Gwenvair’s tension fell immediately at this, realizing her intuition was correct. This eccentric was without airs. She smiled brightly and responded.
“A nice brother would likely receive my attention, sometimes kind, sometimes a slap to the back of the head. An uncle maybe not the slap to the back of the head.”
“But maybe a punch to an arm?”
Gwenvair giggled at that, “Yes. Maybe.”
“Good. Then maybe more like an uncle. You look like you hit hard!”
Gwenvair laughed loudly at that, actually genuine in her enjoyment of their conversation. The tension in her mother’s arm spiked as she spoke but then immediately relaxed into genuine rest, one of the first times in her life where she saw her mother truly at peace. Joe smiled along with Gwenvair, releasing a few chuckles, but then added to his last statement.
“Actually, you can treat me more like a brother. I am more than capable of doing foolish things. I’m new to your people and city, and have no wish to offend others. If I need a slap to the back of my head, I give you my permission to do so. I just hope it isn’t very often.”
Gwenvair felt the air whoosh from her body before pulling in a shuddering breath. Both her and her mother failed to appropriately hide their shock before both bowed deeper than they’d ever done before. Their guards also proved incapable of holding in their own shock, surprised whooshes escaping them as well at seeing their clan leaders’ bow. When they stood again, Joe had a serious look on his face.
“That was a big deal, wasn’t it?”
Gwenvair laughed again, surprised at her own brilliant laughter, then surprised again by her mother’s own tittering. Her mother’s laughter surprised even her mother and she raised a hand to cover her mouth before looking up in shock at Joe, then glancing at Gwenvair. Gwenvair’s laughter only grew in volume and Joe watched on with a small bemused smile as Gwenvair laughed and her mother joined in but still much more reserved. By this time, the guards had all turned away, showing only their back, while the dining room of the inn had emptied precipitously.
Joe watched on for a bit more before shrugging and smiling, “See. Now you are relaxed.”
Her mother smiled and nodded, “Yes. I am. Thank you.”
Joe shrugged, a bemused smile on his face, “Not sure what I did… don’t think I did anything. But thank you for being willing to relax around me. I know maintaining an image is part of the job, but you don’t have to do it with me, although,” Joe waved around the room, empty of anyone, “it seems that there is a certain expectation with others, so if you must for others, it really doesn’t bother me. I just feel bad when others are forced to do or be a certain thing because… yeah… You don’t have to do it for me.”
A simple statement… so much to unpack! Gwenvair took that statement and packed it away for later thought, remembering his original concern and decided to address it.
“Thank you, and yes, the inner city gates are usually closed at night,” Gwenvair stated before rushing on as she saw his frown, “But we can make an exception for your leaving. We’ll have a guard escort you and allow you through the gate.”
Joe smiled at that and nodded, “Thank you for the consideration. I apologize for the inconvenience but I really can’t, in good conscience, leave the other three here alone when they are under my care. I’m not really concerned about them. They will be fine alone, but I’m still responsible for them, so…”
Her mother smiled at that and nodded politely, stepping into the conversation, “Your honest concern for them is refreshing.”
Joe laughed and shook his head, “It’s the least I could do. How could any not do so?”
Another… Gwenvair wasn’t certain how to take it, but his genuine response seemed to reveal that he truly felt it was such a little but still expected thing. She pursed her lips as she thought of the ramifications if other masters cared for their apprentices in the same way. She feared… wouldn’t they become so weak? Or… But his amazing strength was something that seemed to prove the opposite.
Joe didn’t seem to notice their shock, or at least politely ignored it, and Gwenvair quickly recovered.
“Then let’s move on?” she asked politely.
Joe nodded and waved them on in front of him. The two turned as Joe walked behind them, the traditional place of lesser clansmen and guests, but then he stepped forward to walk at her side. The guards fidgeted, the movement subtle and reserved and she raised her hand to quiet them. Despite their subtlety, the Eccentric was still able to capture their reaction and spoke quickly.
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“It seems I have made another social faux pas. Can you tell me it so I will not do so again?”
She smiled politely and shook her head in denial, “It is OK. Do not concern yourself.”
The Eccentric took a moment to consider her statement before he rejected it, “I am grateful that you are so forgiving. Some are not so. It says much of you and your family… your clan and culture. But I do not wish to offend others as they may not take my offense as kindly as you.”
Gwenvair nodded to his statement before laughing, “It is unlikely any would take offense with you, great Eccentric.”
Joe smiled, “Well, I’m glad you think so much of me, but please tell me as even if they are kind in taking the offense, it will make any meaningful attempt at relationship building with them more difficult.”
Gwenvair thought carefully before looking at him, a subtle smile of respect now pulling at her lips, “I can see that.” She took a moment before she started again, before sighing slightly.
