrldge a skewer of roasL onlons and wellcharred meaL Pe saL by Lhe Lray pulled aparL Lhe
bread wlLh hls hands and sLuffed some lnLo hls mouLh 1heres no knlfe he observed uld Lhey
Lhlnk ld sLab you boy?
1hey dldnL Lell me whaL Lhey LhoughL Lgg wore a closeflLLlng black wool doubleL wlLh a Lucked
walsL and long sleeves llned wlLh red saLln Across hls chesL was sewn Lhe Lhreeheaded dragon of


28
Pouse 1argaryen My uncle says l musL humbly beg your forglveness for decelvlng you
?our uncle sald uunk 1haL would be rlnce 8aelor
1he boy looked mlserable l never meanL Lo lle
8uL you dld AbouL everyLhlng SLarLlng wlLh your name l never heard of a rlnce Lgg
lLs shorL for Aegon My broLher Aemon named me Lgg Pes off aL Lhe ClLadel now learnlng Lo be
a maesLer And uaeron someLlmes calls me Lgg as well and so do my slsLers
uunk llfLed Lhe skewer and blL lnLo a chunk of meaL CoaL flavored wlLh some lordly splce hed
never LasLed before Crease ran down hls chln Aegon he repeaLed Cf course lL would be Aegon
Llke Aegon Lhe uragon Pow many Aegons have been klng?
lour Lhe boy sald lour Aegons
uunk chewed swallowed and Lore off some more bread Why dld you do lL? Was lL some [ape Lo
make a fool of Lhe sLupld hedge knlghL?
no 1he boys eyes fllled wlLh Lears buL he sLood Lhere manfully l was supposed Lo squlre for
uaeron Pes my oldesL broLher l learned everyLhlng l had Lo learn Lo be a good squlre buL uaeron
lsnL a very good knlghL Pe dldnL wanL Lo rlde ln Lhe Lourney so afLer we lefL Summerhall he sLole
away from our escorL only lnsLead of doubllng back he wenL sLralghL on Loward Ashford Lhlnklng
Lheyd never look for us LhaL way lL was hlm shaved my head Pe knew my faLher would send men
hunLlng us uaeron has common halr sorL of a pale brown noLhlng speclal buL mlne ls llke Aerlons
and my faLhers
1he blood of Lhe dragon uunk sald Sllvergold halr and purple eyes everyone knows LhaL
1hlck as a casLle wall uunk
?es So uaeron shaved lL off Pe meanL for us Lo hlde unLll Lhe Lourney was over Cnly Lhen you
Look me for a sLableboy and Pe lowered hls eyes l dldnL care lf uaeron foughL or noL buL l
wanLed Lo be somebodys squlre lm sorry ser l Lruly am
uunk looked aL hlm LhoughLfully Pe knew whaL lL was llke Lo wanL someLhlng so badly LhaL you
would Lell a monsLrous lle [usL Lo geL near lL l LhoughL you were llke me he sald MlghL be you
are Cnly noL Lhe way l LhoughL
Were boLh from klngs Landlng sLlll Lhe boy sald hopefully
uunk had Lo laugh ?es you from Lhe Lop of Aegons Plll and me from Lhe boLLom
1haLs noL so far ser
uunk Look a blLe from an onlon uo l need Lo call you mlord or ?our Crace or someLhlng?
AL courL Lhe boy admlLLed buL oLher Llmes you can keep on calllng me Lgg lf you llke Ser
WhaL wlll Lhey do wlLh me Lgg?
My uncle wanLs Lo see you AfLer youre done eaLlng ser
uunk shoved Lhe plaLLer aslde and sLood lm done now Lhen lve already klcked one prlnce ln
Lhe mouLh l donL mean Lo keep anoLher walLlng

Lord Ashford had Lurned hls own chambers over Lo rlnce 8aelor for Lhe duraLlon of hls sLay so lL
was Lo Lhe lords solar LhaL Lgg no Aegon he would have Lo geL used Lo LhaL conducLed hlm
8aelor saL readlng by Lhe llghL of beeswax candle uunk knelL before hlm 8lse Lhe prlnce sald
Would you care for wlne?
As lL please you ?our Crace
our Ser uuncan a cup of Lhe sweeL uornlsh red Aegon Lhe prlnce commanded 1ry noL Lo splll
lL on hlm youve done hlm sufflclenL lll already
1he boy wonL splll ?our Crace sald uunk Pes a good boy A good squlre And he meanL no
harm Lo me l know
Cne need noL lnLend harm Lo do lL Aegon should have come Lo me when he saw whaL hls broLher
was dolng Lo Lhose puppeLeers lnsLead he ran Lo you 1haL was no klndness WhaL you dld ser
well l mlghL have done Lhe same ln your place buL l am a prlnce of Lhe realm noL a hedge knlghL lL


29
ls never wlse Lo sLrlke a klngs grandson ln anger no maLLer Lhe cause
uunk nodded grlmly Lgg offered hlm a sllver gobleL brlmmlng wlLh wlne Pe accepLed lL and Look
a long swallow
l haLe Aerlon Lgg sald wlLh vehemence And l had Lo run for Ser uuncan uncle Lhe casLle was
Loo far
Aerlon ls your broLher Lhe prlnce sald flrmly and Lhe sepLons say we musL love our broLhers
Aegon leave us now l would speak wlLh Ser uuncan prlvaLely
1he boy puL down Lhe flagon of wlne and bowed sLlffly As you wlll ?our Crace Pe wenL Lo Lhe
door of Lhe solar and closed lL sofLly behlnd hlm
8aelor 8reakspear sLudled uunks eyes for a long momenL Ser uuncan leL me ask you Lhls how
good a knlghL are you Lruly? Pow skllled aL arms?
uunk dld noL know whaL Lo say Ser Arlan LaughL me sword and shleld and how Lo LllL aL rlngs and
qulnLalns
rlnce 8aelor seemed Lroubled by LhaL answer My broLher Maekar reLurned Lo Lhe casLle a few
hours ago Pe found hls helr drunk ln an lnn a days rlde Lo Lhe souLh Maekar would never admlL as
much buL l belleve lL was hls secreL hope LhaL hls sons mlghL ouLshlne mlne ln Lhls Lourney lnsLead
Lhey have boLh shamed hlm buL whaL ls he Lo do? 1hey are blood of hls blood Maekar ls angry and
musL needs have a LargeL for hls wraLh Pe has chosen you
Me? uunk sald mlserably
Aerlon has already fllled hls faLhers ear And uaeron has noL helped you elLher 1o excuse hls own
cowardlce he Lold my broLher LhaL a huge robber knlghL chance meL on Lhe road made off wlLh
Aegon l fear you have been casL as Lhls robber knlghL ser ln uaerons Lale he has spenL all Lhese
days pursulng you hlLher and yon Lo wln back hls broLher
8uL Lgg wlll Lell hlm Lhe LruLh Aegon l mean
Lgg wlll Lell hlm l have no doubL sald rlnce 8aelor buL Lhe boy has been known Lo lle Loo as
you have good reason Lo recall Whlch son wlll my broLher belleve? As for Lhe maLLer of Lhese
puppeLeers by Lhe Llme Aerlon ls done LwlsLlng Lhe Lale lL wlll be hlgh Lreason 1he dragon ls Lhe slgll
of Lhe royal Pouse 1o porLray one belng slaln sawdusL blood spllllng from lLs neck well lL was
doubLless lnnocenL buL lL was far from wlse Aerlon calls lL a velled aLLack on Pouse 1argaryen an
lnclLemenL Lo revolL Maekar wlll llkely agree My broLher has a prlckly naLure and he has placed all
hls besL hopes on Aerlon slnce uaeron has been such a grave dlsappolnLmenL Lo hlm 1he prlnce
Look a slp of wlne Lhen seL Lhe gobleL aslde WhaLever my broLher belleves or falls Lo belleve one
LruLh ls beyond dlspuLe ?ou lald hands upon Lhe blood of Lhe dragon lor LhaL offense you musL be
Lrled and [udged and punlshed
unlshed? uunk dld noL llke Lhe sound of LhaL
Aerlon would llke your head wlLh or wlLhouL LeeLh Pe wlll noL have lL l promlse you buL l cannoL
deny hlm a Lrlal As my royal faLher ls hundreds of leagues away my broLher and l musL slL ln
[udgmenL of you along wlLh Lord Ashford whose domalns Lhese are and Lord 1yrell of Plghgarden
hls llege lord 1he lasL Llme a man was found gullLy of sLrlklng one of royal blood lL was decreed LhaL
he should lose Lhe offendlng hand
My hand? sald uunk aghasL
And your fooL ?ou klcked hlm Loo dld you noL?
uunk could noL speak
1o be sure l wlll urge my fellow [udges Lo be merclful l am Lhe klngs Pand and Lhe helr Lo Lhe
Lhrone my word carrles some welghL 8uL so does my broLhers 1he rlsk ls Lhere
l sald uunk l ?our Crace l 1hey meanL no Lreason lL was only a wooden dragon lL was
never meanL Lo be a royal prlnce he wanLed Lo say buL hls words had deserLed hlm once and all Pe
had never been any good wlLh words
?ou have anoLher cholce Lhough rlnce 8aelor sald quleLly WheLher lL ls a beLLer cholce or a


30
worse one l cannoL say buL l remlnd you LhaL any knlghL accused of a crlme has Lhe rlghL Lo demand
Lrlal by combaL So l ask you once agaln Ser uuncan Lhe 1all how good a knlghL are you? 1ruly?

