ErosTea

A cry rings out in the halls of Castle Chalon, a shriek that heralded joy in the gloomy peaks of Valmont. Helen had been born and she had brought with her the light that shall pierce through the dark.

"I shall always think 'pon thy visage at ev'ry stage et performance." Henri spake gently as he lit a candle within the vaulted chapel of Orchere Hall.

The Peasant, William of Little Furnestock, rejoiced aloud and well for peace had been restored to his quiet hamlet. "Af all the peasant folk attacking 'pon the field, there be nay a face I recognized from Little Furnestock."

Henri Halcourt was eight when he had returned back to the old City of Elizabeth which had built herself well upon the labors of Alba's forefathers. To one end of the city sat the forgettable home of his forgetful father, and on the other end of the city, which bustled with the hum of bourgeoise and clergymen, the high seat of Aldersberg, Newcastle, did seem to consume all that it watched over. Upon his first venture to that pompous place did he make greeting with the now late Earl, who was to him another blonde boy with clear eyes and an upturned nose. Few words were exchanged and more passes of judgement were given instead. "Ever eager to be offended, the little lord is. Mais pourquoi avoir une telle attitude?" Henri called out to George from the pumpkin pastures that littered the Frankland countryside, wagging his pinky finger to the young heir dressed from head to toe in pink. The whims and jests of childhood did not last for Henri, nor did it last for George either as the whole of Alba had remembered well when the former Earl of Dover lost his head in the woods beyond Elizabeth. It was then, Henri thought in retrospect, that George did shed the little remnants of his childhood and by extension perhaps his happiness. They were never friends, the pair, but Henri had come to a fond sense of respect for the dutiful lord. Whatever circumstance had awkwardly arisen for their family was quickly brushed off by the steadfastness of their Patriarch. The thought only then crossed his mind, upon reading the news of George's death, that he had never expressed his own admiration for the man. But apologies were largely lost to the Baron d'Artois and what use, he wondered, would the dead have for words uttered too late? Instead Henri would fold the letter he had concluded reading, exhale once or twice, and return back to the work he had committed himself to... something George might have done, he thought assuredly, swallowing whatever grief lingered in his mouth.

"Well Done," Henri did congratulate his brother.

Athol did weep at his father's side, unmoving from the bed that was once of warmth which now lay cold to the touch. And so that night he prayed... and prayed... and prayed... and prayed... and prayed...

Ordonnace d’Orchere Hall, Écrit de Lord Henri Halcourt Posté sur le 10th d’Horen’s Calling, 636 AA ─────────────────────────────────────── ─────────────────────────────────────── The Lord-Enfant d’Artois “Le Gris” WAS born after two hour’s labor in the safety of Castle Glasgon, as confirmed by the couriers of Janis Court, on the 17th of Dragon's Roar, by Our Imperial Tiberian Calendar, in the Year of Owyn's Jubilation, that being the 635th year of the Age of Ascension, upon the hallowed Feast of the High Priests. @KaiserJacobII ☨ LORD God; Thou art the God of our ancestors, and their ancestors before them. Thou art the God of Horen and of Julia, father and mother of our Tribe. Thou Who guideth the first father and mother of our Tribe, hear our prayers. Bless the young Lord-Enfant d’Artois with strength and with health, wit and will, benevolence and virtue, all the days of his life. Bless and guide his family as they raise him to noble and good pursuits. Guide us from wickedness, and towards virtue. May it be so, AMEN! - Fr. Rabbin, Lothaire The 9th of Godfrey's Triumph, 636 | Friday January 9th, 3:30 PM THE Noble House d'Halcourt is proud to proclaim to the whole of Our beloved Imperium that the Lord hath duly blessed the Baron of Artois, Lord Henri Halcourt, and his Noble Lady Francesca Halcourt, née de Senna, with a most determined infant boy. The Lord-Enfant, nicknamed le gris after his ghastly hue post-birth, had a cough that lingered for a few days, but by the Grace of God he endured through the turmoil. Hark, how all Orchere rejoices! IN just two months time, as the babe recovers in full, the long-awaited birth calleth for a baptism and naming ceremony worthy of the Noble House d’Halcourt, and the Noble House de Senna, from which in the Lord-Enfant’s maternity doth lie, and from which he was nursed back to health. In the consecrated chapelle d’Orchere Hall, the baptism and naming ceremonies shall be held and led by Father Lothaire, Rabbin d’Alba, and cousin to the Baron d’Artois. The rite shall consist of a water baptism and, following, an ashen cross shall be drawn upon the babe’s forehead, before his name is spoken to the congregation. We pray for long life and well health for the Lord-Enfant. AFTER the conclusion of the naming of the Lord-Enfant, the babe shall be wrapped in the freshly tanned skin of a foal as felled by Lord Halcourt, and placed before a balcony in which he might breathe new air as the baptized and confirmed heir d’Artois. Those in Our company shall be afforded drinks and Auvergnat delicacies wherein a game of charades shall commence. Guests will pick from a box a scroll, at random, upon which shall be a phrase that they then must act out in front of the other guests. We pray that our friends and family shall join us on this sacred occasion in the celebration of Le Gris' birth. ─────────────────────────────────────── THE invitations shall be received as listed below; 𝜗ৎTHE Imperial Pedigree His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Hadrian I, Emperor of All Man & His Imperial Retinue His Imperial Highness, Prince Marcus, Crown Prince of Man Her Imperial Highness, Princess Valentina, Crown Princess Consort of Man 𝜗ৎTHE Alban Pedigree His Royal Highness, Prince Edward II, Archduke of Alba & His Noble Retinue The Right Honorable, Lord George Dover II, 2nd Earl of Dover & His Lordly Household The Right Honorable, Lady Constance Devereux, 1st Countess of Trier & Her Lordly Household The Right Honorable, Lord Konstantin Augusten, 1st Earl of Constans & His Lordly Household His Lordship, Lord Adrian Helvets, Baron of Owynsburg & His Lordly Household 𝜗ৎPERSONAL Invitations His Imperial Excellency, Ledicort de Senna, Imperial Archchancellor The Right Honorable, Lord Ezra de Senna, Count of Edessa & His Lordly Household The Right Honorable, Lord Arturas Whitewood, Count of Silasia & His Lordly Household The Right Honorable, Sir Lothar d’Amaury, Count of Metz & His Lordly Household Her Ladyship, Lady Mayor Susanna Aldersberg, Baroness of Owynsburg Her Ladyship, Lady Circe Mareno of Myrine The Goodman, Leoni Corvus The Goodman, Gislebert von Miller The Goodman, Rothwin Aldor The Goodman, Everett ─────────────────────────────────────── S I G N E D, Le Baron d’Artois La Baronne d’Artois

