Chapter 266: Shame
Shame. Shame is felt when one is inferior, or is conscious of being, or of being liable to be, unfavorably regarded. Modesty is the reserve which keeps one from coming into judgment. One of the greatest reasons for covering the body is the conviction that it would not be admired if seen. One of us is ashamed if he is in excellent morning dress when the others wear evening dress, or ungloved when all the rest are gloved. A woman is ashamed to be without a crinoline or a bustle when all the rest wear them. A man, when men wore wigs, could not appear before a lady without his wig. An elderly lady says that when the present queen of England brought in, at her marriage, the fashion of brushing up the hair so as to uncover the ears, which had long been covered, it seemed indecent….
- William Graham Sumner, Folkways (1906, 2nd Era)
Garin had spent the morning going over his Armor. He’d run a full diagnostic. It came back clean. After that, he’d even inspected the welds from where the plate had been reattached to the frame. It all looked fine. Considering how much repair it’d seen in the last few months, following the expedition and battle in the Caverns, it was a miracle the bones of the Armor still functioned. But the Order had done as it always did and provided for Knights who’d given service.
All of that to prepare for the meeting. It had to be in perfect shape.
It was in fine condition, but then, it was the same old VALLUM model the Order of Verdant Oak provided to its Initiates. Garin never put in the time to modify it; he’d always imagined trading up to a better model in the future.
What he struggled with, even after going to the significant effort of meticulously checking his Armor, was putting it on. It always came with so many checks, so much baggage that half the time he wondered if he should leave it on the rack. The maintenance alone… Erec had VAL to help him, as did Colin now that the Duke’s spawn was working in the lab.
But him? It was all on him.
Munchy chittered from the top of his helmet as he trudged through the wasteland, leaving deep imprints in the ochre dirt behind him. Fido gave a bark at the squirrel and ran a quick circle.
All of this effort for a simple meeting with Boldwick.