Conqueror | Murad III

chapter twenty-one

It didn't take long for the news of Selim II's new sons to reach Manisa. Now it seemed obvious why he insisted on marrying Nurbanu; because his visiers and pashas persuaded him to have more heirs, and she wasn't of bearing age anymore.

On another note, it was currently being decided whether or not Rukiye could be under my care, arguing that I might treat her differently than the rest of my children because she is not my blood and she is the daughter of the woman who poisoned me while I was pregnant. Luckily, as Hanzade was perfectly fine and the mother's sins didn't transfer to the daughter, I didn't consider it an issue.

"Valide," Selim called for me, making me smile. I can't imagine how it must be like having more than one son, knowing that one must kill the other when they ascend the throne. It may bring you more status, but I was very fortunate to only have my little prince. "Mihrimah is angry with me!"

"And why is that? Did you steal her veils again to make a fortress?" His guilty expression told me everything I needed to know. "You have to be a just şehzade, Selim'm." I saw his little face lit up with an idea, "No, you cannot steal any of your other sister's veils instead." He pouted.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

I began to spend time again with the harem ladies, laughing and joking as I did when I was just a Cariye. Now, a Kadın with three children, it seemed that nothing had changed.

"I miss having parties in the harem," Elif complained. We giggled with her, "I'm serious! I miss the music and dancing."

"You can always dance while Gülnuş plays music, she's the best qanun player in the palace!" I proposed, gaining a head bow from the girl.

The women laughed, their mirth infectious, and soon the room was alive with music and dancing. Gülnuş's nimble fingers coaxed vibrant melodies from her qanun, while the younger girls spun in graceful circles, their veils swirling like petals caught in the wind. For a brief moment, it felt as though the weight of the world had lifted.

As the laughter of the dancing harem ladies filled the room, I took a moment to observe the new girls who had recently arrived. Gülbahar and Raziye were twirling to the music, their smiles warm and genuine, but two of the newer maids caught my eye for the wrong reasons.

Unlike the others, they seemed overly focused on something else. One of them, Ayşe, was positioned near the corner of the room, her eyes darting toward the doorway as though expecting someone to arrive. Her hands, clasped in front of her, fidgeted nervously, a stark contrast to the carefree joy surrounding her.

Her companion, Fatma, stood apart as well, though she made an effort to appear engaged in the revelry. Her smile seemed forced, and every so often, her gaze flickered to the table near the far wall where several of us had left our personal effects—letters, jewels, and trinkets.

When I rose to join the others, Ayşe's eyes widened slightly, and she whispered something hurriedly to Fatma. They both stiffened, and I caught the briefest glimpse of guilt flashing across their faces before they plastered on empty smiles.

It was a small moment, fleeting and almost imperceptible, but my years in the harem had taught me to trust my instincts. These were not the actions of carefree servants enjoying a rare moment of levity. These were women with something to hide.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

The next morning, I summoned Gülbahar and Raziye to my chambers. They listened intently as I recounted what I'd seen, their faces darkening with concern.

"It's strange," Raziye murmured, pacing the room. "I noticed them near the children's wing yesterday, loitering longer than necessary. When I asked them what they were doing, they claimed they were lost."