The Modern Knight

Like a Spy. Of Sorts.

The 22nd of February, 2014

Harry led Eggsy into one of the fitting rooms in the Kingsman Tailor Shop.

Eggsy followed a couple paces behind, still trying to get a gauge on who Harry was. He stopped in the doorway.

Harry saw this in the mirror and turned to face Eggsy.

"Come on in," Harry encouraged.

Eggsy took a few hesitant steps before making his way into the fitting room next to Harry before the mirror.

"What do you see?" Harry asked once Eggsy was a step in front of him.

"Someone who wants to know what the fuck is going on," Eggsy muttered, looking at Harry through the mirror.

There was a pause before Harry said anything more, "I see a young man with potential. A young man who is loyal, who can do as he's asked, and who wants to do something good with his life."

Harry's short list of what he saw was slowly and thoughtfully said.

"Did you see the film Trading Places?" Harry asked, changing the tone of the conversation.

"No," Eggsy said with a small shake of the head.

"What about Nikita?"

Eggsy simply shook his head.

"Pretty Woman?"

Eggsy's face started to convey the confusion of the point that Harry was trying to get at.

"Alright. My point is, the lack of a silver spoon has set you on a certain path, but you needn't stay on it. If you're prepared to adapt and learn," Harry paused, "You can transform."

"Oh, like in My Fair Lady," Eggsy said, now understanding what Harry was attempting to get at when he was asking about movies that Eggsy had seen.

"Well, you're full of surprises," Harry borderline muttered.

"Oi, that's Nic's fault," Eggsy defended, trying to maintain some sense of his reputation.

Harry let out a brief chuckle as he shook his head before looking back at Eggsy through the mirror.

"Yes, like My Fair Lady," Harry said with a ghost of a smile before regaining a stoic expression, "Only in this case I'm offering you the opportunity to become a Kingsman."

"A tailor?"

"A Kingsman agent."

"Like a spy?" Eggsy asked after a quick pause to process Harry's answer.

"Of sorts."

Eggsy let out a mix of a huff and a chuckle with a quick shake of the head.

"Interested?" Harry asked.

"You think I've got anythin' to lose?" Eggsy asked.

Back at the Kingsman Manor, Nicolette emerged from the candidate dormitory, letting out a sigh as she faced Merlin.

"That's Amelia from the Berlin tech department and Tristan's candidate. Only one missing is Galahad's," Nicolette said with arms crossed.

"Well, you know how he is," Merlin said with a chuckle while looking at his own watch.

Nicolette kept an eye on her watch before she heard footsteps coming down the corridor; the time was nine-oh-seven.

"Galahad," Merlin said simply.

"My code name," Harry explained to Eggsy.

"Late again, sir," Merlin said, checking his own watch.

"And you were getting on my case," Nicolette said with the ghost of a smirk.

"Nic?" Eggsy asked.

"I told you I knew Harry from work," Nicolette said, her smirk growing.

"Good luck," Harry said to Eggsy, his tone calm.

"In you go," Merlin said, motioning to the door to Nicolette's left.

Eggsy looked between the three Kingsman agents before moving to the door Merlin pointed to. He pushed open the door to the candidate dormitory.

Nicolette allowed Merlin to enter before her, as he had done this before while she had not.

"Fall in," Merlin said simply as the door closed behind Nicolette.

The candidates all lined up into two rows, the second row standing in the openings between the first row.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Merlin," Merlin addressed.

"And mine is Guinevere," Nicolette said, just as evenly.

"You are about to embark on what is probably the most dangerous job interview in the world. One of you, and only one of you, will become the next Lancelot."

"Can anybody tell me," Nicolette started before picking up, and holding up, one of the body bags in the room, "What this is?"

All the candidates, Eggsy aside, raised their hand to answer Nicolette's question. She gestured towards the gentleman in the center of the front line.

"Body bag, ma'am," The candidate said.

"Correct. Charlie, isn't it?" Nicolette asked to confirm.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good," Nicolette paused, walking back to Merlin's right side, "In a moment, you will each collect a body bag. You will write your name, on that bag. You will also write the details of your next of kin, on that bag. This represents your acknowledgement of the risks that you're about to face as well as your agreement to strict confidentiality. Which, incidentally, if you break, will result in you and your next of kin, being, in that bag."

"Is that understood?" Merlin asked after a brief pause.

There was no voice of objection, but Eggsy did display a look of panic as he looked from Nicolette and Merlin to the other candidates, and back.

"Excellent," Merlin said before turning to leave the room, "Fall out."

Nicolette felt eyes on her as she and Merlin left. No doubt, some of the eyes were looking at her as they would any other girl.

Once out the door, and the door closed behind her, Nicolette let out a long breath.

"I thought this was going to be interesting but this is going to be more difficult than I thought," Nicolette muttered.

"Would that be because you're going to have to make the effort to prevent favoritism towards Harry's candidate?" Merlin asked.

Nicolette let out another sigh while looking at the ground, "I hate being friends with spies."

Merlin let out a chuckle at the young woman in front of him.

Nicolette looked over her shoulder at the door, as if she could look through the door at her friend from her youth.

"I just hope he'll be okay," Nicolette muttered.

"If Harry think's he's good enough to be here, he should be," Merlin encouraged, "The first test is at midnight."

Nicolette's gaze went from the metal door to Merlin before she nodded.

"And, give them about fifteen minutes before you go in and collect their body bags."

"Wait, I'm getting the body bags?" Nicolette asked.

"Yes. I need to go prep for the trial," Merlin said simply before starting to walk away.

"But-, Merlin!" Nicolette called before letting out a sigh.