4. Harem.

It's mid-afternoon when we arrive at the Imperial Palace in Constantinople. Our coach from the dockside is met by three men from the harem. I later learn that they are agas; eunuchs whose role is to keep the peace inside the harem, as well as act as messengers and escorts between the main palace and the harem. Mihrimah tells the nearest aga who I am, and leaves me in his care. She then heads off into the maze of buildings with two of the agas in tow.

"Come with me, Nilüfer," says the remaining aga.

He takes me inside the nearest building and through a series of corridors. Finally we reach a pair of strong wooden doors guarded by two armed men. I'm left in no doubt that this is the main entrance to the Imperial Harem. One of the guards opens a door just wide enough to allow the aga and I to go through. The door closes behind us with a thud.

I didn't have any particular expectations of what would happen when Mihrimah and I reached Constantinople. For the first few days, I'm kept well clear of the royal wing of the harem, where all the female members of the Ottoman dynasty have their private suites. I'm allocated a sleeping space among thirty or so other girls living in one of the sections of the harem. Apparently there are many more women living in other sections. This area seems to be reserved for young women who are around my age.

I attend lessons each day and try my best to settle into the communal life of the harem. It's very different from what I've previously experienced, but I've no option but to adapt. As in any large group of girls there are occasional arguments and fights. The agas usually step in quickly before anything serious happens, and punishments are mercifully few. However, any punishment is administered in full view of the harem, both to humiliate the offender and as a warning to others.

Gossip is another abundant feature of life in the harem. To be honest, most of the gossip is harmless tittle tattle, but occasionally it unearths something of importance. At least, important to a large group of girls who's only meaning in life is to sit around and look pretty. Boredom is our biggest enemy, and it's frequently the root cause of many of the fights. This life is so different from my life back in Chilia.

Through the abundant gossip I learn more about Mihrimah's mother, Hürrem Sultan, and her nemesis, Mahidevran Sultan. Both have sons, one of whom will eventually become the next sultan, elevating his mother to the prized status of Valide. The Valide is the sultan's "queen" and she's the undisputed ruler of the Imperial Harem. It's the highest official position a woman can achieve in the Ottoman empire. But it's a winner takes all situation. For one son and his mother lies power and prestige; for the others, it's execution for the sons, and a life in obscurity for the mother.

Mihrimah is in a different situation. She faces the likelihood of an arranged marriage, much like the prospect I faced before my father made a gift of me to the Sultan. For Mihrimah, her marriage won't be to some foreign king or prince, but to a powerful pasha within the Ottoman empire. Such a marriage would cement the political position of her husband, and ensure his continued loyalty to the Ottoman dynasty. Unfortunately becoming a powerful pasha takes years of effort, so Mihrimah's husband is likely to be much older than she.

However, as a blood relative of Sultan Suleiman, Mihrimah will enjoy considerable freedom of movement even after her marriage. She also retains the right to divorce her husband. Marriage to a royal princess is a double edged sword for the pasha. On one hand he gains power and influence, but on the other, he can't afford for his bride to divorce him, since it would spell his political ruin.

Although Mahidevran lives with her son in a distant province, I soon discover that she has many spies inside the Imperial Harem. These spies keep Mahidevran well informed, as well as promoting her interests when the opportunity arises. Since the interests of Mahidevran are usually at odds with the those of Hürrem, there is no love lost between them or their respective supporters.

Although my arrival in the harem coincided with Mihrimah's return from Bessarabia, none of the girls have made any deeper connection between Mihrimah and I. As far as they are concerned, I'm simply a slave acquired on the Sultan's travels; given as a token of my father's loyalty to the empire. I've done nothing to pretend otherwise, since I'm no longer certain whether I'm to become Mihrimah's maid. My induction into the harem continues for several weeks.

Then rumours start to spread that I'm to replace one of Mihrimah's three personal maids. The timid maid I replaced when the royal party was in Chilia has been dismissed from Mihrimah's service and she's moved back into the main harem. It follows that Mihrimah will be looking for a new maid, and I'm one of those who, rumour says, is being considered. Suddenly I'm exposed to the influence and power of Mahidevran's clique within the harem. Our communal life means there are few secrets in the harem, so their identities are more or less common knowledge. It's just that they've ignored me until now. Even the sultanas who only visit the Imperial Palace infrequently have their favourites within the harem. Those girls periodically receive small gifts or special treats, and in return, keep their benefactor well informed of palace intrigue. Hürrem has her personal supporters, as does Mihrimah, although hers are fewer in number. Personal maids are usually drawn from the sultana's supporters, although not always. It seems as though the girl I'm to replace is secretly one of Mahidevran's clique, which is subtly ... or perhaps not so subtly ... trying to recruit me.

The rumours about my appointment prove to be true. When Mihrimah summons me to her room I feel I have learned all I need to know about the political intrigues surrounding the imperial family. As I soon discover, the harem gossip provides only a tiny fraction of knowledge about what is happening inside and outside the Imperial Palace.

