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...
I held Hüsniye extra tight that night, unwilling to loosen my grip even for a second. I had nearly lost her. The thought alone made my chest tighten. I could still see the fear in her eyes, still hear the muffled sobs she tried to suppress when she thought no one was listening. I had to all but command her to sleep in my chambers, though she stubbornly insisted on staying with our children.
After a long discussion, we reached a compromise: She would sleep in my bed, in my arms, where she belonged, and our children would rest in an improvised nest of cushions and blankets scattered across the carpets.
Even as I held her now, her warmth reassuring me she was truly here, my mind refused to quiet. The images replayed relentlessly. Her fragile form in that filthy marketplace, the horror in her expression, the way she had instinctively reached for me when I lifted her into my arms. If we had been a moment later... I couldn't bear to finish the thought.
Only Allah knew what could have happened.
I had never felt as lost as I did without her. She was my anchor, my queen, the one constant in my chaotic world. How had I ever believed I could exist without her? More than a wife, she was a part of my soul.
The others... they had been distractions. At first, it was simply a way to forget Safiye, then a duty. But now? I had more than enough heirs, and I had a woman who loved me almost as much as I loved her. Then why had I strayed? I respected the other women for being the mothers of my children, but lying with them had never felt like a choice. It was as though something had controlled me, as if I had been under some invisible spell. My heart had never wandered, never even flickered toward anyone else. It had always been hers.
"What are you thinking about?" Her soft voice pulled me from my thoughts.
I pressed a kiss to the bare skin of her neck, breathing in her scent. "About how much I love you."
She let out a quiet giggle, hiding her face against my chest. "I love you too. I'm so glad you rescued me... I don't know what—"
"Shh." I tightened my arms around her, as if doing so could shield her from the horrors of the past. "It's over. You're safe, my love. And nothing will ever separate us again."
She lifted her head and kissed me, and I kissed her back, trying to pour into it all the words I couldn't say.
A tiny voice behind me interrupted us.
"Hey... what are you doing?"
I turned my head to see Hanzade rubbing her sleepy eyes.
"Hanzade, why aren't you asleep?" I asked.
She hesitated before climbing onto the bed and snuggling into Hüsniye's side. "I had a nightmare, " her small voice trembled. You were in danger, and no one came to save you."
I forced a smile, despite the ice that crept into my veins. "Don't worry, my gem," I murmured, stroking her dark curls. "I will always be there to protect our sultana."
"So will we!" Süleyman's voice piped up from the floor. His enthusiasm roused the other boys, who quickly agreed and sat up in their makeshift beds.
A chorus of tiny voices followed:
"I will too!"
"Me too!"
"I won't let anything happen to Valide!"
A laugh rumbled in my chest. "Is anyone actually asleep?"
"I was! This whole time. In fact, I'm still sleeping as we speak." Rukiye's sleepy but defiant voice made everyone burst into laughter.
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I allowed myself to relax. In this room, surrounded by the people I loved most, I felt something I hadn't in a long time—peace.
And I would do whatever it took to protect it. To protect my wife, my children, and the unborn life she carried—proof of her strength, even after everything she had been through.
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I hope you enjoyed this chapter, happy Valentine's Day!
From now on Conqueror will be updated every Friday, thank you so much for your support!
