The Sultanah Ch. 06

"First of all, that is what Hain and Sadik are going to do it," Cin replied, "The Sultanah is the richest person in the Empire, but her wealth is mostly tied up in non-liquid assets. Further, the resources of the various lords together far outstrip her power."

"Well then we need to find out what he likes that money can't buy. What sort of office does he want? I am sure Duke Göstermelik would relinquish the Privy Seal if we ask," Agiz suggested.

"Maybe," I said, feeling that the offer was weak. I wanted something that the man could not resist. An office that came with real responsibilities didn't seem to fit the bill. I needed to know more about him personally.

"Sir Sakşakçı..." Kardes said, as though she was thinking out loud, "You don't suppose his wife is the Lady Kukla Sakşakçı, do you?" Everyone turned and looked at my sister. Her brow was knitted and it was clear she was thinking deeply.

"It is not a common name," Cin replied, "It is likely. Why? Do you know the Lady? Would she have insight into how the gentleman might be bought?"

"I knew her somewhat what I left here years ago when she was a trouble-making child in the city. Just one of those little girls whose father worked in the palace. I have re-acquainted myself with her in recent months, just in passing. She is often at receptions and manages to get invitations generally above her station. I was a bit surprised to find her there at first. She is of low birth obviously, but perfectly charming and, in fact, quite beautiful. However, there are rumors at court amongst the married women and widows," she hinted. Now she was starting to smile slyly, it was clear she had something of substance.

"What about the rumors?" I asked, sounding only slightly less impatient than I felt.

"If what I have heard is true (and some of what I have heard has come directly from the lady's mouth), it isn't Sir Sakşakçı that you need to buy," Kardes explained. As she spoke, so confidently, I thanked Gunes for my older sister. Who would have known someone who, so recently, had been essentially a stranger, would eventually become such a necessary ally? Who else could infiltrate the ladies of the court? I was certainly no longer welcome there.

"What do you mean," Arkadas asked.

"I mean that in Sir Sakşakçı, the Lady holds the sword. Whatever she wants, she gets," Kardes explained devilishly. There was no way that Hain or even Sadik would dare to approach the man's wife. It would not be seemly. But the Sultanah? Well, a visit would be an honor and totally appropriate.

"I know a little something about the woman carrying the sword," I said, arching my eyebrows, "I better find out what she wants so she can get it."

* * * * *

"Gunes be praised, the Sultanah!" a voice said through the small crack in the door. I ducked my head slightly.

"Please my Lady, keep your voice down. I am out alone," I hissed at her and looked around me. I was in a part of Şehir I traveled to only very infrequently. I was in a small neighborhood where impoverished nobleman rented small apartments for their stays in the city. Most of the people staying here spent most of their time, under normal circumstances, outside of the city on their farms. But circumstances had driven them here, to a dead end street near the Eastern wall. The apartment buildings here were four or five stories tall and made of dully, gray stone. The street itself was only four feet wide and the apartments essentially kissed one another across the short distance. It was night now, but it would have been dark in the daylight. Garbage choked the narrow streets and I could hear rats splashing through puddles and gnawing on scraps.

I had arrived at one of these small apartment buildings just a few minutes earlier. I had received a report from Soyguncu that Sir Sakşakçı had left with several other rural noblemen in the direction of a tavern they often frequented. I was assured that Lady Kukla Sakşakçı was home and that her husband would not return for some time. I had been waiting, in disguise, in a different tavern nearby. I had been waiting most of the day for my opportunity and I had grabbed it immediately. I had rushed to the building (the location of which I already knew), in the alley I removed my disguise (exposing my normal, elegant robe in its place), and climbed the rickety ladder from the ground floor to the landing on the third story. This was the location of Sir Sakşakçı's front door. As I knocked, Soyguncu was standing in the alley below and Saygili, nervous and disapproving, was somewhere nearby with a cadre of loyal guards. Just in case. But I thought it necessary to humble myself before Lady Kukla Sakşakçı and to come without a formal retinue. Also, it was better to surprise someone with the Imperial presence.

