Certain benefits and drawbacks of Emberlee's situation became readily apparent in the days that followed waking in the Imperial castle. Emberlee was in the beating heart of the Courtly Game, able to set the trends instead of reacting to them. However, she was doing so while forced to borrow Princess Vivian's Stussican-inspired wardrobe. She could plot and plan with either Oberon or Prince Damien after a mere request to meet, but all information trickled its way to her. She could speak to her Uncle via the Mirrors, but not step through. And she was guarded against the Empress' attacks but couldn't escape the prying eyes of all those watching to gather her equilibrium.
Jimena had birthed a son, so blonde his hair was white and as healthy as could be desired. Due to her injuries and the state of the investigation, the babe was taken from her to be placed in the care of the Physician Emberlee had claimed. And then Emberlee was given the option to name him, as Count Piiklani had yet to send word. As she'd learned, Names have power, so she chose carefully for the innocent little one.
"Josson Piiklani," in Stussican culture she'd learned that an illegitimate child was given the Paz designation as part of their last name.
She'd spared him that by registering him Xutia's records without it; meaning they acknowledged the child's legitimacy. The Count could contest it but then he'd be bastardizing his child, and she knew he wouldn't do that for the same reason he hadn't sent word to claim Josson yet; he was waiting for Jimena's trial. Once she was found guilty and given her punishment, she'd automatically lose all maternal rights to the babe, allowing his wife to legally adopt him. Emberlee could only imagine how that woman felt throughout all of this, repeatedly betrayed and now expected to act like all was well no matter what.
Emberlee absently sympathized as she regarded her attire; today was Jimena's interview and they were preparing to depart to the Ivory Tower. Jimena had only been incarcerated this morning due to the Physician's college choosing to release her a week after Josson's birth, so Emberlee had very few suitable outfits for such a venture. Princess Vivian was a bright tulip, suiting all the wildflower colours her closet embodied, but Emberlee had become accustomed to less vivacious tones. And not many items would fit her well without alteration, adding another complication. Given the serious nature of the visit, and the technical state of mourning she'd be expected to acknowledge, she wanted to opt for a darker-toned outfit. With the parameters required and restrictions that had to be adhered to, Emberlee found herself in a Stussican-styled gauze-silk gown that had black and red roses hand painted on the skirt. It would do once she added a black belt and gloves to try and tore down the dress, but at least it worked with the red earring Prince Damien had gifted her.
The man himself knocked at her door and entered without waiting; even though she'd been moved to a more permanent and secure room. By now it didn't bother her but what did bother Emberlee was just how much the Crown Prince's attire looked like a matched set to her dress. Black trousers and a jacket in the same grey colour, heavily embroidered with back and red roses identical to the ones on her dress. All that talk about being patient had been an exaggeration. "Are you about ready to go Marchioness?" He didn't seem bothered by her judgemental regard as he offered her a gentlemanly escort.
"I've been ready to go since I came to the Capital Prince Damien," she wasn't lying and graciously took his arm.
Emberlee's stay at the Imperial Castle had been met with some jealousy, but a lot of social sympathy. She'd gone from the disobedient child pretending to be a Marchioness in their eyes to the enduring survivor of untold abuses; because if Jimena were willing to kill her own flesh and blood daughter, a stepchild must have barely survived. It wasn't exactly the narrative that had happened, but it wasn't a bad view to allow them to have. Especially as she'd asked to be a part of Jimena's interview.
The Imperial Investigator looked like a kindly grandfather, with deep-set wrinkles and a jolly smile. But as Emberlee sat in the carriage with him and the Imperial Prince, his keen eyes missed nothing. Their matched outfits, the Prince escorting her around; it wasn't a subtle show of building a relationship, but it was necessary. They now had to work against the previous rumours calling Oberon her paramour, but she'd been expecting that to wait until after the Investigation concluded. Not wanting the Inspector to pick up on the deliberate nature of their manipulations, Emberlee tried to act like it was natural for her hand to seek the Imperial Prince's out as the carriage jostled them along the route to the Ivory Tower.
Either picking up on her subterfuge, or enjoying playing the role, Prince Damien intertwined his fingers with hers and spoke as if bolstering her nerves, "By now she would have no doubt heard about the circumstances of her incarceration; you will not have to answer any of her questions, but when the Investigator is done you'll hopefully have all the answers you needed."
"Actually," the Investigator jumped at the chance to pry, "I was wondering if you might provide some context for Jimena's frame of mind leading up to the night of the incident."
