"Bayezid, what is worrying you?" I asked my brother as I entered his chambers. After hearing Kasim's conversation with the concubine who was pregnant, I couldn't believe that he would do something like that and break Murad's orders knowing he might risk his own life that way.

"I know something that worries me a lot and I am afraid," he sighed as he sat down on the couch and looked down at the floor. He was really anxious and my heart was breaking when I would see my brother hurt like this.

"You know you can tell everything to me," I sat next to him hoping that I could at least listen to him and make him better in any possible way.

"Ibrahim has said something to me that makes me really worried I could stay without a brother, and I couldn't believe how all of this happened without anyone knowing," Bayezid sighed.

I was pretty sure he knew the same thing as I did, and I would of course tell to him what I knew. But I knew if anyone else would hear about this that it would be Kasim's end that not even Kosem could help him in this situation.

"Kasim had a concubine," Bayezid said silently and I knew how bad was the situation as already many of us knew about it.

"She's pregnant," I looked down at the floor knowing Kasim was in trouble. Bayezid's eyes widened at the information he still didn't know and only now realised how serious the situation is.

"I don't know how he could allow himself to do this," Bayezid was really worried for Kasim who was a year younger than us. Even though we didn't share the same mother we always loved our siblings no matter what and nothing could separate us.

"Because he thinks Kosem will always stand behind his back and protect him. But in this situation, if Murad finds out about it, no one will be able to save him," I said hoping Bayezid would now realise severeness of my previous words and why I was so overprotective over him.

"You think Murad would kill him if he would find out about this?" Bayezid asked.

"He would punish him, but I'm not sure if he would kill him. Kosem would protect him always," I said as in that moment our mother came to our room and we quickly changed our mood to happy for her not to find out about something, as she probably wouldn't be so sad for Kasim as we were since he wasn't her son.

"What are you two talking about?" She asked as she came and sat on the opposite side of us. She was really curious of everything and if she would find out about this she would only use it against Kosem.

"Nothing, we were just discussing something," I said before Bayezid could say anything to her because I knew he would, and I had no time to mention this to him because he didn't know yet what kind of dreams our mother has for him.

"Bayezid?" Mother looked at him as he didn't change his face expression and it was very easy to recognise that he isn't feeling well and something was bothering him.

"Something bad happened Valide," Bayezid said as I tried to give him as much as possible of signals not to tell those things, but he couldn't even see them as his mind was occupied with worries.

"What is it?" Mother asked as she started to fear something bad happened to Bayezid, but just in that moment my maid Gulfidan entered the chambers, as she always was with me and noticed me about everything.

"Sehzadem, Sultanas, His Majesty is asking for Sehzade Bayezid's presence. He wants to take you out to the city," Gulfidan said as mother's eyes widened in that moment. She looked at her, then at Bayezid and me.

"Should I be afraid?" She asked me as Bayezid got up.

"No, Valide. Don't worry," Bayezid said and got up leaving the two of us alone. Mother nodded to Gulfidan to leave chambers since she didn't like anyone hearing our talks, beside her loyal eunuch which was always with her, but she even dismissed him this time.

"What is worrying Bayezid?" She asked immediately when everyone got out.

"It is nothing about Bayezid, Validam. You have nothing to worry over because we would inform you if something bad happened," I reassured her not to worry but since she was mother she couldn't not to worry when her soon didn't seem to be well.

"Then about who is it?" She asked.

"It's about Murad," I lied.

"What about him?" She asked.

"Hungarian princess wants him to marry her, and it might make trouble for him if he actually does that and people find out about it. You know, Sultan can't marry any princess that is heir to the throne," I said the story which I heard the last that would be suitable enough to make my mother calm.

"Why that does to have bother Bayezid when those are excellent news for us?" Her smile widened at the mention of anything that could go into her favour.

"Because Murad is also our brother and people outside of the palace are mad at every decision he makes. We don't need any riot in Istanbul because that might not affect only Murad, but also Bayezid."

She looked at me and then looked at another side. I knew she wanted to hear some better news, because with this she couldn't achieve anything from Kosem to force Murad to allow her stay here. News of Kasim would make for sure them all allow my mother to stay here, but I didn't want to lose my brother. In myself I had a serious battle of doing everything to protect my brother, or saying those things to make sure my mother spends more time with me.

