Teaching while cleaning up for the next Victim

[DoS Archive]

From: girvin@aol.com (GIRVIN)
Date: 19 Apr 1998 11:26:57 EDT

Young Ben was helping Brian gather his things for his locker and desk in the Arena offices. Brian was wrapping up instructions for whoever Helix would chose as the next keeper of the Warlord's ranks. Here and there he added a bit of instruction on the parchment. "Da?" The growing lad asked of his father, who had grayed a bit at the temples.



"Aye, son?"



"Why is there so much debate over Dalamarar Dau.." Brian's hearty laughter cut the boy off.



"Dalamar, son." Ben waited as he knew his father's habit of gathering his thoughts before trying to set instructions to his adopted son. Brian wrapped up the instructions with a small strip of tartan, his own symbol of hope as to who would be taking over the ranks. "Its a question of personal beliefs of people assigning motivations to others based on what they observe. Ye would do well to mind the political morass of the rings lad, tis a fine
reflection of who bitter politicking can be. Ye see Dal made a decision that others dinna agree with."



"Di' ye, Da." Ben was surprised by the frown on his father's face.



"Honestly, no. Something in me mind has disagreed with Dalamar for a while, but I canna say for sure what it is. There are times when ye can feel that what ye see and what is total truth dinna fit as one. I willna say, as some have, that the Overlord has chosen *this* path," Brian leveled a hand as Golden's desk, "so that he may secure a spot in history. That lies in Dalamar's motivations, but this is a good lesson for ye to remember when
the reigns of GateWay fall to ye. In the absence of answers, folk will make up their own truth. And in the end ye must decide what ye value most, tis never an easy thin' as a leader. I have, as ye know, had heart break when friends turned their backs on me, but I respected them. I in turn may have had to do the same. Ye must make that choice. As much as I loved Ian and as valuable as he was to the clan and to GateWay, I released him because
what I value most the truth that there is no destiny laid out that no man can change. A man must stand on his own first to become part of a team or unit. He must live as a good subordinate before he may become a great leader. I believe a man, especially a warrior, must stand on his own. Else, when ye have need of him he may let you down."



"But should you be loyal to a friend?"



"Always, Benjamin, but there are many cloaks one may wear with a friend. I fight with a grand bunch of lads on the Pride, and Dalamar is one. As such I stand by a team mate. We have shared banter on a few occasions in this Arena. As such, I am loyal to a friend. He is overlord of this sport. As such I disagree with some of his politics and his actions. The last does not change the first two in my mind. This Arena has the ability to make
people forget that one can disagree with a politician and yet remain loyal to a friend."



"Were you a baron, would ye be a loyalist?



"Conjecture that has little point at this time son," Brian gathered a box up, "but I would say most likely not. I would explain to Dalamar that I bore no personal grudge against him but I felt his policies were incorrect."



"So you dinna like him?"



"Nay lad. Tis just like the disagreement I had with Jeff. Jeff took my questioning his public diatribe personally and it was not meant so. Often time politicians bicker and call names in private and hug and joke before the public. Mayhaps it is a convenient divergance of personal and public, but I have many friends that are rulers whom I find make poor policies. I point out my disagreement in the air of honesty not hatred, nor lack of
friendship. Were I a Baron," Brian's chuckle delays the rest of the statement, "I would understand that my private estimations of Dalamar should not override my political responsibility to hold to what I believe to be the standards of my office."



"But is the Duel of Swords not a sport?"



"It is that and so much more Ben."



"Will I someday have to publicly disagree with a close friend?"



"Although I can guarantee little to ye in this life, son, if ye rule people ye will have to do so. The best you can make of the situation is talk to them as friends and hope that they understand that ye really bear them no ill will but you must lead as best you can. Doing that will hurt a few feelings. Tis inevitable."



"People in this sport seem to be so angry from these missives." Brian laughed again.



"There are a few lad, who dwell in a bad distemper, but most disputes, in my mind, are truly settled in the rings. These missives are usually just posturing for those that agree with each other." Brain handed Ben a box. "Mind ye dinna ask yer mother of this. She has had a habit lately of most curious language regarding some of the more verbal of this sport." Ben grinned and the pair headed out of the Arena. Brian left the engraved Gaelic
blessing on his desk for the next to fill it.