A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Dunk and Bennis are only able to find eight villagers to train, but the men show little promise. Dunk fears that the men will be killed by Lady Rohanne’s trained soldiers. Egg suggests that they use the ring he keeps in his boot, which identifies him as a prince. He can threaten to bring his father’s forces, but Dunk insists that the ring should only be used in cases of utmost importance. That night, Dunk dreams about his dead horse, Chestnut. The dead chastise him, including deceased versions of Ser Bennis and the villagers. In the dream, Egg dies, and Dunk can’t save him.

The following day, Ser Eustace suggests to Dunk that Lady Rohanne may accept a “blood price” for Bennis’s transgression. He reminisces about the time when the Osgreys were the powerful family in the region. Ser Eustace also remembers that his late son Addam was once friendly with Lady Rohanne while serving as her father’s page. Ser Eustace has sworn never to visit Coldmoat, but Dunk offers to go on his behalf.

That night, Dunk bathes again. Egg reminds him not to eat or drink anything when meeting with Lady Rohanne due to her reputation for poisoning. Dunk is doubtful of the accusations and sends Egg to bed. He has no intention of taking Egg with him to Coldmoat.

When the morning comes, however, Egg is dressed in Addam Osgrey’s old clothes, ready to depart. He has convinced Ser Eustace that a squire will make Dunk seem more important. Ser Eustace also gives Dunk a cloak that belongs to his family, and Dunk wears it, despite the heat.

Ser Eustace rides with them to the edge of his lands and talks about his family. He reflects on his family’s role in the Blackfyre Rebellion, when his son Addam tried to save his brother Harrold’s life at the Redgrass Field battle. Both boys died; Addam was 12 years old. Ser Eustace asks whether Ser Arlan fought for the loyalists or the rebels. Dunk explains that Ser Arlan fought for the victorious loyalists; his squire died in the battle, which led to Ser Arlan recruiting Dunk.

According to Ser Eustrace, the battle was not as one-sided as many believe. Daemon may have won, he says, but for the intervention of Bloodraven. Dunk shares his tactical understanding of the battle, but Ser Eustace talks fondly of Daemon’s skills as a warrior. After an hour-long duel with Ser Gwayne Corbray, Daemon called for a maester rather than killing his foe, which allowed Bloodraven to take an important part of the battlefield. Bloodraven shot Aegon, Daemon’s eldest son, and Daemon. Aemon, Aegon’s younger brother, picked up Blackfyre, and Bloodraven shot him as well. In Ser Eustace’s opinion, this effectively ended the Blackfyre rebellion. Ser Eustace believes that Bloodraven—now Hand to King Aerys—is the true ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.

Ser Eustace parts ways with Dunk and Egg at the edge of his territory. Egg shares his advice on how to act around highborn people, but Dunk is uncomfortable. At Coldmoat, they notice that the diverted stream is being used to direct water into the castle’s moat, not for farming.

The castle guards reluctantly agree to take Dunk to the castellan, Ser Lucas Inchfield, rather than directly to Lady Rohanne. Egg takes the horses to the stable. While crossing the yard, Dunk notices a young woman practicing archery. He is then introduced to Ser Lucas Inchfield and a septon named Sefton Staunton. Though renowned for his height, Inchfield is shorter than Dunk. He threatens Dunk for his role in the altercation at the dam, but the septon suggests that Dunk be introduced to Lady Rohanne.

Dunk is introduced to a “soft, fleshy lady of high birth” (172), and believing this to be Lady Rohanne, Dunk tries to charm her. His fumbling efforts to explain the situation elicit laughter from the court, and Dunk knows something is wrong. They are interrupted by the arrival of the young woman who was practicing her archery, who introduces herself as Lady Rohanne. The other woman is the sister of one of her late husbands. Dunk awkwardly praises Lady Rohanne’s beauty; she talks about herself and criticizes her staff for tricking Dunk. Septon Sefton, she reveals, is also a sibling of a (different) dead husband.

In a private audience chamber, with Egg in attendance, Dunk talks to the septon, who explains that he was in King’s Landing until the Great Spring Sickness killed so many people. Dunk and Egg were in Dorne during the plague; Dorne suffered less because it “closed their borders and their ports” (178). The septon also mentions Aegor Rivers, another of King Aegon’s sons outside of marriage, who is overseas, plotting against the current rulers with the other sons of Daemon Blackfyre. A war is brewing between the Brackens and the Blackwoods, which can only be settled by Bloodraven, whose mother came from the Blackwood family.

The septon’s remarks border on treasonous, especially when he claims that King Aerys is obsessed with ancient prophecies, at his wife’s expense. Prince Rhaegal will not intervene, and Prince Maekar sulks in Summerhall. Maekar still resents his brother for making Bloodraven his Hand rather than Maekar. Egg is forced to listen to this commentary on his family without revealing his identity. The septon also mentions Lady Rohanne’s father’s will, which states that if she doesn’t marry in two years, Coldmoat will pass to her father’s cousin. He says it is a punishment because his daughter refuses to wed Lucas Longinch.

