RAYLEIGH’S POV
Marquess Aasi’s throat clearing sounds as jarring as his laugh is, and then Rayleigh wonders if he should warn the gravitationally-enhanced man that he’s picking a fight with a woman who’d been taught to always finish them.
“Your father,” Rayleigh decides not to help at all when he sees the way the toupée-wearing noble side eyes teacher. “Claims you deduced the nature and make of the weapons used for the attack on the square, and claims you created the mitigation plan.”
How dare you speak to her so disrespectfully?
Rayleigh belatedly recalls he’d done the same to Asha for years.
I’m sorry, Asha and teacher.
Griffin is watching him carefully, and the Grand Duke realizes his cousin has decided to simply follow his lead.
Thank you, big brother.
“Yes, I did. Was that actually a question, Aasi?”
Viscount Hawksworth is young and radical, lacking connections and great wealth but earning his place on the council with his indisputable ability. He’s also the first to be swayed to Asha’s side by her audacity and imperturbability, snickering openly at the Marquess who’s gaping like a gold fish.
Rayleigh isn’t sure how he feels about the handsome flirt liking his fiancée.
Aasi harrumphs, those fleshy jowls trembling as he tries to think of what to say next. Asha beats him to the punch.
”The best defense is a good offense.” She remembers what teacher said.
“Do you actually understand the subject matter enough to ask questions, or did you just throw a hissy fit and drag me here so you can stare at my ass?”
ASHA.
The Emperor and Griffin are barely bothering to hide their laughter now, and Hawksworth isn’t doing a very good job of muffling his own sounds behind gloved palms.
This time it seems the head of the neutral faction, Marquess Fenceton, has become Asha’s next supporter, if the grin on a usually impassive face is any indication.
When no response comes for a minute, Asha sighs. “Let me guess: since you’ve never seen such a weapon before, you assumed it can’t possibly exist, am I right Aasi?” The way she says that last word makes the obese Marquess flush, dark eyes glinting in anger even as Asha plows on. “You’ve never met a god, so why do you pray then? Or do you not?”
Wow.
Religious devotion is a cornerstone value of the empire, since they believe no humans would exist without the gods who’d created and protected them. To be an atheist is to be a heretic - only the Franklanders freely declare themselves as such, but as an independent principality and friends of the Lambergs, the empire turns a blind eye to their practices.
Before the enraged Marquess can think of a response, Asha continues. “Does anyone have crayons? It seems I need to draw some pictures for Aasi and Canalla.”
ASHA.
Rayleigh can’t contain himself anymore, bursting into laughter as more and more council members begin to follow in the imperial family’s footsteps.
“No crayons? With the Crown Princess expecting?” Those brilliant sapphires turn to uncle as she pretends to tsk in disapproval at a chuckling emperor. “Alright, try to use your brains and keep up then, councillors.” With a meaningful glance at the red faced, furious men, Asha launches into a thorough, easy to understand explanation that makes Rayleigh wonder again at just how much his fiancée has changed.
This...this is genius.
Asha has developed entirely new principles of alchemy, despite never having studied the subject before she’d worked on solving the mystery behind the weapons used in the square.
When the usually eager Count Eszes goes so far as to raise a hand - waiting to be acknowledged by Asha before speaking - and then Duke Marlowe does the same, Rayleigh realizes his fiancée has successfully won over key members of the government and high society.
I see now. “To be at once as serene as the eye of the storm, and as violent as the raging tempest itself.” Asha...you’ve mastered the essence of combat. That’s how you won the battle today.
From the moment teacher had presented Asha’s findings and suggestions, the Lambergs had set the privy council meeting as the stage for the future Grand Duchess’ debut to the political arena.
As much as I respect you, teacher, I have to wonder how much of it was your idea, knowing what I know about Asha now.
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ASHA’S POV
I guess that was worth the effort.
When daddy had first insisted on her expounding her theories in person, Asha had balked before considering the potential advantages.
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I’ll need help to stay alive and keep my family safe. Since I already have plenty of enemies just for who my father and fiancé are, it’d be best to start gaining allies.
Daddy had agreed to her plan in a heartbeat, showering her with kisses and preaching to the choir in the manor about how smart his baby is. That memory had carried her through the council meeting, allowed her to do what she had to do without losing her cool.
Now that she’s paying more attention to the world around her and using her brain for things other than petty schemes, it hadn’t been hard to figure out that Aasi would lead the charge against her. Monique and Valora have caught on to Asha’s change in behavior, and though they don’t question her about it they do feed her plenty of information about other nobles - including how blatant the Marquess’ intentions continue to be. And since Canalla is a known conspirator of Aasi’s, Asha had felt comfortable enough in that knowledge to call them out by name.
Hawksworth being swayed first was to be expected, since he’s young, radical, without backing on the council, and enjoys the company of women.
Fenceton had been a surprise, albeit a pleasant one. The man was notorious for never budging from his position in the center, moving between the imperial, noble, and radical parties with an ease that belied a shrewd mind and exceptional diplomacy.
Moravia, the Crown Princess’ father, had said nothing for the same reason the Winter Count and Asha’s soon-to-be family hadn’t interfered directly: to prevent the imperial family from being accused of nepotism, she’d had to fight her battle alone, with only their moral support.
Sighing, she takes another long drag from her pipe.
Tomorrow is her engagement ceremony, which means the servants will wake her up before dawn in order to get her ready. Asha knows she should go to bed now, but for some reason her thoughts won’t leave her in peace.
