" Bitaqir, the Valide have ended up organising a party instead of just dinner as she had originally planned, but then again why am I not surprised?" Nigar Kalfa spoke in a sarcastic tone and Bitaqir smiled understanding very well what Nigar meant.
Nigar Kalfa was bought into the palace as a slave, unfortunately at the time there were no Princes of age to take in concubines and the king had no interest in her, she was to be married to one of the Pashas but he died shortly before their marriage and hence she became a Kalfa- a palace maid.
But looking at her, her youthfulness still gleaming one would think that she has a long line of men awaiting her, becoming a Kalfa had blocked all her way to marriage as people view the Kalfas as the lowest of all.
The Princes have no interest in the older women so she had lived her life in solitude devoid of all forms of romance.
When then Lady Aisha was married to the king and conceived Bitaqir, Nigar was tasked with taking care of the baby, and so what started off as a job ended up as Nigar's happiest moments.
Nigar has always been Bitaqir's personal Kalfa ever since she was an infant and they shared a far deeper bond than what one could expect by looking at the surface.
" Nigar are you gossiping the Valide" Bitaqir asked faking a disapproving reactions but ended up smiling. As she adjusted her cushion properly she and Nigar lay in the terrace and all other Kalfas and the girls have been dispersed, the terrace has become her new favourite place more quiet and serene than the garden itself. Finally Bitaqir could come out of her shell and relaxed, no longer looking like the Queen who had executed her brothers a few hours back, but rather like the young and innocent girl she is.
" No!!, I wouldn't dare" Nigar spoke mimicking the spoilt Princess Serra .
" Nigar ....stop, if Serra hears you now she'll definitely be as red as a tomato.....not from anger .....but from...? Bitaqir spoke between laughter but her sentence was cut off by the call for Salat.
Bitaqir got up and headed in, but as though as remembering something " Nigar call the girls to help you in here, I don't like you tiring yourself." Bitaqir spoke with all honesty and Nigar felt touched .
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Bitaqir could hear instruments playing all the way in the hall as she approached her mother's quarters.
"Her Majesty Queen Bitaqir " The Aghas announced as she neared the entrance and everywhere was dead silent.
"Please, continue. " Bitaqir said in a gentle voice after she noticed that they stopped for her.
Settling down besides her mother she noticed how awkward everyone was, she felt weird. Seeing Sadika entering the hall she suddenly had an idea.
" Sadika!" Bitaqir called in an excited voice surprising many as they had thought that the crown will make her arrogant, but here she was calling Lady Sadika as she used to, with no evidence of arrogance in her eyes or body languag