The golden hands of Henri Halcourt clicked and whirled as he sat across from his new lady wife. "One of our sons will be a knight, I can feel it." He'd smile, a metallic finger flicking through the pamphlet which was illuminated by candlelight. @Phoebe202

Ordonnace d’Orchere Hall, Écrit de Lord Henri Halcourt Posté sur le 30th de Godfrey’s Triumph, 633 AA Un Mariage Sur Clairière et la Glace UNTO ALL WHO READ, TROP de temps s'est écoulé, à tel point que je me retrouve au milieu de ma vie sans enfants ni épouse. C'est en cet instant que je suis submergé de joie, car je vais enfin pouvoir accomplir mes devoirs, non seulement en tant qu'homme, mais aussi en tant que seigneur et chef de ma maison. Loué soit Dieu, car toute bonne chose finit par arriver. * * * “Too much time has passed, so much so that I find myself in the middle of my age without children or wife. It is upon this hour that I find myself overbeared with joy, that I might finally complete my duties, not only as a man, but as a lord and the head of mine house. Praise be to GOD, for all good things do come to pass.” The 18th of Aurelian’s Glory, 636 | Sunday December 21st, 6:00 PM THE noble house of Halcourt is proud to proclaim to the whole of Our beloved Imperium that the Baron of Artois, Lord Henri Halcourt, has taken the Lady Francesca de Senna to be his lawful wife before God and men. THEIR Union, as seen in the traditions of the Auvergnat culture, shall nay take place in a cathedral but in the glades of Alba’s woods. As the blizzard that flurries around the Greveslands, shedding snow upon roofs and sending chills in the spines of all that deign to brave the cold, the ceremony shall be seated in nature’s well; the great pond, Cecily’s Mirror as so proclaimed by His Royal Highness, which has frozen over and shall be the locale for this union of twin eagles. WITH the weather in mind, we encourage all of those present to wear the warmest coats and fluffiest furs. The finest cobblers in St. Godwinsburg hath offered shoes with nails that we all might safely walk across the ice without issue. Any extra coats and boots brought to the wedding will be donated to the students of the Prince’s Institution and the food left over shall be donated to the orphanage, that our fortunes might be shared amongst the least prosperous of Our populace. THE events of the evening shall proceed as listed below; 𝜗ৎTHE CEREMONY | ON ICED POND The ceremony, the rites of which shall be performed by Father Lothaire, shall be held upon the centre of Cecily’s Mirror. The bride shall enter, accompanied by a male relative upon horseback before being offered to the groom. 𝜗ৎTHE GAME OF ARCHERS | AT THE TOURNEY Promptly after the wedding finishes, guests are welcomed to a game of archery at the tourney grounds, where the winner might be most fortunate in securing a prize from the wedded couple. Bows and arrows shall be provided for those willing to try. 𝜗ৎTHE BANQUET | AT ORCHERE HALL At the conclusion of the game of archers, all shall be welcomed to Orchere Hall for complimenteries and gifts. Here shall the night conclude and the Sennans might have one final goodbye before the Lady Francesca takes her place as the Baroness of Artois. THE invitations shall be received as listed below; 𝜗ৎTHE Imperial Pedigree His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Hadrian I, Emperor of All Man & His Imperial Retinue His Imperial Highness, Prince Marcus, Crown Prince of Man & His Betrothed 𝜗ৎTHE Alban Pedigree His Royal Highness, Prince Edward II, Archduke of Alba & His Noble Retinue The Right Honorable, Lord George Dover II, 2nd Earl of Dover & His Lordly Household The Right Honorable, Lady Constance Devereux, 1st Countess of Trier & Her Lordly Household The Right Honorable, Lord Konstantin Augusten, 1st Earl of Constans & His Lordly Household His Lordship, Lord Adrian Helvets, Baron of Owynsburg & His Lordly Household 𝜗ৎPERSONAL Invitations The Right Honoorable, Lord Ezra de Senna, Count of Edessa & His Lordly Household The Right Honorable, Lord Arturas Whitewood, Count of Silasia & His Lordly Household The Right Honorable, Sir Lothar d’Amaury, Count of Metz & His Lordly Household His Lordship, Lord Ghislain de Anjou, Baron of Cleves & His Lordly Household Her Ladyship, Lady Mayor Susanna Aldersberg, Baroness of Owynsburg Her Ladyship, Lady Circe Mareno of Myrine The Goodman, Rothwin Aldor The Goodman, Everett S I G N E D, Le Seigneur de Halcourt La Dame de Senna

