2: The Purple Handkerchief

2-1. Meeting the sultan

Over the next two weeks I settle into a routine which is demanding but not unpleasant. Alexandra … or Hürrem, as I must now call her … is still inclined to be moody and a loner. Hürrem and I still remain friends, but we don't always share the same outlook in life.

I'm beginning to make sense of the hierarchy in the harem. Those in the South Wing of the harem have all been selected to be trained as hatun, which means "lady". Hatun is both a title and a name. When I finish my training I will become Gülnihal Hatun. I will become eligible to be chosen as a concubine of the sultan. Even then it is far from certain that I'll be called to walk the golden path. Sultan Suleiman is not as lustful as his predecessors, and he makes infrequent use of his many existing concubines. Ayşe has not been summoned to the sultan's bedchamber since the night when Hürrem and I first arrived, and I've not heard about any other girl being called. Perhaps one of Sultan Suleiman's sultanas is keeping his bed warm at night. His lack of interest in his harem is certainly causing a degree of frustration among us. We are being trained in how to pleasure a man, but are constantly denied the opportunity to put it into practise.

Despite being confined to the harem, I'm reasonably content with my new life. We are rarely bored, and Daye Hatun ensures we are kept busy. By now I understand enough Turkish to converse with the other girls while we work. Although I frequently mispronounce words, I find that the other girls are both willing to help me improve my fluency and accept me as a friend. Sometimes a few of them can become too friendly, particularly at night. I've been woken more than once when another girl slips into my bed with me. Usually my night time visitor is simply wanting the extra warmth of a bed companion. The harem can get quite cold at night and we are only given lightweight clothing. A few girls, however, are looking for a more intimate liaison. The harem rules prohibit us from engaging in sexual activities with another girl, but the practise is becoming commonplace and nobody prevents such liaisons providing they are kept discreet. I suppose it helps ease our sexual frustrations. I don't encourage the advances of other girls, but nor do I kick up a fuss when a girl slips her hand inside my slip or touches me intimately when we are in the baths.

The girls who arrived with Hürrem and I, and were assigned to the larger room in the North Wing, have a harder life. They weren't chosen to be trained as hatun, so their lot is to perform the manual chores such as the laundry and cleaning the interior of this huge harem. Even so, they may still advance in the hierarchy just like Nigar Kalfa has done. I now know that kalfa, like hatun, is used as a title as well as a name, and is awarded to the more skilful and experienced harem servants. If it wasn't for the kalfas organising our day to day life, the harem would probably collapse into chaos. The Valide may rule the harem, but carrying out her orders is nearly always left to Daye Hatun and the kalfas.

Of course the most coveted title for any girl in the harem is that of sultana. A girl child fathered by the sultan is given that title at birth. But for a slave girl to become a sultana, she must give birth to a son fathered by the sultan. Only two slaves have succeed in achieving this goal with Sultan Suleiman; Mahidevran and Gülfem. Both gave birth to sons while the then Prince Suleiman was still the governor of the province of Manisa. Now both women have moved from the small harem at Manisa into the Royal Wing of the Imperial Harem.

The Royal Wing is reserved for the imperial family and their personal maids. We're not allowed to enter that part of the harem unless we are summoned ... something which rarely has a good outcome. The Royal Wing is where the Valide and the sultan's sister, Hatice, reside. It's also the only part of the harem where a male child is allowed to wander at will. We see most of the imperial family from time to time, but more often than not, they keep to themselves.

"I've seen Mahidevran's son, Mustafa," I say as a group of us talk while we embroider. "But not Gülfem's son."

"Nor will you," replies Esme. "A few years ago a great plague swept Manisa, and Gülfem's infant son died. The same plague claimed the lives of Hatice's husband and children. Now Gülfem stays in the palace as Hatice's close friend and confidant."

"I'm beginning to think we will never see Suleiman either," says Hürrem.

"Careful," warns Esme. "You must never refer to His Majesty by his name like that. Even in his presence you must only call him Sultan Suleiman Khan or Your Majesty. If Daye Hatun or one of the aga's hear you being disrespectful towards His Majesty, then you'll be severely punished."

"It's difficult to be disrespectful to a ghost," continues Hürrem, unmoved by Esme's warning.

"Shush," warns Esme again. "Don't forget we could be observed at this very minute from the grill at the end of the room."

I had forgotten about the hidden room on the other side of the small grill. It's impossible to see through the grill from this distance, and it is mounted too high in the wall to look through when we are closer.

"Don't fret," says Efsun. "I heard one of the aga's say that His Majesty is not in Constantinople, and that he's busy putting down a rebellion in one of the outer provinces."