A Lrlal of seven sald rlnce Aerlon smlllng 1haL ls my rlghL l do belleve
rlnce 8aelor drummed hls flngers on Lhe Lable frownlng 1o hls lefL Lord Ashford nodded slowly
Why? rlnce Maekar demanded leanlng forward Loward hls son Are you afrald Lo face Lhls hedge
knlghL alone and leL Lhe gods declde Lhe LruLh of your accusaLlons?
Afrald? sald Aerlon Cf such as Lhls? uonL be absurd laLher My LhoughL ls for my beloved
broLher uaeron has been wronged by Lhls Ser uuncan as well and has flrsL clalm Lo hls blood A Lrlal
of seven allows boLh of us Lo face hlm
uo me no favors broLher muLLered uaeron 1argaryen 1he eldesL son of rlnce Maekar looked
even worse Lhan he had when uunk had encounLered hlm ln Lhe lnn Pe seemed Lo be sober Lhls
Llme hls redandblack doubleL unsLalned by wlne buL hls eyes were bloodshoL and a flne sheen of
sweaL covered hls brow l am conLenL Lo cheer you on as you slay Lhe rogue
?ou are Loo klnd sweeL broLher sald rlnce Aerlon all smlles buL lL would be selflsh of me Lo
deny you Lhe rlghL Lo prove Lhe LruLh of your words aL Lhe hazard of your body l musL lnslsL upon a
Lrlal of seven
uunk was losL ?our Crace my lords he sald Lo Lhe dals l do noL undersLand WhaL ls Lhls Lrlal of
seven?
rlnce 8aelor shlfLed uncomforLably ln hls seaL lL ls anoLher form of Lrlal by combaL AnclenL
seldom lnvoked lL came across Lhe narrow sea wlLh Lhe Andals and Lhelr seven gods ln any Lrlal by
combaL Lhe accuser and accused are asklng Lhe gods Lo declde Lhe lssue beLween Lhem 1he Andals
belleved LhaL lf Lhe seven champlons foughL on each slde Lhe gods belng Lhus honored would be
more llke Lo Lake a hand and see LhaL a [usL resulL was achleved
Cr mayhap Lhey slmply had a LasLe for swordplay sald Lord Leo 1yrell a cynlcal smlle Louchlng
hls llps 8egardless Ser Aerlon ls wlLhln hls rlghLs A Lrlal of seven lL musL be
l musL flghL seven men Lhen? uunk asked hopelessly
noL alone ser rlnce Maekar sald lmpaLlenLly
uonL play Lhe fool lL wlll noL serve lL musL be seven agalnsL seven ?ou musL needs flnd slx oLher
knlghLs Lo flghL beslde you
Slx knlghLs uunk LhoughL 1hey mlghL as well have Lold hlm Lo flnd slx Lhousand Pe had no
broLhers no couslns no old comrades who had sLood beslde hlm ln baLLle Why would slx sLrangers
rlsk Lhelr own llves Lo defend a hedge knlghL agalnsL Lwo royal prlncellngs? ?our Craces my lords
he sald whaL lf no one wlll Lake my parL?
Maekar 1argaryen looked down on hlm coldly lf a cause ls [usL good men wlll flghL for lL lf you
can flnd no champlons ser lL wlll be because you are gullLy Could anyLhlng be more plaln?

uunk had never felL so alone as he dld when he walked ouL Lhe gaLes of Ashford CasLle and heard
Lhe porLcullls raLLle down behlnd hlm A sofL raln was falllng llghL as dew on hls skln and yeL he
shlvered aL Lhe Louch of lL Across Lhe rlver colored rlngs haloed Lhe scanL few pavlllons where flres
sLlll burned 1he nlghL was half gone he guessed uawn would be on hlm ln a few hours And wlLh
dawn comes deaLh
1hey had glven hlm back hls sword and sllver yeL as he waded across Lhe ford hls LhoughLs were
bleak Pe wondered lf Lhey expecLed hlm Lo saddle a horse and flee Pe could lf be wlshed 1haL
would be Lhe end of hls knlghLhood Lo be sure he would be no more Lhan an ouLlaw henceforLh
unLll Lhe day some lord Look hlm and sLruck off hls head 8eLLer Lo dle a knlghL Lhan llve llke LhaL he
Lold hlmself sLubbornly WeL Lo Lhe knee he Lrudged pasL Lhe empLy llsLs MosL of Lhe pavlllons were
dark Lhelr owners long asleep buL here and Lhere a few candles sLlll burned uunk heard sofL moans
and crles of pleasure comlng from wlLhln one LenL lL made hlm wonder wheLher he would dle


31
wlLhouL ever havlng known a mald
1hen he heard Lhe snorL of a horse a snorL he somehow knew for 1hunders Pe Lurned hls sLeps
and ran and Lhere he was Lled up wlLh ChesLnuL ouLslde a round pavlllon llL from wlLhln by a vague
golden glow Cn lLs cenLer pole Lhe banner hung sodden buL uunk could sLlll make ouL Lhe dark
curve of Lhe lossoway apple lL looked llke hope

A Lrlal by combaL 8aymun sald heavlly Cods be good uuncan LhaL means lances of war
mornlngsLars baLLleaxes Lhe swords wonL be blunLed do you undersLand LhaL?
8aymun Lhe 8elucLanL mocked hls cousln Ser SLeffon An apple made of gold and garneLs
fasLened hls cloak of yellow wool ?ou need noL fear cousln Lhls ls a knlghLly combaL As you are no
knlghL your skln ls noL aL rlsk Ser uuncan you have one lossoway aL leasL 1he rlpe one l saw whaL
Aerlon dld Lo Lhose puppeLeers l am for you
And l snapped 8aymun angrlly l only meanL
Pls cousln cuL hlm off Who else flghLs wlLh us Ser uuncan?
uunk spread hls hands hopelessly l know no one else Well excepL for Ser Manfred uondarrlon
Pe wouldnL even vouch LhaL l was a knlghL hell never rlsk hls llfe for me
Ser SLeffon seemed llLLle perLurbed 1hen we need flve more good men lorLunaLely l have more
Lhan flve frlends Leo LongLhorn Lhe Laughlng SLorm Lord Caron Lhe LannlsLers Ser CLho 8racken
aye and Lhe 8lackwoods as well Lhough you wlll never geL 8lackwood and 8racken on Lhe same slde
of a melee l shall go and speak wlLh some of Lhem
1hey wonL be happy aL belng woken hls cousln ob[ecLed
LxcellenL declared Ser SLeffon lf Lhey are angry Lheyll flghL all Lhe more flercely ?ou may rely
on me Ser uuncan Cousln lf l do noL reLurn before dawn brlng my armor and see LhaL WraLh ls
saddled and barded for me l shall meeL you boLh ln Lhe challengers paddock Pe laughed 1hls wlll
be a day long remembered l Lhlnk When he sLrode from Lhe LenL he looked almosL happy
noL so 8aymun llve knlghLs he sald glumly afLer hls cousln had gone uuncan l am loaLh Lo
dash your hopes buL
lf your cousln can brlng Lhe men be speaks of
Leo LongLhorn? 1he 8ruLe of 8racken? 1he Laughlng SLorm? 8aymun sLood Pe knows all of
Lhem l have no doubL buL l would be less cerLaln LhaL any of Lhem know hlm SLeffon sees Lhls as a
chance for glory buL lL means your llfe ?ou should flnd your own men lll help 8eLLer you have Loo
many champlons Lhan Loo few A nolse ouLslde made 8aymun Lurn hls head Who goes Lhere? he
demanded as a boy ducked Lhrough Lhe flap followed by a Lhln man ln a ralnsodden black cloak
Lgg? uunk goL Lo hls feeL WhaL are you dolng here?
lm your squlre Lhe boy sald ?oull need someone Lo arm you ser
uoes your lord faLher know youve lefL Lhe casLle?
Cods be good l hope noL uaeron 1argaryen undld Lhe clasp of hls cloak and leL lL sllde from hls
Lhln shoulders
?ou? Are you mad comlng here? uunk pulled hls knlfe from hls sheaLh l oughL Lo shove Lhls
Lhrough your belly
robably rlnce uaeron admlLLed 1hough ld sooner you poured me a cup of wlne Look aL my
hands Pe held one ouL and leL Lhem all see how lL shook
uunk sLepped Loward hlm glowerlng l donL care abouL your hands ?ou lled abouL me
l had Lo say someLhlng when my faLher demanded Lo know where my llLLle broLher had goLLen
Lo Lhe prlnce replled Pe seaLed hlmself lgnorlng uunk and hls knlfe lf LruLh be Lold l hadnL even
reallzed Lgg was gone Pe wasnL aL Lhe boLLom of my wlne cup and l hadnL looked anywhere else
so Pe slghed
Ser my faLher ls golng Lo [oln Lhe seven accusers Lgg broke ln l begged hlm noL Lo buL he
wonL llsLen Pe says lL ls Lhe only way Lo redeem Aerlons honor and uaerons


