Father I mean, of course I'd get through the first few rounds.

I couldn't be sure that Father would, even if competitors were going easy on him...which incidentally not all would do, some are from kingdoms so far distant that it wouldn't really matter to them if Camelot's king was horribly injured.

And now I have to face him in the quarter finals tomorrow. If you can believe that.

I will say this (although not to his face, Father's ego can be absolutely ridiculous), he's actually very good. Better than some of the knights, and I mean fully-fledged knights, not the squires. Of course he defeated that wraith some years ago, but he's not getting any younger.

I went to see him before dinner, he was in ridiculously good spirits. Honestly, I was amazed! I haven't seen him in such a good mood in...well, ten years. He even laughed, like an actual laugh. This does not happen...Father has never been..cheery. I could even go so far as to say, well...this tournament's good for him.

All the same, I want him out of it, not that I think he can beat me...in fact that's what I'm afraid of, I'll beat him so badly he'll never live it down. I tried to convince him to do so, I mean, he's made an impact, the people were impressed and heartened and all those things, but he refused. Actually said he wasn't a coward and he could fight as well as anyone! Honestly, cowardice and skill have nothing to do with it! I don't even know how he says that with a straight face.

Finally I gave up and managed to stumble into that Nexus place.

Because I can't be the only one with a hardheaded fool for a father, can I?