#rivervale_lodge

It is at this point, Dagmar, after school at least, finds herself patrolling not with her usual friends, but with Vali, "Come on, let's talk about Knight School" wry

"Knight school? Well, I mean, Chief's a baroness, so I guess... yeah, it'd be different..."

"Well, yeah, more a talk on what being a knight means while patrol" He says as they walk "First all, you want to know if you can be a knight and a thane. Well, I guess that's how you look at it, and how the Chief feels. Lut and Tig do the same patrols I do...they guard the hearth with their lives. So I would think? Yes. Yes you could"

"But you and Frank are different."

"Very, Knighthood isn't a personality type, it's a calling. Look, some folks like to call us 'the working nobles'. Which isn't exactly fair, but we are the ones who have our feet on the ground more often. Knights Errant sound like the perfect job, all the perks, you choose what's right and wrong, but you also have fewer resources, and sometimes a weaker effect on the world. Good lieges need support." He says "Wait, before I get too into my stuff, you were doing fine so keep asking questions and I'll try to answer those."

"Ok, so - if I were to swear to the Chief, to here... what would that mean for me? I'm.. free now, of nadeen, so no conflict there.."

"She would swear back, your oaths are both magical.. even for non trolls, oaths are magical."

"Right..."

"You would be her vassal, she your liege. But she might not require the oath. Some don't. You would end up obeying her, not that we don't do that anyway, but even beyond the lodge, she could order you on quests and missions, and you would have the right to succor, boons, and she's got your back in some other ways. It also means you represent her somewhat"

"So, I listen to her, which I already do... and she protects me, which she already has..."

"Yup. Not everything requires an oath.." He nods "But there might be more to it the way she sees it. Like I said, you also are tied... honor wise. If you go some place and act like a knave, a cad, or for that matter an asshole, it's not just 'Dame Dagmar was an asshole' it's "Dame Dagmar, Knight sworn to Rivervale, was an asshole" see the diff?"

"Everything I do reflects on the Lodge. Like... like how I'm a King now?"

"Oh! Do you think I'd get missions?"

"Yes to the first," He says "Definitely I'd say so to the second, and if the Chief doesn't give you one, your house might... and if you're house doesn't... then there's always folks coming up asking for aid. We're born of legends. And in legends? Someone in need sees a knight, and the next thing you know they want you to rescue their fair cousin or stop a monster from raiding or whatever. Sometimes, the helpless come to us."

"I want to be a hero."

He bites his bottom lip, then says "then be careful, sometimes what drives us to be heroes can bring out the worst in us. It's a journey, not a switch, but you can find yourself the villain in someone else' sstory if you forget to do what a hero would do and get more concerned with being seen as one"

"But, like... " She frowns. "Like.."

"Like how everybody here helped me, right?"

"Yes, do you think that's what makes them heroes?"

She nods. "They didn't have to do half of what they did."

"But they did it anyways. Like... for nothing, not for being paid back..."

"There's a quote: 'A hero is someone who, in spite of weakness, doubt or not always knowing the answers, goes ahead and overcomes anyway.' The same guy also said 'What makes Superman a hero is not that he has power, but that he has the wisdom and the maturity to use the power wisely.
"

"I mean, it's easy to be... impressive, right? Like a TV wrestler? Or, like, LeBron? But they also are doing it for a ton of money, too..."

"I guess?" She shrugs. "Don't tell Symon, though. He'll laugh, think it's dumb..."

"I think Symon secretly has more idealism than he admits, he's afraid he'll be laughed at for it too. But that's a guess"

"I wouldn't laugh at him." She harrumphs. "He's my best friend."

A smile "Doesn't stop him from being shy about it. " he ponders "You know real heroes by their actions as well as intent and success. Let's try it this way- Two people, two different states, end up being abused and hurt in almost the exact same way. The first thinks to herself 'I will be strong enough so no one can ever do that to me again no matter what', the second says 'I will try to be strong enough so that no one around me ever suffers through what I did again'. Guess which one is the hero?"

"Is it a trick question?"

"Not really"

"Sometimes you have to go back to the easy ones"

"Being able to save yourself is important..."

"yes"

"Being able to set limits, you know? That's... hard. Especially when you think maybe you deserve to hurt."

"Agreed. But the greater hero is the one who does that, AND helps others. The other person? Well, they are certainly heroic, and might even be a hero in greek fame style... but … without thinking of others, they could also become the villain. If they think 'that will never happen to me because I'll be the one doing it this time' or "And I don't care what I have to do to be strong" " He whistles "That can lead to some dark patches"

"Mmph." Frown, shrug.

"Some of the reason I mention this is, and I'm sad to say, not all knights are heroes"

"But I'm supposed to be a Gwydion one..."

"The Chief will help you with that, but even the best houses have some lemons. " A sigh "Yes, even Beaumayn. Look, I guess the simpliest thing to do is learn what being a knight means, or should mean to you, then try to do that and understand you're going to fail now and then. Pick a code, not just the Seelie Code, not just the Code of Dagda, but a code that makes sense to YOU , and try to hold to it, and don't get so rigid that you think it's a perfect code. One of my favorites is from a movie, though I don't really hold up to that high bar"

"Well, yeah.. but... like, you know, Sith or Hydra, or anything... always gonna be bad guys."

"Well, yes, and I suppose they serve their purpose in the grand design- Nice to have someone you can clobber guilt free" He smiles

"You ever see Dragonheart?"

:Jaymes likes it, yeah. So does Tove - she hadn't seen it before."

"Love that old code" He quotes “A Knight is sworn to valor.
His heart knows only virtue.
His blade defends the helpless.
His might upholds the weak.
His words speak only truth.
His wrath undoes the wicked.
The right can never die,
If one Knight still recalls.
The words are not forgotten,
If one voice speaks them clear.
The code forever shines,
If one heart holds it bright.”

He sighs "I do tend to fib a bit...so I guess I'm not the ideal knight. I have undone some wicked with my wrath though. Good work out, that"

"I don't think Gwydion are allowed to lie."

"...Or be unseelie, but I'm unseelie, you said..."

"You were. " he says "i'd say you've been summer side for while now"

"Oh."

"I know unseelie can be knights..."

"THey can" he nods