Chapter 14

                                        

                                              
The Blessing of the Beloved provided Emberlee with amazing benefits, and an unexpected one in the cost savings she enjoyed by not having to employ a dressmaker or tailor. And as she had utilized her embroidering skills prior to learning her Blessing's functions, Emberlee had garnered a reputation for designing and making her clothes; was an acceptable pass time for a Noble Lady in Xutia because it was simply an extension of embroidery and a rather clever way to show it off outside of gifts. The spiders that created her outfits now deserved all the credit, but that wasn't a fact Emberlee could openly share. As expected, Jimena and her daughters had a few things to say about that. As Emberlee had learned in her review of Stussican culture, to them a Noble doesn't MAKE things, they consume them. It was up to the serving class to create things to be used by the Nobles. Stussican Noble could have hobbies, but they were supposed to be restful such as watching an opera or viewing a gallery. Even their Noble born Generals were only expected to tactically lead, never actually engaging in battle themselves.
"My dear Child," Jimena presented, "you simply must learn the appropriate behaviours before your courtly debut. If you insist on doing the work your servants are supposed to accomplish, you've stripped them of their purpose. It's selfish to insist on doing it yourself."
As if there had been enough people left in the Manor during the pandemic to waste them on aesthetic adjustments to existing garments. Emberlee didn't defend her actions simply because she didn't care what Jimena thought of her efforts. So instead she simply reminded them that, "as Xutian Nobles you'll now have the opportunity to learn new skills for your improvement. We believe that time spent on things you enjoy is time well spent, and you are Xutians now." 
"Are you suggesting I learn the work of servants?" Deirdre demanded, so much like her mother that Emberlee wondered if she were a lost cause. 
"If that makes you happy, why not?" it wasn't a purely sarcastic question either, if the hobby caused no harm there was no reason to criticize it. 
"Does that mean I could paint? "Ainsley demanded cautiously, immediately shut down by Jimena's dark look. It gave Emberlee the idea that maybe Ainsley wasn't as aligned with her mother's control as she was expected to be. 
"If you are to play Host to a Banquet, we shall require appropriate attire," Jimena redirected the conversation "Summon a tailor, jeweller, and cosmetician," she gave Emberlee and her daughters thoroughly critical looks. 
"I have already anticipated the need for a tailor, however in Xutia it is usually the handmaids that determine the cosmetology, as yours are not thusly educated I have instructed my maid to assist in their training," She didn't bother explaining that cosmetology was a subset of alchemy here, and the properly trained were as effective as a poisoner. "As for the jewel smith, the resident one was summoned by his Imperial Majesty to prepare for his recent wedding, and has not been released from that duty as of yet, to that end if any of your current accessories require adjustments please inform my Head of House Karl and he can have the metalsmith do the work." That suggestion was taken as well as any other Emberlee had made to her Stepfamily. 
"No cosmetologist, no jeweller, it seems under your inexperienced guardianship this March has lost all the skilled trades," Deirdre criticized. 
"If you want to live like you're in the Capital Deirdre, you can always move there; I won't stop you," Emberlee even managed to say with a polite smile. 
Currently, Emberlee's servants were having an easy time luring the Stussican servants into their influence, all simply because one of the Ortega ancestors had long ago established winter lessons to help strive off the isolation of that season. Every town and city held reading, writing, maths, and sometimes Tradecrafts lessons on the fifth day of the week. This encouraged literacy in even the poor of Ortega, resulting in well-educated people that brought innovation and logic into the problems of the March. Many Ortega-born servants had travelled across Xutia to obtain well-esteemed positions, and other Families soon adopted similar practices. For the Stussican born servants, it was an unheard of luxury. They were actively kept illiterate and uneducated, as their only purpose was to provide service to Nobles. The highest-raked, most notably skilled Commoner Masters were all still considered second-class citizens compared to the Nobly born. Of course, only Nobles could become Physicians in Stussica, but like their Generals, they were expected to Know, not to Do. One consulted with a Noble-born Master, but bought the services of a non-Noble to have that consultation acted upon. Their culture of over-complication led to their rather peaceful hi온라인카지노게임, as until recently they couldn't expand their nation without a lot of effort, and it was far easier to simply follow in Xutia's wake of conquest for their claims on Guita. Emberlee's Father was still there providing experienced tactical support for their rather untested army. It was one thing to fend off the seasonal attacks from pirates, it was another to go into a foreign land and claim it.