Wicked Steps

The Ortega March wasn't the richest, or most powerful of Noble Houses, but it had existed since the birth of the Xutian Kingdom and had never fallen to enemy forces despite the tumultuous 'peace' of the continent. What that untarnished lineage meant for Emberlee was that her birthday feast was a Social Event despite the distance from the March to the Capital. It would be a celebration of Emberlee's birth, and double as her Courtly debut, and as such they left the March to the steward and travelled by carriage to the Capital.

The Ortega family had a house there, much smaller than their Manor, but still quite the estate in the capital city where every inch of space was precious. At the epicenter of the Capital was the Royal Mount, a lone hill upon which the Royal Castle viewed all, and as the Ortaga carriage pulled in to their property Emberlee stared up at it in wonder.

She'd heard her Mother's stories about the marble dance floor, and the maze like gardens, and all noble children are presented in the crystal grotto for their Blessing, in the heart of the Castle. Emberlee, of course, couldn't recall a single bit of it, so she enjoyed seeing it in person.

Their house was more trendy than the historical lines of the Manor, but due to that trendiness Emberlee felt almost out of place. Anticipating the fashion styles moving at a faster pace, Mother had a capital dressmaker prepare Emberlee's gown. Given her own preferences Emberlee liked to wear gowns in simple layers, but the most popular trend for girls her age was to wear polka dotted patterns with lace accents, and an almost obscenely flouncy bow on the back for shape. Thankfully Mother had seen to it that Emberlee's tastes were reflected in the discreet dots on her gown and the more mature blue than the brighter blues, pinks, and yellows expected in her age group. Emberlee could even endure the black lace as it suited the gown, but the bow was a trial. It sat heavy against the base of her spine, and had tailing ribbons longer than her skirt; someone was bound to step on it. Her hair was coiled, curled, and pinned up with glittering jewels hidden amongst the dark tresses. though as a child she could only wear light makeup and perfume to accompany the jewels.

Mother was wearing a lighter blue gown, in a far more daring cut and fit, and Emberlee enviously and impatiently wished to be grown enough to fill out a gown as Mother did. Though it also made it more obvious her mother was carrying a brother or sister for Emberlee. They hadn't announced it to the public yet, but had told Emberlee before it became obvious. Mother had nearly died during Emberlee's birth, and hadn't successfully carried a babe until this one since.

In two or so short months Emberlee would finally have a sibling. She didn't care if it was a brother or a sister, as long as they weren't a bother. Mother was fond of Uncle Albert, but also fatigued by him frequently.

Like using her birthday celebration as an opportunity for her Courtly debut, her parents were also using this forced Social Event to expose their
fecundity. That way the family wouldn't have to come back to
the Capital until her little sibling's Blessing Day.

"My little firecracker, come here!" Uncle Albert was the first to approach Emberlee on the day of her celebration feast, barely waiting at all. Despite the very judgmental, scrutinizing eyes of the social court watching, her Uncle Albert swept her up in his arms and spun her about. And despite her serious nature, careful etiquette training, and awareness of social propriety, Emberlee laughed as he twirled her about.

As Mother said, Uncle Albert was a rascal. More amusingly, the length of her ridiculous, but trendy, bow ribbons guaranteed them space as the spin flung them out like a whip. Her parents didn't even approach as Uncle Albert kept spinning her about in a deliberate sham of the proper dance steps. Though he did at least tone down his antics so she could talk.

Everyone would be expecting her to catch up with him while they danced, but Emberlee needed to use this time wisely. It was just a matter of broaching a difficult topic discreetly. "I have read every tome and scroll the March has, and still I suspect you know more on a topic than I."

"Quite the compliment you've given me firecracker, considering that your mother believes I know nothing at all," Uncle Albert modulated their dancing so it was easier to converse.

"No matter how I search, or who I question I have only learned fairy tales and ghost stories about the thing I seek," Emberlee tried her best to imply without directly saying it, as she still worried about being overheard.

"And you're absolutely certain I know more on the topic than any other?" Uncle Albert teased but there was a calculating assessment in his gaze.

"Than any I have access to," she corrected, hazarding that the Grand Library would have full answers.