Emberlee knew this would all go on the Official record, a part of the investigation available to any seeking it from the archives. "It's no secret that Jimena was trying to establish herself as the Lady of the House," it was smart to assure the Investigator would be politically aware even if not savvy. He'd know the social complexly of a foreign second wife in a Household where the Heir had taken the title; Jimena was overreaching from the start. "I'd sent her and her daughters here early, knowing it'd be safest for the babe she was trying to pass off as my Father's," he'd already know of Grandfather's investigation into Josson's paternity, "and to get some peace at home." Everything she said would be checked into and he could verify all of it from witnesses and records. "When I arrived in the Capital it was to find she'd replaced the staff, claimed the title of Marchioness, removed all trace of myself, my Mother, and my brother Aubin," Oberon could attest to all of this, as could the Guards and the Stussican butler. Of course, Oberon would also gladly confirm that she could fly, just for the amusement of watching them try to prove him wrong. "I also discovered that Jimena had told the entire Court that I was an incapable Marchioness, and needed her moral guidance, as she implied I had a sexual relationship with the Envoy from Adaba." Here is where she started to include things that'd be harder to verify as all the witnesses were dead or culpable. "As I attempted to rectify the wrongs done against me, Jimena turned my dead brother's nursery into a place for her child, stole my gown for the debut to have her daughters present it to the Imperial Princess as their gift to Princess Vivian." Emberlee had to fight actual emotions for the next part to come out clearly, "I had brought my Mother's wedding dress to the Capital and returned the day before the debut to find it befouled!" She couldn't tell what expression her face had, just feeling grateful for the almost painful pressure of Prince Damien's fingers against hers, "and when I confronted them on it I was physically restrained by the Knight Sir Ludwig and beaten bloody."
She couldn't mention that they had locked her in her room deliberately so she couldn't attend the debut. Regardless, she felt the Investigator searching her for tells and reactions that even they couldn't fake. "And yet you attended the debut as the Envoy's partner, and danced with his Imperial Highness." It
wasn't quite a question but she knew a prompt to fill in the blanks.
"Perseverance," that was the undiluted truth, "I was fortunate that the night of the debut Princess Vivian's Physician tended to me after I fainted. But I had been appointed the Ambassador with Adaba by the Emperor and I didn't want to fail my duties." It was a gamble to name Sir Ludwig, he could deny it had happened, but the damage to her back was still visible; at best he could deny not participating and then any Jimena's confirmation could doom him. But she wasn't trying to use this investigation as her way of gaining retribution on the Knight.
But of course, an Imperial Investigator would be suspicious by nature, "and that very night a different series of tragedies occurred."
"Can you imagine how I felt learning of it all the next morning?" she leaned into Prince Damien's body a little as if seeking comfort. "I woke to be informed that my stepsisters were dead and my stepmother had burned my House down. It was like this terrible mix of surprise, horror, and relief all at once." Now she dared make eye contact with the Investigator as if seeking understanding. "It was finally over; I could finally breathe again."
And like a true professional, the Investigator wasn't easily swayed by sentiment, "Who informed you of the events that had transpired?"
"I did," the Imperial Prince easily admitted "The night of the debut we had learned of Ainsley's bee attack and Marchioness Ortega fainted at the news, and likely from the ordeal she'd endured," he hadn't let her retreat from the closer embrace she'd initiated to help manipulate the Investigator. "That's how the Imperial Princess' Physician was called in, I had asked her to please treat the Marchioness. And the next day I checked on her too and found her awake, so I broke the news to her about the House fire, Deirdre's death and Jimena's impending investigation."
"I'd experienced Jimena's violence first hand," it wasn't pleading, or in Emberlee's nature to cower, so she didn't feign to now, instead she turned demanding," but how was I to know that she'd burn the House down with Deirdre still inside it?" Another gamble, the oil-accelerated fire would have destroyed most of the evidence but there may shall be signs that Deirdre had been stabbed before the flames. Emberlee wondered if the chemical burns on the corpse would be misconstrued as being caused by the fire. She couldn't rely on that but there was still nothing tying that damage to Emberlee as the cause.
"Would you mind terribly if I spoke to the Physician in question to verify all this?" He asked the Imperial Prince and Emberlee tried not to deflate in relief.
"If you believe it pertains to the investigation, do as you must," Prince Damien acquiesced.
There was no time for more informal interrogations as the carriage pulled unto to receiving bay of the Ivory Tower. As expected of its name, it was a literal Tower made of white stone; maybe not marble, but the Limestone Tower didn't hold the same panache. The higher the floor, the more serious the crimes, so treason was a top-floor offence. After entry they were led up to Jimena's cells; nowhere near the top as she was still all but a foreigner accused of killing a foreigner, but doing so in a manner that led to gross destruction of Xutian property. No doubt some clerk knew the exact page and paragraph of the Xutian law book that referenced Jimena's placement in the Tower.
Jimena looked terrible, healthy but bedraggled and unkempt. Her normally carefully coiled hair was oily and roughly tied back, no makeup hid the exhaustion etched into her face, and the simple penitent's gown in unbleached wool made her complexion sallow. She'd given birth a week ago and didn't look ready to spring to her feet, but her eyes still flashed hatred when she spotted Emberlee.
But before a confrontation could occur the Investigator took the lead, "Jimena Piiklani, I am the Imperial Investigator appointed by his Imperial Majesty, Emperor Andrion. I will get to the answers to what caused the fire at House Ortega on the night of the debut, how Deirdre Piiklani died, and what role you played in both." He presented a letter of identification from Emperor Andrion, "Before we continue I need to inform you that both his Imperial Majesty of Xutia and the Emperor of Stussica have agreed to annul the marriage between yourself and General Matthias Mihal so you will be treated as a Stussican citizen in the proceedings."
Even for someone as analytical as Emberlee the delivery of information was so dryly factual as to almost be ridiculous. It was as if this all meant absolutely nothing to the Investigator as all he cared about were the facts. "So I am now husbandless, as well as childless," her dispirited voice was a shock to Emberlee, even if it made visceral sense. Jimena had been defeated, she knew it and had no fight left in her. Her hatred for Emberlee would be eternal, but the woman had no more tricks to pull.
