"Oh thank Allah, she's finally awake!" A nurse sighed happily. "Zevki Hatun -er-, Zevki Sultan."

I was confused. What had happened now? Did I fall asleep, and if so, how long was I passed out? 

I got up from my reclined position. "What do you mean? What happened?"

I looked down to check on my baby, but to my surprise, the bump was gone. My child... Was gone.

"WHERE IS MY CHILD?" I demand. "Did he die? Oh Lord please-"

"Zevki!" the Valide Sultan boomed. "Calm down. The child, children, didn't die."

"Children?" I ask confused. 

Sultan Süleyman, who was standing beside her, beamed. "Yes my precious Zevki, you had twins, a boy and a girl."

I was the mother of two children, two members of the dynasty. Mahidevran only has one. Hürrem will only have one. And a boy and a girl... That was a magnificent miracle they survived after what had happened to me, and I got even luckier knowing how they had turned out.

"A sehzade and Sultana," I breathed. "Can I see them?"

Two nurses came forward at Valide's beckoning. One was wrapped in a silver wool blanket, and the other was more of an ivory with a pattern at the top. "How beautiful."

I sighed. "Have they been named yet?"

"You woke up just in time, we will be having the ceremony in a few minutes in the Sultan's grand rooms. You are excused from the hospital, in good health, to observe."

"Thank you!" I smiled to the nurses. I got up, and at the Valide's pointing put on a nice new dress and then followed her. We walked through the harem, and I could suddenly feel power. Unfortunately most of the girls were going to rest so nobody could see me yet, but I will definitely make a scene at breakfast tomorrow morning, for the fun of it.

We entered the Sultan's rooms and bowed to Hatice Sultan who was waiting already, and after us came Mahidevran, who ultimately everyone mutually agreed to calling a Sultan, and Gülfem, who honestly quite deserved the title, but unfortunately as she wasn't a concubine things couldn't be done for her.

"Destur! Sultan Süleyman Khan Hazretdleri!" The doormen called. Everyone bowed as the Sultan came, with our two children in tow with the nurses.

"Thank you family and friends for coming." The Sultan smiled at me. "I will now choose names for the two new members of our dynasty."

He picked up our first child, our daughter. "He quietly chanted something in Arabic I couldn't quite hear, but then he kissed her forehead.

"Your name will be Raziye." He says out loud to us all. "Raziye, Raziye, Raziye."

I smile, and repeat what he said. "Raziye. What does it mean my Sultan?"

"It means content and womanly, because she has been pleasant and quiet, both very respected and good traits for an Ottoman Sultana." Sultan Süleyman responded.

The child, my daughter Raziye, was then handed to the Valide, who rubbed the forehead of her young grandchild.

"A granddaughter, how nice. It's about time we bring in some little girls here too." Valide laughed. I grinned as Hatice also took a turn holding the baby, mumbling something about it's nice having a niece, and she hoped to be involved in the Raziye's life.

After a few moments passed, the nurses brought forth my second child. My son, and my heir. He was my hope to be the future of the Ottoman dynasty, and be the next Sultan. I could then become just like Valide, and also have Raziye at my side. Things would then be so splendid.

The Sultan took him into his hands, and then again muttered similar chants in Arabic, as I tried my hardest to remain still. Valide, Hatice, and Gülfem were all praying, but I could see Mahidevran was trying her hardest not to boil over this embarrassment. After all, in a single day she now had to worry about a new Sehzade and Sultana, both of which were now tools at my dispense. 

"Your name will be Murad. Murad. Murad." Sultan Süleyman declared. "Sehzade Murad."

Mahidevran's eyes almost bulged out, which probably meant it was a very good name, for me and my son at least.

"Murad means the one wished for, or desired," Gülfem leaned in and whispered to me. "A very special Arabic name."

I nod and whisper, "I am very proud and happy about this honor. This is incredible. An amazing son, but an equally amazing daughter as well. I hope to not ever fall short of my expectations for the Sultan."

I clearly whispered a little too loud, because Valide Hafsa Sultan turned to me and smiled. "So far, I have clear faith in you. Zevki, you have delivered exactly what I wanted of you, and even more, and Süleyman is clearly satisfied, so I think you have been very good."

My lips turned up very high and I bowed to her. "Thank you my Valide, I am very honored by your praises."

Valide nodded. "Good. Now then, I want you to make sure the children are always safe and grow up healthy and well educated to fulfill their duties. This includes my granddaughter."

"Yes, I agree. I want Raziye to receive equal quality education as Murad, and I want her to play an important role in the dynasty, as much as possible."

"Yes, girls are normally married off to Pashas as fast as possible for political alliances." Mahidevran chimed in, but then said in a lamented voice, "Shame though that's all they are useful for, including your daughter."

"Mahidevran, how dare you!" I exclaim, flabbergasted. This  was beyond her limits already to insult my new daughter.

"You don't even have a daughter of your own, but you find the will to insult me? After the sufferings and beatings I went through so I could deliver a precious gift willed by God to the dynasty?"

I faked some small tears, and Valide and Hatice looked at me worriedly, then Valide told Mahidevran to leave before she would get in trouble.

"Don't take her insults to heart," Gülfem says sympathetically. "Focus on your future. You have a bright one."

I smile. "Thank you, Gülfem."