chapter four - acquaintances to friends

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tym gares al leir - time causes all to learn

chapter 04 - new  friends and crises


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kasim agha knocked on the door of nasia's suite. entering, he nodded to the greek slave. "mahpeykar hatun, gevherhan sultan wishes to see you." nasia smiled and walked out of the favorites' room. whispers followed her as she walked through the harem. kasim knocked on the sultana's door before going in. "sultana, mahpeykar is here to see you." gevherhan smiled warmly. "wonderful. show her in."the agha bowed once again before opening the door and letting anastasia into the large rooms ahmed had given his most beloved sister. "mahpeykar, hoşgeldin (welcome) !" the sultana of the blood motioned for the slave to sit down in front of her. "i wish for us to be allies. after all, we would both do anything, including giving up our lives, for our great and powerful sultan ahmed."anastasia nodded, pressing a kiss to gevherhan's skirts. "i would like that very much, sultana. i fell out of favor with safiye sultan..."gevherhan sighed softly. "as have i, anastasia. as have i. you are an intelligent girl, i see that. perhaps we could be friends as well as allies. with life in the harem, true and undoubted friends and allies are hard to come by. most can be bought with a single show of gold. but i now see, hatun, that you and i will get along well. i may be handan's daughter, but i am a sultana. a sultana of the blood. i live and breath islam. i would lay down my life if it means my brother will live a long and happy life. inshallah. esma?!" a concubine walked in and bowed to the eighteen year old sultan. "bring me and nasia some tea?" esma nodded, smiling at the two. "evet, sultanim." the concubine bowed and left the room. "just know, if you become part of our dynasty, or not, that you will always have my support, as long as you keep my brother happy and on the right path." anastasia took the tea that esma handed her. "i promise, sultanim. i love ahmed more than anything. i had opportunities to escape... and yet, i stayed. not for power. for love." gevherhan put her teacup down, smiling warmly at the girl. "i will pray that you will stay safe in the turmoil that we know of the harem." anastasia looked like she wanted to say something, but didn't know how to say it. "hatun, what is it? you can tell me anything. everything in this room will stay with me." the blonde sighed before looking up at her. "your god... is he kind...?" gevherhan realized anastasia was curious of her religion. she also knew her brother would be over the moon if she converted. 'he is the kindest, and most loving of gods. our religion means a lot to both me and my brother. so, if you are interested, kasim agha and i will help you convert. but only if you truly want to."


gevherhan sat in her chambers, reading a book sent to her by the late queen elizabeth of england

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gevherhan sat in her chambers, reading a book sent to her by the late queen elizabeth of england. they had become friends, pen pal letter style. they gifted each other portraits and jewelry, and most importantly: books. both women were incredibly intelligent creatures, and they knew it. so, gifting of knowledge meant everything to her. the doors suddenly opened as esma ran in, breathing heavily from her run across the harem. "s-sul-tana...! it's th-e sul-tan...!" gevherhan's eyes became large, fear filling them. had she lost yet another brother? was the raven still circling her head...? who will it come for next? "is ahmed alive...?!" she asked, fearing the answer she would get. "yes, sultanim! but he has small pox...!" gevherhan gasped, while her knees buckled, causing her to fall to her knees. "sultanim...!" esma ran over and helped the ottoman up, tears now falling down her cheeks. the sultana couldn't hear due to the ringing of her ears. she felt like her heart was being ripped out, as she had when sehzade selim died. gevherhan grabbed a headscarf, her prayer beads, the quran she kept with her at all times, motioning for esma to grab it's stand. "we must go to my mother... now!" the two women ran through the harem, while kasim agha and her other concubines, hatice and ayse, following closely behind. the girl found her way to the terrace where her mother stood, pacing silently. "valide...! is it true? is ahmed ill...?" the valide sultan sadly nodded. "as is sehzade mustafa...?!" a million thoughts ran through her head in that moment. would she lose both her surviving brothers? would the ottoman dynasty fall? would a woman take over, instead? would the girays take over? "i will pray for them both... allah is kind... he will not take either one from us, this day. i know it." the girl crouched down onto the floor, opening the holy book and softly reading out a prayer. she hadn't noticed the blonde girl arrive and sit down besides her. gevherhan gasped quietly when a hand was placed on her shoulder. looking over, she realized anastasia sat next to her. she held onto her hand, and continued her praying. may allah keep his majesty. may allah protect sehzade mustafa. may allah keep the harem in his good graces. may the ottoman dynasty continue. may no one else fall ill. amin.

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