King's Champion Ceremony [Rose, everyone]

[Jazz]

King Roald and Queen Shinokami stood on the dais, in front of the great hall. Roseanna knelt before the King, and behind her the rows of chairs were filled with knights, nobles and other people who had visited the palace for the special occasion - the naming of the new Champion. Roald of Conte's past Champion had decided to retire after a particularly nasty battle in which his attained injuried were the worst he'd seen yet. And so Roald had thought long and hard until he'd come to his conclusion. Roseanna of Castlemaine. A distaff knight, hard working and skilled in fighting and magicraft. Useful attributes. And she was dedicated, oh yes, she was very dedicated.

"Do you, Roseana of castlemaine, Distaff Knight and Mage, swear to protect Tortall and it's people?" he asked the kneeling woman. All formalities. he didn't like formalities. Ah, well. "Do you swear to serve the country to your best abilities, come what may?" And, finally....

"Do you accept the position of King's Champion, alongside your other duties?" There was a tense silence.

[Short. But I'm tired.]

[Rose]

[Understandable. I know the feeling. Thanks! ]

Rose had been surprised when she'd been told that the King had decided to choose her to be his Champion. Surprised, but also surprisingly...excited. Ever since Alanna had given up the position, and then after Roalds last Champion had given up, the monarchs had been looking for a champion for weeks. And they'd finally decided on her. The ceremony was held a few days after that.

A few hours before the ceremony, she'd stood in her room in the Knight's Quarters, pouring through her wardrobe. Dresses, informal breeches and tunics, boots lay scattered on the floor...nothing seemed to fit the occasion. There had to be something in there. She glimpsed something towards the back and she pulled it out. Soft silvery breeches paired with a satin amethyst tunic embroidered with silvery thread, boots and of course to complete the ensomble, her sword and sword belt. Rose smiled. It was perfect! She'd dressed quickly and practically ran to the Great Hall.

Now Rose found herself kneeling in front of King Roald and Queen Shinokami. She'd laid her sword in front of her as a sign of fealty. The weapon had been polished before so that the silvery blade gleamed. Finally after what seemed like ages, the King spoke.

"Do you, Roseana of castlemaine, Distaff Knight and Mage, swear to protect Tortall and it's people? Do you swear to serve the country to your best abilities, come what may? Do you accept the position of King's Champion, alongside your other duties?"

A tense silence had followed. Rose knew exactly what she wanted to say, even before the King had spoken those words.

"I swear to do all that is possible to protect Tortall and it's people, to serve the country with the best of my abilities. And yes, I do accept the position of King's Champion alongside my other duties." she said formally.

She felt eyes on her while she waited for the King to say the next part of the ceremony.

I hate formalities. And knowing formalities, there will be a huge party afterwards. Oh well, it comes with the job. she thought with humor.

[Riana]

Riana stood along the back wall of the throne room, watching the King's Champion Ceremony with little interest. She had come to view it out of sheer curiosity, not really quite knowing what a King's Champion was. She had heard tales and legends of The Lioness from the time she had been the Champion for King Jonathan, but the girl still didn't know what the main purpose of it was. And here she was, crowded against the wall, trying to get a glimpse of the dais, but the room was quite full of people, making it hard for a short young woman like Riana to see anything.

She leaned tiredly against the wall, telling herself that she should be cleaning the tack for her auburn mare, Cinnamon. However, the training for the Queen's Rider's Trainees had been exhausting lately, and Riana welcomed the break. Hearing King Roald speak, she straightened her posture so she could see a little better, and listened.

"Do you, Roseana of Castlemaine, Distaff Knight and Mage, swear to protect Tortall and it's people? Do you swear to serve the country to your best abilities, come what may? Do you accept the position of King's Champion, alongside your other duties?" King Roald's voice echoed through the almost silent hall as people held their breaths waiting for the knight's response.

"I swear to do all that is possible to protect Tortall and it's people," came a woman's voice. Riana smiled, remembering that it was, indeed, a female knight receiving the position of King's Champion. "...To serve the country with the best of my abilities. And yes, I do accept the position of King's Champion alongside my other duties."

