Note: I believe you've been waiting for a while… :)

Chapter 16

I visited Isabella one more time. Since we kept a closer touch (Suleyman allowed the correspondence, amused by my request), I thought it would be nice to leave the Topkapi Palace and see her before I went into seclusion for the baby's birth. Bali Bey accompanied me that time, since Ibrahim Pasha was still dealing with the rebellion and it seemed like he wouldn't be back soon. Sümbul Agha was going to the hunting lodge, to take care of the household management there, so we travelled together. Once we arrived, he helped me out of the carriage. I had taken to walking slowly, my feet hurting from the swelling and my back from the large bulge. Melek was waiting for us, smiling.

"Oh, are you here to welcome us? How nice of you." I told her cheerfully, thanking for her help as she moved to support me while we walked into the building.

"Actually, Princess sent me to address Sultan Suleyman if he was with you. But you are a welcome visitor." She told me.

"I'm glad to see you too."

"How long until the baby is born?" She asked, tentatively hovering a free hand over my belly. I took the hand and put it there, so she could feel the rebellious baby within.

"Not long. Doctor tells me 2 months. Maybe 2 and a half until we have another beautiful little Suleyman in the harem." We giggle at the idea of a tiny Suleyman running through the halls of the seraglio, wooden sword in hand imperiously commanding an army of aghas while the women watched. That would be such a lovely sight, it made me sigh.

"You'll have him in your arms soon enough." She consoled me.

"I know. I'm eager to have my baby in my arms. Regardless of gender." We reached the Princess's room, the aghas opened the doors without waiting for our request. Carmina was at the door, ushering us in and going out for refreshments. I was about to greet Princess but she fell to her knees in front of me, alarming me. Melek pulled me back, half protecting me from the half crazed woman. "What's wrong?" I looked at the kneeling woman, who looked so haggard, unlike Melek who looked a little saddened but not entirely bothered by whatever left Isabella grieving.

"Il mio fidanzato, Friedrich, è stato catturato! Per favore aiutami a salvarlo (My fiancé, Friedrich, has been captured! Please help me save him)!" She begged suddenly, grabbing my hands and holding them tight in her grasp. These were news I hadn't heard. My eyes turned to Melek, who looked sad for the foreign woman, but shrugged. She didn't seem to care much. She liked the Princess, but not enough to risk herself for the woman.

"Come è stato catturato? Non capisco (How was he captured? I don't understand)." I told her sincerely. The woman was too nervous to discuss the issue, I had to look to the Cariyes who shrugged.

"The Prince was caught halfway to the hunting lodge. At the same time, Sultan was coming to visit us and saw the guards dragging away the Prince." Melek explained. I gave a sympathetic look to the Princess, who held deep sorrow and grief in her eyes, as well as despair over the fate of her betrothed. I beckoned her to rise, it made me uncomfortable to see her kneeling before me. Melek helped me sit and I felt relief at getting off of my feet. Isabella stood nearby, hands nervously turning a piece of the gown she wore. "Sultan came here, he talked to the guards but ignored the Princess's request to meet. Sümbul visited later that day and told her he would definitely be executed for having intruded our Lord's residence and for attempting to steal what is his." She meant, the Princess who was now a slave owned by Suleyman.

"Per favore aiutami a salvare il mio fidanzato! Voleva salvarmi dal barbaro e essere catturato! Lo uccideranno! (Please help me save my fiancé! He wanted to rescue me from the barbarian and got caught! They will kill him!)" Her wails echoed through the beautiful room, causing my heart to hurt for her plight. I was reminded of my own brother.

"Principessa, non possiamo andare contro il comando del nostro Signore. Lui possiede il mondo. Apparteniamo al suo harem. (Princess, we cannot go against our Lord's command. He owns the world. We belong to his harem.)" I was gentle with how I spoke to her. As if calming a scared and wounded animal. "Non importa quello che diciamo, il Sultano farà ciò che vuole, perché ha il potere su tutto. Viviamo e moriamo come vuole. (No matter what we say, the Sultan will do as he pleases, for he has the power over everything. We live and die as he wills it.)"

