Sands of the past (II)

The Sultan continue to stand over his daughters. He straighten his back and look at the rest of his children. 

"I never thought that at this age. I have to deal with this.I left too many rotten apples in the basket. Now i have to cut off all the rotten parts." 

"My father, can i say something?"

He raise his hand and put his arms behind his back. He look at Banou and wonder what she will say. 

"My mother and your mothers, whatever the misunderstanding should be over now. Our mothers are long dead. We are left with our father now. However hearing the two eldest princesses, i must say that my mother is a simple person. She is just a palace servant. She have no family. She have nothing to her name. Even though i don't remember her nor i know her character. I don't believe what your mothers say. Like father said, the tube must have cut off the air that the baby needs. I have seen this in medical books. Plus we are all mothers. We have all given birth to children. Don't you know this? Can you deny that you don't know there is a tube in our body together with the unborn child in our body." 

The daughters all remain quiet. 

"Regarding to how we grow up together. I know everyone here dislike my birth and keep reminding me that my mother is a low born. I should be grateful. Believe me, i am grateful. Thus i never fight back. I never argue. I never talk back. Whatever you want to do, i will allow any of you to do so. However, we have all grown up. We are all parents of other children. Why is this childish act still happening? Is this what you want your children to learn?"

Her brothers looks at Banou and they agree with her what she said. 

"My sisters, Banou said is correct. The past is in the past now. We should put it behind. Now we should focus on our children and the future of this empire. As brothers, we understand and will support father and our eldest brother the crown prince. In any event, we will support is the Ottoman empire."

All the sons of the Sultan nod their heads. Now the daughters of the Sultan still remain in silence. 

"Is this what your mother have raised you Adam?! You forget how much she..."

"Defne, our mother's misery, she bought it on herself. She make herself a victim of an event that you know too that Banou's mother never come close to us. Her mother was isolated from us. Yet mother blame her for everything that goes wrong."

"She is a witch! That's why! She does things behind the door!"

"Do you have any evidence!"

She remain silence. Then she whisper 

"Mother say so, i will stand by her words."

The Sultan gives up by throwing his hands in the air. He sit sits on his throne and look at all the female in his family. With s stern face, he ask. 

"Do you, all my daughters except for Banou, thinks this as well?"

"NO father! I.. I just follow the eldest. If i don't listen to her... i will be like Banou."

Another two more daughters of the Sultan say the same thing. He stare at the two daughters on the floor. 

"These two rotten apples are beyond cure. As a ruler of this empire i have to sentence them in public. However as a family i cannot do that to my flesh and blood. Thus, i will lock them up till their dying days. This is my punishment to you my two daughters." 

The two daughters look up to the Sultan. They rage and protest. The Sultan order to gag them. As they struggle and move about. The imperial soldiers hold them down as the Sultan speaks. 

"As a father of these two, i will have them lock up in their own room. Meals will be provided. However they will not have privilege like prisoners. They will not be beaten. They will have no guest. They will have only books to read. If they choose to tear it up, it's their choice. Personal maid is not allow in the palace. She will remain in Defne husband's house. Defne's children who will be coming here for lessons will not be seeing their mother. They will make to understand that why their mother is being punish. If Azedeh and Defne should be alive till the next succession of the throne, the new ruler will decide their fate." 

He wave his hand and Halil along with the imperial guards drag the two princesses to the rooms that they will be lock in. 

"The rest of my sons and daughters is there anything else you would like to say."

"Father, please be show some mercy to them. At least ..."

"They show they are stubborn and beyond understanding of what was said. Defne refused to accept the medical explanation. She as a mother have set a bad example. Besides that she try to strangle Banou to death. This is not acceptable in the Ottoman family. We are raised to defend our family. Our knifes are raise at enemies not at family members!"

"What about Bardiya?"

"That boy... he is ... mentally unsound for now. I have doctors watching him daily. He and Azedeh is unfortunate. He will remain at where he is. He is not punished as i have done enough. He will live till his dying days."

"My sons and daughters. To conclude for today, arrange to have your children sent here for lessons starting three days later from today. Halil will arrange everything. Banou, if Xing and Nan could join for a lesson or two, it will be good."

"Father we will be leaving soon however if you want my sons to attend the lessons. I will advise them to attend it."

"Hmm. Before you all go back to Tang, Let's have an outing for the royal families together. It has been along time." 

With this the family court is conjure. While the Sultan watch what his children are doing, instead of them walking off, the brothers walk up to Banou and apologise for the things that happen in their childhood. Banou gracefully accepted. He smile as this is the first step for Banou. He watch the daughters walk off the hall. Everything have to start from little steps at a time. Hopefully, the past will be buried in the sands and Banou can smoothly raise to the co-regent as he wanted her to do.