Nice little event
Jan. 16th, 2005 10:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
msmemory_archiveWent to a nice little local event not in my own barony yesterday. I had almost forgotten what it's like to go some place where I'm not in charge - and that isn't overscheduled like a Twelfth Night.
We were in Carillion, for their investiture of a new baroness (who will reign with the incumbent baron - long story and divorce had left him alone on the baronial seat). It turns out that Svava and Thorson had only two retainers from the official group yesterday: me and Alathea. No Royal Guards (more about that in a minute), and just the two of us plus![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
svava's sweetie Mark, jducoeur and baronadhemar. Luckily, there wasn't much going on. There was a brief sending-to-vigil court, investiture/royal court, and feast, and in between there was just shopping, an arm-wrestling contest, and an impromptu bardic circle.
Rosamund fitted me for my new black dress - the hem needed to be pinned in. The dress should be ready at Birka in two weeks.
The problem with having no Guards or martial champions was, nobody remembered to bring the Sword of State into court. After Baroness Mary made her fealty with Ramos simply by clasping hands with the Crown, I signalled tojducoeur in the front row, and asked him to please go get the sword before the peerage ceremony, when it was going to be needed again.
You know, somebody said to me last week that they thought I was a perfect retainer. Nope, very far from it, I'm still learning. We've had a few lessons this reign: if somebody has a medallion for a new order member, THEY should present it in court instead of leaving it with the Crown or herald to bestow (then it doesn't get lost). Somebody has to bring the Sword. We need more water behind the thrones than you think. etc. If I can get through the reign without losing my temper, and not making the same mistake twice, it'll be a good thing and I will be satisfied. So far, so good.
The event was in an Amvets hall, and consisted of three rooms: the main room where shopping, feast, and court were; the basement where there were three royal rooms and a vigil; and the bar. It was a very soggy event. White Russians seemed to be the theme of the day, though Her Highness prefers beer.
I'll do my best to forget His Highness and his long preachy tirade in the bar, in support of the (modern) war and the war heroes in our armed forces. His politics are well to the right of mine, and I bailed quickly lest we get into an argument about whose father had served "more" in the US military. Kelson was in his cups, and I think he wouldn't have gone on as long if he'd been sober.
Court was relaxed and rather silly. I do have to remember that I live in one of the stuffiest baronies in the known world, and most other groups have more humor in court than we do. The main theme of the day was Pennsic Crack. One of the local fellows had brought back about 60 or 70 quarts of Fisher's Chocolate Milk from the dairy by Coopers' Lake, fresh yesterday. It was royal gifts, it was officers' gifts, etc. Two bottles even appeared in the Chinese (i.e. Teacup) auction, where it collected more entries than any other item.
Apart from our group (royals and entourage) the main cluster of out-of-group folks were the Seneschal brigade - the Kingdom Seneschal and two of her predecessors. They had come down to participate in the elevation of Andrei to the Pelican; he was the Southern Region Seneschal while I was Central Regional. High flippin' time they did that. (Rumour has it that Andrei's elevation got dropped by mistake, in between two reigns' polls, as did Pagan Graeme's. Both elevations have now been done.) Andrei was a good bureaucrat and an excellent diplomat, who worked hard in that job and did not torque people off. Giving him a peerage is a good thing.
After court,jducoeur and I left, skipping feast in favor of going out to dinner with his mother. We went to a lovely little Italian place, TJ's Trattoria, which is vastly better than its strip-mall location would have hinted.
We were in Carillion, for their investiture of a new baroness (who will reign with the incumbent baron - long story and divorce had left him alone on the baronial seat). It turns out that Svava and Thorson had only two retainers from the official group yesterday: me and Alathea. No Royal Guards (more about that in a minute), and just the two of us plus
svava's sweetie Mark, jducoeur and baronadhemar. Luckily, there wasn't much going on. There was a brief sending-to-vigil court, investiture/royal court, and feast, and in between there was just shopping, an arm-wrestling contest, and an impromptu bardic circle.Rosamund fitted me for my new black dress - the hem needed to be pinned in. The dress should be ready at Birka in two weeks.
