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“Ser, why don’t we go watch the dancers at the tourney?” Egg looked down at Duncan from the tree branch he’d climbed on. “I saw a very pretty girl there.”
Dunk rolled his eyes and kept brushing Sweetfoot. “You have no business looking at pretty girls, Egg. You’re too young for that.”
“You aren’t.” Egg jumped down to the ground and landed lightly on his feet. “You can look at pretty girls.”
“Well I don’t.”
“Why not?”
“A knight’s first duty is to the realm. Not to watching pretty girls dance.”
“Can’t we go get some food then? Ser Lyonel is hosting a nice luncheon.”
Dunk sighed and set down the brush. Food did sound good. “Fine. But we’re just there for food. I won’t have my squire runnin’ about staring after girls, or you’ll get a clout in the ear.”
Egg grinned and started skipping down the path.
“Boys,” Dunk, all of seventeen, muttered before following after him.
There was in fact a luncheon being hosted by Lyonel Baratheon with food and pretty girls at his tent. These pretty girls were not like the whores Dunk had met earlier though. These girls were dressed in true finery and walked with heads held high.
One girl in particular struck his notice as he sat with Egg watching them dance. A tall girl with broad shoulders and a thick torso stood in the center of the group. She had very long hair of a bright silver color and violet eyes that shined like gems.
She was clearly the ringleader of the group as the all of the other girls surrounded her and even the gathered lords and knights stood close, hoping to get a bit of her attention. Dunk couldn’t exactly blame them. Her dress was a pretty lilac color and hugged her curves rather tightly though the skirt flowed out as she spun to the music.
“See?” Egg said excitedly. “I told you there were pretty girls here.”
“Yeah. Very pretty.” Dunk kept watching as the girl at the center hopped up on a table and called for quiet.
Almost at once, silence fell. Even Ser Lyonel sat, leaning forward and watching the girl so raptly that he seemed to forget the goblet of wine next to him.
The girl raised her hands and gestured to the bards nearby. “Andal Eyes please!”
They eagerly struck up a happy tune.
The girl grinned and opened her mouth to sing with the voice of angels.
My mother says I have Andal eyes
Andal eyes, Andal eyes
My mother says I have Andal eyes
They go ever so blue under stormy sky
But they’re never so blue as when I let them cry
She stomped her feet and clapped her hands along to the beat, and others followed her example. Dunk had forgotten his food as soon as her voice had graced his ears. She was otherworldly.
My father says I have Dornish hair
Dornish hair, Dornish hair
Brown like the bark of an oak somewhere
Like the bed of a lake where hemlock grows
Like the thorn and the stem of a Tyrell rose
I’m a map of the world and the ones before
One foot on sea, and one on shore
Every step, every hope flung high
I’m a map of them all with my Andal eyes
Her hair, tucked back in neat braids, flew through the air as she danced out a beat on the ground. Duncan was so lost in watching her that the rest of the song passed without notice. She was amazing.
She sang a few more songs before hopping off the table to join the general revelry with a bright smile. She spun in circles and stomped to the beat, lilac skirt flaring up as she moved.
Egg nudged his side with a secretive grin. “You should ask her to dance.’
“What?” Duncan finally tore his eyes away from the girl to stare at Egg with astonishment. “Ask a girl like that to dance with me? She’d laugh in my face.”
“You never know if you don’t try, Ser. Go ask.”
“No. I won’t go botherin’ some noble girl just to get a clout in the ear from her fath- Egg!”
The boy leapt off the bench and ran through the crowd, dodging people until he reached the girl. He tugged on her sleeve, ignoring her shock at his audacity and pointed to Duncan. Her violet eyes flew to him and stared as Egg whispered in her ear.
He needed to run away. Not only had his squire gone and bothered some noble girl, he’d gone and told her stories. Duncan jumped up and started to walk away but froze when the girl called out to him.
“Ser! Why do you leave?” The girl had stepped through the crowd like a parted sea. Behind her, Duncan could see Ser Lyonel giving him a slack-jawed stare. “Your squire said you wished to dance.”
“I-I don’t mean for him t-to bother you, my lady. I’m sorry for his botherin’ you. I’ll take him away now.”
“Do not apologize, Ser.” The girl extended a graceful hand. “Do you wish to dance?”
He stared at her hand, blinking hard. “M-my lady?”
“Do you wish to dance, Ser Duncan?”
“I…well yes, I do wish to dance.” He could not believe his luck. The most beautiful lady he’d ever seen was offering him her hand and asking him to dance.
“Good. I would like it very much if you would dance with me, Ser.”
Duncan took her hand and hoped she didn’t mind that it was shaking. “As you wish, my lady.”
She smiled, and it felt like the sun itself was shining on his face. “Wonderful.”
Then he was yanked forward and spinning around the grass while the bards played and the crowds sang and he lost himself in Andal eyes.
When the dancing had ended, the sun had set, and the pretty girl had sat with him under a tree, she asked him a question.
“Will you be in the lists on the morrow, Ser Duncan?”
“Aye. I do.” He was still holding her hand. How was he still holding her hand?
The pretty girl smiled and stood, squeezing his hand. “Look for my favor, Ser. I wish to give it to you.”
“I will, my lady. Thank you.”
“No. Thank you.” She offered him a deep curtsey then turned to walk away, hips swaying.
"Wait!" Duncan jumped up, hand outstretched. "What is your name, my lady? So I know where to look for you."
She grinned. "Rhaenyra. Goodnight, Ser." With that, she walked away and returned to her ladies.
He watched her go, still not fully believing his luck.
Egg sat next to him with a mischievous grin. “Are you still angry with me for approaching her, Ser?”
“Shut up before I give you a clout in the ear.”