CONQUEROR| MAGNIFICENT CENTURY|

CHAPTER 26

"He'll get better" I nodded sitting down on the floor in front of the window of the room our son laid in fighting for his life. I closed my eyes as his hand came in contact with my shoulder trying to comfort me.

"His condition is worsening" I mutter watching as every few minutes a doctor would check his breathing or heart rate.

"Allah will let him survive if he had a purpose on this earth or he'll take him if he has a purpose on in his paradise" Mahmoud muttered kneeling down beside me and pulled me closer, I leaned my head against his shoulder feeling exhausted.

"How are you so calm? After what happened with Shehzade Isa I thought you would be more hectic" I turned to look at him. He sighed watching Mustafa for a bit before turning to look at me.

"I am at peace with Allah and I know that everything he does is for a reason" He answered. I nodded before jumping when I heard one of the doctors yell at another to bring something, Mahmoud immediately jumped and ran into the room. I felt my heart drop as I watched one of the doctors pressing down on my darling boy's chest once, twice, three times, it was an unending process. Time didn't exist anymore as I used the bars in front of the window to pull myself up and watched as the doctors went hectic in the room. Suddenly everything stopped all of the yellings and screaming, all of the running and pressing, it all stopped as time had just stopped.

I watched wide-eyed as one of the doctors pulled a blanket over the small body of my boy, my son. I took a step back tripping on the train of my dress and fell back against the wall. Mustafa can't be dead, he is too young to be dead. I slid down the wall with a cry feeling like the whole world couldn't fit my sadness. No, he can't be dead, he just can't be.

Mahmoud walked out of the room rubbing his eyes trying hard not to cry, at least not in front of anyone. Poor Mahmoud had to already go this once and it's happening again barely two years later. He walked over to where I sat in a heap of tears and kneeled in front of me, he looked at me, a sobbing mess.

He pulled me closer hugging me tightly as I cried and sobbed. I screamed wanting to let out some of the pain but nothing helped at all, nothing at all.

"Bring me back, Mustafa, only yesterday he was giggling and smiling at his brothers" I sobbed taking a fist full of Mahmoud's robes as more tears ran down my cheeks. I felt like I couldn't breathe like the air around me was too thick to reach my lungs making me gasp every few seconds.

"Shhh" Mahmoud whispered in my ear hugging me to him. I sobbed and cried until I couldn't anymore, I felt like a shell of a human, all my body parts stopped working all at once. Mahmoud stood up pulling me with him bridal style. He took a deep breath before walking down the harem where most of the girls were crying too but I paid them no mind as I let myself get consumed by darkness, what's the point of being conscious when my darling Mustafa wasn't there anymore?

"Mommy" I heard a small whispered as I slowly regained my consciousness. I opened my eyes slowly feeling like they weight thousands of pounds. Ahmed was kneeling in front of me on my bed and Suleiman was in Mahmoud's arms who was sat at the foot of the bed.

"You're finally awake" Ahmed half cheered throwing himself at me hugging me tightly. I closed my eyes trying hard not to start crying in front of him. I wrapped my arms around him pulling his small three years old body closer to mine, his scent was very similar to Mustafa's.

"Everything will be alright, mommy" Ahmed whispered pushing some of my hair out of my face with his small and soft hands, I closed my eyes and enjoyed his soft touch imagining as if it was Mustafa who had caressed my face with his tiny newborn hands, even though he was almost a year old.

"Suleiman and I love you" I opened my eyes and looked at him as a tear trickled down my cheek which he immediately leaned forward and wiped.

"You looked sad and when I'm sad you tell me you love me, so I thought I should too" He explained, this boy could talk for the entire harem and would still have words to say. I pulled him back over to me and hugged him tightly and kissed the side of his head.

"I love you too" I whispered hoarsely tightening my grip around his body. He didn't seem to mind and hugged me tighter.

"What about Suleiman, doesn't he get a hug?" Mahmoud asked as we pulled away. I cracked a small smile opening my arms for the eager boy who crawled over to me, full of energy. I hugged him tightly kissing his forehead.

The doors to my room burst open and the Valide Sultan stalked in with her daughters behind her followed by Dilruba Sultan and her daughter. I paid them no mind as I looked at my darling boys sitting in front of me. Before the doors could close Hatice walked in with Leyla hatun.

"What is this curse that fell upon us? First Isa, then Neslihan got poisoned and now my dear grandson Mustafa" Valida said leaning against the pole on my bed. I closed my eyes trying hard not to burst out crying again at the mention of my dear boy.

"I will find whoever poisoned you, I am sure they have a hand in Mustafa's death" Mahmoud stood up from the bed with a harsh glare on his face.

"That person could be anyone we may not even know the person, brother" Esmehan said seeming nervous a little, she was obviously sad over her nephew's death.

"Or it could be someone closer to us than we think and we're just too blind to see them," Mahmoud said back before stalking out of the room.

"Albina Hatun, take the children to their room" The Valida ordered. My sister who no one knew of walked over and picked up the two boys throwing me an apologetic look before walking to the other room with the boys.

"How are you feeling?" Yenisah Sultan asked sitting down beside me on the bed. She wrapped her arm around my shoulder bringing me close to her.

"I fell horrible. I want Mustafa" I answered letting out a sob. She sighed hugging me closer to her rubbing my back in comfort. I felt a hand holding mine making me pull away and look at the person to find Leyla, she sat on my bed and took ahold of my hand.

"How did you go through it? How did you move on?" I asked gasping every now and then. She smiled softly looking down at our hands before looking back up at me with tear-filled eyes.

"I didn't move and I don't think I ever will. But I found the strength in hope, hope that Allah will send me a child that will fill my time and take my pain away especially knowing that Isa is an angel in the skies" She answered softly. I let out a sob making Yenisah pull me back in and Leyla leaned closer running my back. Maybe, just maybe I could come to terms with Leyla somehow over our shared pain, but that doesn't mean she will become a friend.