Wicked Steps

Chapter 13

Winter in a frozen terrain often led to isolation and in response, the people of Ortega had long ago come up with the Deep Winter Festival to combat it. The darkest, coldest week of the year was met with a nigh primitive celebration of bonfires, music, competitions, and gift-giving. Mornings were to be spent with families, but by midday, the bonfires would begin. Depending on the weather events were adjusted but never cancelled. Snow sculptures outside meant grand structures that the viewers could walk within, but if required indoors the work would become detailed ice and snow miniatures. Cauldrons of hot cider would brew, and stations were serving hot sandwiches with mugs of spiced mead or goblets of mulled wine. Volunteers were all tasked with constructing the snow Vapours, grotesque creations drawn from stories and superstitions that took all week to construct. And on the final day of the Festival, the children were all dressed and painted to look like the Gods and unleashed on the snow Vapours, allowed to run rampant destruction. There was no set banquet, the schedules were broad and generous excepting the children's vanquishing of the Vapours. That was always done at midday on the final day so that when it inevitably dissolved into a massive snowball fight there was plenty of sunlight left to warm up in.

As there were many people seeking entertainment, many entertainers would travel to visit, enduring the weather for the money to be made off the crowds. Temporary merchant stalls would be erected in a wide laneway leading into towns or cities once the inner Markets filled. After the conscriptions and flu epidemic had necessitated cancelling all festivals, Emberlee had pushed to restart the Winter Festival knowing that it helped more than just her March recover in the few years since.

And according to her new stepfamily, it was quaint and bucolic. They tittered about how adorable Emberlee was in her winter attire, still deliberately wearing the Ortega colours as was still the Xutian fashion. The dots, stripes, and earlier combinations had all shifted after exposure to Stussican fashion, but the Xutian style had only been modified to accommodate, not be consumed. Although the Capital had reportedly been quick to adopt the diaphanous layers demonstrated; the intricate embroidery failed to spread rapidly as it required significant time to accomplish and the further away from the Capital one was residing in brought with it further removal from the Empress' influence on fashion. In Ortega, it hadn't caught on at all in their winter gear, though breezy layers were popular in the hotter seasons. So while Emberlee may appear 'adorable' to her Stussican Steps in her Xutian fur-lined cloak and boots, she also appeared warm. Meanwhile, they all looked like they were wearing every one of those delicate layers in an attempt to fend off the brisk wind of that first Festival day. Emberlee had summoned a tailor to create their absent articles and had offered to provide them with the simple spares available in her Manor, but they had refused. Jimena had pointed out how 'as an adult, she was capable of taking care of her accessories', so Emberlee pragmatically dropped it.

They had only stepped out for a brief excursion, criticizing the peoples, buildings, and resources of Emberlee's March, but only in Stussican. When there were crowds or people to impress they were all careful in their Xutian, never calling Emberlee Marchioness but instead endlessly trying to infantilize her. She was called child, and little sister, and referred to as the youngest in the family at every opportunity. The peoples of the March, however, all remained deferential to Emberlee as their Marchioness.

She'd always had an active hand in overseeing the city around her Manor; she couldn't spend time in every town or city of her March, but she always strove to keep the people's opinion of the Ortega family positive. That meant actively working to ensure their needs were met and her people flourished as much as possible. And given what she'd learned from her Fairy Godmother in regards to using her Blessing, she had an ever-growing urge to expend the March's resources by utilizing those skills. But that would involve experimenting with others as she couldn't go to every farm to charm the crops into being plentiful. The result of all her effort was the love and respect of her people, all of whom bade her good tidings and fortune. They were all but oblivious to the Stussican's attempts, especially after the Steps opted to ignore the Festival after their brief excursion. It was partially understandable, winter was always frigidly uncomfortable for the enjoyment of a Festival and they had never had to endure such weather before. Their attire and pride were both too delicate to withstand the complete otherness being uprooted from their homeland had caused, and Emberlee did want them to acclimatize to more than just the seasonal differences. But as understanding as Emberlee could be, she was also infuriated at the intentional disrespect they were showing in their Stussican complaints.