I woke up early in the morning while everyone was sleeping , i couldn't even call it sleeping even if i wanted because all i could think about was Kösem sultan's proposition .

Maybe it was the right thing after all and my mother was right , but what i hid was my commitment to someone else. I was in love with another person, and and is the reason why i woke up early today , I got up from my bed and freshened up before putting on my dress and a cape .

I opened my window careful to not make any noise and locked my door afterwards, i looked around carefully and saw him waiting for me  . He looks up upon seeing me and waved , he wasn't very far from my window so i could easily get down if he catches me .

" Be careful" i said putting my leg out and jumped to finally land on the floor , he gave me his hand which i took to steady myself a bit .

" You're late , i've been waiting" he said while walking , i put the cape over my head and followed him .

" Maybe because i don't live alone mr always early" i teased as we walked away curious about where we're going , he laughed and continued walking .

" We will go to the port , i discovered a new spot there" We walked a bit and he held my hand but i quickly pulled it away. " Are you out of your mind someone's going to see" I said scared that someone will recognise me .

" Well , you're here with me isn't that worse ?" he asked putting my hand in his again dragging me with him , i rolled my eyes and just followed along with him .

" So when are you planning to inform your father about us ?" he asked as we turned around an alley , i didn't even see this question coming .

" I don't know it's complicated .. especially lately" I said remembering the proposal i just got yesterday , i didn't have the right to speak about it so i didn't mention it as i didn't want to bother him with useless things .

" You always say that ! i'm tired of this ." he got annoyed at me and stopped in his tracks fuming " I will come tomorrow , end of the discussion" he looked determined but in my eyes he looked like a fool , he wanted me dead .

" Don't make me crazy ! do you even understand what you're saying ?" i fought back trying to make him understand the gravity of this situation.

" Yes i do , and i will ask for your hand tomorrow and if your father doesn't want then .."i waited for him to continue but he stopped to calm himself down .

"What you're saying is impossible , my father can't know yet . he is so busy lately and it's just not the right time"  i was being honest with him , my father wouldn't agree on this marriage and it's because of Julian's background and religion but i loved him still .

" I am being realistic , not now and don't do anything that will put me in an uncomfortable situation" i warned him again but he looked the other way not giving me any answer .

We tried to cool down after this argument and made it to the port where we sat down in a coffee shop , i sat down across from him and tried to read his expression as i put my gloves on the table .

" I found another job , i want to secure a future for us and this is why i got promoted as a guard in the janissary camps" he announced , his tone still indicating a hint of anger but i tried to just turn a blind eye on it .

" That's great ! when will you start ?" i asked as i noticed a man serve our food , he looked down at the food and answered " Next week , i don't know if i will like it but i know for sure that we won't see each other for a long time"

" It is a very hard duty , i hope it goes well for you" i started to eat as i was hungry and he also started eating and telling me more about his new work and how he found it , we kept casually chatting until we heard someone shout in the middle of the coffee shop

" You fools aren't you aware that coffee shops are banned ? i will call the janissaries on you" the man yelled as he flipped a table over , i looked at Julian and looked at him confused .

" What ? are they banned ?" i whispered as i asked him , my voice full of worry as i didn't know the outcome .

" Actually yes but this is way far from people's eye" He said as he glanced the others to see what their reaction would be but no one really cared about that man .

" I will tell them now" the man stepped down from the chair he got on earlier to yell at everyone and left.

No one from the people who were sitting here cared about the man and they just resumed their chatting with no single care in the world while i felt threatened in some way , that man looked serious .

" It's better if we get up , we can get in trouble huh ?" i said finishing my cup of coffee first , he stared at me and shook his head "Come on we just got here , don't be scared nothings going to happen" he said nonchalantly, i didn't like his calmness .

We stayed in the coffee shop for some more time before we decided to leave , we payed the man and started getting up to head out to my house before my parents find out i was gone , right as we started to leave three ordinary men started questioning people and they fought with every one that was sitting there .

" Don't you know that sultan murad has banned all coffee shops you fools ?" the man yelled again and threw a man on the table.

I looked at the scene unfold infront of my eyes and the chaos was unfolding right before our eyes . «  We have to go » i said grabbing his forearm dragging him further away.

« Defying the sultan's orders can not go unpunished you fools , get all of them » a voice echoed around me and i immediately realised who it belonged to .

My father was here .

«  Isn't that your father ? » Julian's words shook me from my imagination bringing me back to the real world , i blinked few times and looked at the crowd again and i was right , it was my father disguised as a normal person.

I knew he did it often but i didn't think it would coincide with my rare meeting with Julian , that was my cue , it was all i needed to start running to the other direction .

«  You're making yourself look suspicious » Julian said running alongside me trying to catch his breath , i meanwhile didn't even dare to look behind «  I need to be home » Julian glanced at me and just followed along .

« Where are my gloves ? » i asked feeling the chill run down my spine , i felt like my two worlds collided «  Do you have them ? » i said turning around an alley trying to catch my breath and searched my dress .

« Perhaps you left them there ? » Julian asked raising doubts in my mind, it was a possibility but a very unpleasant one .

my mind raced with thoughts , i just hoped my father wouldn't notice them , because if he does my life will be over and today would be my last one .

« He's going to recognise them , i have to bring them back » i said determined to go back to the coffee shop but julian stopped me .

« Hey you're not going anywhere , i will go bring them back and stay here until i come » before i could agree i saw him leave and turn around the alley , when i suddenly heard screams . His screams were echoed in the alley making me shiver .

What was happening back there ? I thought twice before doing anything but when i heard his screams stop , i stepped out slowly and saw two men walking away from julian's body that was laying unconscious on the floor.

I raised my eyes from his body and locked eyes with my father , he stood over the body and stared at me intensely, i looked down at his hand clenching and saw my gloves around his fist .

I felt my whole world collapse and my feet were no longer functioning, i still stared at my father not exchanging any words . It was probably going to be my end .