Day 5: The Adventures of Baby Nadia
Also this was lowkey soft I–
Also once more thank you @nadia-appreciation-blog
“Didi, you’re too young.”
“You won’t like it, I promise.”
Nadia was green with jealousy. Everyone was having fun, laughing in the parlor while she had to go to bed. Even Natiqa was staying up–and she wasn’t that much older than her!
They were all talking and drinking that…wine. Her blood boils when she remembers Nazali calling it ‘adult grape juice’ she is a smart 5 year old, she knows what wine is!
Another peal of laughter and Nadia grumbles, slipping out of bed, careful to evade her nannies and caretakers as she slips out of bed. She didn’t want to be caught again. Not when she’s a woman on a mission.
Once she’s sure they’ve retired (and once she’s sure she’s not going to fall asleep) she slips out of her room, careful not to trip the magic set and once the coast is clear, she hurries down the hall, having wrapped her long hair in a messy ponytail.
‘Never let your curiosity remain unsatisfied. Test your boundaries and don’t be afraid to learn,” she remembers the High Priestess saying. So she doesn’t. She’s ready to taste that ‘adult grape juice’ and she knows her parents have a wine cellar at the bottom of the kitchen.
She just needs to avoid getting spotted.
Which was a lot harder than she realized. She had almost been caught by the guards patrolling the palace. Having to duck last minute behind curtains and stopping her giggles when they miss her. But she can’t afford to giggle–not when she’s bent on tasting wine.
So she waits, usually holding her breath until the light from the guards magic fades before she crawls out of her hiding space into the hall and she goes back on her adventure. She makes sure she gives a wide berth from the room–her parents always somehow knew she was awake if she tried to listen in on them.
It was a long journey but she had managed to go down the stairs and enter the kitchen. She had some dirt on the hem of her nightgown, and she probably had a trail of dirt leading into the kitchen. But Nadia saw a bottle of some wine and immediately makes a beeline towards it.
She just needs to carefully–and quietly–push the stool so she can climb up and taste it. Nadia does some careful maneuvering, careful not to make too much noise and once she’s pushed it, she climbs up.
Admittedly (though she wouldn’t admit it,) it takes Nadia a couple of tries before she manages to get up on it. Her feet kicking and her stomach flat on the surface as she hangs there, wondering how to get herself upright. A few more tries and she does it.
Hands grasping the edge she pulls herself upright and holds on as the stool wobbles, and she almost falls but she manages to hold on. Now that she’s secure, she looks at the bottle for a moment reaching out and holding it.
It was chilled, and very cold. She sniffs the opening and it smells sweet, like little fruits. A swell of pride rises in her chest for being able to smell it and thinking she likes it already.
She tries to raise it to her lips and take a drink but it was slippery. The bottle fumbles in her grasp and she drops it. Her eyes close and she expects to hear the crash but it doesn’t come.
Slowly, she opens her eyes and finds a hand on the stool, and another hand on the bottle. She looks up to find Nazali looking at her with a knowing, stern expression.
“It’s past your bedtime, Dia.” They says, raising the bottle and placing it on the table once more. “You should be asleep.”
“I know.” She says and she feels relieved, but it’s quickly overtaken by some annoyance. “But it’s unfair–Tiqa gets to stay up! And I don’t…I want to try wine! I’m already 5!”
Nazali raises a brow at her, “Dia, you’re 5…you’re just 5.” They repeat. “Staying up isn’t just about wine. It’s about–a lot of things. You’ll understand when you’re older. Promise, we’ll let you spend time with us.”
“But I want to try wine.” She repeats, pouting. “I want to drink.”
Nazali sighs, and pretends to cave in to her desire. They pull out a wine glass and pours a quarter of the wine from the bottle into the glass. “Careful.” They caution. “You need to let it breathe before drinking.”
Nadia was dejected at first, expecting them to put it away or scold her some more–not expecting the approval. She nods, eagerly taking the glass in both hands and gently swirling it just how Mother does it.
She takes another deep whiff, very aware of Nazali watching her and takes a deep gulp.
Nadia has never felt any more regret in her 5 year old life. It was bitter, the smell of fruits a lie, and she gags, almost spitting the wine out but she forces herself to swallow. Nazali must have seen her distress because they take the glass from her and set it on the table.
Her throat burns, and it makes her ears and chest flush. It tasted so bitter–and she was so lost to the taste she didn’t notice Nazali hand her a glass of water until they place it in her hands and she gulps it all down.
“So…bedtime?” Nazali asks, trying not to sound so smug. “Or do you want to stay up and drink some more?”
“No more,” Nadia says shaking her head. “I want to go to bed.”
Very rarely does Nadia let anyone carry her anymore but she lets Nazali carry her this time, leaning into them as they go out of the kitchen and go up the stairs.
“How did you know I was in the kitchen?” Nadia asks with a yawn. “I was so quiet…”
“Well, I was going to get the bottle of wine but then I saw the flower pot looked very redecorated and there was dirt everywhere.” They chuckle as they bring her to her room.
To Nadia’s surprise and joy, they set her in and though she tries to hide her happiness she’s happy Nazali tucks her in to bed.
“Now, go sleep, Dia.” They say, patting her head and giving her hair a little ruffle. “See you tomorrow. Good night.”
“Goodnight, Nazali.” She says and watches them leave. Going to sleep and promising herself that she’ll never drink wine again.