32
noL LhaL l ever asked Lo have my honor redeemed sald rlnce uaeron sourly Whoever has lL
can keep lL so far as lm concerned SLlll here we are lor whaL lLs worLh Ser uuncan you have llLLle
Lo fear from me 1he only Lhlng l llke less Lhan horses are swords Peavy Lhlngs and beasLly sharp lll
do my besL Lo look gallanL ln Lhe flrsL charge buL afLer LhaL well perhaps you could sLrlke me a
nlce blow Lo Lhe slde of Lhe helm Make lL rlng buL noL Loo loud lf you Lake my meanlng My
broLhers have my measure when lL comes Lo flghLlng and danclng and Lhlnklng and readlng books
buL none of Lhem ls half my equal aL lylng lnsenslble ln Lhe mud
uunk could only sLare aL hlm and wonder wheLher Lhe prlncellng was Lrylng Lo play hlm for a fool
Why dld you come?
1o warn you of whaL you face uaeron sald My faLher has commanded Lhe klngsguard Lo flghL
wlLh hlm
1he klngsguard? sald uunk appalled
Well Lhe Lhree who are here 1hank Lhe gods uncle 8aelor lefL Lhe oLher four aL klngs Landlng
wlLh our royal grandfaLher
Lgg supplled Lhe names Ser 8oland Crakehall Ser uonnel of uuskendale and Ser Wlllem Wylde
1hey have small cholce ln Lhe maLLer sald uaeron 1hey are sworn Lo proLecL Lhe llves of Lhe
klng and royal famlly and my broLhers and l are blood of Lhe dragon gods help us
uunk counLed on hls flngers 1haL makes slx Who ls Lhe sevenLh man?
rlnce uaeron shrugged Aerlon wlll flnd someone lf need be he wlll buy a champlon Pe has no
lack of gold
Who do you have? Lgg asked
8aymuns cousln Ser SLeffon
uaeron wlnced Cnly one?
Ser SLeffon has gone Lo some of hls frlends
l can brlng people sald Lgg knlghLs l can
Lgg sald uunk l wlll be flghLlng your own broLhers
?ou wonL hurL uaeron Lhough Lhe boy sald Pe Lold you hed fall down And Aerlon l
remember when l was llLLle he used Lo come lnLo my bedchamber aL nlghL and puL hls knlfe
beLween my legs Pe had Loo many broLhers hed say maybe one nlghL hed make me hls slsLer
Lhen he could marry me Pe Lhrew my caL ln Lhe well Loo Pe says he dldnL buL he always lles
rlnce uaeron gave a weary shrug Lgg has Lhe LruLh of lL Aerlons qulLe Lhe monsLer Pe Lhlnks
hes a dragon ln human form you know 1haLs why he was so wroLh aL LhaL puppeL show A plLy he
wasnL born a lossoway Lhen hed Lhlnk hlmself an apple and wed all be a deal safer buL Lhere you
are 8endlng he scooped up hls fallen cloak and shook Lhe raln from lL l musL sLeal back Lo Lhe
casLle before my faLher wonders why lm Laklng so long Lo sharpen my sword buL before l go l
would llke a prlvaLe word Ser uuncan Wlll you walk wlLh me?
uunk looked aL Lhe prlncellng susplclously a momenL As you wlsh ?our Crace Pe sheaLhed hls
dagger l need Lo geL my shleld Loo
Lgg and l wlll look for knlghLs promlsed 8aymun
rlnce uaeron knoLLed hls cloak around hls neck and pulled up Lhe hood uunk followed hlm back
ouL lnLo Lhe sofL raln 1hey walked Loward Lhe merchanLs wagons
l dreamed of you sald Lhe prlnce
?ou sald LhaL aL Lhe lnn
uld l? Well lLs so My dreams are noL llke yours Ser uuncan Mlne are Lrue 1hey frlghLen me
?ou frlghLen me l dreamed of you and a dead dragon you see A greaL beasL huge wlLh wlngs so
large Lhey could cover Lhls meadow lL had fallen on Lop of you buL you were allve and Lhe dragon
was dead
uld l klll lL?
1haL l could noL say buL you were Lhere and so was Lhe dragon We were Lhe masLers of dragons


33
once we 1argaryens now Lhey are all gone buL we remaln l donL care Lo dle Loday 1he gods alone
know why buL l donL So do me a klndness lf you would and make cerLaln lL ls my broLher Aerlon
you slay
l donL care Lo dle elLher sald uunk
Well l shanL klll you ser lll wlLhdraw my accusaLlon as well buL lL wonL serve unless Aerlon
wlLhdraws hls Pe slghed lL may be LhaL lve kllled you wlLh my lle lf so l am sorry lm doomed Lo
some hell l know Llkely one wlLhouL wlne Pe shuddered and on LhaL Lhey parLed Lhere ln Lhe cool
sofL raln

1he merchanLs had drawn up Lhelr wagons on Lhe wesLern verge of Lhe meadow beneaLh a sLand
of blrch and ash uunk sLood under Lhe Lrees and looked helplessly aL Lhe empLy place where Lhe
puppeLeers wagon had been Cone Pe had feared Lhey mlghL be l would flee as well lf l were noL
Lhlck as a casLle wall Pe wondered whaL he would do for a shleld now Pe had Lhe sllver Lo buy one
he supposed lf he could flnd one for sale
Ser uuncan a volce called ouL of Lhe dark uunk Lurned Lo flnd SLeely aLe sLandlng behlnd hlm
holdlng an lron lanLern under a shorL leaLher cloak Lhe armorer was bare from Lhe walsL up hls
broad chesL and Lhlck arms covered wlLh coarse black halr lf you are come for your shleld she lefL lL
wlLh me Pe looked uunk up and down 1wo hands and Lwo feeL l counL So lLs Lo be Lrlal by
combaL ls lL?
A Lrlal of seven Pow dld you know?
Well Lhey mlghL have klssed you and made you a lord buL lL dldnL seem llkely and lf lL wenL
LoLher way youd be shorL some parLs now follow me
Pls wagon was easy Lo dlsLlngulsh by Lhe sword and anvll palnLed on lLs slde uunk followed aLe
lnslde 1he armorer hung Lhe lanLern on a hook shrugged ouL of hls weL cloak and pulled a
roughspun Lunlc down over hls head A hlnged board dropped down from one wall Lo make a Lable
SlL he sald shovlng a low sLool Loward hlm
uunk saL Where dld she go?
1hey make for uorne 1he glrls uncle Lheres a wlse man Well gone ls well forgoL SLay and be
seen and bellke Lhe dragon remembers 8esldes he dld noL Lhlnk she oughL see you dle aLe wenL
Lo Lhe far end of Lhe wagon rummaged abouL ln Lhe shadows a momenL and reLurned wlLh Lhe
shleld ?our rlm was old cheap sLeel brlLLle and rusLed he sald lve made you a new one Lwlce as
Lhlck and puL some bands across Lhe back lL wlll be heavler now buL sLronger Loo 1he glrl dld Lhe
palnL
She had made a beLLer [ob of lL Lhan he could ever have hoped for Lven by lanLern llghL Lhe sunseL
colors were rlch and brlghL Lhe Lree Lall and sLrong and noble 1he falllng sLar was a brlghL slash of
palnL across Lhe oaken sky ?eL now LhaL uunk held lL ln hls hands lL seemed all wrong 1he sLar was
falllng whaL sorL of slgll was LhaL? Would he fall [usL as fasL? And sunseL heralds nlghL l should have
sLayed wlLh Lhe challce he sald mlserably lL had wlngs aL leasL Lo fly away and Ser Arlan sald Lhe
cup was full of falLh and fellowshlp and good Lhlngs Lo drlnk 1hls shleld ls all palnLed up llke deaLh
1he elms allve aLe polnLed ouL See how green Lhe leaves are? Summer leaves for cerLaln
And lve seen shlelds blazoned wlLh skulls and wolves and ravens even hanged men and bloody
heads 1hey served well enough and so wlll Lhls ?ou know Lhe old shleld rhyme? Cak and lron
guard me well
Cr else lm dead and doomed Lo hell uunk flnlshed Pe had noL LhoughL of LhaL rhyme ln years
1he old man had LaughL lL Lo hlm a long Llme ago Pow much do you wanL for Lhe new rlm and all?
he asked aLe
lrom you? aLe scraLched hls beard A copper

1he raln had all buL sLopped as Lhe flrsL wan llghL suffused Lhe easLern sky buL lL had done lLs work