It is hard to say what I was feeling then. The situation was a major threat to my Empire and to my personal power. This was the strongest move yet that my internal enemies had made against me. But I felt somehow surprisingly calm. I was feeling more confident in my abilities than I had ever had before. I had faced dozens of challenges at that point. Even though I didn't know how I would solve this problem, I was beginning to expect that I would solve them. That confidence was essential. And besides, the afterglow of my trip to the harem had not worn off completely; I still felt more relaxed. In fact, I felt like I was simply taking more pleasure in my duties as Sultanah. There was no reason for my tasks to be a chore, so long as I did them well.

"Oh dearest me, I ain't no lady!" the woman behind the door mumbled slightly. Her face was red with embarrassment and she seemed unwilling to meet my eyes. But she had recognized me simply by my face and the sound of my voice. My reach with the people was growing, "I am Sir Sakşakçı's maid and such. Well, a good deal more than that of course. I watch the little ones and I clean and I..."

"Hizmetçi, who on Earth are you talking to?" a more youthful voice called from behind the slit in the door. The maid looked even more flustered.

"Well it is..."she said loudly, then remembering my injunction, "May she just come in my Lady? I am sure you will want her to..."

"What are you talking about?" Lady Kukla Sakşakçı asked, sounding annoyed but as though she were used to her maid's odd behavior. The maid did not respond to the Lady's question. Her mouth just opened and closed like a beached fish. I looked around the dank alleyway and smelled the putrid smell of the garbage. I did not want to be exposed to the environment long because of the danger, but more so because of its filth.

"Oh fine, if it is a woman, then let her in," Lady Kukla Sakşakçı said in an exasperated tone. I hoped I was not causing her grief before I begged for her help. The Maid unlatched the door and opened it wider, stepping back to let me in. Light poured out from the apartment, blinding me slightly. I stepped in quickly and the door closed behind me.

"I present to you the Sultanah of Ülke and first of her name since the founding of the Hanedan..." The maid began. I felt like blushing and looked to make sure the door was sealed against her noise.

"That is not necessary," I said quickly and the maid quieted herself. Now that I was in the apartment, my eyes began to adjust to the lantern light that illuminated it. It was a very small apartment. It appeared to be just two rooms. One room, to my left, looked like the place where the maid and perhaps a few children slept. In fact I could see at least two children lying in the bed at that time. There was a slightly larger room directly ahead of me where the Lord and his Lady slept. The apartment was much cleaner on the inside than the outside would imply, with freshly painted yellow walls and fresh straw on the floor. But it was very sparsely furnished. Each room had a bed and there was a small table in the master bedroom, with two squat chairs. A woman was sitting at one of those chairs now facing me.

She was, as my sister had stated, quite beautiful. She was, I was a bit embarrassed to note, apparently getting undressed for bed, as she was wearing only a pair of white knickers, her red corset, and a loose, opened robe over top of it. She was around 5'5 and somewhat slim (though the corset must have accounted for some of it). She had very long, brown hair that was now out of its long braid and hanging messily over her shoulders. She had large, intelligent brown eyes, a small nose, and in inquisitive mouth. Her somewhat pointed ears gave her a slightly mousy, though not unappealing appearance. Her breasts were quite large and pushed up high on her chest by her corset. Her stomach appeared flat and she had a very dramatic flair from her narrow waist to her wide hips (narrow even for the corset to account for). She appeared to have a round, full bottom and slender, elegant limbs. In short, she was the kind of beauty that was far from common, but her rise from low birth to a Lord's wife could not be accounted for solely by looks. She was not quite as beautiful as say, a member of the harem. She must've had some intelligence, some craftiness. That intelligence was apparent and enhanced her sensual appeal.

Her shrewdness was apparent not only from her appearance, but also from her bearing. The Sultanah had just walked into her room, essentially unannounced. Yet, she did not look flustered like her maid. She seemed to consciously choose not to be embarrassed by the exposure of her body. In fact, she displayed no untoward emotions. She did not appear nervous or confused. She simply bowed her head slightly.

"Sultanah Varis. I cannot describe to you the honor you bring to my humble home. I wish only I had known that you were to arrive, so that I could prepare refreshments for your visit," she spoke slowly and with careful measure of her words. She acted as though I dropped by often and was only surprised by the hour and nature of my arrival. I admired her composure. It might be fun to see what kind of woman she was.

