Cultivating Plants

The palace of Sadina became quite a different place for the eve of the new year. Not only was the day's audience canceled – which Aloe thanked immensely – but every inhabitant of the palace was prohibited from working and instead was to attend the princesses' party.

This, of course, didn't include the servants.

But ever-so-careful with the public image, Rani decreed that whilst not actively working, the servants of the palace could enjoy the many services provided. Food and entertainment among many others.

Aloe had never been a party person, and the wheelchair certainly didn't help, so she just took this opportunity to practice her stealth. Thanks to her short stature and unappealing looks, she had always been easy being no more than background noise.

For the first time in a while, if not ever, the scribe was able to see Lulu work in the palace, beyond assisting her.

Talking about someone fulfilling their duty, thanks to the influx of people and the sheer crowds that gathered at the palace today, all guards were on duty. Even city guards.

Not only did Aloe see Nesrine patrolling the palace, but also Jafar.

It made sense that they increased the security of the perimeters as many nobles that were usually splintered across the city and emirate now gathered in a single spot, on top of members of the imperial family, but the overwhelming number of armed soldiers brought more insecurity to Aloe than otherwise.

But if the assassins were to strike, it would likely be on a day like this one.

Not that the scribe of commoners thought that assassins were to assault the palace like they had done many years ago as they remained silent as of late, no inconspicuous activity had been alerted, but the possibility still existed.

Aloe concentrated on being herself as inconspicuous as possible. As possible as it was whilst being the only person in the palace in a wheelchair.

It wasn't only the guards that made her fidgety, but also the nobles. It didn't matter that she held one of the highest positions in the city and she technically had a knighthood, she was still a commoner.

Fortunately for her, if a noble wanted a favor, they would first go to either the scribe of nobles or of commerce. One was a fellow and the other one accepted bribery. It wasn't that the others were incorruptible, but trying to bribe the princess of the very country you served, or a diehard seeker of knowledge was a fool's errand.

Of course, Aloe didn't even factor in their calculations most of the time.

It was no surprise that most nobles looked at her over the shoulder – everyone already did – but there was a disdain born from superiority that would destroy the nobles' ego if they ever tried to seek the help of a commoner. They already hated drawing the line at bourgeois, after all.

I guess it wouldn't be hard to become a bourgeois myself… Aloe sighed over a glass of wine. The sounds of the flutes and tambourines did nothing to soothe her head. I'm richer in liquid assets than most thanks to my gold and silver, but no one would bat an eye unless I managed a business or two, and honestly, I don't have the mind for that.

As ostentatious as the day was, nothing much happened beyond the diverse music, plentiful food, and many fleeting faces. One memory that did strike Aloe was how Naila Asina had danced. It was rare to see the stoic girl unleashed, and even more so drunk, but at the end of the day, it was her birthday.

Not many recognized that her dance was, in fact, a set of complex kata. The dead giveaway was that she performed the dance with her tulwars at hand, but her skimp clothing and the graceful movements reminded too much of belly dancing and soon people gathered around the seemingly expert young imperial dancer.

The scribe of commoners ached for the day to be over as soon as possible, she never fared well around drums, and whilst they might not be drums of war, the reverberations affect both her stomach and humor deeply.

Even when this celebration was that of two princesses and the new year's coming, Rani-al-Sadina stole the eyes of every onlooker. Quite literally, she was born in the purple.

And she showed it.

The emir of Sadina portrayed purple silks more expensive than warships, golden chains heavier in coin than the coffers of entire merchant companies, and enough make-up to run a troupe of actors.

Most people would have looked silly with such clutter of paraphernalia, basically, the person being worn by the trinkets. Few would manage to wear the expensive attire as her.

Aloe would have blamed the success of the make-up on the sultanzade's charm stance if it wasn't because the needless white dust on her body came out more traditional than anything else. Sulnaya priestesses wore white for the heavens were once such color – or so said the dull sermons – but it wasn't uncommon to interpret it as milky-white skin instead of white robes.

Commoners or nobles, everyone placed her eyes on the radiance of the emir. Aloe, on the other hand, preferred to avoid it. The scribe followed Fatima's advice and shifted to the stealth stance to be less affected by the purple woman's charm.

This reminds me that I have yet to think of my own name for the rest of the stances. She downed the rest of her glass and stole another one from the tray of a distracted passing servant. It's normally difficult to come up with one, but I have the perfect infusion name for stealth: subterfuge. Simply perfect. Elegant and straight to the point. Though I'll admit camouflage is more correct.

She was well aware that the alcohol was slowly getting on her head.

That much was shown when the emir had disappeared from the party, her thoughts too beholden to the bottom of the glass to notice. Considering that there was no longer anyone forcing her to stay at the dull party, Aloe disposed herself to make her way inside the palace, the roaring torches illuminating the dark outside becoming too blinding for her.

Or that had been the idea until a maid stopped her.

