Sir Horatio Lyon
Name Given at Birth: Horatio, of the family Lyon
Nicknames: I've a few. My sweet wife Rosaline, the fairest of roses, does simply call me 'husband', and then fails to recall mine actual name. In Normandy my comrades did concoct a small sum of nicknames for me, oft questioning my sanity, but were it not for my near-sacrifice they might not live now to speak of me such.
Hometown or where you were born: The Viscounty of Bradford
Current Residence: ‘Tis the same.
Age: Having been born in the year of our Lord 1551, I have now seen four and twenty years.
Class: I am a viscount; landed nobility near its lowest tier.
What do you do, your main function in life/society: What indeed is the purpose of any noble? My duty is to the people of my viscounty, to guide them in peace and defend them in war.
Have you ever gone skinny-dipping / do you know how to swim: I've a technique for swimming that works as well with armour as without; that being to grab the side of the ship and hang on to it for dear life. As for what you call 'skinny dipping', I suspect that would require one to be skinny. Thus, I've not the experience.
Do you make fun of people: I try to avoid such, but being bound to truth by honour, 'tis inevitable that unkind truths do pass my lips when silence is inadequate. I rather think more fault for these rare unkindnesses should be placed in the subject than the messenger.
Favorite Color: White, for it doth remind me of the fog of the Emerald Isle, and the mystery therein. Oft I have ridden in those mists sure their murky wisps did conceal dragons and sidhe.
Have you ever committed or been convicted of a crime: To whom dost thou think thou addressest? I've certainly not, and find the notion offensive!
Closest friends/How did you meet: First and foremost I must speak of master William Clowes, our good barber-surgeon, alongside whom I fought in Normandy. I was a page at the time, naught but a young boy. We became fast friends after I did take on a few too many foes at once. Something had to be done to keep our flank from collapsing, so I did charge in alone, disrupting the enemy line enough that my fellow Englishmen were able to hold steady. (I was far too young and rather foolish at the time.) I thought I would lose my life for it, but the good surgeon did find me and ensure I would return home to see sweet Rosaline's face again.
I am not certain if ‘tis traditional to speak of a spouse as a ‘friend’, but I can overlook not the chance to speak of my dear and lovely wife, the Lady Rosaline Adriana Celia Lyon. How we met was a rather odd tale indeed. One day at the age of 18 I had donned my father’s heirloom armour (for at the time my father still drew breath) and was running the border of his land, both for training and to better know my inheritance. Traveling the bank of the river that doth separate our land from the Leeds estate I cleared a series of trees to find of all sights one rider and two horses on the opposite shore and a young lass of noble birth struggling in the river. The rider seemed to do little to help her; I surmise he swam not well and perchance the horses may have been afraid to wade the water. Understand the I swim not well myself, but in that armour I have the ability should I choose to walk along the bottom of the river. With a deep breath I jumped in a bit downstream of the bonnie wench and had soon pulled her to safety. I’ve told Rosaline not of this, but the fact of the matter is I did nearly drown myself before I reached the shore.
One Pillow or two: Not a one. I wear armour most of the day. Think you that I need something soft to rest my head upon in the evening? That said, I do own a few, but all are for my dear wife. When my head wishes comfort I lay it upon her. The arrangement works quite well in mine opinion.
Pets: I believe in moderation, and thus only keep two animals, both working beasts and thus hardly to be called 'pets'.
The first is a large breed horse, a blue roan, named 'Spierling' ("storm" in Irish). The second is a large hunting dog, half greyhound and half wolf, a swift and powerful hound I did name 'Argus' after Odysseus's loyal hound. No thief sets eyes upon mine estate whilst Argus is about. Unfortunately, he and my last squire did make adversaries of one another. Oft the boy would threaten to cook Argus and eat him, and from the number of times he was bitten I venture to say Argus had similar thoughts. One day the squire was simply gone, and I've no clue as to whether he did abandon his duties or was eaten. He was a lackluster lad, so I mourn not his loss.
Additionally, my wife keeps a small cat whom I like well enough. This might be more what you might call a ‘pet’, but her little Armella does a fine job of keeping our home free of mice. Amazingly, the little creature keeps Argus at bay with nary any aid from us.
Favorite Type of Music: A good Irish song; English music is a bit dreary e'en though the narrative is less likely to end with everyone dying.
Hobbies/Pastimes: Prose, as I've not the greatest talent for poetry. Also chess.
Personal Hygiene: Quite well I should think. I bathe far more often than most, as mine armour must be clean, and for such to happen, so must the man under it.
Favorite Food: Apples, sweet pastries, and any combination of the two.
Are your parents alive, do you get along with them: They are not.
If your parents are dead, when and how did they die: My father did pass me his title after meeting a knight's fate on the field of honour. And my mother I knew not, for 'twas my birth that sent her to heaven.
Favorite place to relax: Out in the woods, after a failed hunt. Argus is a swift hound and always catches his quarry. When a hunt fails 'tis only because I would rather waste the hours enjoying the land as the Good Lord made it than to run carelessly through it.
Favorite Holy Day / Why: That would be the feaste day of St. Brigit of Kildare, to whom I owe much.
Favorite Drink: Ale spiced with nutmeg
What's your bedtime: On most evens I sleep at sundown, or shortly after. Oft in winter, if I've a candle or two handy, I stay up into the wee hours with a good book..... or until my wife cometh to fetch me.
What, if anything, do you usually wear on your feet: I wear only the finest boots. These are not for show; a warrior knows ne'er to accept any but the finest of foot-wear.
Are you married or single: Happily wed, to the finest rose this kingdom hath to offer a man. Did I not yet mention her?
Do you have a family / who are they: Only my dearest beloved Rosaline and myself. I do wish for children on some future day, but I am known for my patience.
