"Sultana, Mahfiruz Sultana has called for you." maid that I have never seen in my life has said to me as she came inside my chambers.

I looked at her with confusion as I didn't know why someone of my servants didn't notice me about that.

"Why they haven't said it to Musa or Leyla, but they have sent you?" I asked her because after everything that happened I was really paranoic about who should I believe.

"Mahfiruz Sultana sent me, I am her servant. She wants to meet you because of your preparations for wedding." maid said and I followed her but made sure my most loyal maids are going with me.

I entered Mahfiruz's chambers where I saw Esmahan looking fabrics from which wedding dresses and new dresses after our marriage will be sewn.

" Handan, join us and pick the one you like." Mahfiruz said to me with her head raised and showed me to sit there with them.

As I could see Esmahan became really close with Mahfiruz after she helped her to marry Kapudan Murad, which I also wanted to marry. Since that moment, Esmahan stopped all of her connections and relations with me and turned to Mahfiruz, which really hurted me as she was my sister.

Maids came and served us sherbet and lokums to have fun while we chose the fabrics, but spending time with them was least what I wanted.

"I heard you aren't happy to be married with Iskender Paşa? That's sad, he is very talented and intelligent man, and he is even Grand Vizier." Mahfiruz said to me in mockingly tone trying to make fun of me even more as she hated me a lot.

"Who would be happy when their sister would be with man they want? Everyone would feel same way as her." Esmahan said in the same tone of voice as Mahfiruz and they both laughed.

I didn't want to fight with them as I knew they tried to do whatever was important to get rid of me. I understood Mahfiruz hates me, but Esmahan was my sister and my blood and she was the one who made things to be like this.

"I guess the thing what hurts the most is when you know you will have to spend rest of your life with man who loves your sister and not you." I said in the same tone of them and looked at Esmahan who frooze at my words.

"But you don't love Iskender, that marriage can't be the happy one." Mahfiruz said trying to annoy me even more, but what she didn't know was that I started loving Iskender each day even more.

"That is what you think, Sultana. My father also never liked you, but you survived it." I fake smiled and stood up leaving them alone.

I went to visit my brother Sultan Mehmed as for real I wanted him to hurry up with preparations for wedding. I couldn’t stand anymore being in this Palace and being threatened by everyone.

While I was walking there I saw a young maid which was a helper of Mahfiruz Sultana talking with Iskender.

I stopped at the end of hallway trying to be as more silent as possible to hear what they are talking about.

"Paşa, since my young age, since you were in Sanjak with our Sultan Mehmed, I fell in love with you. You promised me that you will marry me one day and free me from the service in Harem." girl said in sad tone while her eyes were filled with tears.

"Gülçiçek, we were children then. I thought like that... I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I will get married soon. Don't except to have anything with me because that is forbidden." Iskender said seriously not caring for the maid's tears.

"You will marry her just for the power, you don't even like her." Gülçiçek said and looked at Iskender who just looked at the floor not saying even a word.

"So you like her?" Gülçiçek barely could ask as she started crying.

"I do. I really like her, I fell in love with her." Iskender said and looked at Gülçiçek.

"But we should have married..." Gülçiçek said trying to beg Iskender for his love, but he didn't even want to listen to her.

"I don't want to talk about this even once again. I love Handan Sultana and I don't her ever in life make sad so I don't want you to repeat this even once again." Iskender said and walked into his working chambers.

Gülçiçek left the hallway where she bumped into me and when she saw me she froze and bowed to me.

" S... Sul... Sultana..." Gülçiçek said as she was probably afraid that I heard everything, as I did.

"You shouldn't walk around here. Your duty is to serve Valide Sultan in Harem, not to go around the viziers." I said to her seriously when she was afraid of me even more.

"Sultana... I am sorry... I should go to Harem..." Gülçiçek said and ran away to the Harem from the fear from me.

I went inside Iskender's working chambers as I wanted to find out what this all was about.

I entered his chambers and saw him reading a book, but when he saw me he immediatley got up and bowed to me.

"Sultana." Iskender said and bowed to me with a smile when he saw me.

"I wanted to visit you after I saw maid walking out from your chambers." I said as I wanted to test his loyality to me and if he would tell me the truth or he would make up a lie for me.

"Oh, that was Gülçiçek Hatun. She always thought we will get married one day, and I can't get rid of her." Iskender said and I was happy with his answer that he didn't lie to me.

At one moment I felt such a pain inside my stomach that was hurting me a lot. At one moment I could see everything double in front of my eyes.

" Sultana, are you fine?" Iskender worriedly asked me as he walked closer to me, but in front of my eyes I could see two Iskenders how everything was so blurry in my eyes.

He took me in his hands, but few seconds after I fainted.

"Aghas, call the doctors." Iskender yelled so loudly so everyone could hear him.

He took Handan in his hands in bridal style and putted her to lay down on his bed in his working chambers.

Very soon Sultan Mehmed came insife Iskender's chambers as they were next doors, when he heard Iskender's scream.

"Iskender? What happened to Handan?" Mehmed yelled from fear when he saw Handan laying down uncoscious.