The rest of the day was quite uneventful, we all were fed with a little loaf of bread and a small bowl of what seemed to be oat. We ate hurriedly as we were ordered to, and in no distant time, we were ordered to sleep, as we would be up earlier. There were no stars in the sky on this night, I knew cos I was curled up to the corner close to the window. I began to heavily reflect on the events of the day, while my new friends were fast asleep. I remembered my court case and thought about if I was declared wanted back home in Miami. I thought of the girl who's body I was in. I tried to make sense of her life and understand what she was presently, a slave or a servant. Regardless she was brought here, and not as a royal, so she was here to serve and clean after everyone else without recognition. She is also a personal maid to the newest addition to the harem of concubines. When I remembered Khadija, my stomach turned cold, she seemed not just to be dangerous, but she also seemed to be a lady with a seducing power and a ferocious appetite for bedroom activities. She seemed to want me more asides from being a servant, she had desires she wanted met, I could see it in her catlike eyes. Memories of all the historical dramas I watched and even the ones I read began flood my thoughts. Like all palaces I had seen or read about, I believed this place wasn't any different. The Ottoman empire wasn't one I was well versed in, but according to history, their royal businesses were bloody, at least that's what history says. And while no woman ever really ruled as a king did, I knew very well she played the cards behind the scenes, a risky but powerful role.
I thought long and hard about everything and why I was here in the first place. I couldn't get any answers, nothing made sense to me and it was quite frustrating. But then I made a resolve that night. I didn't know how long I was going to be here, but I wouldn't end up as slave forever, I have no intentions of that. I played it safe and followed the rules when I was in Miami and I ended up risking jail time and an end to my budding career. I didn't know if I had already passed away back home, but I knew for sure that I wasn't going to go down the way I did before. This was a new world, a world that doesn't know half of the development the 21st century was experiencing.
"Jade, you will give everyone something they haven't experienced and will not experience in this lifetime" I vowed as I began to slowly drift off. My resolve was made, my mission was set, I just needed to know how and when to execute it.
I heard rustling of several feet and immediately, I jolted awake and sat up. This was the shortest sleep I experienced in my entire lifetime, even when I was studying to be a cosmetic chemist. Before I could mutter any curses, some other young girls filled into the cramped room. I couldn't see them well, the day hadn't broken but their manner of badging in showed they were a lot more high up than us in the room. One of them brought out a large stainless plate and hit it with something. The sound echoed through the room and everyone who slept in the room began to scramble out of their mats and spaces. At this moment, I stood up, looking around and waiting for the others to get themselves together. The sound of the steel plate rang out over and over again, till everyone in the room was on their feet. One of the ladies walked up closer, all our eyes fixed on her.
"Welcome to the palace of the sultan, and your new home for years to come" the young lady began. "As you might as well know, you are here to serve, and serve you must. Today marks your training as an acemi. Your efforts as an acemiliki will determine if you have a stake in these walls. If your mistress or the places you've been assigned to serve in speaks highly of you, you'll get to stay here permanently, or at least till you are discharged. But if you fail, you will be sent to some other place or even resold. So if I were you, I will ensure that I remain here, this is the best place you'll ever be"
"See I told you it was better in here" Aisha whispered. I just smiled at her, I don't know if she saw me or not. The lady continued to address everyone, explaining how the ranks of servants moved, from acemi to sarkid, cariye to kalfa, then usta to hazinedar usta. If you are beloved in this harem, then you could be a Gedikili, one favored by the court, and allowed to live as a freeborn". The crowd in the room began to mutter and immediately, one of those ladies hit the stainless plate and the room went quiet once again.
"I must warn you that any mistake here will cost you your life. So if I were you all, I'll not act out of place and do whatever I can to live in peace. As Kalfas, we would train you in the ways of the court, so from now on, you are sarkids and you must behave as such. Your train has begun, arrange yourselves in four neat rows, we have started" she concluded. Fatima, Aisha and Mariam got in line behind me as I stood behind the row in front of me.
"I would really love to be an Usta, that's freedom at it's finest" Aisha muttered from behind me.
"Yeah, being that person to be able to leave the harem and settle down with a well off or moderate man is the best thing ever" Fatima concurred.
"If this guarantees a life outside of servitude, I can be grateful" Mariam added. I didn't say a word as they all muttered about which position was best and how they could win the favor of the court. I was thinking hard, I understood how power worked and settling for less around power does not guarantee a problem free life, you are either in or out. I wasn't sure about what I wanted, I couldn't decide, but I knew that I wasn't going to settle for less.
"Let's do this" I muttered to myself as I watched the Kalfas approach.
The day's training was grueling and crazy. We had to learn about the etiquettes of the court and how to practice them. Nevzad, the head kalfa had hit me severally during the training with a stick, and before the training ended, my arms, wrists and my calves were filled with painful marks that swelled up a bit. I felt like the main target of all the beating and everything I tried to do was wrong. I sat on the mat helplessly, my appetite eluding me as I watched the other girls lineup to get their food, a light stew and a small loaf of bread. Mariam noticed me sitting at the corner. Although hesitant at first, she left the queue for supper and walked over to me.
"What's wrong? You aren't on the line like everyone else" she asked, as she bent down slowly. I sighed,
"Nothing is working, it seems I'm terrible at this already. I've been whipped so much that my whole body hurts" I lamented. Mariam smiled, her eyes looking tenderly at me as she took my hand.
"We'll try again tomorrow, and this time, you'll do it perfectly" she assured.
"You aren't the only one dealing with this pressure, many girls were whipped too. Just eat something and get some rest, I know the morning will be different" Mariam continued to assure.
"But..." I wanted to protest before Mariam's palm covered my mouth.
"Don't say any further, eat first and complain later" she hushed, before standing up and extending her hand. I sighed, and after about a minute of deliberation, I took her hand and she pulled me up.
"You'll need all your strength to survive this, and food is what provides that strength" Mariam said, taking my hand and putting me on the queue with her. I didn't know if I should be grateful or sad, but regardless I stood there, waiting for my supper.
I saw myself back in the office, my colleagues walking up to me in droves asking me what I did wrong. Before I knew it, I saw Mr. Kent, the head of my department walk into the office with two armed men.
"What's going on sir? What did I do?" I tried to ask, but he didn't even look at me.
"Take her away officers" he ordered before stepping away. The men approached me and put the handcuffs on my wrist within seconds.
"What's going on her? How did I get here?" I cried as I repeated those words, but words seemed not to have any effect, they dragged as I tried to resist. I cried and struggled, as I pulled myself back, but just as I struggled and cried, I immediately opened my eyes, it was all a dream. I immediately sat up on the mat, my chest pounding loudly in my chest as I frantically scanned my environment. I heaved a sigh of relief when I noticed I was still in the room with the other girls, and my friends sleeping soundly. Almost immediately, I remembered the training of the previous morning and sat up. At this moment, I lost the ability to sleep, but then, I got an idea. I smirked to myself in pride, as I adjusted myself.
"It's time" I muttered, still wearing a smile.