The Hedge Knight #[nn]

In the shadow of a fallen master, Dunk takes up the sword to honor his legacy, stepping into the tourney as a hedge knight. Mistaking the young Egg for a stable boy, he’s surprised when the boy insists on becoming his squire, setting off a journey neither expected.

In a world where honor and steel are tested on the field, Dunk the Hedge Knight takes on a reluctant squire in Egg, a young noble with dreams beyond his station. As they travel, Dunk crosses paths with the aloof Aerion Targaryen, faces a test of pride when mistaken for a stablehand, and finds himself drawn into the quiet magic of Tanselle’s puppet show—while wrestling with the weight of a tournament he may not be ready to enter.

In a tale of honor and steel, Dunk [The Hedge Knight] journeys to the tournament grounds, seeking permission from Prince Baelor Targaryen to compete. With the help of Tanselle, he commissions a shield emblem, marking his place among the realm’s finest warriors, while young Egg [Aegon] watches alongside him as the first day’s jousts unfold.

In a moment of sudden tension at court, Prince Aerion’s wrath turns on Tanselle after her puppet play provokes him, and when Dunk steps in to defend her, the clash ignites a deadly chain of events. With the young squire Egg caught in the crossfire, the truth of his identity becomes the only hope to save Dunk from execution.

In a tense trial by combat, Dunk [The Hedge Knight] faces a dire choice when Aerion Targaryen demands a trial of seven—forcing Dunk to find six allies or be declared guilty. With only five knights pledged by dawn, he scrambles to rally support among the others, his hopes fading until Prince Baelor Targaryen arrives to stand by his side.

In the brutal trial by combat, Dunk faces Aerion Targaryen, their clash ending with Aerion forced to withdraw his accusation. Afterward, Baelor Targaryen removes his helmet to reveal a shattered skull and dies, leaving his son Valaar to bid Dunk farewell. At the funeral, Maekar Targaryen offers Dunk a new path—keeping Egg as his squire and joining his household.