After burying Ser Arlan, Duncan decides to enter the tourney they were travelling to in his place, though it is unclear as to whether he was actually knighted. On the way, he mets a drunken Lordling in an Inn, who tells him he dreamt of him and a dead dragon. Outside, he encounters a small boy, named Egg, who asks to be his squire and is at first refused. Duncan sells Ser Arlan's horse to pay for new armor and befriends Raymunn Fossaway, a young lordling. On the way back, Duncan encounters Egg again who has followed him and this time agrees to his request.
He is at first refused entry to the lists unless he can find someone to vouch for him as a knight. After initial failure with men who Ser Arlan fought for, he overhears Baelor and Maekor arguing about Daeron. Baelor remembers Arlan as they had fought previously in a tourney, so Duncan is allowed to enter, but he is required to design his own arms as he was not related to Ser Arlan.
He meets a puppeteer girl and asks her to paint his shield, a falling star by an elm tree. Watching the lists, he sees Aerion deliberately kill a horse to defeat his opponent, Humfrey Hardying. Aerion's horse is then given to Humfrey, though he is unable to continue. Egg cheers Aerions's opponent, urging him to kill him.
Duncan is interupted by Egg and taken to Aerion who is attackng th epuppet girl after he took offence at a dragon being slain. He saves the puppet girl from Aerion, injuring Aerion in the process. He is about to kill Duncan when Egg reveals himself as Aegon, his brother and stops it. Duncan is imprisoned. Egg visits him and apologises for lying, saying he only wanted to be a squire and how much he hates Aerion. Duncan is offered the choice of losing a hand and foot, as they struck Aerion, or taking Trial by combat, choosing the latter. Aerion insists on Trial of Seven. Egg comes to Duncan to squire for him, bringing Daeron, who appologises to Duncan as he claimed Egg was stolen by a huge robber knight to excuse the fact that he had lost him. He is to fight against Duncan as one of his accusers but says he will fall to the floor at the first opportunity.
Raymunn's cousin, Steffon Fossaway falsely claims that he will find men to support Duncan, and Egg and Raymun also look for comrades. Egg brings four, including Lyonel Baratheon, the Laughing Storm, who likes the idea of being part of such a historical event. Steffon reveals his treachery by lining up with Aerion, Maekor and the three Kingsguard, for the promise of a Lordship, leaving Duncan two men short. Raymunn asks too be knighted, but Duncan is called away before he is forced to make a decision so Lyonel Baratheon knights Raymunn who takes his place as one of Duncan's seven, changing the apple on his shield from red to green. Duncan appeals to the Lords and Knights assembled for assistance but non will join him until Baelor steps forward. Duncan is wounded in the first charge, but manages to make Aerion yield, but Baelor is accidently slain, by Maekor. Maekor offers Duncan a place with his household at Summerhall, but Duncan puts it off for a couple of years, choosing to take Egg on his travels instead, thinking that a bit of real life may prevent him turning out like Daeron or Aerion.
The Library