|Ayleen's POV|

"What did she say?" Sibylle said, irritation evident in her tone as she planted her hands on her hips.. her gaze bore into me, the frustration in her expression making it clear she was disturbed by what I had just told her.

"Nothing.. she merely took the letters from me and said we'd discuss it later, insisting that now wasn't the right time" I replied, exasperation creeping into my voice as I paced in front of Sibylle, my anger simmering just below the surface.

Just when I thought I had finally trapped that vile woman who had sought to harm my daughter, Turhan Sultan stepped in.. dismissing the matter outright, refusing to even hear the full story, claiming that the disaster that had just occurred was enough for now.

"We'll see how this plays out" Sibylle said, tilting her head with a resolute expression before arching an eyebrow "At least you slapped her.. how does that feel?"

"I..." I paused, only now fully processing what I had done for the first time in my life and for some reason, it was... satisfying "I feel satisfied.. she deserves far worse, and I will never forgive her for what she's done.. she's a threat to all of us"

"You should tell His Majesty.. don't let anything stop you" Sibylle advised as she moved to sit on one of the couches "You know he won't hesitate to punish her, she was.." She cut herself off mid-sentence, as if realizing that finishing the thought would only upset me further.

"I know" I gave a small nod before releasing a quiet sigh "I'll check on Zeynep and spend some time with her first... then I'll figure out what to do next"

»»-----　♔　-----««

-The Next Day-

"You did the right thing.. that traitor had the audacity to overstep" I remarked, my tone cold as I stood before Orhan.

He remained unnervingly composed, slipping rings onto his fingers with a calm indifference.. almost as if yesterday's events had never unfolded.

"There will always be traitors.. we just have to remain vigilant" he responded smoothly, his gaze shifting to me before he stepped closer.. placing his hands on either side of my arms, it was clear he intended to steer the conversation elsewhere "What are your plans for today?"

"As soon as you leave, I'll join Ahmed for his training, as I do every week.. After that, we have lunch with Turhan Sultan, and then I'll spend the rest of the day with the children" I replied, finding a small sense of comfort in the familiarity of my routine, except for lunch.. that, I dreaded, knowing I would have to sit among people I could hardly tolerate.

"And what about you? When will you finalize the agreement with your guests? And when is that princess leaving?" Once again, the question slipped out, laden with frustration.

I was drained.. my patience stretched to its limit.

More than anything, I longed for peace in my own home.

"I'm not sure.. we're still working on it" he replied with a relaxed, knowing smile before pressing a quick kiss to my lips and stepping out of the room.

I sighed, standing still for a moment, trying to collect my scattered thoughts and emotions.

Lately, an uneasy feeling had been settling over me.. a strange unrest in my heart, a weakness I had never known before.. It was as if my chest carried a lingering ache, constantly bracing for bad news.. and no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, it was impossible to shake.

I steadied myself before leaving the room and making my way to Ahmed's chambers.. Inside, I found him standing before the mirror, his arm extended as Ayhan Agha carefully adjusted his sleeves.

A few steps away, Marissa stood with her hands neatly clasped, her gaze fixed on him with steadfast attention.. her dedication to her role was undeniable, even apparent in the way she dressed.. she had begun wearing more modest clothing, ensuring not even a hint of her arms or neckline was visible, a subtle sign of respect for the Şehzade, who had always treated her with nothing but dignity.

"I hope I haven't kept you waiting" I said with a smile, gesturing for Ayhan Agha to step aside before taking his place and carefully adjusting Ahmed's attire myself.

"No" he replied, shaking his head with a calm smile.. a smile that reminded me so much of his father.. then, turning to me, he added "I don't want to spend too much time training today.. there are other things I'd rather do, and since my teacher won't be here, I plan to make the most of it"

"Alright, as you wish, darling" I replied with a warm smile, smoothing a stray strand of his hair before stepping back.

"Let's go.. Princess Theodora is likely waiting for us" Ahmed's words stopped me cold.. for a moment, I struggled to fully register what he had just said.

