Cannon Fodder to Villainess 2

🏮2. Watched?

Amber watched as Regina stood up and her feet loudly thumped across the ash wooden floors. It was as if her large feet managed to find every crack and creak that existed in the floor that had at one time been pristine. The many years of neglect and poverty that the Baron's household had faced had made a once lovely manor fall to neglect and ruin. It was a wonder that the walls stayed where they should and the roof remained above their heads, save for the minor bits that leaked whenever there was a particularly strong rain.

Strangely enough, the most structurally sound abode in the manor was the old maid's building where Amber currently lived. The new homes for Regina and her children weren't quite built yet and they were currently living with Ethan. Celine had been booted from her own home and it had been taken over by Regina and her three children temporarily until their new dwellings could by built. Regina could have easily waited to move in until after their dwelling had been built or she could have moved into Ethan's old home temporarily, but she told Baron Frost that Ethan's home wasn't up to her standards and that she would take over the abode of the lady of the house. Celine didn't enter Regina's eyes, she had zero respect or consideration for her.

Amber studied Regina's manner, her odd lumbering way of walking, and the way she favored her left leg ever so slightly when she walked. It was obvious that she had injured herself at one point or another. It was also obvious that she hadn't been raised with the best education. Amber would have been inclined to feel sorry for her plight and feel somewhat of a connection between the two of them, given that Amber clearly remembered her life as a modern woman. However, there was a perpetual haughty and proud look on this flashy woman's face. One that clearly said that she thought she was better than everyone else around her, even though all of her gestures screamed ill mannered commoner who thought too highly of herself. There was no desire to improve, just an ill founded overconfidence. She was a cheap and overly flashy woman who'd shoved her way in here and Amber wanted nothing more than to wipe that proud smirk off her face.

With every loud creaking step, Regina glittered in the dim light of the lamps in the study. Although it was not quite noon and they hadn't anywhere to go, Regina was currently wearing a low cut sage green dress that barely covered her nipples and was weighed down by large emerald jewelry from her neck, ears, and arms. Resting on her head, was a matching tiara on her long flaming red hair, set in the intricate up-do style of the proper wife in a noble household.

Amber continued to sit as Regina approached her seat. Her sage eyes met Amber's eyes. As their eyes locked onto each others, Amber allowed slightly more of her aura to leak free, causing goosebumps to appear on her skin and Regina to feel a slight sensation of panic and anxiety to spike within her. The confident smirk plastered on her lips slipped ever so slightly while she took in a startled breath and then clenched her jaw in determination.

"I understand that it can be hard for children to accept changes in their life, but you'll get used to me being the lady of this household shortly. Your dad has already promised me that he will make me his proper legal wife and make your mom his concubine. You are just the child of a woman who had lost the backing of her family. My family can actually help the Baron. Although you're just a child, it's a crime to fake letters from the royal family. Everyone knows that you and the First Prince have a horrible relationship. Don't even think to try and fool us and don't think that you're some kind of royalty. If anyone in this household is going to marry the First Prince, it's going to be my daughter, Ruby. She was meant to be royalty," said Regina.

Celine Frost's face became frighteningly white upon hearing these words and she swayed as she abruptly stood up and hurried out of the room. In the distance Amber could just make out the faint sound of muffled crying that was quickly becoming further away. Part of her felt an odd urge to chase after her mother, but she resisted that urge. She sat in her chair with a bored look remaining on her face, as if she weren't perturbed in the least.