4-5. New arrivals
Hürrem understands the difficulty of the task she has set me, and that I may be gone for several days. However we both know that it would be foolish for us to simply wait at Hatice Sultan's house for events to unfold. After much effort I manage to reach the Old Palace, and find Daye Hatun to tell her I wish an audience with the Valide. Now I must wait for the Valide to find time in her busy schedule to see me. Unfortunately for me she is preoccupied with the preparations for tomorrow's welcoming celebration. Clearly the information Nilüfer obtained is correct, and Sultan Suleiman is expected to arrive back from the Hungarian campaign tomorrow. It looks as though I will have a long wait for an audience with the Valide.
Both wings of the main harem have been prepared for the arrival of the new girls. Extra bedding has been brought up from the storeroom and some of the rooms in the mezzanine have been made ready. I join Nilüfer and Esme, and we sit together during the evening meal. We talk for over an hour before Nigar Kalfa orders all the girls to prepare for bed. I go to my usual sleeping place next to Nilüfer. I don't know if this place is going to be taken by one of the new arrivals, but for tonight it is mine. I arrange with Nigar Kalfa to borrow a spare nightdress.
The girls in the harem take longer than usual to settle down. There is a lot of excitement about what will happen tomorrow and it is difficult not to get swept along with the mood. Fidan and her friends are also excited that Fidan is due to walk the golden path to Sultan Suleiman's bedchamber tomorrow night. Eventually Nigar Kalfa is more insistent in her demands that we all settle down and go to sleep.
Sümbul Aga wakes me early the next morning. The other girls are still fast asleep, although Nilüfer has been woken by Sümbul Aga's attempt to rouse me.
"Go back to sleep, Nilüfer," says Sümbul Aga. "Gülnihal, you must get washed and dressed. Daye Hatun says the Valide will see you as soon as she wakes. It's the only chance you will get to have an audience with the Valide today."
I don't know what time the Valide normally wakes, but I doubt it is this early in the morning. I do as Sümbul Aga instructs and then follow him to the Royal Wing of the harem. Sümbul Aga tells me to wait in the antechamber of the Valide's suite until she is ready to see me. Daye Hatun enters the antechamber a short while later.
"The Valide is still asleep," says Daye Hatun. "You had best make yourself comfortable. You could be in for a long wait."
An hour passes. I can hear movement and talking from the Valide's room but nobody comes into the antechamber. I wait patiently. Suddenly my solitary wait is interrupted. Not by anybody coming through the door into the Valide's chamber, but by two people coming through the door I had entered. I drop into a curtsey as soon as I recognise who has arrived.
"Are you now one of my mother's maids, Gülnihal?" asks Sultan Suleiman.
I'm momentarily stuck for words. Partly because of the sudden arrival of the sultan and Pargali Ibrahim, but mainly because the sultan has called me by my name. With so many girls in the harem, I never dreamed that the sultan would remember mine.
"No, Your Majesty," I reply. "I am here seeking an audience with the Valide on behalf of Hürrem Hatun."
"Hürrem?" says Sultan Suleiman. "I have just come from the her room but she isn't there. Where is she? Is she ill?"
"Hürrem was in good health when I last saw her, Your Majesty," I reply. "She cannot come herself because the Valide has ordered her to remain at Hatice Sultan's house. But we believe our location has become known to those who may wish Hürrem harm. I have come to request that Hürrem and I be allowed to return to the Old Palace."
"And why should anybody present such a danger to one of my harem that the victim must be removed from my palace?" fumes Sultan Suleiman.
"I do not know the answer to that question, Your Majesty," I reply. "We simply obey the Valide's orders."
"Pargali!" says the sultan. "Have Hürrem returned to the Old Palace at once. You are personally responsible for her safety. Find and deal with anybody who poses a threat to her well-being."
"Yes, Your Majesty," replies Ibrahim. From the look on his face, Ibrahim is clearly not happy at being given this order. He may not have been involved in removing Hürrem from the Old Palace, but he clearly favours keeping Hürrem away from the sultan. I fear my words may have earned me the wrath of Ibrahim and the Valide. They will undoubtedly take their revenge on me at a later date.
"I believe the Valide was concerned about the possible behaviour of some of the new girls towards Hürrem now that her pregnancy is beginning to show," I add, hoping it might defuse some of Ibrahim's building anger.
"It is a valid concern, Your Majesty," says Ibrahim to Sultan Suleiman. "I took the liberty of sending a warning to the Valide of the dangers some of our hostages may pose."
"Some of the noblemen and soldiers taken as hostage may indeed pose a threat, but they will be kept well away from the harem. I refuse to allow my harem to be disrupted by any of the female hostages. If any of them step out of line, then Sümbul Aga shall deal with them in the traditional manner."
The traditional manner for any serious misbehaviour by a girl in the Imperial Harem is to be tied inside a sack and thrown into the sea to drown. Thankfully no girl has suffered that fate while I have been here, but the sultan's words remind me that he is willing for the punishment to be applied if and when necessary.
