The Kadin Part 15

"Highness, the old woman spent her bride price years ago. Age has addled her wits, and she remembers not."

Selim heard a snort from among the veiled women.

"But why," he continued, "did you forbid her sons the right to aid her!"

"They could aid her if they chose. A viper's bite is gentler than an ungrateful son," replied the merchant smoothly.

Another snort.

"Who makes that noise?" demanded the prince.

Silence.

"If you do not speak, how may I judge this case fairly? I will protect the teller of truth."

A heavily veiled woman stepped forward. "I am Dipti, the second wife of Razi Abu. He lies, my lord. Cervi's bride price was not spent by her. He gave it, along with my bride price and the bride price of his two other wives, Hatije and Medji, to her her for her bride price." She pointed at a tall figure in an exquisite lavender silk feridje. for her bride price." She pointed at a tall figure in an exquisite lavender silk feridje.

Selim noted that the other women wore the plain black alpaca feridje of the poor.

"Then," continued Dipti, "he threatened to disinherit Cervi's sons if they helped her. What could they do, my lord? They and their families live within our house. They work for their father and have nothing of their own."

The prince frowned. "These are grave charges, Razi Abu. What have you to say?"

"They are all jealous of my precious Bosfor, my lord prince. This flower of springtime has brought me happiness in my old age. She is naught but gentle and loving."

"Hah," snapped Dipti. "Listen to me, my lord. For his gentle and loving Bosfor, he has robbed us all. Before she came into our house, each of us had, as the law allows, our own quarters, our own conveniences for cooking and sleeping, our own slaves. Now Hatije, Medji, and I are crammed into two small rooms because Cervi's quarters were not large enough for Bosfor, and Razi Abu must rebuild the harem to suit her. Our slaves were taken from us so she might have more and now just one old crone waits upon us. Any jewelry of value that we had has disappeared, to reappear on her person. We have not dared to complain for fear of being cast out like poor Cervi."

"Will any of the others substantiate your charges, Lady Dipti?"

Hatije and Medji stepped forward. "We do, my lord."

A young man moved before the prince. "I am Jafar, my lord, the son of Cervi and eldest of all Razi Abu's sons. The women speak the truth. They have been treated most shamefully-my mother worst of all Our father has never been an easy man, but until he met this Bosfor he at least treated his family with respect Had he taken the woman as a concubine, we would not have minded. Since she has come, we are all mistreated. Any imagined offense to her is reported to our father, and the offender is severely punished. We are in fear of our lives." He stepped back among his brothers.

The prince's eyes found Bosfor. He motioned to her to step forward. "I would hear what you have to say."

The lavender figure glided to the foot of his dais and sank into a graceful bow. Slowly she raised her liquid brown eyes to him.

"Why, the b.i.t.c.h," said Cyra softly. "She dares to flirt with him."

The woman's features were vague behind her sheer veil. Selim reached down and flicked it away. The face smiling up at him was the artfully decorated one of a wh.o.r.e. She was about seventeen. Selim was repelled, for he detested brazen women, but he did not show his feelings.

"Gracious prince." The voice was husky and low. "These charges are but the ravings of jealous old women and greedy sons overeager for their inheritance."

"Could you not have been content to be a pampered concubine? Surely you are not so ignorant that you did not know that in order for you to be married to Razi Abu, he must divorce one of his faithful wives. This would seem to me a hardhearted thing to do."

"I am a respectable woman, my lord."

"Hah," snorted Dipti.

Bosfor turned on her. "Old hag! You'll regret your meddling. I am to bear my lord a son."

"Aiyee! You add adultery to your other crimes!"

"Hold!" shouted the prince over the uproar. The room quieted. "Lady Dipti, these are serious charges you make. The law states that there must be four witnesses to such a charge. If you cannot provide proof, I must sentence you to eighty lashes. Do you wish to withdraw your charge?"

Bosfor smirked smugly at the older woman. "She has no proof, and she has besmirched my good name. She must be punished, the gossiping old crone."

"There is proof."

"No!"

"Yes! Bosfor moved into our house four months ago when Razi Abu divorced Cervi, though he could not marry her until a month ago. In all that time she has had no show of blood."

The prince smiled gently. "Sometimes, Lady Dipti, eager lovers consummate a marriage before the formalities. Could this not be the case with Bosfor and Razi Abu?"

