|3rd person POV|

“Your Majesty, you wanted to see me,” Mehmet said, standing respectfully before his father’s desk.

Sultan Suleiman looked up from his thoughts and rose slowly, his eyes resting on his son. “Yes,” he replied, his voice calm. “Come, let us sit and talk for a while.”

Mehmet nodded and followed him to the ornate sofa near the window, the golden light of late afternoon streaming in and casting warm patterns on the marble floor.

Once seated, the Sultan leaned back slightly, folding his hands as he spoke with quiet reflection. “Many sultans began their journey in Manisa. It is a place of preparation, of learning. I myself served there as a prince… and it was from Manisa that I received the news of my father’s death.” A pause followed, thick with memory. Suleiman’s gaze lingered on Mehmet’s face, where hope had begun to bloom.

“I’ve thought deeply about your request,” he continued, his tone gentler now. “And despite your mother’s constant worry, I believe this will be a good experience for you. You should go.”

Mehmet’s eyes widened in stunned disbelief. “Truly?”

A rare smile touched the Sultan’s lips. “Yes. I trust in your sense of duty. I believe you are ready to shoulder responsibility.”

He raised a hand before Mehmet could rush to speak again. “But… to ease your mother’s heart, your protection will be strengthened. I do not want you far from your guards—not for a moment.”

Mehmet rose to his feet without thinking, overwhelmed with joy. This had been his dream for as long as he could remember. Manisa wasn’t just a province—it was a symbol of promise, of future greatness. His hands trembled as he approached his father, taking Suleiman’s hand and kissing it with deep reverence.

“Thank you, father,” he said, voice tight with emotion. “I swear, I will make you proud.”

Suleiman gave a slight nod, his expression composed but his heart heavy. “InshAllah,” he murmured.

As father and son continued to speak, the Sultan masked his inner unease. He was sending his only son into a world of shadows and unseen dangers. But he also knew: there comes a time when a prince must step beyond the palace walls and become the man fate demands him to be.

And for Mehmet… that time had come.

≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾

Hürrem Sultan burst into her son’s chamber, her voice sharp with fury and fear.

“Is it true, Mehmet? Tell me now!”

Startled, Mehmet turned away from the papers he had been reviewing. His brow furrowed as he set them aside, trying to mask the anxiety he had carried since the morning.

“What’s happening, mother?” he asked, though he already knew.

Hürrem’s face was pale, her chest rising and falling with agitation as she advanced toward him. “The Sultan… he agreed to send you to Manisa.”

Mehmet’s heart sank. He had wanted to be the one to tell her—gently, privately—but in the palace, no secret ever lasted long. Still, he kept his composure, knowing her emotions ran deep because her love ran deeper.

He offered her a small, placating smile and reached for her hand. “Come, let’s sit.”

With a heavy sigh, Hürrem allowed herself to be guided to the low divan. Her body settled but her spirit did not. She turned to him, eyes wide with distress. “So it’s true,” she whispered. “My worst fear has come to pass.”

Mehmet raised her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, his touch warm and reverent. “Mother… you’ve always known this day would come. I can’t remain here forever. This is the path of every prince—of every future sultan.”

Tears welled in Hürrem’s eyes, though she tried to blink them away. “But—”

He gently cut her off. “Please, let’s not argue about what must be. I promise you, I will be safe. You may visit me whenever your heart desires. I will listen to your every word, seek your advice, follow your guidance—but I need you to believe in me, to stand beside me.”

She was silent for a long moment. Her eyes searched his face, not as the prince he had become, but as the boy she had once cradled in her arms, whose laughter echoed through these same corridors. Her heart ached with both pride and dread.

At last, she gave a slow nod and took his hands in hers.

“You are under Allah’s protection,” she murmured, voice trembling. “I will pray for you—every day and every night. Do not forget that no matter how far you go… my heart will follow you.”

And in that quiet vow, a mother’s love became his shield—soft but unbreakable.

≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾

|Nurgül's Pov|

I hadn’t slept well last night. My mind wouldn’t stop racing—replaying what I’d done, what I was about to do. They’re forcing me into this, but they don’t know. When I see Mehmet’s smile, something inside me breaks. I want to give him the whole world, not be the one who could end his life.

Just as I was about to leave my room for lunch, Fahriye Kalfa appeared, her hand on her hip like she owned the place. “Nurgül Hatun, at this point, you really owe me some of your gold,” she teased.

I laughed softly. “And why’s that?”

She pointed dramatically toward the garden. “Şehzade Mehmet is waiting for you in the special place. He’ll be having lunch with you.”

Despite the knot of regret tightening in my chest, I smiled. “Alright, I’ll go.”
I wrapped a shawl loosely over my head and, before stepping out, winked at Fahriye. “I promise I’ll reward your efforts.”

Walking toward the garden, my heart pounded with anxiety. Every part of my mission was built on lies and betrayal, yet when I look into his eyes, the urge to tell him the truth nearly overwhelms me—from the beginning, until that cursed night.

I found him seated in the tent, the sunlight filtering gently through the fabric. I bowed slightly before him and said, “Mehmed.”

He smiled, warm and easy. “Nurgül, sit.”

I returned his smile, sitting close by. “How was your morning?”

“Very good,” he said, his eyes bright with something like hope. “You know, since you came into my life, good things have been happening.”

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by his cheerfulness. Yesterday, he had seemed so weighed down. “What makes you so happy?” I asked.

He shook his head, as if about to reveal a secret. “That’s why you’re here.” He sighed, as if daring to say something impossible. “I’m going to Manisa.”

