9: Dancing

9-1 Expecting trouble

"Are you expecting trouble?" I ask Afife Kalfa when she is momentarily away from the waiting dancers.

"I always expect trouble when Kadir and Ramazan are together," replies Afife. "It's fortunate that Gülriz isn't among the dancers."

I already know something about Kadir and Ramazan from their sister Irem's gossip, and from my conversations with Huri and Melek. Afife's concerns may be justified, but surely the two brothers' will call a truce in their private war for tonight. This is supposed to be a birthday celebration for their younger brother, Ahmed. I take another look at the audience and notice that Irem is walking towards us.

"Gülnihal Ҫelebi; Countess Anna; You are my guests here tonight," smiles Irem Sultan. "Come sit over here with me."

I'm taken by surprise. The aga who told me I was to attend tonight's entertainment didn't mention that I was invited as a guest. I had assumed that I was required to help the new girls with any language difficulties. However, it explains why Anna was included.

Anna's command of Turkish is now good enough for her to understand Irem's words, and she doesn't need my translation. The two of us follow Irem towards the far end of the room. Irem's younger sister, Candan, sees us coming and vacates the cushion she occupies. She moves forward to join her mother and sister Leyla. Irem, Anna and I occupy the now vacant cushion.

The guests are too busy talking to pay us much attention, although I notice a few women admiring our clothes as we walk past. Şah Sultan briefly acknowledges our arrival, but doesn't make any attempt to talk to us. Our new location gives me a better view of the three brothers. Irem said that her eldest brother, Kadir, is twenty one years old, but to my eyes he looks older. He has many of the facial features of his father and the same arrogant posture. Ramazan is different. He's about my age, perhaps a year older, and is more like his mother in appearance. He's quite good looking, handsome even. Unfortunately his obvious hatred for his older brother means that there's an unpleasant scowl on his face. Sat between his two brothers is Ahmed. It's his fourteenth birthday but he looks nearer to twelve. His childlike looks and posture makes me wonder whether he is ready for what is going to occur. At least all he will need to do tonight is to award a purple handkerchief to the girl whom he desires the most.

"What if Sultan Ahmed prefers one of the dancers provided from Kadir's girls?" asks Anna in reasonably good Turkish.

"Then she is the one who will be sent to Ahmed's bed tomorrow," replies Irem. "Kadir has said that he will allow it, although he's been careful in whom he has chosen to dance. Kadir is indifferent towards the two Hungarian girls, whom he simply regards as war trophies. The other three were Ramazan's favourites until Kadir took them from him. Kadir only beds them to deny Ramazan their company. Kadir wouldn't mind if Ahmed bedded one of them instead. Until Ramazan puts a stop to Kadir's antics, then he'll continue to suffer in this way. It's fortunate for Ramazan that Gülriz isn't required to dance."

"Afife Hatun mentioned Gülriz," I say. "Is she Ramazan's current favourite?"

"I think so," replies Irem. "Ramazan has been very secretive on that subject after Kadir started stealing his favourites. I suppose he doesn't want Kadir stealing Gülriz as well."

"Why doesn't your father intervene?" I ask. "It cannot be good for family harmony to have Kadir and Ramazan at odds in this way."

"Father insists that Ramazan fights his own battles," replies Irem. "Besides, Kadir is father's favoured son, so Kadir gets away with a lot of things that the rest of us wouldn't be allowed to do."

Our conversation is interrupted by some activity coming from where the dancers are waiting. I can't see the cause of the disturbance until Irem lets out a gasp.

"Oh no! Gülriz has joined the dancers," says Irem. "I don't think Ramazan has seen her there. He'll not be happy that she's dancing tonight. Kadir may persuade Ahmed to give her the purple handkerchief. It's the sort of dirty trick Kadir would pull."

I see the a new girl among the dancers I recently left. I too let out a gasp, but for a completely different reason. I know Gülriz. She was once called Rebecca. She's one of the other thirteen slave girls who travelled with me to Constantinople nearly two years ago. I haven't seen her since she was moved from the Constantinople harem last year. She's one of those Mahidevran had cunningly arranged to be transferred elsewhere to remove potential rivals for Sultan Suleiman's affections. I'm surprised I haven't seen Gülriz during my time here though. The Edirne harem is quite large, but not so large that I wouldn't have noticed Gülriz.

"I haven't seen Gülriz in the harem," I say to Irem, wanting to satisfy my curiosity.

"She works in the family wing," says Irem. "There's a separate section of the harem in another building for mothers and young children. Gülriz is one of a dozen girls who live there to help look after the children."

I mentally reprimand myself. I should have known there was another part of the harem. It's a major difference between the Constantinople and Edirne palace complexes. In Constantinople all the married couples live in the city, so the harem only needs to cater for the dynasty's own children. With so many married couples residing within the Edirne palace, it's obvious there must be children living somewhere. The part of the harem we live in has no boys, and the youngest girl I've seen living there must be at least twelve years old.

My wandering thoughts are brought back into focus when the Ahmed's father stands to make an announcement. He welcomes the guests and launches into a speech about his three sons. If I didn't know that this was a celebration of Ahmed's transition from a boy to a man, I could easily mistake the purpose of tonight's entertainment as being in honour of Kadir's military success in the Hungarian campaign. It must be obvious to everybody in the room that Kadir is his father's pride and joy.