Behind the dais Cervi squeezed Cyra's hand. "Oh, Allah! Poor Razi Abu. When Dipti is angry, nothing can stop her tongue. She will tell all."

Cyra glanced at the merchant, whose complexion had turned a sickly shade of green. Feeling a stab of pity, she whispered to Selim, "Clear the court, my lord, else the merchant will be shamed publicly. His crime is not that great"

Selim nodded and gave the order. Only Razi Abu and his family remained. Lady Cervi was brought back to the court Dipti drew a deep breath. "Razi Abu can no longer wield his weapon, my lord prince, and has not been able to these past five years. A severe fever killed his potency. He is as useless as a eunuch. But that is not all. When Bosfor had been in our house but a few weeks, five of the women sought her out to reason with her. As we reached her chamber door, we heard a man's voice and, peeking in, saw this shameless creature lying naked upon her couch with a man. We have watched her closely ever since, and twice more the same man has visited her in secret"

Selim turned to Razi Abu. "Is what she says true?"

Sadly the merchant nodded.

"You cast out a faithful wife to marry with this woman who cuckolds you beneath your own roof and is to bear another man's child? Why?"

The merchant was close to tears. "I did not know it until after I had made her my wife. When I learned of her condition and said I would cast her out she threatened to make public my infirmity."

"This does not excuse your cruelty to the lady Cervi, so I sentence you thusly. First you will return to her her bride price. Secondly, you will pay her ten times that amount in damages, and she will be allowed to return to your house to collect all her personal possessions and jewelry. Thirdly, you will sign over two-thirds of your business to your sons. And, lastly, I sentence you to one year in prison for so flagrantly breaking the law of the Koran. Had you been younger, I should have sent you to the galleys. You are a selfish and thoughtless man, Razi Abu. Perhaps a year in prison will give you the time yon need to meditate on these sins, and you will return home in a year's time a kinder and more compa.s.sionate man."

Razi Abu turned angrily to Bosfor.

"No!" she screamed "You cannot! My child will be born a b.a.s.t.a.r.d"

Slowly the merchant intoned, "I dismiss thee. I dismiss thee. I dismiss thee."

"You are legally divorced, Bosfor," said Selim. "Now hear your punishment according to the Koran. You have been proved an adulteress. You will be taken from this place to the public square in the village. There, stripped naked, you will be given one hundred lashes. However, I am a merciful man, and the fruit of your sin is innocent of any wrongdoing, so I will delay your sentence until the child is born. Until then you will be lodged in the village prison."

"My lord, have pity! Such a beating will kill me! What will become of my child?"

"It will be placed with a childless couple." He signaled the guards. "Take them away. The court is over for this week."

Rising from the dais, Selim graciously acknowledged the thanks of Cervi and her family and then disappeared behind the carved screen. Giving Cyra a quick kiss, he took her by the hand and hurried her off to his quarters.

She stretched herself out upon a divan while a servant removed Selim's heavy ceremonial robes and turban. Comfortably dressed in wide pantaloons banded at the ankles and a wide-sleeved silk s.h.i.+rt open at the neck, he sat down beside her. Silent slaves brought a bowl of fruit and thick, sweet, steaming coffee in tiny porcelain cups. Cyra made a face and pushed the coffee away.

"Cool water," she said, "flavored with tangerine."

It was placed before her, and Selim waved the slaves away. Cyra looked at him adoringly.

"Thank you, my dear lord, for your mercy to the woman Bosfor."

"I heard you gasp when I p.r.o.nounced sentence."

"Poor little baby. His mother will die."

"The beating may not kill her."

"If she is whipped with a feather, Is that not the usual weapon?"

"The sentence is a just one, Cyra. The Koran is very clear on the matter of adultery. Had she named the man, he would have suffered an identical fate. That she did not, led me to believe there is some good in her and moved me to mercy."

"When you p.r.o.nounced sentence, our son quickened within me, and I felt him move for the first time."

Selim grinned happily. "He approved my judgments." He pulled her up. "If I can influence him in the law, then perhaps I may turn him to the expansion of the empire, also." Leading her over to a large, square table, he pointed to the map upon it.

"Europe," he said, slamming his hand down on the table. "Someday I shall expand the empire to cover all of it, perhaps even the island your Scotland shares with England. I shall convert many to the true faith!"

"Show me where Scotland is," she asked.