"I presume you've been approached by some of the girls loyal to Mahidevran," says Mihrimah. A statement rather than a question. "Gülshan was not very bright, nor very brave, but she was a useful channel to feed information to Mahidevran."

Given the animosity between them, I suspect Mihrimah really means misinformation.

"Err ... Yes, my Sultana," I reply. "But I refused to join their number. Did I do the right thing?"

"Yes," replies Mihrimah. "You are inexperienced in handling palace intrigue, so you would soon find yourself in difficulty. My mother and I have other channels which we can use to keep Mahidevran amused."

I'm uncertain what reply I should give to Mihrimah's comments. Fortunately I'm saved from having to decide by the arrival of another of Mihrimah's maids.

"Nira. Show Nilüfer where she is to sleep and help her get settled," says Mihrimah. "Then the pair of you can prepare the rooms for a visit from my mother. I'm expecting her to call on us this afternoon when she returns from the main palace."

Nira takes me to a small windowless room just inside the entrance to Mihrimah's suite. It's just large enough for three narrow mattresses to be laid out side by side. As in the main harem, the mattresses are placed into a low wide cupboard during the day. Our bedding and nightwear are placed in the wooden trunk at the foot of each maid's allocated sleeping area. The trunks also serves as a chest for clothes and personal belongings. Above the mattress cupboard is a second cupboard which stores a water jug and cups, together with a few morsels of food, saved in case our duties mean we need to go a long time between meals. Serving a sultana, Nira tells me, is a 24 hour job, and a maid's personal needs like sleep, eating and ablutions need to be fitted in when the opportunity arises.

I'm ready to begin my duties by the time the third maid in our group, Ayşe, returns from whatever task she been doing. Both Nira and Ayşe seem friendly enough, although both are clearly surprised that I've been elevated to this coveted position so soon after arriving in the harem. Even among slaves there is a pecking order. I'm allocated the space by the door. I suspect this means I'll be the first to be called if Mihrimah needs something in the night.

With my new appointment comes an increase in my daily stipend, and a small set of new clothes. My own clothes, which I brought with me from Bessarabia, were discarded as soon as I arrived in the Imperial Harem. Since then I've been wearing the loose fitting trousers, waistcoat and top provided to those girls who can't afford to buy their own clothes from their tiny daily stipend. My current clothes are effectively the harem uniform. But such simple attire is unsuitable for maids living in the royal wing of the harem, where colourful satins and silks are the rule.

Despite all the preparations neither Mihrimah nor her maids feel ready when Hürrem Sultan comes to call. Mihrimah greets her mother politely and with a hint of genuine affection. It's nothing like the emotional greeting I would give my mother should I ever be fortunate enough to see her again. I silently remind myself that these two women control the lives of hundreds of women and girls.

"Let me have a good look at your new maid," says Hürrem Sultan after she and Mihrimah have been talking for a while. Nira, Ayşe and I have been standing quietly along one wall of the room, next to the two maids who arrived with Hürrem. Each of us ready to attend to any whim of her sultana. Mihrimah signals for me to step forward and suddenly I feel the pressure of six pairs of eyes studying me intently. I resist the temptation to fidget. I'm still not comfortable with my new attire, which shows far too much flesh for my tastes. I'd die of embarrassment if a man saw me dressed like this. Fortunately that's not likely to happen.

"So this is Nilüfer," observes Hürrem. "Harmless enough at first sight. She seems nervous. I hope you have chosen wisely, Mihrimah."

"I have, mother," replies Mihrimah. "Your illustrious presence would make any new girl nervous."

"You'll need to overcome that, Nilüfer," says Hürrem addressing me directly. "I'm trusting you with my only daughter's well being. Your duties will take you into the company of many influential women, not all of them are friends. Some may even be secretly working against the interests of the Ottoman dynasty."

"Yes, my Sultana," I reply, hoping that I'm expected to answer. The penalty for speaking out of turn to a sultana doesn't bear thinking about. "I shall serve Mihrimah Sultan faithfully and to the best of my abilities."

"Hmmm ... Make sure you do," replies Hürrem. "I'd not be able to find it in my heart to forgive anybody who failed to protect my daughter when they could. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes, my Sultana," I reply, realising that I'm being expected to be Mihrimah's bodyguard and well as her body slave. "I shall protect Mihrimah Sultan. With my life if necessary."

There is a collective gasp from the other four maids. What I have promised goes well beyond the services and loyalty a harem girl is expected to provide. But I don't fool myself into believing there was any other reason for my appointment to this position. There are many girls who can serve as a maid, but very few who can fell a man with nothing more sinister than a big stick.

The audience draws to a close and Hürrem and her two maids return to their suite. Mihrimah busies herself with correspondence while Nira, Ayşe and I tidy up.

"Are you crazy?" asks Ayşe when the three of us are in our tiny room preparing for bed. "Hürrem Sultan and our sultana have many enemies within the palace and city. Neither sultana expected you to promise what you did. "

"Yes they did," I reply. "It's why I was chosen to join you here."

I've no idea what dangers await, or my ability to deal with them, but at least it will mean that I'm likely to be away from the tedium of the main harem.