Anais opened her eyes as she awoke from her sleep. The ornate ceiling, densely decorated with geometric patterns, was familiar. She was in the bedroom assigned to her in Karim’s harem.
“That dream again…”
It was a dream of the day she came to this harem. Tears had formed in her eyes. Whenever she had this dream, Anais was overwhelmed by a terrible feeling.
At first, she had regretted many times that she should have listened to Hadiya’s words.
‘It’s too late now.’
Anais got up from bed, trying not to sink into a more depressed mood. Her whole body ached as if she had been beaten, and her legs were shaking. It was natural given how she had been overworked, but she still couldn’t get used to it.
As soon as she got up, servants appeared from somewhere, bringing breakfast. Anais chose only light, easily digestible foods and then dismissed the meal. One of the middle-aged female servants stepped forward and asked.
“Anesa Hatun. Will you not eat more?” (TL: A sultan’s concubine)
“It’s fine, Dalia Usta.” (TL: a position that oversees servants in the harem)
Most of Anais’s servants couldn’t speak, but Dalia, the Usta who supervised the servants, was fluent in both Kamari and Irene. It was also Dalia who taught Anais the rules of the harem when she first arrived.
“Today, the Padisha will stay in the imperial palace to prepare for the coronation ceremony. He will return tomorrow afternoon.”
“I see.”
This meant that Karim would not be seeking her out today. With those words, Dalia quickly withdrew from the room. With the coronation ceremony on top of everything else, the busy woman would probably be going back and forth in the harem all day working.
After Karim’s coronation, Dalia might become the Ketuda, overseeing all the maids in the Padisha’s harem from Uspa.
Despite being told that the Padisha wouldn’t be seeking her, the servants bathed her after she finished her meal and tended to her skin. To prevent harm to the Sultan, her nails were kept short and round, and her skin and hair were kept moist and glossy. Anais quietly accepted their hands adorning her like a doll.
The servants dressed her in the court attire of Kamar, made of several layers of flowing silk with intricate embroidery, and even placed a light veil to shield her from the sun’s rays. Having completed their tasks, they quietly disappeared.
There was not a single word of conversation during the entire process. The servants assigned to Anais were those who could hear but not speak, and could see but not write.
Although she was used to it now, at first, she had cried for days, feeling suffocated in this situation.
‘Just a little more endurance.’
Anais glanced outside. The sun was already at its highest point in the sky. Changing into shoes that wouldn’t arouse suspicion from others, Anais stepped out into the garden as if taking a stroll.
When the sun was at its highest point in the sky. That was the agreed-upon time. Anais, who had been quietly walking through the garden, gradually headed towards a more secluded area and sat on a marble bench in front of tall bushes.
Looking around to check for any signs of people, Anais whispered.
“Hashim?”
Irenean words came back in response to Anais’s whisper. A small smile bloomed on Anais’s face.
“Sorry, Anais. I’m too late.”
“It’s okay. I just got here too.”
Hashim, with his arms full of scrolls on one side, smiled with a kind face.
Unlike his seemingly fragile impression, upon closer inspection, Hashim’s facial features were manly and handsome.
“Phew, that’s a relief.”
No, from his well-shaped eyebrows to his dark eyes surrounded by elegant lines, his high and firm nose, to his masculine jaw. Everything blended exquisitely to create an admirable face.
What made him appear ordinary was his gentle, almost fragile smile and his peculiarly awkward behavior.
But Anais found his gentleness and awkwardness comforting and pleasant in this place where everything else was static.
“Is your practice going well?”
Hashim asked, handing over one of the scrolls he was carrying. Anais unrolled the scroll, scanning it with her eyes as she answered.
“Of course. I have a good helper, after all.”
The scroll was filled entirely with Kamari text. Thanks to meeting Hashim, she could now use Kamari somewhat comfortably. Although grammar and difficult words were still challenging, Anais was enthusiastic, and Hashim was a good teacher.
“Let’s keep working hard. You’ll be able to leave this place soon.”
“Yes.”
Anais’s face, responding to Hashim’s words, was the brightest it had been so far.
For her, Hashim was no less than a benefactor. She couldn’t express how fortunate she was to be able to meet Hashim in this garden.
She met Hashim when she was first confined to the harem, withering away day by day. Until then, apart from receiving one or two hours of harem etiquette education from Dalia daily, she had been cut off from conversation with others and unable to step a foot outside her room.
Dalia, who came to teach harem rules as usual, said,
“You may go to the garden for a short while, Anesa.”
“The garden?”
“I think Anesa needs some appropriate exercise.”
It was permission to go out alone to the garden for about an hour every day.
It was a sudden permission. Perhaps her appearance had become pitiful enough. What mattered was that permission had been granted.
The servants opened the exit to the garden, which had been tightly closed until then. The sunlight pouring into the room was almost frightening.
Anais carefully stepped into the garden. No servant was assigned to accompany her. It seemed they didn’t think much of it since it was the harem and the garden of Anais’s assigned quarters.
Dalia couldn’t have predicted what change this small oversight would bring, but for Anais, it was an unforgettable moment.
It was just stepping beyond one door.
Though still within the harem, Anais wept at the feel of sunlight and wind she hadn’t experienced in so long.
She never knew sunlight could be so precious, or the wind caressing her cheeks could feel so dear.
After crying for a while, Anais stopped her tears and slapped her own cheek. The stinging pain made her tears recede.
“I can’t waste this rare time outside just crying.”
In such a large garden, there might be some poorly maintained areas. If there was even a small hole in the wall, she might be able to gradually dig it out and escape. But what she found in the bushes was something entirely different.
“Eek!”
“Qu-quiet! It’ll be terrible if someone else hears!”
What emerged from the bushes was a tall man. It was surprising how such a large person could have been hiding. The man pleaded while covering Anais’s mouth, who was startled.