"What do you mean, Ahmed?" I asked, keeping my tone steady as I turned to catch up with him, though the slight change in my expression betrayed my attempt to mask my reaction.

"She said she'd be joining me for training today" he replied, glancing up at me with a smile "It's what she does.. she joins me for all my training sessions.. she even mentioned that she knows a bit about sword fighting, so I promised her that one day, we might have a duel"

"Alright..." I hesitated, absentmindedly running my fingers over my ring, unsettled by how quickly Ahmed had grown comfortable with this foreign guest.. he rarely paid much attention to new people, yet with her... "That sounds nice.. you must be enjoying your time with her"

"Yes, I am" he replied, his lips curving into a slight smile as he nodded "She was impressed when I spoke to her in her own language, so I told her you were the one who taught me" He gave a small shrug, as if the conversation was nothing more than a casual observation.

But to me, it wasn't.

Her closeness to Ahmed unsettled me in a way I didn't like.. a way that made me hate myself for feeling this possessive.

»»-----　♔　-----««

I clasped my hands tightly, struggling to keep them steady as a wave of unease settled over me.. I hated being here, standing just a few steps away from her, but when Turhan Sultan summoned me, I knew Rana would be present.. and not just her, Fatma Sultan was here too.. for once, she didn't hide behind her usual sweetness and empty laughter.

"I never imagined you capable of such deceit" Turhan Sultan spat, her voice seething with rage as she glared at Rana "I always suspected manipulation in your every move, but I never thought you would cross this line" Her gaze shifted to Fatma Sultan, and with a tight fist, she held up a crumpled letter "And you.. did you truly believe you could scheme like this behind our backs?"

"It wasn't..." Rana's trembling lips parted, but before she could utter another word, Turhan Sultan's hand struck her face with a sharp slap.

I blinked but felt nothing.. no sympathy, not even the slightest bit.

"We gave you everything! A place by our side, our trust.. and this is how you repay us?" Turhan Sultan's voice shook with fury "You have betrayed us all!"

My gaze shifted between them, my thoughts in chaos.. I wanted them to suffer, to pay for their betrayal in the cruelest way possible.. Mercy had no place here.. what they had done could never be forgiven.

And this was just what we knew so far.

"Get out of my sight and await your fate" Turhan Sultan snapped.. Rana stumbled back, her tears falling freely, while Fatma stood frozen.. not out of remorse, but from the humiliation of being exposed.. before finally retreating in silence.

I watched them withdraw, my mind racing.. the sharp slam of the door was the only thing that snapped me back to the present as Turhan Sultan sank into her throne, rubbing her temple, clearly fighting off a headache.

"I was going to tell His Majesty.. " I began, but she silenced me with a piercing glare.

"You will say nothing to Orhan" Her words came swiftly, almost like a command.. as if what I had just said had awakened a fear she dared not face.

"What do you mean?" I demanded, my fists tightening "You expect me to stay silent after everything they've done?"

"This is a private matter.. It must remain within these walls" She rose from her seat, taking a step forward "This is far from simple"

"She is a murderer" I said, my voice shaking with rage "She has taken innocent lives, bribed guards to turn a blind eye, and.. " I swallowed hard, my stomach knotting "She tried to kill my daughter"

"I know that" her eyes widened, her patience visibly wearing thin "Nuray is my granddaughter.. she matters to me more than anything" Her voice was sharp, yet there was an underlying desperation in it "Do not be naive, Ayleen.. there are always those who must be... dealt with quietly.. If we expose her, it will shake the empire to its core.. think logically! Imagine if this scandal were to spread.. what would happen to our reputation? To Orhan's name? His own cousin, a dynasty member, committing such crimes? We barely survived the blow Mansur dealt us yesterday.. something like this would tear us apart!"

"And what of my daughter?" I took a step closer, my heart pounding, tears stinging my eyes "What if she had succeeded? Would you still ask me to stay silent?"

"She did not succeed.. and she will not get another chance" For the briefest moment, her gaze faltered.. but just as quickly, she regained her composure, shifting her eyes away.