"Josson awaits retrieval by his Father," the words focused Jimena entirely onto Emberlee.
"Josson Pazpiiklani, you must be so proud of yourself for naming him," Jimena's acidic hatred felt so pitiful now that Emberlee wasn't outnumbered and unarmed.
"Josson Piiklani," Emberlee corrected easily, "unlike you, I don't hold the innocent accountable for the failures of others." But she also couldn't help but be a little petty, "and thank you for confirming the current Count Piiklani is Josson's Father." Now Jimena looked more like her old self; ready to reach through the bars to try and scratch Emberlee's eyes out.
"My only failure was not burning you along with my precious Deirdre so that the goddess' cleansing fire could save you both from the demons in you." Emberlee's eyes were locked on Jimena's, feeling the deliberate pulse of Cinderella's honesty compels them both as Fairy Magic demanded.
But it was a two-way compulsion. "I wasn't going to harm you, but you were never worthy of trying to be my Mother." Prince Damien carefully touched her shoulder to draw her away as the blood sword he'd gifted to her started to respond to her emotions.
"Excuse us, Investigator, please continue your duty," he pulled her away, the heavy stone swallowing all sound. "It is a bad idea to murder someone in front of an Imperial Investigator before you're officially an Imperial family member," at some point, he grabbed her hand and she hadn't noticed until now.
And despite her calm until now, a strange combination of anger and determination pushed her, "So hurry up and marry me then Damien, because she feels no guilt for anything she's done so if the gods must convince her I'll gladly send her to them!" the blood sword once again responded to her Killing Intent, all but coalescing until Prince Damien surprised her by again kissing the back of her hand.
"My murderous Fairy, don't forget that life can be a far harsher punishment than the release of death." She didn't disagree with that but felt unsettled nonetheless.
"At best, she is exiled, at worst hanged; either I can live with. But as far as pet names go that one was a little indiscreet; if you did not know, Name's have power."
He still had her hand in his, seeming closer without obviously having moved, "is that why you called me by my Name, Emberlee?"
And it felt weirdly intimate for a conversation in jail, so Emberlee retreated to safer dilemmas, "We should see if the Inspector is finished, I don't think there's more to say here."
"As you wish," he sounded far too smug, leading her back to Jimena's cell.
In their absence the Inspector had Jimena write her confession down and sign it, an entire summary of events as she recalled them. Emberlee had wanted to ensure that Jimena couldn't escape the consequences for her actions but it felt almost unfair to simply step back and allow the justice system to do it for her. This was ridiculous considering that Jimena had shamelessly tried to use High Society to do the same to Emberlee.
"With your investigation concluded, could I have a moment alone with Jimena before we depart?" she aimed the question at the Investigator but looked towards the Imperial Prince as if to reinforce that she wanted to be alone with Jimena. He gave her an almost sarcastic bow before walking with the Inspector to discuss Jimena's official confession, he'd come along to make it all efficiently official.
Jimena stared at her through the bars, not even radiating hatred anymore but instead some kind of resentful scorn. As if making her statement had taken the energy out of her, or the Investigator had broken her in a few minutes. Even last week Emberlee would have been kind and simply left Jimena defeated, but now she was someone harder than the girl she'd been then. "Now that this has concluded, your daughters will have their funeral, your son will be taken to the Piiklani Count, and I will forget that you even exist," she smiled because now the sense of relief was starting to spread in her, "If you're not hanged for being a murderer, I want you to live a long life so you can appreciate just how truly insignificant you are. And that if you had just been a little decent I would have given you more than you could have needed. You are the cause of all your woes Jimena, may that thought keep you company."
And she finally left, ignoring the noises Jimena made as she walked out toward the waiting Imperial Prince. She wouldn't let that woman have any more of her time or thoughts, Emberlee had already lost enough to her. "Thank you both for your patience, I'm ready to go now."
Prince Damien scanned her as if looking for traces of Jimena's blood on her, even as he once again offered an arm to escort her properly. Maybe she had no interest or intention in pursuing the Imperial Crown Prince initially but Emberlee could at least acknowledge that their partnership seemed to have the respect she'd required for a marriage.
In the carriage, the Investigator cleared his throat to draw her attention, "Marchioness Ortega, it is my firm belief that your former stepmother would have burned you alive had you been home that night." Her surprise showed, but only because she hadn't expected him to come out and say it directly, not because she hadn't known. "Jimena confessed to believing that Deirdre had been possessed by a demon you set on her and that she saved her daughter's soul by burning the body as she had. But there were still signs on Deirdre's body of stab wounds, so I believe that something happened the day of the fire that pushed her past reason and into insanity."
Even knowing nothing about what being Cinderella truly meant, Jimena had still correctly deduced that Emberlee was behind Deirdre's fate; through a demon instead of the alchemical mix. But with Jimena's limited knowledge and Stussican superstitions, it wasn't an insane conclusion to draw, but it did suit Emberlee's needs.
