A woman is ready to do everything in order to keep a loving man by her side, until the moment the man starts making her feel worthless. Then she is ready to change everything and stop running for someone they don't deserve.

Manisa, 10th January 1515

I took a small sip of tea which was placed on the table in front of me. Gathering was made for all the women in imperial harem of prince Suleiman. I was sitting down on the pillows while here were Suleiman's mother Ayse Hafsa, and his first two consorts Safiye and Halime.

When I arrived, I only heard stories of them two hating each other, but since the news of my pregnancy, I saw they two have gotten along really well. Halime Sultan was pregnant once again even if that should have been forbidden, and because of that the favourite place in Ayse Hafsa's heart was taken by me.

She preferred me a lot since I came here and gifted me with many beautiful gifts. She herself taught me very important rules because she wanted me to be perfect for her son, unlike those two who arrived here before me.

"I wish we could be in Istanbul with my beloved Sultan Selim, he will arrive here in the moment when my next grandson from Mahidevran gets born and I can't wait for that moment," Ayse Hafsa said and we all knew she misses her husband since she is sent to Sanjak with her son as the traditions said it have to be.

"Not only her son will be born, but also mine," Halime said raising her head and looking at me from the higher position, but who was I to interrupt her. She was mother of a prince and very loved by Suleiman and I didn't have courage to say something to her.

"Punishment will come to you and you will give birth to a daughter because you lied to all of us," Ayse Hafsa said not even looking at her which made Safiye smile a bit, because she and Halime enjoyed fighting over the attention of Hafsa or Suleiman.

"That is not a punishment, but it was a God's will to gift His Majesty with another son," Halime said as she switched her look then at me and I could see her hate me in her eyes so much.

"Hafsa Sultan, why would it be bad if she gives birth to a daughter?" I asked and I could only see Safiye and Halime look at each other and laugh at my words because they thought I had no idea about anything, but I did knew the rules well.

"Absolutely nothing would be bad, little Sultana would be our huge blessing too, like we have our little Fahriye. But it will happen when she doesn't stop complaining about how she will born son," Hafsa said once again making Halime feel bad, but this woman like was of another kind because she seemed so indifferent to those things, like no one's words could ever hurt her and that was something I wish I could also have.

"Sultanim, I am sorry for interrupting you but His Majesty has called for someone," Sumbul bowed to the Sultanas.

"I should go," Halime said and she got up giving her son Mahmud in hands of her most trusted lady Menekse.

"I am sorry Sultanim, but His Majesty had called for Mahidevran Hatun," Sumbul said and this was the least thing I expected to happen now and I couldn't not to smile to Halime who seemed like she would explode from anger on me now, while Safiye was smiling at Halime's reaction.

"Your Majesty," I bowed to Suleiman and went to kiss his hand before he took me in a warm hug. I missed this man so much and every moment of separation from him hurted my heart so much.

"My Mahidevran, my most beautiful one, my spring rose, my Gulbahar, my everything," he whispered into my ears before kissing my forehead with so much of love.

"Every day being away from you makes us feel sad, I can't wait our little one to finally meet his father," I took his hand and placed it on my belly as I couldn't wait for the day my son will be born.

"Don't be sad because our little one feels sad too, I am always here for you my spring rose," his lips met mine so quickly.

Manisa, 17th May 1515

"Mahidevran Hatun, prince Suleiman ordered us to prepare special chambers for you since you are pregnant and he has sent you all of those gifts," Sumbul said when he found me in harem and many servants took big boxes full of gifts which Suleiman has sent to me. They had moved all of my things from favourites' wing and sent it to new chambers which will be only mine even if I haven't given birth yet and it made me so happy.

"Look at her, she is getting all of this while we got this only when we gave birth to a son," I could hear Safiye telling to Halime as they were standing somewhere in Harem as usual looking at everyone else with their head raised.

"Don't speak in my name, I got them too earlier," Halime said proudly once again trying to show Safiye she is better than her.

"But you haven't got so many gifts, and you haven't been spoiled in your pregnancy so much. Look at you, you are pregnant now and you aren't spoiled like Mahidevran is, think about that," Safiye once again filled Halime's head with various things and even though if Halime seemed as more dangerous person as if she would be able to harm me physical, Safiye was more dangerous because she was the mastermind behind everything.

"I am sorry Sultanas you don't like what our prince has gifted to me, I don't think there is need for us three to be enemies because we have to share one man," I walked towards them and bowed trying to make good relationship, because I didn't need to be the third one against who they unite.

"We are not enemies, Mahidevran. Why would I even consider you an enemy when you are not capable of being against us?" Halime asked once again in her indifferent mood, while Safiye just held her head high and let Halime speak.

"We have to share same man and we are all mother of his children, we shouldn't be one against each other because there is no sense in that. I do not want to be your enemy and have to worry what will happen to me if I make something that might hurt your feelings," I said hoping they would be reasonable and listen to me, but like usually the two of them looked at each other with a smirk and then at me.

"There is no need for you to worry Mahidevran. Why would you have to worry? Our biggest duty is to take care of our children and nothing else," Safiye said trying to sound nice to me and this was first time I saw her like this.

"That's what I wanted to say, I know it's hard when I'm a new concubine but-" I wanted to tell but Halime stopped me.

"You will understand us when some new woman comes and takes Suleiman from you and then you will behave like us, maybe even worse," Halime fake smiled.

"I won't," I hissed at them.