Riana raised an eyebrow, wondering if this would be the end of the ceremony, making it so that she would have to go back to the barracks and train. She looked down at her pale green cotton dress--the nicest one she owned--and scowled. If the ceremony was over now, then dressing this nicely was a mistake. With a sigh, she told herself to wait, and see what would happen.

[Sapphire]

Sapphire rushed in quietly, looking flushed. She looked at Rose with pride. Her friend had come so far. It was so wonderful to see her efforts rewarded.

"Do you, Roseana of Castlemaine, Distaff Knight and Mage, swear to protect Tortall and it's people? Do you swear to serve the country to your best abilities, come what may? Do you accept the position of King's Champion, alongside your other duties?"

Sapphire smiled, she should technically be there-ish, but she had been running very late. She looked at Rose and her grin broadened. She really was proud. She waited for Roseanna's response.

"I swear to do all that is possible to protect Tortall and it's people. To serve the country with the best of my abilities. And yes, I do accept the position of King's Champion alongside my other duties."

Sapphire straightened her skirts and looked around. Was this the end of the ceremony or not? She had never been to a Kings Champion Ceremony, so she wouldn't know. She fiddled with her long, dark hair and waited for the rest of the ceremony.

[Jazz]

Jazz stood at the front of the crowd, her place ensured by careful planning, and of course, a little pushing and elbowing. She wanted to see Rose up close. She looked on, proud of her former knight mistress and close friend and her achievements. Rose deserved this, she felt, more than anyone else. Jazz smiled, wondering if she'd accept the postion. Perhaps one day, but not now. She was young, she had places to go without extra duties...

She spotted Sapphire slink into the hall, wearing a dress. She waved for her best friend to come and sit next to her. Jazz herself was also dressed for the occasion, in black breeches, a white shirt and an indigo dress tunic with silver embroidery - not fighting gear, but comfortable and pretty. Her black curls were tied up out of her face and her emerald eye twinkled in anticipation of Rose's response. Which was yes, of course, but still.

"I swear to do all that is possible to protect Tortall and it's people, to serve the country with the best of my abilities. And yes, I do accept the position of King's Champion alongside my other duties."

Jasminai grinned outright, and had suspected that King Roald would have too, when his voice filled the hall: "You may rise, Lady Roseanna of Castlemaine, Distaff Knight and King's Champion!" Jazz cheered with the crowds at the announcement and caught Rose's eye for a short second, beaming. But almost immediately the King announced supper and dancing in the main ballroom - it was late evening, after all.

[Sapphire]

Sapphire caught jazz's eye. She pushed and elbowed and shoved her way to the front, quietly of coarse. She smiled at her friend, who had dressed up for the occasion, well, dressed up for Jazz. Sapphire herself, was wearing a forest green gown, her hair had been done up in curls, with a green band keeping the back from the front. "Proud, heh?"

She waited for the king to announce the 'words'. She looked on expectantly at Rose.

"You may rise, Lady Roseanna of Castlemaine, Distaff Knight and King's Champion!"

Sapphire cheered and clapped for her friend.

[Jazz]

"Proud, heh?"

"Definitely," she whispered back as Sapphire joined her, all dressed up in a dark green, "This is a big commitment. Personally, I don't think anyone else could do a better job." She was still smiling, clapping hard and itching to congratulate Roseanna. If she was less Yamani and more a noblewoman, she'd shriek the moment she confronted her former knight kistress. "C'mon, let's go. I want to hug the King's Champion before she's bombarded in the ballroom."

Pulling Sapphire by the hand so not to lose her friend in the crowd, she looked around for Rose, desperate to exchange a couple of words with her, before random nobles started to appear looking for favour with one of the most powerful people in the Kingdom. "Excuse me," she muttered, pushing past, "Pardon, sorry, coming through..."

[Short. Again. *sigh*]

[Rose]

[Hehe]

"You may rise, Lady Roseanna of Castlemaine, Distaff Knight and King's Champion!"