“You chose to walk beside me, which is a place of equals. As a guest, your place is two steps behind us. If you were a clansman equal to our clan, equal to our position, then you would walk equal to us. If you were a greater clansman, then we would walk behind you.”
Joe steps stuttered a bit, considering, before he continued beside her, “I’m uncertain… how to respond.”
“Which is why I did not wish to burden you with this knowledge. Please. Stay beside me.”
“Is it… considered OK?”
“It is considered a very… special and unusual boon. But it does happen. Rarely.”
Joe smiled brightly at that and look down at her and her mother, “Then I think you very much for offering this boon. My people would consider walking behind like that either a danger or an insult, depending on the situation.”
“A danger? An insult?”
“The danger is easy enough. Placing your back to someone is dangerous, as they can easily attack you from your blind spot if you are not careful. I did not wish to make you uncomfortable.” Joe paused, allowing her and her mother the moment to think about it.
If she hadn’t been concerned with placing someone at her back before, his blunt and simple description of the danger sent a shiver down her spine quickly reinforcing how it could be a danger, although with his incredible strength, he was likely a danger from any direction. She stifled the spike of fear before looking back at him.
“I can see how that is.”
Joe shrugged, “You have no need to fear from me. No being does. Well… I guess the evil may, but,” he shrugged again before continuing, “but I’m attempting to be… cautious as each culture and people have their own way of life and I have no intention of … forcing my thoughts on them. That is an evil just as much as other evils.”
Joe sighed, frowning slightly before continuing, “As for insult… I guess… it depends on what you mean by equals and lesser?”
Gwenvair found the comment confusing, looking up at him with it apparent on her face. Joe took her subtle cue and explained.
“Are you speaking of ability? Skill? Power? Status? Relation? Results? Age? Wisdom? Intelligence? Creations? Speed? Strength?” Joe trailed off, looking at her carefully before shrugging and continuing.
“There are so many metrics to compare individuals, but often, when those in power and of high status define it, they define it simply as existence, as if their pure existence is superior to others. This is arrogance of the highest and most foolish form.
“For example, an individual who believes such things would believe a clanner baby is superior to a non-clanner elder. How could this be? Is the baby stronger? Is it wiser? More intelligent? More powerful? Or older? Or in a superior relationship to the non-clanner? The baby is in no way superior to the non-clanner. In every measure possible, the non-clanner is superior to the clan baby. And even some clan adults would likely be inferior to most non-clanners in many situations.
“Who would more likely survive, a peasant who’s scratched out an existence in the woods all their lives, barely surviving, but surviving none the less, or a clan fool. And by clan fool, I do not mean that clans or clanners are fools, but a person who is a clansmen but proves to be foolish with their life, living off the hard work and life of others and incapable of doing much, if anything, for themselves. If I were to take both these people, one who has lived daily to survive, scratching a difficult life from the very wilds and one who has done nothing to make their own food, clothing, or life… If I were to take these two people and release them into the wilds alone, who would survive?”
By the time Joe had begun his story, Gwenvair was smiling and her mother hid a small smirk as both understood the moral of his story. When he finished, Gwenvair chuckled and nodded.
“An obvious rhetorical question, but I will answer. The clan fool would die miserably before the night was finished.”
Joe chuckled, “And this is not about the nature of clansmen or non-clansmen, but the nature of a being. In this way, my people have argued always since the foundation of their clan that all people are created equal. Therefore, in this sense, I believe that the mere existence of a person makes them equal to all others. Now, once a person begins to express themselves in the world, developing themselves, the world, or others, now status grows, but it is earned. It is something that results from the actions of each person. So, what you describe and speak of would often be seen amongst my people as an insult as this position … this status that you seem to describe is simply ascribing inferiority or superiority to another for no other reason than that they are born. They did nothing for it.”
Gwenvair found herself lost in thought as she considered Joe’s statement. She glanced at her mother and saw her lost in her own thoughts and pulled herself back so as to politely remain engaged with the Eccentric.
“So…. You believe all people are equal?”
Joe smiled, “They start equally. And thus must be treated by others equally. They are not worthy of special or unique treatment above and beyond any other. And they are not worthy of any special or unique treatment above others … for the most part… ever. But, an individual who is exceptional in some way will naturally gain respect, honor, or other such considerations because they have proven worthy of it.”
Gwenvair gulped as the traitorous thought slipped her lips before she thought carefully, surprised with how easily she revealed it, speaking too easily with him.
“Then you believe we are equals?”
Joe laughed heartily at this, and she breathed in a sigh of relief even as her mother relaxed, having tensed up at her blunt and rude statement.