7. Love notes

My first tryst with Yahya is something which will remain in my memory for a long time. Our meeting didn't last for more than fifteen minutes, and for most of that time Yahya simply recited a poem while he held my hand. I can't say that the poem excited me very much, since it was obviously written for Mihrimah. But having my hand held by a good looking man, and our parting kiss was something which is memorable. What is more important is that Yahya has agreed that we are to meet again. Not just to simply exchange love notes between Mihrimah and he, but to spend a few minutes with me.

Whether or not his interest in being with me is simply a ruse to gain information about Hürrem Sultan remains to be seen. His affection for Mihrimah seems genuine enough, but I lack the experience to know how he truly feels about me. Unsurprisingly, Mihrimah requires a full description of my meeting with Yahya as soon as I return to our rooms. I sense a hint of jealousy in her questioning and I could lie to save her feelings. But I doubt I could maintain a lie consistently for any length of time. Consequently, I decide that telling her the truth without any emotional inflection is probably the safest path. Only time will tell whether I have chosen wisely.

"Did he give you a message to give to me?" asks Mihrimah.

"Only that next time he will have both a letter and a poem dedicated to you for me to deliver," I reply.

Later, when I'm standing patiently at the side of the room while Mihrimah entertains her younger brothers, I have time to reflect on my meeting with Yahya. I'm still uncertain about his true motives. My next meeting with him is the day after tomorrow, so I have time to consider what questions I should ask of him.

The appointed time arrives and Mihrimah hands me a letter to give to Yahya. I don't need her reminder that the letter mustn't fall into the wrong hands. I just hope she realises that Yahya might not be so discreet if his true motives are less than honourable. I don't know what she has written, but she is placing a lot of trust in Yahya. Fortunately Mihrimah doesn't command me to hand the letter to Yahya as soon as I meet him. It will give me a chance to test his sincerity.

Yahya is a lot more attentive during our second meeting. He's even prepared a poem for and about me, although he refuses to give me a copy. I almost forget to ask him my questions as his roving hands start to heighten my desire. If I thought my first tryst with him was memorable, then the second is sublime. Even his answers to my questions eases some of my concerns about his motives, although I admit that my arousal influences my opinion.

Immediately afterwards I return to Mihrimah and hand over the promised letter and poem from Yahya. As expected, Mihrimah probes for details about our meeting. I answer truthfully while omitting some of the more intimate details. Mihrimah seems satisfied with the outcome and goes into her private room to read what Yahya has sent.

Needless to say, a third meeting is arranged, although nearly a week passes before I'm again told to meet with Yahya. Mihrimah isn't the only one looking forward to my meeting with Yahya. To my surprise, Mihrimah hands me her emerald ring as I'm about to leave to meet him.

"Yahya asked in his last letter that I let him touch my ring as a symbol of our love for each other," says Mihrimah. "You are to wear my ring and allow him to touch it."

I have reservations about doing this. By all accounts Yahya is an impoverished poet from Manisa. His once wealthy family have fallen upon hard times. By his own admission, his friendship with Şehzade Mustafa is only relatively recent, so Yahya's trustworthiness is still open to doubt. He might be tempted to try and take Mihrimah's ring and disappear. My concerns dampen my previously exuberant mood.

"Greetings, my lovely concubine," says Yahya as I approach. "I hope my week long absence hasn't made you or your mistress doubt my affections. I trust you are both in good health."

"My sultana and I are well, thank you, Effendi," I reply.

"Yahya ... you must call me Yahya when we are alone," he replies. "Ah! I see you wear my beloved Mihrimah's ring, just as I asked. Does she truly love me?"

"I believe my sultana's affections for you are as strong as always," I reply.

"And are your affections for me as strong, my lovely girl?"

"I have looked forward to this meeting with eagerness," I reply evasively. I still have a niggling doubt about Yahya's sincerity and trustworthiness.

"Come here and let me take a good look at you," says Yahya.

I move towards him and he embraces me in his arms. I'm surprised by his actions. Normally we sit and talk for a while. He kisses me. Gently at first, but then with more passion. My own emotions cause me to drop my guard and I don't notice a woman approach until she is virtually standing next to us.

"Don't worry, my pretty. This is Nur, an acquaintance of mine. She means you no harm."

"What is going on?" I demand, forgetting my place as a lowly slave.

From their demeanour I can tell Yahya and Nur aren't friends. Nur's style of dress suggests that's she's not from Constantinople. She has the appearance of the wife of a merchant or moneylender.

"Allow Nur to examine the ring on your finger. She is an expert in assessing the value of jewels and a brief look is all that she requires."

"No," I reply, breaking free of Yahya's hold on me.

"Oh, but you will, my dear Nilüfer," replies Yahya, abandoning all pretence of romantic intentions. "I regret what is to happen, as I truly love your mistress. But unfortunately my family have substantial debts. Debts which your mistress is able to help me repay."

"You want to steal my sultana's ring?" I ask incredulously. They must know that the theft of such a unique jewel from the palace would result in an immediate search by the Janissaries and the execution of the thieves. The chances of Yahya and his accomplice getting away with the jewel are negligible.

"I don't intend to steal it. Your mistress will give it to me as a gift. In exchange I will guarantee that her letters to me won't fall into the wrong hands and cause her or her parents any embarrassment."

"And what guarantee does my sultana have that you'll keep your end of the bargain? The letters must be returned to her before any deal can be struck."