"I've heard that rumour, too," says Esme. "But Ibrahim is still in the palace. He may be watching us."

I've met Ibrahim twice. Both times he has been checking on the progress of the new arrivals. Nigar Kalfa is very nervous when Ibrahim is around, probably with good cause. He has a nasty, cruel side to his nature. As Master of the Royal Bedchamber, Ibrahim controls access to the sultan when the sultan is in his private rooms. Ibrahim's duties also include being procurer of female flesh for the sultan's pleasure, as well as a host of more mundane tasks. Even though there has only been that one occasion when Ayşe was called to the sultan's bed, Esme is right in thinking Ibrahim could be watching us at any time.

That night Hürrem and I prepare our bedrolls, as we have done each night since we arrived. Sümbul Aga, the chief eunuch of the harem, stops Hürrem and I from changing into our shifts and tells us to follow him to the Royal Wing. Neither Hürrem nor I have any idea why we have been summoned at this late hour. Our hearts sink when Sümbul takes us into a small room where Ibrahim is waiting.

"His Majesty has returned from his victorious campaign. The Valide had decided that he should receive entertainment in his rooms," says Ibrahim. "You two are to come with me."

Hürrem and I look at each other in complete shock. We haven't finished our training, and we have only received the most basic of instruction on how to behave in front of the sultan. Surely there must be some mistake. We follow Ibrahim down corridors we haven't seen before. Eventually we turn into a corridor I recognise. The rooms on this corridor are reserved for the imperial family. Two young women dressed in fine silk gowns stand guard outside the door to one of the rooms. As Ibrahim approaches, one of the women opens the door and announces Ibrahim's arrival to whomever is inside the room.

Ibrahim signals for Hürrem and I to wait outside the door while he goes inside to confer with the room's occupant. A few minutes later another young woman comes to the door and tells us to come into the room. Inside the room is Mahidevran. She is surrounded by her maids who are adding jewellery to her beautiful gown.

"Are these the best two you could find, Ibrahim?" asks Mahidevran, looking at us as though we've crawled out from under a rock.

"Sümbul Aga recommended them," replies Ibrahim. "I've observed them myself. They seem to be capable of doing what is required of them."

Mahidevran doesn't seem convinced. Since Alexandra and I have no idea what is expected of us, we can only stand and wait nervously. Mahidevran's personal maids fuss around her as she finishes her preparations.

"I hope you are right, Ibrahim," says Mahidevran once she is ready. "Very well. You two pick up those trays and follow three steps behind me. When we reach His Majesty's chamber you will wait in the corridor outside the door until I come to collect the trays from you. You may then return to your beds. Do you think you can manage that simple task?"

"Yes, Sultana," I reply. I've no idea why any two of the several young women in Mahidevran's room couldn't have done this task, but I know better than to ask.

When Mahidevran makes a move to leave her room, Hürrem and I pick up the two trays. They contain an assortment of food in silver bowls. We follow Ibrahim and Mahidevran down several corridors until we approach a door guarded by two men wearing swords. This must be the sultan's bedchamber here in the Old Palace.

"The Valide is still with His Majesty," says one of the guards. "His Majesty instructed that he is not to be disturbed."

Mahidevran is obviously miffed at being denied access, but she can do nothing but wait. I recall that it's the Valide rather than the sultan who has arranged for Mahidevran to be here, so she can't insist that the sultan be informed of her arrival. Ibrahim makes no move to intervene. Fortunately our wait isn't too long. Ten minutes later the door opens and the Valide glides out of the room. The Valide gives a small nod towards Ibrahim, smiles pleasantly at Mahidevran, and gives Hürrem and I only the briefest of glances as she walks back along the winding corridor towards her room.

What none of us anticipated is that the sultan steps out of his room as though he is about to recall the Valide. He doesn't though. He seems preoccupied with whatever he and the Valide were discussing. Ibrahim bows. Mahidevran and I quickly curtsey as soon as we see the sultan. Hürrem simply stands there spellbound.

"Suleiman!" sighs Hürrem as she stands there looking longingly into his eyes.

I can think of three breaches in protocol Hürrem has committed within the last few seconds. I fear for my friend. This could earn her a beating; or worse, expulsion from the harem. But the sultan either fails to notice Hürrem, or he is too preoccupied to mind Hürrem's rudeness. After looking at Hürrem he simply turns to Mahidevran.

"Come, my dear," he says to Mahidevran. "What is it that you require? Is Mustafa alright?"

Mahidevran rises and follows the sultan into his room. She spares only the briefest of glances towards Hürrem, but we both know that her look means big trouble for Hürrem.