A shield against the crowd.
Ser Duncan the tall x female!reader
The tourney grounds at Ashford were a kaleidoscope of noise, color, and shifting bodies. Banners snapped in the brisk wind, hawkers screamed themselves hoarse over the price of meat pies, and the heavy thud of destriers’ hooves vibrated straight through the soles of your boots.
It was exhilarating, but it was also suffocating.
You stood on the edge of the main thoroughfare, wedged between a rowdy group of local smallfolk and a merchant's cart laden with casks of ale. Next to you, Egg—his straw hat pulled low to obscure his shaved head—was practically vibrating with excitement. He stood on his tiptoes, trying to peer over the wall of shoulders to see the squires preparing the lances.
"Ser Duncan! Look!" Egg shouted, pointing a small finger toward the eastern lists. "That’s the Fossoway crest! The red apple, not the green. Do you think he'll joust in the first tilt?"
Standing behind you both, looming like an oak tree among saplings, was Ser Duncan the Tall. He shifted his weight, his massive frame a natural barrier against the chaotic flow of the crowd. Dunk squinted toward the pavilions, his honest, weathered face crinkling in thought.
"Might be, Egg," Dunk said, his deep voice rumbling right above your ear. "But don't go wandering off to find out. Keep close. If I lose you in this press, I'll never find you again."
"I'm not a babe," Egg muttered, though he obediently took a half-step closer to Dunk’s side.
You smiled at the familiar bickering, but the warmth of the moment was quickly swallowed by a sudden, violent surge in the crowd. A roar went up from the stands—someone important had just ridden into the yard—and the thick sea of humanity buckled. A wave of spectators pushed backward to clear a path for a mounted knight's retinue, and the squeeze became instantly perilous.
A burly man in greasy leather stumbled back, his elbow nearly catching you in the jaw. You gasped, stepping back into the limited space behind you, but there was nowhere to go. You were about to be trampled or pinned against the rough, splintered wood of the merchant's cart.
Before panic could fully take root, a massive presence enveloped you from behind.
A large, calloused hand slid smoothly onto your waist.
The grip was gentle, careful not to bruise or alarm you, and entirely respectful of your space—yet it possessed a quiet, unyielding firmness that brooked no argument from the crowd around you. With a seamless, fluid motion, Dunk used that single hand to guide you backward and flush against his chest, completely lifting you out of harm's way and into the secure pocket of his shadow.
Your breath hitched. The sudden, overwhelming proximity to him sent a shockwave through your senses. Every bone in your body felt as though it had instantly melted into warm wax.
Dunk planted his boots and braced his broad shoulders, effectively forming a human fortress around you and Egg. The men who had been shoving a moment ago collided with Dunk's back and sides, only to bounce off him like water against stone. He didn't budge an inch.
"You alright?" Dunk asked, his voice dropping an octave, meant only for you.
You looked up, your back pressed securely against his tunic. Because of his towering height, you had to tilt your head all the way back. He was looking down at you, his hazel eyes filled with genuine, fierce concern. His hand was still resting on your waist, the heat of his palm burning right through the fabric of your kirtle.
"I—yes," you managed to breathe out, your heart hammering a frantic rhythm against your ribs, though no longer from fear of the crowd. "Yes, thank you, Ser Duncan."
A faint, endearing flush crept up Dunk’s neck, blooming across his cheeks as he realized he was still holding you. He didn't immediately pull his hand away, though. Instead, his thumb gave a tiny, almost imperceptible soothe against your hip before he slowly, reluctantly let his arm drop to his side.
"Good," he cleared his throat, looking away hastily to glare at a nearby drunkard who was getting too close. "Just... stay right there. Behind me. Both of you."
Egg glanced back, looking between you and the towering hedge knight with a knowing, entirely too-shrewd smirk on his young face. "Yes, Ser," Egg piped up, practically dripping with mock obedience. "We'll stay right where it's safe."
Dunk nudged the boy's shoulder with his boot, his blush deepening, but he didn't move an inch from where he stood. And as the crowd continued to roar and surge around you, you leaned just a fraction closer into Dunk's side, perfectly content to let the rest of the world rush by.
Here it is my fist a knight of the seven kingdoms fanfic, I have been rewatching it recently and I’m absolutely fallen in love with Duncan again.
(I just have something for big man)