The other woman

England and babies

"England ?! " the sultan says to me. " yes sultana my mother was English my father turkish he brought me here " I suddenly think if they know he is alive they might send me back so I lied. " he died upon arriving I was orphaned my father owed a man a dept so he took me on as a slave then he sold me at the slave market sultana " I says . " well we have never had an English slave or concubine you could come in handy" valide sultan says. " I speak many languages sultana my family was poor but my mother when she wasn't taking care of me worked to and English family a noble one their daughters taught me many language " I says. " very useful " she says. I turn to mahidevran sultan "I better leave sultana so you can spend time with your family " I say bowing she nods letting me leave. I walk back in to the harem and see the kalfa who welcomed me in to the harem walking a strange looking woman I bow to then both but suddenly the strange woman grabs my arms . " you are more important then history will know about you forgotten but not unknown" she suddenly lets go and I continue on my way. Esma soon rushes toward me . "Quickly go to hurrem hatuns room Maria will need help hurrems expecting another child " she says running back to the other girls to gossip. I quickly walk to hurrems room . I waking into the room to see hurrem smiling "congratulations hurrem hatun on your pregnancy may you have wonderful child" I say bowing ." Thank you Sofia Elizabeth and this child will be a boy a prince " she says smiling holding her belly. " Maria stay here with mehmed I must tell his majesty Sofia you will come with me "she says ushering me . I look at Maria for help for for some insight in to this situation but she just shakes her head. I walk with Hürrem to the private chamber of his majesty. She walks in and I wait outside she suddenly comes outside looking sad . " sultana are you ok " I ask concerned . " I'm fine she says as she moves faster . She turns to me " I'm going to tell valide and Mahdiveran sultan and hatice sultan you can go and help Maria " I nod and pick up my skirts to climb the stairs. " I return to room to find Mehmed fine in Maria's arms. " he is so precious " I say letting him hold my finger. " yes certainly is I'm hoping he stays like this peaceful and kind and be a gracious prince. She say putting him in his crib . I kneel down " well little prince in a few months you'll have to give up that bed for your little sister or brother" I say smiling at him. " don't let hurrem here you say sister she believes this child is boy but I think she will jinx herself and this child will be a girl." She say sitting on the sofa leaning over the cradle. " boy or girl a child bring happiness trust me Maria " I smile after I say that. " besides what's wrong with a girl she could turn out like Hatice sultan and she can't have all boys it would be no fun with a little girl to dress up and train. I say smiling imagining a little girl. " I see what you mean " Maria says.  I can tell she is smiling through the  scarf draped across her face to cover the burn marks that her face bears.   " dose it hurt " I ask trying not to pry " you mean the marks on my face  no they are turning into scars they are healing slowly" she says . " his majesty will go on campaign soon ?" I ask changing the subject . " yes he will hopefully he will be back in time for the birth if not then whatever " she says. I should go it's almost night time  I say looking at the window . " of course you better go I can deal with Mehmed " Maria says . I nod and take my leave. I walk back to the harem. When I walk in the girls are sitting doing needle work and talking. As I sit down I hear a silent weeping I turn to Esma with a questionable look. " she was brought in around the time you came " Esma says gesturing to the girl crying over her needle work.  I get up and sit down next to the weeping girl " what's wrong " I ask the girl. " i miss my mother I don't even want to be here I was sold here from Crimea I just want my mother " she says . I hug the girl " it's ok my names Sofia Elizabeth " " I'm aya " she says wiping her eyes. " I get what your feeling I miss my mother too she died a while ago." I say. " it's not that bad here it's actually nice we get meals nice clothes and we go to school " I say trying to cheer her up. "And tonight is a special night we are going to get some extra sweets , you see one of the sultans favourite is going to have a child" I say. " sultans favourite?" She asks confused.
" yes favourite she laid with him and became pregnant " I say. Her eyes widened at my statement but then I could tell she thought it over. " how dose one become a favourite? " she asks. " well they way I understand it is that you go to the privet chamber and if th sultan likes you and he lays with you, you become a favourite and if he likes you he will call on you again. But you don't have to become a favourite you could serve one of the sultans like valide sultan or hurrem hatun , there even a chance to be married off here or so they say " I tell her. She smiles. " come on come sit wih me we can talk more " I say ushering her to follow me to sit with Esma and the other girls.