Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Colonial Clockwork Marine

Vol1: Chapter 7

"Arriving at my father's study, Baron Ivar Flaith Colm Speir was standing by the window basked in the afternoon glow and lost in his general thoughts. I gave a knock at the open door and he faced me with a graceful smile. I cannot deny that there is a certain magnitude when one is in this man's presence, as I witnessed in accompanying business trips with him. Despite his junior status and looks well into his early 30's, his visage alone commands other nobles of higher standing to even pause themselves when they felt out of line when addressing my father. Prompting others to whisper rumors of caution when transacting with House Speir due to his bewitching guile."

"Then of course, I derive that this kind of charisma can only be attributed to our hidden royal lineage. As a branch house of the defunct kingdom of Osraige's royalty, that is unknown to all except within the family's inner circles. Though it eludes me on how we got mixed up with the Viking King Ivar the boneless somewhere in our long family tree, which is probably why we ended up being a branch house in the end."

***

My father then opened up while ruffling my hair like any affectionate parent would, "Well, hello there Liam! Nice to see you around for a change, but what's this I hear of you killing a kidnapper and rescuing a noble's daughter? Can you elaborate for me please?" I felt the authenticity of concern and the same time a stern demand for an explanation subtly conveyed in his words.

"Father..." as I started to make an accounting of the morning's events to him, while he listened intently to all of the details. Afterwards, he asked me to sit at one end of his office couch, while he seated himself at the opposite end as he pronounced his findings.

"Firstly as your father, it is good to see that you are unharmed by all of this boy. But for you to head off irresponsibly alone on such a fateful day, what are the odds? Or is this a predestined affair by the fates themselves my child?" As my father looked at me in the eye as if peering for additional answers.

"I know you seem to have an old soul, Liam from the way you act based on my observation, reports from the manor staff and from Father Remy' himself." Then he curled up a smile, "Still boyish in any other way but it escapes me from the fact that you where able to defend yourself from an assailant far superior to your strength such an enigma, eh?"

I instinctively lowered my gaze and blurted out, "What was a boy to do when being threatened with bodily harm? Also at the same time, someone else was in duress and my conscience demanded action for that moment, father."

"Conscience." Repeated my father, "Tsk, tsk... Now as the lord of this territory, If it were that easy to resolve all conflicts with brute force my dear Liam, the society we are trying to built up would have easily fallen back to the dark ages. As it is, our lands are under threat yet again from the rumor mongers of another war with the invaders. We would need to come up with a more united front within if we are to stand as a people."

"Are you saying father that I should have let the kidnappers have their way with the Lady Karabelle, to preserve the peace and strengthen the unity of our citizens?" I Interjected incredulously.

"Heavens no Liam, force of arms would have been the last resort in all this, as there is a certain wit needed to address similar situations my dear boy." Replied the older Speir as he neared his face to mine to force a point.

"Next time my dear Liam, try to bring your head into every conflict and not just your sword or should I say, knife? "  In a quick sleight of hand my father produced my knife which was hidden in my outer clothes the whole time. Lucky enough, I still had the discipline to clean it before returning to the manor. Father continued to smile and inspect the knife before returning it to me, as I said in amazement. "How are you able to get my knife so fast father? Truly you are a master of some skill!"