1-2. Concubines of the Sultan.
"Pay attention, Alexandra," says Nigar Kalfa with a quiet tone of authority. "You will undress at once, and then you and Maria will follow me to the baths. Now! You are not allowed to bring your dirt and stench into the palace harem. Always remember that you are the sultan's slave and your sole purpose in life is to be a concubine in his harem."
I cannot deny that we badly need a bath. I don't think the Tartars ever wash, and the slavers only allowed us infrequent washes in dirty water. Even the clothes given to us when we left the ship are already dirty. We obey without further complaint. Nigar Kalfa escorts us through the room where the other girls went, and then along a corridor towards the baths. The baths are huge, with numerous basins and different sized pools in which to bathe. The rest of the girls are already looking cleaner. At Nigar Kalfa's signal I go to join the other bathers. I don't know what she says to Alexandra, but Alexandra eventually joins me in one of the smaller pools.
"Are you alright, Alexandra?" I ask.
"Yes. But they haven't won. I'll find a way to escape and get back to my village."
While we all hold a dream of freedom, I can't help feeling that returning to our homes would be a mistake. Our families are dead. Only painful memories await us there. For the moment we seem safe, and in better company than we've been with at any time since our capture. I relax for the first time in weeks. We are allowed about a quarter of an hour in which to wash and refresh ourselves. Three girls, about twelve or thirteen years old, and wearing matching outfits, enter the baths and deposit two stacks of linen.
"Once you have finished washing, dry yourselves and put on one of these shifts," says Nigar Kalfa pointing to the two stacks. "Then line up over there so the doctor can examine you."
We do as we are told. Nigar Kalfa inspects each girl as she leaves the bath, and a few girls are told to return to the bath and to make a better job of cleaning themselves. Since Alexandra and I were last to start bathing, we find ourselves near the end of the line of girls waiting for the doctor. Once we are all lined up, Nigar Kalfa gives one of the three young girls an order in a language I don't understand. The girl leaves quickly on whatever errand Nigar Kalfa has commanded.
Nigar Kalfa orders us to wait in silence, and mirror the posture of remaining two harem girls. They stand erect and perfectly still while we wait. Alexandra makes an effort to comply, but her fidgeting suggests she is just biding her time before causing trouble. Fortunately the young girl returns with a woman doctor before Alexandra's patience wears out. We are each taken in turn into a side room and examined for any signs of disease or deformities. The doctor also checks we are virgins.
The examination is uncomfortable but much less degrading than our treatment at the hands of the Tartars and the slavers. Alexandra objects, however, and we can hear her raised voice as the doctor examines her. Unfortunately for Alexandra, her tantrum coincides with the arrival of an elderly woman dressed in the finest gown I have ever seen. She is accompanied by two of the men in blue uniforms ... agas, I think Nigar Kalfa called them ... and two women dressed in beautiful silk dresses. I don't understand the words the finely dressed woman says to Nigar Kalfa, nor Nigar Kalfa's reply, but the woman is clearly displeased. Nigar Kalfa bows and curtseys to the woman, so she must be somebody important. Both of them glower at Alexandra when she returns to our line-up. Alexandra pays them no mind and stands next to me in a sulk.
Once the doctor finishes her examinations, she confers with Nigar Kalfa and the elderly woman. The discussion takes a few minutes but their nodding heads hopefully means that we've all been given a clean bill of health. The doctor answers a few questions from the elderly woman before leaving us. Nigar Kalfa and the woman then move to stand before us.
"This is Daye Hatun," says Nigar Kalfa, indicating the finely dressed woman. "Those of you she touches on the shoulder should stand over there."
Daye Hatun walks slowly along our line of fourteen girls. Of the ten girls in the line before me, only Sarah and Rebecca are selected. We have no idea whether being selected is a good or bad outcome. Daye Hatun doesn't rush making her choices, and she takes some time studying each girl. She takes a particularly long time studying Ruth, the girl immediately ahead of me in the line, before deciding not to select her. I'm feeling very nervous as I brace myself for a similar close study. However, I am quickly tapped on the shoulder and Daye Hatun moves on to inspect Alexandra. One of the agas steps forward and guides me to where Sarah and Rebecca stand waiting. I catch a glimpse of Alexandra as I am ushered to the waiting girls. She's still sulking after the medical examination and she has a scowl on her face which would curdle milk. Daye Hatun must be used to such behaviour as she simply ignores Alexandra's scowl and taps her on the shoulder.
