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...
"Abdullah" I called walking deeper into the forest. I don't know how long I've been walking, it could be minutes or maybe hours or maybe days, months, or years. I heard him call me and I will not stop until I find him.
"Go back" Abdullah whispered. I turned around in circles trying to find him, I wanted to see him one last time.
Suddenly a light burst through the trees blinding me for a second. When my eyes adjusted to the light it was still not clear enough for me to identify what it was. I picked up my dress and ran toward it. Where could it be leading me?
I paused my running when I saw the marble clearing in front of me. What was I doing here? There were hundreds of janissaries standing around me. A scream broke through the silence making me curious. I walked through the lines of the janissaries feeling a sudden lump in my throat.
I froze by the doors seeing Abdullah again laying on the floor with me crying on top of him. This memory felt like it was an out-of-body experience, I was seeing myself from another perspective.
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"Go back" Abdullah's voice whispered again much closer this time. I couldn't hold myself up anymore and fell on my knees only a couple of feet away from myself and my darling son Abdullah.
"ABDULLAH!" I screamed banging my hands against the floor as tears streamed down my face breaking down all over again.
"ABDULLAH!" I sat up in my bed. The room was bright meaning it was morning. My face felt wet and my breathing was shallow.
"Mother!" I turned to my right just as Ayse sat down beside me and pulled me in for a hug. She was crying against my shoulder whispering things I could not hear.
"Finally you're awake mother," Osman said with relief in his voice. He and Murad were standing at the foot of my bed.
"Come here" I opened my arms. Ayse pulled away giving her older brother space to sit in her spot. He pulled me in for a hug immediately.
"My back broke while you were away, I felt like the entire world's burdens were thrown at me, I am too weak mother and my back broke, I could not handle all these burdens with you away" Osman cried against my shoulder. I hugged him tightly feeling my heart break for my son.
"I'm here now" I whispered running my hands through his hair as if he was a small child all over again.
"Mother" Murad moved to my other side and hugged me. I moved one arm from around Osman and wrapped it around Murad. I kissed the crown of his head. The doors to my room opened making me look up but I did not let go of my boys. Suleiman stepped into the room but froze at the sight of me awake.
"Osman, Murad, come on" Ayse mumbled pulling at Osman's sleeve. Osman pulled away and wiped his tears followed by Murad. Murad kissed my knuckles one last time before Ayse pulled them out of my room through the second door.