Rose blinked her amethyst eyes at the announcement. Sure, thats what was to be said after she'd accpeted, but suddenly the thought hit her. She wasn't just a knight. She was now the King's Champion, one of the most powerful people in the country.

Rose heard the applause and cheering and fought the urge to laugh outright. She suspected that Roald would like to laugh also, but he to was fighting the urge. She bowed once more to the King and Queen before picking her sword up off of the floor and resheathing it. She turned and smiled at the whole of the Great Hall. She caught Jazz's emerald eyes and winked at her before she stepped down from the dias. The King announced that dinner and dancing would be held in the main ballroom. She sighed inwardly. She'd known that it'd happen.

I guess I'd go change into a gown if there's gonna be dancing. she thought.

She sought out her friends as soon as she'd stepped off of the stairs leading to the dais. She spotted Jazz and Fhire easily, both making their way towards her before she was bombarded with random nobles. She made her way towards them equally as fast.

"Jazz, Fhire! Come to my room with me before the rest of the festivites will you please?" she asked over the uproar.

[Rhianna Kiandra]

((I apologize for appearing terribly late, just pretend I was there the whole time.))

Rhianna stood proudly at the front of the crowds in Roseanna's home colors as her knight mistress was made King's Champion. It had surprised them both when Roald had told Roseanna about his choice. Well,[/color] the squire thought wryly, reminiscient of her father, I guess there are a whole lot of adventures in store for the two of us as we go romping about the countryside.[/color]

"Do you, Roseana of Castlemaine, Distaff Knight and Mage, swear to protect Tortall and it's people? Do you swear to serve the country to your best abilities, come what may? Do you accept the position of King's Champion, alongside your other duties?"

Rhianna bit her lower lip and resisted the urge to bounce up and down in excitement. She was fourteen, not four. Straightening the edge of her tunic, the young woman drew up the dredges of her patience. She was going to say it, Rose had to say it! Rhianna's emerald eyes widened in anticipation.

"I swear to do all that is possible to protect Tortall and it's people. To serve the country with the best of my abilities. And yes, I do accept the position of King's Champion alongside my other duties."

Hallelujah! It was almost over and official!

"You may rise, Lady Roseanna of Castlemaine, Distaff Knight and King's Champion!"

Rhianna threw restraint to the winds and cheered with the rest of the crowd as she did what she'd tried not to do...jump up and down.

"Jazz, Fhire! Come to my room with me before the rest of the festivites will you please?"

Popping up beside her knight mistress, Rhianna asked, her curiosity never far from her, "What about me?"

[Damien]

As a Rogue, Damien was naturally curious about the events in the palace and such. He had heard of the appointment of a new King's Champion, and the urge to sneak in and see the ceremony was unbearable. So, disguised as a merchant, he was standing in the midst of the crowd, watching and waiting in anticipation for the King the speak. While he waited, Damien scanned the crowd with lively brown eyes. He spotted a few familiar faces, but a young woman's uninterested face made him smile. He'd known her only since Midwinter, but she was a friend to him.

Just as he was about to walk over to his friend, King Roald spoke in a voice that silence the crowd immediately. "Do you, Roseana of Castlemaine, Distaff Knight and Mage, swear to protect Tortall and it's people? Do you swear to serve the country to your best abilities, come what may? Do you accept the position of King's Champion, alongside your other duties?"

It seemed like hours before the distaff knight's reply came. "I swear to do all that is possible to protect Tortall and it's people, to serve the country with the best of my abilities. And yes, I do accept the position of King's Champion alongside my other duties."

"You may rise, Lady Roseanna of Castlemaine, Distaff Knight and King's Champion!" And that was that, the official ceremony was over and the real fun would begin.

A boyish grin on his face, Damien sauntered over to Riana. He stopped before her and bowed, addressing her in his practiced court drawl. "Lady Riana, you do grace me with your presence in the oddest places." He straightened his posture and looked down at her, still smiling. Knowing that this sort of treatment usually made her flush deeply, he waited to see if color would appear in her cheeks.

