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Dunk, Road to Ashford – Westeros

“Ser Arlan was… he was…” Dunk sighed heavily as he looked at the mound where his mentor’s body rested, although, if he was honest with himself, that word was too big for someone like Ser Arlan.

He could use the sword and shield, as well as the spear…

And that’s it.

He had no renown, no land, or glory. A simple man with three horses, wherever the wind would carry them…

For some, something poetic.
For others, a shitty life.

For Dunk, a little bit of both.

The rain was pounding, but he didn’t care. The old man had been tough, but Dunk never lacked food. That said a lot about Ser Arlan, in his opinion.

It’s not like he had any coins left over, after all.

—CAAAW, CAAAW, CAAAW—

Dunk looked up at the sky, watching as a flock of crows seemed to be circling over the royal road. In this weather, some poor devil or beast had surely collapsed, and the birds were planning to feast.

He had to hasten Ser Arlan’s burial if he wished to avoid the same fate for his body.

Dunk lifted the corpse with absurd ease and placed it in the hole. The rain was relentless, but it was the least he could do for the old man, to be honest.

He placed the only figure he could have called father in some way and dedicated a second of silence.

It was the least he could do.

He thought about everything that had happened: his childhood at Flea Bottom, his travels, the adventures, and the lessons…

He still remembered when, a couple of months ago, Dunk told Ser Arlan that he wished to become a legend as the Crow Lord, a wanderer who moved through Westeros, saving towns and helping people, as famous as he was feared.

Dunk still remembered that horrible affair in Stone Hedge, when the Crow Lord castrated Lord Bracken’s son for trying to rape a village girl.

The scandal and indignation were instantaneous. The young heir lost his manhood, and a hundred Bracken men rode out to seek the wandering shadow…

Only five returned, with the most impressive story ever told.

Flashback

“It was horrible. He was like a shadow. His sword pierced our shields like butter, and his fierce steed knocked out our horses. He brandished his sword with mastery worthy of a knight of the Kingsguard, a first-rate fencer and a great strategist. He used the forest against us. We… spared our lives in exchange for delivering a letter, my lord,” said one of the soldiers, kneeling at the feet of an angry Lord Bracken.

Dunk watched as the sturdy ruler of Stone Hedge opened the fucking parchment and began to read, at the same time that his face changed from fury and arrogance to complete terror.

“Let all hunting parties be cancelled. I will send my useless son to the Wall and make my wife give me two more,” the man snapped before hurrying back to his castle, to the incessant squawking of the crows.

At his side, Ser Arlan spoke.

“HAHA, I wonder what Mr. Crow said to the arrogant pig. I would pay a foot to find out,” the old man blurted out before spitting and returning to his canteen.

Dunk ran after him, though that scene would remain in his mind forever.

Flashback End

Dunk was so distracted that he didn’t notice his mares starting to neigh and run down the hill towards the King’s Road at full speed.

“Damn, wait, come back, it’s dangerous!” he shouted as he finished placing the last stone of the tomb and ran at full speed towards the steeds.

Of course, with the rain, the stones, and the downhill slope… the inevitable happened, and Dunk rolled like a fucking sack of potatoes down the hill, getting muddy and hitting a few rocks along the way.

The humiliating moment ended when he arrived at the royal road, right at the feet of his steeds, who seemed… restless, but not worried, for some strange reason.

Dunk got up with difficulty, and then, something strange happened.

The rain simply stopped, and the sun seemed to emerge for an instant, to the relief of the young man.

“Thank you, Gods,” he said to himself, thinking that he would have to dry his clothes before continuing on to Ashford.

Alas, apparently, fate had other plans.

From a nearby hill, Dunk watched as the flock of crows approached, circling around a…

Carriage?

It was not especially large, but it looked of exquisite quality, made of ebony wood with beautiful lilies drawn all over the body, being pulled by two imposing black stallions, evidently the reason why his mares were so uneasy, thought the knight with shame.

The quality of the carriage and the horses could only mean one thing: a noble woman was coming down the road… and Dunk was in the middle!

“Damn!” Dunk snapped as he sat up in pain and limped off the driveway, trying to pull his mares to prevent the carriage from stopping, without much success.

“Shit,” Dunk said urgently, when the carriage reached where he was, stopping a couple of feet away, at which point his heated mares took advantage of it to approach the horses quickly, who were quite interested in Dunk’s mares.

The young knight looked up at the carriage. It was even more impressive up close, with a design he had never seen. Its wheels seemed suspended on strange pieces of metal that kept the carriage elevated, without a speck of dust.

A second later, the sound of a bolt opening invaded Dunk’s ears, at the same time as the door opened, giving Dunk a glimpse of the most luxurious carriage he had ever seen, accompanied by an exquisite smell, although he was unable to identify what it was.

And then, a woman poked her head out, although calling her a woman was still… pretty short.

She was a goddess, the Mother herself walking among mortals, with sun-kissed hair and the most beautiful green eyes Dunk had ever seen, leaving him totally dumbfounded, looking at her without any discretion.

