The other woman

Stress and war

When I awake I find myself in suleyman arm laying on my bed. " your awake thank god" he says kissing my forehead. " what happened ?"I asked. " The doctor said that you've been holding a lot of stress lately after the attack and after me nearly being killed and taking care of the children they thinks you took too much stress on yourself and it caused it to manifest into you fainting" he said as aya looked at me. " I've been telling her to slow down your Majesty she never listens she must do everything to help everyone" aya says. " from now on nothing stressful I will take care of everyone including you" he says I sigh and nod " I may have been doing to much lately, but I'll slow down I promise " I say smiling at him. "Good now I'm going to go see Ibrahim, and then give hurrem her gift, I want you to rest in bed and eat and aya hatun will take you to the garden later" he says standing up. I nod and smile. He leaves and aya rushes to my side. " no stress you hear me" she says. " the children" I say.
"Everything been taking care of , The boys are at class Mihrimah and selim are back in their chamber and Ana is sleeping" she says.I nod and she helps me sit up. " you stay here rest your eyes while I go get get you some breakfast and some molasses for your strength" she says. I nod and smile weakly then close my eyes. After a little while aya brings the food.  She does as she says and she feeds me from the bed. " this is a little much don't you think feeding me as if I was a child" I say to her as she gets another spoon of molasses ready for me. " should anything happen to you you're not the one who's heads on the line mine is now eat another spoonful will make you feel nice and strong" she says as she pops the spoon in my mouth. The sweet sticky syrup does make one feel better. "That's good sultana you'll be nice and strong, now let's get you dressed " she says. I nod and she helps me out of the bed. She holds my arm steady while maya unbuttons my dress and helps slide it off of me. They then grab a light blue coloured gown and help me get it on. " no heavy jewelry, just your ring and you mother gold earring and a headband " maya says smiling helping me put on perfume. " as you wish you two I feel better now but as his majesty has scared you two to death I'll listen " I say smiling. They nod and smile helping me put on the jewellery and my scarf and headband. " perfectly elegant but light enough to keep you from get over heated " says aya. " now out to the garden Valide is proably there" I say. aya holds my arm steady I'm still light headed and could proably easily pass out so it's best she keeps a good grip on me. We walk out the harem careful then to the garden where I find Valide Mahidevran and Hatice. I bow and smile to them " good afternoon sultanas" I say. "Sofia come sit with us have some food " hatice says. I nod and aya helps me down. " are you alright dear?" Valide asks. " I collapsed this morning in his majesty's arm when he came to check on the children " I say. " are you alright?" Mahidevran asks Valide looks worried as does hatice. " yes I am fine just a lot of stress caused me to collapse, doctors and his majesty has ordered lots of rest, lots of good food and sulieman specifically said lots of fresh air but I wonder how much medical training he has " I say slightly giggling . They all laugh at my comment. " well I am glad your ok, you have been doing so much caring for all of us, we forget your only one person sometimes " hatice says grabbing my hand and squeezing it. " oh I am fine, i've been taking care of people all my life. It's normal for me to think I can do it all" I say. " well eat up " Valide says handing me some honey comb and lokma. Suddenly Ibrahim Pasha walks straight past into the garden, right past us without noticing us it was odd. "Didn't pasha see me?he didn't even look at my face did something bad happen?"hatice says" he probably didn't look at here because of his respect to me, what else can it be hatice? I'm tired of your misgivings" Valide says. "My Valide hatices sultana is right he didn't look at any of us. I think he met hurrem, she went for a horse riding with his majesty " Mahidevran says. " that must be the gift his Majesty was talking about this morning, he didn't tell me what it was but that must be it " I say drinking some sharbet. I continue eating. We move on to the children and talk about there growth. Hürrem sultan comes promptly she bows to us and wishes us a good meal . " Have a seat let's eat together"Valide tells her patting the pillow next to me. She nods and sits down not very happily but she must obey." You look pale. Are you feeling any better?"hatice asks her. " thank goodness I'm fine. His majesty gifted me a horse. I named it aşk (love)" hurrem replies. " that's lovely hurrem you must let me meet your horse one day I haven't gotten to see one in a while maybe you will let me take a ride ?" I ask. She smiles and nods to me. Mahidevran starts to giggle " aşk? Is the love job that much to be called a stallion?" She asks in a snide way that Valide gives her a look. I roll my eyes We were Getting too old for these kind of comments. " aşk (love) Will Live on wherever I put it, it is such a beautiful horse, I fell in love when I saw it" hurrem jabs back. Mahidveran looks away. " come on it's getting cold bon appétit" Valide says.we all start to eat except hurrem. Truthfully I never stopped. " sultana you will need a new bridesmaid,right Valide?" Hurrem says." A beautiful elegant one" hurrem continues. " Let's forget about it please I don't want to remember bad things. It would be good for your health too. Your pregnant don't " hatice says. " let's not talk about it anymore sofia collapsed this morning becuase of the stress of the last day enough talk" Valide says. " it is very difficult to forget my Sultana I remember it all the time, how my Valide prepared that murder and sent it to the privy chamber " hurrem says. Mahidverans and my jaw dropped. Valide drops her spoon on the table and stares at her." Hurrem shush " I whisper to her. " how you served her to his Majesty in your palace I can't forget" hurrem continues. " hurrem hatun, behave yourself! What kind of talking is this? You are not talking to harem kalfas, get away from this table now " hatice says sternly. We all stare at her expecting her to get up. She finally does and leaves. Mahidveran is a little to happy but she quickly hides it. We all continue eating. " she dosent know what she says, her head is still muddled, part of me wonders if I should have kept the children one more night " I say. " no the children will bring her back to reality she being silly" Valide says. I nod. " you said you were interested in horses next time I will ask if we can get you one" Valide says to me. "That would be lovely I haven't ridden since I was a little girl." I say smiling. " I also have some fabrics that I bought they don't suit me I wish to get them to Ana, she is old enough now for a proper gown " mahidveran says smiling. " she will be most grateful sultana" I say. We continue eating.

