Tyldwick - Knight of Staves

BodhiSeed

In this card is the Knight of Staves (Fire of Fire), represented by the fireplace as well as the dragons and red roses. The dragons are no longer holding the staffs as they were in the Page of Wands card. Instead, the staffs now have a laurel wreath and an eagle on them, indicating the Page has successfully passed into the next stage: knighthood. As Fire of Fire, he symbolizes the excess/extreme of the Stave court cards. It's a good thing there is a fireplace shield here as a protector from the excessive heat and flying embers created by this Knight. See, he's traded in the open mind of the Page (who loved to learn) for OPINIONS (and yes, they're that big). He'll passionately defend them, which can be a good or bad thing, depending on whose side you're on. Like the roses on either side of the hearth, his behavior at times may be beautiful and sweet, but it can be as hurtful as sharp thorns too. Part of his charm is his spontaneity, but his impulsiveness can lead people into risky situations then leave them holding the bag. The clock on the mantel shows him to be consumed with "places to go and people to see." Unfortunately, he won't stick around too long to develop deep commitments or meaningful relationships.
 

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Tyldwick

The artwork over the mantle seems to depict Heracles and Iolaus slaying the Lernaean Hydra. Heracles used flaming arrows to draw the Hydra out from its lair then discovered he was unable to defeat it on his own. He was a "shoot first, ask questions later" kind of guy.

Acting impulsively produced results but he needed to re-evaluate his position after the first step. His nephew Iolaus got the idea to cauterize the neck stumps to prevent re-growth of the Hydra's heads and they defeated it together. The lesson of the Knight of Staves is to take calculated risks bravely, but don't get too far ahead of yourself (pun intended).