A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Leave the food and go.

My uncle says I must beg your forgiveness for deceiving you.

Your uncle?

Prince Baelor.

The heir to the Iron Throne.

-I never meant to lie. -Yeah, but you did.

About everything, starting with your name.

I've not heard of a Prince Egg.

-Short for Aegon. -Of course.

After the Conqueror?

How many Aegons have been king?

Four. Four Aegons.

So why'd you do it?

Was it some jape?

Make a fool of the stupid hedge knight?

No. I was supposed to squire for Daeron.

He's my older brother.

He's a shit knight, and a drunk.

And he didn't want to enter the lists.

He only meant for us to hide in that inn until the tourney was over.

-You shaved your head. -It was Daeron who shaved it.

Was it Daeron that told me you were a stable boy?

-I didn't-- -What?

I didn't think I was doing anything wrong.

Of course, you did.

That's why you lied.

Dry your eyes.

I was just so disappointed when I couldn't go to the tourney--

Oh, we can't have the little prince being disappointed now, can we?

I just wanted to be somebody's squire, ser.

You'd have served a donkey, were it squire-less.

I'm sorry, ser.

Truly am.

It's just a bit of bad luck we found each other, isn't it?

What will they do with me, Egg?

My uncle wants to see you after you're done eating.

I'm done now, then.

I've already kicked one prince in the mouth.

Don't mean to keep another one waiting.

Rise.

Pour Ser Duncan a cup, Aegon.

Try not to spill it on him.

The boy won't spill, Your Grace.

He's a good boy.

Good squire. And he meant no harm.

I know that now.

One need not intend harm to do it.

Aegon should have come to me when he saw

what his brother was doing to those puppeteers.

-There was no time, Uncle, I-- -Instead, he ran to you, Ser Duncan.

That was no kindness.

I wish Ser Duncan had killed him.

Aerion is your brother.

And the septons say we must love our brothers.

Aegon, leave us now.

As you will, Your Grace.

How good a knight are you?

How skilled at arms?

Sir Arlan taught me sword and shield and

how to tilt at rings.

My brother Maekar returned to the castle a few hours ago.

He found his son Daeron drunk in an inn a day's ride to the south.

-I know it. -He told my brother

that a huge robber knight made off with Aegon.

I fear you have been cast as this robber knight, ser.

He's lying.

I left that inn four nights past.

Prince Daeron did not pursue his brother's captor.

Seemingly not.

What of the girl?

By the time Aerion is done twisting the tale,

it will be high treason.

Treason? By puppetry?

The dragon is the sigil of the Royal House.

To portray one being slain...

It was surely innocent.

Perhaps, but far from wise, even in peacetime.

Aerion calls it a veiled attack on House Targaryen,

an incitement to revolt.

Do you believe that, Your Grace?

One truth is beyond dispute.

You laid hands upon the Blood of the Dragon.

The girl's finger was snapped in half.

No matter the cause, it is never wise to strike a king's grandson.

Would you not have done the same?

I might have.

But I'm a prince of the realm, not a hedge knight.

Don't all knights make the same oath?

To protect the innocent?

Aerion would like your head for what you did to him.

He will not have it, but I cannot deny him a trial.

And with Daeron's accusation that you kidnaped Egg,

the court is unlikely to rule in your favor.

And when I'm found guilty?

The last time a man struck the royal blood,

it was decreed he should lose the offending hand.

And you kicked him, too, did you not?

I did.

You have another choice.

Whether it is a better one or a worse, I cannot say.

And so, I ask you again, Ser Duncan the Tall,

how good a knight are you, truly?

Trial by combat.

That is my right.

I refuse.

You cannot refuse.

Any knight accused of a crime has the right to demand as such.

Unless you withdraw your claim?

A trial of seven.

That is my right, I do believe.

What the fuck is a trial of seven?

It is another form of trial by combat.

Ancient. Seldom invoked.

It came across the Narrow Sea with the Andals and their seven gods.

Well, if it was the Andals...

I'm sorry, Your Grace.

The old man was never much for praying.

What is a trial of seven?

The Andals believed that if seven champions fought,

the gods, being thus honored, would be more like to intervene

and see the guilty party punished.

Are you cowering behind some 6,000-year-old Andal foolery

because you're afraid to face this hedge knight alone?

-No. -Then why?

Why not slay the rogue yourself?

Daeron has been wronged as well.

Ser Duncan must pay for each one of his crimes against us.

Or would we leave a matter of Targaryen honor in doubt?

Do not speak to me of honor, boy.

This is fucking nonsense.

Is it?

No.

Aerion is within his rights. We have no choice.

A trial of seven must be held at dawn.

What does that mean? That I must fight seven men?

Do not play the fool.

It must be seven against seven.

You must find six other knights to fight beside you.

But I have no one else.

If a cause is just, good men will fight for it.

If not, it will be because you are guilty.

Come here.

Idiot!

Can I go now?

Seek your champions, Ser Duncan.

Oh, lads.

I've mucked it up this time.

-I think I'm gonna die tomorrow. -Dunk!

Is that you? You're alive.

Raymun, thank you for watching my--

Are you hungry?

-No, not really. -Come on.

-Whoa! -Were you talking to your horses?

-Yeah. -That's fucking mad.

Trial of seven.

Duncan, that means battleaxes, morningstars, and lances of war.

-I know what it means. -I apologize.

Seems cousin here has milk in his veins.

-Oh, fuck off, I just meant-- -This is knightly combat, Raymun.

As you are no knight, your skin is not at risk.

I saw what Aerion did to those puppeteers.

All knights vow to protect the innocent.

Even hedge knights, I assume.

I'm for you.

Thank you, ser.

-Perhaps you shouldn't. -It pains me to admit it,

but Steffon's a fine sword.

-Why would that pain you? -I don't doubt that.

But the Dragon House will not look kindly on those who oppose them.

Dragon House?

Where are their dragons, Ser Duncan?

Us Fossoways, we were here

long before these others come to our shores.

And I'll warrant we'll be here long after they are gone.

-Who else fights with us? -I know no one else.

I'm sure we can find five more good men who wish singers to make them immortal.

I do not know why tragedy so oft follows after honorable men.

But when I find myself without the answers,

the answer is always "more glory."

Lucky for you, I have some friends.

Ser Lyonel, Lord Lannister, Ser Otho.

They won't be happy at being woken.

Then they'll fight like pestered badgers.

You shan't die under my watch, ser.

I promise you that.

Raymun, do you think your cousin can bring the men he speaks of?

I don't know.

You may be wise to run.

Won't they kill me if I run?

Won't they kill you anyway?

Maybe the gods figure this is what I deserve.

For doing what you were supposed to do?