"So she is guilty of murder, but her arson was merely a religious reaction?" Prince Damien seemed to scoff at the idea, using the pretext of the conversation to offer Emberlee a comforting arm around her shoulders. She let him hold her, contemplating the Investigator's words. Originally Emberlee had thought the fire was to hide evidence that had been too logical. And there was no need to explain that if Emberlee had remained locked in her room, even under guard, she could still escape via Mirror. The fire would never have reached her unless she'd been as dead as Deirdre.
Returning to the Imperial castle after concluding the investigation against Jimena didn't result in any leisure time for Emberlee; there was an increase in demands on her time as her debut approached.
Sir Ludwig had been approved to return to duty but as she wasn't yet the Imperial Crown Prince's fiancée he wasn't assigned as her Knight, so instead she only endured his presence in the few moments they encountered each other. They were never alone together, so if the Knight wanted to apologize for his part in her tragedy he was denied the opportunity. Uncle Albert was shamelessly using her current residency as an excuse to visit the Imperial Castle frequently for all manner of business, both honest and clandestine. The Emperor was using Emberlee's debut as a multipurpose maneuver against the Empress by having the Imperial Princess assist him in planning it; as a way to allow Princess Vivian her first duty as an adult so there were continuous meetings regarding that. But the greatest thieves of her time were Prince Damien and Oberon.
The Imperial Prince may have agreed to be her future husband, but that didn't mean he didn't still want to replace her as Envoy to Adaba when the time came. "Your Imperial Highness," Oberon looked rather fetching in pine green, the tones pushing more blue to show in his hair and eyes, "why did you task her the role if you were going to rescind it now? Méabh has accepted her as Cinderella, you would be undoing all of her great efforts on behalf of Xutia's interests."
On his couch, Prince Damien didn't look any less resplendent in the crisp white and gold he wore. She didn't have to argue, and instead simply enjoyed the entertainment of watching two appealing men bicker because they didn't want to admit to friendship or jealousy. "If I cannot replace Marchioness Ortega," Prince Damien emphasized her title and name," then perhaps I could convince both our sovereigns to allow me to accompany her." And for some unfathomable reason, Emberlee couldn't help but picture what Prince Damien would look like in an Adaban-style suit like Oberon's corseted vests. It was an international gesture of peace to gift your culture's clothes to the visitor, and Oberon had already been gifted several Xutian-style uniforms. But the saturated tones used in Ababa would suit Prince Damien's rich brown and hazel colouration, and the structured vests or cut-out styles would demonstrate his physique.
"Are you well, you're suddenly flushed," Oberon asked of Emberlee, as if aware of her inner musings.
No need to admit to thinking about the Imperial Prince's build, Emberlee instead answered a different question, "Do you truly think that the Emperor will send you as well after going through so much effort to ensure that I was involved?" she couldn't meet Prince Damien's eyes just yet.
"Although it would make more sense to entrust the task solely to you," Prince Damien's sly smile was all the warning she got that he was about to pull the rug out from under her, "especially as you're the impending Imperial Crown Princess. But I am loathe to be parted from you for so long so soon after our official engagement."
Oberon's grin was gleeful, his eyes shining like a true pest as he turned to Emberlee, "So you'll take him then," he teased and even if she'd expected it Emberlee still couldn't help but laugh at his egregious nature.
"Are you that jealous Oberon? You wanted to take him yourself, but you're a married man remember," she'd learned that the only way through Oberon's humour was to bear it.
Oberon gave Prince Damien a look, some unspoken communication passing between them because Oberon laughed before sighing wistfully," Yes, we'll claim that's how it is. Still, this really calls for a toast," he presented a wine glass where his teacup had been.
As they were in his guest rooms, she should have expected these little Fairy Magics, but they still surprised her. All their glasses held rich, oaky white wine, and she couldn't tell if it were an illusion or some other Fairy trick, and it didn't matter. "Méabh will be heartbroken that you won't be her second Titania," she had no idea if he was joking or not, "I'm devastated that I won't get to keep you," the look on Prince Damien's face wared that Oberon had better be joking, "but it is a happy day to see my two dear friends claim each other as beloved." Oberon cheered them.
She had gotten used to Oberon's nature, it amused her instead of exasperated. "Your words are strange and uncomfortable, but thank you anyways." She clinked her glass to his.
"We're never going to be able to get rid of him, are we? He's like some strange pet you've brought home and insisted on keeping," Prince Damien tapped his glass to hers.
"I make a very good pet; ask Méabh," Oberon objected and drank while the Prince ignored him.
"Your Imperial Highness," Emberlee tried to get them onto a more serious setting but Oberon interrupted.
"Full title, she's big mad," he warned Prince Damien.
"It's better than her calling me a manipulative lizard," Prince Damien shrugged.
"You called me a murderous Fairy!" for some reason that was the objection she made.
"Originally I called you a malevolent Fairy, but if Oberon is going to call you Cinderella l almost feel like I need to find something special for just between us," It was not what she'd been expecting to hear, so lacking anything intelligent to say Emberlee simply drank her wine.
"If Names have power, I will call you Damien as I please," she felt bold but persisted, "and if I don't please, I'll call you however I want." Prince Damien had a naturally darker complexion than she did, but it was still evident to Emberlee that his ears flushed red.
Oberon drew both their attention by clapping, "As I said, Méabh will be heartbroken that she can't have you." If this was the game Oberon wanted to play, Emberlee would gladly oblige; a part of her enjoyed seeing the Prince's reactions to the overt teasing.