And then, she spoke.

“Are you okay young man?” she said, with a soft tone of voice so feminine that the very flowers seemed to bloom when they heard her.

Dunk just opened and closed his mouth without saying a word, until he quickly shook his head and knelt down.

“M’Lady, i am sorry, I…my apologies,” Dunk said, full of embarrassment and looking away for a moment, before he couldn’t resist the temptation and looked at the beautiful woman again.

The goddess—he meant, the Lady—looked at him with a soft smile and warm eyes. She had hardly ever looked at Dunk like that. She was… almost maternal.

“You have nothing to apologize for. You didn’t offend anyone. Yet you’re hurt. Are you okay?” she asked in a tone of voice that almost seemed unreal to Dunk’s ears.

Dunk nodded quickly, hiding the pain of the fall, and said:

“Yes, m’Lady, yes, it’s just that the rain and...I fell down the hill on my way to Ashford,” Dunk said, embarrassed.

Lady Lily smiled and looked at him from head to toe, before focusing her gaze on his eyes again and speaking.

“Are you a farmer? If so, I am interested in buying groceries for my trip. I gave away some of my provisions on the way, and I find myself short of food,” said the beautiful woman calmly.

Dunk stuttered again before shaking his head quickly and concentrating.

“Oh, I’m not a farmer, m’Lady. I’m a knight, a hedge knight” Dunk said, as he tried to strike a less… pathetic pose.

However, the beautiful woman didn’t seem offended, but more amused.

“I see. However, you don’t look very chivalrous in those rags. Wait a minute,” said the lady, before returning to her carriage and closing the door.

Dunk remained silent for several seconds, not knowing how to really react, staring at the carriage door for several seconds, having more than a thousand thoughts in his head at once.

This was his chance. Lily was evidently a Lady, an important and powerful one, apparently, if she could move in such an impressive carriage, although…

Where were the rest of the guards? It was too dangerous for such a beautiful woman to travel alone on the dangerous roads.

An instant later, the door opened, and the beautiful lady came out with—

She offered clothes to Dunk, who looked at her in perplexity.

“It’s an old training outfit of my son’s. He doesn’t need it anymore, and you seem to need it. Take it,” said Lily with a smile, while handing over beautiful black boots, a green gambeson, and black wool pants. They were large, but even so, they would be tight on Dunk’s imposing body.

“My Lady, this… I can’t accept it. I have no way to pay for this,” Dunk said with shame, while looking at the clothes with longing, but his own code denied him accepting something without having earned it.

Lily looked at him sternly before answering.

“Of course you will, and it won’t be free. They are a payment for your service in guiding and escorting me to the nearest inn to rest on my way to Ashford,” said the beautiful woman.

Dunk looked at her in surprise and couldn’t help but ask:

“Are you heading to Ashford? To the tournament?” Dunk asked, before cursing himself.

Lily nodded calmly and said:

“That’s right. My son is waiting for me there. We have business with Lord Ashford,” Lily said calmly.

To Dunk, those words were a clear message from the Seven. He quickly drew his sword awkwardly, still holding the clothes Lady Lily had given him firmly, and knelt down.

“Then I… my honor dictates that I must escort you safe and sound into the presence of your lord son, in gratitude for your generosity and kindness. I promise that, if necessary, I will lay down my life for yours, my Lady,” Dunk swore with total firmness in his voice.

The young knight looked up, praying not to find disdain or mockery in the lady’s eyes, but apparently, he had nothing to worry about. Lily looked at him with a simple smile, not one of mockery or cruelty, but of healthy fun and… tenderness, even.

“So, graciously, I accept your protection, Ser Dunk. Now let’s go. Take your mares and get to the inn before nightfall,” Lily said, before returning to her carriage and closing the door, only to proceed to open a window of the luxurious vehicle and look at Dunk in amusement.

“What are you waiting for, Dunk? Let’s go!” she said, causing the knight to shake his head quickly before rushing towards his beasts and preparing them for the journey.

Dunk ran, packed his humble belongings, making sure to put away the clothes Lady Lily had given him, and ran to the carriage, riding gallantly and proudly, protecting such a kind lady.

Ser Duncan was so excited that he didn’t notice a couple of things: that as soon as the carriage drove away, the rain returned to where Ser Arlan lay buried…

And that Lily’s carriage had no coachman.

Aegon “Egg” Targaryen, Inn close to Ashford – The Reach

“Stupid Daeron,” snapped the young prince as he walked through the entrance of the inn, not risking going further away in the dark and gloomy night.

His brother had shaved his head and now he was drowning in alcohol inside the inn, while he was locked up here, unable to do anything and with no way to get to the tournament.

—CAW!—

“SHIT!” Egg shouted, focusing his gaze on the origin of the sound, meeting a silly crow perched on a wooden pole, staring at him.

The young prince frowned and picked up a stone, throwing it at the insolent bird, sending it flying as it squawked into the darkness.

