Two Weeks' Time

In Gregorian Calendar: 17th July, 1723

It's been two weeks since I came to the Ottoman hell.

Well, actually, I've been soaking in nicely. There's always some fruits on the plate, friends to have fun with and a new language to learn in the harem school.

But it's not all with the fun. There's this other harem group belonging to the Sultan or whoever. I've always wondered why Shehzade Mahmut didn't get the throne. Well, I've never seen him, although the harem I am in belongs to him. Either way those harem girls are really hostile. I hear shouts from there almost everyday. At least I haven't been into fights, yet. I rarely get to see Sibyl and Nadia because they were taken to that second room, the Sultan's harem. There are far less amount of girls in my harem, and nicer. I've not seen anyone being summoned for the night either.

And I can't get over my previous life. My family. Every night, I get nightmares. Of my home. Crying? Not in front of others, but I do cry.

There are times when I see the admiral near the main door, though it is quite rare. He rarely speaks with the harem girls, but most of the time only passes by to meet someone, I reckon. He seems to like Fatma though- well, to me he never talks and acts as though I never exist. What's even wrong with him? He was quite nice to me before. The bigger question is, I thought the harem never allowed outsiders. Was he not an outsider? But I did see Akbar Effendi here as well. When I asked about it to the harem women, they just laughed and said I born yesterday. But anyways, I am scrubbing the floor now.

For a moment, I look at my own reflection in the water bucket and sigh. Huge dark circles, and I couldn't fix the tangled mess so I just put it in a bun. My looks have seen better days.

"Psst."

I look up. It's Fatma. "Let's bunk this and sneak into the kitchen." Of course.

...

"Good morning Rustem," I greet the old cook. The same person who helped me when I fainted that day. I hadn't known that he was the main cook of the palace. Nor did I know this man is so friendly to the harem girls. He's among the very few people in the palace I can call a 'friend'.

He puts down a pot on the counter and smiles at us both. "Ah, tis you again, don't ya ever get caught?"

"Atike Hatun is slippery, but not as slippery as us!" Fatma replies, lifting the lid of another pot to peek in. "Sweets!"

"Hey- no touchin'. All of these are for the party."

I sniff. "Explains the smell. What's the party for?"

"Shehzade Mahmut's birthday. I remember I used t'prepare honeyed milk when he was a child...time does go by so fast."

"Well, we're children too. Can't your spare us two of those?" I ask.

"No."

I reason, "We'll clean your kitchen! You've been feeding us watery soup for days."

"...Fine. Take two. No more than that!"

Fatma gleefully hands me one of the peculiar sweet, and pops one into her mouth. "Isn't it tasty, Razia? You never cease to surprise us, Rustem."

He shakes his head, fondly. "And you gals never cease t'annoy me. Now be off, am busy."

...

In the hall, we hear a shout.

"What are you doing!" Atike Hatun pokes her stick at my back. Bloody great.

"Well- uh- sightseeing?" I say. I really can't come up with a excuse and this pokey old lady is very good at catching excuses.

"I hope your sightseeing is over because now you'll be working overnight for the party." We both groan.

"Come with me and help carrying the music instruments. And you, Razia, help that blondie Seibel with drying the flowers. I need a hundred dried flowers ready before the evening."

"Very convenient." At least I don't need to scrub the floor.

Unexpectedly, Atike leans towards me for a moment and whispers, "Why didn't you tell me you're going to be Gulbahar Sultan's hizmetli?"

"Gulbahar Sultan's what?"

"Nevermind."

After Fatma is hauled away by Atike, I'm completely alone. "Guess I'll need to find Seibel now," I mutter to myself.

She's in the other harem of course. I enter and a lot of girls stare, most of them not nice ones.

"Sibyl! It's good to see you. Atike Khalfa told me to help you with the flowers." Sybil gives one of her pretty, rare smiles which sends my heart fluttering. How can someone be so pretty?

"Thank God, my fingers are hurting. Good to see you too, Razia."

"And who's this? Haven't seen you before."

I both turn around to see a chestnut-haired woman with pretty clothes, lounging on a cushion with another girl massaging her leg.

"Razia. I came here with Sybil. Helping with flowers"

"Is she from Shehzade Mahmut's harem?"

Sybil nods. The woman's smile seems to grow wider, rueful. As if in some sort of pity.

"What a shame, you're too pretty to sleep alone every night. If you need more flowers, just tell me and I'll have someone to fetch them for you. It's Nadine, by the way."

I don't comprehend what she means by 'sleeping alone'. Is she talking about sleeping with the prince? Does that mean he never uses his concubines?

I decide to stop overthinking. "Thank you- that's very kind."

"What a polite girl," she chuckles. Her look isn't completely honest, but since she offered help, I guess she's nice.

I whisper to Sibyl when I sit down next to her. "Who's she?"

"Nadine Sultan. The Sultan's chief consort. Has a son."

"Well woah, and whose harem is this?"

"A Sultan named Shahadat. Never saw him. Heard he's the late Sultan Murad's nephew. So, how've you been?"

"Well, I'm surviving," I say. "I should be asking you that question."

"Oh." She anxiously touches her face. "I look terrible don't I? Plus I really don't have anyone here to talk with much. I really wish I was with you in your hall. I don't like the women here, and I heard the women in your place are relatively friendly. No one can pronounce my name, either." She sniffs.

I smile sadly. After a moment, I mutter, "Sibyl..."

"What?"

"You know, long ago, there used to be a princess named Sibylla in Jerusalem."

She nods. "During the Crusades."

I pat her head. "I think I'll call you Sibylla from now on."

"Sibylla...that does sound prettier."

We smile at each other and take it for granted we both are going to be really good friends. Then breaking the silence, "Where's Nadia?"

She grimaces, "More like Nadia Ikbal, now in the second floor, in the favourites' room." Favourites' room... she slept with the Sultan already?

I take some time to process this. "Wait what? Not even two weeks gone and she slee-"

She quickly hushes me by a finger. "I'll tell you about this later." Then in a louder tone. "Can you carry these flowers to the main room? Where the party's going to take place? You know where?" I nod. I've had Anisa show me around before.

I'm still shocked, but then again why should I be? Soon I'll hear Fatma became a favourite- Sibyl is married- Raysha became a Sultana- and you'll just rot here-

"Oof- watch where you're going hatun!"

I'm about to apologize but when I look up, I turn to run but he grabs my wrist anyway. Bloody great. I try squash all nervousness and turn around.

"What are you even running from?"

"From you! Why do you keep ignoring me? I thought we had a deal! Where's my uncle?"

"...I don't remember you." He's about to sidestep but I block his way.

Oh no, he's not going to flee when he just stopped me from doing the same. "You really don't remember me?" I point at his nose. "I am the one who did this masterpiece before I came to Kostaniyer-"

"It's Kostantiniyye, fool."

"And I need you to Kostan-shut-the-hell-up and let me speak-"

"Have you hit your head? Pray tell me, who are you to swear at me?"

"Huh, who am I. Are you the sultan, shehzade?"

His frown vanishes as he slowly gives me a lopsided grin. "Something like that."