|Nurgül's POV|

-Two Months Later-

Behold! Haseki Nurgül Sultan hazretleri

Everyone was standing with their heads lowered as I passed by them.. I was shocked by my daughter Aysun running towards me with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Mother" she threw herself down and hugged me tightly.

"What happened?" I wrapped my arms around her and worry seeped into my heart "Aysun, my dear what's wrong?"

"Grandma" that's all she managed to say and the rest were words mixed with crying which made it very difficult to understand her.

I pulled her away from me a little and started wiping her tears "What's wrong with your grandmother?"

"Her condition got really bad" as soon as she finished her sentence she burst into tears... I started to feel dizzy around me.. On one hand my daughter here is collapsing because of her attachment to Safiye Sultan and on the other hand my fear of what's coming.

"Let's check on her" I pulled her by the hand and we quickly headed to Safiye Sultan's chambers.. I can feel my hands shaking, I lost so many people I loved and now I'm not ready for this.

I approached her bed where she was lying.. she looked pale.. I can feel her pain she was finding it hard to breathe and every time she tried to move she started to feel severe pain in her joints.

"Sultana" I whispered as I lowered myself beside her bed and held her hand "The doctors will be here in a few moments don't worry"

She coughed a little and opened her eyes, she was gathering her strength to say something "No... No more doctors" Her eyes glistened with tears "No more pain" She squeezed my hand a little then tried to breathe deeply "I want my family around me now"

I wiped my tears then gestured to the maid to call everyone... Mehmet, my sons and daughters, also Hafize and Razye who spent the last month here.

Aysun climbed onto Safiye's bed and put her head in her grandmother's lap crying quietly, she's only nine and Safiye Sultan is the closest person to her, now if she lose her it will be the first shock of her life and that's something I don't want my daughter to go through.

The first ones to arrive were the doctors, they quickly entered and started examining Safiye Sultan while I stood behind them hugging Aysun and trying to make her stop crying... but you can't stop a child from crying while you're crying too.

After about half an hour everyone in the room was gathered around her bed and the doctors left after doing their job.

"I don't want to see these tears" She coughed a little then continued "I don't want our last memory to be like this" She turned to Mehmet who was beside her holding her hand "I had a magnificent life... thanks to you Mehmet"

She looked at her daughters "I raised you to be a strong women and you never let me down... I want you to complete what I started and always be ready to stand by your brother and the state"

After trying to catch her breath she whispered in a tired voice "Nurgül, you are a wonderful person take care of yourself and Selim, Ibrahim, Bayezid, Aysun, Orhan, Aydan and Murad" She said their names as she ran her eyes over them one by one.

She slowly raised her hand and passed it over Aysun's hair "I don't want you to cry, I told you before that strong women face everything with courage"

We remained sitting around her, everyone kissed her hand then less than an hour later she was gone...

≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾

-A month later-

It's spring, everyone is supposed to be happy, this is the season of joy, but tension was hanging over the palace, Mehmet will leave today for the campaign, and this made me, our sons and his sisters in a state of anxiety and hesitation.

I still can't get over the nightmare I saw, I didn't tell anyone about it, because tey say that when you tell a dream to someone, it becomes true, and seeing Mehmet's crown like that terrified me a lot.

I entered his room to find him ready, he looks so great in those clothes, may God grant him victory...

I approached him and then stood in front of him trying to avoid looking into his eyes "So it's time" I started adjusting his clothes a little "Okay, you shouldn't be late" I felt tears filling my eyes, but I kept calm "Your sisters and the children are waiting for you, they want to say goodbye to you" I took his sword and started putting it in its appropriate place "Also.."

He put his hand under my chin and lifted my head a little "Hey hey... Why are you crying, butterfly?"

I nodded then lowered my eyes again "Nothing.. It's just.." I couldn't finish my sentence as I felt a choking sensation in my throat.

He put his hand behind my hair then pulled me into his embrace "shh" He ran his other hand behind my back "Everything will be fine" I could feel his smile as he added "I literally spent the whole morning trying to silence Aysun and Aydan... They were crying for hours" He took my face in his hands looking into my eyes "Is it their mom's turn now?"

"You have no idea how worried I am" I took his hand and placed it over my heart "I have a bad feeling... I can't even sleep at night and now how will I spend these months with you away"

"I will send you dozens of letters just like the previous two times" He started running his fingers to wipe my tears "I want you to be strong and take care of everything in my absence" He moved away a little and took a brown book from his desk "There are important things regarding the state that I wrote here" He put it in my hands "Don't tell anyone about it and keep it safe with you until I return"

I moved my head to look at the book "Don't worry" I smiled a little "My prayers will be with you"

He ran his hand over my arm "Also the harem is under your control... I trust you" He placed a kiss on my forehead then started kissing my lips.. After a short time we arrived where everyone was waiting for him.

Hafize and Razye kissed his hands "Inshallah, may you be victorious, brother" You could feel the hidden worry in their voices, it's not just their brother who is going on this campaign, even their husbands will be there with him.

Selim kissed his father's hand then looked at him proudly even though he wanted to accompany his father so badly "Don't worry father, everyone here will be under my protection"

Mehmet smiled and patted him on the shoulder "I know that and I trust you"

He stood in front of Ibrahim and Bayezid then gave them his hand with a smile "Behave well" He said his sentence while focusing more on Bayezid.

Ibrahim nodded "Of course we will"

"My dear Aysun" He placed a kiss on her forehead "My prayers are with you, father" she managed to say trying to smile.

He nodded slightly then stood in front of Orhan "Father, did you do what I told you?" He said innocently.

Mehmet laughed a little then looked at the rest of the boys "Yes Orhan, they will let you join them in their training don't worry"

Orhan's face showed excitement, he always wanted to use the sword but his brothers considered him the youngest and would only cause them anxiety and annoyance.

"Aydan.. my dear daughter" he carried her and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"We will miss you dad" she placed a kiss on his cheek "Don't be late"

He smiled looking into her eyes tenderly "I promise I won't do that"

I took Murad from the maid then approached Mehmet, he placed a kiss on his hand then placed another kiss on my forehead, he kept looking at me for a few seconds which seemed like hours of exchanging glances...
then he left.

In the stillness, I wait, heart heavy with doubt
Yet a spark of hope flickers, refusing to fade.

The future looms, shadowed and unclear
But love whispers softly, urging me to believe.

Fear may grip me, but I embrace the unknown
For hope is the dawn that breaks the darkest night.