[Rose]

"What about me?"

Rose's amethyst eyes found her squire, who had suddenly popped up next to her.

"Rhianna! There you are! I was looking for you. Of course you can come goose, it wouldn't be the same without you." she said with a wry smile.

Her amethyst eyes roamed over the room while she waited for the others to give their replies. She spotted Riana of the Queen's Riders in a pale green cotton gown, scowling. Rose smiled. Riana was probably frusturated with such a short ceremony and having dressed up, she'd wanted to get the most of it. Her eyes found another man dressed as a merchant walk up to her and begin speaking to her. Though she couldn't hear him, she figured he was playing with her.

[Rhianna Kiandra]

"Rhianna! There you are! I was looking for you. Of course you can come goose, it wouldn't be the same without you."

Rhianna grinned at her knight mistress and decided to poke in some humor. "You mean I should come as a goose?" she asked jokingly. Since when did she not have a sense of humor?

[sirriwolfe]

Sirri walked into the hall, as a Squire, it was probably a good idea to watch. She sighed, and then quickly straightened and acted as if everthing was fine. But how she wished that she had a knight master, but ever time she tried to approach one, or whatnot, something happened, either they were called away or she had to go to her studies. She was getting a bit frustrated. The king's voice broke through her thoughts.

"Do you, Roseana of Castlemaine, Distaff Knight and Mage, swear to protect Tortall and it's people? Do you swear to serve the country to your best abilities, come what may? Do you accept the position of King's Champion, alongside your other duties?"

Sirri watched a bit happy, Roseana was her friend Rhia's knight mistress, and Sirri knew that Rhia was proud, and happy. She relaxed where she was standing, guessing that no one would notice her, as most of her friends were other suires, and some pages, and she wasn't standing near the ones that she saw.

"I swear to do all that is possible to protect Tortall and it's people. To serve the country with the best of my abilities. And yes, I do accept the position of King's Champion alongside my other duties."

Sirri watched, knowing that the official ceremony was nearing it's end.

"You may rise, Lady Roseanna of Castlemaine, Distaff Knight and King's Champion!"

Sirri nodded, she could see Rhianna, and some others crowding around the New King's Champion, but as she didn't know anyone there but Rhia, she decided against joining the group.

She quickly looked around, lot's of other people were in what seemed to be private conversations. She gave a mental shrug, she was used to this.

[Ariadne]

((OOC: sorry I'm late Rose))
"Do you, Roseana of castlemaine, Distaff Knight and Mage, swear to protect Tortall and it's people?Do you swear to serve the country to your best abilities, come what may?
Do you accept the position of King's Champion, alongside your other duties?"
Ariadne smiled encouragingly at Rose, she knew her best friend hated ettiquette she remembered well when they were pages in Corus. Herself, Roseanna and Nicolet had always thought of it as their least favourite subject.
"I swear to do all that is possible to protect Tortall and it's people, to serve the country with the best of my abilities. And yes, I do accept the position of King's Champion alongside my other duties."
She felt proud and happy for her friend- after years of fighting for tortall Rose deserved this.
"You may rise, Lady Roseanna of Castlemaine, Distaff Knight and King's Champion!" Ariadne clapped loudly, smiling again.

[Jazz]

"Jazz, Fhire! Come to my room with me before the rest of the festivites will you please?"

Jazz had lost sight of Rose for a second, and the familiar voice made her smile with relief. Still clutching Sapphire's hand so not to lose her in the din, she changed directions and headed towards her friend. "Rose! Of course we'll come. Oh, I'm so proud of you!" she said, embracing her former knight-mistress. Jasmin likes dancing and festivities most of the time, though sometimes they were too... formal. She doubted that would be the case here. "Come on, we'll have to hurry if we want to change before they start."

"What about me?"

"Hello, Rhianna," Jazz greeted with a small smile, "Decided to join us, have you? You're welcome."

[And again. Gah. All I can think of is NH3 + HCl = Ammonium Chloride]