RAYLEIGH’S POV
Asha, I don’t know what I did to deserve you - I don’t know what the empire did to deserve you - but thank you for being you.
She’s far more brilliant than he’d thought, and he’d already believed her the most intelligent person he’s ever met.
She’s also extremely entertaining, especially when she’s going after people who annoy her.
I might have hated the way you insulted Medea before - since you kept picking on her status and lack of wealth, things teacher would never do to anyone - but right now the way you’re putting these pissants in their places is hilarious.
Asha continues her direct attacks on Aasi and Canalla - and indirect attacks on Nathaira - while smoking, and Rayleigh grins as he takes a puff of his cigar.
“Surely the esteemed councillors in charge of agriculture and education must have realized all this long ago? According to the minutes of meeting from when Duke Nathaira made the case for you both to be appointed to the council, his grace claimed that the two of you are experienced at managing relevant businesses successfully.” Asha, you’re the best.
“Indeed.” Uncle joins in, gleefully taking the opportunity to put the noble faction in their place. “The agricultural industry is quite sensitive to productivity changes caused by the inability of commoners to work as usual, while our education sector must surely have discovered similar principles before this.”
You’re both done for now, Aasi and Canalla. Not only does uncle never let go of a target once he has it in his sights, teacher would have taught Asha to completely destroy her opponents in fights.
“Your majesty, perhaps the good gentlemen were a little too preoccupied to consider such matters.” Asha widens brilliant blue eyes innocently, and Rayleigh snorts around his cigar.
“Oh? What could possibly have distracted them so, when it’s their duty to care for the portfolios they’ve been granted?” Uncle is a good actor, as all Imperials have to be, and he fakes surprise and curiosity brilliantly.
“I mean...if it’s not because other activities have detracted from their ability to focus on their duty to country,” Asha’s pretense at innocence and deep thought make Rayleigh want to laugh, “then perhaps it’s because they’ve just been too overwhelmed?”
He laughs out loud at that.
Asha, you’re brilliant.
“That’s possible, my dear.” When uncle smiles so brightly at the young noble, Rayleigh grins. “In which case, I must rectify the situation immediately.”
Cue: exit stage right.
“Y...your majesty! That’s...!” Too late, Aasi.
“I hereby declare Marquess Aasi and Count Canalla relieved of their council positions and portfolios.” With that, knights move forward to escort the two protesting men from the room. Despite their pleading eyes aimed at Duke Nathaira, the head of the noble faction can only bow his head and grimly accept the Emperor’s decree, no doubt already plotting a way to bring more members of his party onto the council.
I won’t let you, not when Asha worked so hard to strip you of your party members here.
“Asha.” Her bright blue eyes look surprised when he joins the conversation, and briefly he wonders why she hadn’t thought he’d clue in to her intentions and back her up, before pushing the guilt away in favor of helping her right now. “Would you happen to have any ideas for their replacements?”
He’s starting to love getting those blinks.
“I believe House Ferdinand has pioneered many advancements in agricultural technology thanks to their extensive travels and exposure to other countries’ practices, leading to the rapid scaling up of farming output in the Loredan Empire since they first began sharing them fifteen years ago.” While Rayleigh isn’t surprised she’s finding a way to bring her future mother’s family onto the council, he IS stunned that she’d known about something like this since it hadn’t been in the dossier.
How much have you read about topics most noblewomen, and even some noblemen, shy away from?
“That’s true, my dear.” Uncle looks thrilled to have the soon-to-be in-laws of House Lamberg on board. “Lord Chamberlain, send word to Marquess Ferdinand of his new appointment immediately.”
“As you wish, your majesty.” Two knights are dispatched with haste to House Ferdinand, and then the Emperor is looking at Asha thoughtfully.
“Your majesty?” Why is she so adorable?
“Asha, I don’t believe there’s a single person in the empire who could dispute your intelligence and insight.” Is he... “So how would you like to take up the education portfolio?”
“DID YOU HIT YOUR HEAD?!” Rayleigh laughs at her honest reaction, loving the fact that no matter how hard she tries to control herself, Asha is still Asha.
“Your majesty! She’s a girl!” What keen insight you have, Nathaira. “It’s unheard of for a woman to hold a ministerial position, and let’s not forget that she’s only nineteen!”
“Why can’t Lady Asha hold a permanent position on the council?” While Rayleigh doesn’t like how Hawksworth immediately steps in for the future Grand Duchess, he can’t deny that every voice in favor helps.