"You would rather protect a murderer than face the truth" I let out a breath of disbelief, shaking my head "You call it logic, but all I see is a refusal to seek justice"

"I would rather protect the empire" she snapped "And if you truly cared about Orhan, about your children.. you would do the same.. exposing her will not undo what has been done.. It will only bring ruin"

I fell silent, my hands trembling with rage.. Yet, despite everything, I allowed her words to linger in my mind, forcing myself to consider the logic within them.. I thought of Orhan.. his reputation, the disaster that had unfolded just yesterday...

"If Orhan finds out from someone else" I warned "it will be far worse.. he deserves to know the kind of women who sit at his table"

"He is the Sultan! He does not need to know about every catastrophe, especially when it could threaten his rule!" Her voice rose, veins standing out on her hands as her anger flared "As his Valide Sultan, it is my duty to protect him from certain truths, to make sacrifices in order to gain greater things! Orhan must not know of this because you already know what his decision would be"

Her words sent a sharp current through my mind, triggering a flood of memories.. my secret alliance with Yunus Pasha, how I had orchestrated Mansur's downfall and delivered him to Orhan on a silver platter, all without Orhan ever realizing my hand in it..

Tears gathered in my eyes as the realization struck me.. this was the first time I had ever kept something from Orhan.

Just as his mother now claimed to be doing.

And suddenly, I was terrified.

Terrified that fate would play its cruel game and that one day, Orhan, too, would start keeping secrets from me.

"Listen to me, Ayleen" She exhaled slowly, her voice now softer, almost measured, as her eyes locked onto mine "Think carefully.. we're doing this for Orhan and for the future of everyone involved.. Fatma and Rana will face the consequences of their actions, but for now, we must quiet the whispers about yesterday.. I won't give them an even greater scandal to feast on"

I didn't respond.

Instead, I turned and walked away, leaving the chambers in silence.. Nighttime usually offered me a sense of peace, a brief escape where sleep shielded me from my thoughts.. but not tonight.. tonight, I lay restless, my mind unsettled, my thoughts circling endlessly with no relief in sight.

Beside me, Orhan slept soundly, his hand resting gently on my waist.. I watched him in the quiet darkness, a deep sense of guilt pressing heavier upon me.

»»-----　♔　-----««

-Two days later-

"It's clear they seek a political alliance through marriage, one that will serve their interests.. much like what was arranged for you, Your Highness" Yunus Pasha remarked, walking beside me, his eyes fixed on the path ahead.

"I'm aware" I replied, exhaling quietly, pushing down the flicker of jealousy that had no place in this moment "What's your opinion? And how do you think His Majesty will respond when they propose it?"

"Your Highness" he said, his tone careful "His Majesty manages his affairs as he sees fit" His words were deliberate, making it clear he had no intention of sharing further details.

"As for my opinion" he paused briefly, meeting my gaze "as his Grand Vizier, if I determine that this decision will be to our advantage, then naturally, I will support it and advise him to proceed"

For some reason, his words didn't anger me.. a few years ago, when they decided that my marriage to Orhan would be beneficial, they had agreed to it without hesitation.. so why would they object now? To them, this was all politics.. they would never see it from my perspective.

"Alright then..." I was about to complete my sentence when Ebru suddenly approached, her hurried footsteps catching my attention.

"Sultanim, the Valide Sultan requests your presence immediately" she informed me calmly.. I turned my head slightly, and as soon as Yunus Pasha excused himself, I made my way inside the palace, trying to guess what she wanted from me.

"Valide" I greeted as I entered her chambers, my eyes quickly landing on Aysel and Nuray, who were seated beside her.

"Come, Ayleen, sit down" she said with a warm smile, motioning toward one of the couches before returning her attention to running her fingers through Nuray's dark hair.

I offered a faint, polite smile as a maid placed a cup of coffee before me, but I made no move to take it.. I had barely eaten since morning..let alone had the appetite for coffee.. Instead, I sat in silence, waiting restlessly to hear what she had to say.