Henri seethed from his empty bed. "Everyone is getting married except I, what malfortune has been hexed upon me now?"

Henri d'Artois reveled in this Princely Decree, framing it upon the walls of Orchere Hall.

Ordonnace d’Orchere Hall, Écrit de Lord Henri Halcourt Posté sur le 12th de Harren’s Folly, 625. La Chasse aux Citrouilles RCHERE HALL, the Auvergnat seat of the House of Halcout, opens its halls to the good and fair Canonist denizens of the Imperial Realm and beyond, that we shall convene in remembrance of the Triumph over Iblees in which the faithful at the dawn of Mankind cast down the Deceiver and his host of daemons. ♰ Let us praise the Lord God, Who sent Aeriel unto those Brothers Four. Sound the clarion! Chase away the darkness! Remember us, oh God, Who guided our ancestors away from the Deceiver and made those who fell smote ruin upon themselves. - Father Lothaire Halcourt The 30th of Owyn’s Light, 626 | Thursday October 30th, 6:00 PM IN the light of Our Holy Faith and Flame we remember our Ancestors upon this holiday, whose faith was a lamp that delivered the world from shadow. As the Feast of Triumph draws near, so too does the turning of the seasons, and with it the close of the harvest, a reminder of the famine and darkness that Iblees laid upon the realm, for though Iblees’ darkness may linger through the winter months, we shall endure by the hope of spring’s warm return. AS the leaves of Grevesland take on their autumn hue, all are hereby invited to Orchere Hall alongside the banks of the River Pontia, for la Chasse aux Citrouilles, the Hunt of the Pumpkins. BY tradition, the people shall gather the grandest of gourds, les citrouilles, as they are named in Auvergnat, and carve upon them the faces of daemons, that by mockery we banish fear. These masks shall be worn by candlelight, and with vision dimmed and candles in hand, guests shall venture forth into the forest to seek the hidden pumpkins scattered across the Hall’s grounds. He who uncovers the greatest number within the hour shall receive the Great Jacques, the largest gourd from the Halcourt’s autumnal harvest. WHEN la Chasse concludes, all shall assemble in the gardens of Orchere Hall, where the carved citrouilles shall be set aflame and become Jacques-de-Lanternes, in memory of Jacques of the Seven-Thousand, who by torchlight led the men of Harren through the northern forests and mountains of Aegis. And with their lighting, we vanquish again the shadows of Iblees, and rejoice in the everlasting triumph of God’s Light. S I G N E D, Le Seigneur de Halcourt