"Our Vizier is... currently indisposed. She hasn't erged from her chambers for three days and two nights, and even her husband has yet to be granted access inside. So I must apologize on their behalf as the Eldest Scholar of Khisba, Sultana, that this table is rather... barren of important inhabitants."
The older lady from before gave a deep bow to the Sultana, who was lounging on the throne, slowly and thodically peeling one of the apples that rested on the large golden platter in the middle of the table, and her current actions were giving the woman a high amount of anxiety as she waited for an answer.
Around us, servants quietly moved around and set the table, preparing us for the feast to co whilst also serving us wines and fruits to stimulate our appetites, and they too were shaking slightly whenever they had to approach any of us at all, none of them accustod to the pressure of the Sultana, even if she was making no movent or noise whatsoever that could have threatened them.
Anput was gleefully downing a bottle of wine on her own, the Jackalkin pouring herself a glass before draining it only to do so again, while Jahi watched her from the side with a raised brow as she sipped on her third glass.
The two of them were a tad worrying in that regard, but it wasn't... as bad as it could be, since I hadn't really noticed any chance of us getting drunk on sothing that wasn't made from ingredients that were filled with mana; these were made from normal pressed grapes, which ant that we were fine to drink it like water, but still...
"Wine is ant to be savored, Anput, so slow down! Besides, it's unbecoming of a Begum to drink like that!"
My mate glanced at before letting out a sigh, the olive skinned Jackalkin resting her chin on her palm as she dryly asked "But I killed a Fiend, so surely I am allowed to celebrate? It's only natural to want to make rry after defeating an opponent of that magnitude, right? Besides, I almost got injured! C'mon Kat... surely you can understand..?"
Her whining was just as childish as ever, the Jackalkin whom I had co to love so dearly always having this dichotomy between how she acted outside of combat and inside of it, or whenever there was a hamr in her hands; she always seed to be so serious and reliable in those monts, but outside of them...
"Anput, you can still celebrate and be sightly. Slow down a little and actually taste the wine."
Giving a pout, she stared longingly at the bottle as I took it from her, before a slight glint of betrayal entered her eyes as I turned towards the still tired Leone and asked "Do you want so more wine, Leone?"
Muttering to herself about how unfair it was, Anput let out a little huff before crossing her arms as she waited for the food to co instead, and as she did so Leone looked at and nodded, before she asked "Anput... wrist, please..."
The Jackalkin t Leone's crimson gaze and grunted, offering the Vampire her wrist and not letting any noise escape her lips when Leone's nail grew into a sharp talon that sliced cleanly into her wrist, cutting the flesh and allowing her blood to fill the wine glass that I placed under her arm, catching my mate's blood and watching in interest as that crimson liquid painted the glass in a pretty color.
A gasp ca from the Eldest Scholar and a few others of Khisba's governnt, this sight of soone wounding the Begum so casually surprising them quite a bit, but since Anput herself wasn't making a big deal about, they didn't either, even if I could tell their eyes were on Leone.
"She's the Princess of the Empire, Leone Presa-Ash. If you hadn't been able to tell just yet. Jahi Asmodia is the Demoness - yes, that one, the one with the Light Mana - and then there is the last of their little group. Katherine Zara, daughter of Julie Zara, who would have been the head of the Zara Pack if they were still around today."
Finally breaking her silence, the Sultana cut off a slice of the apple and slipped it under her veil, taking a bite of the juicy fruit and enjoying its sweetness as she looked around the table, observing the expressions of her subjects closely as she inford them of who we were.
"All of them are going to be wed to Jahi Asmodia, and they all have close bonds to one another; tightly knit as a family and as a unit too. Besides... she's a Vampire."
All of the officials nodded, though the confusion in their eyes only made the Sultana sigh softly as she waved the knife around, which made them all flinch like they were worried she would go from peeling an apple to peeling their skin simply because they didn't understand.
Raising a brow, I glanced at the Sultana and watched as she slowly moved the knife back to the apple, her ears twitching briefly as she too noticed their reactions, though that barely helped at all; they were all so fearful of her that they likely wouldn't even calm down when she left the room.
"Anyways... you said that the Vizier is bedridden? Was it so kind of heat related illness, or is she suffering from sothing else..? Is it an actual sickness or is she dealing with another ailnt at the mont, like morning sickness?"
