This is a very long ceremony. It is not recommended in full for courts which will be long for other reasons.

Herald
Long ago, the lands of Drachenwald were forged into a mighty Kingdom, and in the King’s, army was a virtuous but impoverished noble. One day in the fierce heat of battle, a foul arrow struck them under the arm, where they were lightly armoured, and they fell. The chirurgeon, knowing the esteem in which the noble was held, worked long into the night to save them. Eventually, the arrowhead was withdrawn, but it was clear that they could play no further part in that campaign.

“A good and courteous subject,” said the King to His Queen, “but they are now of no use to us. Lay them in a carriage and send them home to retire.”

When the noble awoke from their fever, the Queen went to them and said, “Your service has been gallant, but in your condition, you can no longer fight. You have leave to depart.” They could not stand, but the noble sat up and said, “Your Majesty, I can no longer wield my sword, yet I beg that I be allowed to stay so that I may be of use wherever I can, for my heart still beats with a love of Drachenwald.”

And so the noble followed the army. Their pain and misery at being unable to fight alongside their King and Queen in the front rank was almost beyond endurance.

But, the Queen noted, not once did they complain. They made their bed in the open, along with the servants, shared their meagre rations without demur, fetched firewood and stirred the pot alongside the lowliest cook.

As the wound began to heal, they took up further tasks. They rode with messages or on errands for the Sovereigns. Even when requests for assistance were made by the lowliest servant, it was greeted with a smile and left with a charming farewell. Never did they think of their own needs, but rather always saw the world through the eyes of those around, anticipating their needs and making their burdens less wearisome.

Some of the maids had children that ran about their feet whilst they tried to work. The noble began to look after the children for a while each day, so that the ladies might have peace. He taught the children games and skills that would be of benefit to them in later life, and he told them moral tales. These children came from the humblest families – yet this noble treated them all with the same grace and courtesy as if they had been the children of the King and Queen themselves.

One day, the army was passing through a region of high mountains in terrible weather. Thunder shook the walls of rock around them, and lightning flashed overhead. Rain turned every stream into a torrent laden with fallen branches and tumbling rocks.

The Queen turned to one of her ladies-in-waiting, asking, “Where is that kind and gracious noble who was wounded? I would have them organise our camp for tonight.”

A while later, the lady returned, saying “Your Majesty, it grieves me to tell you, but that gentle is nowhere to be found.”

The Queen ordered, “Search the army and find this noble indivduak, for they are of great service to me, and I would have him at my side.”

Eventually, a young peasant was brought before the Queen.

“Your Majesty,” he said, “it is my fault that your noble servant is not here. Please forgive me.”

“Do not be afraid,” said the Queen, “just tell me what has happened.”

“I am a goatherd,” said the youngster, “and my flock provides your Majesty with fine cheeses and fresh milk. But this morning, when this terrible storm arose, my animals took fright and scattered. Your noble servant found me crying at my plight, and immediately set off to find my goats although the thunder threatened to blast them from those dreadful rocks.” The child turned and pointed to a rocky ridge that climbed thousands of feet to be lost in the clouds.

The King said to the Queen “They risk their life even for a mere peasant, and had they already returned, we would never have known of their toil. But they have always been so.”

The Queen replied, “it is true that even the greatest deeds can pass unnoticed. But now, we must find our noble friend, for they are in grave danger in this storm. I beg you to find them.”

Patrols were sent into the mountains, and at length, a trumpet call sounded. Their Majesties mounted their steeds, and clambered up the treacherous paths, until they found the soldiers.

“Look!” called the sergeant-at-arms, pointing further ahead. And there, descending through the mist, with staff in hand, guiding a flock of goats, was the noble friend, singing a jaunty song in defiance of the storm.

Surprised to be greeted by such a retinue, they bowed deeply. “Your Majesties,” they said, “surely you cannot be here on my account. How may I help you?” They spread their arms wide, and their Majesties could see both hands were cut and grazed from the perilous climb.

The King spoke. “Noble warrior, I can see your strength has returned, and your courage has evidently not faltered, so you may rejoin the army with my blessing.”

The Queen smiled. “Noble servant,” she said, “We came in search of one whose values we would protect. You never complain at your misfortunes. Not once have you sought attention at the expense of others. Unseen, you work to ensure that the honour of Drachenwald and its people is upheld. But in particular, it is the unstinting courtesy that you have shown to young and old, to high and low-born alike, that has made this long journey and difficult task not a labour, but a joy, and for that we thank you.”

With this, the Queen noticed something in the noble herder’s belt. “What is that flower caught in your clothing?” she asked.

The noble saw that an edelweiss was lodged in their buckle, so they handed it to the Queen. As they did so, a drop of his blood stained its centre. “It is an edelweiss, your Majesty, that grows only on the highest peaks, for it was there that I found the goats, sheltering from the gale.”

The Queen turned to her husband, saying “Your Majesty, I beg of you this boon. The honours of Drachenwald are mostly in your gift, but I would ask that I, too, may create an Order to which only the most worthy may be admitted.”

“So be it,” replied the King, “know you all that I grant Her Majesty this wish.”

The Queen spoke again. “Noble friend, your courtesy and love of Drachenwald is an example to us all and is almost beyond reward. But let this flower be now worn as a rare badge of honour, for the Consorts of Drachenwald alone to bestow, from now until the world ends.”

And so she pinned the edelweiss to the noble’s breast, and charged them to promote the study of courtesy for as long as they should live.

And so from that time forth, exceptional individuals have been inducted into the Order of Courtesy, in this fashion, either as a pin or on a silver chain: an edelweiss argent eyed gules.

Pause.

And so does their Majesty call before them ____ .

(The story was commissioned by Queen Honor of Restormel and written by Lord Heinrich von Westfelsen.)