THE VALIDE SULTAN| MAGNIFICENT CENTURY|

CHAPTER 05

Gülbahar stalked into her room feeling herself being overwhelmed with emotions. She felt humiliated and disrespected on a level she had never imagined. Beyazid has not shown any interest in her ever since their arrival in the capital, all that mattered to him was the approaching war and Emma. Now Emma was pregnant with the possibility of birthing a son.

"Sultanim-" Bihruz, Gülbahar's personal concubine began but Gülbahar raised her hand making the other woman stop in her tracks from approaching her or finishing her sentence.

"Did you see how she spoke to me? How she humiliated me?" Gülbahar felt the venom literally leave her mouth as she spoke. She was not angry with Gevheri Sultan, she would not dare, she knew how much Beyazid loved and cared for his mother and even if his mother was in the wrong he would have Gülbahar's head. Bihruz escorted her mistress to a nearby ottoman and helped her sit down on it.

"Ignore her Sultanim, they will examine her now and see that she is lying and they will execute her," Bihruz said trying to calm her mistress. She worked on removing the headpiece from Gülbahar's head before undoing the tie holding back some of the hair to keep it away from her face. She picked up a blue hairbrush from the table beside them before she began brushing through the straight black hair as gently as possible.

"Finish quickly, I need to visit Gevheri Sultan" Gülbahar ordered. Bihruz moved the brush skilfully through the tangles whether they were big or small. In a matter of minutes, Bihruz was done and placed some rose water in Güllbahar's hair to make it smell good before securing the tie again with the hair and placing the headpiece again on Gülbahar's head.

"Thank you, Bihruz" Gülbahar grabbed the hands of the other maid. Bihruz gave a small smile and nodded her head with a smile showing she appreciated the gesture. Gülbahar took a deep breath as she said encouraging words internally to herself. She left the safety of her room and walked through the harem with confidence so none of the other concubines could comment on her or laugh at her.

Gevheri was already expecting Gülbahar and the maids opened the doors to Gülbahar before she could tell them to do so. Gülbahar plastered a fake smile on her face before stepping into the Valide's wing. Gevheri was sat on her throne with Orhan on her right with what looked like a new book and Mihrimah on her other side looking through what looked like a jewelry box.

"Validam" Gülbahar bowed to Gevheri. Gevheri nodded with a soft smile on her face and Gülbahar was grateful that Gevheri did not seem angry with her for what she did in the harem. Gevheri signaled for Gülbahar to sit on a pillow beside her feet, Gülbahar noticed that the pillow was by Orhan's feet. With a humiliating blush, she moved to sit by her own son's feet, this was a reminder to Gülbahar that her own son, a five years old boy, outranked her.

"You are here to know what happened with Emma at the midwives" Gevheri pointed out. gevheri did not need confirmation to know that, Gülbahar did the same when Cihan announced she was pregnant and stayed an entire day in Gevheri's room with a hand protectively protecting her pregnant belly at the time, she was pregnant with Orhan when Cihan fell pregnant with Rabia.

"I meant no disrespect, Sultanim" Gülbahar muttered. Mihrimah pulled out a tiny necklace with an angel in the middle.

"I want this one, Validam" The three years old announced. Gevheri patted her hair and took the box from her before handing it to one of the maids serving her.

"A perfect match" Gevheri whispered. She leaned down and kissed Mihrimah's hair leaving Gülbahar feeling agony as the time dragged on with no real answer to what she came for in the first place. A knock on the door made Gülbahar jump however Gevheri seemed to be expecting whoever came.

"Come in" Gevheri called. The doors opened and the last person Gülbahr wanted to see stepped into the room, it was Cihansah with Rabia holding her hand and toddling beside her mother and Hatice on her hip placing with her brown locks. Gülbahar fell pregnant only five months after giving birth to Orhan which resulted in Mihrimah and Rabia being months apart and the two years difference between Orhan and Mihrimah was because of the year changing.