Chapter 38: The Popes Letter
Rafael held the letter from Rome, propping his head up with one hand as he drowsily stared at the parchment. The parchment had a classic yellowish hue, and the handwriting was bold and decisive, a stark contrast to the rounded, flowery script typically favored by noblewomen. Sancha’s handwriting had a strong masculine quality, blurring all traces of gender. It would be impossible to determine the author’s gender based on the script alone.
In an era where the handwriting of royal members was carefully designed and trained, such a significant ‘error’ could not have been unintentional. Rafael was certain that Sancha had cultivated this distinctive style for a specific reason. Perhaps, from a very young age, Queen Amandra had already decided to place her on the throne.
A monarch could be a woman, but in an era that always prioritized men, even a queen had to make certain compromises. Even if this compromise was merely a seemingly insignificant detail like handwriting, it would help to dilute her feminine qualities. At least, during correspondence, it would prevent people from being constantly reminded that she was a woman, thus avoiding unnecessary condescension.
Rafael stared at the beautiful calligraphy, unsure of what he was feeling.
Sancha’s letters were always concise and informative, but the language was pure, the kind that Rafael preferred most. In this letter, Sancha informed him of a piece of news:
—Three months ago, civil unrest broke out in Assyria.
This vast and fertile land was dominated by plains, with continuous mountain ranges providing ample rainfall and a temperate climate. At the end lay vast frozen swamps, and the diverse climate resulted in an incredibly rich variety of species. The people living in this land followed the guidance of nature, which had bestowed everything upon them, and worshipped the gods of nature. They revered the wolf, feared brave tigers and leopards, and kept the bones of fierce beasts as symbols of courage. They cherished a fearless spirit and an appreciation for the grandeur of the primal wilderness.
They were heretics in the eyes of the Church, but their gods had granted them unparalleled bravery. The Assyrian infantry was renowned throughout the continent. Every adult man in the tribe possessed the agility of a monkey, the endurance of a wolf, and the courage of a tiger. United under the leadership and guidance of their tribal priests, they pledged their loyalty to the Assyrian monarch.
Unlike the monarchies of Rome and Calais, Assyria’s unique belief system made their political system more primitive. They did have hereditary monarchs, but beside the monarch were high priests and priests, religious figures who had equal prestige. This religious faction who listened to the voice of gods controlled all aspects of the lives of the Assyrian people, and sometimes even the monarch had to yield to them.