She drank the wine Oberon had magic into being and realized that for all the political Games, these men were her friends. "Do I strike you as a girl who can tolerate sharing someone who is mine?" She leaned forward, as if sharing a secret "Or do you think I'm the type to demand all of them?"
Oberon's grin at Prince Damien was worrisome," Oh I expect you talk every last-"
"Oberon," Prince Damien interrupted with a hard tone.
"..aspect," Oberon cleanly changed his word choice. "But you must recall Cinderella, in Adaba you're already an adult."
"My birthday is less than three weeks away, I have been a Marchioness since I am far younger, and every adult who would lay claim to my guardianship is either dead or absent," she presented her glass to him for it to be filled, "Whether you all see me as a child or an adult is irrelevant to me; what I am is a force to be reckoned with." Her glass fled and her point made, Emberlee set back on her chair as if it were a throne.
"Were you planning this from the start?" Oberon asked the Prince, filling his glass too.
The Prince drank without answering right away, his silence deliberate and pensive. The answer was going to surprise her then, "Before my Mother died, she'd discussed a list of candidates with my Father. Emberlee was on the list, but not the only name." It felt strange to hear just her name from his lips still; he called her Marchioness and he was the Prince, this was weirdly intimate. "After Clara married my Father, it became clear that most of the candidates on my Mother's list were too... passive to survive." He saluted her with glass as if to acknowledge that she was the only one ruthless enough to endure an Empress' displeasure.
It was the antithesis of every romance novel Emberlee had heard of; their relationship not true love destined that overcome all, but a political necessity to overthrow an obstacle. She cheered her future husband back," You weren't even on my list."
That earned a cackle of glee from Oberon, "It's our fate to be tolerated by those we've sincerely chosen," he commiserated to Prince Damien.
"Given that Empress Clara will not appreciate this development," Now Prince Damien went serious, "your departure towards Adaba may likely face... difficulty."
Oberon looked at Emberlee as if to say 'You haven't told him?' She smiled mildly, as if oblivious to his pointed look, and waited him out without confessing a thing. "Prince Damien, there may be a way that I can help bypass some of that risk, but I would require your permission to do so." He didn't make it obvious, but Oberon believed she had already done so, "a Mirror anointed with Méabh's blood and directly linked to a Claimed territory could be used to pass between the two locations."
But Emberlee had already given too much away previously, Prince Damien extrapolated from all the details he'd collected, and finished his glass before turning to Emberlee, "Which Mirror in the castle did you manage to anoint?" He had absolute faith in the fact that she had pulled it off already.
"The one outside the Emperor's study." she finally confirmed, "It used to connect to my Capital House but since that burned it's gone. I'm unsure if it will take me to Ortega itself as I haven't tried, and
never tried to take anyone with me."
"As I said," Oberon kept himself relevant before eye contact could lock them in place, "connected to a Claimed territory it'll work." He gave a negligent shrug as they both focused back on him, "And as you said, Cinderella, you're a force to be reckoned with, so of course your Claimed territories count."
"Ortega is mine," she replied instinctively, "and the Capital House was mine, but this Castle is not mine."
"Not yet," Prince Damien confirmed with a wry smile, "but at this rate, it will be before long."
"I can't tell if you're anticipating or dreading that day," she pointed out.
"For a marriage of convenience, you two sure flirt like professionals," Oberon complimented and refilled the glasses.
"That's why you can do your Magic, these have become your rooms," Emberlee's change of topic gave both men pause.
Oberon understood first, but it had been directed at him, "Exactly that, Cinderella. As you have found, Magic done in your territory is easier and stronger than when you're in another's area."
"But Landquester founded Xutia," she'd summarised the history into a single statement, questioning how Ortega was hers if all of Xutia had been Landquester's. Now Oberon and Damien shared a conspiratorial look, aware of some layer of complexity she remained ignorant of. And three, or four, glasses of Oberon's wine meant Emberlee didn't hesitate to speak her mind, "boys, it'll be easier if you just tell me now," she cautioned.
"In founding Landquester," It was Prince Damien who answered her demand, "established Xutia with a broken Bond and a cursed form. But although she birthed the Nation, and my ancestor, the boundaries of the Nation were all she could set; it has remained unclaimed since."
"That was a part of her Curse," Oberon added absently, "she could have, but not hold." He chinked his glass to Emberlee's, both filed again. "A broken Bond cannot Claim, only sacrifice."
"So from the moment you Named me Cinderella, you all but announced that I could try to Claim," she pointed out.
"That's exactly how my Father saw it," Damien pointed out, a slight slur to his words that Emberlee felt matched her own. "And why I was so determined to interrupt your plans before I had a chance to meet you in person."
"And of course, once you met her for yourself," Oberon now sounded like he was complaining, "you were agreeable."
"So were you," Damien countered without missing a beat. "You're just mad I was smart enough to act faster!"
"Yes!" Oberon was agreeable. "Do you know how long we have waited for a Xutian to Bond?" Emberlee drank her wire, almost able to ignore that they were arguing about her.
"Since my ancestor had scales, and the Knight that was meant to defeat her became caretaker to the first Landquist," Damien drawled.
