When histories will look back at Sultan Mustafa I reign they will probably scoff at how short his reign was.
However, ask anyone who was alive during those four months and they will all tell you the same thing. It had been one of the longest and the hardest time period of our lives.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A month had passed since Mehmed and Sehzade Osman were arrested and nearly the entire system of the Topkapi palace had changed drastically. Many slave girls had been dismissed to the Old palace and new girls who had been serving Dilruba Sultan has been bought to the Harem to serve.
Our classes, sleeping and resting hours had been reduced and we would spend more time either cleaning the palace or serving Halime and Dilruba Sultan. I wasn't sure how Menekşe Hatun had divided work between the slave girls but I would end up directly serving Dilruba Sultan; it would vary from having to serve food or helping her in the hamam.
I had originally assumed that Dilruba Sultan being a princess and the aunt of Kosem Sultan's prince she would be more logical about Sultan Mustafa's enthronement and that I could perhaps convince her to free the princes. However I was disappointed to learn that my assumption was wrong and that she was cruel and heartless beyond expectations. She had no respect for anyone in the entire palace, between having her brother ascend the throne, being a princess herself and being married to the Grand Vizier Kara Davud Pasha she had become intoxicated with power.
After spending so many days serving her and having her view me as one of her favorite servants I promised myself that under no condition would I ever become enemies with her. However despite this promise she would become the second person on my long list of enemies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One night after 3 month since Sultan Mustafa's enthronement I come back much late from serving Dilruba Sultan to the harem. The lights had been out and I was going to head straight to my bed when I noticed the Aisha was still not in her bed. It was a normal occurrence for Aisha to be the last person to head to bed however she had never been this late. My heart began worrying and my curious soul forced me to venture out and find my friend.
Ever since the night I had spent with Sehzade Mehmed, Aisha and I had become quite close. Even though she would often refuse to discuss her past with me I felt like I could genuinely trust her and it was because of this genuine sense of trust I knew I had to find out where Aisha was and if she was okay.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As I was venturing through the halls I found myself going towards Sultana's chambers and I got closer I could have sworn I heard conversations taking place.
"Aisha?" I heard a familiar call out.
"Yes Valide Sultan?" Aisha replied. I could recognize her voice anywhere. Wait why was she speaking to Valide Sultan.
"I want you to get ready in the hamam you are to be presented to our hunkar and please do not leave him until he says so himself." Valide Sultan ordered. Aisha was going to be presented to Sultan Mustafa?
"As you command, Valide." Aisha replied.
"Also Aisha I want good news. My first grandchild should be a sehzade." Valide Sultan commanded.
There was a slight hesitation before Aisha sultan responded, "I will not disappoint you Valide Sultan."
I waited until I heard the chambers door close and saw Aisha steps approaching my direction. I quickly grabbed Aisha and pulled her to my side. Before I could utter a single word Aisha answered me with a defeated look, "Please don't ask me anything Clarisse. This matter is far too complicated."
As she walked away I once again grabbed her arm and Aisha without hearing what I had to say or even without turning her back replied, "I promise I will tell you everything but right now I need to get ready."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aisha's fate got intertwined with Mustafa Sultan a few years before he was released from the Golden Cage. On the day that the incident happened one of the head servants, that was in charge of Mustafa Sultan, had been made busy by Kosem Sultan. Aisha's job that day was to simply go, give Sultan Mustafa his medicine and come back. However, at that exact moment that Aisha arrived Sultan Mustafa had a panic attack and tried to hurt himself. The Aga's behavior kept aggravating Sultan Mustafa however Aisha who had grown up with a mentally instable brother easily diluted the situation. She ended up spending the entire day with Sultan Mustafa until his designated servant arrived. After the incident Aisha was requested to often help give Sultan Mustafa his medicine. Sultan Mustafa in her presence began eating properly, taking his medicine without commotion and seemed to becoming more stable.