"The Emir wishes your presence in her bedchamber." The maid announced softly.

N-now? The revelation cut through Aloe's broken stupor. Why now after so many days? Aloe wanted to cry, her thoughts and heart weighing down on her so much that she hadn't noticed that the maid was no longer beside her.

"Ah…" The scribe of commoners sighed in defeat. "Better to not make her wait…"

The corridors of the palace were poorly lit and silent, all the life and the intervention of the servants drawn by the party. Someone could tell her that it was midnight and she would have believed them, though the truth was she no longer knew which day was it.

Slowly, heavily, Aloe knocked on the emir's door. "It is I, Aloe." The wheelchair-bound drunk woman announced.

"Make your way in," Rani commanded.

Aloe was not surprised to find the princess sitting in her bed donning expensive apparel. Whether it was the alcohol or the exuberant clothing, Rani looked more beautiful than ever.

"May I ask the reason behind your summon?" The scribe diplomatically inquired.

"Why ask a question that you already know the answer to?" The infuriatingly gorgeous woman turned a question back with another.

"My apologies." Aloe shallowly bowed. Of course that she knew why she was here.

"Get on the bed," Rani stated cuttingly.

The commoner followed the princess' order but was presented with the challenge of an unmoving woman at the edge of the bed, making her awkwardly flop onto the soft mattress until she pulled her body up without the assistance of her legs.

"You know it is my birthday, right?" Rani said as she looked over her shoulder.

So it's everyone's. The scribe kept the retort to herself and simply nodded.

"Many people have showered me in gifts today, nobles and commoners alike," The emir explained as she slithered across the bed with sensual highlights of her bottom and legs along the way. "But I have yet to receive a gift of your own."

"I…" Aloe's mind was already sluggish thanks to the alcohol, and the fact that Rani's naked foot played with her dress didn't help her gather her thoughts. "W-what would you like for a gift, Rani?"

The corners of the princess' mouth turned upward in overflowing joy. That had apparently been the right question.

"You," Or perhaps the wrong one.

"I-I…" The commoner didn't know how the woman did it, but she found herself blushing as if she was a clueless maiden. "I do not comprehend how this is supposed to work, my liege."

Rani's smile intensified and she extended her leg up in the air. Even if Aloe had never seen the emir work out, the woman's thighs and calves were toned with perfect curves and deprived of any hairs. They were, quite literally, perfect legs.

The foot, characterized by the shining, purple-coated fingernails, descended upon Aloe and placed itself on the collar of her dress.

Then Rani pulled.

There was no way for the scribe to resist the sultanzade's clutches. Not only was Rani sober, but she had the vitality and size advantage. Suddenly she was lying on the bed, with the princess' leg caressing her cheek. Aloe had an uninterrupted line of sight with Rani's head, which comfortably rested on a mound of soft pillows.

"Is it not clear?" Her lips opened to reveal glistering pearls. "I want you to please me."

The message was clear even across the fog of alcohol. This wasn't like the previous time, she wasn't here to be toyed with by Rani but to please her.

Like a prostitute.

Ironically enough, she preferred that. It was easier for her mind to mentalize it, that she was paying a price and selling her body, than being a toy for the woman's desires.

"Undress me." Rani's words were barely a whisper, but they reached Aloe's ears easily.

Awkwardly – as she didn't have great control of her legs – but consistently, Aloe began to remove the scarce pieces of clothing from the princess until she remained totally naked on the bed. Parts of the make-up had washed away on the spots the commoner had touched the princess' skin.

The sultanzade heaved and panted, but as Aloe had yet to do anything at all, she could only guess this was an act to get a reaction out of her.

But another reality presented itself as she lay in bed next to Rani as she peered into her lustful eyes. How am I to please her? Even if she had been bedded twice by two of the pillars of the degeneracy of Ydaz, Aloe had no knowledge of arousal and pleasure. Even if both of them were women, the scribe had little idea how to please herself as it was only until recently that her body had craved any attention. And even then, it was mostly the aphrodisiac's fault.

The only decision at her disposal, then, was to change her flow into glamour.

But her mastery of that specific internal infusion was pathetic, and it would take long to enter into play when Rani interjected with a "Please me~"

At first, Aloe was awkward with her touches. She only vaguely knew of the erogenous zones, mostly recalling what had been done to her. The scribe herself was well aware of that, yet the sultanzade reacted with moans, nonetheless, making her redder than she already was bound to be.

Then charm kicked in.

Perhaps it was the alcohol talking, but her body became a master of arousal, wielding it and distributing it. Aloe panted as her lips and hands reached everywhere, air always in short supplies. The white make-up slowly disappeared from Rani's bronze skin and instead impregnated Aloe's dark skin. The heat increased and increased, lust overwhelming her as she worshipped the emir's body. Until Rani's became a beacon of immaculate lust.

From that instant forward, Aloe recalled not one moment of the night.