The other woman

The childrens caretaker

I was slowly working on my needle work when sümbül  aga asked to talk to me.
"Hürrem hatun  wishes to see you in her room" he says gesturing me to come. We slowly walk toward a room with to concubines at the door. Slowly the door opens and we walk through. "Sümbül you brought her good , you may leave now sümbül " Hürrem say's gesturing  him to go and me to sit. " Sofia was it " she ask I nod " Sofia Elizabeth I say kindly " well it seems my child really like you and well I need some help in taking care of them I have maria but he seem to really like you I guess what I am saying is would you come into my service and be my sons caretaker " she say smiling at me " oh Hürrem  hatun I would be honoured "I say smiling. "Well you start tomorrow " she says smiling " yes Hürrem hatun " i kiss the bottom of her dress then I slowly back out of the room. I find sümbül waiting for me outside the room. He gestures for me to return to the harem. I slowly walk back to harem to find the girls relaxing and doing there needle point. "What were you doing with sümbül " Esma asks I sit down. "Hürrem hatun Wanted me to come into her service I'm now helping Maria with the royal prince , since the child like me so much "I say picking up my needle to continue sewing. "Well soon enough you could be taking care of more children hurrem will have more children trust me she says. "Well of course but won't Mahdiveran sultan have more children too ? She is still young " I say looking at her exquisitely. Emsa ponders that thought but then shakes her head. " his majesty favourite is hurrem at the moment and I don't think hurrem would let Mahdiveran get near him'' she says shaking her head. " really ?" I ask Esma nods at me "the last woman to get near the was Maria and look at her there's a reason her face is covered up '' she sighs A woman named Ayşe comes and sits next to her " I heard what you guys were talking about and esma is right poor Maria " Ayşe says to me . "Beware of Hürrem hatun Sofia Elizabeth beware " she says to me . " and should you get to the golden way get far away from her " another girl adds in. I shake my head " If what you all day is true then how would I get to the golden way anyway I doubt I would even ever see his majesty " I say looking at all of them. I remember what my father said I could be married off here or see the sultan and become a sultana . I shake my head there was no way in a million years I could become the sultans favourite. " girls it's time for your lessons come on let's go " a kalfa comes and says to us. " grab your supplies". I quickly run to my bed and grab my school supplies . And we all wait outside for everyone to join in the line before we leave . " Sofia !" A little voice calls out to me soon enough Mahdiveran sultan and prince mustafa comes around the corner . We all bow then face the sultan and her small prince . " Sofia where are you going I want you to come sing and play with me " the little boy asks me as I bend down to face him. "I'm sorry my prince but I must go to school just like you " I say smiling . " mother please tell the servants not to take her let her play with me today " I look at the sultana and she smiles at me and the kalfa then says I could stay behind . "Well then what would the little prince like to me to sing about I say taking his hand. After a while the little prince Wants to roam around the garden so I stay and talk to his mother. " he really like you " she says smiling. " well I like him a lot as well and I'm sure I will be seeing him more if prince Mehmed has something to say about it " I says smiling . " Mehmed ? " she stops and looks at me . " Hürrem hatun has asked to help take care of her son " I say . " she looks down sadly . " sultana I could choose between the children but I can't find it in My heart to do that in the day I could take care of Mehmed and at night I could come play and sing for mustafa . Or something like that "I say smiling at her . She says " well ok " she says frowning a bit. " Sofia ,mom ,come on I see hatice and valide sultan come this way " He says running toward two elegant woman with many servants behind them. I walk next to the sultana till we come apon the woman. We all bow. " valide sultan , hatice sultan "mahidevran sultan says smiling. " Is this the girl that sings mustafa ?" Hatice sultan ask the littler prince " yes auntie her name is Sofia Elizabeth she sings wonderfully " the little prince says smiling at me. " where are you from Sofia Elizabeth ?" Hatice sultan asks . I keep my head down " England sultana " I say .
" England ! " valide sultan says lifting my head up so we are looking at each other in the eyes