"Please!" She begged, falling to her knees again and grabbing my gown. Her hands trembled as she held to the silk of my skirt. "Tell Suleyman I need to speak to him!" I sighed, the pleas were too passionate. I could've been in the same predicament, had my brother been caught by the aghas when he invaded the seraglio to see me. I couldn't tell her no and, besides, I would report everything to Suleyman. For she was his prisoner and he would want to know what we talked about. Anything that could be useful to him, should never be kept from him. Besides, the better informed he was, the safer he would be when facing European armies.

I looked at Melek, letter in hand. The Princess had hurried to scribble a letter, hands trembling so much half of her letter was scratched out and rewritten in all haste, then shoved into my hand with passionate pleas to have Suleyman come and meet her. They walked me to the door, not daring to walk out of the door in fear of the guards. Melek accompanied me to the waiting carriage. I was amused and confused by the Princess's trust in me. Melek's eyes shone, she was sad for the Princess's sake but not really moved by the woman's pleas.

"Did she ask this of you?" I had a suspicion and it was confirmed by her small nod. I sighed and shook my head, stuffing the letter in my sleeve. "What did you do to it?"

"I told Sümbul Agha and he took me to our Padishah, I read it to him." Melek told me as we both walked down the small path leading to the door to the well arranged road. I sighed again and caressed my bulging belly, wincing slightly as I felt my baby kick fiercely. He knew of his mother's inner turmoil. Bali Bey waited patiently by the horses, bowing as he reached his side.

"Ready to leave, Mihrişah Hatun?" He asked politely but with plenty of energy that made Melek blush. I giggle and bowed back.

"Yes, thank you, Bali Bey." He helped me climb into the carriage, nodded to Melek and walked away to his awaiting horse. "Take care, Melek." I held her hand tenderly, squeezing it to transmit strength. She smiled wanly and released when the carriage began moving. I waved before sitting down properly. I had to prepare myself for confronting Suleyman over the Princess. But I knew her request would be in vain. I knew my Sultan. If his mind was set, then no one could move him, not even Hürrem or I. Once I arrived to the Topkapi Palace, I sought Sümbul Agha immediately, who had returned earlier to the Topkapi Palace from the hunting lodge. The first kalfa that crossed my path was dispatched to find the erratic Agha while I waited in the main room with Nilüfer, who put down a small gown she had been sewing for my child. Some of the Cariyes and Gözde had taken upon the job of sewing little gowns and caps for my child and I paid them for each piece accordingly, which made me quite popular among the ladies. There were jewels that I could part with that I would even use as payment, to the joy of those on the receiving end, despite the best having been picked by my closest friends, mainly Nilüfer. I didn't have to wait long, he arrived to the main room and I met him.

"Mihrişah Hatun, I was told you want to see me." He gave me a side glance, smiling in his peculiar way. I found him too amusing, so I couldn't help but smile wide while handing him the scroll I brought with me.

"Ah, my Agha, I need no pretext to see you, but today I brought something for Sultan's eyes." I told him as he unrolled the parchment. A quick check to the words and the name and he rolled it back, then used it to wave me to follow him.

"I would rather see you without troublesome letters." He grumbled but kept a gentle pace so I could follow without exerting myself. Upon reaching Suleyman's door, he gave me back the scroll and walked in, obviously to announce I wished to see him. He came back soon enough, barely a minute had gone by when he waved me to enter. I did so, bowing as I stopped in front of Suleyman's desk. He smiled wide at my presence, the sight of my growing belly never failing to bring light to his eyes.

"My sun." He greeted cheerfully, rising to meet me. "Sümbul said you have brought me something from the Princess." He was curious, but wouldn't be happy for long.