However once he was freed from the Golden Cage, Aisha was no longer allowed to see him; until he had another panic attack and kept asking for Aisha to be brought to him. That was when Halime and Dilruba Sultan came to know about Aisha and Mustafa's strange relationship. They believed that because Aisha kept Sultan Mustafa's mental condition a secret for so many years and Sultan Mustafa health would remain stabilized in her presence that she should be his concubine. Aisha who had fallen for Sultan Mustafa knew that it was impossible to have any type of relation with Sultan Mustafa. However due to her love for Mustafa Sultan and her inability to stay away from him she began a facade to act as his concubine.
"I cannot bear his children because that would require me to have a relation with Sultan Mustafa and Sultan Mustafa's mental condition has made him impotent. And yet I love him Clarisse and I can't bear the thought of seeing another woman near him." Aisha explained.
"She is eventually going to learn about his impotence and find out that you lied to her about being his concubine." I reply.
"I am well aware of that but I can't leave him either." Aisha responded in a defeated tone. I could not see her like that and I hugged her immediately.
"We will figure something out I promise." I respond as I am holding her.
"Jannat and Meleksima cannot know that I am his consort. No one can know this. I saw what happened when all the salve girls found out that you spend a night with Sehzade Mehmed and I cannot keep up the facade and protect myself from the rest the salve girls."
I nodded and replied, "Your secret is safe with me."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A few weeks later a rumor spread in the harem that Sehzade Osman tried to escape. However due to Halime Sultan's spies being in the harem none of the slave girls were openly discussing about it.
"Halime Sultan is not very furious about what happened. What Sehzade Osman did could endanger all of the Sehzade's lives." Aisha whispered t me while we were carrying laundary down the hallway. I knew she was talking to me about how Sehzade Mehmed was also in danger.
"Has Sehzade Osman been sent back to his Golden cage?" I asked softly.
"No he is being kept in the prison." Aisha replied. We quickly became quite when we see a few servants approaching us. After we were sure they are gone I continued, "Do you think he would be sent back or will he be .....?" I don't finish my sentence but Aisha understands what I am trying to say.
"Kosem Sultan still has an influence on the Janissary Corps and she wouldn't let anyone harm even a single hair on their head so hopefully he will be returned back to his cage."
When we reach the laundry chambers, we run into Meleksima and Jannat.
"Please Jannat take me to my Osman. I know you can. I just need to see his face once." Meleksima begs Jannat.
I suddenly remembered overhearing Dilruba Sultan mention that Sehzade Osman and Sehzade Mehmed being in the same cage. If there was a chance to get a message across Sehzade Mehmed I needed to take it.
"Jannat, Meleksima is right. You have to take us to Sehzade Osman." I explain to Jannat.
"Us?" Jannat and Meleksima ask me in unison.
"Me and you, Meleksima. I need to have a word with Sehzade Osman." I elaborate.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A day later while all the salve girls are having lunch, Jannat, Meleksima and I head to the prisons. First Meleksima goes and I overhear her and Sehzade Osman talk for a long time then Meleksima signals me that it's my turn and I enter Sultan Osman's cage.
"Sehzade." I greet him and bow respectfully.
"Meleksima mentioned that you have a message for me." Sultan Osman replies.
As I was going over what I need to say to Shezade Osman, I realized that no matter how I would say it it would sound disrespectful so I took a deep breathe and began.
"Sehzade your behavior has endangered the lives of all your brothers. If you keep acting like this Halime Sultan will not hesitate to behead the sehzades."
"How dare a slave question my actions? Do you know who I am?" Sehzade Osman replied loudly.
"You are a Sehzade who is in a prison cell and given your actions Halime Sultan will not hesitate to label you as a traitorous prince. And in Ottoman history traitorous princes have been beheaded." I lift my head and look Sehzade Osman directly in the eye.
Without waiting for him to answer I continue, " You may be of royal blood and what is happening to you is not justified however you selfishness and impatience will cause blood to fall of not just yours but of all your siblings."
"So tell me salve girl, what am I to do? Wait around until my siblings rot in that cage?" Sehzade Osman replied.
I knew what I was about to say would be a huge lie but Sehzade Osman needed a ray of hope and I needed him to not stir trouble so I take the necessary steps.
I come closer to him and lower my voice, "There are people who are working on a way to free the Shezades but for that we need a bit of time and Halime Sultan to not view you as a threat. What you did has already affected the plan badly hence it is important that going forward no such behavior be repeated."
