" When I saw you for the first time, I knew I won't forget about you easily. And I was right, in those years there was no day or night I haven't thought of you. You are the one who lights my life up, and I would be lost without you."
" Oh Anna Hatun, you look beautiful. You learned to dance really quickly, I can tell Sultan will easily fall for you." Bulbul said to me with a smile. He seemed proud because he thought he learned me how to dance.
" You thought I won't know how to dance? I spent my life on balls in Venice. " I said to him and looked myself in mirror to admire how beautiful I looked at this moment.
" You are Venetian like our glorious Safiye Sultana. May you have same future like her. " Bulbul said to me looking proudly at me. He seemed to put more effort in me, than in Rosalinda or Daniella.
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" I will have the good future, but who knows if I could have the same as Safiye Sultana. All our people are proud of her and I grown up with stories listening how magnificent she is." I said to Bulbul, who was main servant of Safiye Sultana.
The truth was I heard a lot abot Safiye Sultan. She was also Venetian as me. But the lie was that I admired her. I knew that for the influence in Harem Safiye was important, as everyone was afraid of her. Safiye could make your life worser, if you aren't with her. But that doesn't mean I will be with her, I just didn't need any enemies at the beggining of my journey in Topkapi Palace.
Music started to play and we were ready to dance in front of Sultan. At the first moment, I may said that I was little afraid who Sultan was. But when I turned to look at him and saw the man who bought us from the slavery market, I knew I had to give my everything to win his heart.
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I tried to look him as more seductivley as I could. That man was most beautiful man I have ever seen, and after I seen him I forgot about Giorgio. I knew if I wanted success, I have to give my everything in this dance.
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I could feel he is looking at me for the whole time and that he wasnt calm when he saw me dancing for him. I did whatever is important to be in the middle. To be main in this dance, because if he would have an eye of one of my friends, I would lose all my chances. They were my friends, and I loved them, but if they wanted what I want, they would give more of them in this. With more passion.
As they two fell on the floor as their dance was over, I continued to dance alone. I was trying to dance as provocative as possibly, just to have his eyes on me. And what I wanted I did.
I fell on the floor, and after few moments I could see he threw his purple silk scarf in front of me. And I knew very well what does this mean, he chosed me to spend the next night with him.
" Anna, Handan Sultana called for you." Haci-aga said to me and went with me in chambers of Handan Sultana. He explained all the rules for me.
" I see you have something special in yourself, becuase my lion was fascinated with you tonight. You are really beautiful. " Handan said as she measured me from head to toe.
" Thank you Sultana, but my beauty is nothing compared to yours." I said to her and she blushed at my words.
" I want you to know that I will be fine with you and support you if you make him happy. But the thing I don't want is to see you close to Safiye Sultan. " Handan said to me seriously.
" You shouldn't even worry about that, Sultana. I already know what Safiye Sultana has done and I would never have any job or would be close with person like that. " I said to Handan trying to make her believe to me, and I was very good at lies.
" Let it stay like that. " Handan said and smiled to me. While I was leaving her chambers, I could hear her talking with Haci.
" Haci, do you think we can believe her? " Handan asked him and sounded worriedly.
" We will see, Sultana. Tonight she will meet Sultan. I will follow her while she is in Harem to see what is she doing." Haci said and after that I could hear nothing as maids closed the doors of Handan's chambers.
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" Anna Hatun, you look like angel. I knew Sultan will chose you. Now hurry up, you don't want to be late." Bulbul said to me with a smile. I could see Bulbul is very good to me, and I questioned myself if Safiye Sultana has already heard of me and made Bulbul act like this.
" I am ready. This night will change everything. " I said as I corrected the tiara Bulbul has found for me.
I walked through the Golden Way, way which lead from harem to Sultan's chambers. I knew I had to make him crazy for me, because if I don't, I won't have another chance to walk through this way.
