<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.3086" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff><FONT face=Arial size=2>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>Our Investiture was everything that we had hoped it would be.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We would first thank the populace for
their support and good wishes, and our officers for bringing us quickly to a
(basic) understanding of things Baronial.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>Several times during the day, a gentle would politely ask if we might
greet newcomers who were attending their first event.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We were heartened by this, and we bid
all of our populace to follow suit.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>We would like to meet all new (and potential new) members of our
Barony.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>There were several members of the Barony whom we thanked during our
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
/><st1:Street><st1:address>first Court</st1:address></st1:Street>, but their
names bear repeating:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Brandubh, our
Herald, has been a fountain of good ideas, and has consistently prevented us
from overlooking important aspects of our Investiture planning.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Mistress Arianna not only made garb for
the Baron, but also gave us invaluable advice on Baronial history.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Risa made the Baroness’s beautiful garb,
on very short notice.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Mistress
Tsveea provided us with advice both on garb and on leadership.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Fredeberg organized our retainers for
our first court, and organized the election.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We received excellent advice from a team
of advisors that included our many predecessors on the Baronial thrones, as well
as Earl Christopher and Countess Morgen.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>The musicians who entertained us and the populace included the Debatable
Choir (we’ll learn to walk slower, we promise) and Orion on the trumpet.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And of course, our most sincere thanks
to Michelina and the Cook’s Guild for the delicious reception that followed our
Investiture.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It gave us an
opportunity to greet our populace, and transitioned amazingly smoothly into
Amaryllis’s reception.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>We owe a debt of gratitude to Hrefna, who not only created our petition
and the novel means of signing it, but also taught us how to sign our own names.
<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>(We’re literate!)<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Many gentles came forth to be among the
first to retain for us:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Charles,
Roana, Liam, and especially Zianna, who has graciously volunteered to lead our
retainers.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Gabriel was our official
schlepper, as he moved our thrones to our car.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We were pleased to see the Chivalry, as
so often they do, serving the populace at feast.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We noted with pride how many Baronial
knights were among them.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Even as
gentles from the Barony were supporting us, we saw many people of the Barony
supporting Their Royal Majesties and Their Royal Highnesses.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The service of the Barony is to be seen
at many levels.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>We must surely thank the autocrats, Sir Aengus and Maitresse Yvianne,
whose flexibility allowed us to add our Investiture to their already-complex
event.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This kindness meant much the
Barony as a whole, and to us personally.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>We would also thank the one person who made the day bittersweet for
us.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It was with sadness that
we returned our squires’ belts to the knight who has guided us for the past two
years officially, and for many years unofficially before that.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Thank you, Sir Maghnus.</FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3> </FONT></o:p></P>
<DIV><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">We
hope that those whose minds were less clouded by the excitement of the day will
take a moment to remind us of any gentles we have overlooked in our haste.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We wish all deserving gentles to be
thanked.</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT
face=Arial size=2>In Service,</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT
face=Arial size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"><FONT
face=Arial size=2>Byron and Ariella</FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>