"Yes, my Padishah." I nodded, showing him the scroll, which he took and unrolled. "I visited Princess Isabella, as I had requested, but she was too much in despair to be good company to me." I told him sadly. "She begged me to come to you and plead her case. She's grieving the possible future of her betrothed." The more he read, the deeper was the frown and the angrier he became. The aura of anger began pouring out like molten lava, reaching me and scaring me as I saw his eyes flashing with resentment at whatever Isabella had written. Suddenly I regretted bearing the news to the Sultan. It could backfire splendidly. He crumpled the parchment in his hand and glared at the wall, barely containing himself.

"Leave." Was the brusque order I received. I exchanged glances with Sümbul and we both bowed. "Sümbul, stay." He barked. Trembling, I backed out of the room, feeling faint at the sight of Sultan's anger. My legs felt numb, but I had to force them to move as I backed out of the room. I couldn't stop trembling as the doors were closed in front of me, I pressed my back to the wall and took several deep breaths, ignoring the bostanjis at the door.

"Mihrişah Hatun, are you well?" Bali Bey's voice echoed in my ears. He stood right next to me, looking worried. "Do you need anything?" I shook my head.

"Sultan's anger scared me." I told him truthfully. Bali Bey frowned and looked at the closed doors.

"Why is our Lord angry?" He asked.

"Princess Isabella asked me to deliver a message to Sultan for her, about Friedrich." Comprehension dawned on him, from the change of expressions to amused. "Did he try to invade the hunting lodge?"

"He's brave, I give him that." Bali Bey chuckled. "But dumb, the guards at the lodge realized he wasn't a servant quickly and took him down. From what I know, Princess Isabella watched as the guards arrested him."

"Poor thing." I trembled in my shoes, thinking of what could happen.

"Don't worry, Mihrişah Hatun." He sought to reassure me. "They won't be harmed. They are too valuable for the negotiation table alive than dead." I huffed.

"Of course they are." I said, letting Bali Bey experience my less known side. "Using them as pawns in negotiations and hinting for possible punishments for such valuable Prince will have Charles and the European potencies scrambling for a quick solution and Suleyman can either play them around," As I believed he was doing, from what I heard of his diplomatic work. "or he can demand great things and the European lords will fall over themselves to deliver in order to have them back safely."

"You're very knowledgeable." Bali Bey complimented me.

"I have to know this. Knowledge is power, even secluded as we are in the Sultan's harem."

With the growth of my belly and the harem doctor telling us there was one month away until the birth of my child, Valide Sultan made her will known. I was given a room in the Royal Wing, despite not knowing whether my child was a son or a daughter. It was near Mahidevran's rooms, filled with colourful tapestries, one raised area with wooden railings and surrounded by low couches with two metal tables, on the other side a large raised bed, with beautifully embroidered hangings. A fireplace filled the back wall, two couches in front of it awaited me. Valide took me to sit there, not caring we both sat on the same level, as if equals. This warmed me more than the fire itself, burning merrily on the fireplace. I loved my room and I thanked her several times, to her amusement. She made my friends, Nilüfer and Metike, my ladies and ordered them to ready me for bed, under her watch and the harem doctor's, who checked on me once I was put to bed. I felt like a naughty child being sent to bed as punishment, since Valide Sultan was the motherly figure I was sorely lacking. Daye Hatun, of course, was another motherly figure to me, both kindly albeit strict, but she was at Hatice Sultan's palace, since the Sultana and her baby were still not completely alright and Nigar Kalfa needed all the help she could get. With the toll my health was taking with the pregnancy, the harem doctor ended up disclosing all of my visits to Valide, who in turn decreed that I would be in bed rest until the birth. Not wishing to butt heads with the one ruling the harem, I acquiesced. Nilüfer and Metike stayed by my side, never leaving me alone on any given occasion, due to my health and the threat of Hürrem Sultan's 'visits'. Sümbul had to give the news to Suleyman, after he had called me that night for my company. Valide would not be gainsaid on this and we both knew it. Instead, he visited me. I had thought him angry at me for bringing bad news from the Princess, however, he showed nothing but love and tender care for me when he came that first night in the new, but foreign, room.