After this dinner five months pass nothing really happens. Hurrem grows more pregnant each day. We are currently in Ramadan which isn't easiest recovering from stress but I do it and I do accomplishing a lot of reading. My health has recovered quite a bit I did faint a couple more times but when that happens suleyman take me away for the weekend to relax they seem to be because of stress and they're right I do stress too much but with this month I've gotten better and I no longer faint easily. We are currently in edirne palace for Ramadan. It's nice being away from the main Palace. His Majesty is also going on campaign again so it's close to the encampment. I hate when he does that I worry about him going to war. Nothing I can do he tells me not to stress but he always comes back victorious and he always will. We were all sitting down for Iftar. The sun will be down soon and then we can eat again. Luckily tonight was the last night which is good for me because I'm always hungry as of late and so are the children they've grown so much and is now Ana little toddler walking around.(fyi I have no idea how old the kids are, but Dan is born right before selim and Ana is right after selim so they are all close In age). Valide is grate Full for last iftar dinner, she also wishes the best for all the men going to war. " my Sultana I heard you love quail meat. I have had them hunted especially for you" gul aga says to hurrem placing the meal in front of her. She reaches immediately for the meat that's the only good thing about being pregnant during Ramadan she can eat when she wish whenever she wishes. "Gul aga ?" Valide asks." Yes Valide sultanim "he replies " have the Iftar dinner tents been installed out of the palace for a subjects?" She asks. " don't worry Valide Sultana, I took care of it myself" he says. She nods and smiles. Gul aga has been a blessing to us all. Finally Suleiman comes. We all quickly rise and bow to him. Mahidevran and Mustafa come with him too and sit down. " we are separated again there will be countless plains, mountains enemies between us" hurrem says. " don't worry hurrem, give birth with out incident" he says to her . " I wish you could stay a little more, our princess birth would be in your caring, peaceful arms" she says back. " your task is to pray , May Allah open the path and sharpen the swords of the mighty men of the Ottoman Empire, May they re-join their loved ones with victory" he says. " Allah will bring you back safe and sound and he will anoint you with victorious sword" I say." Amen my Sofia amen" he replies smiling to me." Father Ibrahim pashas on campaign since 15 days when are we joining?" Mustafa asks. " Mustafaa you are still so little your mother wouldn't allow you you stay with us and pray" hurrem says. We all look at her confused she doesn't make that choice if Mustafaa wants to go on campaign it's his Majesty's choice." He is still a child he can't go to fight " hurrem justified." No, I'm grown up now and I'm really good with sword play, dad please take me too" mustafa says pleading. " my darling with stuff out this is not the right time either or the place to be  talking about this"he says. Suddenly the prayer is called and we all begin praying before we eat. Once we're done praying we all grab our spoons and begin to eat. I smile and look around at my family. How blessed I am.