Requiem for a Lady
So, I did go to Clothers' Seminar. It was a wonderful day, and I had one of the best times I've ever had at an SCA event. And one of the most tragic.
Baron Master Syr Angus of Blackmoor was elevated to the Order of the Pelican that day. To me, this was a wonderful thing, and I was so honored to be asked to play a part, both in his vigil and his ceremony at Court. He's an old and dear friend, and since I'd longed hoped he be included in our Order (and since I'd missed Mistress Ylva's elevation to the Order, which really hurt!), I was bound and determined to be there. And to my joy, some dear mutual friends came out of the woodwork to join him in his celebration: Mistress Corisander flew in from LA just to be there, looking just as beautiful and as fun-loving as ever! My heart leapt with joy at the sight of her! Then, it got better: Countess Eleanor was there, too; looking her elegant and lovely self! Then, it miraculously got even better: Sir Roger and Mistress Myra were there, too, with their lovely daughter, whom I'd last seen as a baby! Such a beautiful and graceful young woman she's become!
Then, I was asked last minute to take part in the vigil of a lady I had not yet gotten the privilege to know: Ishmahla, a most excellent chef, was being elevated to the Order of the Laurel. What a charming little lady! I'm so honored that I got to speak on the Order of the Pelican to her (and so grateful that I've done that a time or two in the past, so that I could satisfactorily wing the story!) I'm really looking forward to getting to know her better -- one of the true joys of my life is meeting people that I've only heard about previously, and becoming friends with them.
The whole day was wonderful, in fact: Three out of my four students were there; I actually got to spend a little time with them for a change. We talked of the changes coming to the Barony, the interviews for the new Baron and Baroness of Vatavia were also held at the event. We talked about the direction we hoped the Barony would go, we talked about what we all wanted to do in the coming year, we talked of how we wanted the household to go. I'm so proud of them, and the way they are growing in confidence and taking on leadership roles!
I saw old friends I hadn't seen in years; talked to people I hadn't had a chance to talk to in a while, and even though (unusually for me) I didn't get to take a single class that day, I had a wonderful time. But I didn't see a face I had expected to see, a face I wanted to see, looked forward to seeing.
And then, right before Court, and because dear Briallen loves me and didn't want me to get broadsided, I heard that I wouldn't be seeing that face I'd missed. Mistress Luciana della Ridolphi had been found by a friend. She was gone.
Just like that. A dear friend, a True Lady, gone.
It hit me hard, I have to tell you. And the Gods bless Calontir, because my students came running. They didn't know what was wrong, but they knew it was bad, and as Lachlan had taught them and their affection led them, they made a circle around me while I cried on Master Gabriel's shoulder and tried to get it together for the Kingdom's sake. It seemed as though all my friends were there around me, Little 'stanzi, Bri, Gabriel, so many, many others and my blessings, my students.
I know most of the Barony and a lot of the Kingdom views me as some sort of steel magnolia or something, but I'm not. I wilt with sorrow; bad news hits me like a cannonball, and this one was particularly well-aimed. Good to the heart, as the saying goes.
I've been struggling all week with how to write the rest of this, I want to get it exactly right.
Duke Syr Gabriel and I had the honor of serving Calontir first as the sixth King and Queen. At the time, he and I literally owned two tunics each: One off and one on. That was it. Money was tight because we had small children, and we were young and still figuring out just how to be adults, much less leaders of a still new Kingdom. Right after Gabriel won that Crown Tournament, Mistresses Liriell, Elisabeth and Luci came up to us and said, "You're ugly, and your mother dresses you funny, so we are going to make you garb." Which is what those three lovely ladies proceeded to do for us. I've always been grateful to them, they spared us embarrassing our Kingdom -- at least, by appearance.
Over the decades since, I've had those three ladies as my friends, my cheerleaders and my guides as I've tried my hand at making garb, and a host of other things. And Luciana was always the most enthusiastic, the sweetest, kindest cheerleader any person could ever be privileged to know.