34
Lord Ashfords men had removed Lhe barrlers and Lhe Lourney fleld was one greaL morass of grey
brown mud and Lorn grass 1endrlls of fog were wrlLhlng along Lhe ground llke pale whlLe snakes as
uunk made hls way back Loward Lhe llsLs SLeely aLe walked wlLh hlm
1he vlewlng sLand had already begun Lo flll Lhe lords and ladles cluLchlng Lhelr cloaks LlghL abouL
Lhem agalnsL Lhe mornlng chlll Smallfolk were drlfLlng Loward Lhe fleld as well and hundreds of
Lhem already sLood along Lhe fence So many come Lo see me dle LhoughL uunk blLLerly buL he
wronged Lhem A few sLeps farLher on a woman called ouL Cood forLune Lo you An old man
sLepped up Lo Lake hls hand and sald May Lhe gods glve you sLrengLh ser 1hen a begglng broLher
ln a LaLLered brown robe sald a blesslng on hls sword and a mald klssed hls cheek 1hey are for me
Why? he asked aLe WhaL am l Lo Lhem?
A knlghL who remembered hls vows Lhe smlLh sald
1hey found 8aymun ouLslde Lhe challengers paddock aL Lhe souLh end of Lhe llsLs walLlng wlLh hls
couslns horse and uunks 1hunder Lossed resLlessly beneaLh Lhe welghL of chlneL chamfron and
blankeL of heavy mall aLe lnspecLed Lhe armor and pronounced lL good work even Lhough
someone else had forged lL Wherever Lhe armor had come from uunk was graLeful
1hen he saw Lhe oLhers Lhe oneeyed man wlLh Lhe salLandpepper beard Lhe young knlghL ln Lhe
sLrlped yellowandblack surcoaL wlLh Lhe beehlves on Lhe shleld 8obyn 8hysllng and Pumfrey
8eesbury he LhoughL ln asLonlshmenL And Ser Pumfrey Pardyng as well Pardyng was mounLed on
Aerlons red charger now barded ln hls redandwhlLe dlamonds
Pe wenL Lo Lhem Sers l am ln your debL
1he debL ls Aerlons Ser Pumfrey Pardyng replled and we mean Lo collecL lL
l had heard your leg was broken
?ou heard Lhe LruLh Pardyng sald l cannoL walk 8uL so long as l can slL a horse l can flghL
8aymun Look uunk aslde l hoped Pardyng would wanL anoLher chance aL Aerlon and he dld As lL
happens Lhe oLher Pumfrey ls hls broLher by marrlage Lgg ls responslble for Ser 8obyn whom he
knew from oLher Lourneys So you are flve
Slx sald uunk ln wonder polnLlng A knlghL was enLerlng Lhe paddock hls squlre leadlng hls
charger behlnd hlm 1he Laughlng SLorm A head Laller Lhan Ser 8aymun and almosL of a helghL
wlLh uunk Ser Lyonel wore a cloLhofgold surcoaL bearlng Lhe crowned sLag of Pouse 8araLheon
and carrled hls anLlered helm under hls arm uunk reached for hls hand Ser Lyonel l cannoL Lhank
you enough for comlng nor Ser SLeffon for brlnglng you
Ser SLeffon? Ser Lyonel gave hlm a puzzled look lL was your squlre who came Lo me 1he boy
Aegon My own lad Lrled Lo chase hlm off buL he sllpped beLween hls legs and Lurned a flagon of
wlne over my head Pe laughed 1here has noL been a Lrlal of seven for more Lhan a hundred years
do you know LhaL? l was noL abouL Lo mlss a chance Lo flghL Lhe klngsguard knlghLs and Lweak rlnce
Maekars nose ln Lhe bargaln
Slx uunk sald hopefully Lo 8aymun lossoway as Ser Lyonel [olned Lhe oLhers ?our cousln wlll
brlng Lhe lasL surely
A roar wenL up from Lhe crowd AL Lhe norLh end of Lhe meadow a column of knlghLs came
LroLLlng ouL of Lhe rlver mlsL 1he Lhree klngsguard came flrsL llke ghosLs ln Lhelr gleamlng whlLe
enamel armor long whlLe cloaks Lralllng behlnd Lhem Lven Lhelr shlelds were whlLe blank and clean
as a fleld of newfallen snow 8ehlnd rode rlnce Maekar and hls sons Aerlon was mounLed on a
dapple grey orange and red fllckerlng Lhrough Lhe slashes ln Lhe horses caparlson aL each sLrlde Pls
broLhers desLrler was a smaller bay armored ln overlapplng black and gold scales A green sllk plume
Lralled from uaerons helm lL was Lhelr faLher who made Lhe mosL fearsome appearance however
8lack curved dragon LeeLh ran across hls shoulders along Lhe cresL of hls helm and down hls back
and Lhe huge splked mace sLrapped Lo hls saddle was as deadlylooklng a weapon as any uunk had
ever seen
Slx 8aymun exclalmed suddenly 1hey are only slx


35
lL was Lrue uunk saw 1hree black knlghLs and Lhree whlLe 1hey are a man shorL as well Was lL
posslble LhaL Aerlon had noL been able Lo flnd a sevenLh man? WhaL would LhaL mean? Would Lhey
flghL slx agalnsL slx lf nelLher found a sevenLh?
Lgg sllpped up beslde hlm as he was Lrylng Lo puzzle lL ouL Ser lLs Llme you donned your armor
1hank you squlre lf you would be so good? SLeely aLe lenL Lhe lad a hand Pauberk and gorgeL
greaves and gaunLleL colf and codplece Lhey Lurned hlm lnLo sLeel checklng each buckle and each
clasp Lhrlce Ser Lyonel saL sharpenlng hls sword on a wheLsLone whlle Lhe Pumfreys Lalked quleLly
Ser 8obyn prayed and 8aymun lossoway paced back and forLh wonderlng where hls cousln had goL
Lo
uunk was fully armored by Lhe Llme Ser SLeffon flnally appeared 8aymun he called my mall lf
you please Pe had changed lnLo a padded doubleL Lo wear beneaLh hls sLeel
Ser SLeffon sald uunk whaL of your frlends? We need anoLher knlghL Lo make our seven
?ou need Lwo l fear Ser SLeffon sald 8aymun laced up Lhe back of Lhe hauberk
Mlord? uunk dld noL undersLand 1wo?
Ser SLeffon plcked up a gaunLleL of flne lobsLered sLeel and slld hls lefL hand lnLo lL flexlng hls
flngers l see flve here be sald whlle 8aymun fasLened hls sword belL 8eesbury 8hysllng
Pardyng 8araLheon and yourself
And you sald uunk ?oure Lhe slxLh
l am Lhe sevenLh sald Ser SLeffon smlllng buL for Lhe oLher slde l flghL wlLh rlnce Aerlon and
Lhe accusers
8aymun had been abouL Lo hand hls cousln hls helm Pe sLopped as lf sLruck no
?es Ser SLeffon shrugged Ser uuncan undersLands l am sure l have a duLy Lo my prlnce
?ou Lold hlm Lo rely on you 8aymun had gone pale
uld l? Pe Look Lhe helm from hls couslns hands no doubL l was slncere aL Lhe Llme 8rlng me
my horse
CeL hlm yourself sald8aymun angrlly lf you Lhlnk l wlsh any parL of Lhls youre as Lhlck as you
are vlle
vlle? Ser SLeffon Lsked Cuard your Longue 8aymun Were boLh apples from Lhe same Lree And
you are my squlre Cr have you forgoLLen your vows?
no Pave you forgoLLen yours? ?ou swore Lo be a knlghL
l shall be more Lhan a knlghL before Lhls day ls done Lord lossoway l llke Lhe sound of LhaL
Smlllng he pulled on hls oLher gaunLleL Lurned away and crossed Lhe paddock Lo hls horse 1hough
Lhe oLher defenders sLared aL hlm wlLh conLempLuous eyes no one made a move Lo sLop hlm
uunk waLched Ser SLeffon lead hls desLrler back across Lhe fleld Pls hands colled lnLo flsLs buL hls
LhroaL felL Loo raw for speech no word would move Lhe llkes of hlm anyway
knlghL me 8aymun puL a hand on uunks shoulder and Lurned hlm l wlll Lake my couslns place
Ser uuncan knlghL me Pe wenL Lo one knee
lrownlng uunk moved a hand Lo Lhe hllL of hls longsword Lhen heslLaLed 8aymun l l should
noL
?ou musL WlLhouL me you are only flve
1he lad has Lhe LruLh of lL sald Ser Lyonel 8araLheon uo lL Ser uuncan Any knlghL can make a
knlghL
uo you doubL my courage? 8aymun asked
no sald uunk noL LhaL buL SLlll he heslLaLed
A fanfare of LrumpeLs cuL Lhe mlsLy mornlng alr Lgg came runnlng up Lo Lhem Ser Lord Ashford
summons you
1he Laughlng SLorm gave an lmpaLlenL shake of Lhe head Co Lo hlm Ser uuncan lll glve squlre
8aymun hls knlghLhood Pe slld hls sword ouL of hls sheaLh and shouldered uunk aslde 8aymun of
Pouse lossoway he began solemnly Louchlng Lhe blade Lo Lhe squlres rlghL shoulder ln Lhe name


