RAYLEIGH’S POV
Asha, you never cease to amaze me lately.
He hadn’t thought her versed in the art of government, yet she’d quickly identified the potential problems caused by the western Imperials’ current actions.
I didn’t know you’ve been studying such things. I thought you were more interested in research and development.
Teacher had, of course, immediately hugged and kissed his daughter as soon as he’d heard what Asha had said. Lady Willow looked like she wanted to do the same, but was holding herself back out of propriety.
Marchioness Fenceton was right. We’ll probably be seeing another Lamberg tying strings before the High Priest soon.
Uncle had rejoined the group with Marquess Ferdinand as soon as teacher and Lady Willow returned, and though the Emperor can’t officially endorse Asha’s opinion in public, the way he’d smilingly patted Asha’s head says enough.
First the gunpowder, which originates from the east. Now the west is spiraling towards unrest and uprising, and potential land grabs.
Fortunately, teacher’s marriage to a High Mage of Anouar, as well as Rayleigh’s own Saharan heritage, have led to much stronger ties with the Southern Empire.
It might be a good idea to meet with the Anouar ambassador soon.
While Rayleigh has never been close to his mother’s family, they still send him letters and gifts every year for his birthday, passed along through the south’s representative in Loredan. Sometimes he wonders if they do it because they really consider him family or if the act is merely out of diplomatic necessity.
Sometimes he wonders if they even pick the gifts themselves, unlike teacher who'd personally designed and helped craft Rayleigh's beautiful sword.
Best not to dwell on such things. Though I don't remember my own parents, I had Griffin, uncle, and teacher with me since birth. And High Mage Selena for a brief time.
Come to think of it, Asha has southern blood but inherited teacher’s pale coloring entirely - the only traces of her late mother are in her wild heart and hair. On the other hand, I have the imperial family’s hair and eyes but was born with my mother’s skin tone.
Many had joked that the only way they could tell Rayleigh and Griffin apart once they became adults was by their skin color, since the cousins look almost identical otherwise.
“Ray?” Griffin’s face, so similar to his, appears concerned.
“I was thinking of meeting His Excellency, Sheikh Aman soon.” At that, the Crown Prince smiles.
“I agree, little brother. We didn’t get a chance to speak much at your engagement party.”
It’d been a crush that day, with almost a thousand guests in attendance to celebrate the occasion.
Though the Anouar ambassador had been invited to tonight’s party, he’d unfortunately had to decline on religious grounds, as today is also a holy day for people of the Southern Empire.
A sudden thought comes to him then, and he looks down at the petite noble next to him.
“Would you care to join us, Asha?”
Cute.
She blinks up at him a few times, seeming unsure about his intentions.
I can see your mind racing, my lady. What little schemes are you assuming I’m up to now?
“That’s an excellent idea, Rayleigh.” You really like her, Ariana. “Asha has both northern and southern blood, so I’m sure she’d be delighted to meet someone from her mother’s homeland.”
At Ariana’s intervention, Asha seems warier, though she smiles and agrees anyway.
Asha, there’s no need to be on guard with us all the time.
Although, Rayleigh can’t say he blames her.
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ASHA’S POV
“You like her, don’t you daddy?” She laughs merrily when he blushes, leaning against him on the sofa after the second celebration for the night - with only Winterblades and Snowfalls - has ended.
“My angel, the most important thing is that you like her and she treats you well.” Dad...
“Dad, shouldn’t the most important thing be whether you two like each other?”
Instantly the Count objects. “Of course not, baby. How could I ever like anyone you don’t?”
I really have the best dad in the world.
“Well, she seems nice, and I’ve heard only good things about Lady Willow.” Smiling up at him, Asha’s gratified to see the shy look on a handsome face. “I think you’ll be very happy together.” Then, just because she can’t resist: “Don’t forget, daddy, I want ten siblings.”
“ASHA!”
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Two days after her birthday party, Asha mounts Luna and rides to the Anouar embassy next to Rayleigh.
That’s right. His horse comes from Anouar, specifically the Sahara chief’s stables.
It’s considered a great gift to receive a battle steed from a guardian clan - an honor usually reserved only for kings and emperors - but Rayleigh is related to the Sahara chieftain, and had received the horse from his late mother’s family on his twentieth birthday.
Shems is a large black stallion, known for his strength, speed, stamina, and fierce devotion to his master, once charging at monsters to buy Rayleigh time when the Grand Duke had been struck out of the saddle and pinned beneath the flaming tree trunk thrown at him in the ambush.