The Eldest Scholar pursed her lips before answering the Sultana with a small voice, her eyes stuck to the table as she stamred "I... I am not... entirely aware of h-her condition, Sultana... Like I said, s-she hasn't co out of her room for a few days now..!"
Humming to herself, the Sultana just nodded and took another bite of the apple, her veiled face turning back towards us as she watched Anput fill up the Vampire's glass with her own blood.
The bored expression on Anput's face as she was drained of her blood was rather surprising considering Leone had widened the wound so to get even more, clearly desiring a larger quantity of the Jackalkin's vitae for herself after that fight against the Fiend.
"Is the Academy open still, or is it currently on holiday or so other sort of break? I imagine the Princess would be intrigued to take a look inside one of our many areas of learning within the Sultanate. Perhaps even debate against so of our Scholars?"
Leone glanced at the Sultana before turning her gaze towards the Eldest Scholar, who was frowning at the suggestion, her eyes filled with a conflicted gleam as she hesitantly asked "S-
Should... Should we really be allowing soone not of the Sultanate to enter the Academy, Sultana..?"
"Did I not just say she could enter the Academy?"
Fear swiftly replaced her reluctance, and the older woman bowed her head low as she tried to prostrate herself in her chair, rapidly stamring out "A-Apologies, Sultana..! Many apologies!", which only earned the grunt of the Sultana as she took another bite from the apple.
She was saved by the influx of servants carrying trays laden with food, but even then she shrank in on herself and remained as silent as possible, trying to make the Sultana forget about her 'transgression'.
Sadly for her, the mory of soone like the Sultana was impeccable, and when she turned back towards the older woman and asked "So?", I was not that surprised to see that she stiffened completely, her fur standing up completely as she tried to figure out what to say.
"A-Apologies, Sultana..! The E-Eldest Scholar ant to say that the Academy is open! A-And our Libraries are free for the Princess to peruse at her leisure!"
A man beside the Eldest Scholar spoke up quickly, earning a nod from the Sultana, which caused the room to fall into silence once more, though this ti the air on their side of the table was thick with fear and apprehension, the many Scholars and other officials all going as still as possible and breathing as lightly as possible as they tried to not piss the Sultana off anymore than they believe they had already.
Seeing that, Anput sighed and rolled her eyes, glancing back at her Mom to say "Could you possibly stop pressuring them? I think that old one is liable to have a heart attack if you keep this up.", while I nodded slightly in agreent as I studied the faces of each, agreeing logically with Anput but also wanting this mont to continue on for a few more seconds...
"Stop what? I'm not doing anything at all, dearest daughter. Just sitting here and enjoying this apple; it's sweeter than the ones grown back at Muqai Al-Maedin. You should try one."
Spinning the knife around and pointing it at Anput, the Sultana added "I would never do harm to my people, Anput, especially not those that don't deserve it! I must admit I am a tad disappointed you would think otherwise..."
"Mom... really?"
Giving the Sultana a deadpan look, Anput took her wrist back and lapped at the wound, watching as it began to close slowly, before she sighed and shook her head, muttering "Whatever... weirdo."
I had continued to watch the expressions on the others faces, and it was really hard to maintain a straight face as I took in how they all squird in their seats at that exchange, clearly not expecting their Begum to treat the Sultana with that little respect...
And not understanding why the Sultana was alright with her talking back so openly and brazenly, but when the Sultana just snorted and snapped her fingers, the room went still for a mont before she asked "You, bring that platter of curry."
Now it was impossible for to hold back my smirk, so I looked away from Anput as the first - and currently only - platter of curry was moved from the center of the table back towards the Sultana, who unhurriedly lifted up a piece of naan to begin eating the curry, unbothered by Anput's growling.
"Hm? Is there sothing wrong, my dearest daughter? The food is on the table; you can begin to eat. You must be hungry too, so eat!"
Scooping up so of the curry, the Sultana waved it at Anput and added "I thought you said you were rather famished? The food will get cold, so start!" before taking a bite of the naan, which only made Anput's growl deepen as she glared at the older Jackalkin.
My shoulders were shaking slightly, and I could feel that Jahi was doing her damndest to keep her face straight too as she started to gather together a plate of her own, the bond between us making it as clear as crystal that she was just as amused as I was.
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