😏 post a scene where a character is smug (bonus: provide the character)
a bit of indulgence into the world where Nigar was a concubine of Selim I (did I write a whole scene instead of pulling from a WIP? no , of course not, shush)
Nigar would have refused to come, had she the option.
It was ironic, in a way, that, back when she had attended such festivities as just one more servant among many, she had been envious of those women of status that got to lounge about on large, overly plush pillows, without a care in the world save whatever whims of theirs could send the servants into a mad scurry.
She could catch a hint of it now, on one or two of the faces of the maids that ducked past; those unfortunate few too low ranked to be allowed to sit and engage with the celebrations properly.
How she wished for the chance to laugh into one of their faces, perhaps even twist an ear or two if their foolishness persisted.
There was nothing to be envied about the state she found herself in. She dared anyone, after all, not to find food, no matter how fine, turning to ash on the tongue when forced to sit close to a woman you knew despised you; never properly up on the couch, of course, but on a cushion directly below…below…below…
At least Esmanur, still too young to give a care beyond the promise of sweets and smiling, indulgent faces, seemed happy. She had established a little path to run through the Valide Sultan's chambers, darting away from the hands of Mustafa, whenever he tried to catch her.
That Hafsa seemed so uninterested in sparing a word to her was, for once, however, more of an oddity than a blessing.
There was not a chance, after all, for the hand which Nigar had had in getting the Ruthenian newcomer to the door of the sultan to go entirely unnoticed. Particularly not when Hafsa's own interference was the very reason for the whole enterprise coming to nought.
She would have expected this specific summons to be for the woman to waste no time in humiliating her for attempting to go against her, especially when she had now, at last, ascended to that final, lofty position she had always boasted of one day having.
Except, Hafsa seemed, for once, near unaware of her presence, content to bask in one of the more obvious displays of her wealth and status.
Perhaps the answer to it was as simple as what Daye Hatun leaned in to say. Her words were low, of course, but, given how close Nigar was, it was still possible for her to overhear, even over the swell of the music.
A small, perhaps traitorous part of her heart, which still remembered the stern, yet kind woman, who had been her first teacher in the harem, wondered (hoped?) that Daye might be allowing it to be so on purpose.
"How happy you must be, your family is all around you."
It was only her years of experience within the harem that kept any amusement Nigar might have had over being included in such a thing, firmly hidden away.
"I wish my lion, Suleiman, was also here," Hafsa was already busy with replying. "Let's send word for him too."
The mere mention of the sultan's name was enough to make Mahidevran's head turn, her face full of hope, as if she expected the man in question to materialize just at his mother's mention of his name, arms outstretched to her.
Poor woman. It would take more than pleading eyes to win the sultan's attention back to her, particularly when any that were paying attention could tell just how thoroughly the man's affection had already begun to cool for her.
It certainly made Daye's next words have an air of prophecy to them, "He will be in the private chamber tonight."
The open entreatment of Mahidevran's gaze turned now towards her Valide. No doubt it was her deepest wish to hear the woman dispatch Daye to squander the dreams of yet another hopeful would be concubine, telling her to get ready in the woman's stead.
If there had been one silver lining to the disaster the night prior, however, it had been that, according to the whisper of gossip among the harem, the sultan had not been best pleased that someone had interfered with his wishes, even if that person was his own mother.
How quick Hafsa was to avoid Mahidevran's eyes, turning her head back towards Daye in sharp dismissal, certainly seemed to prove those rumors true.
"Who is the fortunate one?" And then, in a much lower voice that Nigar strained to hear, "Why was I not informed?"
A moment passed, then another, until Nigar, risking a glance out of the corner of her eye, realized that Daye looked truly wary. For a brief moment, the woman's eye caught her own and it narrowed in a silent warning that seemed odd until…
"Our sultan has summoned Alexandra."
Hafsa could, of course, no more give way to any great outburst of emotion in such a moment than Nigar could, but the ripples of anger across her face, only made Nigar's own satisfaction all the greater.
All at once, the sweetness of the baklava came alive on her tongue, only enriched by the heady mouthful of wine that followed it.
If that outspoken girl could continue to defy Nigar's expectations like this, then perhaps there was going to be fun to be had within the harem after all.
wip ask meme