That night, hours before dinner was served, I lied telling that I was feeling sick so I would be staying in bed all night, knowing that Ayşe would not take it very lightly that I danced when I was supposed to be in mourning. When I knew Ayşe was in her bedroom, as she always was until she was called for dinner, I snuck out of the house, wearing my beautiful suit, my veil wrapped around my middle as I did when I danced for the General back in Russia, my gold jewellery and taking my makeup and glitter in the pockets of my coat.

I arrived at Gupta bey's house a couple minutes later, as the manor was not far away from the house. The servants let me in through the back door, as the guests were arriving through the front one and Gupta bey was there to receive them as the good host he was. I went behind the curtains of the makeshift stage, where there was a small boudoir. While I was applying my purple eye shadow and glitter over my exposed skin, I heard laughter and chattering from the other side of the curtains. I was paying attention to whatever happened on the other side so I could hear Gupta bey's introduction to my performance, which I did after a couple of minutes.

"Distinguished guests, I am proud to present tonight a natural talent that represents our culture like no one else could. Ladies and gentlemen, the beautiful dancer, Menekşe!"

The servants pulled the boudoir to one side, so it wouldn't bother me in my performance and I stuck a graceful pose with my arms in three o'clock position, holding my veil in front of me as the curtains opened revealing the clapping crowd. There has been a long time since I had danced in front of a crowd full of wealthy and powerful people, in the General's manor in front of part of the Russian Imperial Court. That beautiful memory hadn't left my head and I remember that I was really nervous when those curtains opened. Gupta bey was expecting the best and more from me and I didn't want to disappoint him or the crowd; that would be the last thing I would want to do.

The music began playing and I began twirling around slowly at first and then picking up my pace, with my veil in front of my face and above my head, the looseness of my pants and the gold chains dangling from my vest giving me a flowing movement. Then I stopped, turning my back at the public. I rolled my left shoulder first and then my right one, I turned around swiftly, adopting the same position I had been in since I began my performance. I began to move my tummy making the "snake dance", tilting my body backwards slightly, for which I received a round of applause and cheers. I slid the veil over my shoulders and I fell to the floor on my knees, careful not to damage my pretty pants, and began rolling my wrists over my head, which was tilted backwards as I traced my arm with my fingertip slowly until I reached my shoulder while continuing with my "snake dance" with my tummy and my chest. When the music stopped abruptly, I put my arms in three o'clock position again, holding my veil across my body. The crowd went wild with applause and I felt my cheeks blushing at that display of acceptance. From the corner of my eye I noticed Gupta bey nodding at me with a smirk on his cute face and his arms crossed over his chest. When I had finished my performance, Gupta bey approached and helped me down the stage.

"I want you to meet some people"

"But I'm not dressed..."

I was about to point out that I was not dressed for the occasion of meeting important people who would surely be attending that party, but he silenced me and guided me through the chattering crowd, occasionally stopping to let someone congratulate me.

"Don't worry, you are dressed enough"

He said when we arrived in front of two men; one of them was short with golden hair and beautiful green eyes, pale skin and an expensive looking suit with a stern expression on his face, and the other one was a tall redhead with a cigar on his face and a cigar on his face, he was wearing a red and black military uniform adorned with several medals. Upon seeing me, he took the cigar off his mouth and looked at me up and down with a smirk on his face.

"Let me introduce you to Arthur Kirkland, Ambassador of the British Empire and Field Marshall Angus Kirkland, his brother, and military attaché to the Embassy"

"Pleased to..."

The blonde began, but he was cut off by the redhead, making him fume. The redhead, whom I supposed was Angus Kirkland, the military attaché as he was wearing a uniform, kissed the back of my hand and looked up at me with twinkling green eyes. The only thing that they had alike was their beautiful eyes, if it weren't by that, one wouldn't even know they were brothers.

"Pleased to meet you, Menekşe"

He said with a seductive voice. I looked around and was surprised by the people who continued their idle chit chat as a man kissed other man's hand like if it was a woman in a Muslim country. Gupta bey seemed to understand my confusion and decided to explain.

