" 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."
" This is your new room, Anna Hatun. Sultan gave them to you." Bulbul showed me my new room where there were two beds. On one bed there were already some dresses and things.
" Is this what Sultan gave me?" I asked Bulbul as I could see beautiful dresses standing on that bed.
" No, Anna Hatun. That is Kosem Hatun's bed. She is another favourite of Sultan. You two will share room." Bulbul said and at that moment Kosem came into this room.
" What should this mean? Why is she in my room? You couldn't have sent her in another one?" Kosem asked Bulbul which seemed kinda afraid of her.
" Sultan decided like that. He brought Anna himself to the Palace, and now she is his favourite. I don't want to see any fights between you two." Bulbul said as men started bringing gifts Ahmed sent to me in bix boxes.
I could see Kosem is looking at that jealously, but I was really happy because Ahmed gifted me those things. I saw lot of beautiful dresses and jewerly and I knew with this I can become even more beautiful to him.
" Safiye Sultana wants to see you." Bulbul said to me and went with me to Safiye Sultan's chambers. I never saw that woman any time before in my life, but I have always heard about her.
" Masallah, my grandson found a beautiful girl for himself. I heard you are Venetian, am I right?" Safiye asked me while she was measuring me after I kissed her hand in sign of a respect towards her.
" That is true. I have listened about you since young age. " I said to her smilingly to her.
" Oh, what have you heard about me?" Safiye asked me with interest.
" Our people in Venice always talked how You Sultana did so well in Palace and you are Valide Sultana and one of the most powerful women in the world. Everyone in Venice is proud on you." I lied to Safiye, I knew very well that she was evil, but I could see she is really happy because of my words.
" There is something in us Venetians, maybe you will have glorious fate as I did. Maybe luck will be on your side." Safiye said to me with a smile and I could hear in her tone of voice that she seems pretty fine to me.
" I don't believe any of the woman could have the same glorious fate as you have Sultana. Woman like you is bornt once in hundred years." I fake smiled to her and I could easily see my words make her blush.
" You are very good with words, you have golden tongue. I hope you are also smart, because you have potential. And if you would be with us, your potential would be even bigger. " Safiye said to me with a smile.
" I believe what my fate ordered me will come to me or I will have alone to fight against everything to live my life peacefully. " I said trying to show her I don't want to chose a side between her and Handan, because I didn't need that.
" Anna Hatun, where have you been? Sultan is asking for you. Get ready you will be late." Cennet said to me as she was running around the Palace to find me.
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" How do I look now?" I asked Bulbul and Cennet which were standing next to me as I was done with preparations to visit the Sultan.
" So beautiful Anna Hatun, you don't even have to question that because you know alone that." Bulbul continued to compliment me, while Cenner rolled her eyes on me. She disliked me, but Safiye wanted her to be close to me so I had nothing else to do.
Bulbul followed me through the Golden Way, third night in the row. As soon as aghas opened the doors of Ahmed's room, I walked inside and saw him sitting on his throne on the Terrace.
His terrace had view on whole Istanbul and even furthermore. It was so beautiful and it reminded me of view which I had when I lived in my Palace in Venice.
" This is so beautiful view. It reminds me on the view I had at my home." I said to Ahmed as I was standing on the terrace looking at the view.
" It is nothing comparable with your beauty." Ahmed said as his hands touched my cheeks. His eyes were looking only at mine's and I was shaking from feeling I had when I was next to him. I felt like I have butterflies in my stomach.
" I would like to give you a new name." Ahmed said to me as he lied on his side of the bed as we were covered with silk blanket.
" You don't like my name?" I asked him as I didn't know very well the traditions of the Harem and why he should give me the new name.
" I like your name, but I want to give you a new name. I want your name to be Mahnaz." he said as he was playing with my long curly black hair.
" Mahnaz... What does it mean?" I asked him as I repeated the name to see how it fits to me, and from the first listen it sounded perfectly to me.
" It means a woman glorious like a Moon." Ahmed said and gave me one of the most beautiful smiles I have ever seen.
From this night, I wasnt Anna anymore. I wasnt Venetian noble anymore. From now on I was Mahnaz. Woman who will give her everything to win over Sultan Ahmed's heart and be his only one.
