31. Aramita (Patreon)

Water crashed against rock and sand in an eternal struggle. Even from their distance from the city and her prone position, Aloe could see the seafoam giving detail and depth to the sea. Like a picture that was being constantly drawn yet never finished, always striving for more detail, never satisfied. She wondered if one day the heavens would stop the waves, finally satisfied with their work.

Sea and desert were alike with their wavy formation, yet something about the moving water captivated Aloe in a way the still sand couldn't.

Shattered and blurry memories appeared in her mind, she had only seen the sea once before in her life, but it had been too long ago, and she had been so young that she couldn't remember anything about the occasion. And the only people that she could question about it were… already gone.

Aloe took a deep breath to distance herself from the pain, yet that gesture welcomed a change. Salty! Her eyes opened like plates in child-like wonder. Moist! The desert smelled dry, yet the ever-stretching pool of salt water that was the ocean was humid. A trivial difference that even a child could point out, yet the scribe revolted in such a trivial matter. Wondrous!

The entourage kept moving toward the sprawling city of Aramita as the sun tainted the horizon with the regal orange of twilight making the sea almost look like a pool of molten gold. From their elevated position they marched down to the port city, but the descent meant the view was peerless. Streaks of purple and pink in the sky descended toward the hiding sun, the city and the star perfectly aligned in the center. It was an image worthy of a drawing.

Having been assaulted by nonstop carnal beauty, Aloe smiled at the natural beauty. People and nature had to be judged differently. And nature didn't hide darkness like people. It simply was. She couldn't feel bad for enjoying it like how it happened with the debauchery of the imperials.

As the road started becoming more solid and an actual functioning road instead of a desert passage, the soldiers stopped the camels and disconnected the sled. Aloe didn't raise her voice for she knew the meaning of their actions. If a thick layer of sand was already this bumpy, rock was bound to be lethal. With a grunt, more of a reflex than veritable exertion, the soldier raised the palanquin and put the rods on top of their shoulders.

The constant and practiced march of the soldiers made it easy for Aloe's body, so much so that she gathered the courage to change her toughness for acuity.

Aramita smelled different. She wouldn't say it smelled bad, but it couldn't be considered a fragrance. Sadina smelled like sand and papyrus, though that was more dictated by her personal experiences. Asina had been a refreshing olfactory experience, smelling of vegetation like her oasis with a tinge of spices due to the wealth of the city. She tried to suppress the memories of the sweet and sex-laden smell of the palace, for in that nest, copulation was a daily activity like teatime. Aramita on the other hand was salt, humidity, and fish. Aloe didn't hate it; it was simply different. And a change of smells was exactly what she needed.

The guards at the city gates didn't even blink at the presence of her entourage. Can they recognize imperial soldiers? Aloe wasn't well-documented in the military hierarchy, but to serve as a guard at the Asina Palace one had to either be rich, influential, or competent. The scribe opted for the latter as her escorts had an aura of poverty to them. However, that didn't eliminate the possibility of some of them being from a fallen noble house – still maintaining social ties but no assets – or a knighthood like her grandfather had technically been.

Houses in Aramita were different than either Sadina or Asina, namely shorter. Their walls were also thicker and overall more rocky, instead of being made from sandstone, adobe, or other materials. They felt as if they had been sculpted directly out of big stones, which wasn't impossible as the Ydazi coastline was mostly uninhabitable thanks to its rough and rocky terrain. Even sand was more arable than rock.

What caught Aloe's eyes though was the canopies. It was typical to raise some canopies between houses or bazaars to block out the harsh desert sun, but here in Aramita, that had been taken to the extreme. She hadn't seen many canopies in Asina because the city's streets were wider than average, meaning it was difficult or expensive to put canopies, but even compared to Sadina, Aramita had more shade than her oasis.

The streets were narrow, and the city was located in a depression that made it so the sun always shone from one of the openings of the valley, whether it was the city gates or the sea. She hypothesized that if there weren't those canopies there, the citizens would boil up.

This place would have been a sprawling metropolis bigger than Sadina if there was more space. She partially lamented how one of Ydaz's best ports was the size of a district back in Sadina.

The soldiers carried her across the city until they reached an open location where the space between houses became wider and the sky was actually visible for the first time in a few minutes.

"Lady Aloe?" Jamal asked before her, turning his head to look at her as he was on the front of the palanquin.

"Yes, Jamal?" Aloe couldn't help but smile. It had been a while since somewhat called her by her name, even Farah had been reticent. Though thinking about the mature maid made her a bit sad for she knew she wouldn't see her again.

"Hassan and I are going to ask around for a lodging. I intend to leave you with Hakim and Halim to watch over you, is that alright?"

"But of course." The scribe nodded. "I would kill for a bed after these few days."