Favorite Entertainment: The tourney.
Favorite Subject in School or Chore growing up: I do enjoy Aristotle's metaphysics, for where is it written that a warrior may not also be a scholar?
Least Favorite Subject in School or Chore growing up: Cleaning stables, a task I still perform. Have I mentioned that I am in the market for a new squire?
Favorite Sport: Fencing. I've not been defeated in a long while.
Most Humiliating Moment: Recall you when earlier I did mention that my dog did eat my squire? Someone had to tell the little fellow's parents of his fate. Mayhap he was not eaten, but did merely run away. If that is the case, he does deserve to be eaten for the grief he did put his mother through.
Proudest Moment: 'Twould be appearing before Her Majesty for my knighting. I wonder if she does remember me.
Craziest Person or silliest you know: I’ve not been in Canterbury long, but already I regard the master of the masons' guild, the Moorish-looking foreigner, as an odd fellow. One moment he is jovial and teh next beside himself with worry on the matter of his preperations for Her Majesty's arrival.
What do you look for in the opposite sex: There are many attributes which I enjoy. Were I to name but a few, such would be a warmth of spirit and dark eyes. My dear Rosaline hath the most beautiful gems for eyes yet I’ve seen, and one day as we rode together in the wood, seeing the joy in those eyes I knew she shared my love of the Good Lord’s bounty in nature. That was when I knew, beyond any doubt, that I would be happy were I to wed her.
In our Hierarchical Society everybody has somebody "over" them, Who is your immediate "overlord"? Mine estate doth exist within the shire of York. From that I suspect thou canst guess whom.
Favorite Sport to watch: Again, 'twould be fencing. For in seeing another's technique I may discern much about that person.
Do you remember your first kiss: I do, actually. As circumstance would have it, e’en once I was betrothed to Rosaline my lips had yet to know those of any woman. At a ball in our honour I thought ‘twas time to correct that oversight. I was horribly nervous, and more than a bit clumsy, but Rosaline in her kindness has ne’er voiced complaint.
Do you keep in touch with your childhood friends: The ones that are still amongst the living, aye indeed.
Where is your favorite "Vacation" spot: "Vacation" you say? If by ill fate I had to vacate my manor, such as in war, I would go to where I could defeat the invading force and regain it. If I had to choose another place to live, Kildare would be my first of choices. On second thought, dear Rosaline liketh not to cross deep water. I know not where I would go to regroup. Let us pray it not be necess’ry!
Have you ever been overseas: Not far, but I have. I've seen both the English Channel and Irish Sea in crossing.
Do you have Dirt/Mud floors or Stone: Stone is what they build castles of these days, you do understand.
What is your bed made of: At home you mean? I know not, but 'tis quite comfortable. On the road, I would be content to sleep on whatever cover I could gather for the night, but my dear Rosaline has other ideas.
How many people sleep in your bed: Naught but myself and one other. Well thou canst guess who. And let us speak no more of my habits in bed, as 'tis not a subject of polite conversation.
10 or so Things Everybody Should Know About Me:
1. I did travel to Canterbury this harvest festival hoping to match blades in tournament against a knight of some repute, Sir William of Whitehall. After the war in Normandy, I went about keeping my wits sharp in tourney. I’ll not be fighting Sir William this day, but I do hope meet him in battle in the morrow. (Additionally, dear Rosaline hath friends in Her Majesty’s court whom she may have chance to meet again during the course of our visit.)
2. Nothing in my life is more precious to me than my dear wife. I exaggerate not when I call her the finest rose in all England.
3. It seemeth I am not the only man to think as much, for before our betrothal was final I did find myself in duels with more than a few other men wishing to be her suitor. We speak little of those days now, but they were good for keeping my fencing skills sharp. They say one does not improve at chess by winning. If the same is true of fencing, then I've not improved in a great long time.
4. I am a knight, knighted by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth of England, in the Royal Order of the Garter, in recognition for my valour on the battlefields of Normandy. Few if any men were younger at the time of their knighting.
5. I take my knightly vows very seriously. I swore to be loyal to the Crown, a defender of the weak, courteous unfailingly, honourable beyond question, foremost on the field, and a champion of the righteous.
6. True to my vows, I endeavor to treat all with courtesy. I even extend basic courtesy to gypsies, and find most are decent folk, but there is one I struggle to abide, the fellow that speaks of himself as 'the Maestro', and struts about Canterbury as though he owns the place. We've no quarrel; his demeanor simply bothers me. I find it best to avoid him.
7. The greatsword I carry on my back is named Sariel, for the archangel of guidance, healing, and death, general of the Lord's heavenly army. The name, in the Hebrew tongue, doth mean "God's command", so I am told. As much as I fear to boast, word has reached me that many a would-be foe doth fear it.
8. Mine armour, made by an expert Prussian smith more than a century ago, is a family heirloom dating back to the times of strife betwixt the Yorkists and Lancashirists.
9. While in Ireland, some years back, I was wounded by a crossbow bolt taken to my left leg. I thought I would manage little more than a hobble the rest of my life. Then, in a dream, I was directed by St. Brigit to bathe in the springs of Kildare, near where her abby once stood. On fulfilling this, I was healed miraculously, and the Saint has had a dear place in my heart e'er since. In recognition, I wear her cross always.
10. My dog did eat my squire. I am searching for a new one. A new squire, that is.
11. I hear things have not gone well with the Vulgarians. Should our current course lead to war, 'tis best I say that I as a fighting man know this much about battling them: always engage Vulgarians from upwind!
12. Many a man who fancies himself a warrior claimeth to have no fear. Such men are fools; the wise warriors have fear but learn not to let it overtake them. For myself, if I've one fear of which to speak, 'tis the Maestro Leonardo daVinci and his magnets.