sweet seduction

chapter 18

A year went by and Gülnihal put her long awaited plans into action.

Her nightly visits to the sultan had increased, this caused a tension between the favourites and more gossip in the harem much to the joy of the concubines. 

Her anxiety only increased when she didn't find herself pregnant for the first few months of the new year. She thought back to mahidevran sultana, the woman had a large aga gap between her first born and second born. Could it be the same for Gülnihal?

In the end all her anxious thoughts were for nothing, she had gotten pregnant and she admitted that it was the hardest pregnancy she had so far. 

By the fourth month she was advised to be on bed rest by the physician, her health had worsened and Suleiman had become so terrified that he stayed by her side whenever he was available. It came to a point in which she had to send him away. He left only to return before he retired for the night. 

By the eighth month she couldn't wait to birth her child, she new it was a boy, she didn't know how to describe the feeling but would be a boy she. 

One particular evening she even told the sultan, he laughed and said that if it was a boy he would be named Bayezid. 

Yet it seemed like luck wouldn't be on her side, hurrem had proudly announced her own pregnancy during Gülnihal's last two months. The brunette had laughed bitterly and refused to speak to her lover. 

But on the ninth month everything changed. 

Fate had changed as well as Gülnihal's status in the harem. 

Everything was going well until her labours started, it lasted a whole three days in which everyone wondered if the sultana would survive or not. Even hurrem had questioned huma about Gülnihal's health. The hatun would later tell her sultana that the red haired woman seemed generally concerned. 

Suleiman had waited anxiously, praying for his beloveds survival and health as well as for the child. 

On the third day huma hatun ran out of the chambers that had once belonged to Hatice sultana and announced happily, her eyes wet with tears and exhaustion

" A boy has been born! We have yet another şehzade!. Also Gülnihal sultana is alright, the physician is attending to her"

The happy news cut the tension that had surrounded the palace and the harem cried out in relief. The royal family visited the brunette and as Suleiman had said, the boy was named Bayezid after his great grandfather. 

a month after the birth Gülnihal was called to the Sultans chambers. She wore a beautiful jade green dress. Her hair had been carefully styled in a half up half down style with a matching crown. 

Once she arrived in the chambers she saw the entire family gathered, her heart beat quicken as the sultan called for her to come closer. She obeyed and to her suprise he took her hand and kissed it, his lips lingering a few seconds longer than usual. She smiled and blushed at this open display of affection. 

Then without dropping her hands he said in his calm voice

" As you all are aware, nearly loosing Gülnihal put me in a difficult place. I hadn't been aware of how deeply I have come to love her until I nearly lost her. With this in mind I made a decision, one that changes all our lives"

The valide cleared her throat and spoke to her son in a nervous voice, asking the question they all were currently thinking yet afraid to ask. Gülnihal felt her heat nearly freez when he revealed his decision, looking around she saw the other Sultanas look enraged and visibility upset. Mahidevran sultana had completely frozen and hurrem had tears in her eyes already. 

" Valide a few minutes ago shayka el islam kemal effendi has married Gülnihal and I. I hope our union brings only joy "

Gülnihal fainted

Months later hurrem would give birth to a boy named Cihangir.