Siege

'Murad visits Gulbehar's apartments to be with her,' the girl said, her cheeks burning and her eyes fixed on the floor. 'Gulbehar makes us wear masks so that we will not catch Murad's eye, but he took note of me nonetheless. It was not my fault. I did nothing, and yet a friend has told me that the haznedar has placed my name on the calendar of royal nights. Gulbehar is a jealous woman. If I lie with the sultan, she will have me killed. My friend tells me that I am scheduled for next week.'

'And what would you have me do?' Sitt Hatun asked. 'I have no power with the haznedar. Once a name is written, it is beyond my power to change it.'

'Take me into your household,' the girl said. 'I was there in the garden when Gulbehar took Cicek from you. She offered you a servant to replace Cicek. Ask for me. She cannot refuse you.'

Sitt Hatun was inclined to grant the girl's request. It was the least she could do in return for the information the girl had given her. When Sitt Hatun told Mehmed that his beloved Gulbehar was unfaithful — and with his father no less! — then Mehmed would surely reward her. Perhaps he would even lie with her. But then again, this girl could be lying. She could be a spy sent by Gulbehar. Even if she did speak the truth, Sitt Hatun would need more than this girl's word if she were to accuse Gulbehar.

'I will take you into my household, but first I need proof of what you say,' Sitt Hatun told her.

The girl produced a golden chain, from which dangled a huge ruby that flashed a brilliant red, like the final blaze of the setting sun. There was no mistaking the gem. It was the kumru kalp, the dove's heart, and Sitt Hatun had never seen Murad without it. 'Murad gave it to Gulbehar. I took it from her quarters. Do you believe me now?' the girl asked.

'I believe you, girl, but I need to see this with my own eyes. When will the sultan next visit Gulbehar?'

'Tonight.'

'Then tonight you will show me.'

'But that is impossible,' the girl stammered. 'I could never sneak you into Gulbehar's apartments. Certainly not while Murad was there.'

'If you cannot bring me with you, then there is only one solution,' Sitt Hatun said. 'What is your name, girl?'

'Anna, My Lady.'

'Anna, take off your clothes.' Dressed in Anna's clothes, Sitt Hatun hurried through the palace and slipped inside Gulbehar's apartments. Although she wore the mask that Anna had given her, Sitt Hatun did not want to take any chances. Her disguise might fool the casual observer, but her clothes — clearly too long in the arms and legs — would not stand up to close scrutiny. She dreaded what would happen if she were found out. It would be easy enough for Gulbehar to have her murdered and then claim ignorance. When a woman left her place within the harem, she had very few protections indeed.

Sitt Hatun entered her old apartments, now Gulbehar's, and took the servants' passage that left the entrance room and skirted a reception room covered in pillows and filled with the smoke of a hookah. She came out of the passage into the interior garden, bathed in golden light that shone through the open roof. Moving quickly to the far corner of the room, she slipped behind a potted palm and gently pressed one of the cool tiles on the wall, triggering a hidden door. Sitt Hatun slipped through and into another servants' passageway, this one leading past Gulbehar's bedroom and to the apartment's private kitchen.

The passage was dark, save for the pinpricks of light that shone through the wall from small spyholes. They were there so that servants could watch their mistress and respond instantly to her every whim. No one stood at the peepholes now. No doubt Gulbehar kept this passageway empty during her meetings with Murad. Sitt Hatun put her eye to one of the holes and saw Gulbehar's candlelit bedroom before her. Gulbehar had made many changes. The glory of the room still lay in the huge, floor-to-ceiling windows that ran along two sides, showing a spectacular view of the imperial palace stretching away to the river. But the windows were half-hidden now behind screens of woven gold. The rest of the walls were covered with silk tapestries, shimmering with gold and silver thread. The tile floor was now covered with deep rugs. Altogether, the decor gave the impression of a richly decorated tent, an impression that was contradicted only by the enormous bed that dominated the centre of the room. The bed, hung with yellow silk curtains, was easily ten feet wide. And there, nude on the bed, were Gulbehar and Murad.