"We haven't done anything to you, you make up fake scenarios in your head. I will see you when another lady arrives," Halime said and they smiled.

"No other woman will come," I hissed back at them because I knew Suleiman loves me and he wouldn't look at another for a serious, but just for one night.

"Yes she will, and then you will turn evil, and then you will behave so bad, that you will wish you listened to us before," Safiye said before they left leaving me alone with my thoughts.

Manisa, 6th August 1515

"Your Majesty, congratulations, Mahidevran Hatun gave birth to a healthy son," nurse said when she took the baby and immediately gave it to Suleiman in his hands as Hafsa, Safiye and Halime worriedly came inside. But happiness was seen only on Hafsa and Suleiman.

"Your name will be Mustafa."

"My spring rose, I can't be more thankful to you than this when you gifted me with a son, my little lion cub," Suleiman said as he gave my newborn son into my hands, but just then we heard Halime scream as her time for birth has also came.

They sent her to another room and I could hear her yelling and I really wished to know if she gave birth to a son like she was telling to everyone she will, but I gave birth only two hours ago and I couldn't move.

"Halime Sultan gave birth to a daughter, prince has named her Dilruba," Safiye whispered to me with a winning smile on her face after she has found out.

Manisa, 21st October 1515

"Hatice Sultan, I really can't stand being away from Suleiman. I don't want him to have another concubines, if Halime didn't go by the rules, why should I go?" I asked Hatice as we were sitting in her chambers talking as we would usually do every day. I was really close with her and she trusted me a lot, to me she was like a sister who supported me so much in everything I would do.

"Suleiman is still a prince, that's why you should respect the rules. Suleiman loves you isn't that enough for you, he loves you the most out of all of his consorts," she patted my arm and I didn't know if her words were true. Something deep in my heart made me worried about all of this.

"But prince still loves Halime, I see he loves her," I said showing her my sadness and my biggest worry. Halime was the one who disliked me and I felt that I should be afraid of her, because she was ready to do something bad if things don't go her way.

"He does of course, but he loves you too. Don't preoccupy your mind with Halime, if you worry about them too much you will lose your true yourself because of who Suleiman fallen in love for you," she tried to reassure me from my fears.

"I don't preoccupy my mind only with Halime, but also with another concubines. Hafsa Sultan doesn't seem like she will stop sending the concubines to Suleiman and that makes me sad," tears were almost coming to my eyes because I thought she wouldn't send him more concubines. I didn't know why, but I thought she loves me and there won't be more new concubines.

"She has to, it's her duty. My father Sultan Selim also had another concubines and mother never complained about them because she wasn't able to. Suleiman must have heirs," Hatice said as she seemed kinda tired of my sadness, but she couldn't even imagine how I feel because she is born as Sultana.

"But he has already Mustafa, and Yahya and Mahmud also. Why does he need more of them?" I asked but Hatice took a deep breath and got up.

"I won't explain those things anymore Mahidevran, you will get used on the rules," she started to walk away, but I needed to say one more thing.

"You don't have empathy Sultanim because you will never have to be in our position, how would you feel in my place?" I asked her.

She just looked at me and laughed, but said nothing and left my chambers leaving me alone with my thoughts. I walked to the crib where Mustafa was sleeping and patted his head and kissed his tiny cheeks. My biggest worry were those women who tried to steal Suleiman from me, but little much I knew how one day I will have to be afraid for life of my only son.

I always questioned myself what would happen if I arrived to this harem first, if Suleiman didn't have any other consort beside me, would life of my son still be safe? Would my son be sure that one day he would ascend the Ottoman throne after his grandfather and then after his father?

With every new consort coming the possibility of birth of another prince was getting higher. There were already Safiye who had Yahya and Halime who had Mahmud and two of them were elder than Mustafa. I couldn't only imagine what could happen one day if one of them would have the throne for themselves.

"Mahidevran," a voice brought me back to reality from my thoughts which were hurting me a lot. I removed tears from my face and saw Safiye in front of me and I bowed to her, as she still was Sultan's first consort and was more powerful than me.

"Safiye Sultan, welcome here," I showed her to sit in my chambers next to me as I still tried to act like everything is fine and not that I am saddening because another woman will lay down in Suleiman's bed.

"You're crying Mahidevran, same way I was crying few years before," she said with a sad tone in her voice and this was the first time I saw her showing her emotions.

"You too felt like this?" I asked her being kinda confused, because I could never expect to see Safiye sad. She always held her head high and was seeming like nothing can hurt her. Even Halime respected her because of that, and I knew Halime was getting crazy when I came, but I couldn't imagine Safiye's behaviour when Halime came, because Safiye was like a real royal and seeing her showing her emotions seemed to be impossible.

"I was Suleiman's first love, his first consort. Mother of his first children. We had so beautiful life, but then Halime came, and because I acted bad towards her, Sultan punished me with the distance. Happily the distance didn't last for long, but it was enough to make her the first one in his heart," she said forcing herself not to cry and to sound calm, but I saw on her she isn't feeling good.

"What have you done to her?" I asked. Usually Halime threatened me but she has never done anything to me, but no matter of that I was afraid she would do something.

"I slapped her once, and that was enough for Suleiman to abandon me for some time. Don't repeat my mistakes, because his distance will punish you more than hundred of children with another women would," she said before getting up.

"Why did you tell me that?" I asked her.

"Because you know another woman will come, don't repeat my mistakes by hurting that woman, and Halime's mistakes by not listening to orders," she said before she left my chambers.