Kingsman

Manners maketh man

„Manners maketh man", Eggsy snorted and poured himself another glass of scotch.

„Is something wrong?", Harry asked, observing him over the edge of his newspaper. He wore different glasses, those he really needed and that couldn't communicate with Merlin.

„I think so." Eggsy dropped into the leather chair opposed to Henry's and focussed his mentor. He tried to read the older man's thoughts as he let the scotch tingle his toungue.

Slightly tilting his head, Henry's impression began to look concerned.

„Has is something to do with your mission this morning?"

Percival and Eggsy, the new Galahad since the position was free again, had visited a nightlub for „criminal control" as Percival liked to call it after he had cleaned his sweaty forehead with a handkerchief, and returned to London's City at noon.

„Not exactly", Eggsy whispered and gulped down the rest.

Harry's intelligent eyes lasted one more second on him until he made a connection between Eggsy's previous words. He put the newspaper down and took a sharp breath.

„I can imagine how very unsatisfied you are with the recent political evolvement, Eggsy."

„You can imagine, or you feel fucking the same?"

„The Tories..."

Eggsy sighed. „That...those fucked up idiots don't even matter. I mean the protest. They haven't shown a second of this on the telly, they didn't say one word!"

Harry frowned sceptical. „Our job is about shutting down corrupt and unjust government and just now you came to realize we ourselves may live with one?"

„How can we call ourselves Kingsman then? How can we call ourselves Knights and Gentlemen when we won't even do something against the injustice outside our door?" Eggsy started up from his chair. „Only two streets from here, people were on the street to protest. And the fucking cops beat them like we would albanian mafia members."

The spirit of the young, Harry thought to himself.

„And you think we betray the good old „manner maketh man" idiolism?"

„I do."

Eggsy came to realisation that he had to calm himself. He didn't have the right to yell and rage around in Harry's house and still less to yell at his mentor. He sat down again, observing the edge of his nails where a bit of dried blood still sat. He didn't know if it was his oder or his enemie's this morning. Kingsmen should get tested for STDs more often.

Eggsy cleared his throat.

„You thaught me being a gentlemen, having manners and live by them, is basically being considerate and respectful of others. To show kindness and humility when needed, just using strength and skill for reaching justice and stability."

Harry nodded. „Treat others the way you want to be treated."

„But how then", Eggsy went on, „can I watch while others are humiliated? Have their freedom stolen, their dignity. „

„Of course", Harry began understandingly. „You think, we live a self-centered lifestyle. We bend our rules as they suit us. We don't care about about other people. But Eggsy, they don't care about us either. You just can not go out there and save protesters from the police as a Kingsman. You can as Gary Unswin, I won't hold you back. But it is not our purpose nor our task to make individual lifes better."

Eggsy stared at him still intensly but less angry.

Harry considered perching next to his protégé and trying to comfort him, but instead setteld for letting him make peace with the situation and his life himself.

„Maybe that's what church is for. Easing the individual life, the individual pain."

Eggsy stood up again and shuffled off his suit jacket while getting another drink.

„And maybe you should stop drinking this soon..."

„Some of my old friends were there", Eggsy said quiet and untucked his shirt from his pants.

„I see", sighed Harry.

„How old were you, when you joined Kingsman?"

„Older than you, about 23."

„That's still quite young."

Harry finally stood up, too, and walked to his desk, to Eggsy. He took the glass from the young man's hand and sat it aside on the wooden table.

„Tell me what's really going on inside your head", Harry said quietly and leaned back on his desk.

„Whatever it is, it will find it's way out sooner or later and later you will want to have it done with a friend, not in a room full of colleagues." He stopped and furrowed his brow. „And if you need the reassurence: yes, we all struggled. And we all struggle until now with this job. Merlin and I broke out of the landhouse when we had our training, because . . ."

Eggsy swallowed. His eyes turned to the ceiling.

„I feel to young for this. Not experienced enough. Man, Harry, until a year ago I've never seen as much blood as this morning." Eggs's voice got shaky. He stared at his hand. „For god's sake, it's still unter my fucking nails."

Harry grabbed his hand and clenched it in his, gently but affirmative .

„Have you eaten today?"

„What the fuck does is have to do..."

„Have you eaten?", Harry said even more articulate. Eggsy shook his head. „Come with me to the kitchen, I'll fix you something."

As Harry had all the pots he needed together he started talking to Eggsy again. His voice was calm and attentive.

„Are you afraid at Kingsman?"

„Not in combat", Eggsy sighed.

„That's a good sign. Are you afraid now?"

„No, but..."

„But sometimes, at night or when you alone, it all overcomes you. The power makes you shiver, the responsibility makes you doubt your position. Believe me, Galahad, there is a reason I remember these feelings so clearly."

After Harry put spaghettis and sauce on two plates, they ate silently on the big dinner table. Eggsy felt a warm feeling rise in him, part were the calories he was missing today, part the environment.

„You can sleep here tonight. In fact you should. Your mother, while being a good woman, must not know about your problems and your job."
„I accept the offer, mate", Eggsy smiled.

„Don't call me mate", Harry nagged and took the empty plates with him back to the kitchen.