The Consort

Astrid asked me if a friend of her's, Count Vik Vikingson could fight for her in the crown tournament. The gist, I figured, was that he just wanted to fight in the tournament, and wasn't looking to win, and thus agreed. Astrid is now Queen of An Tir, and Vik had a very good day of fighting. And just like that, I was out a consort.

It took a bit of time for me to start looking for a new consort, because being relatively new to fighting, I had little experience dealing with a consort, and being relatively new to the Summits, I don't know many people. Acacia suggested several different individuals, most of whom I dismissed for various reasons.

Her Ladyship Idonia Sherwood was brought up in passing. And after a time I reconsidered her on some whim. What I knew about her was her interest in the A&S field (I knew nothing of her specific interests), which to me seems a reasonable pairing, me in the martial area, her in the A&S area. A logical approach to my situation. I asked her Baron, Tadhg, and a friend of hers, Elizabeth Turner, about her, specifically in regards to her viability as a consort. Both had given a positive response.

After some social awkwardness on my part (try talking to a relative stranger about something serious and personal), we began dialogue about the potential pairing. Her primary concern was the notion of gossip that tends to surround fighter-consort pairs. The general notion is that the consort-fighter pair is a romantic thing; husbands fight for their wives, boyfriends fight for their girlfriends... Even though I could cite several consort-fighter pairs that had/have a non-romantic partnership. I assured her I would do my best in dealing with any rumor milling and gossiping I encountered. Funnily enough, her friends noted to me that she was attractive and single.
Call it hedonistic and shallow, but one of the qualities I was seeking in a consort was beauty, despite having no interest in pursuing romantic relations with a consort right now, it was still a criteria I had. Perhaps its a subconscious "status symbol" concept.

With this partnership begun, I'm eagerly looking forward to coronet. Despite my inexperience, part of me is mentally preparing in the event I win.