Melek Sultan
Sanjak of Bosnia, 1st September 1515

I walked to the local church alongside my Mother, my little Sister Dragana and my soon to be Husband Jovan. Today is my Engagement Day.
As soon as Sunday Mass started, a young boy from our village ran into the church and yelled: "The Tartars are coming!". Then Tatar Men came into the church, killing or hurting or kidnapping people. I saw Dragana getting stabbed by one of the Tatars, then my Mother,my Father and lastly Jovan. They all got killed before my eyes. Two of the Bastards dragged me away to a ship that was sailing towards a province called Manisa.

Manisa,15th September 1515
When me and some other Girls arrived there we were checked out by the Royal Physician to see if we were virgins and healthy enough to bear a child. After we got checked up we went to the Hammam and bathed there. We then were ordered to sleep. The next day I saw a older Lady and a young woman who is holding a infant walking around the Harem.

One of the Kalfas told us to bow. So, I did. I was not told to look at the Ladies until they passed by, but I stared at the older Lady. The older Lady turned out to be Ayşe Hafsa  Sultan, the Mother of the Prince. She whispered something to one of her servants whoose name was Daye Hatun.

Daye Hatun then announced that a party would be held for the prince or the Şehzade as they call him. I was dragged into a different room in the Harem with some other girls. There they told me  we would dance for the Şehzade. I once again went to the  Hammam to bathe and I chose a sea-blue and salmon-pink dress. As soon as I arrived at the hall the prince was in, I started
to dance my heart out. I made sure that I caught the attention of the Şehzade, so I could be one of his favourites.

After the music had ended, everyone exept the Şehzade and me left the room. I imediately bowed down to him and kissed his robe. He gently grabed my chin and helped me get up. I looked in to his eyes. His sea-blue eyes were majestic as he himself was. He pulled me closer to him and asked me my name. "My name is Marta, Şehzadem!", I responded. Then he  kissed my lips. I never wanted to fall in love with him,but at that moment I did. I forgot about Jovan at that moment. He then slowly kissed my neck and we undressed each other. He and I became "one" that night.

Manisa, 16th October 1515
I walked to the bedroom of Şehzade Süleyman. As soon as I arrived there I was stopped by a guard. He told me that Mahidevran Sultan was with the Şehzade. "I need to tell the Şehzade very important news. Please let me in!" "Let her in", I heard Süleyman say. I saw Mahidevran angrily leaving the room. "My dear Marta, what important news do you have to tell me?, he asked me.

"Süleyman, I am pregnant!", I said. He hugged and kissed me. "Marta, you made me happy!", he exclaimed. "Süleyman, I need to ask you a favour!I want to become Muslim! I want to believe in your God, I want to see the World the way you see it!" He put a scarf on my head and helped me convert to Islam. "Your name shall be Melek", he told me. It means Angel in Arabic.

Manisa, 19th May 1516

"Sultanim! Melek Hatun is in labor! If God wills it, she will have a daughter! "Meleksima, she will surely give birth to a daughter!", Mahidevran told her Servant.

Soon the Palace halls were filled with the cries of a baby. Melek gave birth to a son and a daughter but the daughter was stillborn. The son was named Demir. The dead daughter was named Handan. Şehzade Süleyman gifted Melek a tulip shaped necklace that signalised that she was a member of the Ottoman Dynasty. Then Ayşe Hafsa Sultan entered the room

"Melek Sultan, you know that from now on you will not visit the Şehzades Chambers. You have given birth to a son. The rules of the Harem are: 1 Concubine, 1 son. Please accept my condolences.", Ayşe Hafsa Sultan said to me.

The next day the dead infant was burried. Melek Sultan was devastated by the death of her child. But atleast Süleyman was at her side comforting her in the time of sadness.

"Melek Sultan, how is your daughter? Oh right, she is dead!", she said.

"Don’t you dare to mention her with your dirty mouth, Mahidevran!" I screamed at her.

I wanted to hit Mahidevran so bad but I knew she was not worthy of my beautiful hands hitting her ugly face, so instead I walked away from a  piece of trash called Mahidevran Sultan. But as soon as I entered my Chamber, I burst out crying. Süleyman heard me crying and asked me why I was crying.

"Süleyman, Mahidevran Sultan insulted our Handan.", I responded.

Then the Şehzade walked out of the room.
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Written by :
MedinaHadziefendic7