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...
"She's waking up" Someone whispered beside me. I opened my eyes to find myself in my chamber in my own palace, Mustafa must have moved me from the main room here.
"Nafize, oh darling I was so worried" Mother cried flinging herself at me. I patted her back to calm her down. My brother pulled her away from and held her as she sobbed quietly.
"Sultanim" Yahya stepped forward and helped me sit up against pillows. I have been avoiding him since we spent the night together, since my moment of weakness. I looked over his shoulder to find Mustafa and Suleiman, my children standing quietly waiting for their turn. Mustafa was glaring at Yahya heatedly.
"Hürrem, she is the one that did it, no doubt" My mother accused. Hürrem was the only person she accused in her life and the only person she'll ever accuse of the rest of it. If you ask my mother who is the cause of doomsday she'll answer, Hürrem.
"Why not say Yahya?" Mustafa asked stepping forward. I was shocked that he voiced his opinion, for the first time.
"What are you saying, Mustafa? Why would Yahya poison your mother?" My brother asked. My brother unwrapped his arms from around my mother and stepped closer to my son.
"Because you ordered him to! You hate my mother because she saved your life and the lives of my cousins Mehmed and Orhan" Mustafa yelled in his uncle's face. I didn't have the strength for this fight. I was sure my mother didn't know anything that was being said around in the room and surprisingly she stayed silent for some reason.
"How dare you accuse me of such a crime?" My brother asked. I gasped when he stepped in my son's face and glared down at him. I nudged Yahya to intervene and pull them apart before they can hurt each other.
"Sehzade-" Yahya spoke trying to break the two up but my brother raised his hand silencing him and continued to glare at my son.
"Watch yourself, Mustafa, there are times when we should speak and times when we should stay silent. Your mother is my sister, I would never hurt her or try to kill her because it would be like killing myself, so do not ever think for a second that it was me who did this" My brother spoke wisely. I stood by what he said, Mustafa cared for me too much to hurt me in such a way.
"You haven't shown her love in months, how would any of us know that you did not do this? You exploded in her face and forced her into a marriage that she didn't want, why can't it be you?" Mustafa asked his uncle. I sat up straighter and took ahold of my son's hand and pulled him back myself. He was about to fight the hand that held his but stopped when he noticed it was me.
"That is enough you two, Mustafa go to your room darling, we'll talk when I'm better" My son leaned down and kissed my knuckled respectfully before he left the room without acknowledging his uncle.
"Leave me be everyone, I wish to rest" I waved them all off. I slid down so I laid on my side facing away from everyone. They all left without a protest. My sins are catching up on me, someone was on to me and I need to find who and get rid of them.
"Are you feeling better, mother?" Suleiman asked. I smiled at him and took his hand into mine and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"I am fine" I answered patting his shoulder. Suleiman nodded taking my word for it. I was sitting on a couch in my room and Suleiman decided to visit me.
"Excuse me, I have a fighting lesson with Atmaca" Suleiman kissed my knuckles before he left the room. A knock in the room interrupted me from trying to read before I could even reach out for the book.
"Come in" I called sitting straight. To my dismay it was Yahya. I locked my hands on my lap as he walked in awkwardly.
"What is it agha?" I asked trying to sound professional if that makes sense between us since we're married.
"I apologize for disturbing you but there is a matter you should know about," Yahya said. I took a deep breath and patted for him to sit beside me. I needed to speak with him too.
"I need to speak with you too," I said as he walked over and sat down on the couch beside me.
"What is it, Sultanim?" Yahya asked curiously.
"Mustafa, he is always suspicious of you and I think maybe if you spend time with him he will warm up to you" it scared me how Mustafa always blamed Yahya and pointed fingers at him, it scared me that someday he will make the mistake of hurting him even when he was innocent just because of his dislike towards him.
"I will be honored to spend time with Sultanzade Mustafa" Yahya nodded his head. He seemed just as worried as earlier.
"What is it you wanted to tell me?" I asked remembering that he came here for a reason.
"The doctors told me this morning about something they found while examining you yesterday " Yahya scratched the back of his head nervously. I nodded for him to continue because his words scared me, was I sick? Was it dangerous?
"You're pregnant," he said. My heart stopped at his words and the air in my lungs was sucked out of my body.
"What?" I whispered leaning away from him. How could I get pregnant from one night only?
"I can't be, we've been together only once. I'm not that young either! I'm in my forties Yahya" I panicked. I jumped up from the couch and started pacing around the room like a maniac.
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"Calm down, you shouldn't stress, you're still not fully healed from the poison" Yahya jumped up and stopped me from pacing by taking ahold of my arm. I placed my face in my hands trying to calm myself down.
