The story begins by introducing Dunk, a young man who is a squire for Sir Arlan, a Hedge Knight. What is a Hedge Knight? Apparently, these knights are men of honor who search for a lord to serve. Once they finish their duty, they are released from their servitude and are free to find another lord to serve. In between tours, they engage in tournaments where knights engage in contests of might, skill and physical prowess, earning enough money to live off of until they find a new Lord to serve. This all sounds much like the normal lifestyle of the medieval knights, but it sounds much more like mercenary work to me.