For my vigil, Aleksandr Ruslanovich and Lakshmi Amman created a small miracle. They managed to turn a elementary school hallway into a gentlewoman’s closet. Lakshmi, at the last minute, used masking tape to create mullioned windows.

Some time ago, Aleksandr had suggested that if I wanted to wear something special for my Laurel ceremony, I should make it and give it to him against that day. I knew I wanted to wear simple, unadorned white. I made a gown mostly based on one in Janet Arnold’s Patterns of Fashion out of ivory Thai silk and lined in linen. Lady Vetivel Bharavi helped me fit it, Kass McGann not only got me the silk at a discount, but hand made all the eyelets, and Lakshmi Amman helped with the hemming and laced me up several times.

Although no one could see, I was wearing matching silk slippers (my first and possibly last shoe making project), red wool hose (purchased), and red wool garters that I had knitted. All these things had been given to Aleksandr previously in an "Open in Case of Peerage" box.

I wore my hair down and had washed off all my makeup. I removed all my jewelry except a posy ring from Aleksandr.

Aleksandr escorted me into Court. As we began the walk down the aisle, he said "Don't forget to Crown." This is a commedia dell'arte term, "crowning the mask": pause for a moment upon your entrance or exit to establish your character for the audience. When we reached the presence, he squeezed my hand and stepped away. I crowned my mask, curtsied and climbed to the dias.

Her Majesty, Isabella, asked me if I had an answer to the question she had asked earlier that day. I said "The road may be long and hard, but I will set foot upon it." The Order of the Laurel was called into Court. Baroness Caitlin Davies spoke on behalf of the Pelicans, Countess Mara Tudora Kolarova read a message from Duchess Anna Tarragon as a Lady of the Rose, and my own Aleksandr Ruslanovich spoke for the Laurels.

Despite my best efforts, when Aleksandr spoke, I began to cry.

It only got worse as he asked those who had in some way been influenced by my work to stand.

The medallion was a gift from Aleksandr. It was made by Master Wulfgang von Roessler of the Midrealm and is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. It took 3 people to put the medallion on me. The Queen was wearing gloves and could not work the very fine clasp, Aleksandr confessed that his hands were trembling, so the honors were done by Baron Jehan.

The cloak is a loose gown based on the companion garment to the kirtle I was wearing. It was made by Master John McGuire with assistance by Lady Giselle Vanier and Mistress Rose Otter. The gown is green silk velvet dyed by Lady Lakshmi Amman and trimmed with lighter green silk dyed by Master John, something like 85 yards of gold cord, including hand-knotted frogs, and dozens of gold buttons.

The caul was created and embroidered by Lady Lakshmi Amman . It is blackwork on incredibly fine linen. My emblem is the mermaid in her vanity (with comb and mirror), and the cap depicts mermaids between a strapwork pattern of laurel leaves, each bearing the emblems of one of my interests: a spoon and dish (cooking), an astrolabe and quadrant (martime history), a lyre (performance), a quill and book (research), a mask of Arlecchino and a slapstick (commedia dell’arte), a needle and thread (embroidery).

The scroll was created by Lady Rhonwen glyn Conwy and she and Master Anton of Winteroak wrote the text. The scroll is as exacting a replica as possible of a grant scroll of Queen Elizabeth’s that is in the collection of Wellesley College.

The scroll was done on goat skin parchment with iron gall ink and both metal and quill pens. The hanging seal, or bulla, was carved from beeswax by Lady Xandra Rozina Xiberas Galea after Hilliard’s Great Seal.

My oath of fealty was adapted from The Oath of the Lieutenant and Standard bearer of Queen Elizabeth I, which was published in 1601.

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Ceremony photos by Lady Nicola Angelica (Niki Toscano)