Tale of Four

After ten minutes, Oliver finally left the steam room, finding Jeremy sitting by the wall, looking at it with a betrayed look. ”Don’t be too sad. You would have hated it inside.” Jeremy frowned and picked up Oliver’s clothes. Walking over to him, he held them out and smiled, before kicking him in the shin as hard as he could.

”You forgot me.” Sulking, the young boy turned around and crossed his arms.

”Sure, but Lord Alkaris now knows who you are, brat. He praised you for your help.” His words caused the young squire’s lips to twitch, the young boy unsure if he should let his delight show or not. Quickly getting dressed, they walked back into the banquet room, seeing numerous guards running around, checking every inch of the keep. Ignoring them, Oliver brought Jeremy a little closer and sped up, returning to his room.

Within five minutes, he crossed the keep and closed the door behind him, able to relax in his small lodging. Taking a seat and looking out the window, Oliver spoke. ”Jeremy.” Indicating towards the pot of water, Oliver ripped his boots off and threw them over towards him to begin cleaning, ”You need to be careful going forward.” His gaze narrowed as he looked out the window.

Jeremy dutifully scrubbed the pair of boots, shooting Oliver a confused look, ”Why?” Looking down at the boot, he frowned, seeing a stain he couldn’t truly get rid of.

”You wish to become a great Knight, I can help train you to have the martial aspect necessary, but you must understand that being good with a sword isn’t all that matters.” Jeremy slowed down with his work and waited for Oliver to collect his thoughts, ”Hypothetically, let’s say your informaiton leads to the capture of the prince, what happens?”

”We become heroes who ended the war before it began.” Jeremy innocently said. Oliver nodded and smiled.

”Sure, what else?” Jeremy fell into thought, not understanding there was more to the answer to the question. After a moment, he looked down at the boot and scrubbed, hoping it would provide some inspiration. Eventually, when he got rid of the tough stain, he looked back at Oliver with a hint of inspiration, although unsure if it was correct.

”We get rewarded. By who I’m not sure. Maybe the King or maybe Lord Alkaris.” Oliver nodded again, finding the answer perfectly fine when thinking about the good outcomes.

”Maybe we do, maybe we don’t. You forget the chance that Lord Alkaris might take all the credit for himself. Personally, I don’t think he would. He is a bit of a brute, but seems fair, I mean, he gave a mere knight like me a room to myself, just because I offered an idea, but that is soemthing you must keep in mind.” Oliver stared deep into Jeremy’s eyes, ”Don’t give away something useful so easily. Think it through and decide if the benefits will be good enough.” Jeremy nodded, ”What else?” He asked again.

”There’s more?” Jeremey asked a question in return, getting a chuckle from Olvier.

”During the war council, what did you think of the men advising?” Putting the boot down, seeing it was another lesson, Jeremy closed his eyes, picturing the room.

”Strong, all of them seemed really strong.” Jeremy proudly said as if he had found the answer. Wishing to smile, Oliver suppressed it, needing to get his lesson across properly.

”Of course, they did, but what else, certain people specifically. Most of them were like you, there to listen and learn, but there were others. Those who made themself known and those who didn’t. What of them?” Jeremy closed his eyes, his face running through a mixture of emotions.

”There was that really creepy guy with the red hand on his back.” Jeremy shuddered a little, thinking of Lord Limb, unable to put his finger on what was wrong with him. ”Then there is Lord Lazwell. He is really friendly with Lord Alkaris. Although everyone spoke somewhat friendly with Lord Alkaris, it felt like he was the only one who could openly disagree with him and not be punished.” Oliver nodded as Jeremy carried on, ”That fat man. He was strange. I don’t understand why he was there?”

”That’s the issue, Jeremy.” Pulling his seat closer, Oliver rested a hand on Jeremy’s shoulder, ”Lord Goldvein may not be a strong warrior, but inside that room, besides Lord Lazwell, Lord Alkaris and his children, he is the most important person. And you just called him a fat guy.”

”Him? Why?” Instead of speaking, Oliver rubbed his fingers together, as if he had a gold coin between them. ”He’s rich. I guess his name hints at that.”

”Money is one source of power and the most useful.” Lifting a finger, he quickly raised a second, ”Loyalty is another. That’s what Lord Lazwell commands, and because of it, he can serve close to Lord Alkaris, unlike others.” Lifting a third finger, he carried on, ”Compatance is third. Lord Limb, although you called him creepy, understands this. It is why, even in a room full of people who are disgusted by him, he is listened to and given command of soemthing that may seem small but is vital to the war.”

Oliver took a deep breath and held up a final finger, ”Lastly, information. Key informaiton like what you provided. It is what can be used to get power and what those you wish to serve will need. But make no mistake, others also wish to increase their standing.” Jeremy’s eyes were wide as he realised the point of the lesson.

”Someone would hurt me to make sure they can say what I learned first.” Jeremey siad in shock, having never thought about it like that before. Looking into Oliver’s eyes, he could see Jeremy’s mind flashing with shock and confused understanding about what knighthood offered. Although for most all they needed to do was be able to swing a sword well, Oliver knew Jeremy wanted more, to become like those in stories, and becuase of it, he needed to know how to climb, even if he didn’t know that well himself.

”Jeremey.” Grabbing his shoulder, he squeezed tightly, ”People will kill you, just to be the first or only one to have that information. What else could have happened if someone overheard what you said is that when we were returning to see Lord Alkaris, we met with an unfortunate accident or were delayed from providing it.” Taking a deep breath, he smiled, seeing the fear in the young squire’s eyes. He could tell his teaching got through, but knew he also had to calm Jeremy down, not letting him get lost in that fear. ”Don’t be too afraid. Everything I have said is useful, but they all have their flaws. A rich man needs to trust those who control his money, a loyal man needs to trust his liege won’t cast him aside, a competent man needs to make sure he doesn’t mistake it for arrogance.”

”And someone who knows things.”

”They need to know who else knows those things and who the right people are to tell. If you wish to be a great knight from stories, you must understand this, Jeremy. become useful in more ways than one. Very few, such as the king’s Guards, can get away with their sole skill being martial prowess, but that is because they are so far clear of everyone that they require nothing else.” Jeremy nodded and looked around.

”Then what of Lord Alkaris?”

”It is different for him. He is the one incharge. Sure, he must provide the same qualities to the king, but when he rules over a vast land, he must keep control of different men and women who all have different interests.” Oliver’s eyes darkened as he clicked his tongue, ”Morality, honour and fear are all means to help this, but the main thing a Lord such as Lord Alkaris needs to do is make sure he gives enough of the carrot along with the stick. It is why Lord Lazwell is called ’The Rabid Dog of the Island’. He is Lord Alkaris’ fear factor, which keeps someone like Lord Goldvein in check and prevents greed from overstepping. Balance is required, and inside that balance, when you become a knight, you must understand where you fit in.”

Jeremy nodded and looked around as if scared the walls could hear them. ”Then what about you, Ser. You said before, when you’re drunk, that you will serve the Dove. What will you provide them?” Oliver’s smile fell as he stared into Jeremy’s eyes.

”I don’t know. I don’t know Jeremy, but never repeat those words in public.” Oliver said, his voice drifting into a silence. Staring out the window, he looked at the black birds that flew in the sky and couldn’t help but take a deep breath. Seeing his lesson was over, Jeremy refocused on cleaning the boots, running everything through his mind that he had just learnt.

’Where are they?’ Oliver asked himself, leaning against his hand, ’Why couldn’t that voice tell me more? How can I be sure they fight on my side in this war?’ Oliver narrowed his gaze and tensed before sighing and relaxing, knowing his worries had no answer right now.