Cultivating Plants

“If what you say it’s true, then it’s quite interesting, yes.” Aaliyah laid her back on the plushy sofa, her breasts swaying up and down like a ship upon her drop even if she was dressed unlike before.

The sultanah had once tried the tailors’ recent invention, the bra, but she textually called that piece of cloth a ‘jail to freedom’ and ‘the work of a djinn’. The tailor that came up with the idea wasn’t executed – according to Rani’s knowledge, but her mother could be very secretive – just because a lot of noblewomen enjoy the novelty of the apparel. Or more exactly, the fact that it made their breasts look bigger than they were.

Those poor women weren’t as well-endowed as Rani, because she never had those thoughts.

“But even if that were the case, it isn’t that remarkable, truth be told.” Aaliyah reached for a set of grapes in a bowl. They were already removed from the branches and unseeded. If she was even more squeamish, she would even have them peeled.

“And how’s so?” Rani just conformed herself with a goblet of wine. The sultanah always kept the best stuff to herself, so it was almost a tradition to raid her reserves. “Twice the total amount of vitality is nothing to scoff at.”

“I mean, it is not, especially for non-cultivator blood to have that base vitality.” She downed another grape, her long finger touching the root of her tongue. Why has she to be this sensual when I’m the only one around? “Sure, it may be good breeding material, but the thing is, and always will be, the woman is the better cultivator. It doesn’t matter if we just pair her up with one of the male sultanzade to make babies, it will matter more the ability of the mother, and I’m not going to teach a peasant my Nurture.”

“I mean, she’s far from a peasant. Her family has been a supporter of the emirate of Sadina.”

“You said she wasn’t a noble?” Aaliyah asked after eating a handful more of the grapes. That bowl was dwindling fast.

And, as a matter of fact, Rani had not. She had not once in the conversation mentioned the girl’s social standing, yet Aaliyah just knew. Whilst the sultanah threads tread deep in intrigue, Rani doubted she had known of the girl. Such menial things weren’t of her interest. If she knew, it was because of Rani’s very own tone of speech. Maybe a master of combat, but that didn’t remove the fact that Aaliyah was an experienced orator.

“Bankers.” Rani clarified.

“Ah. Those.” Aaliyah groaned. “They are as much as a pest as the assassins, not going to lie. At least they contribute to the country instead of just starving it.” She sighed. “Pass me so wine, darling.”

Rani flinched at being called darling, shivers sent all over her body, but she obeyed and got up from her throne-like armchair. She grabbed a gilded goblet and poured the white wine. How curious that she was now an emir, the ruler of the second richest region of Ydaz, and she was serving wine.

“Ah, that hits the spot,” Aaliyah said after drinking the whole goblet in a single gulp. The woman was, of course, unaffected by the alcohol. She made a lazy gesture for Rani to pour her more. “I’m starving, I should order some found. Do you fancy steak?”

“Always.” The wine-pouring emir responded diplomatically. “Why don’t you ring for the maids?”

“Because I haven’t finished talking with you, darling.” The hidden message in her words was obvious, she didn’t want others to hear the contents of this conversation. Then the sultanah caressed Rani’s hand, making it extremely difficult for her to keep a straight face.

Cutaneous-based charm is way stronger than presence-based, you damned woman! Rani quickly removed her hand before she began lusting for her own mother. The sheer thought made her nauseous.

“Then talk,” Rani said rubbing her own hand. “I wouldn’t like to see you hungry.” And that was true.

Aaliyah had spent so much vitality in her little morning demonstration that she could probably eat an elephant. At least her fat reserves were far more efficient than that of common people.

“I have a few things to comment on, but first. What did you say it was the name of that girl of yours?”

Rani ignored the obvious implication behind her mother’s words and taciturnly responded. “Aloe Ayad.”

“Ayad, huh...” The sultanah’s eyes drifted in thought.

“Aaliyah?” Rani asked out of pure stupefaction. Aaliyah-al-Ydaz didn’t let her mind drift like that. Her mind was as much of a bastion as it was her body.

That expression was not one that she associated with her, and that scared Rani. Aaliyah was a woman of action; she did not need to think, and she could afford to do so.

“Oh right, it’s just a familiar surname.” The sultanah took a weak sip of her goblet as she gestured for Rani to sit down. “It doesn’t change things, I still won’t let a weakling Nurture themselves, even if they are presented with a desirable mutation. But...” She traced her lips with her fingers. Rani didn’t know if it was to taste the wine or more tenacious propositions. “...I’d like to see this girl.”

“Do you want me to bring her?” Rani proposed.

“Is she here in the palace?”

“No, I left her in Sadina.”

