Siege

A loud cry from somewhere in her apartments startled Sitt Hatun, and she sat up. A few seconds later, Anna burst into the room, a sword in her hand.

'What is it?' Sitt Hatun asked.

Anna tried to speak but no words came. Blood trailed from her mouth, and she slumped to the floor, revealing a deep wound in her back. Sitt Hatun knelt beside her. 'Who has done this?' she asked. 'What happened?'

Anna managed to mouth one word — Selim — before she choked on her own blood and went still, dead. Sitt Hatun took Anna's sword and hurried into Selim's room. Two members of the sultan's private guard stood over a third who lay on the floor unmoving, but Sitt Hatun ignored them. Her eyes were fixed on Selim. He was floating face down in his bath. Sitt Hatun dropped the sword and pushed past the guards. She lifted Selim from the water and held him to her, cradling the boy in her arms and gently rocking him. 'Selim, my angel,' she whispered to him. 'Wake up, my son. I am here now. Wake up.' But it was no use. Selim was dead. Sitt Hatun sank to the floor.

'The sultan is waiting for you,' one of the guards told her. 'You must come with us.'

The sultan: he had done this. Mehmed had killed her child. Sitt Hatun's grief transformed into rage, and she rose from the floor, still clutching Selim to her. 'Take me to him,' she told the guards. Mehmed stood in the hallway outside Sitt Hatun's quarters. Behind him stood several of his private guard, and out of the corner of his eye Mehmed noticed Gulbehar arrive with the boy Bayezid. No doubt Gulbehar had come to witness Sitt Hatun's fate.

The doors to Sitt Hatun's quarters swung open, and Sitt Hatun stormed out, holding Selim's lifeless body in her arms. 'How could you!' she screamed at Mehmed. She tried to slap him, but he caught her arm. 'He is only a child!'

'He was a bastard and the son of a traitor,' Mehmed replied.

'Look at him,' Sitt Hatun urged, thrusting Selim towards him. 'Look at him! He is your son!'

Mehmed looked at the boy. Selim's large, brown eyes were open and seemed to stare accusingly at Mehmed. They were Mehmed's eyes. There was no mistaking the resemblance.

Mehmed felt sick and looked away. 'Dispose of the boy,' he ordered his guards. He was suddenly desperate to have Selim gone, somewhere where the child's sad eyes would not be able to haunt him. 'Cast him into the river.'

The guards stepped forward to take Selim. 'No! No!' Sitt Hatun screamed as the guards wrested Selim from her. 'Selim! My child! Bring back my child!' As the guards disappeared with her son, Sitt Hatun collapsed to the ground, her energy gone. 'Kill me,' she said quietly, 'and be done with it.'

'You shall not die,' Mehmed replied. 'You saved my one true son, Bayezid, and so I shall spare your life. But you are dead to me, Sitt Hatun. You shall live out the rest of your life in exile, and you will never see my face again.' Two guards grabbed her arms, lifted her to her feet and dragged her away. Mehmed saw Gulbehar smirk as Sitt Hatun was dragged past her.

When Sitt Hatun was gone, Gulbehar stepped closer to Mehmed and slid her arm around his back. 'It is nothing less than she and her bastard child deserved,' she whispered.

Mehmed turned and slapped her hard. 'Do not think that I have forgotten your treachery, whore,' he said, his voice cold. He pulled Bayezid away from his mother. 'You may return to you quarters.' Mehmed walked away, pulling Bayezid after him.

'But my son!' Gulbehar cried.

'He is my son, and mine alone,' Mehmed told her. 'I will not let you poison him against me. Take her away.' The remaining guards stepped forward and pulled Gulbehar towards her quarters.

'Bayezid! My son!' Gulbehar cried as she was dragged away.

Bayezid began to cry. 'Selim,' he sobbed. 'Sitt Hatun.'

Mehmed lifted the boy and held him. 'Quiet, child,' he said. 'You must always remember: a sultan has no family, no friends, no lovers. He is married to the empire, and all are jealous of his bride.' Longo weakened rapidly after his interview with the sultan. He slept more and more, and even when he was awake he drifted in and out of consciousness. In his delirium, he sometimes spoke out loud, yelling for help to fend off the Turks. Mostly, however, he called out for Sofia, and she was always beside him to take his hand.

On the evening of the 12th of June, fourteen days after the fall of Constantinople, Longo's delirium broke, and he woke suddenly lucid from a troubled sleep. He felt tired, almost relaxed despite the burning pain in his chest, and he knew that his time was near. Sofia was seated in a chair beside him, asleep. She had drifted off keeping watch over him. Her eyes were dark from too many tears and too many sleepless nights. 'Sofia,' Longo whispered hoarsely, barely able to speak. 'Sofia.'

She awoke with a start and took his hand. 'You are awake,' she said. 'Are you thirsty? Shall I bring you water?'

Longo shook his head. 'Send in Nicolo. And tell him to bring a quill and parchment.' Sofia nodded and left. A minute later Nicolo entered the room.

'How are you, My Lord?'

'Never better,' Longo said and smiled weakly. Nicolo chuckled, but there were tears in his eyes. 'Write what I say,' Longo told him. Nicolo nodded and took a seat at the small table in the cabin. Between laboured breaths, Longo dictated his last will, leaving his title and all his property on Chios to William. Once William was dead, the lands would revert to Longo's children.

'William is young,' Longo said when it was done. 'Look after him for me, Nicolo. Make certain that his lands prosper.'

'I will,' Nicolo replied.

'Good. Now leave the paper and send in William, alone.' Nicolo left, and William entered and sat beside Longo. 'The paper,' Longo said, nodding towards his will. 'Take it. It is yours.'

William took the paper and read. 'But Sofia should have your lands.'

'No. You have more than earned them,' Longo said. 'I see myself in you, William. You have made me proud.'

'Thank you,' William said, looking away to hide his tears.

'Watch over Sofia for me. Watch over her and my child. You will be all the father that he ever knows. Promise me that you will protect him and treat him as your own.'

'I swear it.'

Longo nodded. 'Thank you, and goodbye, William. Send in Sofia when you go.' William took Longo's hand and pressed it; then he rose and left. Sofia entered and sat beside the bed. She carried a cup of water, which she held to his lips.

'Try to drink something,' she said. 'It will help.'

Longo shook his head. 'It is no use. It is too late for that.'

'Do not say that. You must fight.'

'This is one fight that I cannot win, Sofia,' Longo said. She took his hand, and they both fell silent. A wave of pain hit Longo, spreading out from his chest and contorting his body. The wave passed as suddenly as it had come, leaving him exhausted. He lay with his eyes closed, and Sofia leaned close to speak to him.

'Are you still there?'

'I am,' Longo whispered. 'I was thinking of that night on Corsica, our first kiss.'

'I remember. It was the first time that I ever kissed a man.'

'I thought that I would never see you again,' Longo said. 'But here we are, all three of us.'

'Yes, all three of us,' Sofia agreed, placing his hand on her stomach. 'If it is a boy, he shall have your name.'

'If it is a girl, name her Sofia.'

'I will.' Sofia turned away as tears filled her eyes.

'Do not weep for me,' Longo told her. 'My entire life has been one of battle and bloodshed, revenge and honour. You have given me something more. I am prepared to die.'

'I do not weep for you,' Sofia replied. 'I cry for myself and for our child. He shall never know you.'

'You will tell him about his father,' Longo said. 'About how he lived, and why he died. Our child shall know me through you.' Sofia nodded. Longo winced suddenly, his body again racked with pain. When the agony faded, it left him feeling tired and distant. He closed his eyes and sighed.