Kostantiniyye?

"Razia, wake up."

My head throbs. Awake, but unable to open my eyes. The ground rocks beneath, reminding me of my crib as a baby. I smell...damp wood.

The whisper grows urgent. "You're awake, lift your arse!"

This makes me peel my eyes open and yawn. I look around to see-

Fatma? I jump upwards.

"What? Where...how?" This is the only thing that I can blabber while looking frantically around. I lay on no ground, I am inside a ship's deck!

There is only one round window, but it's closed. The only light coming in is from a crack from the door. It's quite large, but not as large for any of us to pass through. There are many other girls staring at me, a dozen or so.

"Her dress is so pretty!" One says, while peering self-consciously at her own dirty garb.

Another girl, who is dressed in better clothing, scoffs. "No matter how pretty her dress, we'll all be wearing rags soon enough."

I make an effort to sit properly. Fatma puts a hand behind my head for support. "You were serious when you said you'll never leave me." Her voice is softer than usual. Tears brim her round eyes.

"Wh..what happened? Why am I in a ship? Why are you in a ship?"

"Alas, this girl was born yesterday!" A brunette exclaims.

Fatma just sighs. "Leave her alone, will you?" She turns to me when they all return to their business, or basically crying and bickering. "I don't know what's happening either, someone just came and carried you here. Along with some other girls. I was kidnapped here too. Can you remember anything?"

I try to remember what happened before and explain it to her as much as I can. Her eyes go wide.

"What do you mean... Our town has been attacked too? I was in the port and some ships arrived, blasting cannons."

"Looks like the war came as we predicted...but who are they? I don't remember the emir having many enemies." I rub the back of my head. It pains like hell. "I'm so confused..."

She leans in closer and says, "look, I am confused too. Most of these girls are slaves. The rest were kidnapped here like you and I. A group of men dragged me into this ship. If our town is getting ransacked, then who is sailing this ship? This is Kasim's ship, in case you didn't know."

"Hay Allah..." my voice trails off. Then I remember something.

"There has been something strange going on. Why did uncle Kasim want to take us to Persia? Do you know the actual reason?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. My father didn't like it, but he was in no position to refuse an emir, you know."

"It was the same in my case..." I mutter, and she grunts, a tear glistening down her cheek.

I pat her head. "Fatma, it's going to be alright, we'll return home."

"But how?!" Her voice breaks out all of sudden. I cannot reply to that. "Razia...I-I just don't know. Life just took an odd turn. Maybe I'll never see my parents again-" she starts sobbing hysterically. I quickly embrace her, and can't stop a tear rolling down my own cheek. I quickly wipe it, and then detangle from her.

"Crying won't help. I'll talk to those girls, alright? Information will help."

She nods. "I'll leave you to it."

I turn to the other girls. Most of them are sold, only two, Sibyl and Nadia I hear, had seen the town getting burnt down and were kidnapped. Just as Fatma said. They all are from higher class families. The slave girls tell me that they were supposed to be gifted to the Safavid Sultan. They overheard that much when some men came and gave them food. They've been staying here for a day already. Then a few hours ago, they heard blasts and shouts. Some men in uniforms entered the hull and acknowledged them.

So Kasim was going to gift these girls away. I feel bad for them, but in this state, I am no luckier than them. My mind turns to what that man in the dark cloak said.

"Daughter? Isn't that another girl you tricked to gift away?"

Was Kasim going to gift me away too? Why would he do something like that, he already had so many slave girls.

When everyone fell tired and drowsy, I leaned on the hull and closed my eyes. Things are going too fast.

...

It was an hour or so later when a girl shouts, "I managed to open the window!"

There is great squealing and everyone starts pushing each other to take a peek.

"What part of day is it?" I manage to croak. I don't have the energy to push through them to take a look.

"Tis nighttime," a girl replies. "I guess they ain't giving us anything to eat-"

The door opens and everyone goes quiet. A light haired, weary looking but brawny man comes in with a lantern and a bucket of water. No weapons, except a dagger. He places the bucket on the floor.

"You'll get your breakfast tomorrow, there's a cup in the bucket. Take your turn." With that he is about to leave, but anger takes its hold on me. First they kidnap us, then give mere water for dinner!

"Who are you? You think of us fools?"

He turns around.

Fatma stammers. "R-Razia don't-"

I stand up. "You men ransacked our town, I am pretty sure you're not taking us to Persia! Who are you and where did you come from? We deserve an explanation!"

He turns his hooded eyes to me with a dour look. "And why I waste my time telling you?" His Arabic is a bit broken.

"One man against seventeen women?" I raise an eyebrow. I hear a few snickers, but I can tell they are nervous.

He only rolls his eyes and starts walking away. But a reddish-brown haired girl, Nadia, to my surprise, blocks his way. "You killed my father! How do I know you won't kill us all as well?" Seeing us two, it appears the girls got some confidence. A few shout as well, and one even throws a shoe at him

"Don't behave yourself you face worse fate than death!" The brute shoves her away and dodges the shoe.

I jump to catch her and shout back, "What can be worse? I've been kidnapped, taken away from my ammi, baba, little Eitizaz- are they even alive?- tell me, what could be worse..." I wasn't aware of the tears swelling up until now.

Though his face doesn't show, this seems to have softened him, because he finally replies:

"You're not going Persia. You all be slaves in the Osman palace of Kostantiniyye."