The Hedge Knight: A Steady Read-through and Review (PART 10)

A text first read, through George R. R. Martin’s The Hedge Knight, without the lore, without spoilers, just the words.

27:44 Review Portion

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The Hedge Knight is the first novella was originally published August 25, 1998, in the Legends anthology, edited by Robert Silverberg. The story was later adapted into a six-issue comic book limited series by Ben Avery, drawn by Mike S. Miller, produced by Roaring Studios (now Dabel Brothers Productions) and published by Image Comics and Devil's Due between August 2003 and May 2004. Devil's Due published the complete limited series as a graphic novel in June 2004.[2] Following the termination of the partnership between Dabel Brothers and Devil's Due, the graphic novel has been republished in various editions.

#asoiaf #GameOfThrones #TheHedgeKnight #dunkandegg #HouseoftheDragon #WindsofWinter

The story opens with the death of Ser Arlan of Pennytree, a wandering "hedge knight". Ser Arlan's worldly goods are inherited by Dunk, his squire. Hoping to follow in his master's footsteps, Dunk sets out for the town of Ashford, where a tourney is due to be held. En route, he gains a squire of his own in a boy named "Egg". The steward at Ashford is unimpressed by Dunk's credentials, but Crown Prince Baelor speaks up on his behalf, and he is permitted to enter the tourney under the name "Ser Duncan the Tall".

Before he can compete, Dunk gets into a fight with Prince Aerion, Baelor's nephew, over a peasant girl whom Aerion had assaulted. Aerion instructs his guards to knock Dunk's teeth out, but Egg intervenes, revealing that his real name is Aegon and that he is Aerion's younger brother. Dunk is taken to Ashford Castle to be tried. He chooses to face Aerion in a trial by combat; Aerion (backed by his father, Prince Maekar) demands that it be a "trial of seven", in which two parties of seven knights contend on horseback.

With help from Egg, Dunk succeeds in recruiting five knights for the trial. He remains one short until Prince Baelor himself joins his party. In the ensuing fray, Dunk triumphs over Aerion and forces him to withdraw his accusation. Three members of Dunk's party are killed, however, including Baelor, who is critically injured by a blow from Maekar's mace.

Later, a rueful Maekar approaches Dunk with a proposition. Realizing that Aegon needs a mentor if he is to grow up to be a better man than Aerion, he wants Dunk to continue training the boy at Summerhall, the Targaryens' palace. Dunk suggests that Aegon might learn more outside palaces, and Maekar agrees. The two set out in search of adventure, Dunk as a hedge knight and Egg as his squire.