"If you want to get rid of me, then you have only one option. Take our Sultan's heart, because I don't want to live in a world where he doesn't exist."
Six months have passed since Hürrem Sultana was banished to the Old Palace. Since she was banished, I have spent every night with Suleyman. He took so much care of me and loved me so much, that he even gave me a new name when I converted into Islam.
He gave me a new name – Dilruba. It was persian name which meant someone who is captivating.
I recovered very well after Hürrem's attack, but the thing that made me feel even better was the fact that we found out I am pregnant. I am carrying part of Suleyman under my heart.
Everything was perfectly fine until Suleyman had to leave for the campagin. He went together with his army to occupy Belgrade and I was overwhelmed by the sadness. My brother Ibrahim also has left with him leaving me alone with Valide Sultan and Mahidevran in the Palace, as Hürrem was still banished.
"Valide Sultan," I said as I entered Valide's chambers and bowed where she had welcomed me with a smile. I was favoured by Valide since I arrived because she liked the fact that I am well-mannered, unlike Hürrem was.
"Dilruba, come here sit with us," she showed me to come to her where she was sitting together with Gülfem Hatun and Hatice Sultan.
Before I could sit down Hatice Sultan came closer to me and putted her hand on my belly which was already was so huge so we knew baby will come to us soon.
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"The baby is never in peace, he can't let me sleep peacefully," I said and smiled as my prince or sultana who I was carrying gave me a lot of troubles during the pregnancy.
"I can't wait to finally meet my grandson," Valide Sultana said and smiled to me together with Hatice Sultan.
"Valide Sultan, what if I give birth to a daughter?" I asked her.
"Then you will gift our Sultan with a beautiful girl he will love so much. I gave birth to four daughters who were pupil of their father's eye, you should not worry about that because you are young and there is a plenty of time to still give birth to sons," Valide putted her hand on my cheeks and smiled to me giving me a bit of hope I won't be forgotten in this Palace if I give birth to a girl.
" I have ordered them to prepare chambers for you Dilruba so you will be there. I also found 2 maids which will serve you and make sure everything is fine," Valide Sultan said to me.
"Thank you so much, Sultanim," I said and smiled to her.
As I returned back to Harem I saw Gulfem Hatun which was happy when she saw me.
"Dilruba Hatun, it's not good," she said and she seemed like something bad happened and first thing that came ro my mind was if something happened to Suleiman or Ibrahim.
"Gulfem, don't scare me, what is it?" I asked her with a fear what it might be.
"Sultan sent a letter and ordered for Hurrem Sultan to return back to Palace as she is in high months of her pregnancy and there is possibility she will give birth at any moment," Gulfem said.
"And what is bad there Gulfem? Of course she has to give birth here in the Palace not alone in the Old Palace at the end it's Ottoman heir," I said as I couldn't understand why was Gulfem so over reactive about that thing.
I knew none of them loved Hurrem but she was pregnant and she is carrying Suleiman's child and there was no reason for her to be banished while she is pregnant. She shouldn't be alone there and separated from her son Mehmed no matter what she did. They all feared like Hurrem would do something bad to them but I knew she will put all her anger on me because she was banished because of the way she behaved to me.
Not many time has passed since Gulfem has said to me and then Hurrem came to the Harem. Whole Harem stood and bowed to her and the same I did because I knew she is Sultana still and I'm not yet.
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She walked proudly into Harem with her big pregnant belly and it was only the question of the time when will she give a birth. She walked so proudly and looked at everyone who bowed down at her and then stopped in front of me.
"Are you happy to see me back, Angelina?" Hurrem said with a laugh and maids beside her laughed together with her as they thought Hurrem could make me feel down, but she couldn't.
"My name is not Angelina anymore, my name is Dilruba," I said and looked at how her expression quite fast changed from proud to disappointed.
"Whatever," she said and then looked at my belly trying not to get nervous even at the look.
"When another prince gets born by me, no one will be able to help you," she said trying to make me afraid of her but I couldn't be afraid of no one.
Even in my childhood there was nothing that could make me afraid of someone or something especially not a woman who loves same man I do when I knew his heart belongs to me, and with doing bad things to me she was just running away from his heart and giving alone her position to me.
"You never know if it will be a son," I said to her as everyone knew she couldn't even imagine that she could have a daughter.
"Mine will be, but yours will be a girl probably," Hurrem said raising her head like it could never happen she could have a girl.
"What does it matter if it's a girl from any of us?" I said.
"Because with each daughter you give birth to, you lose your power," Hurrem replied and went back to her chambers to see her son Mehmed.
"Dilruba Hatun, don't care about her words, no one even likes her,"Saliha, the maid Valide gave to me, said.
"I don't even worry about her words when they have no meaning," I said and went to the new chambers Valide Sultan has given to me.
Saliha and another girl named Cihan followed me to the new chambers that were appointed to be mines, and strangely enough they were the ones right next to Hurrem's chambers.
I didn't know if Valide Sultan did this on purpose to make more fight between Hurrem and me as she probably didn't like Hurrem, but with this I didn't know if she likes me or she pretends to like me.
"What is this supposed to mean?" Hurrem asked me as she saw me entering the chambers next to hers.
"We will be very close now, Hurrem," I said and entered my new chambers.
