Muhtesem Yuzyil Imagines ♡

Ch. 1 Blink Twice (My Story)

Amelia, April 2nd, 1540

Salt spray lashed against my face as the ship sliced through the turquoise Bosphorus, my heart churning in sync with the waves. My home, England, cloaked in its familiar grey mist, faded into a memory. Before me, bathed in the golden kiss of the setting sun, rose Constantinople, the heart of the Ottoman Empire and also my future prison. I bit my lip as I looked to the Heavens for assistance.

I, Princess Amelia of House Tudor, am no damsel in distress. Duty weighs heavy on my crown of auburn braids, sent here to forge an alliance between two warring nations. Betrothed to the Shezade Mehmet, heir apparent to the Sultan's throne. I was a pawn in a political chess game, traded for peace, I thought to myself.

I never met any members of the Ottoman Dynasty, and the alliance was discreetly made without my consent over letters passed between Haseki Hürrem Sultan and my father. "All the best for our nation!", he told me, but I seriously doubted it. And the cunning Sultana was known across Europe for her witchcraft.

Dizzied by the sun and the immensity of my fate, I disembarked onto a bustling quay teeming with exotic sights and smells. Spice vendors hawked their wares, their voices a vibrant melody against the rhythmic chant of boatmen. I cloaked myself tighter in my woolen shawl, my English gown feeling out of place amongst the flowing silks and vibrant colors. All the other women, of whom were not many in this place, had their heads and faces completely cloaked in veils and shawls, and quickly made their way to vendors, and quickly made their way out.

"Wow," I murmured to myself. "What a market."

"Hatun! Over here!", A stern-faced man, made his way over to me. "I am Iskender-Aga, a worker in Topkapi palace."

Iskender-Aga explained that he was waiting for me since morning, and I watched as his turban was shimmering like a starlit night. He spoke no English, his gestures brusque as he ushered me onto a small carriage. It was a good thing I learned Turkish when I was 10, I smiled to myself. The journey through the city was almost like a kaleidoscope of color – bustling markets, majestic mosques, and the imposing silhouette of Topkapi Palace looming on a hilltop. The capital was truly glorious.

When we arrived at the Topkapi palace, my jaw instantly dropped. Wow. The palace itself was a monument to opulence. Golden domes gleamed, sunlight dancing off intricate tilework. The complex overlooked the Bosphorus, port, and had infamous gardens that were said to have flowers that bloomed "year-long".

An escort of 3 young maidens lead my inside to the Harem section, and without being seen by any men besides Eunuchs. I truly believed that this was a marvelous place.

Yet as I crossed the threshold, an oppressive silence descended. Gone were the boisterous streets; here, whispers lingered in the air, heavy with secrets and suspicion.

Amelia's Diary, April 2nd 1540, evening

Dear diary, I have much to say since my arrival. My chambers, though seemingly luxurious, felt like an oppressive prison compared to my old dorms in the British castles. Silk cushions adorned divans, the air thick with the cloying scent of rosewater. A gaggle of women, their eyes painted kohl-dark, awaited me. Their smiles were polite, their whispers laced with curiosity. These were the odalisques, the Sultan's and Shezade's concubines, their beauty and minds their only currencies in this vast area.

"Welcome, Princess," the eldest, a women named Gulnar, spoke in heavily accented English. "We are honored to serve you."

Their smiles wavered, their gazes flicking to Iskender, who stood guard by the door. I understood – I was an intruder in their domain, a threat to their precarious positions.