Luna seems itching to challenge the bigger horse, but Asha can’t risk arriving at the embassy looking disheveled - since it’d be considered an insult to Anouar - so she strokes a white mane to try and calm the mischievous mare down.
“We can race after the meeting if you like, Asha.” How did he know?
These days Rayleigh appears to be frequently tickled by her actions or speech, and Asha isn’t sure how to feel about it.
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When they arrive at the embassy, the Crown Prince just seconds behind them, Asha dismounts easily before checking to ensure her silk head scarf is covering her hair properly. Though her mother had refused to cover her head, Asha gets the feeling she should go along with the Anouar custom for today, especially when they’re here to bolster ties with the south in case of significant issues with east and west.
Even her outfit today is southern, with loose pants gathered at the ankles under a long, bejeweled high-collared coat, and leather slippers in place of boots.
Rayleigh too is dressed in southern attire, and had made Asha blink several times before blushing when she’d met him in the foyer of the Lamberg manor, especially since the white of his headdress and clothes contrasts well with tanned skin.
After removing their footwear, they’re ushered into a beautifully decorated, airy room with high ceiling and arched windows. The ambassador welcomes them warmly, blending conservative Anouar culture with respect for Loredan’s future Grand Duchess when he bows slightly to Asha without otherwise acknowledging her.
No wonder mom left.
Vautour, Quan, and Anouar impose more restrictions on women, as well as interactions between men and women, which would have made living in the Southern Continent hard for someone as free-spirited as Selena, and which Asha is beginning to realize may have factored into her mother’s decision to stay in Loredan after the war.
A warm hand on her back startles her slightly, as Rayleigh guides her to sit next to him on the soft rugs.
Right. We’d already agreed I’d whisper what I want to say to him so he can verbalize it for me, since I’m technically not allowed to speak in this setting.
The strong scent of mint wafts from their teacups, and Asha takes a sip only once the Crown Prince and Rayleigh have done so.
“I do regret I was unable to attend your fiancée’s birthday celebration, your highness.” Ugh, come ON. I’m right here.
Rayleigh’s large hand covering both of hers where they’re placed on her lap shocks Asha enough to forget her irritation with southern customs.
> ”Why would I ever touch you unless ceremony and honor demand it?”
“We understand, Your Excellency. It was a holy day for you, and your faith required you to remain here in prayer and fasting.” His deliberate use of ‘we’ is a way of reminding the ambassador that Asha would soon be a member of the imperial family. “We thank the Anouar Empire for such a generous gift, as well as for meeting with us on such short notice.”
“It was the least we could do, since we were unable to attend a once-in-a-lifetime event.” Sheikh Aman is wise, shrewd, and charming - qualities befitting a man representing his empire in another - as well as a brilliant linguist whose Loredan is flawless, without the slightest hint of accent. “And I must confess, your highnesses, that my curiosity was piqued by the rather cryptic note.”
Was it now?
The note had been Asha’s idea, written entirely in Anouaric, and quoting a phrase from a famous southern poem written at the end of the Age of Demons, “The Meridian Blood”.
“There were some interesting discussions at Asha’s birthday party, Your Excellency.” Crown Prince Griffin is dressed in a hybrid Loredan-Anouar fashion, and his chiseled good looks pull it off well. “I’m sure you’ve heard that our ambassador to Quan has returned.”
Those dark brown eyes remain as calm as ever. Alright, he’s good, I’ll give him that. “Indeed, your highness. My first wife’s brother told me he was fortunate enough to meet Marquess Ferdinand during his time in Quan.”
Sheikh Aman is reminding them of the strong ties between Quan and Anouar, as well as his own social standing - related by birth to the Anouar and Quan imperial families on both his father’s and mother’s sides, and related by marriage to the Quan imperial family.
“Marquess Ferdinand said the same about Prince Guo, Your Excellency. He mentioned that the Second Prince is an astounding military strategist and martial artist, and that he was greatly honored to be allowed to speak with His Highness on more than one occasion.”
Asha is no longer foolish enough to miss the Crown Prince’s true meaning behind his words - that Marquess Ferdinand is an exceptional diplomat who’d befriended the third in line to the Quan throne (after the Quan Crown Prince and his infant son) while keeping close relations with the Emperor and his firstborn.
“How very kind of the Marquess.” Sheikh Aman’s eyes crinkle, and Asha thinks she could never be an ambassador since she lacks such acting prowess. “I shall be sure to let my brother-in-law know how highly he’s regarded in Loredan.”
This old man is playing with us.
That statement could easily be misconstrued as Loredan’s official support for the Second Prince of Quan, which would impact both Loredan-Quan relations as well as potentially fuel a clash for the eastern throne. There’s no way this sly fox doesn’t know that. He’s either testing us or mocking our inexperience.
