"The taste of your lips is true satisfaction and pleasure. Hence your name is Zevki"
ꜰʀᴀɴᴄᴇꜱᴄᴀ ꜰᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀ is the unlucky sister of Isabella Fortuna, princess of Spain. Francesca is condemned to a marriage she doesn't want, and the only way out of it is...
Elisabeth was reading a book of some sorts as Angelina was playing some sort of card game, trying to predict fortune for herself, and I was sitting and waiting for Nigar to give me new news regarding my time with the Sultan tomorrow evening. Oh dios, I am so desperate to tell the girls what happened, but I can't! Nobody can know besides the top of the hierarchy, and that is just making me absolutely frustrated. Nothing else is new or interesting in my mind, except for what is to happen in the near future.
The door creaked open as our friend Fatma Hatun came in, and nodded at me. Elisabeth abruptly shut her book to see what was to happen.
"What is it Fatma?" I asked slowly. "Does Nigar Kalfa need me or...?"
"Well, no, actually you have been summoned by-"
"Aw shucks! I got tower. That means bad news for me I guess!" Angelina interrupted Fatma. Elisabeth burst out laughing as I scowled.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I shook my head. "Never mind. Who summoned me?"
"Valide Sultan." Fatma finally finished her sentence.
Elisabeth's mouth fell open. "What?"
Rather than responding, Fatma simply waved me to follow her and we went out without a word to the chambers of the Valide Sultan. We headed up the marble clad stairs as girls watched below from the harem as we approached. Thankfully, I didn't see Hürrem Hatun nor Mahidevran. I think they would be rather mad if they saw and would likely suspect me as the person who would take their place, and I'm not ready for such a moment.
The girls standing guard at the door made no sound nor squeak as they promptly opened the doors for Fatma and I into the rooms of the one and only, Valide Hafsa Ayse Sultan (or that's what I believe her full name was), so she was very seriously expecting us to come. Hopefully, she will say something good.
I bowed and Fatma backed out as Valide stared emotionlessly at me.
"You called for me, my Sultana?" I tried saying my best Turkish accent. Francesca, suenas tan estúpido. Tan estúpido que Valide probablemente te echará. I should probably laugh at such a improbable thing, but it's a very real possibility. Anything can happen here, I'm sure, wether it be good or bad.
"Yes, yes I did." Valide sighed. "I heard you were the one who interested my son at the dance a few days ago."
I nodded. But seriously though, as a Queen Mother she shouldn't be giving that much attitude to me, especially as I am a Spanish princesa, but of course she doesn't know that yet. It takes so much of my strength to bite my tongue and not lash out at the audacity of some of these people.
"Well then. I hope Nigar Kalfa briefed you on all the expectations. Your life could very well be changed forever, you know that right?"
"Yes, Valide Sultan." I bit my lip a bit as Valide looked me up and down, head to toe. God, she was making me very, very nervous. She leaned closer and looked like she had more to drown me in, but then suddenly a maid butted in and bowed.
"My Sultana," she informed, "Sultana Hatice is here. Shall I invite her in?"
Valide leaned back, her gaze still focused onto me. "Yes of course, Ivat. Never deny her access or make her wait. My dear daughter Hatice is a Sultana. Never forget that."
It sounded like she was talking to me, and in a rather belittling tone if I do say so myself. Ivat Hatun, as the girl was called, opened the doors for the princess I only saw once, Hatice Sultan.
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