> ”How much are you planning on taking from others? Why are you never satisfied with what you have?”
Forget it. It hasn’t happened. My engagement, on the other hand, is really happening. The Emperor is directly involved in the ceremony, so Rayleigh can’t cancel it unless a war breaks out or a natural disaster strikes. But I don’t remember any such thing occurring on this date in history.
I’m going to be unequivocally recognized as the future Grand Duchess tomorrow. Breaking an imperial engagement after the string ceremony is as hard as divorcing an imperial, which means it’s pretty much a given I’m going to marry Rayleigh.
Asha has only recently realized that all this time, when nobles had treated her as the future Grand Duchess, some of them had been mocking, while most of them had been waiting to replace her, since her tenuous position before had made her an easy target.
I was neither here nor there, but I thought I’d already made it, before.
> ”Are there limits to your foolishness?”
Idiot.
Taking another inhale of the herbs the gardeners had picked, dried, and mixed for her, Asha lets the citrusy smoke roll around her mouth before exhaling.
What about Medea?
Rayleigh loves the golden angel so much, he’d killed the teacher he’d worshipped since childhood himself - all for Medea’s sake.
From what the Winterblades and Snowfalls have heard, she’s been laying low at Gusic’s townhouse. But even if the Emperor didn’t invite their House, surely she’s planning on coming to the ceremony somehow? It’s an opportunity to see Rayleigh, after all.
No matter how many scenarios Asha runs through in her head that night, she still goes to bed nervous, opting to read a boring census report in hopes it’ll help her fall asleep.
I hope we make it through tomorrow.
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RAYLEIGH’S POV
Thanks to Conroy’s information network, the entire capital and major towns in the empire know all about Asha’s victory in the privy council by morning.
The blond aide had been only too happy to assist, which had made Rayleigh wonder until the Mage had explained.
”Lady Asha is to be Grand Duchess - the lady of the House, and my mistress. How can a servant of Loredan not sing the praises of his master’s wife?”
’Wife’. After today, Asha will have to become my wife next year, since breaking an imperial engagement after the ceremony of strings is almost impossible.
Rayleigh isn’t sure how he feels about it, but he reminds himself that this is for the good of the empire, and for the sake of teacher’s favor.
I’m sorry, Medea. No matter how much I want you, I can’t forsake my country.
Conroy and Ethan had looked more disapproving than he’d ever seen them, when he’d asked the two to smuggle one last letter and gift to the golden angel, but they’d complied anyway.
I seem to be disappointing everyone I care about these days.
From teacher, to Griffin, to uncle, to Medea, and now even his aides...
Sighing, Rayleigh wishes he dared run a hand through his slicked back hair, but he knows he’ll have hell to pay from his servants and his family if he arrives looking less than perfect.
I wonder how many magic tools the Snowfalls are using on Asha’s hair.
His fiancée has always had the most uncontrollable locks in the empire, a fitting physical embodiment of her wild personality.
Asha, you were magnificent yesterday.
Rayleigh truly means it, but he gets the feeling she’d misunderstand if he said anything.
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Having Griffin by his side is a huge comfort, as the Grand Duke deals with an unexpected case of nerves behind the gilded double doors he’s to enter from once the harpist plays the notes in D chord, meeting Asha in the middle of the hall - she’d be entering from the door on the opposite side on D as well - when the chorus in B minor starts.
Despite having been his cousin’s best man, and the countless rehearsals for the Crown Prince’s own engagement and wedding ceremonies, right now Rayleigh keeps forgetting exactly which string to loop over which.
“Relax, Ray Ray.” Griffin is grinning, crimson eyes twinkling, and though Rayleigh knows few ever get to see the Crown Prince so truly happy and at ease, right now he wants to mess up that slicked back black hair, so very similar to his own, though almost always neatly set (unlike Rayleigh’s, since he hates sitting still while servants style his hair).
Huffing, he tries and fails to tune out his cousin’s laughter.
Just wait and see. When Ariana’s giving birth, I’m going to laugh at you for fretting like a ninny.
“What color do you think Asha’s gown is?”
Why the sudden...
Oh.
Thank you, big brother.
“Isn’t it obvious?” He plays along easily, humor and the strength of their affection for each other all that’s kept them going through their darkest days.
“You don’t know either, do you?” Griffin is the same height as him, which is perfect for side eyes and smirks.
“Of course I know. She’s my fiancée.” Rayleigh rolls his eyes, already feeling his earlier nervousness dissipating like dust in the wind.
“Is that so, little brother?” The Crown Prince is grinning widely now. “Thousand coins says it’s pink.”
Rayleigh can’t resist the urge to snort. Asha hates pink.
“You’re on. I call blue.” Asha looks best in blue.
“Don’t go crying to teacher when you lose.” If the nobles heard their future emperor teasing the Grand Duke in such a singsong voice, smelling salts would sell out.
When the lilting, ethereal tones of the harp reach them, Rayleigh ducks his shoulder slightly and bumps Griffin’s.
“Thank you, big brother.”
Later, he’ll hear that the Crown Prince had entered the elegant ballroom sobbing, but at that moment - when the doors open, and the morning sunlight streaming in through floor-to-ceiling windows illuminates a fairy from sky and sea - Rayleigh can’t think of anything but how breathtakingly lovely his fiancée is.
Asha.
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MOONRISE BY LUNASEA: CHAPTER 10 END