"And you dare to claim her for yourself! "They were either drunk and honest, or locked in a Fairy's veracity and compelled, either way, both men seemed to have forgotten her active presence.
"Dragons hoard treasure, it's a part of our nature," Damien smiled in satisfaction at Oberon's frustration.
"And Fairy are impossible to get rid of once we're established," Oberon filled everyone's glass again. "Do you know how many hearts you're breaking in Adaba with this?" An unexpected knock at Oberon's door drew all their attention, "Join us!" he eagerly invited without waiting.
Imperial Princes Vivian hesitantly came in, clearly surprised to see Emberlee and Damien already there. "I don't mean to interrupt..." she started to apologize, but Emberlee found herself speaking.
"No, please stay, save me, unless you're here to argue that you should be going to Adaba as an Envoy with me," she wasn't entirely sober at this point, actually pointing at the space next to Oberon as if she could command an Imperial Princess around.
"Oh, I wish," Vivien sat and gusted without hesitation, and despite all her careful habits Emberlee was enjoying her friends all being in one place. "I don't know what I'm more jealous of, you getting to go to Adaba, you getting to go to Adaba with Oberon, or Oberon getting to go to Adaba with you!" there was suddenly a fourth wine glass for the Princess, courtesy of Oberon.
"Would you like me to bring you a list of Adaban candidates?" she found herself offering, "I'm certain Oberon and Méabh would love to provide one."
Vivian laughed, as if Emberlee were joking, and sipped her wine, "As fascinating a list as that would be, I know Mummy has other plans for me." She quickly emptied her wine glass and didn't seem to notice it magically refilling as she talked, "I know she wants what's best for me, but sometimes I feel like I need to remind her that it's my life."
It occurred to Emberlee that Vivian wasn't drinking like it was a new thing, she was sweet and lovable but not necessarily innocent. It also occurred to her that Vivian was complaining to two people who were managing an impending betrothal as a deliberate political maneuver, and Oberon who was one of Méabh's spouses. None of them were truly free to choose for themselves, but Emberlee didn't resent Vivian her sweetness.
"Well you think about the man you'd like for yourself, and I'll send you options from Adaba, and if the two line up we'll call it fate, how does that sound?" Emberlee found herself prompting.
"Like you're braver than I am! I don't want to disappoint her," Vivian nervously laughed.
"I doubt you could ever be a disappointment," Oberoi didn't miss a chance to flirt.
Damien looked at Emberlee as if he'd had the same thought she had, that Vivian had only had a crush on him because she'd thought it'd please her Mother, not out of any true infatuation. That could be very useful. Especially as Vivian hadn't done, or intended to do, anything to harm either Emberlee or Damien. Emberlee would have no problem using the same energy to help the Imperial Princess out as she did fending off the Steps or countering the Empress; at least Vivian's needs would likely be easier to meet.
Oberon was likely on the same wave as he continued to playfully flirt with the Princess, even while trying to get her to explain what all the 'male leads' she read about in stories had that she wanted for her paramour. "I don't know how romance novels go in Adaba," Vivian may have joined them a little later, but she was catching up on glasses of wine, "but the ones I liked in Stussica all featured debonair pirates or powerful but ever so slightly obsessive Dukes who spend their lives fighting off monsters or tyrants." She sounded so wistful, and to Emberlee's amusement, she recognized the story descriptions.
"The Heart of the High Seas," she named the pirate series she'd come across, "and a Dangerous Northern Duke's Taming," it was more of a guess for the second book as too many could fall into that desorption.
By the excited surprise on Vivian's face, she'd guessed correctly, "Isn't Lucas just the best?" she named one of the story characters, but Emberlee hadn't read the series, she'd only heard of its popularity.
Emberlee had a rare chance to read for leisure, so when she did she liked the books that had mysteries and made her skin crawl until the very end. Romance serials were more popular though, and it seemed Oberon was up on the newest book, "So you picture yourself as a Marjorie then," that had to be the heroine's name, "fleeing the oppressive control of others trying to determine your fate, and finding both true love and purpose on the ship of charming scallywags." Vivian may be naturally more tanned than Emberlee, but she blushed far easier, the rosy cheeks adding to the wine's flush.
And then she was discussing the literary details of the series with Oberon at a rate of speed Emberlee could barely follow let alone attempt to interrupt. Prince Damien looked just as lost, so the popular romances weren't his reading materials either. "Do you think the Imperial Archives has the series; I have no idea what they're talking about and it's making me feel ignorant," she inquired and he looked contemplative.
"The archives are for Histories," Prince Damien corrected, "but I'm fairly certain the main library would have several copies if it's this popular." He stood and offered her a hand as if intending to go find the series now.
Oberon and Vivian were deep into the discussion of something called tropes, and their favourites, so Emberlee accepted the Prince's hand and let him lead her out of Oberon's rooms and to the Imperial Library. Moving around reminded her of how much wine she'd had already, and Prince Damien seemed to be as mischievously relaxed as she was as he eagerly hunted down romance books in his Library.
It was nice to see a less manipulative, more playful side to him, and Emberlee had to admit that the same was true of herself, "Here, found the pirate one," he called out from further along the stacks, and Emberlee walked over to him. The Heart of the High Seas was marked with only its title and a compass rose, looking almost demure as Prince Damien opened it to read a random passage out loud.
