Rolly Duckfield
Rolly Duckfield, called Duck, is a knight of the Golden Company and a sworn shield to the young prince Aegon Targaryen. A large, brawny man with a shaggy beard and a shock of orange hair, he is a figure of blunt strength and uncomplicated loyalty, serving as a trainer and protector to the prince. His journey from a blacksmith's son in the Reach to a knight in a secret Targaryen restoration plot marks him as a man shaped by violence and a desire for a better station, yet his fundamental nature remains that of a straightforward, if sometimes boastful, soldier.
Origins and Knighthood
Duck was born in Bitterbridge, the son of an armorer. He took to swordplay at an early age and drew the eye of old Lord Caswell, who offered him a place in his garrison. However, his path changed when he beat Lord Caswell's weakling son, Lorent, with a hammer after Lorent took a sword Duck's father had made for him. Forced to flee the Reach, he crossed the narrow sea and joined the Golden Company, where he worked as a smith's apprentice before being taken on as a squire by Ser Harry Strickland. When Jon Connington sent word downriver that he needed someone to help train his son to arms, Strickland sent Duck. A year later, Connington knighted him in a field, and Duck took his name from the ducks he saw there.
Role in the Conspiracy
Duck is a key member of the small band traveling with Young Griff, the hidden prince Aegon Targaryen. He serves as the prince's primary arms trainer, sparring with him daily on the deck of the Shy Maid. Though his greater size and strength give him an advantage with maces and longaxes, the contests with swords are more even, and the prince often lands more blows. Duck's role is not one of subtlety or strategy; he is a physical presence, a loyal sword, and a source of blunt humor. He is also a talker, and Jon Connington notes that "Duck talks too much," a trait that could be a liability in a secret enterprise.
Personality and Relationships
Duck is characterized by his good-natured, if sometimes crude, demeanor. He is quick to laugh and engages in rough banter with Tyrion Lannister, whom he playfully throws into the Rhoyne. He is fiercely loyal to Young Griff, whom he calls "the lad," and to Jon Connington, who knighted him. His relationship with the Halfmaester, Haldon, is one of friendly rivalry, with Duck often complaining about being assigned tasks. Despite his size and strength, he is not without a sense of humor, as when he pretends to fall into a horse trough just to make the prince laugh. He is a man of action rather than intellect, and his primary value to the conspiracy is his martial skill and unwavering loyalty.
Narrative Significance
Duck represents the archetype of the loyal, uncomplicated warrior in a world of scheming and intrigue. He is a piece in the game of thrones, moved by others, but his presence provides a grounding, physical counterpoint to the political machinations of Varys, Illyrio, and Jon Connington. His knighthood, conferred by a man who claims not to be a knight, underscores the theme of identity and deception that runs through the narrative. Duck's story is one of a common man elevated by circumstance and loyalty, a soldier who has found a cause worth fighting for in the restoration of a Targaryen king.