My breath caught. He must know how his parents would react. Leaning closer, I whispered, “Are you planning to run away? Do you have a plan?”

He blinked, genuinely surprised. “Run away? Nurgül, what are you talking about?”

I nodded, trying to hide my relief. “Ah. You don’t want to talk here, in case someone overhears. But you have to tell me your escape plan so I can help.”

Mehmet laughed, the sound bright and genuine. “You’re crazy. I’m not running away.”

I stared at him, disbelief mingling with hope. “But your father—he’s against it. You said you’d go anyway.”

He shook his head again, smiling wider. “No, my father agreed. I’m going to Manisa—with his blessing.”

I covered my mouth in shock. “Oh my God, that’s wonderful!” I threw my arms around him, holding on tight.

He wrapped his arms around me, laughter in his voice. “I knew you’d share my joy. You even started planning my escape—you and I really make a good team.”

I hid my face, laughing softly. “Please don’t remind me. I looked ridiculous.” I glanced up, eyes sparkling. “But after seeing you so sad yesterday, I thought you might have had enough.”

We ate our lunch in a playful pretense, joking about escape plans and conspiracies as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Later, back in the harem, I toyed with a scrap of my shawl, thoughts swirling. The chatter around me swelled, a wave of voices all at once.

“What’s happening?” I asked Ayşe, who was calmly nibbling grapes.

She glanced up. “Şehzade Mehmed is leaving for Manisa. And the girls are happy.”

I sank down beside her. “I know—he told me earlier.”

“But aren’t most of these girls part of the Sultan’s harem?”

She chuckled. “Exactly—that’s what makes it so amusing. They’re just tiring themselves out. Mehmed’s harem is quite... clear.”

We laughed and shared grapes until evening, when Fahriye Kalfa silenced the room with a sharp voice.

“Enough with these childish games,” she commanded, waving a paper. “It’s official. Şehzade Mehmet will have a whole new harem in Manisa.”

A strange sadness hit me at her words. A new harem. A whole group of girls, new favorites...

“And of course, his favorites will be going with him,” Fahriye added, reading names from the list: “Eylem Hatun, Nurgül Hatun, Ayşe Hatun, Esma Hatun, Elda Hatun...” She looked around with a sly smile. “Only one week left.”

As expected.

After all of this, my head throbbed and my heart ached. I returned to my room, slipped into a soft white nightgown, and sank back onto my bed.

The war inside my mind raged on—I was supposed to end Şehzade Mehmet’s life. If they found out he was going to Manisa, my nightmare would become real. I hated every step that led me here, every forced alliance with scoundrels.

And yet, the thought of losing him—of losing myself—terrified me most of all.

≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾

|3rd person POV|

Raziye Sultan settled herself beside her sister Hafize as their carriage rolled smoothly through the palace gates. Their mother had granted them permission for the afternoon, and they were on their way to the bustling market—a place they both adored for its vibrant colors and lively chatter.

Peering through the small carriage window, Raziye murmured, “So, he’s leaving for Manisa. How lucky he is.”

Hafize gently covered her sister’s hand with her own. “We can’t do anything about it. After all, he had nothing to do with our war against his mother.”

Raziye turned sharply, her eyes flashing with anger. “Our brothers were innocent too,” she said, her voice sharp as the memories stirred a fierce fire within her. She still felt the ache of losing them when she was so young.

Hafize sighed softly, lowering her gaze. “Mother said we should just obey her—for now.”

Raziye raised an eyebrow skeptically. “She also said she had a strange feeling about that blonde girl.”

Hafize nodded. “Yes, but she also said she didn’t want to interfere.”

A small, confident smile tugged at Raziye’s lips. “That’s alright. I’ve taken a good step. Soon, I’ll know everything about that little blonde girl.”

Hafize looked at her sister, surprised. “What have you done?”

Raziye’s eyes gleamed with quiet certainty. “Don’t worry. When my plan succeeds, I’ll tell you everything.”

≿━━━━༺❀༻━━━━≾

|Nurgül's POV|

It had been three long days since I last saw Mehmet. He must be endlessly busy preparing for what’s to come. Even here in the harem, the air was thick with anticipation — we had all begun packing our things, the quiet urgency a constant reminder of the change waiting just around the corner.

Sitting alone on my bed, I took advantage of the rare silence to pull out my diary—the one thing I write in every night, pouring out all the thoughts I dare not speak aloud. For over an hour, I scribbled everything churning inside me—hopes, fears, regrets—before finally slipping the diary back beneath the pillow.

My stomach growled, a sharp reminder that I’d been lost in my own world for too long. It was still too early for dinner, but I decided to head to the kitchen for something to eat.

I was hurrying down the hall when suddenly a hand shot out and grabbed me. Panic flared as I tried to scream, but a rough palm pressed firmly over my mouth. My eyes flew open — and damn it — it was that stupid guard.

“You scared me!” I pushed him hard, trying to break free.

He didn’t flinch, voice low and tense. “I’ve been waiting for you here for two days. You forgot something... something you asked me to do.”

I blinked at him, confused. “I hardly ever leave the harem. What are you talking about?”

With a cruel smile, he pulled a small bottle from beneath his cloak. “The poison.”

My breath caught. Seeing the tiny vial between his fingers, the room seemed to close in, shadows stretching across my vision as my world darkened.

I stumbled back to my room, heart pounding. Thankfully, it was empty. I sank onto the bed, and finally let the tears come. Yes, crying was exactly what I needed.