Magnificent Century (Kösem) imagines

Sultan Suleiman

{Imagine coming new to the palace and having to dance to the young handsome Sultan who just ascended the throne.}

You entered the Harem with the girls you were three days on a ship with. Two of the, Maria and Alexandra, were your friends who you've known from your homeland Ruthenia.

Your parents died a long time ago when you were just three years old in a fire and that's why you grew up in the arms of your old aunt. She died one week ago before the mongols captured you from your home.

An old woman who surely had a higher rank than the other maids came to you and looked at every inch of you.

"Take the girls to the Hammam." she ordered in Turkish which you barely could understand. Two girls showed you the way to the Hammam where you all cleaned and washed yourself.

"This Palace is hell." Alexandra muttered and you smiled ironically.

"Not only this Palace but my whole life is hell. And you know what? I don't care about anything or anyone anymore. I already have no one left who loves me and who I love." you told her and finished your cleaning.

After walking back to the Harem, you got pillows and blankets there for sleeping. Since you laid your head on the damn pillow, you only had nightmares about the fire where your parents died, from your aunt and from the bastard mongols.

That's why you couldn't sleep at all.

~

"Girls wake up, we have a lot to do for today." you heard a new voice and got up. It was a young woman with a hat on her head. She wasn't that old, but also not very young.

As soon as the other girls also finished there beds, you all stood in a line waiting for the woman to order.

"For all of you who don't know, I am Nigar Kalfa, the chief of all of you." she paused what made you look at Maria who shrugged her shoulders.

"Our Valide Sultan decided to have a party for his majesty tonight and you girls will dance for him." she continued and made you listen more carefully by each word.

Since you were on the ship, the girls talked about the new Sultan who was alleged very good looking and handsome.

"If you charm him, he will want to see you again. So don't ruin your chances." she clapped in her hands, signaling you all to go back for now.

"Have you heard it? We will see the Sultan." Maria said with a huge smile on her face.

"Don't have any hope Maria, he will be mine." Alex smirked. While they were arguing about who the Sultan would choose from them,
you made up a plan in your mind to make him like you.

Why not trying? I have nothing to lose either., you thought.

Nigar Kalfa came after a couple of hours again and took you in a room where you could prepare yourself. You first chose a beautiful dress and jewelry which were on the table and them did your makeup. You kept it very natural while all the other girls had a bunch if makeup on their face.

The Sultan would look at that girl who looked different than the others and not the same.

"Did you get the makeup?" Alex asked making fun of you makeup. You decided to ignore her to clear your mind for the dance.

Nigar Kalfa was right. It was your first and last chance, that's why you had to give everything or nothing.

The time came and the doors if the privy chambers opened. All of the girls including you walked in with your heads lowed. The first thing you did was going in front of everyone and stand in the first line.

You were the only one who raised their head. As you did, you saw a young and very good looking man sitting on the throne. You had eye contact with him until the music started and you began to dance.

You moved your hipes in a romantic and syncic way. And the end you bend down in front of the Sultan and looked back up even though you weren't allowed to.

The Sultan smiled/smirked at you and pulled out a purple piece of fabric. Your heart beat harder than ever and it felt like it would jump out. He throw the fabric in front of you and your smiled at him.

The doors opened and the girls that danced and you left the chambers. You had the purple fabric in your hand and thought about everything that just happened in there.

"You stole him from me!" Alex brought you back to reality with her scream. She was about to slap you as Nigar pushed her to the wall and the guards took her.

"Bring her to the dungeons." Nigar Kalfa ordered and turned her gaze to you.

"You are a clever Hatun. If you keep be like this, you will have a bright future." she said and gave you a grin.

"What will happen now?" you asked curiously as you went back to the Harem.

"Tomorrow evening you will enter those chambers again and be with the Sultan all night." she told you and your heart started beating fast again.

For the first time in a whole while, you felt love for a person. And that person was the Sultan.