He pointed to a small red patch in the blue sea.

"It's so tiny!" she exclaimed. "Where is San Lorenzo?"

His finger moved to a yellow section.

"It's even smaller than my homeland." She sighed. "I wonder how my father does. And Adam and my grandmother Mary."

He debated telling her, but then decided she should know. "Your father and his family have returned home. He was much distressed at your loss."

He saw the tears she would not allow to fall well up in her eyes.

"It is better, Selim. Father did not really tike San Lorenzo. He missed his estates."

Noting the unspoken question in her eyes, he smiled to himself. Sure of her love and loyalty, he knew she would not distress him by asking, but he also knew her curiosity p.r.i.c.ked her sorely, so he spoke.

"Rudolfo di San Lorenzo has married Princess Marie-Helene of Toulouse."

Her outburst of giggles startled him.

"Oh, no!" she gasped. "Poor Rudi!" Her laughter lit up the chamber. Then, seeing his bewilderment, she gained control of herself. "One summer the heat was so unbearable that we went to the mountains to a village noted for its waters. Princess Marie-Helene was there also. She was several years older than both myself and Rudi. She is fat and dark and given to numerous moles on her face. She spent most of her time eating and complaining about the lack of suitable companions."

"Poor Rudi, indeed," chuckled Selim. "Almost to have had you, and to end up with a fat princess."

Cyra peered again at the map. "How do you read a map?"

"The different countries are set in different colors, each marked with its name. The capital cities are also indicated."

"Here is Turkey!" she exclaimed gleefully. "And Constantinople! But where are we?"

His finger moved to a spot slightly northeast of the city.

"This whole green part is the empire?"

He nodded.

"By Allah! It is huge!"

"No," he replied. "Since my grandfather took Constantinople, no new territory has been added. In fact, we have lost territory since my father became sultan. The Egyptian Mamelukes now control Cilicia, and Venice has seized Cyprus. But someday I shall regain these lost lands of ours-and take others."

"Will your father let you go to war, my lord?"

"My father is more interested in beauty than power. If he wished, he could be a great warrior, but he prefers to remain in Constantinople, adding to the palace and gardens of the Yeni Serai. Allah help us if the Christians decide to start one of their dreary Crusades."

Cyra laughed. "Patience, my lord Selim. Your fears are foolish. The French king, Charles the Eighth, is very busy invading Italy. Henry the Seventh of England is attempting to subdue the Irish again. In Spain, Isabella and Ferdinand divide their energies among the Inquisition, the navigator Columbus, and the persecution of the Moors. As for His Holiness, Pope Alexander the Sixth, it is rumored he secured his high office by bribery and is far more concerned with ama.s.sing wealth for himself and his numerous b.a.s.t.a.r.d offspring than with defending the faith."

Selim was astounded by her speech. "You are remarkably well informed for the cloistered wife of an Eastern prince, my love. I doubt that the biggest gossip in Western Europe has as much information as you do. What is your secret?"

"No secret, my lord. Politics interests me. Knowing this, Hadji Bey keeps me well supplied with information. How else may I help you if I cannot be your ears? You have so much to do."

He put an affectionate arm around her while his other hand gently swept across the map of Europe. "If I allowed it, you would don armor and ride into battle at my side, wouldn't you? What lucky chance brought me such an intelligent and brave woman?"

"It was ordained long before our time, my Selim."

"By Allah, how I love you! There is not another woman anywhere to compare with you!"

Sweeping her into his arms, he kissed her pa.s.sionately.

"This son of ours already interferes with me," he murmured against her scented hair.

"My lord," she chided him, "does not Firousi satisfy you? She loves you deeply."

"Firousi is a charming confection and very dear to me, but it is a meal I crave, not sweets. Besides, the little turquoise may not be sharing my bed much longer. It is likely that she is with child."

Mischievously, Cyra looked up at him. "Who next, my lord?"

"You are impudent" He scowled at her.

"I am realistic," she countered. Then, suddenly jumping back, she cried out "Your son has kicked me most rudely!"

"Ho," he laughed. "He warns you to keep your place, woman."

She folded her hands over her rounded belly. "Hear me, my son. Whatever may come to pa.s.s, I am always your mother, and you are merely my son."

Selim looked at her with admiring eyes. "What a sultan you would be, my love."

"What a sultan you will be, my Sehm!"