I'd have to politely disagree with canid about this card not being a good relationship or friendship card. I'm speaking in general terms of this card, not necessarily rx or upright. The reason I say this is because this card comes up frequently as me in readings. Over time I've come to understand that this card is representing my natal chart Moon in Pisces (in the 12th house no less). Society undervalues decision making based on emotional responses especially in regards to relationships. Intellectual decisions or over analyzing a situation can stagnate you just a badly, though it has become the more socially acceptable way to negotiate the terms of a relationships. Yes, I did say "negotiate" because all relationships have terms which are agreed upon, whether you actually sit down and discuss them or not. THIS knight has a leg up in this category because of his air/water elemental combination. When he's functioning at peak performance, his mind (air) and heart (water) are in sync. He's *listening* to his emotions and basing his decisions off his emotional responses.
When I made this comment:
Rx this fear and his/her thoughts become compounded and scattered. Like a plane grounded due to fog he/she can't rise above a situation and get a clear view of how he/she feels and so is completely immobilized/paralyzed by fear and indecision.
... it was not to imply that he is untrustworthy or that his paralysis regarding which direction/decision to go in was permanent. Just like fog, the sky clears when the sun rises. Until then, he's going to sit it out and wait because he doesn't want to send him and his horse over a cliff just because he can't see the road ahead. He's cautious and thoughtful. Romance is his business and he's good at what he does. If this was a work or investment questions I'd say you're SOL.
In terms of his loyalty, I'd say he's VERY loyal - all knights are because they've pledged their allegiance to their suit (though different loyalties will be highlighted by different suits). I'd actually consider the knights more loyal than the kings or queens because they've still got something to prove to others, while the kings and queens - they've got their kingdom, and free time to be devious and underhanded if they so choose. Knights have a "job", they've got to "work" for their living... it's 24/7 with little vacation/sick time and terrible pay, but they know they'll never move up if they don't put in the long hours.
The question then becomes, is this knight working on self love, or to charm a lover? It can go either way, and self-love is not a selfish act. With the 9 of Swords being drawn around this card, and the 9 connecting to the Hermit, it's very possible he's practicing some self-love. Getting his head on straight, contemplating "getting into the game", about to make a decision... 7 of Swords: discussing his options with himself or somebody else, seeking his own personal/emotional truth about whether he really wants the relationship or not.