“As His Majesty said: there isn’t a single person in the empire who can dispute her intelligence and insight. Lady Asha not only discovered entirely new principles of alchemy, but she’s just demonstrated a new branch of economics that no one in the empire’s history has ever thought of.” It’s on-brand for the Viscount to premise his defense on meritocracy, since he’s often argued the same way on behalf of commoners.
“I realize you’re grateful to the young lady for being so kind to you, Viscount.” Rayleigh really wants to throw his glove at Nathaira’s face. From the looks of it, Hawksworth is thinking of doing the same. “But it would be extremely improper for a young woman to...”
“Improper by what measure, your grace?” Fenceton? “As far as I know, there is no law prohibiting a person from being appointed to the privy council on account of age or gender if their bloodline and abilities are deemed suitable.” The head of the neutral faction would know best, since he holds the judicial portfolio.
“Marquess Fenceton.” It’s incredibly satisfying to see Nathaira gritting his teeth, since the cunning noble’s smiling mask rarely falters. “Regardless of laws, it would be a breach of norms to allow a woman to become a council member.”
“Norms?” Viscount Fleming, head of research and development for the empire, chimes in at that. “No new discoveries were ever made by doing what’s always been done.”
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Of course he would say that. Rayleigh smiles. His House has produced the greatest alchemists in the country since before they were ennobled.
The Viscount, a talented alchemist himself, is also the person who’d most strongly encouraged Asha to join the innovation contest.
“Does anyone other than Duke Nathaira object?” Uncle looks around the room, and smiles when he sees other councillors shake their heads. “Then, I hereby declare Asha Lamberg the Minister of Education and a permanent member of the privy council. May she empower our citizens with the knowledge and resources they need, and guide them on their paths to greatness, that they lead our empire to heights unimagined.”
The applause and congratulations leave his usually outspoken fiancée speechless, though Rayleigh understands why.
She’s just shattered a glass ceiling that has existed since the beginning of the Loredan empire, after all.
Well done, Asha.
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ASHA’S POV
The news of her appointment to the council as Minister of Education causes an uproar in the empire, alongside the news that she’d developed new economic principles that are the first of their kind in the world.
I think we need to give everyone a raise.
Ever since the announcement in the papers, the Lamberg manor has been flooded with letters and gifts, causing the Snowfalls and Winterblades to have to work tirelessly to sort and inspect the nonstop deliveries.
Monique brings her a selection of letters now and then, and reading them makes Asha tear up because so many women in the empire have written to thank her for making history and giving them hope for themselves and their loved ones.
Not only that, but commoners have heard that she’d been instrumental in getting Viscount Hawksworth’s modified proposal approved, so they send many letters of gratitude. The knowledge that many of them had pooled their meager funds to pay scribes to write on their behalf makes Asha dab her eyes now and then.
I didn’t do it purely for any of you. Even if I’m a Lamberg, and I honestly thought the Viscount’s proposal had good intentions, I mostly wanted to mess with Nathaira, Aasi, and Canalla. I’m not the good person all of you think I am.
When she tells her father that, he immediately picks her up in a bone crushing hug and showers her with kisses, all the while telling her that it doesn’t matter what her intentions had been - at the end of the day, she’d made the world a better place for millions of people, and that’s what counts.
Of course, Asha hears that there have been many letters of protest from conservative nobles and commoners, calling on the Emperor to reconsider since they deem appointing a woman to the council a sacrilege at best, and a direct assault on the rights of men at worst.
Go breathe underwater.
When Valora intercepts yet another well-disguised poisoned letter - this time suffering severe burns on her hands that require multiple healing spells and expensive potions - Asha has had enough. Grabbing a fresh sheet of paper, she dips her quill into ink and begins to write a letter to the editor of the empire’s most circulated newspaper.
It’s published the very next day, and then the Lamberg manor is inundated with even more deliveries, and the Winter Count declares a doubling of Snowfall and Winterblade salaries.
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ASHA’S LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear sir,
It has come to my attention that my appointment as Minister of Education has caused certain quarters to believe that the rights of men in our great empire are under threat by women who ‘do not know their place’, as well as by the men who enable such behavior.
To these individuals, I humbly seek the opportunity to categorically refute their claims.
First and foremost, in no way is the appointment of a woman to the privy council an attempt to lessen or eradicate the rights of any citizen in the empire - rights which are guaranteed by rule of law. The Commandments laid down by our Founding Emperor remain unbroken in the face of my promotion, and one need only read them again to verify my statement.