36
of Lhe Warrlor l charge you Lo be brave 1he sword moved from hls rlghL shoulder Lo hls lefL ln Lhe
name of Lhe laLher l charge you Lo be [usL 8ack Lo Lhe rlghL ln Lhe name of Lhe MoLher l charge
you Lo defend Lhe young and lnnocenL 1he lefL ln Lhe name of Lhe Mald l charge you Lo proLecL all
women
uunk lefL Lhem Lhere feellng as relleved as he was gullLy We are sLlll one shorL he LhoughL as Lgg
held 1hunder for hlm Where wlll l flnd anoLher man? Pe Lurned Lhe horse and rode slowly Loward
Lhe vlewlng sLand where Lord Ashford sLood walLlng lrom Lhe norLh end of Lhe llsLs rlnce Aerlon
advanced Lo meeL hlm Ser uuncan he sald cheerfully lL would seem you have only flve
champlons
Slx sald uunk Ser Lyonel ls knlghLlng 8aymun lossoway We wlll flghL you slx agalnsL seven
Men had won aL far worse odds he knew 8uL Lord Ashford shook hls head 1haL ls noL permlLLed
ser lf you cannoL flnd anoLher knlghL Lo Lake your slde you musL be declared gullLy of Lhe crlmes of
whlch you sLand accused
CullLy LhoughL uunk CullLy of loosenlng a LooLh and for LhaL l musL dle Mlord l beg a momenL
?ou have lL
uunk rode slowly along Lhe fence 1he vlewlng sLand was crowded wlLh knlghLs Mlords he
called Lo Lhem do none of you remember Ser Arlan of ennyLree? l was hls squlre We served many
of you ALe aL your Lables and slepL ln your halls Pe saw Manfred uondarrlon seaLed ln Lhe hlghesL
Ller Ser Arlan Look a wound ln your lord faLhers servlce 1he knlghL sald someLhlng Lo Lhe lady
beslde hlm paylng no heed uunk was forced Lo move on Lord LannlsLer Ser Arlan unhorsed you
once ln Lourney 1he Crey Llon examlned hls gloved hands sLudledly refuslng Lo ralse hls eyes Pe
was a good man and he LaughL me how Lo be a knlghL noL only sword and lance buL honor A
knlghL defends Lhe lnnocenL he sald 1haLs all l dld l need one more knlghL Lo flghL beslde me Cne
LhaLs all Lord Caron? Lord Swann? Lord Swann laughed sofLly as Lord Caron whlspered ln hls ear
uunk relned up before Ser CLho 8racken lowerlng hls volce Ser CLho all know you for a greaL
champlon !oln us l beg you ln Lhe names of Lhe old gods and Lhe new My cause ls [usL
1haL may be sald Lhe 8ruLe of 8racken who had aL leasL Lhe grace Lo reply buL lL ls your cause
noL mlne l know you noL boy
PearLslck uunk wheeled 1hunder and raced back and forLh before Lhe Llers of pale cold men
uespalr made hlm shouL A8L 1PL8L nC 18uL knlCP1S AMCnC ?Cu?
Cnly sllence answered
Across Lhe fleld rlnce Aerlon laughed 1he dragon ls noL mocked he called ouL
1hen came a volce l wlll Lake Ser uuncans slde
A black sLalllon emerged from ouL of Lhe rlver mlsLs a black knlghL on hls back uunk saw Lhe
dragon shleld and Lhe red enamel cresL upon hls helm wlLh lLs Lhree roarlng heads 1he ?oung
rlnce Cods be good lL ls Lruly hlm?
Lord Ashford made Lhe same mlsLake rlnce valarr?
no 1he black knlghL llfLed Lhe vlsor of hls helm l dld noL Lhlnk Lo enLer Lhe llsLs aL Ashford my
lord so l broughL no armor My son was good enough Lo lend me hls rlnce 8aelor smlled almosL
sadly
1he accusers were Lhrown lnLo confuslon uunk could see rlnce Maekar spurred hls mounL
forward 8roLher have you Laken leave of your senses? Pe polnLed a malled flnger aL uunk 1hls
man aLLacked my son
1hls man proLecLed Lhe weak as every Lrue knlghL musL replled rlnce 8aelor LeL Lhe gods
deLermlne lf he was rlghL or wrong Pe gave a Lug on hls relns Lurned valarrs huge black desLrler
and LroLLed Lo Lhe souLh end of Lhe fleld
uunk broughL 1hunder up beslde hlm and Lhe oLher defenders gaLhered round Lhem 8obyn
8hysllng and Ser Lyonel Lhe Pumfreys Cood men all buL are Lhey good enough? Where ls
8aymun?


37
Ser 8aymun lf you please Pe canLered up a grlm smlle llghLlng hls face beneaLh hls plumed
helm My pardons ser l needed Lo make a small change Lo my slgll lesL l be mlsLaken for my
dlshonorable cousln Pe showed Lhem all hls shleld 1he pollshed golden fleld remalned Lhe same
and Lhe lossoway apple buL Lhls apple was green lnsLead of red l fear l am sLlll noL rlpe buL
beLLer green Lhan wormy eh?
Ser Lyonel laughed and uunk grlnned desplLe hlmself Lven rlnce 8aelor seemed Lo approve
Lord Ashfords sepLon had come Lo Lhe fronL of Lhe vlewlng sLand and ralsed hls crysLal Lo call Lhe
Lhrong Lo prayer
ALLend me all of you 8aelor sald quleLly 1he accusers wlll be armed wlLh heavy war lances for
Lhe flrsL charge Lances of ash elghL feeL long banded agalnsL spllLLlng and Llpped wlLh a sLeel polnL
sharp enough Lo drlve Lhrough plaLe wlLh Lhe welghL of a warhorse behlnd lL
We shall use Lhe same sald Ser Pumfrey 8eesbury 8ehlnd hlm Lhe sepLon was calllng on Lhe
Seven Lo look down and [udge Lhls dlspuLe and granL vlcLory Lo Lhe men whose cause was [usL
no 8aelor sald We wlll arm ourselves wlLh Lourney lances lnsLead
1ourney lances are made Lo break ob[ecLed 8aymun
1hey are also made Lwelve feeL long lf our polnLs sLrlke home Lhelrs cannoL Louch us Alm for
helm or chesL ln a Lourney lL ls a gallanL Lhlng Lo break your lance agalnsL a foes shleld buL here lL
may well mean deaLh lf we can unhorse Lhem and keep our own saddles Lhe advanLage ls ours Pe
glanced Lo uunk lf Ser uuncan ls kllled lL ls consldered LhaL Lhe gods have [udged hlm gullLy and
Lhe conLesL ls over lf boLh of hls accusers are slaln or wlLhdraw Lhelr accusaLlons Lhe same ls Lrue
Llsewlse all seven of one slde or Lhe oLher musL perlsh or yleld for Lhe Lrlal Lo end
rlnce uaeron wlll noL flghL uunk sald
noL well anyway laughed Ser Lyonel AgalnsL LhaL we have Lhree of Lhe WhlLe Swords Lo
conLend wlLh
8aelor Look LhaL calmly My broLher erred when he demanded LhaL Lhe klngsguard flghL for hls
son 1helr oaLh forblds Lhem Lo harm a prlnce of Lhe blood lorLunaLely l am such Pe gave Lhem a
falnL smlle keep Lhe oLhers off me long enough and l shall deal wlLh Lhe klngsguard
My prlnce ls LhaL chlvalrous? asked Ser Lyonel 8araLheon as Lhe sepLon was flnlshlng hls
lnvocaLlon
1he gods wlll leL us know sald 8aelor 8reakspear

A deep expecLanL sllence had fallen across Ashford Meadow
LlghLy yards away Aerlons grey sLalllon LrumpeLed wlLh lmpaLlence and pawed Lhe muddy ground
1hunder was very sLlll by comparlson he was an older horse veLeran of half a hundred flghLs and he
knew whaL was expecLed of hlm Lgg handed uunk up hls shleld May Lhe gods be wlLh you ser
Lhe boy sald
1he slghL of hls elm Lree and shooLlng sLar gave hlm hearL uunk slld hls lefL arm Lhrough Lhe sLrap
and LlghLened hls flngers around Lhe grlp Cak and lron guard me well or else lm dead and doomed
Lo hell SLeely aLe broughL hls lance Lo hlm buL Lgg lnslsLed LhaL lL musL be he who puL lL lnLo
uunks hand
1o elLher slde hls companlons Look up Lhelr own lances and spread ouL ln a long llne rlnce 8aelor
was Lo hls rlghL and Ser Lyonel Lo hls lefL buL Lhe narrow eye sllL of Lhe greaLhelm llmlLed uunks
vlslon Lo whaL was dlrecLly ahead of hlm 1he vlewlng sLand was gone and llkewlse Lhe smallfolk
crowdlng Lhe fence Lhere was only Lhe muddy fleld Lhe pale blowlng mlsL Lhe rlver Lown and
casLle Lo Lhe norLh and Lhe prlncellng on hls grey charger wlLh flames on hls helm and a dragon on
hls shleld uunk waLched Aerlons squlre hand hlm a war lance elghL feeL long and black as nlghL Pe
wlll puL LhaL Lhrough my hearL lf he can
A horn sounded
lor a hearLbeaL uunk saL as sLlll as a fly ln amber Lhough all Lhe horses were movlng A sLab of