“Stupid crow,” he snapped, only to receive the blow of a heavy fruit on his head, courtesy of the insolent bird.

“OOOUCH,” Egg shouted, rubbing his head as he watched the crow get lost in the dark sky.

“Damn animal,” snapped the little prince, distracting himself from the sounds of approaching footsteps, at least for a moment.

Egg focused on the road as he felt the vibration of what could only be a carriage, which emerged from the shadows, much to the young prince’s surprise.

Carriages did not usually travel at night, and even less so one as… luxurious as this, he thought when he saw it.

Good-sized, with ebony wood and beautiful painted flowers, with two powerful steeds that could eat him alive and spit him out with alarming ease, the carriage was escorted by a man who, frankly, clashed with the wealth of the carriage.

Humble, in farmer’s rags, but his back was straight and his sword ready at his waist.

A warrior.

A knight!.

Egg watched as the huge man opened the door of the carriage, releasing a beautiful fragrance of sea breeze, jasmine, and lilies, a more than pleasant perfume.

It was followed by the most beautiful lady he had ever seen, tall and full of elegance, wearing a black dress with exquisitely embroidered lilies. She thanked the man with a smile, and Egg managed to hear her next command.

“Good job, Dunk. Go and change while I arrange with the innkeeper for dinner and breakfast,” said who, in Egg’s eyes, could only be a lady.

And one of very high birth, considering the wealth she emanated just from her dress, thought Egg.

The bald young man watched as the aforementioned Dunk walked to the front of the horses, dragging three mares, as he began to untie the huge stallions.

At that moment, Egg decided to reveal himself, walking from the shadow to the light of the torch and watching the surprisingly enormous being.

He watched the man silently. He was big, but he didn’t really look like a knight. He was sure that a lady as beautiful and rich as Lily could get better… protectors.

In an instant, the huge man turned around in surprise at Egg’s presence.

“Oh, you must be the stable boy. Come help me. Feed them and brush them. M’Lady will give you a few coins for the trouble,” said Dunk, while giving a couple of reins to Egg, who took them by inertia.

“That lady is really beautiful. What’s her name?” asked Egg, really curious. He would remember seeing such a beautiful lady in the castle.

Dunk nodded with a proud smile as he said:

“She is. She is Lady Lily. I serve her House,” said the giant with evident pride.

Egg looked at the luxurious carriage and then at Dunk with some disbelief and said as tactfully as he could:

“Since when?”

The young prince smiled softly as the huge man blushed.

“From today, a few hours ago. I swore to protect her on her way to Ashford so that she can be reunited with her son. As soon as she arrives, I will offer my sword in the service of her lord,” said Dunk, full of hope.

Egg was about to speak again when the door of the inn opened, revealing the elegant vision of the famous Lady Lily.

Although, in Egg’s opinion, she had more of the bearing of a queen, even greater than his late grandmother in her prime.

“Ser Dunk, everything is arranged. I also took the liberty of paying for a bath so that you can change those dirty rags. Oh, who is your little friend?” asked the beautiful woman as she walked towards them.

Dunk blushed, but Egg didn’t behave any better. Lady Lily’s mere presence was… overwhelming, like an invisible force that commanded all attention.

“M’Lady, you shouldn’t have bothered. I’m in debt with you, again” Dunk said embarrassedly, bowing his head.

The beautiful woman made a gesture with her hand, downplaying the importance of the act.

“Nonsense, Dunk. It was just a simple golden dragon for the night. They also reserved two ducks for dinner. Have you already had dinner, young man?” Lily asked Egg directly, making him blush and start stuttering.

At least until Dunk gave him a push.

“No, my Lady, I… I haven’t had dinner,” Egg said calmly.

Egg watched as the beautiful woman raised one of her elegant eyebrows at those words, and for an instant, Egg felt a chill, although he couldn’t understand why.

“Then you’re welcome to join us, you are really small and thin. Come on. The food will be ready soon, and Dunk must bathe,” said the beautiful woman firmly, as she turned and walked towards the inn, leaving two stupefied young men behind.

“I’m in love,” whispered Egg, lost in his fantasies.

Oh, how he wish he was older and could offer his hand to that of the beautiful Lady Lily...

“Wipe that smile from your perverted face. It’s m'lady you’re fantasizing about,” Dunk said firmly, making Egg blush completely.

“I’m sorry, Ser. I… I’ll take care of the horses while you bathe,” said the little prince as he ran to the stable to calm his young and crazy heart.

Dunk sighed in amusement and went to the tub of water to bathe, neither of them aware that their lives would change considerably in the following days…

And that the Seven Kingdoms would never be the same again.

“CAW, CAW, CAW!” shouted the flock of crows that had been traveling with the carriage before dispersing into the darkness of the night, all of them wearing the same mark: a small bracelet with the symbol of a crow with antlers, holding a lily between its legs.

An emblem that would become quite popular, feared, and loved in Westeros in the coming years.

The emblem of the Lord of the Crows.