"Do you like your room?" He asked, sitting next to me on my bed. I was nestled under piles of warm blankets, a book of Persian poetry on my lap, comfortably tucked under his arm.

"Very much, my Lord." I gushed, still feeling very lucky and very much in love with each corner of my new chamber, despite still not feeling at ease in the new environment. "It's a pity I have to stay in bed until our baby is born." He put his hand on my belly, caressing the moving bundle and enjoying the kicks. I, however, was getting tired of being kicked and punched every hour of the day. "Our little ruffian will be with us within the month." I reminded him. Since Ibrahim Pasha had been dispatched to deal with the rebellion, Suleyman wouldn't be leaving Istanbul for a war campaign anytime soon.

"What do you think will be?" He asked me, tenderly intertwining our fingers over my belly. "What are you hoping for?" He was curious of what I would say. A Şehzadeh, like all women hoped for in the harem, he expected.

"Healthy." I told him, to his surprise. "That's all I want. But with all the fighting done in my belly, I can guess it's a boy. No gentle girl would fight as much as he does." I winced with the baby landed a particularly hard kick to my back. "I'm guessing he's coming out with a sword in hand!" Suleyman gave a booming laugh at my jest.

"He'll be a great warrior. Or she will be a great beauty." He used his poetic voice. "The joy of the sun and her Sultan. A flower born in the middle of winter, the strongest seed of our love flourishing amidst the harshest season. A beauty of pale petals but strong roots, as strong as the sun that shines for the Sultan."

"Muhibbi would love the flower, wouldn't he?"

"Muhibbi will always love the children of his sun." Suleyman assured me, placing a kiss on top of my head. Suddenly, the doors to my room slammed open and Hürrem stormed in. "Hürrem? Is this a behaviour of a Sultana?" Suleyman barked, displeased by the second kadin's actions. Hürrem stopped, her face paling at the sight of the Sultan holding me. She bowed in haste.

"I-I…" She stammered, trying to come up with an excuse. "I didn't know you were here, my Sultan."

"Obviously, or else Mihrişah would be with me in my chamber." He replied to her, deadpan voice. "This is disrespectful towards Mihrişah, who is in bedrest." He rose to his feet, approaching the embittered woman.

"I-I wanted to ensure Mihrişah was well cared for." Her excuses were as weak and fake as the smile she used.

"She's in my hands." He told her, tapping her chin with his finger. "You will never bother Mihrişah again. Or else there will be consequences." He warned her then gestured towards the door. "Go back to the children." He returned to my side, putting his arm around my waist. I watched her expression growing very bitter and angered, but she dared not reply to the Sultan. She bowed and retreated as quickly as she stormed in. I couldn't conceive why she was so angry to storm my room in the way she had. I thanked Allah Suleyman spent the night with me, or else things could've gone bad.

"Sultan spent the night here." Nilüfer said as she walked in, grinning like a hyena. I looked over the book in my hand, as she walked to my bed carrying a tray of food for me to break my fast. Suleyman had kissed my forehead and left the room to break his fast with Valide Sultan earlier. I enjoyed the moment of solitude before my friend came in with food.

"He did. We talked until we fell asleep." I lowered the book and thanked her for the plate of food she handed me, along with freshly baked bread. I starved, especially for the wonderful bread from the private kitchen. Nilüfer took a seat on the bed near me while I ate, holding plates so I could pick a bit of everything she had brought. I gestured for her to join me in eating, there was too much food just for one person. We ate with gusto.

"I heard a commotion in here, last night." She eyed me suspiciously. I choked on the bread and coughed, she patted my back to help in clearing the airways.

"Hürrem Sultan stormed in while Sultan was with me." I was beyond confused by her outraged entrance, which ended having the opposite effect of whatever she had expected. "Why did she walk in like that?" I asked Nilüfer, who shrugged, not knowing what had happened. Metike's head popped up from the secondary room, where they stayed. I was wondering where the girl was.

