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...
"Here you go" I handed Ismihan to Narin, my new maid after Nur had left to stay with her daughter. I fixed my dress and stood up from the couch in the room I have been using the past week. I looked around making sure everything was packed and put away in one of the carriages.
"Are you ready, Sultana?" My head snapped in the direction of the voice and found Taslicali standing by the door with one of his hands on Ibrahim's shoulder. I walked over and picked up my son trying to keep him away from Taslicali.
"Yes," I answered dryly. I walked out of the room and down to the gardens where three carriages were waiting for us.
"Are you alright, mother?" Ibrahim asked, playing with my hair. I sat on one side of the carriage while Gevherhan and Rukiye sat on the other. Narin sat beside me with Ismihan in her arms and Ibrahim was on mine.
"I'm fine, now hush" I whispered pulling his head closer to my chest. He giggled and hugged me tightly and laid his head on my chest. The carriages started moving, pulling us away from the capital. My goodbyes were very short, even with my father.
Mustafa and Suleiman chose to ride on horses alongside their stepfather, according to Suleiman he was too old to sit in a carriage. Mustafa however said he wanted to keep his eyes on Taslicali and make sure he was taking us the right in case he wanted to kidnap us or kill us which I think is absurd, he would never dare and my brother Mustafa would never order such a thing.
"Welcome to Manisa," Taslicali said as he helped me down from the carriage. I pulled my hand away from his the second my feet touched the ground. I turned around and helped Ibrahim down from the carriage.
"Why didn't you take us to the palace?" I asked sceptical. I looked at the slightly smaller palace Taslicali brought us to.
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"His highness, Sehzade Mustafa renovated this palace as a marriage present for us" Taslicali answered. We both knew he did that so he won't have to see me around his palace. I rolled my eyes and walked down the path leading to a huge door. Guards opened the door in front of me and bowed.
"This is the main room" Taslicali informed me when I walked into a huge room. I looked around and nodded a little seeing that it was not as small as I had originally thought it would be.
"Where is my room? I feel very tired" I turned around to face him. Narin and Saliha my new maids along with Esma who chose to stay with me even when I offered to free her, aghas in the palace took them to show them the rooms my children will be staying in and their own quarters.
"Second floor, the first room to the right" He answered. I nodded and was about to walk out of the main room but stopped at the doors.
"What about you?" I asked. I was worried Mustafa would insist on us sleeping in the same room after my son threatened him.
"The room across from yours but we would have to create an illusion in front of the staff, most of them are spies" He answered. I nodded and continued walking out. I found the stairs with ease and walked up and true to his word a grand bedroom was waiting for me to my right. There was even a personal bathhouse for me in the room.
I took off my headscarf and placed it neatly on one of the many chairs in the room. I walked over to the bookcase that was half empty ready to be filled with my own collection of books. I placed my hand on the desk beside it, it was also empty of any decorations. I walked over to the bed and sat down on it feeling almost defeated but I can't let this feeling take over me. I, of course, feel horrible for the sins I've made but in the end, those were necessary sins otherwise I and my children would have been killed if Selim or Beyazid got on the throne because they know I would never allow them to kill Mustafa once they get on the throne. A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.
"Come in" I called standing up from the bed. I walked over to the window and pulled it open to let in some fresh air into the room.
"Sultanim, I wanted to make sure everything is according to what you want" I turned around and looked at Taslicali. One thing that confused me about this man is his ability to change in a matter of hours.
"Why are you treating me so well when we both know you hate me?" I asked. I crossed my arms and walked closer to where he stood just before the door.
"I do not hate you. It is only manners that I treat you right, you are my superior " he answered emotionlessly as if he was expecting me to ask such a question.
"Don't you consider yourself my equal now that I'm your wife?" I asked. I raised my eyebrow at him awaiting his answer, curious to find out how he thinks.
"I am not your equal, you do not love me nor do you view me as such" he shrugged his shoulders. It confused me how it didn't bother him while many would have forced themselves on me and for me to help them rank higher.
"You are a different breed Taslicali, you are almost unreadable " I admit. He smirked and shrugged his shoulders.
"I admire you for what you did to protect your brother but at the same time, I hate that you filthied your hands with your own blood," he said. I uncrossed my arms and helped them in front of me so I can look at my hands.
"Mustafa thinks I don't feel guilt or remorse but I can't sleep at night, I pray and beg for forgiveness every day, I am human too" I whispered heartbrokenly. Taslicali took one of my hands into his and raised it up. My eyes followed his movement as he placed a soft respectful kiss on my knuckles.
He looked down at me with what I can only say were doe eyes. His words echoed in my head, he admire me for protecting my brother, he understood what I went through. He knows how hard it is to please my brother and keep him safe at the same time, I had to let go of one to make sure the other works.
He leaned down slowly having to take no steps from us already standing so close to one another. He paused a breath away as if he was remembering something. I remembered the years I spent married to Bali Bey, the love we shared for a while before he ruined it with his infidelity, the rest of the time we spent in our marriage was only from duty, and Ibrahim and Ismihan only exist to not raise suspicions around us since everyone knows how fertile I was and not having at least one more kid would make my father curious.
Without another word said he locked out lips softly. He was much too different than Bali Bey, Bali was rougher and more demanding, however, Taslicali was very kind and looked like he was calculating every move he did to make sure I was comfortable. Bali Bey was definitely more of a soldier while Taslicali was the romantic poet he is known to be.
