19 | Valide

                                    

                                          
He was gone, gone like the leaves blown in by the wind for a few moments, and for a few moments I lived life happily... it's time for a new chapter in my life. - Behic Sultan
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A soft knock at the door pulled Behic from her memories. She turned to see Abdul standing there, his hands fidgeting at his sides.
"Mother," he said quietly, his voice still tinged with the boyish tone of someone not quite yet a man. "Sanavber wants to go to the gardens. Will you come with us?"
Behic's heart softened at the sight of him. He was trying, just as she was, to navigate this new world without Osman. "Of course, my dear," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her.
As they walked through the palace halls toward the gardens, Behic couldn't help but feel the weight of the empire pressing down on her. Everywhere she turned, people looked to her for guidance, for strength. She was the de facto ruler now, at least until Abdullah was old enough to take the throne. But what did she know about ruling an empire? She was just a woman who had once been a girl named Valencia, who had dreamed of a simple life by the sea.
Yet, she had survived the impossible before. She had adapted, grown stronger. And she would do it again—this time, for her children, for Osman, and for the empire that now rested in her hands.
As they reached the gardens, Sanavber ran ahead, her laughter echoing through the air as she chased a butterfly. Abdul stayed by his mother's side, his face still somber. Behic placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"You are going to be a great sultan one day," she said softly. "Just like your father."
Abdul looked up at her, his young eyes filled with uncertainty. "But what if I'm not ready?"
"You will be," Behic replied, her voice firm but kind. "And until you are, I will be here to guide you. Together, we will make sure the empire thrives."
For a moment, Abdul was silent, then he nodded, as if her words had given him the strength he needed.
Behic watched her children play, the memories of her past still lingering at the edges of her mind. She wasn't the same girl who had once run through vineyards in Italy, nor was she the frightened girl stolen from her home. She was Valide Behic Sultan now—mother, ruler, survivor. And she would do whatever it took to protect her children and the empire they would one day inherit.
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, Behic took a deep breath, knowing that the road ahead would be difficult. But she was no stranger to hardship. She had overcome it before, and she would do so again.