"Sultanim, why is your mother worried for Sehzade Bayezid? I hope nothing bad is happening," Gulfidan said as I returned to my chambers and it was weird for me that she asked me those things. She has spent whole life with me as she was my maid, and she was my only true friend in this palace.

"Everything is fine, you think I would be so calm if something bad happened to my brother?" I said.

"I hope he will always be fine," Gulfidan said probably not even being aware I understood from her words that she likes my brother. She never talked this way about anyone else and I knew he catched her eye in the previous time, but he couldn't have any maid since he was a prince and couldn't have any child since Gulfidan was at the end part of Murad's harem who worked in my service; if Murad would ever ask for her I would have to dismiss her from my service because his order was the most important and no one could question it.

"Don't think about Bayezid because he is forbidden with you. Don't think of anything that could put my brother's life in danger," I said seriously wanting her to know that there is nothing from those emotions and she should totally forget about them.

"Sultanim, I... I never thought-" she started excusing herself but she didn't have words. She knew I knew what she felt.

"You will stop these emotions otherwise I will have to dismiss you and send you to the Old Palace and you for sure don't want that to happen," I said.

"Of course," she bowed her head down.

I continued to walk as I wanted to see Kasim and talk with him. I knew I shouldn't involve into this but I wanted to protect him same way I wanted to protect Bayezid because he was my brother.

I opened the doors of his chambers and nodded to all the maids to leave. He sat down on his bed and with his face expression I saw he is not feeling well.

"How are you?" I asked as I sat on the couch which was placed next to his bed. I didn't even have to ask him because I saw everything on his face.

"There were better days," he said trying to hide his emotions, but it was impossible.

"Is it about Elanur?" I asked him after I found out the name of the maid since Gulfidan knew everyone in harem. His eyes widened and he raised his head to look at me really surprised as I knew it.

"How?" He asked me.

"I walked through the harem and heard the conversation of you two. Luckily it was just me who heard otherwise it might have been way worse," I said to him.

I saw he made some defensive expression as he didn't want to admit those things. I wasn't his sister same as Atike and Gevherhan were but we grew up and I wanted him to know that he can believe me.

"Don't you dare to ever say that to anyone," Kasim hissed at me as he stopped showing his sadness. I was hurt somehow when he hissed at me because he obviously didn't believe me.

"I would never say those things to anyone Kasim. You are my brother and I only want you to feel good. I am sure your mother will take care of the things so this will be hidden from Murad," I said.

"If Murad finds out about this it's going to be my end. No one knows this beside Ibrahim, my mother and you so if someone finds out I will know you are responsible for that," he said still not caring how I cared for him but rather wanted to defend himself and make me afraid, but he didn't know I rather choose to protect him than keeping my mother inside the palace.

"I promise to you I won't talk about this with anyone because I wouldn't allow myself to be responsible of anything happening to you," I said.

Throwback

"If you want to have any chance with my son Bayezid, you will find me any possible reason to make sure Kosem must allow me to stay in this palace. Be with Fatma always especially when she is with Atike and Gevherhan, or Kosem's sons. Then you will be able to hear many things which will be able to save me and make favour for you," Gulbahar Sultan said to her daughter Fatma Sultan's maid Gulfidan Hatun, who worked for her always.

"Sultanim, I'm afraid of that. If Fatma Sultan finds out about this she will dismiss me because she doesn't want me close to her brother for me not making trouble to him," Gulfidan said as she was afraid to do anything Gulbahar Sultana ordered her to, but in the same time she was also afraid of Gulbahar and knew that if she didn't do what she ordered she could also be dismissed from the palace and that meant she would never be able to see Bayezid again.

"Do you love Bayezid?" Gulbahar asked as she placed her hand on Gulfidan's chin. She knew the young maid was afraid of her so she used to play on the safe hand with threatening her with her love interest.

"I do, more than my own life," Gulfidan looked at Sultana, but then looked at the floor again since she was ashamed to admit her emotions to mother of the man she loved so much for years.

"Then I am your only hope to unite you with Bayezid. You will decide if it's more important to you to be a servant in the palace or one day a woman of Sehzade Bayezid," Gulbahar manipulatively said knowing that Gulfidan would do whatever is needed.