Once Lachlan decided to join the SCA, Luci-bach, as I called her (In the Welsh manner, "bach" added to a person's name indicates affection, "Luci-love") was one of the first Kingdom people I introduced to him. She gave him that million-watt smile of hers as he kissed her hand in his courtliest fashion; then she leaned over to me and said "He's cute!" And treated him like an old friend from then on.
Last year at Clothiers', I'd told her that I thought we were going to go more Nordic with our garb because Lachlan's persona was Highland Scot, actually from the Orkneys (which is where a lot of his real life family emigrated from), and as usual, she was enthusiastic about the idea, and cited some sources for me, right off the top of her head, like only she could. This sounds so selfish, I'm amazed that I'm actually writing this down, but I was looking forward to showing her my efforts. I hope she approves.
And while it is true that, without Luci's influence, I probably would never have been exposed to the Kama Sutra as a pop-up book; likewise, I don't believe I would have developed the proper appreciation for the backsides of cabana boys. But if I am viewed as any kind of teacher at all, it is because she was one of my teachers. And if I succeed at being a Peer to any small level, it is because I walk in the shadows of giants; true Peers, such as Luci, who taught by example and by life.
Like Baroness Jorunn, I have no doubt that Luci was greeted by her Creator with open arms. And like her, I, too, believe to my toes that by this time, the measurements have all been taken; the fabric has already been selected; and even now as I write this, the new robes for the Choir Celestial are being constructed, and that they will be the most magnificent of robes, quite beyond even the imagination of God (with the correct documentation written out, and the proper sources cited -- probably in person -- of course!)
I'm going to her memorial tomorrow, to say "see you later", to pay my respects. I hope the "Non Nobis" is sung again, and I hope I do a better job of it then I did last Saturday. Thankfully, the Wonder Hubby is taking me and I'll have his shoulder to cry on, though I do thank Gabriel for the loaner shoulder! And then I'm going to have to figure out how to be the sort of cheerleader she was -- I can't hope to fill her shoes (I couldn't wear them with the same panache, anyway), but she would be sorely disappointed in me if I didn't, at least, try.
I can't remember if I told her, "I love you" the last time I saw her. I wish I could.
Baron Master Syr Angus of Blackmoor was elevated to the Order of the Pelican that day. To me, this was a wonderful thing, and I was so honored to be asked to play a part, both in his vigil and his ceremony at Court. He's an old and dear friend, and since I'd longed hoped he be included in our Order (and since I'd missed Mistress Ylva's elevation to the Order, which really hurt!), I was bound and determined to be there. And to my joy, some dear mutual friends came out of the woodwork to join him in his celebration: Mistress Corisander flew in from LA just to be there, looking just as beautiful and as fun-loving as ever! My heart leapt with joy at the sight of her! Then, it got better: Countess Eleanor was there, too; looking her elegant and lovely self! Then, it miraculously got even better: Sir Roger and Mistress Myra were there, too, with their lovely daughter, whom I'd last seen as a baby! Such a beautiful and graceful young woman she's become!
Then, I was asked last minute to take part in the vigil of a lady I had not yet gotten the privilege to know: Ishmahla, a most excellent chef, was being elevated to the Order of the Laurel. What a charming little lady! I'm so honored that I got to speak on the Order of the Pelican to her (and so grateful that I've done that a time or two in the past, so that I could satisfactorily wing the story!) I'm really looking forward to getting to know her better -- one of the true joys of my life is meeting people that I've only heard about previously, and becoming friends with them.
The whole day was wonderful, in fact: Three out of my four students were there; I actually got to spend a little time with them for a change. We talked of the changes coming to the Barony, the interviews for the new Baron and Baroness of Vatavia were also held at the event. We talked about the direction we hoped the Barony would go, we talked about what we all wanted to do in the coming year, we talked of how we wanted the household to go. I'm so proud of them, and the way they are growing in confidence and taking on leadership roles!
I saw old friends I hadn't seen in years; talked to people I hadn't had a chance to talk to in a while, and even though (unusually for me) I didn't get to take a single class that day, I had a wonderful time. But I didn't see a face I had expected to see, a face I wanted to see, looked forward to seeing.
