A little 'ship manifesto for my fandom of one ...
I am a huge fan of GRR Martin's ASOIAF novels, including the Hedge Knight novellas.
In ASOIAF, Martin introduced the background characters of Renly Baratheon and Loras Tyrell and ... at first hinted, but in most recent books made it more blatant, and finally confirmed it. Renly/Loras is canon.
And ever since I read the first Hedge Knight novella, and especially after reading the graphic novel for it, I like to think that Kingsguard members Roland Crakehall and Donnel of Duskendale were more than just brothers in arms.
What you need to know about the Kingsguard is: They are not allowed to marry or hold land. They lose any previous coat of arms they had prior to joining. They serve until death. Their #1 priority is to protect members of the royal family from harm.
Riding into Ashford:
That's Roland to the left and Donnel in the foreground. There's a 3rd guy, but you barely see him at all in the story.
As members of the Kingsguard, charged to bodyguard the royal family, you'd think they'd be checking everything out and sticking by Princes Maekar and Aerion like white on rice.
The helms come off and they've only got eyes for each other.
They're even nice guys to our hero, young Ser Duncan The Tall.
Bodyguards to the fucking royal family and they've got time and a few kind words for a 17 year old hedge knight so poor he can't even afford a proper sword belt. I've always liked that they've not snotty, that they're nice guys.
The Crakehalls are a landed family, but middling. But "Donnel of Duskendale"? His name right there tells you that he's not of noble birth, that he earned his place, that he rose on merit alone. So, Crakehall's not a snob (Donnel's clearly his best bud) and Donnel rose from obscurity. (Like Ser Duncan will very soon.)
Through a series of events, Ser Duncan is forced into trial by combat against Prince Aerion. Aerion asks for a trial of 7 vs. 7. Prince Aerion, Prince Daeron, and Prince Maekar take up arms, and Prince Maekar orders the 3 Kingsguard members he brought down into the combat.
When Prince Baelor comes into the trial on Duncan's side, he makes a point of saying that Maekor erred when he ordered the Kingsguard into the trial, because no matter what, being charged to defend the royal family, they can't attack him, so he's going to take on Maekor.
So, this page has some very interesting events on it, as pertains to Roland & Donnel
If you look at the top panel in the background, you can see one member of the Kingsguard helping the other up, while Lyonel Baratheon (guy with the yellow shield) had just vanquished another Kingsguard, and is running towards the Prince Maekar vs. Prince Baelor battle.
Next Panel. We can clearly see that Roland is helping Donnel off the field.
Last Panel. Lyonel Baratheon has joined Prince Baelor in attacking Prince Maekor, making it 2 on 1.
And Roland Crakehall is helping Donnel of Duskendale off the field! -- instead of rushing to attack Lyonel Baratheon, and thus helping to protect Prince Maekor. Neither does he step in to help Prince Aerion, who's just gotten quite the beating from Duncan, and is about to be dragged across the field by him.
When the chips are down, Roland's priority is the injured Donnel.
And that, to me, says Roland/Donnel.
Do I have any story ideas for them? Nothing specific, but I think something is stewing in the back 40, and, as GRR Martin does have plans for more Hedge Knight novellas, there's a chance we might see more of these two in the background.
In ASOIAF, Martin introduced the background characters of Renly Baratheon and Loras Tyrell and ... at first hinted, but in most recent books made it more blatant, and finally confirmed it. Renly/Loras is canon.
And ever since I read the first Hedge Knight novella, and especially after reading the graphic novel for it, I like to think that Kingsguard members Roland Crakehall and Donnel of Duskendale were more than just brothers in arms.
What you need to know about the Kingsguard is: They are not allowed to marry or hold land. They lose any previous coat of arms they had prior to joining. They serve until death. Their #1 priority is to protect members of the royal family from harm.
Riding into Ashford:
That's Roland to the left and Donnel in the foreground. There's a 3rd guy, but you barely see him at all in the story.
As members of the Kingsguard, charged to bodyguard the royal family, you'd think they'd be checking everything out and sticking by Princes Maekar and Aerion like white on rice.
The helms come off and they've only got eyes for each other.
They're even nice guys to our hero, young Ser Duncan The Tall.
Bodyguards to the fucking royal family and they've got time and a few kind words for a 17 year old hedge knight so poor he can't even afford a proper sword belt. I've always liked that they've not snotty, that they're nice guys.
The Crakehalls are a landed family, but middling. But "Donnel of Duskendale"? His name right there tells you that he's not of noble birth, that he earned his place, that he rose on merit alone. So, Crakehall's not a snob (Donnel's clearly his best bud) and Donnel rose from obscurity. (Like Ser Duncan will very soon.)
Through a series of events, Ser Duncan is forced into trial by combat against Prince Aerion. Aerion asks for a trial of 7 vs. 7. Prince Aerion, Prince Daeron, and Prince Maekar take up arms, and Prince Maekar orders the 3 Kingsguard members he brought down into the combat.
When Prince Baelor comes into the trial on Duncan's side, he makes a point of saying that Maekor erred when he ordered the Kingsguard into the trial, because no matter what, being charged to defend the royal family, they can't attack him, so he's going to take on Maekor.
So, this page has some very interesting events on it, as pertains to Roland & Donnel
If you look at the top panel in the background, you can see one member of the Kingsguard helping the other up, while Lyonel Baratheon (guy with the yellow shield) had just vanquished another Kingsguard, and is running towards the Prince Maekar vs. Prince Baelor battle.
Next Panel. We can clearly see that Roland is helping Donnel off the field.
Last Panel. Lyonel Baratheon has joined Prince Baelor in attacking Prince Maekor, making it 2 on 1.
And Roland Crakehall is helping Donnel of Duskendale off the field! -- instead of rushing to attack Lyonel Baratheon, and thus helping to protect Prince Maekor. Neither does he step in to help Prince Aerion, who's just gotten quite the beating from Duncan, and is about to be dragged across the field by him.
When the chips are down, Roland's priority is the injured Donnel.
And that, to me, says Roland/Donnel.
Do I have any story ideas for them? Nothing specific, but I think something is stewing in the back 40, and, as GRR Martin does have plans for more Hedge Knight novellas, there's a chance we might see more of these two in the background.
And... man. Yes, I believe.
And it's a damn good story.