DEVIANT

Thick Skin

**** A/N: Here's another one for you guys, because I can't sleep.  Cheers.  -ptd xoxo 💋 ****

Lord Edie came to Ceco to speak to Minister Robin of a trade agreement between Igoh and Maru. While Minister Robin was still negotiating a trade agreement with Seoras. When a week passed by with no one agreeing into each other's terms, Prince Cael suggest that they all tour Ceco and give each other time to think things throughly before directly denying the trade agreement.

Seoras reluctantly agreed and the next day, all the men left the castle to tour Ceco's lands. Seoras took Dominic with him along with 30 soldiers, while Igoh took all their soldiers, but four and Maru took 20 soldiers, leaving 10 behind to protect Lady Avina, Lady Donna and Lady Hanna.

Emmy stood at the top of the steps as she watched Seoras leave. Beside her stood Gengrick and Steward Seth.

"You must becareful, Lady Emmy." Steward Seth said as he sneered at Lord Edie's back. "They want to trap you."

"I know." Emmy said. "I can't wait to see what they have planned for me."

Emmy's hand began to itch, just thinking about how she would handle the women. Now that the men are away, there won't be anyone there to stop her.

That evening Lady Margaret struck first. In front of everyone, she came late to dinner and complained that Emmy didn't know any manners.

"You dare start dinner without me?" Margaret said as she sat down next to Lady Avina. "I shouldn't be surprised, seeing you come unknown origins."

"Lady Margaret, you have mistaken." Heather said as she spoke up. "Lady Emmy is from Igoh. She is the granddaughter of General Light. However her mother passed away early in Lady Emmy's life and her father... is someone that no one knows."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. A woman born out of wedlock. How shameful! No wonder she doesn't know any manners! How could such a lowly person become my daughter-in-law." Margaret said.

Emmy sat back as Margaret condemned her in front of everyone.

"You are not worthy of being Lady Tomas. You should be ashamed of yourself and yet you sit there so high and mighty. What thick skin you must have keep on sticking next to my son as you look down on all of us!"

"What thick skin you have to keep on coming back to Ceco, proclaiming that you are a good mother with only good intentions towards Seoras. When everyone here knows that you lost that right to be his mother, the moment you left him and Ceco to be the second wife to another man." Emmy said. "And what thick skin Lady Avina has to keep coming back to Ceco, insisting on hanging on to my husband after you, yourself broke the engagement to marry a stranger that you fell in love with at first sight. And what thick skin Lady Donna and Lady Hanna has to come back to Ceco after drugging Lord Seoras and then attempted to rape him. What thick skin Lady Heather has, after not only failing to seduce Duke Arashi and Crown Prince Cael, but to try to seduce my own husband in front of me? Ha!  Don't patronize me when you all have thick skins yourselves!  Have none you learned from your past transgression against me? Or would you like another lesson?"

Lady Hanna and Lady Donna couldn't keep their head up. They were too embarrassed to look anyone in the eyes.

"What did you say?" Avina shouted. "Heather! Donna! What does she mean that you both drugged Seoras and tried to rape him!"

Heather and Donna kept their head down and didn't answer her.

"How could you believe her words? They are all lies!" Margaret said trying to sooth Avina's anger.

"Is it?" Emmy said. "Too bad Seoras isn't here to confirm my words."

"Seoras would say anything to go against me. He would say anything to protect you. How could we believe in his words?" Margaret said as she looked at the fuming Avina.

"Ah, a mother who doesn't believe her own son. A mother who says she has the best intentions towards her son and yet instead of believing him and protecting him. She believes the lies of others and wants to protect the perpetrators. What a great mother you are!" Emmy sneered.

"You--you are lying. Why would Lady Donna and Lady Hanna drug and seduce Seoras? They know Seoras is Avina's husband."

"Lady Avina's husband? Since when? When did they marry? When was the marriage consummated?" Emmy asked as she looked at the soldiers. They all listened as they ate, remembering every word and action so they can report it to Seoras. "Last time I checked, I'm Lady Tomas. I'm the one standing by his side. I'm the one sitting up here, while you all are sitting down there."

Margaret's face flushed red with anger. No matter what she said, Emmy always countered her words and actions. Emmy was like a cockroach that refused to die.

"If my husband refuses to give you any face, why should I give you face?" Emmy said as she picked up her wine glass and sipped it. "You bunch of Ladies only know how to scheme behind closed doors and go against me when Seoras isn't here. Let's stop wasting everyone's time. You all should stop trying to reach so high to hold on to Seoras's thigh. You will never catch his eye and never stand next to him. Give up now and live until your skin is old and wrinkly. If you don't, then this will be your last warning. I only have so much patience with you lot scheming against me to get my husband."

"Are you threatening us!" Avina screeched as she stood up and pointed at Emmy.

"What if I am. What are you going to do about it?" Emmy asked. "Your Father is not here, so he can't support you.  So what if I threaten you, you don't have the strength or power to make me stop!"

Emmy's domineering attitude caused the soldiers to smile. Their Lady was subduing the women there without even lifting a finger. She was the only woman worthy to be Lady Tomas of Ceco.