Neslihan's childhood

" Kasim hold on " i said running behind my little brother playing in the garden

" Catch me " kasim started running everywhere as i was already running out of breath

" neslihan i will not let him escape " my oldest brother mehmed grabbed kasim and embraced him as kasim started giggling .

" How can you not call me in " osman said stepping in as we all started laughing

" Kosem sultan has arrived " beyazid whispered to me as we all alligned bowing to her as she started walking towards us graciously

How much i loved if it was my mother walking down there instead , but she couldn't make it till this day leaving me and beyazid alone in this palace .

" I wanted to come call you personally , your father is waiting for you to have dinner together " i squealed happily to see my father as i grabbed beyazid's hand and Kasim.

We all walked towards my father's wing as he was already standing in the middle of the room

Kosem sultan walked to his side grabbing his arm as osman and mehmed walked towards him kissing his hand then murad and gevherhan followed him .

After my turn came as i walked towards my father kissing his hand

" The sultan of the world and my heart " i said hugging him tightly as he brushed my hair

" you are growing prettier each day my beautiful " he caressed my cheek before i went to stand next to murad waiting for beyazid and the little atike and ibrahim to pass

" You can sit " my father ordered as we all seated down , i sat between Mehmed and murad .

We started eating quietly as kosem sultan was speaking to my father , suddenly my father called my name making me look up

" Neslihan , i ordered for the plants you wanted and the gardeners will come tomorrow to your room to plant them " my eyes widened as my heart was going to explode from happiness

" Father , thank you " i happily spoke as he flashed me a smile

" Then from now on your room will become a garden " Murad teased me as he laughed with mehmed

" Just like you have a collection of swords i collect plants " i explained making him smile

" Mehmed , Osman i hope you didn't forget that we are going hunting this week " my father spoke putting down his fork on the table

" We are well prepared " osman replied grinning happily

My eyes started getting heavier as i really needed to sleep at the moment but my father getting up from his seat immediately shook me up as we all got up suddenly bowing to him

After he spoke to Kosem sultan , he dismissed us . We all walked down the hallway as i was grabbing tightly beyazid's hand as we walked towards my room

I was older than him , i was twelve and he was still eight so it was very n0⁰ormal for him to come to my room

" Dilara take my brother to his room and i want you to stay with him until he falls asleep " i ordered his maid who was waiting infront of my door

" Sister i don't want to sleep yet " The little beyazid pouted making me squat to his level

" Beyazid come on do you want me to get mad at you " my eyebrows narrowed as he looked down

" Fine " he pouted grabbing dilara's hand walking away as i watched their silhouette fade away .

I quickly went into my room and changed into my night dress . I pushed my hair to the side and started brushing my long black hair as i stared at my reflection .

I wished mother was there to do it for me , i wish she was with me and beyazid watching us grow up but her sudden illness had to distance her away from us .

I sighed before putting my brush down but before i could go to my bed the door opened revealing my brother

" Brother " i looked at mehmed in shock as he walked in

" Come with us " i looked at him in suspicion before he showed me a brush that was used to horses only

" Are you serious mehmed ? Brushing a horse in the middle of the night " i laughed making him chuckle a little bit

" it's fun just join us , also osman murad and gevherhan are there " i stood there thinking for a moment before i quickly put a cover around me to not catch cold and followed him .

We walked for a bit before we arrived to the stables where i indeed heard my siblings laugh

" Neslihan " gevherhan noticed me first before the others grabbing my hand

" Look at this one " she showed me a beautiful black horse and he had beautiful blue eyes but i couldn't see clearly as the only source of light was candles gevherhan had

" Mehmed what about a ride " murad proposed as our eyes widened

" The guards will notice us and my father will be very mad at us " i said trying to prevent them

" You and gevherhan will watch them for us plus we are just going on a quick ride around here don't worry "i looked at gevherhan who was also scared

" I swear if our parents find out they will punish us all and even the guards we tricked earlier " i looked at her again

" Did you trick the guards for this " i asked the three as they all nodded on union

" I can't , we will get ourselves in trouble " i said unsure but they just laughed

" We won't let you be punished trust me " osman assured us but we couldn't say no to our brothers so we just agreed

" Five rounds and you will comeback " i insisted as they were already untying the horses

" I swear if you don't comeback after these fuve rounds " gevherhan cutely threatned them as they couldn't take any of us seriously

" What are you gonna do , tell mom that i broke her mirror " Murad said jokingly getting on the horse with the help of osman .

" i will " gevherhan challenged him , soon after they started galloping away

" Gevherhan , what if we get caught " i panicked but she grabbed my hand

" We will act , just like i did last time when i fainted so you can drink coffee " i laughed as she brought up the memory up

They always restricted us from drinking coffee saying it was bad for kids like us but once i sneaked into the kitchen and drank it there as gevherhan was taking guard and when they came she fainted to get their attention

We waited for some minutes then it became hours that me and my sister started panicking

" They should've came back earlier , what if something happened to them " i said as my hands started sweating

" We should go back to the palace " she grabbed my hand to walk away

" but what are we going to do " i asked curiously

" We will go sleep and they sure will find their way back " she spoke as we walked discretly from the backdoor of the palace

" Disaster " haci agha's echo from the harem was already heard

" sehzade mehmed , osman and murad are missing " me and gevherhan looked at eachother not being able to move

" They know " i whispered as i took off the cover throwing it somewhere

" Sultanum " haci agha ran towards us and bowed

" His majesty wants to see you immediately " my heart stopped for a moment

" Fine " gevherhan spoke as she grabbed my hand making our way to my father's room .

After we faced his door we both froze in our places debating on what we should say

" i can't lie " i said in the last minute as she knocked in

" we should "she said as the door opened and we both looked infront of us stepping into the room and bowed

I stared at kasim , beyazid , ibrahim and atike who were all alligned bowing and we stood in line too infront of Kosem sultan and my father

" Who know where the princes are ? " my father raised his voice as i my fist was already sweating

" Your brothers might be in danger , if any of you know about where they went speak now " he again tried to be gentle as we all were still young

Gevherhan was thirteen, i was twelve and beyazid was eight . Kasim was seven and ibrahim and atike were still five

" I promise that i won't punish any of you " kosem sultan spoke trying to get us to speak

" I know " i stepped to the front dragging gevherhan with me

" Speak where are they " my father approached us as my heart was beating very fast

" They took horses and they only went to ride them but they didn't comeback " i said as my anxiety started attacking me again .

" Father please don't punish them " gevherhan took one step to the front begging our father who did nothing but called the aghas in

" Don't worry you did good " he squatted to our level and caressed our cheeks before he lefr the room .

I hoped nothing will happen to my brothers .