Wicked Steps

Chapter 12

Emberlee didn't wait for dawn to see how the first full day with her step-family would unravel, she started to lay the foundation of her defence against the political plans behind Jimena's arrogance. She drafted a careful letter of protest for both the Emperor and Empress to receive.

Your Imperial Majesties Andrion and Clara,

Prior to my Father's favourable marriage to Countess Jimena Piiklani, I had been informed of the number of servants my new stepmother would have accompanied her. Unfortunately, information must have been miscommunicated to your Imperial Majesties as seven additional attendants accompanied the Countess on top of the indicated amounts. My apologies for having to adjust my initial welcome in response to this error. I intended to share the winter season with my new step-family until Father's victorious return before gifting the newlyweds the former Mihal Manor as a private home to grow their new family within. The Wing in my Manor prepared for this however may prove to be insufficient for the Countess, as it was originally prepared for the nine new arrivals previously indicated.

Given the support of three servants apiece and their dedicated butter, I wanted to thank Your Imperial Majesties for your generosity in helping Jimena, Deirdre, and Ainsley settle into my Manor as their home until my Father's return. I anticipate the day we can incorporate all our new Stussican brethren into their Xutian Imperial homes.

Gratefully your humble Marchioness,

Emberlee Ortega.

She'd sent the missive well before her new arrivals had even woken to bathe. Better to get her version of events in before Jimena could poison the waters for her. The little demonstration she'd given on arrival forewarned of further issues going forwards. Although Emberlee was a natural-born Xutian and had inherited the Marchioness title legitimately, she was still legally a child and that had a significant weight on public opinion; it put her at a disadvantage if either the Emperor or Empress were socially supporting Jimena's political angling. Most likely it was Empress Clara, as Jimena had previously enlisted her support, but it would be short-sighted to assume the Emperor wasn't also aligned on this. The subtle reminder in the letter about prioritizing Xutian needs over Stussican maneuvering, especially as the Empress was trying to arrange a marriage between her daughter and the Crown Prince.

"Perhaps it is poor timing, but Oberon wishes to meet Cinderella face to face," her reflection announced, no longer bound to nighttime even if the rest of her Fairy magic still fell apart at midnight.

"Correct me if I am wrong, but Oberon is his Name in the way that Cinderella is mine, a title?" she felt dim for only just realizing it.

"Yes," the Fairy confirmed simply.

"How many Oberons are there?" it was strange to get direct answers to her questions but that didn't mean Emberlee was going to stop.

"Oberon is the title given to Méabh's husbands, and currently there are two. Titania as the title for her wife, and there is only one," the explanation left Emberlee silent. She'd been speaking casually with the Empress' consort for the last few months.

"Have I always been conversing with the same Oberon?" Somehow she suspected it was, there had been no change in the intonation of the letters, and there would have been if someone else had been writing as well.

"Yes, the second Oberon. He is aware that you have new guests and will wait to arrange a face-to-face meeting on your land at your convenience," Emberlee tried to pick apart that statement for as much information as possible.

Méabh had given her Cinderella as a title and now her second husband was coming to visit. Oberon had passed himself off as a simple Envoy to Emperor Andrion but was an Empress' consort, and yet he was still waiting on what was convenient for her. That indicated that Méabh was all too interested in Emberlee in specific, and she still wasn't certain why. But this could potentially be to her benefit, as Jimena already had Empress Clara on her side. If Emberlee could remain in Empress Méabh's good favour she might be able to use that status in the future to protect her March and even Xutia from Stussica's growing influence. A part of Emberlee was sad that she had to treat her own Sovereign as untrustworthy in this situation, her Mother had raised has to be Xutia's shield, but how could she protect her homeland from the very man who'd made it an Empire?