THE SULTAN'S HEART| MAGNIFICENT CENTURY|

CHAPTER 108

"There is my dear boy" I explained as the doors opened. Cihangir stood up from the couch he was sat on. He blushed at my words and fixed the collar of his red Kaftan. 

"Mother" Cihangir opened his arms letting me step into them and hug him tightly. My little boy was all grown up and ready to get his sword. 

"Are you ready to become a man my dear?" I asked, placing a hand on his cheek. Cihangir let his face relax a little and rubbed it against my palm. 

"I will never be a man, mother, not when I have this burden" Cihangir whispered. His head pointed to his shoulder. I tend to ignore it and act like it does not exist for both his sake and my own, I believed for many years that it was my fault this happened to him. I felt like Allah was punishing me for what I did to Hürrem. Suleiman and I were the only ones left in this palace who knew the truth behind Hürrem's death and he promised to never tell the children so they will not hate me, of course Halil knew too but he would rather cut off his own tongue than tell anyone the truth. 

"Never say that again" I ordered. Cihangir looked down at the floor. I grabbed both his cheeks with my hands and raised his head up to look me in the eyes. 

"Never utter those words ever again, you will become a man, maybe not a soldier but the best scholar this world has ever seen, believe me" I whispered the words hoping they would slither into his innocent mind. Cihangir's eyes filled with tears, I raised my thumbs and swiped under his eyes catching whatever tear fell from his beautiful blue eyes. 

"You will become the best scholar in the whole world and people will write about you in history" I leaned my forehead on his. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in for a hug resting his head on my shoulder. I patted his back as he took a shuddering breath.

"Go on then, your father is waiting for you in the courtyard" I pulled away to face him. I pulled him closer one last time and placed a kiss on his forehead. 

"I will see you tonight" I patted his shoulder. He gave a small bow before leaving his room. I took a deep breath before leaving the room too so I can lead the woman out of the harem and into the tower of justice where we will be watching the ceremony. 

"Are you really going to let her stay in Topkapi?" Ayse asked. Her fists were clenched by her side as her eyes glared at Mahidevran who was sat on the other side of the harem alongside Gülfem and Hatice who was merely humoring her stay here. Hatice looked like a ghost more than her old self and I am sure that if it were not for her children she would have killed herself a long time ago after Ibrahim's betrayal. 

"What choice do I have? She is still a mother of a Sehzade" I whispered so no one would hear our conversation. Ayse turned to look at me with a huff of anger, no longer able to look at the woman everyone suspected had a hand in Mehmed's death. 

"If I could I would rip her throat with my teeth" Mihrimah hissed crossing her arms. Hatice patted Huricihan's back as she giggled at something Beyhan whispered to her, the only reason Beyhan was sat there was to be closer to her best friend Huricihan, despite the age difference between the two they were the best of friends. 

"Behave the lot of you" I warned eyeing the two girls. I smiled as Halil stepped over to me with a girl by his side, she looked no older than fifteen and had a soft smile on her face as she bowed to me. 

"Fatma Hatun is ready Sultanim" Halil explained. I looked the girl over noting the expensive jewelry and dress she was wearing. My eyes snapped back up to her face repeating her name in my head and I found myself despising it as it reminded me of the woman who tried killing Hürrem and mothered Mustafa's first son, yes she was dead but her memory was not. 

"Who named you, girl?" I asked. She looked at Halil who nodded his head for her to speak. She walked closer to me and kneeled down in front of me. 

"It was a Kalfa Sultanim, I am afraid I cannot remember her name" She answered. I chuckled and placed a finger under her chin and raised her head up to face me. 

"Dürrinev shall be your name, young girl" I looked into her eyes as they sparkled under the candle lights. I could only pray that her eyes do not lose that sparkle after the mission I will give her. 

"What does it mean, Sultanim?" She questioned. Her voice was not above a whisper and her eyes held wonder and hope. I had a feeling that hope will change a lot of things. 

"It means 'young shine'" I answered. She grinned and picked up the end of my dress and kissed it in thankfulness. I patted her shoulder before leaning down so my lips were on the same level as her ear.

"And always remember the name of the people around you, one day you may need to remember them while they burn for betraying you" I whispered in her ear. She nodded her head slowly as if she was storing my words into her head. She stood up and moved back to stand beside Halil who had a smirk on his face. They both bowed before leaving the harem with a couple of harem aghas and Kalfas.

"Is she going to Cihangir?" Ayse questioned. I turned back from Dürrinev to Ayse who was still eyeing the beautiful brunette.

"No, she is for Murad" I answered. Her head snapped in my direction wide eyed along with Mihrimah. The two girls were confused and understandably, Murad has refused every single concubine the two of them have sent him but I am not an idiot I never once sent him anyone after Sirin giving him time to heal but seeing as five years have passed and he did not take a singular concubine in his bed I had to take the measures where I would force one into his bed, he can never refuse me. 

"What? but he will not let her into his bed like every other one" Mihrimah pointed out. I chuckled and watched as a couple of girls giggled together before moving to the middle of the harem and began dancing along with other girls, celebrating their Sehzade. 

"He will" I reassured them. The sisters eyed each other but let go of the subject. Less than five minutes later Halil returned to the harem alone with the kalfas and aghas. He gave me a nod of confirmation with a smirk on his face. I looked at my daughters with a smirk that spoke alone 'I told you so'.

"Sultanim, his majesty is asking for you" A harem agha called. I stood up from the throne which forced the musicians to stop playing and everyone turned to watch me as I left with my maids and Halil on my tail.

"Suleiman" I called when I noticed his room was deserted. Everything was in place and his bed was still made. The only thing out of place was a Quran opened on the couch beside the bed instead of being on its stand. 

"Here" His voice that still caused butterflies to erupt in my stomach called from the terrace. I picked up my gown and walked up the steps reaching the Terrace where he stood looking out at his capital. 

"My love" I placed a hand on his back and the other beside his own on the marble railing. He turned to face me with a soft look in his eyes. 

"I have missed your company today" He whispered. I smiled and moved my hand from the railing to his cheek. 

"Is my company the only thing you missed?" I asked teasingly. He grabbed my hand and moved it to his lips placing a sweet kiss on it. 

"I missed your presence, I missed your eyes, I missed your voice, I missed your smell, I missed your touch, I missed your soft words, I miss everything about you even when you stand beside me and I will miss you for the rest of my days" He answered seriously. He leaned his forehead against my own. His thumb was ready to catch the tear that rolled down my cheek.

"I love you so much, you know that, right?" I whispered back. He pulled me in for a hug leaving no space between our bodies. Over twenty years together and our live did not dwindle for a second. 

"I love you too" He placed a kiss on my forehead. He kept me close in his embrace as we both stared silently at the night sky. My eyes trailed down to the balcony of Hatice Sultan's room that she moved back to unable to stay in her palace after Ibrahim's departure and Osman also moved to serve as an adviser to Murad and remained in Edirne while Murad was here. Huricihan resided with her mother here as well. I found Mahidevran standing there with Hatice who had a soft smile on her face watching Suleiman and I still so in love even when years have passed while Mahidevran looked bitter as ever.