Haseki Mihrişah Sultan| Not To Be Continued

Harem Fights

It was maybe midday. It was so hot that sweat was dripping in everyone's forehead. Almost all of us girls had been going to hammam nearly every day. In the mornings and during the sunset period, it was cooler. I was used to different temperatures and climates, and this was really hard for me. Apparently, the seasons were really organised here. In Ruthenia, there was always a cold breeze in the air, while in summer, you could feel the humidity since my village was surrounded by trees.
In the Corridor of Concubines had come Meltem Sultan, the second consort of Sultan Murad. She had given birth to Şehzade Selim, that's why I saw Queen Mother and Atike Sultan, sister of Fatma Sultan, distributing coins from Harem's balcony couple of weeks ago.
Next to her were sitting her two loyal maids while some girls were serving snacks and drinks to them. I really was hoping for an Agha to call me and say that Fatma Sultan was looking for me cause I really didn't want to stay in her selfishness. Exactly when things couldn't go worse, Ayşe Sultan, His Majesty's First Consort, entered the hall. I could see that all the girls' face expression was as surprised and far-fetched as mine. It felt like we all at the same time went "oh no". Slowly, we lined up and bowed and made her a seat, right in front of the other Sultana. Many wanted to leave at that moment while many others wanted to see a fight break out. Personally, I was part of the first group.
Ayşe Sultan was the mother of Şehzade Ahmed and Şahcihan Sultan, three years old and two years old respectively. As much as I heard, she was a nice person and had good relations with all the women in the royal family and in the Harem.

- Diana, don't forget to also give to Ayşe Sultan a glass of sorbet, - Meltem said with irony and a fake visible smile.

Ayşe who on the other side made it clear that she hadn't come to fight, accepted the drink peacefully and with kindness. As expected, this pissed off Meltem Sultan, who had planned the fate of her day since morning.

- This niceness is no good for you, - she said, - better get rid of it.

Of course, at this moment, Ayşe Sultan behaved again as a true lady and did not reply. I was beginning to like her even though I never had any encounter with any of them both this far.

- Hatun, hatun, yes you, - Meltem said to a girl that was sitting in Ayşe's side, - go and bring my Şehzade here.

The girl looked innocently at Meltem and then turned her head at Ayşe Sultan. This last one acted as if she wasn't paying any attention.

- No, Sultanim, - the girl finally said lowering her head down embarrassed.

We all looked at each-other. Poor girl. She was caught in between fires and risked herself for nothing.

- What? What did you say? - Meltem Sultan said, angry.

The girl did not answer but kept avoiding eye contact with her. Eudokia pushed my arm slightly, and when I looked at her, she eye-signalled me that things were going to end up bad. Agreed.

- Hatun, answer to me!
This time Meltem yelled and got up followed by her maids.

- Meltem, leave the poor girl alone. Order another one, - Ayşe Sultan said with a normal tone of voice.

- Stay out of this, - Meltem yelled again, - You influenced her, didn't you?

- What are you talking about? - the other woman replied, but this time, more seriously, - Don't be silly.

- Me silly? Look at yourself, - Meltem Sultan spoke raising her voice and lowering her anger, - it has been weeks that the Sultan hasn't called you in his room. You've become worthless!

This was it. Now fire was going to burn. I looked around, trying to know if we should call Lalezar Kalfa or Haci Agha to cool down the situation. This was going to be the gossip topic of the week, for sure.