The Sultan and I

Chapter 48

The Sultan and I
Chapter 48

The clouds are dark as we march toward the imperial palace.

Nagtaas ako ng mga mata at ang madilim na kalangitan ang sumalubong sa aking paningin.

I breathe a heavy sigh, puffing a cloud of air out of my mouth.

Autumn must have come to an end now. Winter is fastly approaching.

Nagbaba ako ng mga mata at napatingin sa itim na kabayo na aking sinasakyan.

Jalil told me that the black horse of Zahir, which he named Altan, never allowed anyone to ride on him except for my husband.

He must have felt that what I was about to do will bring back the lost honor of his master while riding on him.

I was wearing dark armor, which fit my body surprisingly well. Jalil offered this to me after hearing that I would join the war in reclaiming the throne. The sword Petia had given me before she died was hanging by my side. The crown, which I unhesitantly put down before, is now on my head, shining with the help of a little sunlight from the sky.

Thousands of Ottoman army soldiers marched behind me, swearing allegiance to me and my family.

We managed to take over the whole capital and killed the Sultan's soldiers hovering around.

This war is ours.

Today, with a sword in my hand, I will lead my husband's army to take back everything that the traitors have taken from us.

"It is never too late to go back and allow us to do this, Sultana." Narinig kong sambit ni Jalil habang nakasakay ng kabayo sa tabi ko. "This is a war we're going into and no one know what might happen."

Ngunit hindi ko siya nilingon at nagpatuloy lang ako sa pagtanaw sa palasyo na malapit na naming maabot.

"You should stop worrying about such trivial things, Jalil. I've been wielding a sword for many years now." Simpleng sagot ko.

Mukhang nagulat siya sa sinabi ko. Kaagad siyang napatingin sa akin.

"What for? To kill your husband?" I can even hear the distrust in his voice.

This time, I turned to him and stared straight into his serious eyes.

"No. To protect him." I said.

Nasaksihan ko ang tuluyang pagkakatigil sa kanya habang hindi makapaniwalang napatingin sa akin.

But I can't blame him.

All this time, the people of the Ottoman Empire have always thought that their Haseki was a weak lady who did not dare hold anything in her husband's position.

Today I will show them.

I will show them that turning against me will not do any good.

All of my enemies shall perish today in my own hands.

Nang makarating kami sa harapan ng palasyo ay hindi na ako nagulat sa dami ng mga sundalo ng Sultan na sumalubong sa amin.

All that is left on Sultan Zulkahir's side is the rebel soldiers he brought with him when he came back to the palace, while the whole of the Ottoman army under my husband's rule stays on my side.

According to Murat's counting, we have the same number of soldiers. Now, it is up to God who He will side with today.

There are thousands of soldiers on Sultan Zulkahir's side who are waiting for us in the palace entrance. They raised all of their swords against us upon our arrival.