- Sultana, Sultana, wake up. - I heard someone talking to me while checking how I was breathing. At that moment, I opened my eyes and saw Meryem in front of me.
- Meryem, where am I? - I asked her confused after I lost consciousness.
- Aslihan, you passed out. You're in your chambers now, but we're not safe yet. No one knows where Şah is. - Mihrimah told me anxiously.
At that moment, my memory came back. I remembered everything that happened. I remembered my sons dying in front of my eyes a few hours ago.
I looked around, and in my chambers were Mihrimah, Defne, and Meryem. Next to them were my sons Murad and Mehmed, and daughters Handan, Halime and Hilal.
The children looked at me scared and I saw that their eyes were full of tears. How do you explain to children now where their brothers are?
- Mom, aren't Mustafa and Ibrahim here anymore? - my youngest daughter Hilal asked me, who came to my bed and hugged me. My heart ached at that moment. I was dying inside, and I was not allowed to show sadness in front of the children.
I had to be strong in front of them, for their own sake. Because I knew if I was weak in front of them, they would be weak too.
- Your brothers are being guarded by angels now, Hilal. - I told her as my voice cracked with sadness at that moment. At the same time, my children started crying. I sat on the bed with a crying Hilal in my arms, comforting the other children as well.
- Where's Suleyman? - I asked them worriedly. I couldn’t believe Suleyman wasn’t brought to me.
- Sultana, he did not want to come with us. He remained in his chambers. He said he is not afraid of anyone and that he does not want to be with anyone but you. - Meryem told me, which hit me even harder.
I got out of bed. I left the care of the children to Meryem and Defne. I knew I could trust them. At that moment, I went to Suleyman's chambers to take him with me.
Suleyman was not allowed to come near Şah because I knew she would use him for her plans.
I entered Suleyman's chambers, but he was not there. I searched every corner of his chambers, but he wasn't there.
At that moment, I heard a noise in the hallway. I peered in to see what was going on, and at that moment I saw the janissaries walking around the palace. Now only God was there to help us.
- Aghas, what's going on?- I asked them out loud. The Janissaries did not usually come to the Palace.
- The time of a new era has come. The New Sultan. And we're going to put him on the throne now, tell us where Prince Suleyman is? - the chief janissary asked me. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing at that moment.
- What do you mean with Prince Suleiman? Sultan is still alive! - I told him angrily.
- Unfortunately, not anymore. Peace to his soul. - said the leader of the janissaries in a slightly sad voice.
- Prince Bayezid is still alive. He must ascend the throne. - I told him you came closer to him.
- Sultana, we have received information that he is no longer alive. We had to choose Prince Suleyman. Şah Sultana sent us. - he told me and I was shocked.
I paid no more attention to his words than to the dungeon where Bayezid was locked up.
- Bayezid ... - I told him and ran to him. I saw him sitting on the dungeon floor. The only positive thought to me at this point is that he is alive.
- Aslihan, save me ... - he barely uttered.
- Bayezid, what happened? - I asked him worriedly because I saw the wounds on his face. He had a multitude of bruises as if someone had beaten him.
- The Janissaries, they have come... They have beaten me... They kept repeating that these were orders from Shah. - He said to me.
- Bayezid ... They want to put Suleyman on the throne. Şah has her fingers in it. - I told him and tried to keep quiet about other things at this moment. Bayezid sat in severe pain. I have never seen him in this condition.
- Aslihan, call Lala. He will bring his men and deliver me from here. You take care of the children. Take care of them. Don't let Şah bring Suleyman to the throne ... - Bayezid was telling me.
At that moment, I started to get out of the dungeon, but I came back.
- Bayezid, I want you to know that I love you very much. - I told him, trying to stay strong. I didn't know what was going to happen. I didn't know who would survive.
- I love you too, Aslihan. - he told me and gave me a faint smile, as much as he couldn't because he was weak.
I started running towards the Sultan's chambers. I knew Lala would be there somewhere, and I was right. I stormed in as fast as I could and entered the Sultan's chambers.
There I saw the Sultan's lifeless body lying wounded on the floor, with Lala standing next to him.