"I think someone was bragging that you'll be a better Sultana than Hürrem and Hürrem is going to end up in Eski Palace. She flew into a rage and Gül Agha had a hard time containing her." Metike told us meekly, half afraid of our reaction. I shook my head, disapprovingly while Nilüfer laughed so hard she cried.

"Those girls are troublesome." I chided, unable to conceal the mirth I felt. "Metike, come eat with us!" I told her and she skipped across the room, plopping on a large pillow by the side of the bed. "They caused me trouble. I appreciate the support but they riled her up unnecessarily and this could've ended very badly."

"Some are very bitter because of Hürrem's powers over the Sultan." Metike told me. She was a very quiet girl, so quiet people had a tendency to speak too much and she heard more than most people should. I was glad she was my friend, her loyalty would prove very valuable in the future. "If you're able to diminish her influence on the Golden Path, they will take the chance to face her."

"Still, I'm not sure I'll be able to completely extricate the Sultan from her grasp. It doesn't help if they begin facing Hürrem out of the blue. She's still the second Kadin and a wrong move could be very costly to the harem as a whole." I hoped my words would reach the rest of the girls of the harem, through my friends. They needed to be careful with their words and actions, or else I'd end up being affected by their carelessness. From then on, my days became quite boring. I would only leave the bed for my needs, or to use the hammam. I was never without one of my friends and they never dared to venture far away, unless they could have someone stay by my side. Valide Sultan came frequently, sometimes going through the layette of my baby with me, gushing over the tiny gowns and caps sewn and embroidered by the women of the harem, sometimes quizzing me and the harem doctor for my health and that of the baby. But one particular day, she remained very little time in my room. I noticed she was very cross and I feared I had done something she shouldn't have done.

"Daye Hatun, is something the matter?" I asked the older lady, who had remained behind to talk to Nilüfer. They turned to me, both smiling. "Valide Sultan was angry, I hope I didn't offend her in any way." After going against her orders due to Suleyman's requests for my presence and visiting the Princess, I knew she had very good reasons to be angry. Ever since I was put on bed rest, she never did berate me for my previous behaviour and I was deeply thankful for it.

"No, Mihrişah." The older woman was very kind and motherly to me, she came to sit on my bed, taking my hands in hers. Nilüfer stood next to her, smiling down to me. "You were misbehaving before," She mentioned what I had thought previously, of going along Suleyman's requests and I smiled weakly. "but this has nothing to do with you. Hürrem Sultan has been causing trouble again." I sighed in relief.

"I hope she doesn't bother our Valide too much." Daye chuckled.

"Not to worry, she will deal with our Sultana as she sees fit." I looked at Nilüfer, who shrugged. I hope there would be no war in the harem. Later on that day, there was a commotion outside of my room. Being stuck on my bed was annoying, as I couldn't check the corridor and see what was happening. It vexed me. Nilüfer was outside, so I had to wait until she arrived.

"Is there a problem?" I asked Nilüfer, as soon as she walked through the doors. The noise from the corridors, mixed by the raised voices of both Mahidevran and Hürrem reached me momentarily, through the open doors, only to be muffled again once the doors closed behind her.

"Valide Sultan has reassigned Hürrem Sultan's chambers." I frowned. That was unexpected. "According to Daye Hatun, the room she currently occupies is in need of some work to fix several issues." That sounded like an excuse for having Hürrem vacate the rooms. Was this what Daye Hatun had hinted before?

"This was very sudden. I wonder why." We didn't wait long to know why. Two days later, the room was assigned to Şehzadeh Mustafa.

"The Bas-Kadin must be thrilled." Nilüfer sniggered mischievously, after announcing Valide Sultan's decision. I was confused. So many rooms in the royal wing, why not take another? Why assign Hürrem's room to Mustafa? Just because Hürrem was causing chaos again in the harem, she reassigned her rooms? The confusion must've been visible, because she explained. "That room used to belong to Hatice Sultan. With the balcony at the back, it's the most luxurious of the Royal Wing, after Valide Sultan's chambers." That made sense, it was a way to punish Hürrem for crossing Valide Sultan.

