Everyone always says she’s pretty and smart and talented, the perfect fiancée of a handsome and capable grand duke.
When Medea Gusic appears, at first everyone tells her not to worry because the adopted daughter of a poor country baron can’t compare to the daughter of a count, especially not the Count of Lamberg - Sword Grandmaster, Hero of the Empire, and head of a clan designated by the gods as guardians of the realm.
Until it becomes obvious that Grand Duke Rayleigh Loredan is head over heels for the former commoner - besotted with her shining blonde hair and brilliant golden eyes - and loathing his fiancée for getting in between him and true love.
It doesn’t help that Medea is like an angel: sweet, kind, thoughtful, considerate, gentle, humble, and innocent. Nothing like Asha, who demands her way and hates losing to anyone since every generation of House Lamberg has saved the empire in some manner, becoming members of the peerage when her great-grandfather was granted the title of Baron before swiftly moving up the ranks each generation.
Eventually, her machinations get so extreme that Rayleigh himself denounces her publicly and calls for capital punishment when she tries to kill Medea.
For some reason, the Emperor goes ahead with her and her father’s executions despite owing Count Lamberg his life, the lives of his son and nephew, and the lives of his citizens.
When Asha Lamberg wakes up in the past, she wonders if she’s actually gone mad from torture.
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So, he’s started to fall for her just a month ago?
The wind is gentle, carrying the scents of lilies and roses with it, as Asha walks the grassy path up the gentle incline.
Which means he doesn’t wish me dead yet.
Rayleigh had made no secret of how much he’d hated her, before.
Before.
It hadn’t been easy - getting used to having her head attached to her neck, lacking scars and open wounds all over her face and body, realizing she’s not emaciated and struggling to breathe, wandering her family’s undamaged manor in the capital - but after a week of acting like a madwoman Asha had come to terms with reality thanks to her father’s tears.
Daddy...
He’d lost everything thanks to her. But he’d still loved her, until the end.
The memory of her fiancé beheading her father makes her want to vomit, as it always does, but Asha resolutely tamps down the urge and focuses on what she has to do now.
She’d sent Rayleigh a letter and called upon his sense of chivalry to meet her in this spot - a quiet location atop a hill in a public park that not many visit in the capital - in order to discuss their engagement.
I have to end it.
The crimson eyed male had made it very clear before that he would never want her, after all.
Stop it. Don’t think about it.
No matter how much it hurts, it’s inevitable.
He’s late. As usual.
Thinking back on things now, Rayleigh had deliberately started being late or missing appointments around when Asha turned fourteen.
I guess he actually hated me since then. But what did I do to deserve it?
We’ve never even had a proper engagement ceremony, since we were too young when the Emperor set us up...and after that Rayleigh just kept finding excuses.
Twenty-two minutes past the meeting time, she feels the familiar aura and struggles to repress the shivers.
I used to be so happy when I felt him coming, but now I just want to run away.
This has to go according to plan.
“Your highness.” Asha is deliberately keeping her hood up, covering her face as much as possible, refusing to look at him even after she bows since he’d once told her that he’d be grateful for the day he no longer has to see or hear from her again.
He doesn’t bother responding, as usual. He’d started making it a habit three years ago to ignore her in conversation as much as possible when no one else is around.
I don’t know what I did to make you hate me so much, but right now I just want to get away from you.
“I’d like to cancel our engagement.”
There’s silence for awhile more, before a mocking voice fills the air. “Is this your latest ploy for my attention?”
I knew you’d say that.
It still hurts though.
“I brought a soul contract.” Asha pulls the scroll from her pocket and holds it out to him, still refusing to look up.
My arms are getting tired...
When he finally snatches it from her outstretched hands, she can’t help flinching back.
That sword hanging from your waist...dad had it made for your twentieth birthday, and you killed us with it.
There’s quiet after he unfurls the scroll, then...
“You’re serious about this?”
Yes!
“Yes, your highness.”
“Serious enough to put your life on the line?”
A soul contract is an unbreakable bond, holding parties involved to their sides of the deal and taking their lives as forfeit if they fail to fulfill their terms.