- Lala, you? You did this? - I asked him until I could come to my senses.
- Yes, I did everything for the benefit of Prince Bayezid. Now is the time to save him. The army is waiting outside for us to proclaim him Sultan. - Lala told me proudly, but he was actually to blame for everything.
- You didn't do anything good because Şah and her men want to put Suleyman on the throne. - I told him angrily. Lala looked at me in disbelief and couldn't believe what was happening.
- I'll take care of things, and you, get Bayezid out of the dungeon. As soon as possible. - I shouted at him and headed towards the main square of the palace.
Already from a distance I could hear the voices of angry janissaries standing in front of the door. The problem was that I didn’t know, were they Lala’s janissaries, or from Şah?
I went out on the terrace which had a view of everything that was happening in front of the palace. I saw a crowd of angry janissaries shouting that they wanted to see the Sultan and make sure he was alive.
- Folks, what is this? - I shouted so that everyone could hear me. At that moment, everyone fell silent.
- We want to see the Sultan. They say he's dead. - the commander of the Janissaries started shouting.
- It is true, the Sultan has passed away. But why are you making such a mess? Is this necessary in moments like this? - I shouted at them with all my strength.
- We want Prince Suleyman on the throne. - said the leader of the spahis who started shouting together with him and cheering for Suleyman.
- Why would Prince Suleyman come to the throne when Prince Bayezid is alive? - I asked them out loud.
- Because Prince Bayezid is also dead. - the spahis leader shouted. I watched it from the balcony and I couldn’t believe it.
I saw Şah is passing by with Suleyman. I knew that meant taking him to the square. I knew that if he appointed him the new Sultan before the army, there would be no going back.
I left the Balcony before I could answer anything about Bayezid, I ran to stop Şah intending to proclaim Suleyman as Sultan.
"Attention! His Highness Sultan Suleyman III. Khan Hazretleri!" shouted the chief aga standing at the door.
In the middle of the square stood a throne set just waiting for young Suleyman. Suleyman held Şah's hand all the time, which led him to the throne.
- Folks, how can you allow this if Prince Bayezid is still alive? - I shouted at everyone the moment I stepped on the main square.
Şah turned to me and glared at me, and the people began to protest.
- You have no proof that Bayezid is alive, Suleyman must come to the throne. - the spahis leader shouted.
- Bayezid is alive, but he is imprisoned in a dungeon. How can you declare a small child Sultan when his father has to come to that place in the dungeon? - I yelled at them.
At that moment, Şah received Suleyman firmly and told him that he must sit on the throne. The people were upset, and to a small child like Suleyman it seemed bad.
At that moment, Suleyman looked at me, pulled away from Shah, and came towards me. Suleyman took my hand and looked at me with tears in his eyes.
- Show us Bayezid, or we'll put Suleyman on the throne. - shouted the chief spahi. At that moment, Şah turned to me. She started to walk closer and closer to me.
Little Suleyman stood behind me because he was afraid of Şah. At that moment, only the vizier Ahmed Pasha was standing next to me.
I hurried over to him and took the sword he held in his hand, to his surprise.
- Give me back Suleyman, or you'll be executed here in front of everyone. - Şah yelled at me. She walked angrily towards me.
- You will be the one who will be strengthened by that destiny. - I told her and came closer to her with a sword.
At that moment, the chief man of Şah Sultan gave her a sword. Her men set out to surround me. I held a sword in one hand and held little Prince Suleyman's hand in the other.
At that moment, Şah came and held out her sword in front of me. In a moment of inattention, she took Suleyman's hand. Her people surrounded me.
At that moment, without thinking, I headed for Şah. I took a sword and stabbed her. At that moment, she just fell to her knees and then to the floor.
I took Suleyman beside me, so he wouldn't have to watch his aunt's death before my eyes. Even though I was a killer now, she deserved it.
- How dare you kill a member of the Ottoman Dynasty, you slave? We want Suleyman on the throne! And we will punish you! - shouted the main leader of the spahi and went after me.
All the spahis marched on me with their swords, until the voice of the aghas was heard at the door: "Attention! His Highness Prince Bayezid!"