It's been 3 weeks, my babies are already both over a month in age, and yet I am still so worried. Hürrem is an obvious threat to me, and even though I have a spy now over there, all the more reason to be treading more carefully. 

This was the Harem of the Topkapi Palace. The Ottoman Empire, where people were willing to do vicious and cruel things just to get into a desired position of power.

Even though I did have an idea I informed Nigar of yesterday, I still had my doubts overnight and wasn't sure how to proceed. This was tough business, and I am glad I have made it this far without breaking.

I recline against my bed, groaning as I stretch my arms and Aysel comes in with a cup of tea for me, my new morning routine.

"Sultana, do you need anything more?"

"Have you talked with Vera Hatun on how things are going over there?"

Aysel looks around cautiously and leans in to whisper in my ear. "Sultana, Vera said Hürrem gave her the name Hatice."

I laughed out loud. "Copying Sultana names for her maids? That's a new low."

"And also," Aysel continues, "She says Hürrem intends on staging a scene where you somehow obtain a letter from some mysterious lover, then you go and meet him, and die."

"Well I obviously won't go."

"That was plan a. But you'd have to respond in some way, right? And in plan b she intends on telling the Sultan you have love letters in your room, and just as he gets there more are delivered, so you get caught and thus also die."

"Well we have to turn this around somehow."

"That's what we are trying to figure out, Zevki Sultan."

I tapped my fingers on the rim of my cup, thinking. This was clever, too clever even for the cunning Hürrem herself. If I dismissed the letters outright, it could make me look guilty. If I reacted too strongly, it might seem like I had something to hide, and that would also be a certain death. 

Hürrem had designed a trap where no matter which way I stepped, the walls would close in on me. But there's bound to be flaws of some sort, or something I could exploit.

"How soon do we expect these letters to start arriving?" I asked.

"Vera thinks within the week," Aysel answered. "She overheard whispers about a scribe being paid handsomely for his discretion."

A scribe. That meant there was a written record, something that could be traced back if I found the right thread to pull. But even this is too complicated for me, to deal with letters and handwriting, meanwhile Hürrem needs to prove one thing to bring about my fall.

"No," I said suddenly, shaking my head. "We will not play her game with these silly letters."

Aysel frowned. "Then what shall we do, Sultana? I'm kind of out of ideas, as you can tell."

I put away my cup onto the nightstand beside me and stood up, pacing the room in front of Aysel. "Hürrem's goal is to destroy me, but she does not expect me to strike first. She expects me to cower, to react, which is plain silly considering my reputation. Instead, we will set a trap of our own."

"A trap?" Aysel's eyes gleamed with curiosity.

I nodded. "Hürrem has many enemies, not just me, and everyone knows it. If we can make one of them believe that she has an intent to attack them, we may create enough chaos that she will be too distracted to target me, or even suspect me involved in it."

Aysel inhaled sharply. "Who do you have in mind?"

"Mahidevran Hatun of course," I said, my lips curling into a small smile. "She has long harbored resentment toward Hürrem for her rise to power, as we all have really. If she believes Hürrem is working against her at this moment, she may act rashly. She doesn't have good critical thinking skills. She is really reliant on others to do her dirty work."

"And how do we make her believe that?"

I tapped my chin thoughtfully. "Mahidevran has her beloved servant we all know and love, Gülşah, who is deeply loyal to her. If Gülşah were to receive false news that Hürrem is planning to disgrace her mistress, she would surely rush to warn her, equally as much of a fool as her. And Mahidevran, ever proud, would not let such an offense go unanswered."

Aysel hesitated. "This could be dangerous, my Sultana. If Mahidevran discovers our hand in this...And if anybody else does, especially Sultan Süleyman..."

"She won't," I assured her. "Nobody will. Gülşah will hear of this through the palace whispers, whispers we plant carefully like seeds. Buried well under the soil, nothing direct, nothing that can be traced back to us."

Aysel nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful. "This could work. If Mahidevran moves against Hürrem, it will divide her focus. But we must be careful."

I smiled, thinking back briefly to the night where I accidentally killed a man and got away with it for that time. "Careful is what we do best, we have the best people around to protect the lot of us from any consequences."

I pause to breath in, and then continue with my order. "Now, send word to those who know how to spread a whisper without being caught, especially around Sumbul-Agha or Daye Hatun, or anyone with authority that could harm us. If we do this right, Hürrem will be too busy watching her back to come for me. She can't fight a battle alone against many, and Mahidevran in her eyes would be easy to eliminate I'm sure."

Aysel bowed her head. "It will be done, Sultana."

I reclined against my cushions once more, allowing myself a moment of relief. I wasn't out of danger, but now, at least, I had a plan. One that might keep me alive long enough to see her downfall.

I needed to. For the sake of my children, for the sake of this Dynasty. For the sake of my love, Sultan Süleyman. I am Zevki, and a proud Sultana.