“Then it doesn’t matter.” Aaliyah dismissed it with a wave of her hand. “Scratch that, I do want to see her, but not now. I’m tired. Maybe in a month or so. Too many things have happened in the last weeks and I just want to rest.”

Says the woman that spends half a day drinking and whoring, and then sometimes decides to beat her children for the fun of it. 

“If that’s your wish, it will be done,” Rani responded with a smile. “Was that all?”

“No.” She added shortly, a bit annoyed with her daughter’s impatience. “As I’ve said I had multiple things I wanted to talk about with you. This next one involves your scribes. Sadina has lost most of them, hasn’t it?”

Rani nodded. “With my promotion, Sadina has lost its sultanzade scribe; besides losing the noble supporter scribe from Hassan’s departure, and his stupid tantrum causing the death of the commoner scribe.”

“I see.”

Rani saw it in the sultanah’s eyes, she couldn’t care less. But at the same time, it was protocol. A scribe of imperial blood, a scribe dotted with exceptional intellect (now they were from universities but before they used to be clerics), a scribe of noble blood, a scribe blessed with riches, and finally, a scribe of the people.

Previous sultans saw appropriate the representation of social classes, with minimal action they could reduce a lot of unrest this way.

“I don’t care about the latter, but you need with haste that sultanzade position covered.”

“Something tells me you have already thought of someone.” The emir indulged in her own wine.

“But of course.” Aaliyah copied her daughter’s gesture. “It’s one of my younger children, Naila, who I have in mind.”

Aaliya-al-Ydaz was a horrendous mother, no one would negate that – unless they were in her presence, of course – but it had to be admitted she did remember her every child. And whilst that would be a given with any mother, it was Aaliyah the subject of this matter, and in all fairness, she had more children than most. Her progeny was enough to populate a village. She is a grand-grandmother, for heaven’s sake!

And whilst Aaliyah could recall the faces of all of her children, Rani could not say the same. She hadn’t even seen some of her half-siblings just because there were so many and so spread around the country.

“And who is she exactly?” Rani asked.

“Oh, darling. You were talking with her during the spar!” Aaliyah chuckled.

“Oh... her.” She hadn’t paid much attention to the young sultanzade. Though Rani wouldn’t deny she had been brave at being the first to try to hit Aaliyah.

She had heard us talking. The princess sighed mentally. Why doesn’t that surprise me? At least she hadn’t said anything particularly damming in that conversation. Nothing that she wouldn’t directly say to Aaliyah’s face.

“But why?” Rani refuted. “She’s so... young. And a fighter. She won’t do for scribe material.”

“Yes, Naila is young. Fourteen I think, maybe already fifteen?” The sultanah twirled her hair around her finger deep in thought. “Yes, fifteen. She shares her birthday with Shal. Anyways. You are right she’s young.”

“Too young.” The emir continued. “I have no problem with you forcing children onto me, but I’m running an emirate here. Cities depend on the management of these scribes, and a child won’t suffice.”

“Rani, oh Rani.” Aaliyah chuckled. It unsettled her more being called by her name than by monikers, she now realized. “Have you forgotten which type of people are talking about? Naila may be young, and more fighting-focused than anything. But she’s a sultanzade, and I won’t tolerate one of my children to be a dimwit.”

Aaliyah-al-Ydaz hated stupidity.

That statement was known by everyone in Ydaz. In the end, she had forced education down everyone’s throat. You could be chaste, you could be weak, you could be poor, but if you were stupid? That was something she could not tolerate.

Some thought that Aaliyah hated children, but she wouldn’t have a legion of them if that were the case.

No, she just hated incompetence and ignorance.

It just so happened that children were like that unless you beat some sense into them. More than once, literally. Especially when talking about Aaliyah-al-Ydaz.

Most speculated that was why she was so favorable toward the scholars and the universities. Aaliyah – sometimes – was as wise as she was strong.

“Naila isn’t as competent as you are with statecraft, rhetoric, diplomacy, subterfuge, writing, or anything else that may be remotely useful for running a country, but her education is far superior to that of most scribes you may find out there. I made sure out of it.”

Shivers were sent down Rani’s spine with the last sentence. She recalled her education.

It wasn’t a pleasant one.

But she survived.

And, much to her displeasure, thrived.

“And besides, Naila has potential.”

Rani raised her brows. “With that you mean...?”

“Yes, of course. I won’t live forever; contrary to what other people may think. Her fighting skills are the most promising of her generation, and I don’t think there won’t be many more future generations. I’m getting rather tired of nursing critters. And don’t make any new ideas. You are not suitable, Rani. Your Nurture is honestly pathetic. But your managing skills are too good to not be used. Naila, on the other hand, shows potential in her Nurture.”

“So you truly mean it...” Rani said agape.

“Yes.” Aaliyah boredly smiled. “Naila is suitable as my heiress.”