𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲- [Magnificent Century]

CHAPTER 23

             

    Months passed and things had calmed down only to escalate again, as it was most ordinary for an ottoman harem. Mihrimah continued to grow healthily, and it was most evident to everyone who saw her that she was going to become a beauty that will break thousands of hearts. Mihrsiah was jealous of the attention she got from her parents and family at first, but when she was comforted by her mother that she was and always remain her oldest daughter and closest companion and that she'd always have a place in hers and her siblings' hearts, she had calmed down and seemed to grow even more protective of her sister, she'd not allow anyone other than Fulane to hold her and had ordered the Jewish merchants Mera dealt with to make her plenty of new dresses, in red, pink, azure, royal purple, and had jewelry fashioned for her with pearls, diamonds, and rubies, and most importantly, she asked for them three sultanas to match during Hatice Sultan's wedding.

They certainly were a sight to behold in the ceremony, all three of them, in the same colors, with the same gold embroidery in their purple velvets, Mera wore a gold crown, with purple sapphires as to match her dress, and the crown was small enough as not to outmatch the Valide sultan, but big enough for it to show everyone that Mera Sultan was the main chief on the consorts of Suleiman, the mother of most of his children.

Mera did not like the Valide or her daughters that much, but she did respect the hierarchy of the harem, after all, there were rules for a reason, and if she had to follow them to be where she was now, then so should the others. And as she planned to be on top of the hierarchy shortly, before her sons reached majority and were sent to their sanjaks, she saved money for her schemes, all the while having a room filled in month after month with treasures in her secret house in town, Mera wasn't stupid, and she knew her jewels would always be worth a fortune, it is why she commissioned plenty of crowns and items, that she will wear when she'd ready to send them a message.

As Murad and Osman grew to be strong and smart boys, eyes turned to them, Mera made sure they show bravery and skill; that they were adept and good enough to be padishahs, all the while protecting and shielding them from evil plans and eyes. Prayers were made and said to their health in the synagogues every Shabos, and gifts were exchanged between them and the Serbian Sultana.

Mera was smart enough to invest her gold where it was important, and as much of a sway she had over Suleiman, she knew not to cross certain boundaries, and she always knew when to stop. That is why she did not press the issue of Ibrahim being a pasha, Suleiman trusted him more than he did his mother, almost as he did her, he's the only brother figure he has, and the only way to be rid of him is to make the sultan believe he is not trustworthy anymore, something that would take months if not years, but Mera was a patient woman, as long as her suffering ended rewarded.

It is also why she was certain Mustafa would rule Manisa for a time before her sons came of age. Thankfully, Osman and Mustafa were barely two years away, and that was enough time for her to ruin the eldest' prince's prospects as a good ruler but still not enough for him to prove himself. And so she made her network even bigger, she still had loyal staff back from her Manisa days, but she paid for more and more spies to be installed, not only Manisa, but also Amasya and Konya, Mahidevran would no doubt bring her staff for her son's palace, but she would not suspect old working staff to be spies working for her.

Mera knew she was growing to be too powerful, and she was changing the dynamics and the centuries' old rules of the Ottoman imperial harem, the people were not quite happy with her. And so she tried to start doing charity work and donate money, publicly this time, to Muslims, build mosques and schools and orphanages. But she was refused by the Valide Sultan. Apparently, only a free woman could do charity, and as she stood, she was just a slave, no matter how powerful the harem was.

Mera knew she could not breach the discussion with the sultan in the harem, near the vultures that were the valide, her daughter along with Mahidevran and that growing snake of Hurrem, who had popped out another son, Selim, just a few months after Mihrimah was born.

When her sons and Mustafah discussed hunting with their father, Mera knew she had the best chance she would get to start her plan. She had suggested they go to the hunting lodge, after all, spring was upon them, and the weather was warm and the sky clear. The children would hunt rabbits they'd eat for dinner, Murad then pointed out that as he'd grow to be a powerful warrior, he'd be able to take down a gazelle on his first try. His parents chuckled and smiled, and Suleiman, seeing his eldest sons smile and laugh with each other along with his love gently cuddling her sons' shoulders, made him choose to agree to his son's whims, they'd go hunting for the rest of the week.

Hurrem was furious when she heard of the sultan and his first favorite plans, and as the snake she was, had tried to sneak herself into their romantic escapade, stating that her eldest son would feel lonely without his brothers to play with him.

Mehmet, who was an adorable boy, very much lived by his father, which quite worried Mera, but he was younger than her sons and she had to get rid of their first competition before moving to the second.

Thankfully for Mera, Suleiman did not seem very interested in spending time with women other than her, and if Mustafa was going without his mother, why should Hurrem join and not she?

Mera had to get Hurrem under control, and she had a feeling she'd have leverage over her soon, she was not as stupid as the valide and Mahidevran to try and frame her for something she had not done, ad even if she had done so, Suleiman would forgive her, as much as he'd do to Mera if she was ever caught doing such misconduct.

Mera did not know it yet, but she'd come back to Topkapi as a free woman instead of a slave, and she'd receive lost delightful Information from her faithful Sumbul. The sultana had always known Nigar Kalfa was not to be trusted as one of her informants, and she had realized that her loyalties shifted to Hurrem, but that would soon change, and Mera would make her regret her choices.

*******

Finally back and done with the school year! Updates will come more frequently from now on, I am tempted to make an updating schedule, say one update every Monday or something similar, but I'm afraid I might not respect it and update more than once on other days or not update at all that week, my immigrants' cousins are coming home in around a week or two and I always tend to be busy when they join us, but if you guys are okay with it, then I will make a schedule!

Just a warning that this chapter will have a time skip! Mihrimah is still a toddler but Hatice had already married Ibrahim (I wanted to cut him off, but where would be the fun in that? He's going to be Mera's and Hurrem's number one enemy!)