Being the sultan's daughter made everything easy to Nafize. But when she came of age marriage was a must and her parents chose the most unexpected person for her.
Malkoçoglu Bali Bey, was a military commander who was one of the most loyal men of th...
"Are you sure this is the road?" I asked Yusuf agha as he helped me down the steps of a carriage. I held my dress and cloak out of the way as I walked further down the road and stopped a couple of feet away from the carriage.
"Yes, your highness" Yusuf answered stepped closer to me but staying behind me. A couple of minutes of silence passed before the sound of an approaching carriage became evident in the air and grew louder and louder as time passed before a pleasant-looking carriage appeared in front of me coming to a sudden stop. The driver froze when he saw me before sliding down from his seat and bowed to me.
"Yusuf" I nodded at my loyal agha who bowed to me before walking over to the driver and pulled him away from the carriage to behind some trees.
The white flaps of the carriage were pushed open and a woman stepped down with a huff and a frown forming on her face. She turned to look in my direction as her hood fell back and her blonde hair spilled out of it on her shoulders.
"Sultanim" she bowed to me trembling. I stepped closer to her and raised her head up to look at me.
"I wanted to speak with you before you leave," I said and started walking down a different path than the carriages. She followed after me down the small hill beside the road until we reach a riverbank. I raised my hand making my maids stop at the tree line while I and the blonde walked closer to the edge of the water and continued walking silently until my maids couldn't hear anymore.
"You knew who Bali Bey was and who he was married to before the affair, am I correct?" I asked stopping on top of a rock. She stopped and faced me with both fear and confusion on her face.
"Yes, Sultanim" she answered truthfully. I could see her fiddling with her fingers.
"Then how dare you agree to participate in this affair?" I asked raising my voice a little. I took a breath to compose myself, I don't want to lose my temper in front of someone lowly like her, a peasant, a dancer.
"I couldn't have said no to a Bey, Sultanim, what he wants he gets" she answered looking down.
"Or maybe it was the fact that you're in love with him Elenica," I said shrugging my shoulders.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Isn't everyone, my sister, my cousin, you and Armin, and let's not forget Aybige, and the list goes on" I turned to face the rolling waves below us hitting the bottom of the cliff. I still found it weird that a couple of feet from where we were on the same level as the water yet now we were much higher.
"What do you want?" She asked losing the respect in her voice. I clicked my tongue a couple of times and stepped closer to her.
"I want no evidence" I answered before pushing her off the cliff. She let out a scream before she hit the water below. I waited a couple of minutes until the water stilled and no bubbles rose anymore meaning she is dead.
"Let's hope your grandfather doesn't find out" I whispered rubbing my slightly blushing stomach where my four-month-old baby was. I took a deep breath before walking back to my carriage. The cheap carriage had already been moved and the driver was probably happy about the bag of money in his pocket in it.
"No evidence, Yusuf?" I asked my loyal agha. He smiled at me and helped me into the carriage before getting in behind me.
"No evidence sultana" he answered as our carriage started moving back home. Seconds later a loud explosion filled the air with a scream then there was nothing. I smirked and looked out of the window and watched as our long drive back home started. Here no one will see or hear anything, the perfect place.
"Take me to the throne's palace, I hear Gülsah was sick and I want to check up on her," I said to Yusuf who nodded his head understandingly.
"Welcome, Sultanim" Afife Hatun welcomed me into the harem. I stopped and turned to look at her standing in front of the doors of the harem.
"Thank you Hatun" I smiled at her before moving my gaze to the harem and noticed Rabia in between the girls. I turned to Yusuf who also saw her and he bowed before going into the harem to bring her.
"I didn't know my brother Selim was back," I said turning back to Afife Hatun.
"His Majesty asked for his presence for the campaign" Afife Hatun answered. I nodded and turned around and walked away from the harem with Yusuf behind me with Rabia.
"So Rabia, how's everything in Manesa?" I asked as I walked down the corridor leading to my room here.
"Everything is going smoothly and I have been able to lessen the Sehzade's love for wine but he has been really stressed after his majesty punished him and Sehzade Beyazid after the debt stealing incident," she said. That's what I trained my girls to do, never lie.
"Glad to know, I have a new mission for you" I walked into my room and sat down on my bed.
"Anything sultana" she kneeled down by my feet and looked up at me awaiting my orders. I looked up at Yusuf who got the signal and walked into the extra room.
"First tell me, have you developed any feelings for my brother?" I asked looking down at her with a glare trying to read her.
"No" she answered simply. I smiled and looked back up when Yusuf walked in and handed me a small box. I opened the box to show a small vial.
"We're in Istanbul and the suspects are more especially with the other princes on the campaign with our father" I explained as she took the vial and nodded.
"Understood sultanim" she stood up and bowed before leaving the room. I looked at Yusuf who smiled down at me and took the empty box from me. Mehmed's fate was to die and so will Selim and Beyazid's be if Allah stayed by my side during this mission I have to protect my brother Mustafa and get him on the throne.
"Bring me Gülsah" I ordered Yusuf. He bowed and walked out of the room leaving me alone to my thoughts. I got rid of a problem today and soon another will be gone and that leaves me with three to go, Beyazid, Mihrimah, and Hürrem.