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“Yes, your highness.”
He’s quiet for awhile more, and Asha clenches her hands tight to stop the shaking.
Please, please, PLEASE say yes.
“So you’ll help me get engaged to Medea,” the way he says the golden haired lady’s name so sweetly makes Asha’s heart twinge. “And in exchange, I’m to accept all responsibility for our broken engagement and pay your family one million gold coins?”
It’s a fortune, enough for several generations of most nobles, but not enough to put a dent in the Grand Duke’s finances.
“Yes, your highness.”
He snorts at that - I guess he thinks I’m playing chicken - before that mocking tone fills her ears again.
“Alright then. Swear it.”
I did it!
Touching the end of the scroll he’s holding out to her, Asha takes a deep breath and makes her vow.
“I, Asha Lamberg, swear upon my life to help Grand Duke Rayleigh Loredan secure Lady Medea Gusic’s hand in marriage.”
The scroll begins to glow faintly, tendrils of light reaching out to wrap themselves around Asha’s hand.
Now it’s Rayleigh’s turn.
“I, Rayleigh Loredan, promise to assume all responsibility for my broken engagement with Asha Lamberg, and will compensate House Lamberg with one million gold coins once our engagement is dissolved.”
The light becomes brighter as it weaves itself into their souls, Asha struggling to breathe through the pressure, before it disappears in a flash and she feels something wrap around her heart before fading.
It’s done. I did it. I did it!
“So? What should I do first?”
Of course, the only thing he thinks about is Medea. Always Medea.
Maybe it’s the soul contract, but it feels like something squeezes Asha’s heart at that. She ignores it, taking a deep breath instead before speaking, all the while refusing to look at the man she’s loved since she was a little girl.
“Lady Medea is new to the capital, your highness. And since she’s the adopted daughter of a country baron,” she sees his fists clench at that, and fear makes her stumble over her next words, “many in high society would not have opened their doors to her despite her beauty and grace. So you’ll need to escort her to Count Ashville’s upcoming birthday ball.”
He’s quiet for a few minutes, and Asha holds her breath, heart thundering in her chest, before she exhales in relief when she sees his gloved fists unclench.
I survived.
“It’s against custom to escort an unmarried woman who’s not a family member to a noble’s party when one is already engaged.”
That didn’t stop you before.
“Your highness, I intend to be ill on that day.”
This time it feels like his silence is due to surprise. Asha can’t be sure since she’s not looking at him though.
“You love parties.”
Only because I got to see you and dance with you at them.
“I’ll die if I don’t keep my end of the deal.”
It’s been more than a decade - including her previous life’s final years - since he’d spoken to her in private without malice or mockery, and Asha blinks in surprise.
“As you wish, Lady Asha.”
Thank the gods.
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The Count of Winter - so nicknamed for the Lambergs’ hereditary snowy white hair and icy blue eyes, and their namesake hometown in the frozen north - is beside himself with worry when Asha announces she’s too ill to attend the party, and the servants and knights aren’t helping.
I love you, daddy.
Callan Lamberg has always loved his only child more than anyone or anything, doted on her since her birth despite the grief he’d felt at losing his wife in the process.
Even though others, including the Emperor, have pressed the Count to remarry ever since Asha’s engagement - because House Lamberg will need an heir once she leaves - Callan Lamberg has always refused since he doesn’t want anyone else to become lady of the house as long as his daughter still lives with him.
You’re the best dad in the world.
She’s lucky she’d gotten her personal attendants to play along, since fooling the empire’s only Grandmaster of the Sword would’ve been impossible without their help.
Monique and Valora had been confused by her request when she’d first told them, refusing to help until she’d sworn them to secrecy with another soul contract - these things are quite rare, but Asha’s mother had left her quite a few of them - and then they’d almost thrown their lives away in order to break the contract and tell her father about her plans to cancel her engagement.
It’d taken Asha hours to convince them that she fully intends to go through with her plan, despite the humiliation she and her House would have to endure, and then it seems her two closest confidants have nothing but hate in their eyes whenever they mention the Grand Duke.
It worked.
