DILRUBA : A tale of sweet revenge

ｅｌｅｖｅｎ

                          ꧁ ☪ *ೃ༄꧂

A man stretched his hand forward and another hand appeared, putting her hand in his. She stepped down the ship with the help of the man who had his head bowed in respect. She had a smile on her face as she took a deep breathe. 

"Welcome Sultanım," The man said and the woman nodded with a smile, mesmerising the others. They have heard about the beauties of the Sultanas. They said it was enough to put an angel to shame. 

She was Rukiye Sultan, the eldest daughter of the late Sultan and his second Haseki. 

"Welcome Sultanım, your smile has brought brightness to this dark land. İnşallah you will bring both light and happiness to the palace." Another man chimed in with a big smile. All the others standing there knew he was buttering up for the money, it was what he did. 

"Gül Agha, thank you. My late Valide always used to talk about you and how you served her. I hope you will serve me in the same way." She said with a half smirk before taking a small pouch from her lady-in-waiting before tossing it to the man who smiled slyly with a bow. 

"Atike dear, won't you come down?" She said turning back, looking up to see her sister who was standing there and looking around instead of coming down. 

Atike looked down at her sister before nodding and the same man helped her down too. "Welcome Sultanım, your-"

She raised her hand, indicating to him to stop. She wasn't Rukiye who enjoys being complimented and boosting her ego and beauty. She was Atike. Second to Rukiye and the third child of the Sultan. 

Rukiye and Atike were sisters but they had nothing in common. Rukiye Sultan looked and behaved like their mother while Atike was different, she neither acquired the beauty of her mother nor her cruelty. 

The Sultan was already waiting for them in his chamber to welcome them as they arrived. They greeted each other like they didn't hate the other one. Rukiye hated him for keeping his brother somewhere where nobody knew and blamed the death of their mother on him too despite knowing who's fault it was while Atike hated him for sending them away and punishing them for the sins she didn't commit. 

Rukiye left the Sultan's chamber leaving her sister Atike with the Sultan. Not that she was interested in their chit chat. She went to the chamber prepared for her before calling Sümbül agha. 

"Welcome Sultanım," Sümbül said with a big smile as he entered the room and bowed to her. She nodded her head without turning to look at him. 

"Summon me Roxelana." She said, earning a confused look from Sümbül. 

"Roxelana?"

"Evet," She replied. 

"Forgive me Sultanım, but there is no girl with such name in the Harem." Sümbül said as he awkwardly bowed to her. 

"Sümbül," She gritted out. "The girl that was brought from Ruthenia,"

"Oh Rabia," 

"Whatever her name may be, she is Roxelana to me. Now go quickly and bring her to me." She ordered as she waved him off but he didn't move making her finally turn to face him. 

"You cannot meet her, Sultanım." Sümbül said, fueling her anger. She grabbed the cup from the table placed on the table beside her couch before throwing it at Sümbül who easily dodged it. Their mother used to throw things at him now that the mother is gone her daughters are following in her footsteps, Sümbül thought. 

"Forgive me, Sultanım. I didn't mean it that way." He immediately apologised. "It's the order of His Majesty."

She couldn't say anything. She bit back her tongue and sent him out. 

"Sultan Murad," She said as she laughed. "You took the throne from my brother, the rightful owner of the throne. I'll make sure no heirs of yours survive infancy or even be born into this world."

"I'll drown Cihan in her own blood just like how my Valide was killed. I'll take everything away from you Murad. Everything." She swore to herself as she glanced down at the dagger in her hands. It was a beautiful dagger made out of pure gold and decorated with gems. It was the gift of her Sultan baba to her late Valide. The same dagger that she used to kill the mother of Sultan Murad, the same dagger that she used to kill herself. 

But who was to blame? Of course Sultan Murad. 

He was the only one who was there when her mother was killed. He said she killed herself but Rukiye didn't believe any word came out of his mouth. She knew it was him who killed her. 

She knew Sultan Murad was always jealous of them and hated them because their late Sultan baba never gave any love or attention to neither him nor Cihan and their Valide. 

And they didn't deserve it. 

But that wasn't the time to think about the past, she thought. If by any chance the Sultan decided to call back the exiled prince, their half-brother, Şehzade İskender and if anything happens to the Sultan then that's it for her. She will never be able to find her brother and İskender won't be that generous enough to let them stay in the palace. After all, it was because of their mother that Şehzade İskender's mother was exiled to the old palace and later killed. 

It will be a disaster. 

As much as she hated Murad, at least he was tolerable unlike İskender who wasn't. She still has a scar on the back of her hand that was given by him that is the reason why she wears gloves all the time to cover it. An ugly scar that reminded of the death threat he gave her before he was exiled to Amasya province. 

While far away, in the province of Amasya there was a person who was also thinking about her looking at the scar on his chest imprinted by his half sister. His eyes were filled with hatred as he ran his fingers along the scar on the right side of his chest. 

A gift from his sister on the day of his mother's funeral. 

Someone knocked on the door and entered after getting a green signal from inside. The person bowed his head. "Şehzadım, we are ready to leave for the capital." The man said. 

"Good." He replied as he put his kaftan back on. "Let's leave then. Sultan Abi must be waiting for me. The earlier we leave, the sooner we reach." 

The şehzade was summoned back to the capital by the Sultan. But he held no grudges against his Sultan brother. Instead of locking him up in a Kafe, his brother chose to exile him to Amasya where he could live his life freely. He would always be thankful to him. 

He walked out of his chamber with his head held up high, walking through the empty corridor of the mansion for the last time as an exiled prince. As he stepped outside of the mansion, all the eunuchs, the guards and the maids were lined up outside to bid the prince farewell. It was then that he smiled for the first time in years after living in exile. And they couldn't help but admire his handsomeness. 

"Şehzadım, I wish and hope for the best for your future," One of the head eunuchs said as he stepped forward. "And we will be looking forward to meeting His Highness in the future, not as an exiled prince but as a governor. Our hearts and prayers will always be with you. Good speed."

"Thank you, ağa. I also hope to meet you all again in the future. Take care." The prince said and mounted his horse, ready to depart for the capital escorted by the Janissary ağlar. 

İskender turned back to look at the mansion and the people that he spent his time with and smiled. He too hoped to return here one day as the governor of the province. He owed the people of Amasya a lot for they had shown him love and took care of him for years when everyone left him. He hoped to return the favour one day. 

"Şehzadım, shall we?" The head of the Janissary ağa said as mounted his horse. 

İskender closed his eyes and took a deep breathe before nodding. "We shall," He replied as he opened his eyes. 

                             ꧁ ☪ *ೃ༄꧂,