"The room was offered by Sultan Suleyman and the balcony is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon." Metike said, catching the conversation halfway but realizing right away what we were discussing and entering the discussion. "From what I gleaned from the girls serving at Valide Sultan's room, this is a way of showing Hürrem she's not in charge of the harem and everything within these walls is controlled by the older woman."

"She's asserting her power over everything, even something as simple as our rooms." Nilüfer pointed out. "Mustafa is growing, so he needs a room. In a way, she's also rewarding Mahidevran who, through Mustafa, will use the balcony whenever she wishes. The Bas-Kadin is respectful and has not caused problems within the harem for a long time. Hürrem never fails to stir up people, mostly in a bad way."

I didn't have to wait for the entire month for my child to come.

The pains began like gentle pricks to my belly. Comparing to the mighty kicks my little ruffian placed, it didn't feel bad. They lasted a few hours, which began to concern me.

"I think this is very odd." Especially since my child had settled down and had stopped kicking me. I was wondering if the baby had fallen asleep. But the quietness began worrying me, since it continued the following day.

"You have been complaining he kicks too much." Nilüfer huffed, having prepared my stuff so we could go to the hammam. "Now you're worrying he's too quiet. Is there no pleasing you?" She grouched, helping me to my feet. My belly felt odd, heavier somehow, I was grateful for her aid or else I would have to roll out of the room on my own. That would've been the only way for me to move in that state, without help. I was halfway to the door when I felt a rush of water out of me, soaking my legs and my gown. I gave a great cry, grabbing my now soiled gown. Nilüfer glanced at the floor and paled

"METIKE!" She yelled, voice echoing in the room. The other girl appeared immediately, eyes widened. "Go fetch the harem doctor and the midwives! Quickly!" Metike obeyed, leaving the door open as she left, yelling as she ran down the hall. She helped me back to the bed, hammam long forgotten. From there I could barely remember the ordeal. I could recall the chaos that ensued following Metike's loud announcement of my labour. I could recall how my contractions felt, first with large intervals between each, shortening considerably as time went by. Daye Hatun had come to witness the birth, sent by Valide Sultan. It was a great comfort having the older woman holding my hand while I laboured. Midwives arrived at some point, I couldn't remember when. Servants came and went as orders were called across the room, pouring in and out of my room as the doctors and midwives demanded. Nilüfer had slipped on the bed, behind me to cradle me, leaning my back against her and to be my strength. I remember feeling the cloth she used to wipe the sweat pouring down my face and neck. One hand was held by Daye Hatun while Nilüfer held the other, serving as calming influences when the fear struck the hardest.

"Oh Daye!" I wailed, fearful. Never had the pain I felt previously given me the fear brought by my labour. "I'm so scared! What if I die?" I remember rambling while the midwives and doctors called for me to push.

"Just focus on the baby!" She reassured me. "Everything will be fine." Her words gave me some relief, but it was short lived.

"Push, hatun!" One of the midwives called, holding my legs up. "I can see the head coming! We're almost over! Push!" They called. Squeezing the supporting hands, I obeyed, pushing with waning strength. I screamed as the pain of pushing tore through my body, but I didn't relented. I pushed until I was out of breath, panted for a few moments then pushed again.

"The head is out!" The call echoed, but I couldn't focus of the chaotic movements of the people within the room. More calls to push came from all sides, Nilüfer whispered encouraging words in my ear while wiping my neck. I obeyed once more, screaming until my lungs burned with the effort, my body screamed alongside me with the pain. I screamed the loudest then. I felt my body shift amongst the pain and a rush of movement between my legs, silencing me and most of my pain.

The silence that followed was broken by the wailing of the newborn I brought to the world.

"It's a son!" The victorious cries filled the room with joy. "Sultan has a new son!"