"So tell me, my reckless stowaway," Captain Lucas Blackmore demanded as he paced around Marjorie's half-drowned self, arrogance oozing from every handsome pore, "how do you expect to buy your passage on my ship?" His dark eyes pierced into hers as if seeing her soul as bared as her wet, tattered dress left her body, and despite being innocent of the ways between a man and a woman Marjorie knew he desired her..."
Prince Damien shut the book with a slightly guilty look, "It just gets more... detailed fun there." It wasn't just a romance serial, it was a smutty romance serial.
Emberlee held a straight face for a heartbeat and then started to laugh because while Vivian was so innocent-seeming herself, Oberon's lasciviousness was expected at least. "Do you think Taming the Duke is any afferent?" She asked pointedly, looking for it to read from herself. She found it and found it exactly as bad as the pirate story.
"Duke Pleiades liked to collect pretty little things to add life to his dismal world, and Serena was going to be another added to his collection. First, he would claim every inch of her flawless honeyed skin, then he would drink the noises of ecstasy from her lips like the finest of wines, and finally, he would sink into her very soul as he did her body."
Prince Damien closed the book in her hands before she could read more of it out loud. He looked a little embarrassed and uncomfortable, "I did not expect your stepsister to be such a hedonist in the making, now I really will have to find her an Adaban spouse. I don't think Xutian men know how to," she flipped the book open again and picked a random passage, "delve into her depths like a lost explorer mastering a dungeon."
"There isn't a way to argue your statement without being inappropriate or just making this all worse," Prince Damien took the book from her hands as if afraid she'd keep reading bits out loud. But they were in the romance serials section of the Imperial Library, she could grab any book around her and continue to make the Prince squirm. So she did just that, grabbing a thicker book called 400 Days And Ways Of Pleasing The Count, and opened it without hesitation. She didn't scan it before reading it out loud and damn near regretted it instantly.
"Evie gasped as Donatello thrust into her, their lovemaking the brutal need of a man long denied the pleasures of his beloved. He was like a feral beast, wild and unbridled as he held her down..." this time Prince Damien all but tore the book out of her hands to stop her from reading more. His ears were red, and even Emberlee felt a little embarrassed to have said that passage out loud.
"Who comes up with the names for these?" he cleared his voice to ask.
"For the characters, in the novel?" She played along, grateful to have a sillier topic to focus on.
"Either, I mean Donatello as a Count's Name? Where is this story supposed to take place; the Dudian Prefecture?" He thumbed through the book for a moment before his cheeks suddenly flamed red and he slammed the book shut again. Prince Damien looked at her with such a guilty look on his face that she NEEDED to know how bad the passage had been. "No," Damien said as if aware that Emberlee would now persist.
"No what?" She couldn't resist, "No the title doesn't suit the story, or no the name Donatello isn't from the Dudian Prefecture?" She reached for the book.
"No, you're not an adult yet and don't need to be exposed to this kind of...literature," he pulled the book away from her.
"Interesting concern after having already seen me undressed the night of the Ball," she pointed out as if the fact didn't embarrass her at all.
"You were naked, bloody, and laying on the ground surrounded by broken glass after your Fairy magic failed," he handed her the novel, likely having realized that she enjoyed teasing him. "If you can find a scene like that in here, I'll gladly read the whole novel."
"Aren't you afraid reading this will raise my expectations?" she'd been spending too much time in Oberon's company and had picked up some of his bad habits.
Now he smiled, as if unbothered by the idea at all, "You and I have barely held hands, and haven't even kissed, literacy expectations be damned when there is no practical experience." Emberlee knew that went both ways, Prince Damien was as untested in relationships as she was; unless he'd had paramours without High Society ever finding out.
"We aren't even engaged," she reminded.
"Yet," he still looked to be scheming, "and it will happen soon, so ask yourself: how prepared do you feel?"
He wasn't wrong; Emberlee had bravely held his hand on the carriage, and again at the Ivory Tower, but outside of their dancing together she had no physical contact with him. He'd at least kissed the back of her hand, but at a proposal, they'd be expected to kiss in public. Did she want that inexperience to show?
"Are you saying we should practice kissing?" It was too direct, even after all the wine, and left both Emberlee, and Prince Damien unsettled. But he wasn't saying no to the idea either.
"Marchioness," he used her title almost warningly as she took a deliberate step closer.
"You're not wrong there Prince Damien," she put the book against his chest, crowding his personal space but he didn't step back "Expectations be damned." And she turned and walked away, ignoring how erratic her heartbeat felt.
She didn't get out of the Library before Prince Damien caught up, though thankfully he didn't grab her to kiss her like a part of her expected. And he didn't have the book still in his hands; their silence was awkward but not entirely uncomfortable as they returned to Oberon's room. Princess Vivian and Oberon were still excitedly discussing the pirate novel and Emberlee nearly started to laugh again as Prince Damien made a face.
"If you're wondering," Emberlee smoothly interjected as Oberon refilled her wine glass, "the Imperial Library has those novels, and so much more."
Now it looked like Prince Damien was struggling not to laugh as he sat on the couch next to her, "Marchioness, you're incorrigible."
