The Kneeling Man

[Ollie]

Ser Dunnock did as he was bid. Rising to his feat, the smaller-than-most hedge knight steadied himself, and strode out of the inn in step with Rolf.

[Horas]

Rolf walks a little ways, until they are most definately alone. "Tell me, Dunnock. You ever heard of a man called Alexander Irwyn?"

[Ollie]

"Lord Irwyn? O' the Far Reach?," he confirmed, grim stained teeth chattering quietly as the cold winter air hit him. "Aye, I know of 'im, milord. Can't say I met 'im 'afore. Closest I e'er got t'Uplands was servin' under th' Dawn Raider fer a spell few years or so ago."

The hedge knight pulled his threadbare brown cloak tighter about his shoulders in a feeble attempt to drive off the chill. "Friend of yers, milord?" he suggested.

[Horas]

Rolf lets loose a low chuckle. "Can't say that's true, Dunnock... quite the opposite, in fact. I want a man in his retinue. A guard, friend, confidant, what have you. A man who listens to what Irwyn says, and then tells me about it. Maybe a bit more as time goes on. You think you're up for that?"

[Ollie]

It was the tone in Rolf's voice that sobered him, or what the words said behind the tone. Perhaps it was simply the bracing evening air; in any case, the man had Ser Dunnock's full attention.

"Ye... Ye want me t'spy on th'man, is it milord?" he said, voice wavering between interest and the incredulous.

[Horas]

"That's what I was implying," Rolf rumbles. "You'd be paid well." His hand wanders down to his coin pouch once again, and the glimmer of yellow gold can be seen inside.

[Ollie]

Two questions wavered on the tip of Dunnock's tongue. The hedge knight hesitated, his eyes flashing down to the pouch of coin, but his head won out over his greed. "How'm I 'sposed t'tell ye 'about this information if I'm off servin' Lord Alexander?"

[Horas]

"I have a lot of friends. Some of them even live in Oldtown. They'll find you."

[Ollie]

The Bloody Sparrow nodded slowly, still hesitant. It wasn't often that a man would ask Ser Dunnock to undergo this cloak-and-dagger spycraft, and he could feel his better senses forming a knot in the pit of his stomach.

But, he had served lords before during times of strife, fighting for them, yes, and killing for them; faithfully as each took him into their service, as was the hedge knight's life. Ser Dunnock supposed this was only another type of servitude. A queer sort, to be sure, but how could a rightly man call himself a hedge knight and deny a lord in need?

"I s'pect they will then. I'm yer man, milord."

[Horas]

Rolf grins. "Good!" He draws his dagger, then makes a small cut on the palm of his hand, then offers the knife to Dunnock. "Let us seal the deal," the man says.

[Ollie]

Dunnock bloodies his hand obediently, though not without a look of aversion, and clasps Rolf's.

[Horas]

Rolf nods in approval, removes his hand, and slaps a few golden dragons there in its place. "That should get you to Oldtown, Ser Dunnock. Seek out Lord Irwyn, and then my friends will seek out you."

[Ollie]

The newly hired hedge knight gazed at the cold, hard, golden dragons. Their blood mingled together on the coins, dark red shimmering in the moonlight like dragonfire. Ser Dunnock bit a coin, more out of habit than any natural distrust, and found the dragon to have a sharp tang on his tongue. It tasted like opportunity.

"Aye milord. I'll 'ead west fer Lannisport an' sail down th'Sunset Sea, t'Oldtown, as y'say. Seek out this Lord Irwyn," the Bloody Sparrow avowed, gaze flickering back to the coins absentmindedly.

[Horas]

Rolf nods again. "Might be best to wait 'til he's back from the Queen's Tourney, but I imagine he'll be returning soon. Best of luck, Ser Dunnock."

[Ollie]

Ser Dunnock nodded. "Rightly so, milord," he said, then paused.

"And thank you."

With that, the Bloody Sparrow took wing to the west, the crimson fingers of dawn creeping across the sky behind him.