"While I doubt my darling niece is seeking me out for my expertise on how to win someone's heart and mind," he winked as if joking, "instinct is telling me that you're chasing something much more troublesome." He was rogue enough to sense trouble.

"Garden parties really do offer too many hiding places for ears that are listening," she was running out of time to ask, the song was at the crescendo. "I don't care who the Lady was, but I want to know everything you do about the thing she was seeking." and for the first time in her life, she saw the seriousness hidden behind her uncle's loutish behaviours.

"Firecracker, you're Blessed; that very nature guarantees you'll never face that fate," her funny, conflicting uncle didn't understand.

"I'm not driven by fear Uncle," she corrected as she curtsied, the dance ending, "I want to know because others are so obviously trying to keep it hidden."

Before Emberlee could gain a response from her rascal of an uncle, she was swept into another dance by one of the very many people who'd come to wish her a happy birthday, and especially be seen doing so. Sycophants, all, but a tediously necessary sacrifice of time and effort to maintain the social connections. Emberlee still didn't entirely understand it, but she knew better than to complain or even look put-upon. Like the garden party, she was here to be seen and then overlooked; it wasn't personal, it was politics.

Thankfully none of the Royal family attended, their presence would have added to the dizzying crush of well wishers and networking strategists. As it was Emberlee found herself very tired and almost asleep on a sitting chair when the clocks all toned midnight with delightful gongs.

It was the last birthday Emberlee was going to enjoy in a very long time.

Before the Ortaga family could depart the Capital and return to the March, father was summoned to the Royal castle. Her father was a skilled knight with a reputation as unconquered as the Ortaga March, and King Andrion Landquist was using him as General of the Army for the 'expansion'.

According to her father, the king had first tasked him with bringing the neighboring Traimore States under their control. It was a humanitarian mission after their drought, but Emberlee knew her parents discussed it well into the night after returning to the March. The King was kind enough to allow father to stay at the March until after Mother had given birth, but that meant when Mother went into labour a short month later father would leave. The Traimore States
were to the North West of the March, far enough away to not threaten them at all but also guaranteeing that Emberlee's father would be absent until the King's war of expansion was won.

The States had just endured a five year drought, their peoples and economy as battered as possible without a war having already taken place. And King Andrian was offering amnesty and supplies in trade for allegiance. Emberlee heard her father promise Mother that, "The closest
Traimore States will quickly come under our banner," but that didn't guarantee the rest would comply.

And with her new little brother Aubin born healthy and Mother recovering well, Emberlee knew father would do his best to keep his word to return victorious.

Emberlee was nine now, so she was determined to help her Mother as much as possible. With father away and Mother bonding with Aubin, Emberlee took over collecting the daily reports on the March and would bring Mother a summary.

News of the King's War spread quickly, the States of Traimore reacting with varying levels of
defiance to outright capitulation. Father had been right, the States bordering the Xutian Kingdom willingly conceded to the subjugation, and that the States that bordered the Dudian Confederation and the Tinao Hierarchy put up greater resistance.

Emberlee watched her baby brother teeth, crawl, babble, and eventually walk, and yet father was not free to return. He had won honours and esteem for himself, their Kingdom, and the Ortega March, but the King's War of subjugation continued.

Mother kept them in the March, aware that Traimorian rebels would target them with father as General. Here they were safe, their own knights and Guards a firm assurance, so when Emberlee's tenth birthday loomed, there was no celebration in the Capital. Her Courtly debut remained her only experience in the Capital, and the War assured there was limited travel near
the borders.

That didn't stop Uncle Albert from ignoring all the potential risks and arriving at the Manor in the early hours of Emberlee's tenth birthday. And he made quite the entrance by climbing into her bedroom window from the balcony outside and waking her with a hand over her mouth to stifle any screaming.

Being rudely awakened like that didn't prompt Emberlee to scream, as both her parents had taught her to control her reactions, so instead of being alarmed Emberlee acted as if this were an attack. She bit the hand over her mouth hard enough to draw blood and scratched at where she anticipated her assailant's eyes to be. Uncle Albert's own surprised cry of pain served to alert her Guards outside the door and Emberlee to the fact that it was her Uncle and not an
assassin.

