Hazia decided that for dinner she would make her special stew and rice. Since there were no meat available for their use as the usual meal for servants only consisted of boiled grains and some vegetables, she used the beans and peas alone. While Kazu lit the stove to cook the peas she had let soak all morning, she sliced up her ingredients for the stew, she added potatoes she had made into small cubes, carrots, onions and other seasonings and spices for aroma and flavor. After the peas were all cooked, she used another pot to melt some animal fat before stir frying her cut up ingredients and spices then the cooked peas and added water before leaving it to boil down to a thick consistency. She cooked the rice last since it was quick and easy to do and she wanted to serve it hot.
After she finished cooking, again under the supervision of other servants, Hazia tried to collect a much information about the current dynamics in the palace as much as she could without being obvious.
Though she already knew the general situation from her foresight of the future she is so determined to change, only partly, it was not the same as hearing about it from those who actually have to experience it. Hazia, with the help of a very chatty maid servant, deduced that at the moment there were three main power houses in the palace, that is besides the King. The harem was mainly ruled by The First Imperial Concubine Sava, who acted as the queen without the title and some other privileges; along with two Second Imperial Concubines, Anja and Aleel.
All three women held immense power in the harem and came from very influential families and held immense power in the royal court, hence why there has been no queen crowned since the previous one died. If any of the ladies were to be crowned, then the delicate balance between the three major families would tilt and just as they had done to Kazu's maternal family, the other would gang up on them and push them out of the fort. So, even though First Imperial Concubine Sava and Second Imperial Concubine Anja had both given birth to the princes for the king, no family was eager to for the queen's crown to land on their family, as they all had bigger appetites. Both these women have fought fiercely throughout the years with each other before reaching somewhat of a stalemate between each other.
But Hazia knew that very soon, this stalemate would be broken as the Second Imperial Concubine Anja would die soon after claiming that she was being haunted by the ghosts of the king's children she had killed; and her son, Prince Kevu, would be left to grow up in the care of First Imperial Concubine Sava. Though, the First Imperial Concubine was not innocent either, as how could she have gotten to her position- second only to the king- without committing some acts of evil. It turned out that she had plotted against the Second Imperial Concubine for revenge as she had prematurely lost a child to her schemes; then she raised Prince Kevu to be a wastrel, never to be even considered for the throne. However, the thrown was never Prince Kevu's goal, he may not be good with weapons and combat, but he was very good with his mind brilliant even. He could be decently credited for much of Kazu's success as his genius strategist. In the end he took the heads of the First Imperial Concubine and her son.
It's no one's place to judge who is right or who is wrong. One avenged a child lost, and the other a mother, in a way their revenge cancelled each other out.
Hazia shook her head, that was none of her business, and certainly not her place to interfere, both women would reap what they sow; but all that was in the unforeseeable future, and it had nothing to do with her or Kazu.
When the maid servants, who went out to work, came back for dinner it was already nighttime. They all quickly ate their food and left after giving some small compliments to the chef.
Soon only Hazia, Kazu and Inae remained in the dimly lit kitchen that had a few oil lamps that were actually strips of cloth roped tightly together and soaked in animal fat and kept in a container of water to prevent it from burning out too quickly. Candles were only for the use of nobles and royals, as well as the wealthy who could afford them.
"You cooked well tonight."
Hazia paused from packing up the leftovers for her and Kazu then turned to face Inae, "Thank you, ma'am." She gave a small bow in gratitude, with her hands covering each other and laying on her stomach.
"My lady has been sick for a few days and hasn't had much of an appetite; you'll start cooking for her in a few days." Inae said straightforwardly and continued to drink her tea while sitting at the table.
Hazia's surprise couldn't be hidden, she wondered why she hadn't tried buying her recipe like the maid servant did earlier that day.
"I will tell you the rules before you meet her. If you behave well, then your later days will be good for both you and your brother." She said with a finality in her tone.
Hazia simply nodded, in her situation she couldn't quite go against Inae's orders even though she really hadn't wanted for her or Kazu to be involved with the people outside of the cold palace too much. But Hazia again thought of how much they could benefit from this opportunity. If they worked directly under a noble woman of the palace it would be a bit easier for them to move around without being afraid of getting discovered for sneaking out of the cold palace.
While Inae continued to drink her tea, Hazia and Kazu packed up the rest of the food and quickly left. They went around in circles a few times to shake off anyone who could possibly be following them before quickly sneaking off back to the cold palace.
"We'll have this for breakfast tomorrow," she told Kazu who nodded his head and went to properly store away their food for the next day, to prevent insects from getting to it.
As it was already dark and they couldn't see much, they quickly went to bed and talking to each other about the day's events, and Hazia excitedly reminding Kazu about their promised new clothes they would be getting the next day.