In July, 2003, I'd been in the SCA for a little over a year. At Lyondemere Anniversary, TRMs Alaric and Carynsa bestowed an Award of Arms on me. Six months later, I found myself at Twelfth Night, out of court for the first time in about a year and watching Herald's point. As I waited for someone to grow bored with court and get a consult outside, the doors burst open and Lord Malcolm Aikman ran out screaming "Cormac, you've been summoned to Court!" TRMs Dirk and Levana had deemed it fit to admit me to the Order of the Dolphin. I was flabbergasted.
This last year, TRMs Sven and Kolfinna had decided to bestow the very rare Grant of Arms to me at Lyondemere Anniversary, but I left before closing court; they got me at the next event, Darkwell, while I was acting as Dun Or's baronial herald. I mused to myself at the time that it would be a ridiculous coincidence if I recieved a Crescent at the following Twelfth Night, then dismissed it as folly and put it out of my head. But sure enough, TRMs Edric and Faizeh called me up this past Saturday and welcomed me into the Right Noble Order of the Crescent of Caid.
There's no way a Crown can bestow a bare patent, as far as I've been able to ascertain, so the pattern can't continue with me (unless, godforbid, the pattern is "prepatory recognition in July, elevation to an order in January," in which case I may be asked to join the Order of the Pelican at some future Lyondemere Anniversary). It probably isn't a pattern, but a simple coincidence. However, it's a very compelling coincidence, and I'm not sure what to make of it.