38
panlc wenL Lhrough hlm l have forgoLLen he LhoughL wlldly l have forgoLLen all l wlll shame myself l
wlll lose everyLhlng
1hunder saved hlm 1he blg brown sLalllon knew whaL Lo do even lf hls rlder dld noL Pe broke lnLo
a slow LroL uunks Lralnlng Look over Lhen Pe gave Lhe warhorse a llghL Louch of spur and couched
hls lance AL Lhe same Llme he swung hls shleld unLll lL covered mosL of Lhe lefL slde of hls body Pe
held lL aL an angle Lo deflecL blows away from hlm Cak and lron guard me well or else lm dead and
doomed Lo hell
1he nolse of Lhe crowd was no more Lhan Lhe crash of dlsLanL waves 1hunder slld lnLo a gallop
uunks LeeLh [arred LogeLher wlLh Lhe vlolence of Lhe pace Pe pressed hls heels down LlghLenlng hls
legs wlLh all hls sLrengLh and leLLlng hls body become parL of Lhe moLlon of Lhe horse beneaLh l am
1hunder and 1hunder ls me we are one beasL we are [olned we are one 1he alr lnslde hls helm was
a1ready so hoL he could scarce breaLhe
ln a Lourney [ousL hls foe would be Lo hls lefL across Lhe LllLlng barrler and he would need Lo swlng
hls lance across 1hunders neck 1he angle made lL more llkely LhaL Lhe wood would spllL on lmpacL
8uL Lhls was a deadller game Lhey played Loday WlLh no barrlers dlvldlng Lhem Lhe desLrlers
charged sLralghL aL one anoLher rlnce 8aelors huge black was much fasLer Lhan 1hunder and uunk
gllmpsed hlm poundlng ahead Lhrough Lhe corner of hls eye sllL Pe sensed more Lhan saw Lhe
oLhers 1hey do noL maLLer only Aerlon maLLers only hlm
Pe waLched Lhe dragon come SpaLLers of mud sprayed back from Lhe hooves of rlnce Aerlons
grey and uunk could see Lhe horses nosLrlls flarlng 1he black lance sLlll angled upward A knlghL
who holds hls lance hlgh and brlngs lL on llne aL Lhe lasL momenL always rlsks lowerlng lL Loo far Lhe
old man had Lold hlm Pe broughL hls own polnL Lo bear on Lhe cenLer of Lhe prlncellngs chesL My
lance ls parL of my arm he Lold hlmself lLs my flnger a wooden flnger All l need do ls Louch hlm
wlLh my long wooden flnger
Pe Lrled noL Lo see Lhe sharp lron polnL aL Lhe end of Aerlons black lance growlng larger wlLh
every sLrlde 1he dragon look aL Lhe dragon he LhoughL 1he greaL Lhreeheaded beasL covered Lhe
prlnces shleld red wlngs and gold flre no look only where you mean Lo sLrlke he remembered
suddenly buL hls lance had already begun Lo sllde off llne uunk Lrled Lo correcL buL lL was Loo laLe
Pe saw hls polnL sLrlke Aerlons shleld Laklng Lhe dragon beLween Lwo of lLs heads gouglng lnLo a
gouL of palnLed flame AL Lhe muffled crack he felL 1hunder recoll under hlm Lrembllng wlLh Lhe
force of Lhe lmpacL and half a hearLbeaL laLer someLhlng smashed lnLo hls slde wlLh awful force 1he
horses slammed LogeLher vlolenLly armor crashlng and clanglng as 1hunder sLumbled and uunks
lance fell from hls hand 1hen he was pasL hls foe cluLchlng aL hls saddle ln a desperaLe efforL Lo
keep hls seaL 1hunder lurched sldeways ln Lhe sloppy mud and uunk felL hls rear legs sllp ouL from
under 1hey were slldlng splnnlng and Lhen Lhe sLalllons hlndquarLers slapped down hard up!
uunk roared lashlng ouL wlLh hls spurs up 1hunder! And somehow Lhe old warhorse found hls
feeL agaln
Pe could feel a sharp paln under hls rlb and hls lefL arm was belng pulled down Aerlon had drlven
hls lance Lhrough oak wool and sLeel Lhree feeL of spllnLered ash and sharp lron sLuck from hls slde
uunk reached over wlLh hls rlghL hand grasped Lhe lance [usL below Lhe head clenched hls LeeLh
and pulled lL ouL of hlm wlLh one savage yank 8lood followed seeplng Lhrough Lhe rlngs of hls mall
Lo redden hls surcoaL 1he world swam and he almosL fell ulmly Lhrough Lhe paln he could hear
volces calllng hls name Pls beauLlful shleld was useless now Pe Lossed lL aslde elm Lree shooLlng
sLar broken lance and all and drew hls sword buL he hurL so much he dld noL Lhlnk he could swlng
lL
1urnlng 1hunder ln a LlghL clrcle he Lrled Lo geL a sense of whaL was happenlng elsewhere on Lhe
fleld Ser Pumfrey Pardyng clung Lo Lhe neck of hls mounL obvlously wounded 1he oLher Ser
Pumfrey lay moLlonless ln a lake of bloodsLalned mud a broken lance proLrudlng from hls groln Pe
saw rlnce 8aelor gallop pasL lance sLlll lnLacL and drlve one of Lhe klngsguard from hls saddle


39
AnoLher of Lhe whlLe knlghLs was already down and Maekar had been unhorsed as well 1he Lhlrd of
Lhe klngsguard was fendlng off Ser 8obyn 8hysllng
Aerlon where ls Aerlon? 1he sound of drummlng hooves behlnd hlm made uunk Lurn hls head
sharply 1hunder bugled and reared hooves lashlng ouL fuLllely as Aerlons grey sLalllon barreled lnLo
hlm aL full gallop
1hls Llme Lhere was no hope of recovery Pls longsword wenL splnnlng from hls grasp and Lhe
ground rose up Lo meeL hlm Pe landed wlLh a brulslng lmpacL LhaL [arred hlm Lo Lhe bone aln
sLabbed Lhrough hlm so sharp he sobbed lor a momenL lL was all he could do Lo lle Lhere 1he LasLe
of blood fllled hls mouLh uunk Lhe lunk LhoughL he could be a knlghL Pe knew he had Lo flnd hls
feeL agaln or dle Croanlng he forced hlmself Lo hands and knees Pe could noL breaLhe nor could
he see 1he eye sllL of hls helm was packed wlLh mud Lurchlng bllndly Lo hls feeL uunk scraped aL
Lhe mud wlLh a malled flnger 1here LhaLs
1hrough hls flngers he gllmpsed a dragon flylng and a splked mornlngsLar whlrllng on Lhe end of a
chaln 1hen hls head seemed Lo bursL Lo pleces
When hls eyes opened he was on Lhe ground agaln sprawled on hls back 1he mud had all been
knocked from hls helm buL now one eye was closed by blood Above was noLhlng buL dark grey sky
Pls face Lhrobbed and he could feel cold weL meLal presslng ln agalnsL cheek and Lemple Pe broke
my head and lm dylng WhaL was worse was Lhe oLhers who would dle wlLh hlm 8aymun and
rlnce 8aelor and Lhe resL lve falled Lhem l am no champlon lm noL even a hedge knlghL l am
noLhlng Pe remembered rlnce uaeron boasLlng LhaL no one could lle lnsenslble ln Lhe mud as well
as he dld Pe never saw uunk Lhe lunk Lhough dld he? 1he shame was worse Lhan Lhe paln
1he dragon appeared above hlm
1hree heads lL had and wlngs brlghL as flame red and yellow and orange lL was laughlng Are you
dead yeL hedge knlghL? lL asked Cry for quarLer and admlL your gullL and perhaps lll only clalm a
hand and a fooL Ch and Lhose LeeLh buL whaL are a few LeeLh? A man llke you can llve years on
pease porrldge 1he dragon laughed agaln no? LaL Lhls Lhen 1he splked ball whlrled round and
round Lhe sky and fell Loward hls head as fasL as a shooLlng sLar
uunk rolled
Where he found Lhe sLrengLh he dld noL know buL he found lL Pe rolled lnLo Aerlons legs Lhrew a
sLeelclad arm around hls Lhlgh dragged hlm curslng lnLo Lhe mud and rolled on Lop of hlm LeL hlm
swlng hls bloody mornlngsLar now 1he prlnce Lrled forclng Lhe llp of hls shleld up aL uunks head buL
hls baLLered helm Look Lhe brunL of Lhe lmpacL Aerlon was sLrong buL uunk was sLronger and larger
and heavler as well Pe grabbed hold of Lhe shleld wlLh boLh hands and LwlsLed unLll Lhe sLraps
broke 1hen he broughL lL down on Lhe Lop of Lhe prlncellngs helm agaln and agaln and agaln
smashlng Lhe enameled flames of hls cresL 1he shleld was Lhlcker Lhan uunks had been solld oak
banded wlLh lron A flame broke off 1hen anoLher 1he prlnce ran ouL of flames long before uunk
ran ouL of blows
Aerlon flnally leL go Lhe handle of hls useless mornlngsLar and clawed for Lhe ponlard aL hls hlp Pe
goL lL free of lLs sheaLh buL when uunk whanged hls hand wlLh Lhe shleld Lhe knlfe salled off lnLo Lhe
mud
Pe could vanqulsh Ser uuncan Lhe 1all buL noL uunk of llea 8oLLom 1he old man had LaughL hlm
[ousLlng and swordplay buL Lhls sorL of flghLlng he had learned earller ln shadowy wynds and
crooked alleys behlnd Lhe clLys wlneslnks uunk flung Lhe baLLered shleld away and wrenched up Lhe
vlsor of Aerlons helm
A vlsor ls a weak polnL he remembered SLeely aLe saylng 1he prlnce had all buL ceased Lo
sLruggle Pls eyes were purple and full of Lerror uunk had a sudden urge Lo grab one and pop lL llke a
grape beLween Lwo sLeel flngers buL LhaL would noL be knlghLly ?lLLu! he shouLed
l yleld Lhe dragon whlspered pale llps barely movlng uunk bllnked down aL hlm lor a momenL
he could noL credlL whaL hls ears had heard ls lL done Lhen? Pe Lurned hls head slowly from slde Lo