Jamal nodded back at her, and the soldiers coordinated to put the palanquin down. Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't that bad to sleep in the sand, especially if one had a blanket and a pillow. But Aloe preferred a mattress if possible. Jamal and Hassan went their way, Aloe had no idea who they were going to ask, but she had more pressing matters to ponder. Alright, what seed could I use? Can I even buy them? She looked around, but as the sun was setting, most stands were closing or had closed already. Eh, I can do it tomorrow, but I should pick one already.

Aloe wanted to check her notes, but she hadn't brought them to Asina for obvious reasons. If her scribbles made it somehow to the sultanah – and that was before knowing what type of monster Aaliyah was – then all would be over.

What could I evolve from all the things I know? Aloe counted all her evolved plants, or at least the ones she knew how to evolve. Cure Grass, Myriad, Flourishing Spring… she raised her fingers one by one as she counted, Thousand Cuts – I would like to avoid that one, but let's continue – Blossomflame, Grace's Exaltation, Moonlight's Tooth, Nature's Bounty, Chlorotrophy… and I think those are all?

She didn't have a bad memory, but there were many plants she had evolved, and it wasn't like she had bothered to memorize all the details because she had noted them down.

Cure Grass is too simple, and I don't know how I will get grass seeds without raising suspicion. And there are some that are straight-up impossible like Thousand Cuts, Grace's Exaltation, Chlorotrophy, and Nature's Bounty, because I can't recall what seeds they came from for my life. The only real choices are Myriad, Flourishing Spring, and… Moonlight's Tooth? Nah, dandelion is also weird, so it's between these two.

Aloe twirled her head and observed Hakim and Halim. The soldiers stood still, their eyes overwatching the plaza, with the camel reins in their hands. There weren't many people around, and the passersby that were present gave them a weird glance or two, but the imperial soldiers were intimidating enough that they didn't stand for long.

Myriads come from bananas so it would be easy to get them. Hmm, now that I think about it, why does the Myriad look that different from a banana tree? I mean, all evolved plants look a lot different from their base counterparts, but the Myriad is so small in comparison, it's basically an herb! The scribe cracked her neck and stretched her arms. Getting bananas for the trouble will be a bit hard here, but not farfetched, though maybe Flourishing Springs are a better option. And I'll end up using them, unlike the Myriads. If I remember correctly, they evolve from black seeds, right? That's essentially cumin! I could use my crappy excuse from before, and surely, they will love having some black seed seasoning.

A few more minutes later, Jamal and Hassan came back with news as they waved their hands in a salute.

"There are a few inns in the city, but from what I have heard, they are not that… sublime?" Aloe recognized the tone of a man who didn't know how to talk without throwing a curse or two.

Her uncle Jafar was the same, especially when drunk. Poor Aya, grown with such a foul-mouthed parent. That reminds me I haven't seen them in a while. She felt bad for not thinking about them during her stay in Asina. Maybe she hadn't lost everything, and precisely because of that, she felt like trash for not giving them a second thought. I am a horrible person.

"There is also the chance of staying in the barracks." Jamal continued talking, unaware of the scribe's dark thoughts. "We have been offered some lodging. Whilst it may not be up to the quality of your bedchambers, it will beat sleeping in a tent. What do you think, Lady Aloe?"

"I… yes. The barracks are fine." Aloe responded absentmindedly.

The soldiers didn't give her slip much thought and heaved the palanquin up, carrying it to Aramita's barracks. The port city was small, but as it was such an important strategic position, military presence was high. Even the barracks were situated closer to the port rather than the entrance to the city as that was where an attack was most likely as the small city was sandwiched between two of the most important metropolises of Ydaz.

As the entourage made their way into the building, one of the guarding soldiers scoffed at their presence. The meaning of that reaction was crystal clear, but Aloe didn't react. People like those were prone to rage, it was best to not give fuel to the flame.

"Can I get a word, captain?" Aloe heard an unknown voice coming from the side.

"I'll be there," Jamal called out. "Excuse me, Lady Aloe, there is a matter I must attend. I will not be out for long." Their escorts dropped the palanquin in the entrance and Jamal walked into a contiguous room.

Fortunately for her, the barracks were probably the biggest building in the city and even if it was carved into a mountain, they were more spacious than most buildings out there, even Sadina. Not being a nuisance by standing in the middle was more than enough of a comfort to her.

True to his word, Jamal came back a couple of minutes later.

"There has been a small misunderstanding, Lady Aloe." The soldier slightly bowed down. "There are no free rooms, or rather, none for your stay. If we are to rest here, we will need to share the room. Should we carry you to the inn so you can rest?"

Alone? Aloe shivered. She was no longer in Asina, she didn't need to worry about Aaliyah or the other sultanzade, but the squadron of disciplined imperial soldiers had granted her a comfort she hadn't been aware of until now.

"That will not be necessary." Aloe slowly raised her back from the palanquin. The cushions were rapidly gaining her outline. "There is no need for privacy for one night. A bed is more than enough for me." The soldiers had been probably gifted a purse to cover for travel expenses, but money wasn't the issue.

Aloe just didn't want to be alone.