𝕊𝕖𝕝𝕔𝕦𝕜𝕝𝕦 𝕐𝕖𝕟𝕚 𝕊𝕦𝕝𝕥𝕒𝕟丨𝕊𝕖𝕝𝕛𝕦𝕜'𝕤 ℕ𝕖𝕨 𝕊𝕦𝕝𝕥𝕒𝕟

ⓞⓝⓔ

Zunere Hatun jumped up and down in her room, over excited. 'Laila, I'm super excited to meet my brother Osman and Ana.' She hugged Laila tight, and almost pushed them both over. 'Sakin ol, Zunere, we need to wait.' 'Oh, but I can't.' At that moment, Maveri Hatun, the midwife, walked in, with a sad expression on her face. Unfortunately, Zunere didn't notice, and she jumped up in pleasure. 'Can I see my kardas and ana, now, Maveri?' Maveri sighed, before replying, 'Yes, you can.'

Zunere ran from her room, her veil flying up behind her. The guards opened up her mother's room, and she stepped inside. That's when it hit her. Her mother was on the bed, very pale, breathing deep and slow. A small baby, with big eyes, was held in her hands. The Sultan wiped a tear away. 'Ana?' She sat carefully on the side of the bed, and took one of her mother's hands in hers. 'Zunere'm. Bak, your brother, Osman.' Ailey Hatun was having a hard time breathing, let alone speaking.

Zunere took Osman into her arms, and cooed over him. She looked over to her Ana, who was drastically losing colour. Melikshah also noticed this, and leaned in. 'Ailey?' 'Ana?' They both held her hands and tears dropped from her eyes. 'Melikshah'im, Zunere'm, ahh, Osman'im. My time has come. Melikshah, I gave you your heir. Prosper our devlet from him. Zunere, look after your brother. He is your duty. Listen to your father, and be powerful. My death shouldn't sadden you.' And with that, her eyes glazed over, and she breathed her last breath.

'Ana? Ana!' Zunere shook her mother with her free hand, but Ailey didn't wake up. Melikshah did the same, but with the same results. 'Hayir, Ana! Gitme!' Zunere screamed and shouted whilst Laila took Osman and tried to calm her down. She beat against Maveri and tried to reach towards her mother, but she was pulled back. The Sultan closed the gazelle eyes, letting out his emotions. His daughter screamed, and cried. 'Why did you close her eyes?! I couldn't have enough of them!Ana!' Her screams quietened down into whispers, and as she was being taken into her room, she was still whispering. 'Why did you go Ana? Don't leave me here.'

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*5 years later*

'Osman? Osman, where are you, kardas'im?' Zunere jogged around the palace trying to look for her brother. She leaned against the wall, as she was out of breath. 'Abla!' She heard his voice and turned around to see Laila restraining Osman. She breathed out. And tears formed in her eyes. He had her mother's eyes, and smile. Today was his birthday, as well as her death day. She barely celebrated this day, and usually sat in her room doing dhikr for her Ana. But the Sultan convinced her to for today, as their was a fair in the city.

Zunere hadn't smiled or laughed ever since her mother's death, but she would talk, even though she didn't want to. The Sultan thought that there was something wrong with her, and all the doctors he sent her to, just said it was depression. Zunere hated being in the "depressed and delusional" aisle so she made it her goal to act better, one of the only reasons she agreed to go to the city.

'Osman, come on, get into your clothes. We will visit Ana's grave, and then go to the city. Remember, I'm only going because of you and Baba so don't let me down.' Osman ran into her arms, and Laila escorted him to his room to get him ready.

'Zunere, you don't have to go if you don't want to.' She whipped around to see Sultan Melikshah standing behind her. 'Yok, Bab-Sultan'im, I will go. I need it.' 'Zunere'm, kizim, call me Baba. It's been so long since you've called me that. I've now come to think you're scared of me.' 'I'm not scared, but you're our Sultan, and your Sultanate is more important than family.' Melikshah looked into her eyes. She had the eyes of her mother.

His hand reached up and stroked her cold face. 'Zunere'm, I would die for you. You and Osman are my whole life.' Zunere blushed, as Melikshah brought his daughter in for a hug. He kissed the top of her head and held her close.