Sehzade Osman remains quite for a minute before responding, "Who exactly are these people? And how do I know that I can trust them?"
"The less you know the better." I reply.
Sehzade Osman looks at me skeptically.
I sigh and continue, "Meleksima is one of these people and observing how much she risked to see you I hope you can trust her."
Sehzade Osman looks at me thoughtfully and comments, "You are Mehmed's consort." The way he says it is less of a question than it is a fact. "That's why you are so desperate to keep me quiet. After all your dear Mehmed will be..."
"I didn't know that you were so selfish that you would risk the lives of Sehzade Ibrahim, Murad, Bayezid and Kasim." I cut Sehzade Osman off.
"What?" Sehzade Osman reply taken aback.
"This isn't about your personal war with Sehzade Mehmed. What you did affects everyone and if you don't ask Halime Sultan and our hunkar for forgiveness we can neither save you nor will any of your brothers be spared. I know this is a difficult time but you need to put aside everything and focus on one thing. Staying alive and keeping your brothers alive." I respond, hoping that something I said affected him.
I notice Sehzade's eyes soften. and I continue, "I am truly sorry for disrespecting you Sehzade but the Ottoman empire is going through a difficult time and right now we need you to trust us and be united with one another."
Sehzade Osman nods but doesn't respond.
I bow once again out of respect and as I am about to leave I remember what I had read about how Sehzade Bayezid was executed with his sons together.
"But be warned Sehzade if you are reunited with your brothers by Halime Sultan or by any of her men that means that they plan of executing you and we have failed. Then and only then fight will all your power." I warn Sehzade Osman and leave.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That very week Sehzade Osman is returned to his Golden cage and the tension that had arisen in the palace subsides. However in less than a month Aisha comes to me and announces Halime Sultan's plan on executing the Sehzades.
"Based on my understanding she is planning it for tonight." She exasperates.
"That barely gives us hours to save them." I reply in confusion.
One thing that we started doing since our meeting with Sehzade Osman was planning out how we could save the Sehzades. the people involved in our planning was me Jannat, Meleksima and Aisha. We thought of many offensive strategies that would save the sehzades however we lacked the manpower required to make it possible.
"Let's adopt a defensive strategy. We won't make a move until we are sure that Halime Sultan is planning on disposing off the Sehzades." Jannat explained.
"She will only try to hurt the Sehzades once she has a definite successor. Clarisse you serve Dilruba closely, does Mustafa Sultan have a concubine?" Meleksima asks me.
In a heartbeat I lie, "Not that I am aware of."
"Then she might not try to harm the sehzades for now."
At this point Aisha squeezes my hand in gratitude.
After Aisha informs us of the bad news, the four of us meet up and decide to follow through with our defensive strategy.
"Assuming that the sehzades will be executed together we need to keep an eye on their movements. Meleksima you will be watching Sehzade Osman and Sehzade Mehmed's cage and Jannat you will watch Sehzade Kasim, Bayezid and Ibrahim's. Aisha you keep us informed if anything changes."
"What will you do?" Meleksima asks as she leaves.
For the past three and a half months unbeknownst to everyone, I had be collecting weapons in the possibility that if we would not be able to escape the Topkapi palace we could at least die fighting and perhaps save the sehzades.
"I am going to take precautionary measures in case our escape plan doesn't work out." I reply with a smile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Hey guys!
I am so sorry for the hiatus but between studies and work and my general laziness and the need to finish my other stories I kind of fell back on my writing.
So first off, Thank you sooooo much everyone for nearly 1800 + reads and 90 + votes. I am extremely grateful for them.
Secondly, Shout out to @sarcasbanshee, @Brittanyisthebest and @bellas13wishes. Welcome to my story and hope you guys keep finding it amazing.
If you like my work or want to share some thoughts feel free to comment or even inbox me, I'll be highly appreciative.
If you really like my writing do follow me and check out my other works. I write different genres of stories so you can choose according to your own preferences.
Finally, Take care everyone and have an awesome day.
BYE!!!!