Shams was one of the small community of Christian on an island belonging to an Arab country, Aradus. This island was a small island in the White Sea being inhabited by only 3 400 people. The White Sea belonged to the Ottman dynasty so their pirates...
"May Allah is with you," I said patting Mehmed's shoulders to get rid of the wrinkles on his robe/jacket that he wore for the meeting he's about to go to.
"No matter what happens I don't want you to be sad my Turhan," he said placing his forefinger under my chin and pulled my face up to face him. I nodded with a smile as he leaned forward and placed his lips on mine in what felt like a feather-like kiss that tickled my lips and left me breathless.
"I'll miss you" he placed his forehead on mine. I closed my eyes and exhaled feeling my heart hammer against my chest.
"Me too, my beloved" I pulled away from him and smashed my lips to him before he left me alone in the room.
I looked at the bed where our son and daughter were still asleep. They woke up very early in the morning and just fell back asleep.
I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my lower stomach. I doubled over taking a deep breath as it passed but the second it went away another came.
"Ferial!" I called not caring if I woke the children up right now. I was in so much pain I almost fainted. I was giving birth and at the worst time possible.
"Sultana" she ran over and helped me sit on the bed as two maids ran over and took the two crying children from behind me.
"Lay down as they bring the midwife" I could only answer with a loud scream as I felt like my insides were being ripped apart.
"Everything will be just fine" she reassured me helping me crawl back on the bed and lean against the pillows.
"Don't tell Mehmed. He has to be at that meeting" I warned her. She nodded as the doors open and Mihrimah sultan ran over to where I was laying.
"Where's the midwife?" Mihrimah asked Ferial.
"She should be on her way" she answered running over to help the girls prepare the hot water.
"You've done this twice before, you can do it once more," Mihrimah said. That didn't help my situation at all.
The doors opened again to show Hurrem sultan who walked to the side of the bed waiting for the actual birth. Having so many people in the room made me very nervous and I wanted all of this to be over as soon as possible.
"Come one sultana push" I obeyed and pushed as hard as I can letting out an ear-splitting scream.
"Open the doors!" I hear Mehmed yell from behind the doors. He has done this before at every one of my births and in the end, he wouldn't be allowed into the room.
"I'm sorry my p-" I couldn't hear the rest as I screamed loudly feeling a lot of pressure.
"That's it!" The midwife said smiling up at me. I took a deep breath and pushed again screaming in agony.
When I stopped screaming silence fell over the room making me nervousness fill my body as each passing second my child didn't make a sound.
"What's wrong?" I asked with a hoarse voice and when I didn't receive any answer I tried sitting up but failed with Mihrimah pushing me back down. I was about to ask again when my child let out a scream and started crying.
"It's a boy" I ignored her words and leaned back in relief at the fact that my son was alive.
"Here" I was handed the baby. I looked down at the baby in my arms for a second before he was taken away from me to be checked up and cleaned.
Ferial and two other maids helped me out of the bed so they can change the bloody sheets and help me take a quick bath to get rid of the blood and sweat.
I sighed as I leaned back against the bed. I looked out the window to see that it was night time. This has been the longest labor I've been in, it took more than nine hours and it was exhausting but I couldn't sleep a second before I see my son again and sleep with him in my arms especially after the scare he gave me.
"Here's our little prince" Ferial walked over and placed the baby in my arms. He was very chubby unlike his siblings that were born very thin, I could say thank you to Hurrem sultan for that cause she made sure all of my carvings were bought to me on time and made me eat all the time.
The doors opened and Mehmed was finally allowed into the room. He speed-walked over to my side and sat down beside me on the bed.
"Are you okay?" He asked looking at me. I only smiled at him for a second admiring his looks.
"Now I am, my prince" I answered. He looked me in the eyes for a moment before we both looked down at our son.
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"He's very chubby compared to Hurrem and Mustafa" he pointed out. I only chuckled at how we always thought the same.
"He is" I agreed. Mehmed couldn't help but poke our son's chubby cheek making me giggle.
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The doors opened again and the sultan walked in. Mehmed immediately stood up and bowed to the sultan. I too tried to but he raised his hand stopping my movement which was a relief cause I didn't know if I will be able to stay on my feet for longer than two seconds.
"Give him to me" the sultan ordered Mehmed softly. Mehmed took the babe from me and handed him to his father.
Ferial placed a headscarf on my head as the doors opened all of Mehmed's brothers piled in with Hurrem sultan and Mahidevran sultan followed by Mihrimah sultan. It was very crowded in the room but I didn't mind at the moment. The sultan said the Adan in the baby's ear before we prayed for him.
"Your name will be Abdullah," the sultan said three times in the baby's ears. He walked over and handed him to me.
"It's an honor for you to name our son your majesty," I said smiling brightly at him which he returned. I took his outstretched hand and placed a kiss to the back of it.
Each person in the room walked over and placed their presents on the baby or handed them to me. Beyazid gifted me with a beautiful necklace and he winked as he handed me the present making me laugh at his playfulness.
Selim gifted the baby with a brooch that had a prayer on it. Mustafa and his mother gifted me a pair of earrings. Mihrimah gifted me with a bracket which was very pretty.
Hurrem sultan and the sultan gifted me with a brooch that had the family's symbol which was the tulip flower.
