Awakenings

"Are you worthy of these knights Squire? "Yes Grandmaster," Lucien said. "By standing with you they place their own honor at risk. Your dishonor will be their dishonor. You are about to enter a covenant with these who have stood beside you and pledged their honor with yours. Do you still wish to stand with this Squire?" The knights placed their gauntleted hands on Lucien. "We pledge our honor with our brother Lucien, in this life and the next, for he is worthy." The three knights repeated solemnly. "Then Lucien De'Vestian, draw your sword and kneel, offer your oath to the Order and the Emperor." Lucien drew Starlight and knelt with the blade before him, point down, hands resting on the pommel, began to recite the ancient code of the knights. "I will live my life for the greater good. I will place character above riches, and concern for others above personal wealth. I will refrain from boasting and instead cherish humility. I will speak the truth at all times, even at cost to myself and forever keep my word. I will defend those that cannot defend themselves. I will honor and respect women, refuting sexism in all its guises. I will uphold justice by being fair to all. I will be faithful in love and loyal in friendship. I will not engage in scandals or gossip, nor partake or delight in them. I will be generous to the poor and those that need help. I will forgive when asked, that my own mistakes will be forgiven. I will live my life in courtesy and honor from this day forward. I swear this before these witnesses and on the ancient sword of my fathers." As Lucien finished speaking the Emperor rose and drew his sword. "I, Thaddeus Morda, Emperor of Sarmaya, do accept your pledge and name you a knight of the Sentinels. Thus, I dub thee, before the Dragods and all the witnesses here, Sir Lucien De'Vestian. Rise a knight." Lucien rose to his feet sliding his sword into his sheath. Saluting the Emperor, he turned to face his fellow knights. He accepted his spurs from Lady Myrna, his tabard from Sir Havrick, and cape from Sir Blackcrane. Then he stepped to the side, donning the crimson tabard with the white sword of the Sentinels on the front and then the crimson cape with the white sword on its back. The applause died down and the next squire came forward, and the next. Each saying their oaths until finally the last squire, a young man from Bandek Province, stood before the Emperor. Sonya was thoroughly enjoying the pageantry of the ceremony, it impressed her, as it always did when she was able to witness these things. She had the ceremony memorized now, witnesses had pledged their honor with his. Now he was going to draw his sword, make his oath, and, her thoughts were interrupted as the unthinkable occurred. There was a blur of motion, shouts and screams, she saw all the Votary surge towards the Emperor and people fall trying to get out of their way lest they be cut down. Rose was screaming, her face spattered with blood. Suddenly there was blood everywhere, followed immediately by stunned silence and the shifting of armor as Votary surrounded the dais with a ring of steel.