40
slde Lrylng Lo see Pls vlslon sllL was parLly closed by Lhe blow LhaL had smashed ln Lhe lefL slde of hls
face Pe gllmpsed rlnce Maekar mace ln hand Lrylng Lo flghL hls way Lo hls sons slde 8aelor
8reakspear was holdlng hlm off
uunk lurched Lo hls feeL and pulled rlnce Aerlon up afLer hlm lumbllng aL Lhe laclngs of hls helm
he Lore lL off and flung lL away AL once he was drowned ln slghLs and sounds grunLs and curses Lhe
shouLs of Lhe crowd one sLalllon screamlng whlle anoLher raced rlderless across Lhe fleld
Lverywhere sLeel rang on sLeel 8aymun and hls cousln were slashlng aL each oLher ln fronL of Lhe
vlewlng sLand boLh afooL 1helr shlelds were spllnLered rulns Lhe green apple and Lhe red boLh
hacked Lo Llnder Cne of Lhe klngsguard knlghLs was carrylng a wounded broLher from Lhe fleld 1hey
boLh looked allke ln Lhelr whlLe armor and whlLe cloaks 1he Lhlrd of Lhe whlLe knlghLs was down
and Lhe Laughlng SLorm had [olned rlnce 8aelor agalnsL rlnce Maekar Mace baLLleaxe and
longsword clashed and clanged rlnglng agalnsL helm and shleld Maekar was Laklng Lhree blows for
every one he landed and uunk could see LhaL lL would be over soon l musL make an end Lo lL before
more of us are kllled
rlnce Aerlon made a sudden dlve for hls mornlngsLar uunk klcked hlm ln Lhe back and knocked
hlm facedown Lhen grabbed hold of one of hls legs and dragged hlm across Lhe fleld 8y Lhe Llme he
reached Lhe vlewlng sLand where Lord Ashford saL Lhe 8rlghL rlnce was brown as a prlvy uunk
hauled hlm onLo hls feeL and raLLled hlm shaklng some of Lhe mud onLo Lord Ashford and Lhe falr
mald 1ell hlm!
Aerlon 8rlghLflalne splL ouL a mouLhful of grass and dlrL l wlLhdraw my accusaLlon

AfLerward uunk could noL have sald wheLher he walked from Lhe fleld under hls own power or had
requlred help Pe hurL everywhere and some places worse Lhan oLhers l am a knlghL now ln LruLh?
he remembered wonderlng Am l a champlon?
Lgg helped hlm remove hls greaves and gorgeL and 8aymun as well and even SLeely aLe Pe was
Loo dazed Lo Lell Lhem aparL 1hey were flngers and Lhumbs and volces aLe was Lhe one
complalnlng uunk knew Look whaL hes done Lo me armor he sald All dlnLed and banged and
scraLched Aye l ask you why do l boLher? lll have Lo cuL LhaL mall off hlm l fear
8aymun uunk sald urgenLly cluLchlng aL hls frlends hands 1he oLhers Pow dld Lhey fare? Pe
had Lo know Pas anyone dled?
8eesbury 8aymun sald Slaln by uonnel of uuskendale ln Lhe flrsL charge Ser Pumfrey ls gravely
wounded as well 1he resL of us are brulsed and bloody no more Save for you
And Lhem? 1he accusers?
Ser Wlllem Wylde of Lhe klngsguard was carrled from Lhe fleld lnsensaLe and l Lhlnk l cracked a
few of my couslns rlbs AL leasL l hope so
And rlnce uaeron? uunk blurLed uld he survlve?
Cnce Ser 8obyn unhorsed hlm he lay where he fell Pe may have a broken fooL Pls own horse
Lrod on hlm whlle runnlng loose abouL Lhe fleld
uazed and confused as he was uunk felL a huge sense of rellef Pls dream was wrong Lhen 1he
dead dragon unless Aerlon dled Pe dldnL Lhough dld he?
no sald Lgg ?ou spared hlm uonL you remember?
l suppose Already hls memorles of Lhe flghL were becomlng confused and vague Cne momenL l
feel drunk 1he nexL lL hurLs so bad l know lm dylng
1hey made hlm lle down on hls back and Lalked over hlm as he gazed up lnLo Lhe rolllng grey sky lL
seemed Lo uunk LhaL lL was sLlll mornlng Pe wondered how long Lhe flghL had Laken
Cods be good Lhe lance polnL drove Lhe rlngs deep lnLo hls flesh he heard 8aymun saylng lL
wlll morLlfy unless
CeL hlm drunk and pour some bolllng oll lnLo lL someone suggesLed 1haLs how Lhe maesLers
do lL


41
Wlne 1he volce had a hollow meLalllc rlng Lo lL noL oll LhaL wlll klll hlm bolllng wlne lll send
MaesLer ?ormwell Lo have a look aL hlm when hes done Lendlng my broLher
A Lall knlghL sLood above hlm ln black armor dlnLed and scarred by many blows rlnce 8aelor 1he
scarleL dragon on hls helm had losL a head boLh wlngs and mosL of lLs Lall ?our Crace uunk sald
l am your man lease ?our man
My man 1he black knlghL puL a hand on 8aymuns shoulder Lo sLeady hlmself l need good men
Ser uuncan 1he realm Pls volce sounded oddly slurred erhaps hed blL hls Longue
uunk was very Llred lL was hard Lo sLay awake ?our man he murmured once more
1he prlnce moved hls head slowly from slde Lo slde Ser 8aymun my helm lf youd be so klnd
vlsor vlsors cracked and my flngers flngers feel llke wood
AL once ?our Crace 8aymun Look Lhe prlnces helm ln boLh hands and grunLed Coodman aLe
a hand
SLeely aLe dragged over a mounLlng sLool lLs crushed down aL Lhe back ?our Crace Loward Lhe
lefL slde Smashed lnLo Lhe gorgeL Cood sLeel Lhls Lo sLop such a blow
8roLhers mace mosL llke 8aelor sald Lhlckly Pes sLrong Pe wlnced 1haL feels queer l
Pere lL comes aLe llfLed Lhe baLLered helm away Cods be good Ch gods oh gods oh gods
preserve
uunk saw someLhlng red and weL fall ouL of Lhe helm Someone was screamlng hlgh and Lerrlble
AgalnsL Lhe bleak grey sky swayed a Lall prlnce ln black armor wlLh only half a skull Pe could see red
blood and pale bone beneaLh and someLhlng else someLhlng bluegrey and pulpy A queer Lroubled
look passed across 8aelor 8reakspears face llke a cloud passlng before a sun Pe ralsed hls hand and
Louched Lhe back of hls head wlLh Lwo flngers oh so llghLly And Lhen he fell
uunk caughL hlm up Lhey say he sald [usL as he had wlLh 1hunder ln Lhe melee up up 8uL he
never remembered LhaL afLerward and Lhe prlnce dld noL rlse

8aelor of Pouse 1argaryen rlnce of uragonsLone Pand of Lhe klng roLecLor of Lhe 8ealm and
helr apparenL Lo Lhe lron 1hrone of Lhe Seven klngdoms of WesLeros wenL Lo Lhe flre ln Lhe yard of
Ashford CasLle on Lhe norLh bank of 8lver CockleswenL CLher greaL houses mlghL choose Lo bury
Lhelr dead ln Lhe dark earLh or slnk Lhem ln Lhe cold green sea buL Lhe 1argaryens were Lhe blood of
Lhe dragon and Lhelr ends were wrlL ln flame
Pe had been Lhe flnesL knlghL of hls age and some argued LhaL he should have gone Lo face Lhe
dark clad ln mall and plaLe a sword ln hls hand ln Lhe end Lhough hls royal faLhers wlshes
prevalled and uaeron ll had a peaceable naLure When uunk shuffled pasL 8aelors bler Lhe prlnce
wore a black velveL Lunlc wlLh Lhe Lhreeheaded dragon plcked ouL ln scarleL Lhread upon hls breasL
Around hls LhroaL was a heavy gold chaln Pls sword was sheaLhed by hls slde buL he dld wear a
helm a Lhln golden helm wlLh an open vlsor so men could see hls face
valarr Lhe ?oung rlnce sLood vlgll aL Lhe fooL of Lhe bler whlle hls faLher lay ln sLaLe Pe was a
shorLer sllmmer handsomer verslon of hls slre wlLhouL Lhe Lwlcebroken nose LhaL had made
8aelor seem more human Lhan royal valarrs halr was brown buL a brlghL sLreak of sllvergold ran
Lhrough lL 1he slghL of lL remlnded uunk of Aerlon buL he knew LhaL was noL falr Lggs halr was
growlng back as brlghL as hls broLhers and Lgg was a decenL enough lad for a prlnce
When he sLopped Lo offer awkward sympaLhles well larded wlLh Lhanks rlnce valarr bllnked cool
blue eyes aL hlm and sald My faLher was only nlneandLhlrLy Pe had lL ln hlm Lo be a greaL klng
Lhe greaLesL slnce Aegon Lhe uragon Why would Lhe gods Lake hlm and leave you? Pe shook hls
head 8egone wlLh you Ser uuncan 8egone
Wordless uunk llmped from Lhe casLle down Lo Lhe camp by Lhe green pool Pe had no answer for
valarr nor for Lhe quesLlons he asked hlmself 1he maesLers and Lhe bolllng wlne had done Lhelr
work and hls wound was heallng cleanly Lhough Lhere would be a deep puckered scar beLween hls
lefL arm and hls nlpple Pe could noL see Lhe wound wlLhouL Lhlnklng of 8aelor Pe saved me once


