THE SULTAN'S HEART| MAGNIFICENT CENTURY|

CHAPTER 051

Time was a funny thing yet powerful, it changed and mined the way it wanted and no one can stop it. Time is something we can not stop and no matter how hard we tried to it will run and run and pass through anything. It can be both good or bad, it erases bad memories but also good ones unless they are strong enough to stay burned in your brain.

As time passed the seasons changed from the harsh and cold winter that froze anything in its path and made everything white. Then spring would come with a small breeze and fill the gardens with its flowers from all colors and sizes and shapes. Summer will follow the spring with its hot air that caused an unwanted sweat but made any type of juices taster when drank in it. Autumn will come after and warn you about the harsher season that will follow with its withering flowers and yellow leaves leaving behind dead trees that will only come back to life when the spring breeze comes for a visit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

February, 14th, 1530

On this date, my life changed yet again for the better. I was sitting in my bed with a brown bundle In my arms, a son was born who Suleiman named Korkut, meaning big hailstone, what earned him this name was the storm that hailed down on Istanbul during the birth.

I looked up from the sleeping baby in my arms to Suleiman who was sitting beside me on the bed with a golden bundle in his arms, Korkut's twin sister, Nuriye, meaning woman of light, Suleiman named our daughter this because she was born on the brick of dawn just as the light broke out through the clouds.

Here I sat with yet another set of twins in my arms blessing the dynasty with its eighth male heir and its twelfth and thirteenth royal members. Suleiman leaned closer to me and placed a kiss on my forehead making me smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Time was really fascinated me because the more it rolled by the more people changed. It scared me how my children grew up so fast, how they spoke more, they placed more, they understood more what was going on around them.

Osman had taken quite a liking to sword fighting along with his older brother Mehmed and they decided to train together and take every class together despite the two years age gap between them. They understood and respected each other despite their young age.

Ayse was fascinated by literature and has been going through almost all of the books in the royal library about writing and poetry which made Suleiman more than just happy with the fact that one of his daughters shared his love for poetry. Only months after her seventh birthday she wrote a whole poem on her own and gifted it to her father, of course, it was far from perfect but Suleiman loved it and presented her with jewelry as a present for her hard work.

Abdullah had also taken a liking to sword fighting but he seemed more talented with a bow and an arrow and Suleiman always jokes that Abdullah will soon beat him at hunting despite his young age.

Murad however has been a little whiny about school and studying and has been wanting to join his older brothers in sword fighting but I haven't yet let him touch other than wooden swords because he was way too young to touch a real one and he could do some real damage with one.

Kaya has grown to show great beauty and free spirit. She always wants to go out to the garden and play among the beautiful flowers. She has favored the red roses and the tulips naturally over the other flowers but bluebells came as a close third.

Beyhan was still too young to show an interest in anything yet she still seemed to love studying and would wake up before the sun rose to go to study with her teachers. She was a smart young girl which was what worried Suleiman, her strong fascination with unknown things, she often went missing only to be found exploring somewhere in the palace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

December, 9th, 1531

I stood in Hürrem's room watching as Suleiman named their new son, Cihangir. He was quite a beautiful baby but as always it still hurt a little seeing Suleiman have other children with other women.

I smiled at Hürrem who smiled back, for the second time we were truly happy about a birth with no Mahidevran to ruin it and the Valide too calm to say or do anything.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Are you excited to see your brother again?" I asked Osman as I fixed Kaya's hair. I had just received news that Mustafa and Mahidevran will be returning to the capital.

"Very, I can finally have some competition fighting," Osman said punching the air in an imaginary fight. I chuckled and finished the last braid on Kaya's head and tied it. I gave her a little nudge to let her know I was done. The doors to my room opened and Rosie walked in with Korkut in her arms followed by Helen with Nuriye in her arms. I signaled for them to step forward.

I looked over the twins' clothes to make sure they were presentable. I didn't want Mahidevran to say one word about my children that is if she was still the same from what she was like before she had left.

"I'm going to go now, bring the children later on to see their brother" I ordered Rosie. She bowed and moved to the side. I stood up and started walking towards the door when Osman called after me making me stop and turn around to face him.

"Don't wait too long" he said eagerly. I couldn't help but chuckle at the ten years old. I walked out to the harem and stepped on a hallway that also served as a balcony so we can look down at the harem and also It reached the Valide's room. Hürrem was already there waiting. The harem girls were stood in a line also waiting.

"DESTOR, SEHZADE MUSTAFA, HIS HIGHNESS " a harem agha announced loudly making the girls below squeal and bow to the new arriving prince. I have to say that I was shocked over how grown up Mustafa looked and how handsome he was, well he was Suleiman's son, and to be fair Mahidevran was quite beautiful too.

One of the harem girls fainted when Mustafa passed by her making Mahidevran stop and look down at her with a smirk. She moved her gaze up at us, Hürrem gave her a proud look while I just glared down at her. I was in no mood to sugar talk to anyone.