"You cannot be blamed. I chose to arrive unannounced," I said and nodded back to her.

"Regardless, I must apologize for the oversight," she said. For a woman of low birth, she certainly knew the manner in which a lady was expect to speak, "And I further apologize for my husband's absence. He just left for the Two Bells Tavern. I am sure you could catch him if you go quickly."

"No. That won't be necessary," I said, leaving it at that. I decided to test the woman's intelligence, see if she knew why I was here. She smiled slightly but did not immediately speak.

"I just can't believe it!" the Maid said, reminding me again that she was present. I turned to her and smiled awkwardly. Lady Kukla Sakşakçı looked annoyed.

"Hizmetçi, the Sultanah and I have a matter to discuss. Could you please go into the children's room and ensure they stay asleep?" she asked, clearly understanding that this was to be a meeting of some importance. I wondered if she had some inkling of what I was going to speak with her about. But I was still growing used to the idea that any visit from me was necessarily important and that people naturally expected something monumental when I arrived.

"Of course my Lady," the maid said after a moment. Her mouth was hanging open with a slightly as she stared at me with awe. Her voice sounded disappointed, as though she had wanted to sit with me, to hear whatever it was I had to say, even if she did not understand.

"Now," Lady Kukla Sakşakçı said forcefully but without malice. The maid jumped slightly and then nodded again. She then turned and walked briskly into the adjoining room, "And close the door behind you," the Lady added quietly. The mad did not speak again, but she kept her eyes on me with a rapt expression as she slowly closed the door. Once we were alone, I turned back to Lady Kukla Sakşakçı.

"Lady Kukla Sakşakçı..." I began. The lady lifted her delicate arm.

"Kukla, please. You are a guest in my home, I insist on informality," she said, her voice sounding calm, almost soothing. I appreciated the delicacy with which she had interrupted me and for a moment I was nearly compelled to reciprocate her informality. But I remembered why I was here. It was necessary that I gain this woman's trust and informality would go some way toward that. But more importantly, I was here to impress upon her the regality of my bearing and the physical presence of my power. "Call me Varis," hardly had the correct amount of gravitas.

"Kukla, then," I began and she bowed her head slightly to show that she was honored that I would speak to her in a familiar name.

"Thank you Sultanah Varis, you honor me," she said and now it was my turn to be impressed. She had taken the cue completely. Further, despite the fact that she likely had no idea why I was standing in her squalid apartment, she did not ask. She recognized my prerogative to choose when to speak. I stood in a silence for a moment and simply eyed her. I wanted her to feel the weight of my choices, to know I did what I wanted when I wanted. She stood patiently, motionless. She did not seem haughty or annoyed but also did not appear to tremble before my office. She suddenly looked even more attractive to me than she had before. I decided it was a good time to use charm rather than raw power.

"I am sure you are wondering why I have come," I began slowly.

"The question had crossed my mind, Grace," Kukla said with a sly smile. I laughed a little.

"I came to congratulate you," I said simply and raised my hands in a slightly before me in a benedictory fashion. For the first time, Kukla seemed a bit off-put. She crossed her arms in front of her breasts, recognized the defensive nature of her posture, and dropped her arms again.

"Congratulations Sultanah?" she asked.

"Oh I know it has not been made official yet, but I have heard about it," I said. I wondered if she was playing at ignorance or if she

"I apologize Sultanah," she said, sounding sincere, "I wish to accept your congratulations, as they are an honor I would never have expected. And yet, I must confess, that I know not of what you speak." Her eyes had fallen from mine and she looked a bit uncomfortable now. I could tell she was sincere. I laughed slightly and she raised her head.

"Oh I am not laughing at you my Lady," I said after a moment, "it is just...men are so predictable are they not?"

"I am finding little predictable of late, Sultanah," Kukla said, at a loss. I laughed again, this time a bit genuinely amused by her confusion.

"It appears that your husband has failed to tell you about the honor he received from the Peers this day. It is much like a man to forget something that could be of great important to his wife. He did not mention the Executive Assembly at all?" I asked.

"Oh," Kukla said, realization dawning on her face. I wondered if I, and my sister, had overestimated her intelligence, "he mentioned something about a committee to which he had been selected. He said only that it was something chosen by the Peers and..." she stopped suddenly, realizing she had said too much. It was strange how clearly I could see this now, this little dance.