Ibrahim bows and leaves on the mission Sultan Suleiman has commanded. Ibrahim gives me a brief look which confirms my suspicions. I have foiled some scheme which the Valide and Ibrahim have been hatching.
"Come, Gülnihal," says Sultan Suleiman once Ibrahim has left. "We shall inform the Valide of my decision together."
The sultan knocks once on the door to the Valide's chamber. The door is answered by one of the Valide's maids. She opens the door wide and curtseys as Sultan Suleiman enters the room with me a few paces behind.
"My lion!" says the Valide as soon as she sees Sultan Suleiman. "Welcome! We were not expecting you to arrive until midday."
The sultan and the Valide give each other a brief hug. It's the only show of affection either of them will allow.
"Ibrahim and I rode through the night. I was eager to get back here as soon as possible. Now, tell me why you have moved Hürrem to Hatice's house."
"Umm …" begins the Valide. When she sees me I'm sure she suddenly changes what she was about to say. "Hürrem was becoming overtired with all the preparations for the new arrivals. I moved her to Hatice's house to rest. Gülnihal should be with her, and not here in this room!"
She is lying about her reasons for moving Hürrem, and the only reason I'm not with Hürrem now is because the Valide has delayed granting me an audience. I fortunately remember to hold my tongue and let Sultan Suleiman take the lead.
"That is very considerate of you, mother, but I believe your concerns about Hürrem are unfounded. In fact Gülnihal is here on behalf of Hürrem to say that Hürrem is ready to return to the harem. I have already sent Ibrahim to fetch her. I am eager to see the woman who bears my next child."
"Umm … Errr … Yes. Of course, my lion," stutters the Valide. "Gülnihal. Unless there is anything else you wish to see me about, please go and help Sümbul Aga and Nigar Kalfa make the necessary preparations for your return. I have important matters of state to discuss with His Majesty."
I curtsey and depart the Valide's chambers as quickly as possible. I soon find Nigar Kalfa and tell her what the Valide has ordered. Thankfully Nigar Kalfa accepts my word and doesn't ask for verification.
"I shall go and inform Ayşe that her room-mate is returning," says Nigar Kalfa. "I'll arrange for your former space next to Nilüfer to be assigned to you again. Sümbul Aga is in the kitchen. Ask him to arrange for a coach to take you to Hatice Sultan's house to collect Hürrem and both your belongings."
I don't waste time before doing as Nigar Kalfa instructs. Today will be a busy day for everyone and Hürrem's return will only add to the chaos. Fortunately most of the girls are too preoccupied with the planned celebration to interrupt my mission.
It is midday by the time Hürrem and I return to the Old Palace. Everything was busy but well-ordered when I departed to collect Hürrem. Muddle and confusion greets our return. The new girls have arrived and Daye Hatun and Nigar Kalfa are rushed off their feet trying to organise them. None of the new girls seem inclined to obey any orders and most pretend they do not understand any of the languages spoken to them.
Hürrem and I deposit our belongings in our respective spaces before joining the other girls watching Daye Hatun process the new girls. Of the twenty three new girls, eleven are slaves who have been gifted to the sultan. Those girls will become residents of the harem and will be placed with the other odalisques and concubines in one of the two wings of the main harem. The other twelve girls are hostages who are being ransomed. Of course, should their fathers be unwilling or unable to pay the ransom, the girl will remain in the harem indefinitely. For now, though, the noble ranking of the twelve hostages is to be respected, and they will be sharing the favourites' rooms in the mezzanine. Unfortunately there are sixteen girls claiming to be a hostage and only seven who admit to being a slave. While there will be a written record somewhere detailing which girl is in which category, nobody has had the foresight to provide a copy to Daye Hatun.
"We don't have time for this idiocy," fumes Daye Hatun. "Lock all sixteen girls in the dungeons. They are to stay there until the four slaves admit their dishonesty."
The sixteen girls protest loudly as the agas take them away. Not that their protests sway Daye Hatun, who proceeds with the induction of the seven girls who remain. With the celebration for Sultan Suleiman's return scheduled to begin in three hours time, none of us have time to watch the induction for long. Gradually we all return to the preparations for the celebration.
Our preparations are nearly complete when Nigar Kalfa comes over to me and tells me I am required to go to the Valide's rooms immediately. I take a deep breath. I know the Valide was not pleased with my part in arranging for Hürrem and I to return to the Old Palace. I had hoped she would wait until tomorrow before venting her wrath. I knock on the Valide's door and one of her maids allows me to enter.
"Ah, Gülnihal," says the Valide in a pleasant tone which surprises me. "There is to be a change of plan for tonight. Sultan Suleiman has rejected my proposal to have Fidan walk the golden path tonight. It appears he wishes to spend tonight with Hürrem. However, he has accepted my recommendation that he father more şehzades as soon as possible, and he has agreed to make more frequent use of his concubines."
I give the Valide a puzzled look. Why is she telling me this? Surely this is something Sümbul Aga is responsible for organising. I'm sure Fidan won't mind waiting one night.
"I understand, Valide," I reply hesitantly.
"I don't think you do, Gülnihal," says the Valide. "Tomorrow night you are to walk the golden path."