Meylisah was the daughter of a past maid and best friend of Hurrem sultan. When her parents tragically died she was taken under Hurrem sultan's wing to be cared for. Not really adopted for it was forbidden in Islam but she was just glad to have a ro...
I looked up from the book in between my hands as the door to my room opened to show Emira Kalfa, Emira was a Kalfa assigned to me by Hurrem sultan since I was young to always make sure I got what I wanted and needed.
"Hurrem sultan is asking for you to join her in the gardens, hatun," she said making me smile at the mention of the sultana that took care of me after I was orphaned.
Hurrem sultan literally begged the sultan to let me stay in one of their lodges after my parents were killed in a carriage accident. I was her best friend's daughter, my mother served Hurrem sultan in her younger years and even got stabbed for her before she was sent to marry after her wounds recovered.
My mother and Hurrem sultan were friends way before they came to the capital and they were kidnapped together and bought here to the capital on Sultan Suleiman's coronation day as presents to him.
I smiled as the sun his my face. I walked alongside Emira towards the, what we call the sultan's tent, where Hurrem sultan was sitting together with someone who I couldn't see but when we got closer my heart skipped a beat at the sight of the familiar red hair.
"Sultanim, my prince" I bowed to the two people sitting in front of me. I sneaked a glance at the prince in front of me who was already looking at me.
"Meylisah, how nice of you to join us," prince Selim said making me blush but I was able to hide it before it was seen by anyone.
"Thank you, my prince, for having me here" I answered back looking at him with a smile which he returned.
"Sit down, Meylisah" Hurrem sultan said pointing to a cushion at her feet. I walked over and lowered myself down on the silk cushion.
"You look really pretty today Meylisah. Doesn't she Selim?" Hurrem sultan asked turning to look at her son who seemed to be in a trance staring at me which made me blush and look down at my hands. What no one knew in the castle was that I and prince Selim always sent letters to one another, in the secret of course, for they were love letters and that is not allowed between a free woman and a prince.
"Huh? Yes, she does mother" he answered nodding his head at his mother.
"We should really find you a husband soon, Meylisah, before your beauty withers away" my smile was whipped off my face at her words which she frowned her eyebrows at and looked at me for an explanation.
"I-I-I wasn't t-thinking about marriage at the moment" I stuttered looking down at my hands feeling my happy mood disappear in minutes.
"None sense. I will speak with the sultan about finding you a suitable husband soon" she said happily patting my shoulder before getting up to walk around the garden a little. I stood up and bowed to her gloomily.
"I-I should go back to my room," I said to the prince bowing to him and walking away with Emira Kalfa who grinned at me as we walked away.
"Did he give you anything?" I asked stopping a bit away from the tent and turned to look at Emira who smiled and pulled a letter out from under her dress and handed it to me.
I grinned and took it from her immediately hiding it under my kaftan before anyone could see it and ask about it before we both continued walking back to the castle.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
We walked into the harem and to the room that was given to me to stay in during my visit here. Hurrem sultan wanted me to stay because all of the sultan's children were coming over to the capital for him to give Manesa to one of them and Hurrem thought this would be an opportunity for us to spend some time together.
I walked in alone closing the door behind me and leaned against it for a second before pulling out the letter from under my dress to read it.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"My beautiful Meylisah
It's been a while since I've seen you and I can't wait to see your beautiful face again, or your beautiful smile that brightens my day. I yearn to hear your laugh one more time before I left for my sanjak. I pray to god to be able to see you privately so we could talk to each other at least once this visit.
Love Selim"
I smiled at the words of his letter. I walked over to a candle and lit the paper on fire and threw it in the chimney so no one could read such a dangerous letter.
I walked over to my bed and laid down on it wanting to have one minute of quiet to enjoy the echoing words of his letter in my head but that was taken away from me as the doors to my room opened again making me sit up to see Mihrimah sultan standing there with her brother Cihangir. I stood up and bowed to the two who were of way higher statutes than me.
"Ahh Meylisah, I hope we're not disturbing you," Cihangir said nicely. To be honest, Cihangir has always been my favorite for his kindness and cleverness.
"Of course not my prince, I was merely thinking" I answered. They walked over to the couch and sat down on it. I walked over and sat down beside Mihrimah.
"Thinking about a secret lover maybe" Mihrimah teased nudging me. I blushed furiously at her words but I knew that I couldn't answer that question truthfully.
"No of course not sultana," I said looking down at my hands feeling them tremble as their suspicious eyes trailed over me.
"Well, then you will have to stick to my parents' decision on who to marry you off to," Mihrimah said looking at me sympathetically having suffered such fate herself.
"I do not think Hurrem sultan is serious this time either, she always says she will marry me off but never does," I said shrugging my shoulders.
"Oh but I think this time she is serious, I heard her tell Afife hatun that she wishes to marry you off while all of my siblings are here in the capital," Mihrimah said. I felt breathless at her words. No, I do not wish to marry now or ever. I wanted to be with Selim, My Selim.
