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...
I walked into the harem where all of the girls were sitting and gossiping. I stopped before fully entering and listened in on the three girls standing in the middle.
"I'm pretty sure the prince is dead and they're not saying anything about it to not start a rebellion," a blonde one said. I took a deep breath to compose the anger inside of me.
"Don't say that! Allah will protect him" a brunette one said. I looked at Ferial and nodded at her letting her do what she has to.
"MAKE WAY TURHAN SULTAN HAS ARRIVED" I walked in further in and over to the three girls.
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"How dare you spread such rumors?" I asked her calmly yet it was obvious on my face that I was not only mad but furious.
"Sultana I-" she started but I raised my hand stopping her from speaking. She looked down in shame and scared.
"The prince is still alive and I will not tolerate any rumors being spread and whoever participates in spreading such rumors will be punished," I said loudly for the whole harem to hear.
"Guards! Take this girl to the dungeons and lock her for three days" I ordered. Two guards walked over and each took one of her arms.
"No sultana! Please!" She begged but I only ignored her and continued walking to my room to change to welcome Hurrem sultan and the sultan for when they arrive later.
I walked into the bath and took a quick bath before changing into new clothes and made sure to dress the children appropriately before walking through the harem and to the door of the harem that led outside.
I saw Hurrem sultan walking over with hurried steps with the sultan behind her with the rest of her children behind her. I bowed to her when she reached me.
"What happened?" She asked with a broken voice breaking my heart even more.
"He's got the plague" I whispered making her gasp. I looked up with a frown at the sultan behind her who looked destroyed.
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"How?" Mihrimah sultan asked as Hurrem sultan hurried inside.
"I do not know sultana. One night they woke me up and told me he was sick" I answered looking down.
"How are my grandchildren?" The sultan asked earning my attention.
"They're healthy, your majesty" I answered. He nodded before following his wife inside to see their son.
"Please take the young prince to their rooms" Mihrimah sultan begged me which I nodded my head and ushered them inside. I showed them the room prince Selim will be sharing with prince Beyazid and Cihangir to protect them from any sickness.
"If Mehmed dies father will surely choose me to come here," Selim said puffing his chest out proudly.
"Pray to Allah he survives your highness for he is your brother after all and you do not wish him anything bad," I said before Beyazid could say anything. I could see the anger rise up inside of him through his eyes.
"Of course, woman do not teach me who I love and who I don't," he said angrily taking a step closer to me.
"Selim!" I jumped and looked behind me at the voice that broke my shock. I didn't think the young prince was this self-centered and bratty.
"Apologize to her" I bowed to the sultan that appeared in the doorway and yelled at his own son.
"She's just a maid," Selim said not acknowledging his mistake.
"Is she a human or not?" The sultan asked calmly. Selim nodded his head and glared at me.
"Then she deserves an apology" Selim's glared got more heated like he was trying to kill me.
"I apologize hatun-"
"Sultana"
"-sultana," Selim said before walking out of the room angrily.
"Thank you, your majesty" I bowed to the sultan in gratitude.
"None sense. Turhan you are part of the family, you're the love of Mehmed's life and the mother of three of our grandchildren" the sultan said before walking out of the room.
"If you need anything please tell me your highnesses," I said turning to look at the two youngest princes.
"We sure will," Beyazid said in a much better mood now that his brother got lectured by their father.
"Sultanim" I turned to look at Ferial who ran in and bowed to the three of us.
"Sultanim, prince Mehmed is asking for you in his room," she said shocking me. Mehmed has been keen on keeping me away from his room in fear that I will too catch the sickness.
"You will be joining the royal family behind the wall that separates the room from the extra room and look through the window to see and hear the prince" she explained. I looked down in disappointment but nodded anyway and left the room after bowing to the princes.
I walked into the extra room where to my shock the whole family was at. Mihrimah sultan linked her arms with mine and took her place by my side as I stood beside the window that shows the main room where Mehmed was.
There was a wooden fold screen in the middle of the room with a sheikh and four men sitting behind it.
"What's going on?" I asked turning to look at Mihrimah. She only nodded for me to look back at the window. A harem agha opened the door slightly so we could hear what was going on.
"Do you agree on the marriage of Prince Mehmed and Turhan hatun" I felt tears fill my eyes at his words. Why would he marry me at his death bed?
"I agree"
"May this marriage be blessed"
Mihrimah sultan could see how broken I was so she tightened her hands around my arm making me grip her hands tightly wanting to feel something other than sadness. When I imagined myself marrying Mehmed I expected it to be much more happy and gleeful as he was becoming sultan so he wouldn't be stepping over his father by an illegal marriage for it was illegal for a prince to marry without the sultan's consent.
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"I and Mehmed thought it would be a good idea for him to marry you so you could be with your children and be part of the family," the sultan said breaking the silence that filled the room.
"Mehmed will get better," I said turning to look at him as a tear fell from my eye.
"Turhan, please see reason" I knew that there was no way for him to survive such a sickness. I burst out crying wanting all of this pain to just go away and for Mehmed to live so we could live our lives in love and happiness with our children.
