The Sworn Sword — Dunk III

At the dam, Bennis opens a digger's cheek with his sword — and Standfast braces for Coldmoat's answer. Dunk drills a handful of field hands into something like soldiers, knowing exactly how it will go against real knights.

The chapter retold

The feud draws its first blood cheaply and stupidly: at the dam, Ser Bennis opens a digger's cheek with his sword, and Standfast must now brace for Coldmoat's answer to an insult it cannot afford. Dunk drills a handful of frightened field hands into something that resembles soldiers, knowing exactly how a line of plowmen will fare against real knights in real steel. The chapter is Dunk's dilemma in miniature — a sworn sword bound to a foolish quarrel, trying to keep smallfolk alive in a war their betters started over a stream that will run dry by autumn regardless.

This movement: A Dry Summer

• Two years after Ashford: King Daeron and both of Baelor's sons are dead of the Great Spring Sickness; bookish Aerys wears the crown and the sorcerer Bloodraven rules from behind it.
• Drought bakes the Reach. Dunk and Egg serve old Ser Eustace Osgrey of Standfast, last of the chequy lions, for bed, board, and a knight's fee.
• The Chequy Water runs dry: the Red Widow of Coldmoat has dammed the stream — and Ser Bennis of the Brown Shield opens a digger's cheek to answer it.
• Standfast arms its plowmen. Dunk counts real knights on the other side and likes the sum not at all.