Gulbehar lay on her back, her head hanging over the edge of the bed so that Sitt Hatun could see her face, contorted in ecstasy. Gulbehar's long legs were wrapped around the waist of Murad, who lay atop her, grunting as he thrust. Gulbehar cried out in Albanian as he moved faster and faster. Finally, Murad moaned with pleasure and collapsed. After a moment, he rolled off and stood. A long scar marked his right shoulder, and there were several more on his thin legs. His sunken chest and large belly were covered with fine grey hair. Gulbehar remained on the bed, naked and covered in sweat, while he began to dress.

'Must you go so soon?' Gulbehar pouted.

'Ibrahim Bey is making trouble again in Karamania. I must write to the loyal beys there,' he told her. 'I spend too much time in your quarters as it is. Even loyal tongues will wag if the price is right. Mehmed is a rash young man. He must not know about us.'

Gulbehar rose and helped Murad to tie the sash around his caftan. 'Mehmed is nothing,' she purred. 'You are the sultan, and you have another heir now — my son.'

The sound of approaching footsteps drew Sitt Hatun's attention from the room. She looked away from the spyhole and saw a light approaching down the passageway from the kitchen. She quickly retreated in the other direction, out into the garden. There was no place to hide, so she passed through it and into the reception room, where she came face to face with Murad. Immediately, Sitt Hatun bowed low, keeping her face to the floor. She backed away, but Murad gestured for her to stop.

'Stand up straight, girl,' he commanded. Sitt Hatun did as she was told. She could see a gleam in Murad's eyes. Was that recognition or simply desire? 'I haven't seen you here before,' Murad continued after looking Sitt Hatun up and down. 'Are you new to Gulbehar's court?'

Sitt Hatun nodded and mumbled in a basso profundo that she hoped adequately disguised her voice, 'I must attend to her, My Lord.' She moved to go, but Murad took her arm, holding her back.

'You certainly are in a hurry,' Murad laughed. 'You should not be so eager to escape the honour of the sultan's gaze.' He turned Sitt Hatun toward him, stroking her arm. 'Take your mask off, girl. Let me see your face.'

Sitt Hatun froze, her mind seeking desperately for some means of escape. She could call out, but what would be the use? She could not run, Murad was holding her arm. And now, he was touching her hair. His hand was playing with the knot that held her mask, slowly loosening it. A few seconds now and she would be revealed. Sitt Hatun closed her eyes, her breath caught in her throat.

'Murad!' It was Gulbehar, still nude and standing in the doorway to the reception room, her hands on her hips. Stepping past Sitt Hatun, she pressed herself against the sultan and purred into his ear: 'Leave my servant alone.' Murad released Sitt Hatun, and Gulbehar kissed him voraciously. Sitt Hatun slipped towards the exit.

'Stop!' Gulbehar snapped, and Sitt Hatun froze. Gulbehar's eyes narrowed as she examined Sitt Hatun. 'What is your name, girl?'

What could she say? She could not claim to be Anna. The deception would be too obvious. Only one other name came to her. 'Cicek, My Lady,' she said and bowed low, hiding her face.

'Be gone, girl,' Gulbehar ordered. 'There's work for you in the kitchen.' She paused, and then added: 'And take off those clothes. You are not an odalisque in my court!'

Sitt Hatun hurried to the harem kitchens. From there, she took a servant's passage that led to her own apartments. She collapsed on her bed, shaking as the fear that she had held inside spread throughout her body. After only a moment, though, she steeled herself, forcing herself to lie still. The danger had passed, and now was no time for weakness. What the girl Anna had told her was true. Gulbehar and Murad were lovers. Soon enough, she vowed, it would be Gulbehar who would have reason to fear. Sitt Hatun spent the next day dreaming of her revenge: how she would tell Mehmed; what Mehmed would do to Gulbehar; how she, Sitt Hatun, would mock her fallen rival. She dreamed, but she did not plan, not yet. After all, there was no hurry. She could not tell Mehmed until he returned from Manisa; there was no messenger that she would trust. And she had decided not to tell Halil. She did not need the vizier and his plan now that she had evidence of Gulbehar's infidelity. Sitt Hatun could look after herself.