The Kadin - Bertrice Small [41]
‘It’s the prince,” shouted a voice in the mass. The crowd took up the cry. “Selim! Selim! Selim!” they chanted.
Urging his stallion forward, the prince rode into their midst He sat well upon his mount a smile turning up the corners of his mouth. He was dressed in white and gold. Jewels sparkled upon his hands, and an enormous blood-red ruby glittered in his turban. The people crowded about him, defying the Janissaries’ whips, touching his soft, golden-leather boots, drinking in his youth and charm.
The captain of the Janissaries pushed his horse to the prince’s side. “Sir, you will be injured. Let my men disperse this vermin.”
“I have a better way than whips, captain.” Selim reached into a pouch on his saddle and drew out a fistful of coins, which he flung to the excited mob. It parted, and he rode on, occasionally reaching again into the pouch and tossing more coins, to the delight of the scrambling men and women.
Selim was followed by the Pygmy eunuchs, dressed in their new uniforms of yellow and green. Behind them came Lady Refet in a silver-and-gold palanquin carried by four oiled black slaves. She was followed by six camels, all white, which carried upon their backs gold-colored howdahs hung with violet silks. Within each rested a member of Selim’s harem. The crowds murmured their imaginations taking flight at their glimpse of the heavily veiled figures.
The procession slowly wended its way through the narrow streets, down the hill into the main city, and along the broad avenues. The day was growing warm, and Cyra, swathed in all her veils, began to wish with impatience that this Oriental pageant, of which she was such a small part, would end Two hours after passing through the Main Gate of the Eski Serai, they went through the eastern gates of the city. Almost at once, the procession picked up momentum.
In late afternoon they stopped and an encampment was set up on a small hill overlooking the sea. The following morning the camp was dismantled and they moved on. In late afternoon of the third day, they reached their destination.
Set like a fine jewel amid the soft green hills above the Black Sea, the Moonlight Serai nestled shining and white. At first glance, Cyra was enchanted, but as her camel trotted down the dusty drive, she noticed the neglect surrounding her. Tall poplars lined the roadway, but the land surrounding them was thickly overgrown. As they arrived at the palace itself, she was doubly shocked to find buildings so lovely from a distance in a sad state of disrepair. Clearly, the Moonlight Serai had neither been used nor cared for in many years. Her camel knelt, and the Pygmy eunuch assigned to her helped her out of the howdah. She ran to Lady Refet.
“Are we expected to live here?” she asked.
The sultan’s generosity has obviously not extended beyond Constantinople,” the older woman said dryly.
“It is appalling. We cannot possibly five here,” cried Cyra. “Something must be done at once!”
“Indeed we cannot” said a masculine voice.
They turned to face the prince.
“Your temper matches your hair,” he laughed
Cyra flushed. “Forgive your humble slave this outburst my lord and master,” she began.
“You are neither humble nor slavish, Cyra.”
She paled.
“But,” he continued, “I prefer it that way. In the future, I expect all of you to address me as a man, not some court demigod. However, your respect for me as your master should not diminisk I will never be ruled by a woman.” He turned to his aunt “I know nothing of these household matters. What must be done here to make my palace habitable? Will you take charge for me?”
“Dear boy, I cannot I know very little. You forget that your mother and I entered the harem when we were only nine years of age. We were trained from the first to be gediklis, not household servants, but Cyra has been trained in these things in her country. Let her take charge. I will oversee all she does, as my knowledge of our customs is greater.”
“Very well,” said Selim. “I suppose, however, that the first thing we