Chesapeake (PaxLair Times) – April 13, 2012 – by Ashlynn – For those who were unable to make the grand ceremony some weeks ago that saw Lord Nanoc and Lady Phoenix renew their vows to each other, they have kindly sent me a copy of their vows as well as the speech given by Drosselmeyer for print, reproduced here for your benefit.
Sadly a proper transcript of the event is not available at this time but these are pretty close to the real thing!
First we have the vows made by Lady Phoenix to Lord Nanoc:
You are the air that I breathe,
You are the sweet scent that dirfts upon it
You are not the sounds that I hear,
You are the music of my life
Your are not the food that I need,
You are the nourishment of my soul
You are not my will to survive,
You are my reason for living
It is with you that I experience the wonders of the world of Sosaria
It is with you that I triumph over the challenges in the path and in the dungeons
It is your friendship that guides me as I grow and learn
It is your patience and wisdom that calms my restless nature
It is through you that I know my true self
I do not take you for granted
I cherish you, I do not need you
I choose you
I choose you today in witness of all the people that love us
I choose you tomorrow in the privacy of our hearts
I choose you in strength and weakness
I choose you in health and sickness
I choose you in joy and sorrow
I will choose you, over all others, every day for all the days of my life.
And then those given by Lord Nanoc to Lady Phoenix:
I offer you not the “summer of my life” but the autumn, brisk and vibrant
I promise to be a worthy Husband of your precious devotion.
I pledge to you compassion in good times and bad.
Encouragement in sickness and health.
It is my intent that our lives together include our large circle of friends and family.
We’ll cherish the memories of our individual pasts and create our new life as we go now together.
And finally a draft version of the ceremony as written by Drosselmeyer (in the absence of a transcript):
On to what has gathered us here, however. Over the years that I have been privileged enough to serve everyone here on Chesapeake, there have been many changes, new faces, regime changes, and crises. There have been townships, kingdoms, and even regents who have risen and fell in that time, but there have been those that are constant. Today we are gathered here in the presence of friends, family, and colleagues to honor and witness the rededication of two who have constantly been there for each other, both as friends, adventurers, warriors, explorers, and most importantly, as lovers and spouses. Nanoc and Pheonix have embraced the journey of this world together and braved its dangers not as two but as one for five years now, and their constancy is an inspiration.
Undoubtedly, we’ve all heard stories and tales of the Virtues and the Principles, and we’ve all been told what they are and how best to represent them, but these are just words and tales; It is our actions and how we live our lives that matter, and these two are truly an example of how the Virtues should be worshiped. Honesty in their expression of their feelings towards one another; Honor in their commitment to their vows; Compassion for each other and patience for their problems; Sacrifice of one’s time for the well-being of the other; Humility in admitting fault and working to improve; Valor in their unflinching defense of the realm and each other; Justice in always seeking to be fair to each other; and of course, Spirituality in fulfilling these others. Through these come their exercise of the Principles of Love, Courage, and Truth. Truth in hiding nothing from one another, and baring the entirety of one’s soul to a person who they know can and will without fail guard them from their enemies, reinforce them where they are weak, and never even dream of taking advantage of weakness. Courage in knowing that revealing these weaknesses will never come to haunt them, but instead to strengthen them, their resolve, and their bond to each other. And of course, Love; Much has been said of love over the years, and there is always more to say, and for each and every one of us love has its’ own personal and special meaning, so in a bit of a departure from the norm I’d like to ask a few of you gathered here to speak a few sentences as to what Love is to you. *Allow audience to speak*. For myself, Love is more than words can truly every describe, but it is always knowing that no matter where you are, if you are with the one you love you know you are home, safe, and accepted for who you are. It is the sacrifice of self that allows us to see that we were never truly whole before embracing it, and it is through love that we become complete and truly ourselves.
I’d like to ask now that the couple once again acknowledge their rededication of their vows, and that they repeat them for those gathered here; They have held on to these vows for five years, and held them dear to their hearts, and nothing I can say or provide can compare to such a thing.