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...
"What a beautiful girl Allah gifted you," My mother said as she held my newborn daughter in her arms. I smiled fixing the blanket that covered my body on my bed. My mother walked over to me and placed the baby in my arms. The doors to my room opened and Hürrem Sultan walked in with Mihrimah behind her followed by Cihangir which made me grin happily, Cihangir will always be my second favorite brother.
"Congratulations Sultanim," Hürrem said eyeing the baby in my arms. I nodded back at her with a small smile, I know that she didn't mean it from her heart, she has hated me ever since Gülsah got pregnant five months ago.
"Give her to me," Cihangir said excitedly walking over to my side of the bed. I handed him the small baby feeling my heart flutter at the sight of my daughter in between her uncle's arms.
"Selim apologizes for not being able to come, he has been sick for a while now," Hürrem said looking at the baby in Cihangir's arms with a frown on her face.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Congratulations, sister" Mihrimah said gloomily. She is always sad when I get more children because she and Restum's relationship is not as good as Hürrem would like to and Mihrimah hasn't been able to get pregnant with how little time they're intimate with each other, I know this because she more than once told me this.
"Thank you, sister," I said back. I turned to my mother who was glaring at Hürrem who was glaring back. I rolled my eyes and turned to Cihangir who was cooing down at the baby.
"Will you name her, brother?" I asked. Cihangir looked up at me wide-eyed as if he couldn't believe his ears.
"Are you sure?" Cihangir asked. I smiled and nodded my head for him to proceed. Cihangir raised the baby so her ear was just beside his mouth and whispered a prayer in her ear before he named her.
"Your name will be, Rukiye"
"Your name will be, Rukiye"
"Your name will be, Rukiye"
"Why did you choose that name?" Hürrem Sultan asked. Rukiye was a very special name, it meant 'Spell'.
"Because the second I looked at her I fell under her spell and beauty" Cihangir answered. I chuckled and watched as he kissed my new daughter's forehead. I feel very bad that Cihangir will never be able to get children of his own because of his condition and sickness that made him weaker than a normal person and sicker.
"She looks like her mother, of course, she is very beautiful" My mother boasted. I shook my head with a laugh. Cihangir leaned down and handed me the sleeping baby again before stepping to the side.
"We should leave Nafize to rest" Hürrem Sultan suggested pulling Mihrimah out. I know that she just hated being with my mother in the same room and under a roof owned by me.
"You should rest, darling," My mother said stepping closer to me and pushed some of my hair out of my face. I smiled up at her before looking down at the angel in my arms.
"Have you sent a letter to father about the birth?" I asked. My father and brothers along with Bali Bey were still at war and haven't returned.
"Yes, and to Bali Bey too," She said smirking down at me. I gave her and nod losing my smile a little at the mention of Bali Bey, I still haven't forgiven him in my heart and it hurts to know he was with some else while I was at home taking care of our three children while pregnant with our fourth.
"Take her and show her to her siblings please" I held up Rukiye to my mother. She took her with a soft smile, I know that my mother wasn't really fond of girls but she basically tolerated my daughter for my sake. I haven't forgotten how little attention she gave me as a child only to throw me into this marriage that was loveless and is right now. I felt that all of the love and respect I had for Bali Bey just disappeared the second he fell in the arms of another woman but I tolerated him for the children's sake.
"Of course, go to sleep" My mother patted my cheek. I watched my mother walk out of my room with hooded eyes. I was exhausted, actually, more than just exhausted. I thought that every time I give birth it will become easier but I was proved wrong and it has been getting harder and harder every time and that was one of the reasons I didn't want any more children but I won't rebel against Allah's will.
I was alone and cold, there was no one else in the room with me. My breath turned white in front of me as if I was standing outside in the cold. This was my father's room in the main palace. I walked deeper into the room looking around for any sign of life but there was none.
"Father" I called hoping that he will pop out of somewhere and welcome me with his arms open and warm. The doors to his terrace burst open, they were forced open by the harsh wind and the curtains wiped around almost hitting me. I pushed the curtains to the side and ignore the harsh wind as I stepped closer to the door, the second I stepped outside the wind stopped and I felt warm and fuzzy all over.
"Father?" I called again but received no answer. I walked further out onto the terrace and sidestepped my father's throne. In front of the throne sat two cribs with sleeping babies inside of them. Whose children were they?
"Nafize" I whipped around to face my father who was now standing at the door. He stepped closer to the cribs then he towered over the cribs and stood above them holding a bag in his hand, it was dripping blood which kind of scared me.
"Who's blood is this?" I asked feeling the air getting knocked out of me at the sight. The blood dripped down on the forehead of one of the babies which woke it up. The baby made us know that it had woken up by letting out a loud cry. My father threw the blood dripping bag to the side before picking up the baby and hugging him or her.
I woke up with a start feeling sweat run down my back. What was that dream about? What scared me so much that I had dreamed such a horrible dream? A nightmare. Was he holding Mustafa's head? Or was it someone else? Maybe it was the head of Hürrem or another one of his enemies. Who's children were those in my dream? Were they my father's? Will Gülsah have two children? Many more questions floated around in my head but I pushed them back and laid back down in my bed.
