𝐌𝐲 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 || Magnificent Century

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚅𝙸

I woke up to Mahfiruz glaring at me from her bed. Her eyes were red, her hair a rat's next. She had probably woken up only moments earlier.

"Morning," I tried to sound friendly.

"His Majesty threw you out of his chamber last night?" My goal was not to make enemies out of my fellow concubines. But she made it pretty hard for me not to hate her.

"You wish,"

"I could keep it going all night, you know," she remarked, a smudge smirk playing on her sleepy face.

"No one asked, Mahfiruz, stop flexing skills you don't have," I jumped out of bed, straightening my nightgown. I glimpsed at her flustered expression, but she spoke no further.

It was early. After completing my morning routine, I went to the kitchen.

"Good morning!" I greeted the maid, presumably in her forties. She was already preparing breakfast with dozens of others.

She greeted me back with a kind smile. "I haven't seen you around before,"

"Oh, no, it's been a couple of weeks. It's just that I'm not a staff. Safiye Sultan wanted me to brew her coffee from now on,"

"Oh, it's you. We did receive the orders," The maid looked at me in amusement. "I must taste your coffee to see how you impressed the sultana."

I smiled. "I'm just a simple coffee lover, nothing more, nothing less."
She gave me one last smile before continuing with her work.

The royal kitchens were hot, and I felt like dying in just minutes. I'd hate to know how the kitchen staff managed to stay there for hours and still make tasty food. They deserved more appreciation.

Safiye Sultan was almost ready for the day when I reached her chambers.

"Come in, Lunara,"

"My sultana," I curtsied and gave her the coffee cup. She sipped it slowly like she was savoring every milliliter of it.

I studied Safiye Sultan. She had a questionable reputation in the palace, but I'd never seen her do anything as such. All I saw was a powerful and clever woman who knew how to get her things done.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked unexpectedly, her eyes glittering.

"Nothing, my sultana,"

"Had a good night?" she asked me. I don't think she just meant my sleep last night.

I was about to answer when Bulbul Agha interrupted me.

"My Sultana, Sultan Ahmet is sick," My head snapped sideways to meet Bulbul Agha's solemn face.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He has a terrible fever and is hardly conscious,"

"We should pay a visit to our grandson," Safiye Sultan got up and gave me a look before heading out, a cue to follow her.

My mind was spinning with worry. It's just a fever. Ahmet will be fine.
We reached the privy chamber. Handan Sultan was pacing around the room, talking to Haci Agha. As soon as she noticed me, she frowned angrily and strode towards me.

"You!" She pointed her slender finger toward me. "You were with him last night! What did you do?" I stood baffled. Did I look like I spread the fever to everyone?

"My Sultana, he seemed fine when he was with me, "

"How can I believe you? You were the last to see him before he became like this!"

"But I-"

"Handan," Safiye Sultan cut me off. "He's just sick, our grandson will be all right soon,"

"She's your concubine, Sultana. Is it your idea to have him poisoned?"