The entertainment begins. The musicians start to play and the twelve dancers begin their first routine. The six new girls have had minimal practise, and wisely don't attempt any complicated moves. They try hard and their overall performance is better than I expected. Unfortunately it is obvious that they're going to struggle with the more complex dances to follow. Surprisingly, the girls Kadir provided aren't much better, leaving Gülriz as the only dancer whose performance shows genuine grace and talent.

Gülriz was one of those who danced with me on that night when Hürrem earned Sultan Suleiman's purple handkerchief. Had the sultan's eyes not been locked onto Hürrem, then there was every possibility that Gülriz would have earned the coveted prize instead. She's a natural dancer, which is probably why Mahidevran made sure was removed from Constantinople. If Ahmed's choice is going to be based on dancing skills alone, then Gülriz will win easily.

"Kadir's girls can dance better than that," murmurs Irem to nobody in particular.

I don't know if Şah Sultan overhears Irem's comment, but she must be of the same opinion. As soon as the girls have finished their first routine, I hear her give Candan a message to take to Afife Kalfa, warning that there will be consequences if any girl gives a performance less than her best. Şah Sultan is in charge of the Edirne harem, and a poor performance tonight will reflect on her as much as the girls involved.

There's a short break before the next dance. If the programme follows Afife's schedule, there will be two more dances as a group, and then three with only the best six dancers. Unfortunately Ahmed or his father can order a change to the programme at any time, so Afife and the dancers need to be prepared. It's one of the reasons I think the new girls aren't ready for tonight's entertainment. A sudden change to the programme may destroy what little confidence they have in their dancing abilities.

Ahmed can award the purple handkerchief at any time, although it's traditional to wait until the end of the programme. He can, of course, withhold awarding it to anybody, but I doubt Kadir or his father will let him do that. I study the brothers while we wait for the next dance. Kadir is looking smug while Ramazan is seething with barely restrained anger. Ahmed is trying to look grown-up and as though he is charge of events. In reality his father and Kadir are the real masters of tonight's entertainment. I make a casual comment to Irem to that effect.

"Don't underestimate Ahmed," laughs Irem. "Nor Ramazan. Kadir only gets away with his games because he has our father's support. Ramazan and Ahmed fear our father, not Kadir. If there was a sudden crisis within the dynasty, both Ramazan and Ahmed would do what is necessary to take power."

Irem's comments remind me that should both Sultan Suleiman and Şehzade Mustafa suddenly die, then Irem's three brothers each have a legitimate claim to be the next Ottoman sultan. I don't know how many of Sultan Suleiman's other sisters have sons, but it only takes one other claimant to start a civil war. It's why the Valide is so anxious for Sultan Suleiman to father more sons. A dynastic civil war will tear the empire apart. The last war of succession, over a hundred years ago, lasted eleven years. Nobody in their right mind wants a repeat.

Hürrem is due to give birth soon, and I hope for her sake that she delivers a son. Hürrem won't achieve her dream of being haseki until she has a son who is ready to rule as sultan. Even if her child is a boy, it'll be several years before her son becomes a serious contender to be the next sultan in preference to Şehzade Mustafa. Until then Hürrem must rely on Sultan Suleiman's personal protection. Unlike Hürrem, I can't claim Sultan Suleiman's protection, so I must never forget that my own child's life could be in peril should the identity of his or her real father be discovered.

The music starts again and I bring my wandering mind back to the present. The twelve dancers start their next routine. It's a much more complicated dance and, as I feared, is far beyond the new girls' ability. However, they try hard and, despite the mistakes, they keep on dancing. Their efforts earn the respect of the audience, many of whom seem sympathetic to their struggles.

Kadir's girls and Gülriz have a clear advantage. Not only have they had much more practise, but they are wearing beautiful silk dresses and jewels. The six new girls are dressed alike in the yellow harem uniforms. Aysun is the only one of the new girls to use one of the veils Şah Sultan provided. She has little idea how to use the veil to good effect, but she improvises, and it makes her stand out from the other new girls. Despite the improved performance from Kadir's girls, it is Gülriz who again outshines them all.

"You should award Gülriz the purple handkerchief now," says Kadir to Ahmed in a loud voice once the dance routine has finished.

Ramazan has a face like thunder but doesn't say anything to counter Kadir's advice. Ahmed says nothing and keeps a firm hold on the handkerchief. Kadir repeats his advice, even though Ahmed and everybody sat nearby must have heard him the first time.

"I shall make my choice at the end of the entertainment," replies Ahmed. "That is the tradition; is it not?"

I'm slightly surprised by Ahmed's firm tone to his domineering brother. Previously I thought him too young and naïve to stand up to Kadir. Perhaps there is something in what Irem said about not underestimating him. However, I don't see any sign that Ramazan has the same hidden strength.

"As you wish brother," laughs Kadir, as though Ahmed's reply is a joke. "But I can tell that you find Gülriz attractive."

Kadir's observation is hardly a revelation. Gülriz is attractive, but no more so than most of the other dancers. She is the third oldest of the twelve dancers, after the much older Huri and Melek. She must be nearly four years older than Ahmed. That may influence Ahmed's decision one way or another. Will he prefer an inexperienced girl his age, or a more mature partner to guide him through his first sexual encounter.