Once again I was standing before the doors of the Sultan's rooms, nervous, but I knew that I had work to be done. This wasn't the time to worry, this was the time to prepare for my next move. The purple handkerchief was in my pocket, and I slipped my hand in it to feel the delicate velvet. Royal velvet of course.

I was also holding in my other hand the big silver pitcher filled with red wine, my favorite kind of course. I inhaled it deeply, letting out a soft mmmm as the smell filled my nose and mind with the vineyards of Italy and Spain, and France and England. It was obviously rather tasty. 

It must be imported from Venice, I realized suddenly. There was a lot of trade, especially to do with the silk road, from Italy to the Ottoman Empire. Spain played some part in it as well, but Venetian merchants were known far and wide for their great trading skills and prowess.

But I was a bit frustrated the Sultan wasn't ready yet. How much longer would it take? I would eventually get bored of waiting and it would be easier to get back to my room to just go to sleep like a normal person.

Just review the plan, Francesca. 1. you come in with the pitcher. 2. you move forward, putting it down on a table. 3. Bow and Sultan or I take off the face scarf. 4. Make conversation. 5. Do halvet or at least try to be engaging in some manner.

A lot of steps in my head, but it was likely more fluid in action. The golden road that I had walked on, or so they called it, was finally having it's lamps lightened by the men with funny braids and hats, and my foot was almost tapping with impatience. 

"Are you Francesca Hatun?" A voice said from behind me. I turned around to see a bearded man of whom had a hard gaze which met my eyes.

I nodded. "Yes I am. And who might you be?"

"Pargali Ibrahim, I manage the Sultan's chambers and am his closest ally here."

I starting snorting at his sort of arrogance but disguised it into a cough.

"Pleased to meet you, Ibrahim."

"You are yet another one of the tons of women who are visiting the Sultan in the past month. Well good luck." Ibrahim turned to leave.

"Wait," I said worriedly, stopping him from leaving. "Out of how many women am I?"

I saw a flash of a cruel smile strike Ibrahim's face as his brows softened as he opened his mouth in a sad way to say, "Hürrem Sultan and Mahidevran Sultan never let anyone get past them for more than a night."

The way he was saying it made my eyes narrow a bit. It sounded like he was trying to discourage me from going down this path, the Golden Road, to seeing the Sultan. It sounded like he was siding with someone else's interests, and not that of the Sultan, or even mine.

I put on a bit of a of a sweet fake voice as I said, "Well then. I would hope that I, since I was chosen by the amazing Valide Sultan and her daughter Hatice, will succeed in my task of benefiting the dynasty and pleasing his majesties the Sultan."

"H-h-h-hatice Sultan?" Ibrahim stuttered, then shook his head. Something about the way he said it shocked me, and I realized that Pargali Ibrahim...May have feelings for the young Sultana?

But before I could inquire, he dashed off as fast as he came and I was left alone. Until a braided, tall-hat clad man came up to me.

"Francesca Hatun, Hünkarim Sultan Süleyman Khan Hazretdleri is waiting for you." I nodded, and whispered to him that he needed to open the door slowly for my presence. It was going to take a moment for the Sultan to see me.

I breathed in hard, and exhaled harshly as the two men holding both doors slowly unlatched them and the large wooden doors creaked slowly and I began, one tiny step at a time, moving towards the light at the end of the path, as I saw it. The path that would lead to greatness.

I could see the Sultan sitting on top of his fine bed, legs spread apart and waiting, and his elbow on his knee with his hand on his chin. He was very handsome, and only a couple years older than myself I figured.

I moved slowly and seductively like in the dance, my dark eyes probably attracting his attention, and the piece of white fabric over my mouth begging to be removed by somebody. I was a sight in the mirror, and by the expression on the Sultan's face, I was likely quite the sight to behold.

I was almost fully inside as the men began to close the doors behind me, but I paid no mind. I decided to be a rebel, and break one of Nigar Kalfa's most important rules, not to stare into the eyes of any royal family member including the Sultan. I held his gaze moving closer every step, trying to balance with the pitcher of wine in my hands as well to not trip.

The doors closed with a hard thud, and we were now alone together. I set the pitcher on his desk, the closest surface to me as the Sultan himself rose upwards, casting a long shadow onto me. Sultan Süleyman was probably around 6 feet 5, a tall glass of water compared to the Duke of Aragon, who was hardly 6 foot.

The Sultan approached me then on, as I stood with my feet planted into the ground, my gaze still in his. He slowly reached for my white veil covering my mouth, and carefully pulling it out loose as it slid of into a veil behind me.

I bowed to him as he looked down on me. My gaze was on the floor as I kneeled down to kiss the edge of his long coat, and he too leaned down to lift me back up with my chin. 

With my chin now looking up at him, and being fully risen to my regular height, the Sultan opened his mouth and said,

"What is your name, my angel?"

I opened my mouth slowly and nervously to begin speaking. I could hardly sum up the courage to do so, and yet my voice suddenly sounded so unlike me, so confident and courageous as I said,

"Francesca."

"Francesca." The Sultan repeated again as his lips slowly turned upwards into a smile. I too began smiling at him, and we once again gazed into each others eyes as he took my hand and guided me to the bed to sit. 

I felt my hand over the plush and comfy velvet blanket I was sitting on. Yet another reminder of the luxuries I had left behind in Spain, but may very well gain back here if I work hard enough for it.

After a few moments of simply staring at each other, we began to have conversation. 

"Where are you from, my angel Francesca?" The Sultan asked solemnly, his sea blue eyes flashing when they met mine.

I told him that I was of a wealthy family from Spain, a place that I reassured him was no match to the glamour and strength of the Ottoman Empire, which seemed to please him a lot. I obviously knew of the beef between him and my father, King Charles the Great, but I wouldn't outright tell him I was the princess.

He inquired if I had any siblings, and I tried to make him feel bad but also curious when I sadly said,

"I had a sister... her name was Isa. I miss her ever so dearly, I don't know what came to be of her. Perhaps she is even dead by now." It was true, but I had spinned it in such a way the Sultan almost wanted to know what was going on in my past.

Sultan Süleyman mostly asked questions of me and I answered in the sweetest and most innocent way, though still leaving some mystery, and tried to touch his heart in my responses. 

Sultan Süleyman was eager to know more about me, but I didn't want to give him that privilege. That could be for another night, I subtly hinted in my answers to his inquisitions. I decided to begin to engage him on his duties as the Sultan and tell him he must be an amazing leader. 

I began to speak in a more sleepy voice, another subtle hint, as I began to actually ooze off into the realm of heavenly sleep and freedom until I seemingly fainted off the need to sleep. What happened next, I could not tell.

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A/N: Hope you all enjoyed that chapter! I can't believe that months later, and 24 chapters in, Francesca is finally meeting the Sultan. Like I said before at around chapter 20? Things will start moving much faster throughout the book. Expect to see a lot of important events packed into one chapter, and instead of the usual 1.1k words, I will be having around 1.5 or 1.6k words (like in this chapter!). Thanks again for bearing with me as I try to make as fast updates as possible. Since I have the storyline clear in mind right now, I am working to update daily, or at least once every two days.