Fatma Hatun took my arm and gently pulled me towards the door as I unfroze from my surprise. I waved goodbye to Elisabeth as I followed on the toes of Fatma through the harem and up the stairs to the chamber of the Valide Sultan.

Fatma informed the guards of our arrival upon the request of Nigar Kalfa and the doors were promptly opened for us. I marveled as I saw these opulently decorated walls and beautiful couches unlike the ordinary ones in the harem. I suddenly felt a feeling, a small but very obvious feeling that this is where I belonged, big beautiful and luxurious rooms like that fit a princess. Princess Francesca Fortuna of Spain, to be exact, and that is me.

Fatma ushered me forward, and I stepped hopefully in a manner appropriate for her highness the Valide Sultan. Then, not knowing any other motion, bowed to her. 

"Are you Francesca Hatun?" Valide asked solemnly, and I wasn't quite sure what to make of her tone. She may be testing me.

I lifted my eyes to meet hers and answered in what I hoped seemed like a cool and understating way. "That is right my Valide Sultan. Francesca Hatun of Spain."

The Valide Sultan raised her brows a bit. "Spain you say? Are you of noblewoman origins?"

I had to suppress my urge to declare that I am a Spanish princess, that I am Francesca Fortuna, and instead think back to what I told Angelina a few weeks ago, that I am Francesca Trastamará, a countess of Spain. I don't know if now is the right time to do this, but I still raise my chin a bit and proudly respond,

"Yes my Sultana. I am a countess of Spain."

At first i thought she would embrace me in some manner as fellow royalty, but instead to my surprise she scrunched up her nose.

"I would be careful about making bold statements about your past. The time is now, and you are no countess here. You are a slave, and you belong to my son, Sultan Süleyman. You need to forget about your past and try to make ends meet here, because you are otherwise nothing." 

I bit my lip, and tried to think of a appropriate response, but nothing came to mind, except a tiny squeak of a sound, and meekly responding "Yes my Sultana."

I have not felt this belittled in a while since they captured us and I had that beef with Duchess Lucia De Mendoza. Speaking of which, I hadn't seen her in a while so she must have been sent to another palace or to Valide looked at Nigar Kalfa pointedly then back at me. "I had hoped that Nigar would tell you, but I guess she didn't. You will be dancing for my son at a party tonight."

"Dancing for the Sultan? How does that work?" I inquired carefully. I didn't want to insult her, but the whole matter seemed not grammatically correct. Of course, my Turkish isn't good enough to point that out, and my manners seem to get in the way every time. some slave to another master. Nobody liked her anyways.

Valide sighed. "Now then, back to the real and important matter at hand. I was informed you are a good dancer?"

"One of the best around, she learns fast!" Nigar Kalfa pipped up from the other end of the room. I only just noticed that Nigar and like 4 or 5 other girls were watching my every move from the couches.

I blushed at the compliment. Nigar Kalfa first hand has seen my obviously amazing dancing skills, and I should hope the Queen Mother believes it too. Because it's true.

"Well then, Nigar, she seems very fresh and delightful, and if you say she is good at dancing, she will be perfect for it."

"My Sultana, I don't quite understand." I said. "Perfect for what?"

Valide looked at Nigar Kalfa pointedly then back at me. "I had hoped that Nigar would tell you, but I guess she didn't. You will be dancing for my son at a party tonight."

"Dancing for the Sultan? How does that work?" I inquired carefully. I didn't want to insult her, but the whole matter seemed not grammatically correct. Of course, my Turkish isn't good enough to point that out, and my manners seem to get in the way every time.

Nigar Kalfa marched from the side of the room over to us, making sure to bow to the Valide Sultan.

"Not to worry, my Sultana. I will explain everything to her and the other girls selected for the dance. Shall we get started?"

"Yes, that would be preferable Kalfa. Remember, we must have them ready by 7:00, and then the dancing will go on for an hour, and InshAllah the Sultan will throw out the purple handkerchief and we will finally try to rid ourselves of that disgusting witch Hürrem."

Hürrem. I recalled the events from weeks earlier where I killed a man who seemed to have been working for the Valide Sultan to eliminate Hürrem Hatun. Why was Valide getting involved in this party business? Could it be she wants to harvest a competitor to Hürrem? This I sort of wanted to be part of, and I resolved to try my best to earn the Valide's favor. It would also make me look less suspicious, since I killed one of her loyal servants I must try to get close to her so she doesn't suspect me of being against her, or worse being an ally of Hürrem.

We all bowed to the Valide Sultan and I joined a group of 4 other girls who will be dancing for the Sultan with me.

Nigar Kalfa was vague, but explained to me that we do a sort of performance for the Sultan, and then the Sultan throws out a purple silk handkerchief to one lucky girl who will join him for Halvet (this super secret thing that gets you a lot of power) the following evening. The last person to have gotten it was hürrem, and whoever gets it next will probably face her rage. But I am a Spanish princess, I am Francesca Fortuna, and I am afraid only of the Almighty God. This is my chance to change the course of my destiny.