Chapter 16: Sultana

As a Sultana, Lucia is entitled to private quarters. The next morning a eunuch leads her to the wing of the harem reserved for Sultanas and first rank Haseki. Lucia hasn’t travelled this corridor before, although my own memory of visiting and listening to Mahidevran’s plotting is fresh in my mind. The air is still, scented with jasmine and polished wood. The marble walls are adorned with delicate floral motifs, and the floors are covered with thick carpets that hush every footstep.

When the eunuch opens the door to her new room, Lucia inhales sharply. Her new quarters are spacious consisting of a private sitting room, a sleeping alcove with embroidered curtains, a writing desk, a low table set with fresh fruit and rosewater. Two windows overlook a small garden where cypress trees sway gently in the breeze. She steps inside slowly, as though afraid the room might vanish if she moves too quickly.

“Jeannia,” she whispers, “this feels unreal.”

I float beside her in my ethereal form, smiling softly. “It is a sign of trust. And of your future.”

Lucia touches the edge of a cushion, her fingers trembling. “I’ve never had a room of my own, not even in Venice.”

She sits, letting the weight of the moment settle over her.

The eunuch clears his throat. “Lucia... “ He stops, correcting himself. “Sultana. You may choose two attendants.”

Lucia’s eyes widen. “Attendants?”

“Yes,” he says. “Your rank entitles you to two personal attendants to serve your needs.”

Lucia looks at me, uncertain. “Who should I pick as my attendants?

I whisper into her mind. “Choose those who have shown loyalty. Those who care for you without ambition.”

Her breath steadies. “Melike and Emine. But only if they agree.”

“I will fetch them,” says the eunuch.

Lucia’s exploration of her new room and garden is interrupted when Melike bursts into the room. Her eyes are wide, and her mouth open in astonished delight.

“Lucia! This is ... this is...” She spins in a circle, nearly tripping on the carpet. “You have a garden!”

Emine enters more quietly, but her smile is warm and proud. “We were worried that you would desert us,” she says softly. “We never imagined this would be the result.”

Lucia takes their hands. “I’m entitled to two attendants, and asked for you both. But only if you want to be my attendants.”

Melike squeals. “Do we want to? Lucia, we’d fight the whole harem for the chance!”

Emine nods, her eyes shining. “We will serve you with loyalty.”

Lucia’s shoulders relax, relief washing through her. “Thank you. I don’t want to do this alone.”

“You won’t,” Emine says. “Not ever.”

I silently watch them. Three young women bound together by fear, hope, and the strange currents of palace life. Lucia’s spirit well steadies, glowing with quiet strength. She is no longer a frightened foreign girl.

Later that afternoon, a eunuch arrives with a message.

“Sultana Hatice requests your presence.”

Lucia stiffens. “The Sultan’s sister?”

“Yes.”

Melike’s eyes widen. “She is powerful. Respected. Kind, but ... formidable.”

Emine whispers, “If she wishes to meet you, it will be important.”

Lucia looks at me, fear flickering. “Why would she want to see me?”

“Because you survived the plot against you,” I say into her mind. “And because Mahidevran will not forgive that. And I think she is looking for a more intimate relationship with you. I saw the way she looked at you when she first saw you.”