"The people here are more open when it comes to dancers, as women aren't allowed to dance; men have the freedom to do whatever they want"

That was not what Sadiq had told me, but I supposed that every house had their own rules and perhaps Gupta bey was much more open minded than the rest of the population. It was a matter of time until I realised that. The redhead continued speaking, not letting go of my hand, something which was making me a little uncomfortable.

"I was delighted with your performance and I would be even more delighted with your presence, let's say... over dinner? Tomorrow night?"

I was very surprised by the bluntness of Mr. Kirkland and so was his brother, but Gupta bey was still looking between us with a slight smirk on his face. I stuttered a little, but then thought back of what Sadiq had said to me in my dream to not "shut myself to the world" and I thought that perhaps, an innocent dinner with a man couldn't do much wrong, so I decided to accept his invitation.

"Excellent, Gupta bey has my address; I trust he will give it to you at the end of the night. Be there at eight. I will be waiting for you"

He winked at me before leaving to talk to a woman that had just called for him from the other side of the room. Gupta bey left the Ambassador and me alone as he went to talk to one of the servants. The Ambassador seemed nervous and was fidgeting with his feet. He cleared his throat and looked up at me.

"I... think that it's important to... um... cultivate relations with our ally, the Russian Empire"

My eyes went wide as he had discovered where I truly came from. He looked at me with a knowing smirk on his face and his arms crossed over his chest. I looked around, hoping that anyone hadn't heard that last comment. I approached him and whispered.

"How do you know I'm Russian?"

"Because of how you look. You scream Russian, but don't worry, I won't tell anyone about it. I know that the Turks hate the Russians"

The Ambassador chuckled and grabbed a two glasses of champagne from one of the servants' tray. He gave one to me and held the other one out for a toast.

"To meeting allies"

I giggled and clinked my glass with his'. I had never had champagne in my life, it tasted even better than Vodka and I realised it was a good champagne as Gupta bey wouldn't serve cheap champagne in such a party. The Ambassador seemed to notice.

"Have you never had champagne in your life?"

"No, sir"

"Oh, don't call me "sir"... just Arthur"

He whispered seductively and his fingertips lingered over my hand which was grasping the glass, enjoying the cold droplets of water that slid over my hand, as the heat inside of the house was making me uncomfortable even though I was practically wearing nothing. I couldn't imagine how the men, dressed in suits, would be feeling. The Ambassador looked at me up and down.

"You look very pretty in that costume"

"Thank you... Arthur... it was a gift. The most precious gift I've ever received"

The Ambassador hummed with a raised eyebrow. I noticed that his eyebrows were unnaturally big, something I hadn't noticed before.

"A lover's gift?"(*)

I didn't know what that man had that made him guess everything about me without me even opening my mouth. The Ambassador chuckled at my surprised face.

"Yes it was"

He said, and just like that, he was gone. When I was about to wonder where he had gone to, there was a tapping on my back and I turned around to see a handsome brunette man with an asymmetrical strand of hair dangling from the side of his face. He had a timid smile and beautiful bronze eyes, a colour I had never seen before. I was mesmerized by them.

"G-Good evening, Menekşe"

He seemed nervous and I couldn't help but thinking that he looked really cute, blushing, which made me blush too. He took my hand in his own and kissed it. He closed his eyes tightly and spoke in a fast whisper.

"I loved your performance very much, I was wondering if you would like to spend some time with me"

I giggled, deciding to let my hand be grabbed by his' instead of pulling it away. His hands were clammy and that gave him away.

"Of course, but I don't even know your name"

He blushed even more and I thought that this man couldn't be cuter even if he wanted to. I smiled fondly at him.

"Oh, right... my name is Andreas Alexopolous"

He told me, stuttering of course, that he was a wealthy entrepreneur, something I could have guessed myself as he was one of the guests of Gupta bey's party alongside the Ambassador of the British Empire, he was from Cyprus and he had moved to Cappadocia a couple years before. He told me he had a large estate there and he would like if I could do a private function for him, by then his face was as red as a tomato.

I was surprised by how successful had my performance been, but the night still had some surprises in for me.

I don't know what rank does a military attaché to an Embassy has, so if anyone does know, let me know in a review. If not, well... doesn't matter, after all, I choose Field Marshall because he had the prettiest uniform. I don't even know what a Field Marshall is.

(*) Shameless self-advertising!