sweet seduction

chapter 2

"Zehra hatun, take Ahmed to the bathhouse. We are to dine with valide sultana this afternoon" commanded the sultana as she finished dressing her daughter in a light blue dress with silver and gold bracelets. Her son orhan would match his twin along side his elder brother. 

Gülnihal had decided on wearing a mint green dress with a matching vail and her hair in two Dutch braids with a gold headpiece and necklace. She had for a few months now decided to support a vanilla scented perfume, it reminded her of her past life and family from back home. 

reminiscing about the past, Gülnihal slowly made her way to the valide's chambers. The older women had the most lavish chambers as well as the sultan himself. Gülnihal who had only visited Hatice a few times had come to the conclusion that the Sultans sisters chambers were the second best after the valides. Currently they were vacant since the sultana had shifted into her own palace. The brunette knew a few people already had their eyes on the chambers, herself included. 

" Valide" she announced herself by bowing and entering with her children. Ahmed ran right into her arms, he had a special place for his grandmother in his heart and wasn't shy to show it. In turn the older women dotted on him like no other. The twins on the other hand would grow restless in anyone's arms, they could bearly stand her maids.  They adored their mother and it showed, the sultan would often joke that his twins didn't seem to recognise their father. 

 For the next few hours Gülnihal and the sultana spoke in a formal yet friendly manner, the older women seemed to enjoy her company and would often ask for her just for a chat. It seemed that after mahidevran sultana she was the valide's favourite consort for her son. This made the brunette feel a smug type of joy, she did come on top after all. 

" Sultana, it's the holy Thursday night. Are you visiting the sultan today"? Asked a random concubine. 

Gülnihal had decided to entertain herself by visiting the girls with her daughter and huma hatun. The question caught her by suprise but she answered nevertheless.

" I don't think so, mahidevran sultana might be" she didn't even mention hurrem, after loosing favour she hadn't gained any Thursday nights nor did the sultan call for her other than to see his children. 

The concubines all gave her a startled look, they looked confused and at the same time eager for something unknown to her. 

" Why are you looking at me like this? What happened " she asked nervously, these damn girls were like little spies. They heated and saw things she could easily miss, no wonder the valide had said to have good relations with the harem girls. 

" Sultana forgive us, we thought you would have already known" said a girl with strawberry blonde hair. She didn't look very sorry thought the sultana in irritation.  Gülnihal encouraged her to go on, she wouldn't loose her temper on a girl who was obviously just trying to entertain herself in this palace. 

" I heard daye hatun telling sumbal agha that she heard hurrem sultana saying to nigar kalfa that she would be visiting the sultan today. Apparently he's expecting her" 

This made Gülnihal burst out laughing, she honestly thought it was a lie, it had to be. 

" Hatun, that isn't going to happen. You all are awear that only mahidevran sultana and I visit him on Thursday nights". 
  

She wasn't exaggerating, it had been like this ever since Ahmed was born, in fact it had created a hot gossip in the harem for weeks. Everyone expected hurrem to be forgiven after she fell pregnant. But fortunately that never happened and if Gülnihal had her way it never would. 

" Alright girls, I will be leaving know. My children will be asking after me"

with that she left, but her mind never drifted away from the conversation before. 

" Gülnihal where are you going" asked huma hatun as she put the twins in their separate cradles. 

The brunette haired sultana was selecting out a beautiful black dress with cuts in the sides, it's neckline was low and skirts fell onto the floor in a pool of black ink. It had been styled to look just like her favourites wardrobe but more elegant. 

" I'm going to visit the bathhouse, mahidevran sultana is not visiting the sultan since she's sick so I'll be going" 

Huma hatun smiled and said that she would attend to her, so they made their way to the bathhouse. Gülnihal made sure to take her selection of oils and soaps from the old palace with her. She still preferred their items over the ones that were provided in the main palace. 

Everything was going well, she was relaxing and huma hatun was rubbing soap into her hair when someone entered.

It was Esme and another girl who she could not name at that exact moment. They put down some items and Gülnihal thought that they were here to bath at first. Wishful thinking.

In came hurrem, a towel wrapped around her as she sat on the stool. She looked as if she was determined to do something, something big. Gülnihal honestly couldn't think of anything to say or do. 

Instead she turned to her companion, the woman only shook her head and finished up her Sultana's bath. Then she dried her and rubbed oils into her arms and legs. All while hurrem watched in amusement. 

" Sultana we should leave now, the sultan will be waiting" said huma as she helped her into a silk robe. 

With a final glance at hurrem she nodded and left, she only had one thing on her mind and that was to have this night with the sultan.