"Bugger, Damn, Blast!" Uncle Albert swore and clutched at his bleeding hand, not at all alarmed by the armed Guards circling him with swords out.

"Uncle Albert?" Emberlee sounded astonished and exasperated.

"Firecracker, you have teeth like a Ceshros," he complimented through a wince of pain.

"Guards, stand down, he's not a threat," Emberla instructed and only then did they holster their guard.

"Uncle Albert why did you sneak in my window?"

"Why do you think?" His flippant attitude didn't match the serious assessment in his eyes.

The Guards had left her room so Emberlee felt safe answering him honestly, "I can think of two reasons," she held up two fingers, "first; to test  perimeter defenses, if you can get in so can others," he should never have been able to make it this far. "Secondly, you tried to speak with me discreetly so I presume you have something to share."

"Exactly right little firecracker," Uncle Albert lost the foolish swagger and revealed his loutish habit was all a deliberate ploy. "I have a gift for you, one I feel I can share now that you've become so grown." With a flourish he presented a folio of papers. "Everything I can share of what I know is chronicled here. Once you've read it, burn it all."

She'd been handed less dangerous weapons.

"Keep in mind, Emberlee Ortaga, that this is a gift that carries a terrible price to know." He warned with serious tone.

"If you're sharing this with me now, you came here for something far more serious, didn't you?" She'd discovered that Uncle Albert wasn't just Mother's underworld contact, he was an information broker in the Investigations Guild. For a man like him information was power, so to be giving what felt like a catalogue of details on the Vapours to her now warned something more dire was occurring.

But the Guards had told Mother of Uncle Albert's unorthodox arrival, and she swept into the room before he could answer Emberlee. Mother was in a house robe, covering her sleeping gown and carrying a very sleepy looking Aubin in her arms. "Albert Ortaga, are you brain addled?" Mother demanded, not as Marchioness but as older sister. Emberlee took mental note of the tonal difference for future use on Aubin. "Emberlee, please mind your brother while I talk with this one in my study," Mother requested with venom only for Uncle Albert.

Emberlee didn't object, she merely took her little brother's small weight. "Thank you for the birthday wishes Uncle, next time please use the door."

A part of her greatly wanted to follow and spy on the meeting, desperate to hear first hand what news he bore. But discipline held her in place, rocking Aubin slightly as she walked back to bed. She arranged pillows and blankets to keep him away from
the edges, and held the documents her Uncle had gifted her with.

All the known Vapours, what they could do, and a brief description of what they looked like and the warning signs that they were coming.. It'd taken a year of patience, of diligently writing her Uncle to remind him of her request, and now she had her questions somewhat answered.

She knew of Putredo, the living rot, but according to this incomplete list there were six others. Voracitas stripped all the life out, drained waterways dry. Vexo caused destructive maddeness in all living things, and Inaestuo left no survivors. Adrogantia poisoned all things, Carnalitas turned humans into beasts, and Avsrita turned them to stone. But learning their names, numbers, and descriptions was only a part of the discoveries in her gift. Uncle Albert had included a list of names of those taken by the Royals in the name of the Vapours, and the names gave her pause.

Grand Duke Martellaro and Archduke Erding had both lost children two generations ago, a painful blow to the sub-royal Families. All three Dukedoms lost a child a generation
each in three preceding that; DeKorte three generations ago, Monske four, and Abeita five generations ago. And the other Marquisdoms, Dantos and Roblee had lost babes five generations ago; the generation after the start of the Kingdom.

The two Marquis families that had supported the Landquist family claiming Kingship were the only High Ranking families to never suffer a loss. Emberlee's Ortaga bloodline, and her father's Mihal heritage.

No other Vapours were listed, no explanations given for why those families' children had been selected, or why there hadn't been any chosen in two generations. Emberlee had gotten answers, but found it all unsatisfactory because she wanted to know more.

She burned the pages as instructed, playing with her brother into the early hours of the morning. The sun rose on the dawn of her tenth birthday to a very tired and frustrated Emberlee learning Uncle Albert's other secret to share; the King was going to announce conscription as his War continued. News would soon break that the Xutian Kingdom was growing into an Empire.