I get the best story ideas when I have to solve a problem. In this case, the problem was: I need the motto of the House of Autransi, and right away. And that suggested a story. Because when does a royal house come up with its motto? Well:

When her mother and her uncle had decided to take over the world, they’d changed their family name to Autransi. Her mother, Veddha, said a god had given the name to her in a dream, but Astin thought that was the kind of thing people had to say when they took over the world. This was similar to the way that her mother said the gods had given her a commission to see that all the people were united and organized in a pleasing manner that for some reason exactly aligned with Veddha’s inclinations.

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