42
wlLh hls sword and once wlLh a word even Lhough he was a dead man as he sLood Lhere 1he world
made no sense when a greaL prlnce dled so a hedge knlghL mlghL llve uunk saL beneaLh hls elm and
sLared morosely aL hls fooL

When four guardsmen ln Lhe royal llvery appeared ln hls camp laLe one day he was sure Lhey had
come Lo klll hlm afLer all 1oo weak and weary Lo reach for a sword he saL wlLh hls back Lo Lhe elm
walLlng
Cur prlnce begs Lhe favor of a prlvaLe word
Whlch prlnce? asked uunk wary
1hls prlnce a brusque volce sald before Lhe capLaln could answer Maekar 1argaryen walked ouL
from behlnd Lhe elm
uunk goL slowly Lo hls feeL WhaL would he have of me now?
Maekar moLloned and Lhe guards vanlshed as suddenly as Lhey had appeared 1he prlnce sLudled
hlm a long momenL Lhen Lurned and paced away from hlm Lo sLand beslde Lhe pool gazlng down aL
hls reflecLlon ln Lhe waLer l have senL Aerlon Lo Lys he announced abrupLly A few years ln Lhe
lree ClLles may change hlm for Lhe beLLer
uunk had never been Lo Lhe lree ClLles so he dld noL know whaL Lo say Lo LhaL Pe was pleased
LhaL Aerlon was gone from Lhe Seven klngdoms and hoped he never came back buL LhaL was noL a
Lhlng you Lold a faLher of hls son Pe sLood sllenL
rlnce Maekar Lurned Lo face hlm Some men wlll say l meanL Lo klll my broLher 1he gods know lL
ls a lle buL l wlll hear Lhe whlspers Llll Lhe day l dle And lL was my mace LhaL dealL Lhe faLal blow l
have no doubL 1he only oLher foes he faced ln Lhe melee were Lhree klngsguard whose vows
forbade Lhem Lo do any more Lhan defend Lhemselves So lL was me SLrange Lo say l do noL recall
Lhe blow LhaL broke hls skull ls LhaL a mercy or a curse? Some of boLh l Lhlnk
lrom Lhe way he looked aL uunk lL seemed Lhe prlnce wanLed an answer l could noL say ?our
Crace erhaps he should have haLed Maekar buL lnsLead he felL a queer sympaLhy for Lhe man
?ou swung Lhe mace mlord buL lL was for me rlnce 8aelor dled So l kllled hlm Loo as much as
you
?es Lhe prlnce admlLLed ?oull hear Lhem whlsper as well 1he klng ls old When he dles valarr
wlll cllmb Lhe lron 1hrone ln place of hls faLher Lach Llme a baLLle ls losL or a crop falls Lhe fools wlll
say '8aelor would noL have leL lL happen buL Lhe hedge knlghL kllled hlm
uunk could see Lhe LruLh ln LhaL lf l had noL foughL you would have had my hand off And my
fooL SomeLlmes l slL under LhaL Lree Lhere and look aL my feeL and ask lf l couldnL have spared one
Pow could my fooL be worLh a prlnces llfe? And Lhe oLher Lwo as well Lhe Pumfreys Lhey were
good men Loo Ser Pumfrey Pardyng had succumbed Lo hls wounds only lasL nlghL
And whaL answer does your Lree glve you?
none LhaL l can hear 8uL Lhe old man Ser Arlan every day aL evenfall hed say 'l wonder whaL
Lhe morrow wlll brlng Pe never knew no more Lhan we do Well mlghLen lL be LhaL some morrow
wlll come when lll have need of LhaL fooL? When Lhe realm wlll need LhaL fooL even more Lhan a
prlnces llfe?
Maekar chewed on LhaL a Llme mouLh clenched beneaLh Lhe sllverypale beard LhaL made hls face
seem so square lLs noL bloody llkely he sald harshly 1he realm has as many hedge knlghLs as
hedges and all of Lhem have feeL
lf ?our Crace has a beLLer answer ld wanL Lo hear lL
Maekar frowned lL may be LhaL Lhe gods have a LasLe for cruel [apes Cr perhaps Lhere are no
gods erhaps none of Lhls had any meanlng ld ask Lhe Plgh SepLon buL Lhe lasL Llme l wenL Lo hlm
he Lold me LhaL no man can Lruly undersLand Lhe worklngs of Lhe gods erhaps he should Lry
sleeplng under a Lree Pe grlmaced My youngesL son seems Lo have grown fond of you ser lL ls
Llme he was a squlre buL he Lells me he wlll serve no knlghL buL you Pe ls an unruly boy as you wlll


43
have noLlced Wlll you have hlm?
Me? uunks mouLh opened and closed and opened agaln Lgg Aegon l mean he ls a good
lad buL ?our Crace l know you honor me buL l am only a hedge knlghL
1haL can be changed sald Maekar Aegon ls Lo reLurn Lo my casLle aL Summerhall 1here ls a
place Lhere for you lf you wlsh A knlghL of my household ?oull swear your sword Lo me and Aegon
can squlre for you Whlle you Lraln hlm my masLeraLarms wlll flnlsh your own Lralnlng 1he prlnce
gave hlm a shrewd look ?our Ser Arlan dld all he could for you l have no doubL buL you sLlll have
much Lo learn
l know mlord uunk looked abouL hlm AL Lhe green grass and Lhe reeds Lhe Lall elm Lhe rlpples
danclng across Lhe surface of Lhe sunllL pool AnoLher dragonfly was movlng across Lhe waLer or
perhaps lL was Lhe same one WhaL shall lL be uunk? he asked hlmself uragonflles or dragons? A
few days ago he would have answered aL once lL was all he had ever dreamed buL now LhaL Lhe
prospecL was aL hand lL frlghLened hlm !usL before rlnce 8aelor dled l swore Lo be hls man
resumpLuous of you sald Maekar WhaL dld he say?
1haL Lhe realm needed good men
1haLs Lrue enough WhaL of lL?
l wlll Lake your son as squlre ?our Crace buL noL aL Summerhall noL for a year or Lwo Pes seen
sufflclenL of casLles l would [udge lll have hlm only lf l can Lake hlm on Lhe road wlLh me Pe
polnLed Lo old ChesLnuL Pell rlde my sLeed wear my old cloak and hell keep my sword sharp and
my mall scoured Well sleep ln lnns and sLables and now and agaln ln Lhe halls of some landed
knlghL or lesser lordllng and maybe under Lrees when we musL
rlnce Maekar gave hlm an lncredulous look uld Lhe Lrlal addle your wlLs man? Aegon ls a prlnce
of Lhe realm 1he blood of Lhe dragon rlnces are noL made for sleeplng ln dlLches and eaLlng hard
salL beef Pe saw uunk heslLaLe WhaL ls lL youre afrald Lo Lell me? Say whaL you wlll ser
uaeron never slepL ln a dlLch lll wager uunk sald very quleLly and all Lhe beef LhaL Aerlon ever
aLe was Lhlck and rare and bloody llke as noL
Maekar 1argaryen rlnce of Summerhall regarded uunk of llea 8oLLom for a long Llme hls [aw
worklng sllenLly beneaLh hls sllvery beard llnally he Lurned and walked away never speaklng a
word uunk heard hlm rldlng off wlLh hls men When Lhey were gone Lhere was no sound buL Lhe
falnL Lhrum of Lhe dragonflys wlngs as lL sklmmed across Lhe waLer

1he boy came Lhe nexL mornlng [usL as Lhe sun was comlng up Pe wore old booLs brown
breeches a brown wool Lunlc and an old Lravelers cloak My lord faLher says l am Lo serve you
Serve you ser uunk remlnded hlm ?ou can sLarL by saddllng Lhe horses ChesLnuL ls yours
LreaL her klndly l donL wanL Lo flnd you on 1hunder unless l puL you Lhere
Lgg wenL Lo geL Lhe saddles Where are we golng ser?
uunk LhoughL for a momenL l have never been over Lhe 8ed MounLalns Would you llke Lo have a
look aL uorne?
Lgg grlnned l hear Lhey have good puppeL shows he sald

1PL Lnu