Lady Rohanne arrives and interrupts the conversation. She explains that she is lacking in prospective suitors because Lucas Longinch intimidates them. Lady Rohanne and Dunk start up a friendly (and possibly romantic) conversation, but they cannot resolve the dispute. Lady Rohanne does not want a blood price; she wants to punish Bennis. Nor will she dismantle the dam, showing them a document that gives her ownership over the stream.

During the discussion, Lady Rohanne reveals to Dunk that Ser Eustace fought on the rebels’ side during the Blackfyre Rebellion with the hope of reclaiming his lost lands. When the rebellion was put down, he was forced to give up his daughter as a hostage, and his wife died by suicide due to her immense grief at the loss of their sons. Dunk is shocked that Ser Eustace is a rebel, but he continues to negotiate, invoking Addam Osgrey’s name.

This infuriates Lady Rohanne, who slaps Dunk and bloodies his lip. He is sent away with a warning that unless Bennis is handed over, she and her men will take him by force. As Dunk leaves the castle, the septon tells him that Lady Rohanne truly loved Addam, which is why she reacted so forcefully. She still blames Ser Eustace for his death.

Dunk and Egg return to Standfast. Reflecting on the clemency offered to Ser Eustace, Egg remembers his uncle, Baelor, encouraging him to forgive honorable foes. Bloodraven, on the other hand, believed that pardoning rebels only plants “the seeds of the next rebellion” (192). Dunk resents the way that Ser Eustace allowed him to believe that he was not a traitor. Egg also remarks that King Aerys made a mistake by making Bloodraven his Hand, rather than Egg’s father, Maekar. Bloodraven is not a real lord, Egg says, he is “a sorcerer, and baseborn besides” (194). Dunk corrects this: Bloodraven’s mother was a noblewoman. Dunk also points out that he was likely born outside of marriage, which makes Egg reflect on his prejudice.

At Standfast, Dunk confronts Ser Eustace, who defends his role in the rebellion. He believes that Daemon was “the rightful king” (198), since he wielded the sword Blackfyre. He reiterates his belief that Daemon Blackfyre was a true warrior, unlike his half-brother; while Daeron surrounded himself with bureaucrats, Daemon surrounded himself with knights. This is why King Aegon gave him Blackfyre and legitimized him, Ser Eustace says, because he believed Daemon would be the better king.

Egg counters, suggesting that Daemon received the sword because he was a better swordsman, not because he was a better ruler. Egg is prepared to argue with Ser Eustace, who—not knowing Egg’s true identity—tells Dunk to discipline his squire. Dunk warns that he and Egg will leave Ser Eustace’s service the following day. Ser Eustace dismisses them.

While dreaming of Tanselle and Lady Rohanne, Dunk is woken in the middle of the night. A fire is burning in the nearby wood, and Ser Eustace and Bennis are sure that Lady Rohanne is to blame. They plot to get revenge by burning her mills. Dunk realizes he cannot leave, knowing that the villagers will likely die fighting for Ser Eustace. He tells Ser Eustace that he will meet with Lady Rohanne one more time to avoid violence. The old man is impressed with Dunk’s honor and bravery.

Dunk, Egg, and Ser Eustace ride to Coldmoat, and they meet Lady Rohanne and her forces near the dammed stream. She rejects the “vile accusation” that she set fire to the forest, which would put her own holdings at risk. She again threatens to take Bennis by force, but Dunk intervenes, asking for a private conversation.

Lady Rohanne grants his request, and they meet in the middle of the stream. She apologizes for slapping him and agrees to forgive Ser Eustace for Addam’s death in exchange for Bennis. Dunk cannot agree to this, so he shows her Egg’s ring. She understands what this means but insists that it will not stop her from killing those who stand in her way. Dunk warns that if Egg comes to harm, his family’s forces will crush the Webbers, but she will not back down. Dunk cuts his own face with a knife, hoping this will pay for Bennis’s bloodshed. Lady Rohanne is impressed, saying she would marry him if he were noble. Still, she needs an apology from Ser Eustace. Otherwise, there will be a trial.

A trial by combat is declared. Dunk will fight Ser Lucas. As he prepares, Longinch warns that he will marry Lady Rohanne afterward. Meanwhile, Dunk tells Egg that if he is killed, Egg should return to Summerhall. The two knights clash, knocking one another from their horses. Dunk defends himself and relies on his instincts to knock Longinch into the water, pressing him down until he drowns. Dunk loses consciousness.

Dunk wakes in Lady Rohanne’s castle, where he is being treated by her maester. He nearly drowned and has several bad injuries. Egg has not left Dunk’s side, even skipping the wedding between Ser Eustace and Lady Rohanne. The maester explained that Lady Rohanne was allowed to weep at Addam’s grave, and this moment of shared grief led to her marrying Ser Eustace, making him Lord of Coldmoat and satisfying the requirements of the will. Dunk falls asleep, and when he wakes up again, rain has begun to fall, ending the drought.

Dunk and Egg prepare to leave Coldmoat despite Dunk’s injuries. The septon criticizes his hastiness, believing that he plans to chase Bennis, who sacked Standfast and ran away with the loot. Dunk does not want to chase Bennis. In the stables, Lady Rohanne offers her thanks to Dunk. She wants to gift him a horse, but instead, he kisses her and takes a lock of her hair to remember her by. Dunk and Egg resume their journey. Rather than going to Summerhall, however, they decide to travel north to see the Wall.