And then, right before Court, and because dear Briallen loves me and didn't want me to get broadsided, I heard that I wouldn't be seeing that face I'd missed. Mistress Luciana della Ridolphi had been found by a friend. She was gone.
Just like that. A dear friend, a True Lady, gone.
It hit me hard, I have to tell you. And the Gods bless Calontir, because my students came running. They didn't know what was wrong, but they knew it was bad, and as Lachlan had taught them and their affection led them, they made a circle around me while I cried on Master Gabriel's shoulder and tried to get it together for the Kingdom's sake. It seemed as though all my friends were there around me, Little 'stanzi, Bri, Gabriel, so many, many others and my blessings, my students.
I know most of the Barony and a lot of the Kingdom views me as some sort of steel magnolia or something, but I'm not. I wilt with sorrow; bad news hits me like a cannonball, and this one was particularly well-aimed. Good to the heart, as the saying goes.
I've been struggling all week with how to write the rest of this, I want to get it exactly right.
Duke Syr Gabriel and I had the honor of serving Calontir first as the sixth King and Queen. At the time, he and I literally owned two tunics each: One off and one on. That was it. Money was tight because we had small children, and we were young and still figuring out just how to be adults, much less leaders of a still new Kingdom. Right after Gabriel won that Crown Tournament, Mistresses Liriell, Elisabeth and Luci came up to us and said, "You're ugly, and your mother dresses you funny, so we are going to make you garb." Which is what those three lovely ladies proceeded to do for us. I've always been grateful to them, they spared us embarrassing our Kingdom -- at least, by appearance.
Over the decades since, I've had those three ladies as my friends, my cheerleaders and my guides as I've tried my hand at making garb, and a host of other things. And Luciana was always the most enthusiastic, the sweetest, kindest cheerleader any person could ever be privileged to know.
Once Lachlan decided to join the SCA, Luci-bach, as I called her (In the Welsh manner, "bach" added to a person's name indicates affection, "Luci-love") was one of the first Kingdom people I introduced to him. She gave him that million-watt smile of hers as he kissed her hand in his courtliest fashion; then she leaned over to me and said "He's cute!" And treated him like an old friend from then on.
Last year at Clothiers', I'd told her that I thought we were going to go more Nordic with our garb because Lachlan's persona was Highland Scot, actually from the Orkneys (which is where a lot of his real life family emigrated from), and as usual, she was enthusiastic about the idea, and cited some sources for me, right off the top of her head, like only she could. This sounds so selfish, I'm amazed that I'm actually writing this down, but I was looking forward to showing her my efforts. I hope she approves.
And while it is true that, without Luci's influence, I probably would never have been exposed to the Kama Sutra as a pop-up book; likewise, I don't believe I would have developed the proper appreciation for the backsides of cabana boys. But if I am viewed as any kind of teacher at all, it is because she was one of my teachers. And if I succeed at being a Peer to any small level, it is because I walk in the shadows of giants; true Peers, such as Luci, who taught by example and by life.
Like Baroness Jorunn, I have no doubt that Luci was greeted by her Creator with open arms. And like her, I, too, believe to my toes that by this time, the measurements have all been taken; the fabric has already been selected; and even now as I write this, the new robes for the Choir Celestial are being constructed, and that they will be the most magnificent of robes, quite beyond even the imagination of God (with the correct documentation written out, and the proper sources cited -- probably in person -- of course!)
I'm going to her memorial tomorrow, to say "see you later", to pay my respects. I hope the "Non Nobis" is sung again, and I hope I do a better job of it then I did last Saturday. Thankfully, the Wonder Hubby is taking me and I'll have his shoulder to cry on, though I do thank Gabriel for the loaner shoulder! And then I'm going to have to figure out how to be the sort of cheerleader she was -- I can't hope to fill her shoes (I couldn't wear them with the same panache, anyway), but she would be sorely disappointed in me if I didn't, at least, try.
I can't remember if I told her, "I love you" the last time I saw her. I wish I could.