Lifting her teacup to her lips, Asha whispers under her breath, hoping Rayleigh can hear her.
His next words make it clear he had.
“Your close relationship with your family is what all of us aspire to have, Your Excellency, especially given the seas that separate you.” Bringing up family and the seas reminds the ambassador that he is currently a guest of the Loredan imperial family and far from home, as well as the fact that though Loredan, Quan, and Anouar interpret devotion to family differently, the core tenet of not harming one’s family members is universal.
Dark eyes flicker to Asha briefly, before thin lips tilt beneath a well groomed mustache.
“May we all be blessed with such wisdom and good fortune, your highnesses.” The Sheikh bows his head slightly, looking for all the world like he’s humbly deflecting the praise while praying that they’d all receive such favor. He’s good, I’ll grant him that. But this is so tiring.
Asha is still getting used to these games, having not paid attention to or learned them before coming back in time.
Rayleigh tightens his grip briefly on her hand, before he glances at his cousin.
Are we finally starting?
All that mental and verbal gymnastics, and we haven’t even begun to discuss the real reason we’re here.
She really wants to take out her pipe and ask for a bottle of wine right now.
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RAYLEIGH’S POV
That was incredible, Asha.
When the ambassador had tried to test them - as is his duty, in order to determine the character and capabilities of Loredan’s next generation so that Anouar can prepare accordingly - Rayleigh had been running dozens of scenarios in his head until Asha whispered under her breath.
To come up with such a perfect response so quickly was something only an experienced diplomat could do.
No, not just an experienced diplomat. Asha has mastered the essence of combat, since she understands what it means to be both as serene as the eye of the storm and as violent as a raging tempest. That’s how she was able to see through the Sheikh and find a way to counter him so gracefully.
As a magic user, his fiancée has no hope of ever achieving true swordmastery, since no one can wield both aura and mana. But with her wisdom and insight, Rayleigh truly believes that all Asha needs to do is train a little more to make up for lost time, in order to climb the ranks of magic mastery.
Judging by the ambassador’s reply, after he’d glanced at Asha and smiled slightly, Rayleigh gets the feeling the Anouar imperial family will soon be keeping a closer eye on the future Grand Duchess.
Throughout the rest of the meeting, Asha continues to whisper her counsel to Rayleigh as discreetly as possible, and it’s clear by the time they make to leave that the Sheikh is both impressed with her intelligence as well as pleased that the Loredan imperial family is observing Anouar custom within the walls of the embassy.
“Rest assured, your highnesses, that I will communicate all that we have discussed to the Sultan immediately.” The Sheikh bows to them at the doorway. “May you carry the blessings of your gods with you.”
“Thank you, Sheikh Aman.” Though Anouar believes in only a single divine entity - as opposed to Loredan’s and Quan’s polytheist religions - they’ve never had an issue with other faiths, going so far as to adapt their greetings to suit Loredan and Quan recipients out of respect, as per the teachings of their one god. “May the light of Anouar shine eternally.”
Once they’re past the embassy gates, Rayleigh can almost hear Asha counting to ten - like teacher had made her promise - before she yanks the headscarf down and takes out her pipe.
“You were wonderful, little sister.” Griffin, observant as ever, had noticed Asha whispering to Rayleigh from the start. “Today’s victory is all thanks to you.”
She huffs at that, but bows her head in acknowledgement, tips of red ears peeking out from among the locks of unruly hair escaping her simple braid.
Cute.
His cousin seems to agree with the sentiment, if his chuckles are any indication.
When the pleasing scent of citrus fills the air, Griffin smiles. “That reminds me, Ariana was so thrilled to receive the pipe and herbs from you, Asha. She’s been smoking them so much, she’s starting to worry she’ll have to bother you soon.”
Asha blinks, head cocked like that kitten in the garden long ago, before she responds.
“These priceless herbs are good for her highness and the child in her belly, so we’d be happy to mix more for her personal consumption.” Clever girl.
While appearing generous and considerate, Asha is also reminding them that the key ingredient of the mix - the one flower that makes the concoction safe even for pregnant women - is limited in quantity and grows only on the grounds of the Moon Temple in the north.
“Ariana will be happy to hear that, Asha.” Griffin chuckles at the tiny noble sitting casually on her horse - one foot in a stirrup, the other leg folded and propped across the saddle - while openly using a pipe in a country where women are considered vulgar for smoking and for riding like a man.
Always and forever an untameable little thing.
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MOONRISE BY LUNASEA: CHAPTER 17 END