"You should meet my Uncle," she did wonder what her Uncle Albert would make of her fiancé-to-be. "You really should meet my Uncle, I expect he's on the Empress' shortlist to have married to a Stussican-born spouse." He'd mentioned his Vassals put pressure on him; he faced the borders of four Nations that would love a political marriage into Xutia. Though with the Tinao Hierarchy's strange obsession with pure bloodlines,' it wasn't likely to be them.
If Empress Clara wanted to use Uncle's single status to put her choice as Marchioness, she had the so before either Nuhutan or Imaegon could. Or before Uncle did himself. The moment Prince Damien proposed to her, Emberlee's Uncle will suddenly find himself an especially eligible bachelor.
"You think Mummy is this to find your Uncle a wife?" Princess Vivian wasn't dumb, just not naturally political.
"Yes," Emberlee wasn't going to treat Vivian like she was an idiot, and wanted to have her as an actual friend so that meant including her, "it would be the best move to help Stussica keep Xutia to itself."
Vivian sipped at her wine, looking thoughtful and lovely, "Grandfather is behind it then, as you all doubt already know Stussica prides itself on being an Empire since its founding and as my Grandfather embodies the Will of Stussica, he believes less civilized cultures should embrace our superior ways." She said it so simply as if it were the only thing that made sense, and Emberlee found herself staring at the Princess in shock along with Oberon and Prince Damien.
It hadn't just been Jimena and her daughters then, all Stussicans were raised to believe they were literally a better type of human being compared to the rest of the southern continent. Every Nation thought it was the best culture, but this was arrogance on a whole other level.
"And do you believe that," Oberon recovered first, "even after meeting me?" His instinct to flirt was neigh divine at this point. He kissed the back of Princess Vivian's hand in a move so familiar that Emberlee shot Prince Damien a look. He, of course, refused to look at her and instead drank his wine. It seemed she was going to learn several of the Prince's techniques by watching Oberon and she wondered if he'd gotten pointers from the Envoy; curious as to how such a conversation might have occurred.
"I think you're marvellous," Princess Vivian's gushing was endearingly sincere. "I want to see the whole world and find out for myself what the cultures look like," Now her infatuation with the pirate novels made sense; she had wanderlust in her soul. "The Jewel is a beautiful estate, but Stussica's Imperial Heart seems so small now that I've' started," now Vivien kissed the back of Oberon's hand and Emberlee almost lost her drink at the move.
It felt like she was witnessing something that she shouldn't be seeing, and definitely shouldn't be happening. But Oberon had been honest when he said he could flirt and play, but not take a lover; he was Méabh's. "I would greatly like to see a sunflower such as yourself in the halls of Adaba, you would steal the hearts of so many of my unattached compatriots."
"Are all Adabans as beautiful as you are?" Vivian's question drove both Emberlee and Damien to drink and before much longer the night got fairly blurry.
It had been enjoyable, and Emberlee resolutely endured the resulting hangover the next morning. Sitting at a breakfast table with the Emperor and Empress, along with the equally hung-over others, however, was far less pleasant. Oberon's normally flawless face looked faintly green, Prince Damien's eyes were bloodshot, and Vivian herself looked like she'd rather be dead. Emperor Andrion had a faintly amused expression, clearly having heard of their antics, and the Empress glared at Emberlee like this was all entirely her fault. She should be mad at Oberon, he was the one who'd poured all that endless wine. But Emberlee couldn't point that out without also explaining why Oberon had switched to wine in the first place. Currently, the Empress hated her and barely tolerated her existence, once she was engaged to Prince Damien the assassins would start coming. For her own sake, it'd be better to delay that moment for as long as possible.
But Oberon had been incorporated into today a breakfast for a different matter entirely than their drinking the night before, "I have received word from Méabh regarding the replacement or inclusion of an Envoy," Emberlee wondered if he'd received word before last night, and if so why he hadn't said anything. "Cinderella is still expected and anticipated," Oberon, of course, winked at her at that pronouncement "and she is to be allowed an additional Guest of her selection." Why did Méabh have to word it that way?
"So I have a plus one on my invitation?" Emberlee knew Prince Damien would insist on going, and Empress Clara would do everything in her power to ensure that didn't happen. "I'll have to discuss the matter with his Imperial Majesty," she used etiquette to shield herself from the Empress' immediate displeasure.
"Good idea Marchioness," the Emperor complimented, but then immediately sabotaged her, "so coordinate with Prince Damien on the matter."
"Why would she need to coordinate with the Imperial Crown Prince on such a matter?" the Empress demanded, already making the logical jump to determine part of the reason.
"Because he'll be travelling to Adaba with her," the Emperor stated.
The awkwardness of the meal earlier tripled in a heartbeat, and Emberlee just wanted to get away from it. "As you said your Imperial Majesty," she managed to not sound tired, "Prince Damien, shall we go discuss?" she'd use it as a way to get out of this situation at least.
"Yes Marchioness, let us continue this," he seemed as eager to get out of here as she was, and Emberlee didn't look at anyone else; knowing their expressions would all say different things.
She followed the Imperial Prince to his office, surprised when he didn't sit down but turned to her immediately, "I've thought about what you said last night, and I believe you're right."
"About which part?" they'd discussed several things, and she was usually right.
Prince Damien leaned forward, as if to share a secret for her ears alone, and whispered, "Damn the expectations," before he kissed her.