Living a normal life was now impossible to Lily after being kidnapped by the tatters. She was stolen off of the boat that was supposed to take her to England to study from the White Sea after visiting her family that lived in Egypt because of her fa...
"Are you taking good care of yourself?" Suleiman asked softly. I smiled as he rubbed my pregnant belly. I was growing more and more anxious as time passed and Suleiman's campaign neared but also my due date also neared.
"Of course, I can't afford to lose another one" I answered. The last bit came as a whisper. I ran my hand over his on my stomach. I felt more at ease with this pregnancy, Sahihuban Sultan left the palace less than a week later with her husband and so did Ibrahim. Also, I knew she wouldn't dare come near me or send me any threats anymore.
"Don't think like this" Suleiman placed a finger under my chin and raised my head up so I would look him in the eyes.
"I can't help it, it's a constant fear I feel" I whispered feeling tears filling my eyes. Suleiman pulled me closer to his chest. I hugged him feeling myself calm down as his arms hugged me tightly.
"I have something for you" Suleiman pulled away from me. He wiped my cheeks of any traitorous tears that have escaped.
"What is it?" I asked curiously. He stood up from the bed with a smile. I followed him to his desk. He opened a box to show the emerald ring that was on my finger for many years before I gave it back and have been apart from it for months.
"This does not belong here" Suleiman pulled the ring out of the box. He rolled it between his fingers before looking at me. I turned from the ring to look at Suleiman.
"It belongs on your delicate finger" he pulled my hand up and slid the ring on my ring finger.
"Does it?" I asked trying to hide the bitterness in my voice. Why didn't he give it to Firuze already? Didn't he move it from one finger to another for years? He raised a confused eyebrow. Sensing I was on thin ice, I gave him a small smile.
"Come on, let's sleep, you need your sleep" he stirred me towards the bed. I smiled and lay down covering myself with the blanket.
"What is the matter Sümbul?" I asked the man shaking in front of me. He stuttered again making me sigh annoyed feeling stressed already with the pregnancy and taking care of the children.
"Firuze Hatun had an incident" Sümbul explained. I sighed shaking my head feeling a headache starting to form.
"Why is that my concern? Didn't Afife Hatun say she will be taking care of her?" I asked sarcastically. He sighed and looked around anxiously.
"She was injuries and the harem is gossiping that you are behind it" Sümbul explained. I stood up from the couch feeling anger fill my body.
"Follow me" I ordered Sümbul. He filled me fearful of my actions. I walked down the stairs to the harem. The maids stopped talking when I stepped. They moved to the side and bowed to me.
"Afife Hatun" I called to the treasurer of the harem. She stepped over to me and bowed a second time.
"I was just informed that Firuze Hatun was injured. Why did no one tell me when it first happened?" I asked angrily glaring at her. She looked up at me shocked, it was either that I was asking about my rival or that I didn't know about the incident.
"I-I didn't want to disturb you. I was told that you were having a hard time with this pregnancy" she explained with a stutter.
"This is not my first pregnancy, I can manage" I hissed. I moved past her and walked up the stairs. The aghas opened the door for me and let me. Firuze's eyes widened when she that it was I who walked in.
"Godspeed your recovery Hatun," I said stiffly. I would rather eat raw meat than any of this but I have to push the pointing fingers away from me.
"Thank you, Sultanim" Firuze nodded her head. I already knew what she would think of, I was growing weaker which led to this meeting.
"I came to check on you because as you know, I am responsible for the harem meaning you are my responsibility too, not out of love or respect" I clarified. She winced at my words and nodded her head.
"What happened?" I questioned. She twiddled with her fingers.
"I don't remember much. One second I was on a horse riding then I was on the floor with Rüstem Agha over my head" she answered. I nodded and walked out of the room.
"Sümbul" I called to my loyal servant. He scrambled to keep up with me. I didn't know how he couldn't keep up with me even though with my pregnancy I was much slower.
"Who is Rüstem agha?" I asked confused. Sümbul thought through his answer for a second as he tried to remember all the aghas in the palace.
"He is in charge of the stables" Sümbul answered.
"Prepare for a meeting with him" I ordered. I walked down the harem to the door. My maids immediately fetched me a headscarf and followed me out to the privy garden. I made my way to the hidden section where no one can see from the palace. Sümbul was already waiting with a man beside him.
"Rüstem agha" I greeted. He looked up at me fleetingly and bowed with a smile.
"Sultanim, it's a pleasure to meet you," he said bashfully. I nodded my head stiffly and eyed him from head to toe.
"Tell me what happened, Rüstem. Firuze couldn't have just fallen off her horse so easily" I ordered. I was no idiot, Firuze was an exceptional rider.
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"What do you mean sultanim? I received a letter from you ordering me to cause the incident" Rüstem said slightly panicked. I looked at Sümbul shocked and he seemed equally as shocked.
"I sent no such thing" I gasped shocked. Rüstem scrambled to pull out a letter and showed it to me. It was addressed in my name but it was not my handwriting.
"This is not from me" I hid the letter in my belt to burn later in case, so no one would find it.
"I found something important, Sultanim" Rüstem immediately changed the subject noticing me moving to leave. I stopped feeling curious and turned to him with a raised eyebrow.
"Firuze is not who she says she is" he explained. He pulled out another paper from his belt and opened it to show a drawing.
"What is this?" I asked confused. I took the paper from him and examined the shapes on it.
"This is Firuze's tattoo" Rüstem explained. I looked back up at him confused but the smirk on his face made me think that maybe this was actually important.
"This is the tattoo of the members of the Safavid dynasty" he finished. My eyes widened in shock at the information. I could use this to get rid of Firuze, forever.