Secondly, to claim an assault on rights by my appointment is to accuse The Sun of The Empire, His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Aaron Loredan, of leading an attack against his beloved citizens - a charge most heinous and treasonous in nature.
Thirdly, and perhaps most worryingly, to view the recognition of a woman’s abilities as a threat is to declare that men can only succeed when trampling upon womenfolk. I despair for the future of our glorious empire if half our population require such measures against the other half in order to succeed, as I have always believed that we are all - each and every one of us - working for the betterment of our beloved country.
It is with great distress that I write this, especially after numerous members of my household have nearly died protecting me from multiple attempts on my life due to my appointment to the council. I trust the esteemed editorial team of The Times will publish this letter in full, with complete adherence to the principle of transparency that motivates so respected an institution.
If I may share one final opinion as the child of the Hero of the Empire, then it is simply this: privilege is seeing equality as oppression, and oppression as equality.
Eternally devoted to upholding the principles that guide our great nation,
Asha Lamberg
Minister of Education
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RAYLEIGH’S POV
He’d had Asha’s letter to the editor framed in his study, and has more copies stored in the library and his bedside table.
> “Privilege is seeing equality as oppression, and oppression as equality.”
It’s an excellent reminder to the imperial family and all the nobles of the empire. While there’s much that can be said about the ability of commoners to govern themselves without the guidance and protection of the higher classes, Rayleigh has been influenced by teacher to not believe he - or anyone in power - has a right to stomp all over the happiness and wellbeing of others for no reason.
There’s no harm in treating the people well enough that they hold no resentment for us. Moderation is key - by Imperials, nobles, and the commoners. As long as one party does not move too much to the extreme and upset the equilibrium, all will be well.
It’s something he’s been taught since as far back as he can remember, and also part of the reason why he’d been unhappy with Asha’s extravagance before.
Asha was right - I should have spoken to her about her behavior instead of resenting her in private. All I can do now is not make the same mistake again. But the problem is that those words are a dangerous declaration from Asha, and puts her firmly at odds with many powerful nobles. While I’d expect nothing less of teacher’s daughter since no Lamberg worth their salt would ever shy away from a fight - especially if it’s a battle over something they believe in - I’ll have to find a way to keep her safe from the backlash without giving her any cause for concern. I know if I mention any of this to Asha she’ll think I’m against her or trying to undermine her, since she still doesn’t trust me. It’d be best to handle matters quietly for her sake, and find a way to distract everyone from the matter.
That’s easier said than done when Frankland has sent an overwhelming amount of gifts to Asha, as those free citizens celebrated her making history and calling out the very privileges the Franklanders had fought against. It’s both reassuring that Asha continues the Lamberg tradition of staying on good terms with the free nation, and worrying because this will serve to further agitate Vautour.
I hope the Ferdinands hear more from their contacts soon. Speaking of…
Lady Willow had wanted to hold a procession in honor of Asha’s promotion to the council, and it had taken all of Asha’s powers of persuasion to talk her future mother out of it, especially when teacher had been inclined to the idea.
As much as I want to turn attention away for your safety, I don’t know why you’re downplaying your success as though you’re undeserving, Asha. This is a monumental achievement that should rightfully be celebrated accordingly, and it’s my fault the situation is such that you can’t.
Viscount Hawksworth had taken out full page ads in all the papers, with that very quote under a beautiful sketch of Asha. Despite his irritation with the flirtatious noble’s actions, Rayleigh had had ads framed in his study and bedroom.
His people tell him that many commoners have taken to calling his fiancée ‘Saint Asha’ and carrying around portraits of her, which makes Rayleigh beam with pride even as he worries even more about the backlash from conservatives. The little article on page 10 of the Times yesterday had been concerning but expected, so he’d paid it no mind and focused instead on choosing gifts for Asha.
It’s normal for landslides to happen this time of year.
“You’re ready, your highness.”
Nodding at Conroy, Rayleigh spares himself a glance in the mirror, pleased with what he sees.
Today is teacher’s engagement ceremony, so he’d taken extra care with his appearance, since Rayleigh and Griffin will be accompanying their teacher as the Count enters the hall.
He’d heard some talk that Asha would be doing something special to commemorate her father’s tying of strings with Lady Willow, and he’s looking forward to what his fiancée has in store.
Knowing Asha, it’d be absolutely unforgettable.
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??? POV
The pieces are in place, at least the ones necessary for this part of the plan.
House Lamberg must be first to fall. Without them, the world will burn.
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MOONRISE BY LUNASEA: CHAPTER 23 END