Caterina spent her whole life being underlooked and misunderstood.
Hatice spent her whole teenage years chasing a man who loved another.
But Hüsniye became more than a pawn. She became a queen. She conquered the heart of the Ottoman Sultan, the hear...
Şah's pregnancy came as a complete surprise. The whispers of the harem carried the news faster than the wind, filling every corner with speculation and envy. When her belly began to swell, it confirmed what everyone already suspected.
I tried to hold my head high, but each time I saw her, my stomach twisted. She was radiant, her skin glowing, and her steps light. A part of me envied her—the life growing within her was not just any child but Murad's. His legacy. His mark. The man I loved.
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I should not have been surprised. I knew how the harem worked; no one man belonged to one woman here. But some foolish part of me had clung to the hope that Murad might find satisfaction with his current heirs, that his desire for me had been enough to keep him from seeking others.
"Are you all right, Hüsniye?" Raziye's voice cut through my reverie as my children filed out of the room for their lessons.
"She's grand, haven't you noticed?" Gülbahar said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Oh yes, I was asking just to rub salt in the wound," Raziye retorted sharply.
"Enough, both of you." My voice was steady, but the lump in my throat made it hard to breathe. "A child is a blessing from Allah. Who am I to question His plans?" They fell silent, their glances heavy with pity. My resolve faltered, and the words I had tried so hard to bury slipped out. "Why did he give me the haseki title if he wasn't going to be loyal?"
Raziye hesitated, then reached for my arm. "Sultans cannot be loyal, Hüsniye. You know this better than anyone."
I swallowed hard as Gülbahar added, "Selim II, may he rest in peace, fathered multiple sons even after granting Nurbanu Sultan the haseki title. And not even Süleyman the Magnificent was completely faithful to Hürrem."
"Yes, but Hürrem's sons were enough for him. He never fathered more children after their births," I countered, frustration breaking through my composure. "Our sultan has six heirs already. Why does he need more?"
Neither of them had an answer, only sympathetic glances and soft touches on my arms. I sighed, pressing my palms into my eyes. "Forgive me for raising my voice."
"It's all right,. Besides, Şah is probably carrying a girl anyway. That seems to be the tradition lately," she said with a small laugh, and I couldn't help but chuckle softly in return.
‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
Later that day, I found a moment of peace in the gardens, where the breeze carried the scent of fresh jasmine. My children ran about, their laughter like music to my ears. Selim played with Mehmed, wooden swords clashing as they duelled, while Mihrimah, Rukiye, and Hanzade gathered wildflowers. Abdullah and Süleyman stayed close to me, stacking blocks into precarious towers.
"Ha! You're dead now!" Selim declared, pointing his sword at Mehmed's chest.
"That's not fair! You cheated!" Mehmed retorted, his tone petulant.
