Among the endearing elements of HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is the enchanting dance of chivalric romance. Ser Duncan the Tall, portrayed by Peter Claffey, may lack grand possessions like a castle or even a distinguished family crest, but he does harbor a tender fondness. His heart is set on Tanselle “Too Tall,” a Dornish artist and puppeteer played by Tanzyn Crawford, who captures Dunk’s heart and prompts a series of delightfully awkward interactions. But the lingering question remains: does Tanselle reciprocate Duncan’s feelings?

**Warning: Spoilers ahead for Episode 2 “Hard Salt Beef” of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, currently available on HBO Max**

Audiences were introduced to Tanselle in the inaugural episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. She charmed viewers by narrating a captivating puppet show about a gallant knight who uses a mirror shield to conquer a dragon, an act that leaves Duncan thoroughly entranced. So enamored by her artistry, when Prince Baelor Targaryen, played by Bertie Carvel, commands Duncan to have Ser Arlan’s shield painted with his own heraldry, he instinctively considers Tanselle for the task.

This sets the stage for a tender moment as Dunk makes an earnest attempt to flirt with Tanselle. They bond over their shared height, with Tanselle recounting how she was teased as “Tanselle Too Tall” in her youth. Duncan nearly stumbles with his words, suggesting she’s just the right height for… something he hesitates to articulate.

Reflecting on this scene, Dexter Sol Ansell, a star of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, shared with DECIDER, “I was holding laughter that whole entire scene. Because he was saying stuff like, ‘Oh, it’s just for…’ And then I just pop in with, ‘Puppets!’ That scene was absolutely hilarious.”

“I didn’t have to act for that, really,” Peter Claffey said. “That’s how bad I am with women there. So there was no acting involved.”

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is based on the first “Dunk and Egg” novella by George R.R. Martin, “The Hedge Knight.” That short story only gives us Dunk’s perspective, so we never really get to know Tanselle outside of the young knight’s crush. The HBO show gives us a few more clues about her via Tanzyn Crawford’s performance.

When DECIDER caught up with the Australian actress, she admitted that she had conversations with series showrunner Ira Parker about Tanselle’s true feelings for Dunk.

“We landed on maybe in the beginning it’s not so much a mutual attraction,” Crawford said. “I think it grows over the the episodes.”

“Yeah, I like that it’s kind of a mystery because I think that’s how it is in real life. I mean, how often have you been in love with someone and no one’s ever known? And then that person just passes you by and you never speak to them again. So, yeah, I think it’s like a little bit unrequited maybe on both sides at points in certain conversations.”

Part of what makes Tanselle stand out, aside from her great height and beauty, is her talent on stage. Claffey and Ansell gushed about the puppets they saw on set, noting the dragon breathed “proper fire” in person, too. Crawford revealed to DECIDER that the reason why Tanselle might be playing different roles in each show — she’ll take the part of the knight next week, for instance — is actually a nod to her ambivalence towards the stage.

“Why not just do the same role every night? Everybody has their roles,” Crawford said. “What I landed on is that maybe this is not really her jam. Maybe she’s not really a performer.”

Crawford thinks that Tanselle preferred “being behind the scenes, painting or crafting or whatever.” What her “little troupe” does is swap in players when other actors are unavailable.

If so, it makes Tanselle’s talent even more impressive considering it’s not her passion. Painting, though, is. Which also makes Dunk’s request for her to paint his new coat of arms all the more precious.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms returns this Sunday at 10 PM ET on HBO and HBO Max.