8-5 Final preparations

It is clear that Araj Aga is dissatisfied with the results of his test. He growls at the girls; he growls at Birgül and Didem; he turns to growl at me but at the last second he moderates his tone. He's probably sensed my mood.

"They need to do better, Gülnihal Hatun," he says in a more conciliatory manner. "I'll be merciful and not punish them tonight. But from tomorrow the girl who performs the worst will be spending the night alone in the dungeon. Make sure they understand that."

"You expect too much of the girls," I reply angrily. "All of these girls have great potential. But they will develop faster without your threats of imprisonment. If you wish to threaten and punish the girls, then I'll not be your messenger. Tell them yourself."

I've made a serious challenge to his authority. If he has Şah Sultan's support for his actions, then I'm in danger of being punished myself or expelled from the harem ... or both. But somehow I think Araj Aga has been exceeding his authority. Even if he hasn't, he's worried that as a free-woman and a former hatun, I will carry greater influence with Şah Sultan than a mere aga.

Araj Aga is lost for words for a while. Finally he turns to the girls and repeats his threat of imprisonment. Then he marches off with as much dignity as he can salvage. Birgül and Didem explain to the girls what has happened, and they repeat what Araj Aga said for the benefit of those who didn't understand his words the first time.

"It is true, then," says Didem to me once the excitement has subsided. "You can twist a man around your little finger."

"What?!" I reply in astonishment.

"They say you can drive a man wild with lust and having him eating off the floor at your feet," says Birgül in a tone bordering on awe.

I'm flabbergasted. What occurred just now had nothing to do with seduction, but Birgül and Didem have somehow made a connection. Sure, I've been trained to arouse a man to wanton passion, and Hasan will undoubtedly confirm that I'm proficient at that. As for eating off the floor, then there was one time while we were at Heyreddin Pasha's lodge when Hasan lost a bet with me and did so as a penalty. But I didn't think anybody else knew about that little game. There can only be one source of these rumours ... Anna von Erdödy. I turn towards her and see the look on her face.

"I want to be able to do that," she pleads. "We all do."

I can't believe I hadn't noticed it before. I had just assumed that the respect I was receiving from the other women here was because I have been a hatun in the Imperial Harem in Constantinople, and because my jewel trimmed jacket is tangible evidence of Sultan Suleiman's favour. It seems that my reputed sexual skills have earned me even greater respect. Even the new girls seem to have heard the rumour, although I'm not certain how they feel about being trained in those skills. I guess we will find out over the next week or so. It's certainly a skill which is useful. In a world where women have few rights, the ability to manipulate a man in bed is a powerful weapon.

The girls' training over the next two weeks progresses steadily. Even Araj Aga can't find too much to complain about, although each evening he puts the girls through a test and one girl, usually Şenay, spends the night in the dungeon. I wish Araj Aga would stop, but I can't prevent him from testing and punishing his charges. He claims the girls' are learning what they need to know faster as a consequence, and I've no evidence to prove him wrong. Even Afife Kalfa is powerless to intervene, and Şah Sultan simply wants the sort of results Araj Aga claims are being achieved by his actions.

All too soon the final week of training arrives. This is the week when Anna and the girls will be taught the skills they seem desperate to learn. Although Didem will be their tutor for these lessons, I've agreed to assist her. As with the rest of their training, we don't have enough time to teach them everything. Besides, this is a subject where classroom lessons need to be reinforced with practical experience. While it is likely that some, if not all, of the girls will be called on to put their training into practise, Ahmed isn't going to be experienced enough to help them fine tune their skills. As for Anna, I've no idea when she will have the opportunity to put her newly acquired skills into practise. Perhaps never.

The girls are attentive during Didem's training, which is a bonus. The group I was with when I received this training kept falling into fits of giggles and teasing. It's a miracle I managed to learn anything from those sessions. The fear of Araj Aga's testing, and the knowledge that they may soon be called on to put their training into practise, has focussed these girls' minds. That's not to say the girls are sombre and fearful about the future. Now that they can understand more Turkish, they are able to chat and gossip. Friendships have developed within their group and with other women in the harem. Hopefully those friendships will survive the changes ahead. Even Şenay is beginning to lose her obsession with taking revenge against her stepfather.

"Sultan Ahmed intends to award a purple handkerchief tomorrow evening," says Araj Aga during his evening inspection. "Make sure you are all ready."