"And?" I asked.

"And..." she hesitated, then spoke with a sigh, "that it did not pay any additional money." It was quite clear now that Sir Sakşakçı had either concealed the nature of his elevation from his wife...or was completely ignorant to it.

"Your husband is too modest it would seem. A mere committee!" I said jovially, "He has been selected as one of only five assemblymen in the entire realm to act as my executive counselors. Your husband will rank with Duke Hain, Lord Örnek, Lord Sadik, and Duke Göstermelik. He will be making decisions that affect the entire Empire." Kukla's eyes began to swim. Her mouth dropped open slightly.

"Hain and Sadik?" she asked, pinpointing the factional leaders in the Peerage.

"And Örnek and Göstermelik," I finished.

"My husband?" she asked incredulously. She seemed completely dazed now but I could tell she was trying to keep her composure, to not give anything away while she figured out the nature of the

"I admit, I have had little contact with your husband. But it seems he has the respect of the Lords," I said, "Think of all the other men of greater means that could have been selected. It must be your husband's wisdom that attracted the votes of the Peers."

"Yes, I am sure that is it," Kukla said wryly. Apparently she well understood the limitations of her husband and could not, despite some effort, hide her disdain for him. I could almost hear her swearing him for his stupidity under her breath. He did not understand the import of his office. But apparently his wife did. This was a coup if I could play my cards right.

"Well this is a pleasant surprise as well, not only to be able to offer you congratulations, but also to bring you the very news!" I said with enthusiasm. Kukla nodded dreamily. But I could see the gears of her mind working; she was trying to figure things out.

"My Sultanah," she said after a brief pause, "forgive me, but I must ask you something."

"Of course," I said, and now it was clear she was grasping the situation.

"I am humbled and honored that you have chosen to congratulate me on my husband's recent...elevation. But, why me? I told you where my husband had gone, you could have congratulated him," Kukla said. She seemed to have controlled her swoon now and she was looking at me with clearer eyes. Penetrating eyes. I felt a slight flutter and wondered what it meant.

"You would not believe that I simply prefer to bring pleasant tidings to women, would you?" I said coyly and Kukla smiled. I wondered now the best tact. I could continue to hint at things, to play the game I had been playing. But I had already thrown her off balance. There were limits to my time and what I could achieve with winks and nudges. Now, I decided, was the time to be blunt and honest. If this wife was shrewd and intelligent, as I suspected she was, then she would appreciate some straightforward talk, just between us girls.

"Your husband is a man of little material wealth and even lesser reputation," I said coldly, Kukla reared back as though smacked, but did not dare contradict me, "Duke Hain, Lord Örnek, Lord Sadik, and Duke Göstermelik are amongst the most powerful men in the land. It just so happens that two of those men, the two you named, lead the two largest factions at court. Your husband was selected, I suspect, for his pliability. The men of the Assembly do not respect, perhaps should not respect him, and so they engineered his elevation so that he could be bribed, cheaply, and used as a tool." Kukla's eyes grew wide and her mouth opened once, then closed again.

"I..." she began after a long pause.

"Do not feel the need to defend him; I do not begrudge your decision to marry him. It was shrewd, a quality I appreciate," I said quickly, not knowing whether she actually intended to defend him or not. Her eyes flashed in recognition of the compliment.

"Hain and Sadik are going to pull out all the stops to buy your husband's vote. Hain is richer and so, if he were buying your husband, he would win," I finished. Kukla made a non-committal gesture with her hands.

"But those men, and all the Peers, have underestimated your husband. They did not realize that he is a mere puppet, a cipher. They did not realize that they will be trying to bribe an inanimate object. I came to congratulate you because, without your knowledge, you have earned a spot by proxy on the Executive Assembly. And to ask that you support my choice for Chancellor of the Council." I said finally. I crossed my arms in front of my breasts and peered forward. I watched Kukla's movements, trying to read their significance. For a moment I saw her think about denying my charge, to claim she was nothing more than a devoted wife and mother. I had stripped away her mask and she felt uncomfortable in the glare. But I saw her recognition that I had found the truth, and her respect that I had done so. After a few moments, she gestured to the chair opposite her.