"No, no," laughs Yahya. "I shall hold onto the letters as surety for my continued good health."

"Then there is no deal," I reply. "The Ottoman dynasty has only one answer to blackmailers. Your lives are forfeit the moment either of you touch this ring."

"Such ferocity from a harem slave girl," muses Nur. "Just take her and lets get out of here. They'll think she's run off with the jewel and waste their time looking for her. By the time they find her, we'll be long gone."

"The Janissaries at the gate will stop you," I reply, playing for time. "My face is known to the guards."

"If we try to leave by the main gate then I'm sure that you are right," replies Nur. "But there's a secret way into the palace grounds and we shall be leaving by that route."

Yahya moves towards me and I quickly run into the nearby trees. I know I can't outrun him and I'm too far from the palace buildings for a cry for help to be heard. Besides, I don't want them to escape, with or without me. If they get away then they'll try again to use Mihrimah's letters against her.

My seemingly haphazard route through the trees is a ruse. I am not totally unprepared for what has happened. My initial concerns for Mihrimah's safety when she started meeting with Yahya meant I prepared and hid a stout staff near to where I waited. I risked severe punishment for doing so, since girls of the harem are forbidden to carry weapons of any description. I grab the staff as I pass the tree where it is hidden. I suddenly turn to face my two pursuers. Yahya is only a few metres from me, although Nur is some distance behind. I should have guessed that since Nur entered the palace grounds secretly then she also smuggled in weapons as well. Yahya holds a short sword and the look of desperation on his face warns me that he wouldn't hesitate to use it. He doesn't stop when he sees my staff. Once again I'm facing an opponent who underestimates the potency of a stout staff in skilled hands. I quickly have him down on the ground and nursing a sore head. I turn my attentions to Nur who decides against trying to fight me. She tries to flee but I can easily outrun her. I soon overhaul her and have her at my mercy.

My problem now is what to do with my two captives. Yahya isn't going anywhere in a hurry, and I have Nur safely bound with the rope she had intended to use on me. But fetching help isn't going to be a very good solution. Firstly the whole story of what has happened comes down to their word against mine. They could claim that I'm a thief and they tried to prevent me from trying to run off with Mihrimah's ring. The fact that I had a weapon is a black mark against me. Only Nur's unauthorised presence in the palace grounds will give any credence to my version of events. Even so, the word of a free woman carries greater weight than those of a slave. Besides, Mihrimah's letters are still a threat against her. As soon as I call the guards then the whole matter becomes common knowledge. I doubt Hürrem will be pleased when she hears her cunning plan has exploded in everyone's face. And to add to my troubles, I don't have much time before my absence will be noticed.

"Where are my sultana's letters?" I demand of a semi-conscious Yahya.

"Nur is holding them as security for my family's debt," replies Yahya.

"Where are the letters?" I ask Nur. She refuses to answer.

"If you want to live beyond today, then I suggest you cooperate," I demand. "Hand Mihrimah Sultan's letters over to me and I'll let you and this pathetic boy go free."

"And how do we know we can trust you?" sneers Nur.

"You don't. But you have a choice. Handover the letters and take a chance that I'll honour my word, or face certain execution."

I just hope Nur doesn't call my bluff. If she's clever she'll spot the weakness in my situation. Fortunately she isn't the smartest of crooks, and she agrees to my demands.

"I don't have the letters on me," says Nur. "But they're hidden nearby."

"Let's go then," I reply, untying her bonds. "Help Yahya up and let's get going."

Nur ends up carrying the moaning Yahya towards the hidden entrance to the palace grounds. I follow a few paces behind. I don't see the tiny door through the wall until we are almost upon it. It's well hidden by the abundant growth around it. The reason for its existence is unclear. Perhaps a previous occupant of the palace had it built as a secret route into the city. I wonder how many people know of its existence.

Nur stops before the secret door and reaches into a nearby pile of stones. She produces Mihrimah's letters from a box hidden among the stones. Perhaps she's smarter than I thought if she chose to hide her treasure inside the palace grounds. It would be the last place anybody would think of searching for Mihrimah's letters. I check the letters aren't simply copies, and I'm relieved to find that they are the originals.

"Okay. You can go. I suggest you both leave Constantinople at once. I can't guarantee my sultana will be as forgiving as I."

Nur and the injured Yahya leave through the hidden entrance while I dash back to the harem. I'm well overdue, and I can't be certain a search party hasn't already be sent out to find me. When I arrive back in our rooms, I'm relieved to see that despite Mihrimah's concern about my late return, she hasn't summoned the agas to search for me. She sends Ayşe and Nira on an errand while she listens to what I have to say.

I hand back her ring and letters and tell her that Yahya was intending to use the letters to blackmail her. I tell her a version of the truth which omits mention of Nur or the secret entrance to the grounds. Despite the closeness of our relationship, I'm not certain she will approve of what I have done, even though it was for her benefit. I don't like lying to her, but I'm afraid of what might happen to me if the whole truth comes out.

"I'll have Yahya arrested and boiled in oil," fumes Mihrimah.

"That might not be wise, my sultana," I reply. "If Yahya is arrested then your involvement with him might become public knowledge. Even without proof, the damage to your reputation would be harmful."

"I suppose you are right," sighs Mihrimah. "It seems I yet again owe you a reward for saving me."