None of the girls understand the meaning of Araj Aga's words. Like Birgül and Didem, I had assumed that Ahmed would be introduced to his harem in a more private way, so we've never mentioned the subject. A purple handkerchief is only a symbolic gift, usually given during a special entertainment of music and dancing before the sultan, or in this case, his nephew. It's a command to all concerned to have the recipient prepared and sent to his bed the following night. To a trained concubine, the purple handkerchief is a coveted reward and a golden opportunity. To an under-trained girl it could spell disaster. A girl awarded a purple handkerchief is instantly envied by her rivals. But it is a challenge. The chosen girl must earn the real gifts by pleasing the sexual appetite of the man who has summoned her to his bed. If she converts the opportunity into gifts of jewels and fine silks, then her status in the harem rises. If she fails to earn those gifts, then she is ridiculed and, for most, a demotion to the status of an odalisque follows shortly afterwards. That's the risk. It's why it takes months of training to become a concubine.

I've only attended one entertainment where a purple handkerchief was awarded. That was the occasion when Hürrem was first summoned to Sultan Suleiman's bed. Hürrem seized the opportunity with both hands and now enjoys the power and privileges of an Ottoman sultana.

I'm not the only one taken by surprise by the timing of Araj Aga's order. I thought we had three or four more days for training. But Araj Aga wouldn't say what he did unless the order came from Şah Sultan. Fortunately the girls have received dancing lessons, so providing an entertainment isn't beyond their capabilities.

To my mind, it is far too soon for Ahmed to expect the girls to be anything more that what they are ... half-trained girls still coming to terms with their enslavement. Birgül and Didem look alarmed. Their future as tutors may be put in doubt if the girls don't satisfy Ahmed's expectations. As I'm the only fully trained concubine among our group, the two kalfas look to me for guidance.

Our first task is to explain the significance of the purple handkerchief to the girls. Even now, I don't know to what extent each girl is mentally and physically prepared for what lies ahead. Each girl paid attention to Didem's lessons, but being alone with a man and being able to put what you've learned into practise is another matter entirely. They are all virgins ... they wouldn't be here if they weren't ... but most seemed to have arrived in the harem with no sexual experience at all. At least none that they are admitting. Perhaps they fear Araj Aga's unpredictable reaction should he hear of past sexual encounters. They are all young, but not so young that none of them have at least kissed a boy before.

In the precious time remaining, Birgül, Didem and I prepare the girls for their big moment. Anna and a couple of other women volunteer to help us. Our preparations are briefly thrown into confusion when we learn that Huri and Melek, and three other girls from among Kadir's favourites, are also performing. The entertainment is going to be a larger gathering than I first believed.

In Constantinople the Valide would lend silk garments and jewellery to those girls who don't possess their own. Şah Sultan isn't so generous, and only a few scarves and veils are provided for those who can make use of them. Fortunately some of the women helping us are skilled with make-up, and they perform wonders in enhancing each girl's appearance. Given the limited wardrobe at our disposal, I'm pleased with what we've collectively achieved.

At the appropriate time we assemble ready to be escorted to the hall where the entertainment is to be held. Eleven dancers, eight musicians and six others including Afife Kalfa, Anna and myself. I'm not certain how Anna managed to get invited, or why, but she seems excited to be attending. Needless to say, Anna and I are dressed in our finest clothes and jewellery. Birgül and Didem aren't invited, but they wait with us until we depart. Araj Aga is there as well, but thankfully he stays away from the girls. They are nervous enough without having to cope with him.

Several agas appear from another part of the palace. They check that everyone is ready and escort us along a series of corridors to our destination. I've not been in this part of the palace before so I don't know what to expect. The sound of conversation and the smell of food warns me that we are reaching our destination. The hall is split into two sections. The smaller section near the door seems to be a waiting area and is partly hidden by curtains from the main section beyond. All the guests are seated on cushions at the far end and along two sides of the larger section. Between the guests and the entrance is a rectangular area cleared for the dancers. A smaller area to one side has been prepared for the musicians, who are ushered there as soon as we arrive. Anna and I are told to stay in the waiting area with the dancers and the four other women escorts.

I take the opportunity to peek through the curtains at the assembled guests. I can see Şah Sultan, Leyla and Irem sat together, slightly to one side. In the centre are three men who I presume are Şah Sultan's sons, Kadir, Ramazan and Ahmed. Sat by himself on the other side of the brothers is a man who can only be Şah Sultan's husband, Serhan Pasha. He certainly has the arrogant look of a provincial governor. Other men and women are sat on other cushions surrounding three sides of the dance area. I presume the other guests are local pashas and their wives, but they could just as easily be important government officials working in the palace. Altogether there must be around fifty guests in addition to Şah Sultan and her family.

Afife Kalfa is in charge of the entertainment programme. A thankless task I'm grateful not to be saddled with doing. I'm surprised that she seems more nervous than the dancers.

"Do your best girls," she says to the dancers. "Keep calm and stay alert. Return here when you aren't performing."

As a pep talk it isn't very good. It's more like a warning. I suddenly realise that Afife Kalfa suspects that this night's entertainment isn't going to end well. I look at the other three women escorts and notice they are all alert and ready to respond to any unexpected turn of events. I mentally prepare myself as well.