The problem with having no Guards or martial champions was, nobody remembered to bring the Sword of State into court. After Baroness Mary made her fealty with Ramos simply by clasping hands with the Crown, I signalled to
jducoeur in the front row, and asked him to please go get the sword before the peerage ceremony, when it was going to be needed again.You know, somebody said to me last week that they thought I was a perfect retainer. Nope, very far from it, I'm still learning. We've had a few lessons this reign: if somebody has a medallion for a new order member, THEY should present it in court instead of leaving it with the Crown or herald to bestow (then it doesn't get lost). Somebody has to bring the Sword. We need more water behind the thrones than you think. etc. If I can get through the reign without losing my temper, and not making the same mistake twice, it'll be a good thing and I will be satisfied. So far, so good.
The event was in an Amvets hall, and consisted of three rooms: the main room where shopping, feast, and court were; the basement where there were three royal rooms and a vigil; and the bar. It was a very soggy event. White Russians seemed to be the theme of the day, though Her Highness prefers beer.
I'll do my best to forget His Highness and his long preachy tirade in the bar, in support of the (modern) war and the war heroes in our armed forces. His politics are well to the right of mine, and I bailed quickly lest we get into an argument about whose father had served "more" in the US military. Kelson was in his cups, and I think he wouldn't have gone on as long if he'd been sober.
Court was relaxed and rather silly. I do have to remember that I live in one of the stuffiest baronies in the known world, and most other groups have more humor in court than we do. The main theme of the day was Pennsic Crack. One of the local fellows had brought back about 60 or 70 quarts of Fisher's Chocolate Milk from the dairy by Coopers' Lake, fresh yesterday. It was royal gifts, it was officers' gifts, etc. Two bottles even appeared in the Chinese (i.e. Teacup) auction, where it collected more entries than any other item.
Apart from our group (royals and entourage) the main cluster of out-of-group folks were the Seneschal brigade - the Kingdom Seneschal and two of her predecessors. They had come down to participate in the elevation of Andrei to the Pelican; he was the Southern Region Seneschal while I was Central Regional. High flippin' time they did that. (Rumour has it that Andrei's elevation got dropped by mistake, in between two reigns' polls, as did Pagan Graeme's. Both elevations have now been done.) Andrei was a good bureaucrat and an excellent diplomat, who worked hard in that job and did not torque people off. Giving him a peerage is a good thing.
After court,
jducoeur and I left, skipping feast in favor of going out to dinner with his mother. We went to a lovely little Italian place, TJ's Trattoria, which is vastly better than its strip-mall location would have hinted. 
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no subject
Date: 2005-01-16 03:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-01-17 02:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-01-18 09:35 pm (UTC)Wish I Could Have Been There...
Date: 2005-01-16 03:28 pm (UTC)Hope the trip home was uneventful, and if you need anything of me at Birka, just say the word. My plans are simple: A&S display, shopping, and make sure Ryan is staying out of trouble. ;) Following Birka... I don't think you'll see us again 'til Coronation. :/ Hope that changes, but that's how it is right now.
--Kayleigh
Re: Wish I Could Have Been There...
Date: 2005-01-16 03:46 pm (UTC)We had two royal champions there - the Bards, Alayne and Toki. Neither they nor I had managed to think of the Sword :) even though it was lying right there in plain sight in the Royalty room.
You have got to see Siubhan's Maunche scroll. Rowen wrote the poetry, and it was wonderful. She was shaking throughout the presentation, and very happy.
Re: Wish I Could Have Been There...
Date: 2005-01-17 05:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-01-16 05:04 pm (UTC)Why? Because, like a suppoerting actor, you know your role.
You do things quyietly and behind the scenes, but you aew sure to get them done.
PSL Who got knighted?
Liam
no subject
Date: 2005-01-16 09:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-01-17 05:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-01-17 02:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-01-17 01:44 pm (UTC)And I second the perfect retainer award. You do things quietly, gracefully, and without a fuss. You saw a problem and dealt with it. Speaking from experience (albeit some time ago) of having had both good and bad retainers, that is the definition of "pefect retainer."
Bronwyn