Not wanting to play the games that the Harem of Sultan Murad orchestrates and revolves around, Maria avoids any chances of even getting a taste of any of what is offered, afraid to fall prey in the hands of evil and meet the same fate as her family...
Maria opens her eyes once, then twice. Below her head is a soft pillow, but her forehead feels like she is laying on spikes piercing through her head skull.
Another nightmare had visits Maria last night. Just like the previous nights. She slowly sits up, knowing that no headache will allow her to sleep in. The girls of the Harem are to get up early, and there are some that get up even more earlier than her.
Those who are brought to the palace and chosen for their looks stay in the concubine quarters in the Harem. There, they are taught how to entertain and be lively, from dancing to needle art. And, they especially focus on the erotic arts. These women are there for the pleasure of the Sultan himself, and potentially to bear his children. Even elder sons of the Sultan may acquire concubines, but until they are fully matured are they able to have any children. Ayse was lucky she found out she was pregnant only after Sultan Murad had reached the appropriate age. Otherwise, her baby would have been killed before it left the womb.
Maria remembers the day she was chosen for the Harem. The memories haunt her brain every night. After being ripped apart from her family, she boarded a ship where she was brought to the square market, before being bought like a piece of lamb for the Harem. And even then, she still wasn't done being sold. They chose her and other girls, before giving them examinations to see if they would be good enough for the Sultan, as if they themselves chose to be there voluntarily.
The way she was violated still stings Maria's mind.
Slowly rising up, she makes her bed before she follows the other girls. They make their way to the bath room, and she grabs a pair of shoes to wear while inside the marble bathroom. Maria was shocked when she first saw the bathroom, and scared as well. One wrong slip and you could crack your head open on the hard floor.
As she lathers her hair in soap, she eyes the two girls from yesterday. They are still gossiping, and she tries to not ease drop, but she can't resist.
"I hear the Valide will be setting up entertainment for the Sultan soon. Having a son is key for the empire. I hope it is me!" The blonde chuckles, grabbing a wash cloth, offering it to her friend. Her friend smiles at her, grabbing it and running it up and down her arms.
"It's a shame Ayse didn't give birth to a son. The Sultan might as well see her as one of us now. And it's rare he'll call her again." Maria found herself thinking the same thing. It wasn't common for a Sultan to have a concubine visit him again after she has given birth to his child. She had heard that the Valide had been called again, and that was how she gave the Sultan his younger sister, but apparently it was only for a small dinner, with a little too much wine... Or at least that was what the Kalfa's had whispered.
As Maria pours water over her head, the curiosity comes down as well like the water.
She often questioned if she herself would ever be with the Sultan. She hoped she wouldn't, not wanting to get involved in any of the drama here. And yet, she knew that because the Harem would be where she stayed until they found her no longer needed and threw her out without anything to her name, being with the Sultan was the best shot at making yourself into something at the Harem and redeeming her freedom
But the question was, did Maria want to make something out of herself here?
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