The Knight’s Boots

Being an account from that Kingdom wherein MiLord found his Dream

By Ld. Colin of Tighan

It was another fine, sunny Saturday morn, and New Person was looking forward to seeing the Tournament. However, certain questions had been occupying his thoughts, and so he set out to see them answered.

“MiLord, have you a moment?”

MiLord turned, smiling. “Why, certainly! What do you need?”

“MiLord—what is most important about a Knight?”

MiLord pondered this query with great care. “If I had to choose one thing, I would say it is a Knight’s Honor. I fear I am not the person to ask, though. There’s Squire getting coffee, why don’t you ask him?”

New Person thanked MiLord, and approached the Squire. Squire listened to the question, and proclaimed, “Loyalty! Do you see this silver chain about my neck? It binds me in fealty to my Knight, just as his chain of gold binds him to the Crown.” New Person nodded at this, and went to the food line.

As he availed himself of breakfast, New Person spied Mistress Laurel bringing out more bacon. “Mistress Laurel, what is most important that I know about Knights?”

Mistress Laurel smiled, stuck an extra helping on New Person’s plate, and then responded, “A Knight is known for his skill at arms. That is what sets him apart from the other Peerages.”

“Excuse me please!” New Person looked down to find Little Girl patiently waiting for the grown-ups to move aside so she could get through.

New Person smiled down at her, saying, “Little Girl! What do you think is most important about Knights?”

Little Girl dimpled up at New Person. “Knights are always cour…cour…you know! Nice! Like that one!” She pointed over to where Sir Knight sat quietly polishing his boots.

Seeing a chance to put his question to rest, New Person thanked the Ladies young and old and went to sit by Sir Knight. “Sir Knight, everyone tells me something different. What is most important for me to know about Knights?”

“A fine question, my friend! The answer sits before you. The most important thing you will ever understand about Knights lies with these boots I am polishing. Can you guess what?”

New Person eyed the leather boots carefully, then ventured a guess:

“They have seen much in the service of your King, traveling through dust and mud.”

Sir Knight dabbed at a spot and said, “This is true, but it is not most important for you to know. Try again?”

He considered this carefully. “They bear spurs! Spurs that reflect the history of the Knight as a mounted warrior!”

“Oh, well done! Many miss that point. However, it is not the spurs of which I speak. Do go on?”

New Person thought hard, and finally said, “Sir Knight, I am sorry. I do not know what about these boots of yours is so important!”

Sir Knight smiled, and wiping away the last of the excess polish, he slipped his left foot into a boot, pulling at the bootstraps until his toes were firmly in their place. Picking up the other, he did likewise with it on the right. Finally, he rose, stamped his feet a bit to settle them, and leaned over to whisper in New Person’s ear.

“I put them on one at a time, just like you do.”