The last two girls in the line aren't chosen, leaving just the four of us in our separate group. Once the selections are completed, Daye Hatun says a few words to Nigar Kalfa, and then Daye Hatun leaves with the two women who escorted her when she arrived. Once she has gone, Nigar Kalfa turns to the ten girls who were not selected, and tells them to go with one of the agas. Two of the young girls also follow the larger group. The third young girl stands next to Nigar Kalfa.
"This is Esme," says Nigar Kalfa. "I'm assigning her to help you to settle into the harem. She speaks a few words of your language, but you must learn Turkish as soon as possible. Tomorrow you shall begin your education and training. Now, come with me."
"Training for what?" asks Sarah as we follow Nigar Kalfa along another corridor.
"You have been chosen to be trained as 'hatun'," replies Nigar Kalfa.
"What's that?" persists Sarah.
"You are very fortunate. You have been selected to be educated and trained in many things. Do well, and you will be fit to be concubines of His Majesty. Study hard and behave well, and you could one day be chosen to walk the golden path."
We don't have time to ask about the golden path. Nigar Kalfa takes us upstairs and into a different part of the harem. We enter through two large doors into what appears to be a huge living area. Before us is a vast open room split into three by two parallel lines of stone arches either side of the doors. The central area is open to the curved roof twenty feet above us. The arches leading away from the doors each support a stone mezzanine running the full length of the room. Against each of the mezzanine side walls are what appears to be a row of bedrooms. At the far end of the room are stairs which enable access to the mezzanine.
There are about twenty girls and young women on the lower level, sitting on cushions and mattresses spread out in the open areas underneath the two mezzanine floors. All of them are dressed like Esme in a simple white cotton dress with a pale grey waistcoat. Some wear ornaments in their hair, but they are otherwise identical in their attire. Above us, watching us from the mezzanine railings, stand a dozen other girls. These girls are dressed in a multitude of fine silk dresses and jewellery. All the girls look at us as we enter the room. One of the older girls on the upper level shouts something I don't understand, which earns her a rebuke from the aga escorting us.
"Esme will see that you are provided with food, clothes and a place to sleep," says Nigar Kalfa. "Tomorrow you will begin your training. I will leave you now. I have many other duties requiring my attention."
"What has happened to the other girls who arrived with us?" I ask before Nigar Kalfa and the aga leave us.
"They have been selected for other duties," replies Nigar Kalfa. "You will see them again soon. Do not worry about them. You must concentrate on your own lessons and duties. The Imperial Harem has no room for girls who don't carry out what is expected of them."
Nigar Kalfa looked at Alexandra when she made her last remark, but Alexandra gives no indication that she was paying attention. As soon as Nigar Kalfa leaves, we are surrounded by the white-and-grey clad girls who were sat around the room when we entered. Esme translates a few of their questions and we soon realise her command of our language is much better than Nigar Kalfa implied.
"There are clothes and slippers for you over here," says Esme pointing to a stack of white dresses and grey waistcoats like hers. "Pick one of each item which fits you."
"Why can't we have silk dresses like those girls?" asks Rebecca pointing to the young women still looking at us from the railings on the upper level.
"The woman trader comes twice a week. You may buy other clothes from her if you wish. Do you have any money?" asks Esme.
"No. Of course not," replies Rebecca. "All our possessions were stolen by the Tartars who kidnapped us. We have been brought here as slaves."
"Then until you have money you must be content with the clothes the Valide provides."
"Valide? Who is he?" asks Sarah.
"She, not he. The Valide is the mother of His Majesty. Sultan Suleiman Khan may rule the Ottoman Empire, but the Valide rules this harem. Daye Hatun is the Valide's personal assistant, and in matters to do with the running of the harem, then her wishes are only second to the Valide's commands. Think yourselves lucky she has chosen you to be trained as 'hatun'. Only a hatun may walk the golden path."
"The golden path? What's that?" asks Rebecca.
"The route to His Majesty's bed chamber," says Esme. "Every hatun dreams of being called to walk the golden path. If His Majesty is pleased with your company, then you will receive gold and jewels as a token of his pleasure."
"Not in my dreams," snorts Sarah in derision. "Don't tell me that you dream of walking the golden path? You are still only a child."
"I am no longer a child," says Esme. "My first bleeding was over six months ago. But the Valide considers me too young for His Majesty's bedchamber. Which means I must continue to prepare so that I am ready for when my time comes. Walking the golden path will be my path to freedom."