The potions Valora had purchased in the capital’s back alleys do their job of faking a high fever, and the family healer prescribes Asha plenty of medicine and bed rest since magic doesn’t work against such ailments (which is why Asha chose this particular illness). Monique subtly swaps the restorative tonics for placebos to keep Asha’s fever up while her father is in the room, and only once the Count is dragged away to attend the ball do the trio breathe a sigh of relief.
“I still think this is stupid.”
Dame Valora Winterblade, who’d received her last name when she joined the Lambergs’ order of knights, is known for her skills, courage, loyalty, and brutal honesty.
“Shocking as it may be, I agree with Valora.” Mage Monique Snowfall, who shares her last name with every servant of the Lambergs, is famous within the House for her acerbic wit and penchant for picking fights with Asha’s personal knight.
I love you both so much.
In her previous life, Monique and Valora had tried to save her from execution - leading all of House Lamberg’s knights and servants in a desperate rebellion that had resulted in their deaths, since they’d thrown down their weapons and surrendered immediately when Rayleigh had held a sword to Asha’s throat.
This time, I’ll protect us all.
“Why would I want to marry someone who hates me and loves another?”
Clever as her attendants are, they haven’t been able to find a comeback to that question.
“What do you think the master will say when he returns from the ball?”
I’m sorry, dad.
She knows her father will see the Grand Duke and Lady Medea together, and protest to the Emperor immediately. It won’t help, since Asha is unable to attend the ball due to “illness”, which means the emperor’s only nephew isn’t breaking any rules by escorting another woman.
Though it’s still considered in bad taste, no one would dare insult a member of the imperial family publicly.
Rayleigh’s willing to be mocked and slandered all his life for Medea. That’s how much he loves her.
The contract squeezes her heart again, but Asha’s getting used to it.
“Let’s get ready for dad’s return.”
Valora and Monique make their displeasure known for the next two hours, until the familiar pressure fills the air and they’re playing their parts perfectly as Count Lamberg storms into the room.
“Asha! This is outrageous!”
I’m sorry, dad. But this is the only way we can live.
“Daddy...?”
The potions are working, making her weak and flushed as she struggles to rise. Her father’s large hand - which she’s always thought is warm, yet everyone else insists is cool - pushes her back down gently, the Grandmaster deliberately controlling his aura in her presence so it doesn’t overwhelm his ‘ill’ daughter.
“I’m sorry, baby. Daddy didn’t mean to wake you.” How she loves these forehead kisses, the comforting scent of her father. “I don’t want to stress you while you’re ill, but you need to know that Ray brought Baron Gusic’s adopted daughter to the ball in your place.”
“But...that’s because I’m ill, daddy.”
His handsome face contorts in an unfamiliar way, before the Count dismisses all their attendants.
Here we go.
Her father has only ever been a fool for his daughter - when it comes to everything else, his sharp intellect and ruthless cunning are renown throughout the empire.
“Asha, my darling, the light of my life and my reason for living.” I’m gonna cry. “Tell daddy the truth. Did Ray threaten you into this?”
You always take my side, daddy. If I even hint that I was forced to do this, I know you’d rebel against the imperial family immediately. I’ll save us all so we can live a long and happy life together.
“No, daddy.” Before he can protest, she continues. “I think his highness just felt sorry for the young lady. We all know how kind he is.”
Yeah, right. He’s only kind to HER.
Those brilliant blue eyes, exactly the same shade as hers, are searching and pensive, before the Count nods and starts to pat her head. “You’re right, sweetie. Ray’s always been a thoughtful child.” No, he isn’t. He just acts that way in front of his teacher. “He must have felt bad for Baron Gusic’s daughter, who’d never be able to attend such an event otherwise.”
’Bad’ isn’t the word I’d use.
Her father’s gentle pats and humming lull Asha to sleep soon enough, and when she wakes up the next day there’s a letter from the Grand Duke requesting an audience once she’s recovered.
How long has it been since you sought me out on your own?
Asha thinks maybe it was before her fourteenth birthday.
On to the next stage of the plan.
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MOONRISE BY LUNASEA: CHAPTER 1 END