[Artemisia] Re: Court

[Femmehippiegirl at aol.com]

my dear jehane...

as another one, such as yourself, who has never been nor is ever going to become queen (and who has sometimes been bored out of her skull in front of, on, and behind a throne) allow me to say that your ideas were valid and valuable.  take heart!  we all make the game work...and so we need this sort of discussion.  ;>  

her grace's concern for overworked heralds and the loved ones/friends of those deserving recognition is well placed and admirable.  (would that more people were concerned with the lot of a herald or a partner!)

two things occur as i read your notes:

1) the informal sitting in state need not detract from the enjoyment of an event for anyone, including TRM.  it need not take place away from a tournament or arts competition but can be set up alongside.  people with things to discuss or gifts to give can make their way to the "royalty du jour" and proceed with said business.  this need not detract from TRM's enjoyment of a tourney or competition if we all exercise a few appropriate boundaries...the heralds are some of the best boundary setters i've ever seen...maybe 5 people do business and then there's a 15 minute break and then 5 more.  and where is it written that a good king & queen, working as a team, have to do everything together?  maybe his majesty goes out for a stroll while her majesty fields some conversation and gifties and then they switch?  that might get us away from the rarely acknowledged but often acted on belief that one's beloved queen is not as good an audience for one's opinions as is the king.  additionally, one recognizes that, if one choses to enter into competition for the privilege of sitting thrones that much of one's time will necessarily be dedicated to helping the populace enjoy themselves.  after all, no one wants to be royalty simply so they might be obeyed, admired, waited on hand and foot and allowed into events free. 

2) the populace is neither incompetant or unteachable.  if a herald, with direction from the king & queen, knows what private business to set first, what to set second and etc...sitting in state need not be the dire and time consuming event it may sound like.  additionally, award recommendations can be made in peer circles and by letter, ideally keeping other private business down to a minimum.  if the populace receives a request, at the beginning of a reign, to have such things in writing and gift presentations out of court thereby keeping court for special acknowledgements and messages no one is going to do otherwise.  espcially not with those all-knowing heralds patrolling the 10 feet of royal presence.  you will never convince me that nicolo or any other herald worth their weight in saffron would allow TRM/TRH to be put upon/inconvenienced without a significant tussle.  (altho' one admits the interesting spectacle and possible tournament theme this creates.)

lastly, event announcements are well represented in our excellent kingdom newsletter.  i am capable of reading one on my own or having one read to me.  our lovely chronicler provides the space and we are either capable or not of writing said announcements in a timely fashion.  if they do not make deadline we have no one to chastise but ourselves.

i am your honored servant Ladies,
ramona





Naquiba Raym bint Qasim al-Andalusi
Once and Future Geek