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DAYS HAD passed and I still had me confined on this dreadful boat with these dreadful girls.

After I made my decision a few days ago I also decided to keep to myself and not talk to any of the girls, even Elizabeth.

These girls on this boat will be my rivalry as soon as we reach the palace, any of us could become a favorite and have our lives changed.

I don't want to be dumb and rush into things thinking everything will go perfect because who knows I may be sent off to a dark cold palace or worse, married off to an old man.

I want to lure the prince in with my elegance and confidence, his mother is a brave and powerful woman, and I was told his sister is the exact same, or at least she tries to be, so he's been surrounded by powerful women his whole life so I must be the same.

Not like mother or sister of course, but I must be an enchantress and lure him in with my charms.

Suddenly my thoughts are cut off with a bang to the door making all of us girls jump in fright but inky a second later one of the men that had taken us walks in with a pouch full of dresses.

"Get dressed, we have arrived but we won't have you looking how you look in the Imperial palace, " he says tossing the pouch on the floor and walking right back out blaming the door shut behind him.

I sit up looking around the boat to see that the other girls are already up and looking through the pouch arguing over who gets what like filthy animals fighting over the last piece of the prey.

"Vicious animals, " I scoff under my breath as I stand up stretching my arms and legs out from sleeping on the cold boat floor.

Elizabeth walks over to me with her basic-looking dress in her hand looking like an excited dog that just had got a new toy.

"Francisca! Aren't you pleased that we will be soon off this dreadful boat and able to breathe the warm air of Istanbul!" Elizabeth exclaims happily.

I roll my eyes at her innocence, "are you that much of an idiot?" I blurt out crossing my arms over my chest.

Elizabeth's eyes widen and she instantly shakes her head no, "im not an idiot at all!" She gasps.

"Clearly you are! My parents died trying to save my life and these scoundrels are taking us to be concubines!" I angrily huff.

Elizabeth looks down in shame, "im so sorry Francisca! I didn't even think about that!" She says with a pout.

I roll my eyes once more walking away from the idiot girl making sure to bump her shoulder when I walk past.

I pick up the bag that was supposed to have all the gowns in it but when I look in there the only gown I notice that is left in the bag looks like a dirty sack.

"Unbelievable..." I huff angrily under my breath before an idea comes to my mind! What if I ask Elizabeth to trade gowns with me so instead of me looking like the dirty maid she can instead!

I smile with joy at the thought of my perfect idea working out, after all, I do need a puppet to do my dirty work in the palace, and seeing how naive Elizabeth is this will all work out perfectly.

I put a fake pout on my face hold the dress in my hand walking back to a sad-looking Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth I know you didn't mean to hurt my feelings but there is something you can do to completely smooth things over, " I say with a soft smile on my face.

Elizabeth's face lights up with joy.
"I'll do anything to earn your friendship Francisca!" She exclaims eagerly.

My smile widens and I push the dirty dress to her chest. "Trade dresses with me!" I exclaim, "I want to look my best when I arrive at the palace and this dress just won't do–" I explain in an innocent tone.

Elizabeth looks down at the dress in my hands for a quick second before looking back up at me and hesitantly handing me her gown and taking mines out of my hands.

"If it makes you happy!" She says with a wide smile on her face. I smirk happily and examine the dress that sits in my hands no longer paying attention to the girl in front of me.

"Oh, and do you mind holding up over of these coverings so that I can get dressed?" I ask with a puppy pout.

Elizabeth nods her head and instantly holds up the coverings for me. I smile at my luck and began to get dressed finalizing everything about my plan.

____

"WELCOME TO ISTANBUL HATUNS!" the man who captured us exclaims with joy as he and his men huddle us all off the boat.

The sun hits my skin sending instant waves of heat towards my body. I groan in annoyance, "when will we be arriving at the palace!" I mutter under my breath frustratedly while staring at the ground.

Elizabeth nudges my side, "look how beautiful that palace is!" She exclaims cheerfully making me immediately lift my eyes from the hard floor and straight to the huge palace in front of me.

"This is the palace?" I ask the man in front of me with a tad bit of hope in my voice. The man nods his head and smiles, "The palace of the magnificent Sultan Suleiman and his family, and soon enough your home!" He says proudly.

My throat drys up with fear— I guess this is it, whatever girl was on that boat earlier must go goodbye as I welcome my new life with somewhat open arms.

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