"Names change, but a person's being doesn't change. We women are called different things, daughter, wife, mother, perhaps even Sultana - but the important thing is which name you choose to define yourself by." Safiye Sultan
What would happen if all...
This festivity, you would think it's a sign of happiness, but it's all just made up pomp. To hide the sorrow and tears of this palace.
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Manisa, 29th December 1515
"Ayse Hatun come on, you are late on your duties always. Hatice Sultan needs help and you are still here walking around harem," Nigar Kalfa hissed at me when she found me talking with another girls instead of helping Hatice Sultan in who's charge I was.
My name is Maria, and aged 17 I was taken away from my family in peaceful village in Romania. I arrived in Manisa Palace of prince Suleiman where they appointed me to serve his sister. She was very soon to be married and she needed a lot of help with that, and I should have done a lot of job with that, but sometimes, I was just to late or haven't done my duties very well.
"Sultanim, I am sorry for being late," I entered her chambers and bowed hoping she would forget me one more time. She just smiled but her face didn't seem to be happy while all the maids were around preparing the fabric for the dress we will sew to Sultana for her wedding.
"It doesn't matter Ayse, come help me here with placing my jewelry in one box," she said and she didn't sound even a bit happy about this. I helped her and took first all the rings, then the necklaces and all the tiaras and placed them in the big boxes that she had.
"Sultanim, you don't seem to be happy about the marriage?" I asked her even though I wasn't sure if I should ask about those things. That was her privacy and I was here just a maid serving her.
"Who would be happy at my place to marry a pasha who is twenty five years elder than me," she sighed and took one necklace which she has placed on her neck. It was beautiful emerald necklace that suited her so well and she looked so beautiful. Honestly I felt so sorry for her knowing she will have to move away with someone she doesn't love, but it was maybe better her situation than of us slave girls who were brought here just to serve imperial family.
"Sultanim, when you leave, what will be with me?" I asked her as I was afraid I will be sent off somewhere or sold again. I was serving Sultana for one year already and I would be so lost now if I would gain back my freedom in stranger country where I had no one else.
"My sister Atike is arriving this week in Manisa, you are well-mannered consort and I want you to be with my family. Atike is younger than me and I don't want to let her be with someone we don't trust," she said and I sighed from relax as I knew I would stay here and not being thrown off somewhere away.
"Hatice Sultanim," Halime Sultan entered her chambers and I immediately stood away by the side as I shouldn't interrupt the Sultanas. With the talks of Hatice Sultan, I found out she is not really fond of Halime and she doesn't like her a lot, because of her temper and her ambitious. Everyone in this Palace was afraid of Halime Sultan just because she seemed like nothing could hurt her since she was mother of a prince and a Sultana, and everyone knew Sultan loves and respects her so much.
