The other woman

Home

First of I don't speak Turkish so this story may have some words that are Turkish because of the show and I have picked them up . But anyway it's all in English unless i know the word for example queen mother is valide sultana so please bear with me. Just imagine they are speaking in Turkish ok.

When we arrived of the boat in Turkey my father had me taken to my grandmothers house immediately since it was night and according to father I must meet her I don't know why though. We finally get to the house and I am lead to a room with two women. "Hello grandmother "I said the the woman sitting closest to the fire having her hair brushed by what seemed to be a servant. She called me over and I sat at her feet she took my face in her hands and said" your very beautiful my son did very well " I blushed. My blonde hair was left hanging around my emerald eyes . My father arrived soon after she had commented she told him that she liked me so far and that I could be very useful to him and that was the scary part . Why would I be useful ? Yes I was young enough for marriage and virgin but father knew I wanted true love not an arranged marriage. Yes I knew thing were different in Turkey then England but how different . Soon father that my grandmother sent me to a room for the night the room seemed at the end of the house. I thought maybe she didn't like me but then she did commented on me .Soon I feel into a sleep unsure of this place
Soon I felt someone shake me. I awoke to find my father standing over me with some food. He set the food down on the bed so I could eat . He watched me for a very long time . And when I was done he took me by the hands and pulled me into his embrace when I looked at his face he had tears in his eye. I sudden felt it wasn't only mamas death that brought us here. "Papa what's wrong why are you crying there is no need to cry we can make a nice life here " I say holding him . He wipes his tears away . "My darling you know I loved your mama very much and she made me promise that after her death I would show you my home" he smiled " but what she didn't know is that girls have a better chance for a life in England then here in Istanbul there is only way for a girl to have a good life here and well it may not be a life you want". "Papa I want whatever you want you taught me that this place was wonderful" I say. "Darling the best place for a girl is the royal harem of the sultan you would be a slave " he says.
My jaw drops the life that is the best here is to be a Slave to the sultan to be his property?!. "I would be a slave that is the best life for a girl here " I yell. "Shhhh don't wake your grandmother if she knew I told you she would be mad enough to kill , you see she told me because she was once part of the royal harem no she never saw the sultan but she was there enough to learn that girls get educated and get a better life you see she was there for maybe a month before she was married off to my father , you see woman of harems never talk about there life you grandmother only told me because she is old and forgetful ." He says. "This way you could get an education and be married , if the time did come , you would be with the sultan , you would have better life then I could provide you with here "he says almost tearing up. I think for a minute is this the only life for me ? Is this the best ? I notice he almost looks fearful of what I might say next.
"I'll go papa because I only have one life and I better live it to the fullest" I say smiling he then hugged me and left tear drops on my dress. I knew he was sad to leave me but I knew it would for the best.