Magnificent Century: Mihirsah

The dress

Six months had passed since my meeting with Kosem Sultan.

I did exactly what I had promised that I would do.

I kept to myself; provided any services that I was ordered to and caused no trouble. In return I was provided teachers who taught me the language, the customs and gave me basic education.

Being fluent in English, Portuguese and Russian, I quickly picked up Turkish in the first three months. Even though any native speaker could have easily identified that I was new to the language my teachers were quite impressed by my language skills.

I struggled a bit when it came to the customs especially the ones relating to how a slave girl could come to power. Most of the girls talked about how they dreamed of getting the Kosem Sultan's princes attention or perhaps even the King's. I couldn't fathom why any girl here would trade the peace of a simple life that we were living (even if we were slaves) for a more dangerous political lifestyle (even if it meant living in riches and becoming powerful). 

But I knew better to say this out loud.

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"All rise. Kosem sultan is coming." The guard outside the haram announced.

All the girls in the Harem assembled in front of our beds and bowed as Kosem Sultan entered while being followed by Aghas carrying trunks.

"You may rise." She commanded.

We all stood up straight but kept her heads down.

"Today as you all know is Eid. As an annual ritual, I will be gifting you all clothes and jewelry to wear as a part of the celebration. Enjoy." Kosem wished everyone.

The girls quickly dispersed and started going through the trunks. I saw Kosem sultan leaving and then I quickly went back to my bed and started reading a novel my teacher had given to me.

"Clarisse, isn't it?" I heard a familiar voice call out.

I looked up to see Kosem Sultan, smiling down at me. I quickly got up and bowed my head down.

"I am so sorry my Sultanum; I thought you had left."

"I had. Then I decided to check on you since you didn't rush to see any of the gifts." She continued almost sarcastically, "Are they of not your standard?"

"Oh no, my Majesty." I explain, " Forgive me but I am generally not fond of dresses or jewelry. I am perfectly fine in the dress I have."

"Your Turkish has improved quite a lot." Kosem Sultan replies, completely ignoring what I have just said.

At that moment, Eycan Hatun (a very close and loyal servant of Kosem Sultan) enters the harem and catches up to us and says, "Majesty, you forgot these."

Kosem Sultan looks at them for a while and takes them from her hand and calls Jannat.

"Jannat!"

Jannat ran from her position near the trunks. 

"Yes sultanum." She started as she bowed her head in Kosem Sultan's direction.

"I want these dresses to be sent to the tailor and sewn according to this girl's requirements and girl you will show me how you look in them."

"As you desire, majesty." Jannat replies.

"Excellent." Kosem sultan replies.

"Sultanum. I am not worthy of these dresses-" I start explaining. 

At that moment Jannat pinches my arm and says, "Take her gifts. She likes you. You need someone like her support if you want to become a sultanate."

"I don't want to become one." I reply, as I move my arm away.

"Yeah right." Jannat replies, almost laughing as if that is the most absurd thing she has ever heard.

She honestly doesn't believe me. She honestly thinks that I want to be a sultanate.

What is wrong with everyone?

Jannat called the tailor the very same day and he took my measurements.

I won't deny it, after my dress was made and I wore it, it made me slightly happier. But not like my fellow slaves felt. They adored themselves with jewelry and started dreaming about running into the princes and winning them over and being adored by more riches.

Why?

I found myself questioning over and over again.