[Ansteorra] Relationship between Champions and Queens

[willowdewisp at juno.com]

I was asked about my Champions when I was Queen and what was our relationship. 
 
My first Champion was when I was the first Queen of Ansteorra. 
All the Master of Arms of Atenveldt served as my champions during my first reign in Atenveldt and this was so odd that I didn't ask anything of them.  They did all sorts of nice things. They just decided to do it and they even swore oaths. But it was sort of having a playful Bengal tiger at your back.  I never knew what they were up to. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

As the First Queen of Ansteorra the rapier community and I didn't get along so they held their championship before I was made Queen. There were problems with his Majesty’s work and mine so I was crowned a month later than the King. I don't know who they called Queen at that event. I chose a Heavy Weapon knight to be my Champion because I highly respected him. 

We were under a lot of political attacks and my champion wasn't in my camp. I didn't ask him to support me in any political way, but to bring to my attention any thing I did that was not worthy of my office. He bought two things to my notice and I corrected them at once. People who serve the Crown and take oaths have to support them or at least be quiet therefore the people they serve so it is important that the Crown protects their honor above their own. During the time leading up to our inquiry my Champion honored me by standing with me. I have often wondered if the amount of courtesy show during this action wasn’t due to the actions of my Champion.

My last Champion was Sir Simon of Amber. Do you remember the Inquiry well Sir Simon had been on the other side and it was well accepted that we hated each other. When he showed up for the list it was suggested that I should not allow him to fight. I felt that if such an honorable knight wanted to fight for his Queen I did not have the right to stop him. He won and took his place at my back with a drawn sword. 

Years later people came up to me and said that if I could trust my enemy to stand behind with a drawn sword and be gracious then they needed to show the same respect to people they had conflicts with in the past. People told me that our behavior showed them more about honor and duty then anything they ever read. The behavior between A Queen and her Champion is a model of courtliness and if done right can set the tone for the whole kingdom. 

I believe the relationship of a Queen and her Champion is similar to  the relationship of a Lord and his Lady. In both cases each holds the honor of the other in their charge and this make both better. Just as I would not care to bring dishonor to my Lord as Queen the trust my Champions had in me made me a better Queen. Their expectations made me true to the people of my kingdom. If I failed as a queen it was because of lack or wit or tact, or knowledge, it was never for lack of courage or honor because my Champions expected me to be a true Queen and I 
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