The Knight/Squire Relationship
[08/16/2007] [Guy]This article originally appeared in the June 27, 1996 Special Arakis/Olympiad Edition of The Anvil. In that newsletter, Guy added a note saying "I wrote this about a year and a half ago for a friend of mine with a couple of rambunctious squires." Rules of Behavior and Edict: 1. A squire should never openly disrespect his or her knight, likewise it is also not a good idea to belittle one's squire. "RESPECT IS LIKE A MIRROR, YOU RECEIVE WHAT YOU PUT FORTH" 2. Neither squire nor knight should let a challenge of each other's character or honor go without confrontation, or at least a discussion. If you don't respect your knight/squire enough to defend them, you shouldn't be in a knight/squire relationship. 3. The last and probably most important behavioral action is to speak well of one's knight/squire. The knight/squire relationship is similar to a parent/child or mentor/student relationship. It is healthy to correct and constructively criticize within the "family", but to do so without could be very damaging. Praise is to be openly displayed and reprimands to be kept in private. Duties: 1. The knight should be responsible for helping his/her squire achieve the best possible results in the goal areas they are striving for. These are various activies that can help this along:
a. Regular sparring sessions
b. Setting one night aside a week to work on knight/squire goals.
c. Cosponsoring fighting or cultural clinics. (It is always a great value to work alongside one's knight in addition to studying beneath them.) Communication: 1. One of the most important parts of being a knight or a squire is communication. I am going to keep this section brief by summing it up with one statement: IF SOMETHING IS BOTHERING THE KNIGHT OR SQUIRE, THEY SHOULD SPEAK UP. THE RECIPIENT OF THIS TALK SHOULD ALSO BE QUICK TO ACT UPON THIS AND NOT IGNORE SUCH PLEAS/COMMANDS. "LACK OF COMMUNICATION IS LIKE CONSTIPATION: UNCOMFORTABLE AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE." Closing Statement: Make each other look good and, for sanity's sake, have fun.
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