"I have some good news" she said with a smile, glancing at Aysel before turning her attention back to me "I spoke with Orhan and Zeynep, and we all agreed that it would be best for you and Zeynep to travel for a while, taking the children with you for a change of scenery"

I listened intently, unable to react, while Aysel's face lit up with a bright smile as she eagerly expressed her excitement over the idea.

"This isn't the right time for something like this" I finally spoke, the words leaving my lips in a measured tone "I don't understand this sudden decision.. did Orhan...?"

"I want you and Zeynep to distance yourselves from the tension in the palace for a while" she replied with a gentle smile, pressing a soft kiss to Nuray's cheek "I mentioned it to Orhan, and he agreed that a trip to Edirne would be beneficial for both of you.. he, too, has noticed how unsettled you've been lately"

I still wasn't at ease with this sudden decision, and Turhan Sultan must have sensed my hesitation in my expression.. with a subtle gesture, she signaled Aysel to take Nuray outside along with her cat, using the excuse that its fur was bothering her.

As the door closed behind them, leaving us alone, she shifted her full attention to me.

"Ayleen" she spoke gently, her voice calm and reassuring "This will be good for you.. I also want you to accompany Zeynep.. you know how much the recent events have unsettled her, a short break, just two weeks, will do you both good.. besides, you and the children will love Edirne.. and as for Rana, you have nothing to worry about.. she will be married off soon, and I will not allow her or Fatma to set foot in this palace again"

I nodded absentmindedly, my thoughts lingering on her decision to have Rana married off so soon.. It wasn't unexpected of course .. she knew marriage was inevitable.. but perhaps the haste of it, the lack of choice, was the real punishment.

Though I had no desire to leave or be apart from Orhan during this time, I couldn't shake the feeling of being cornered.. but who knows.. perhaps this trip would end up being exactly what I needed.

»»-----　♔　-----««

-8 October 1664-

After days of traveling, the change in atmosphere became more noticeable as we neared the palace in Edirne.. It was calming, yet it failed to cast its magic over my restless thoughts.. If anything, it only deepened my unease.

The moment the carriage door opened and Ahmed stepped out first, he immediately remarked on the heavy cloud cover.. his words drew my gaze upward, and sure enough, a thick blanket of gray stretched across the sky.. for some reason, the sight of it left me with a sense of discomfort.

Shifting my attention away, I looked toward the gardens, where the children played.. a setting that always sparked their excitement and feeling of freedom.. Nuray had slipped from Anastasia's grasp and was now running wildly with her cat, while Aysel chased after her, shouting for her to stop.

"The trees... Mommy!" Selim's little voice rang out with excitement, his words still slightly fragmented as he pointed toward a cluster of trees, eager to play near them.

"We should rest first, Selim.. we traveled so far" Ahmed replied before running his fingers through Selim's hair and then making his way into the palace.

"I have a feeling we'll spend this entire trip running after these little ones" Zeynep said with a faint smile, her improving mood was a relief to me.. she hadn't grieved Mansur in the slightest, if anything, she seemed relieved that their divorce had been finalized just hours before his execution, without him ever knowing.

"Yes, I doubt we'll get much rest" I chuckled, holding Osman's hand as we made our way toward the palace.

Unlike the others, Osman preferred a slow, measured pace, quietly observing everything around him.. every so often, when a particular flower caught his eye, he would gently tug my hand, pausing to admire it before continuing on.

Inside, as soon as we entered one of the chambers, Sibylle collapsed onto a couch with an exhausted sigh.

"I don't feel comfortable being here at all" she muttered, glancing at Sumbul.. I had initially assumed he would remain in the capital as my eyes and ears, yet to my surprise, Orhan had ordered him to accompany me, because he trusted him.

"Enough, Sibylle.. you're only making me more anxious" I replied, exhaling sharply as I sank onto the opposite couch, pressing my fingers to my forehead "Something isn't right, I can feel it deep within me.. but I just don't know what it is"

A gentle smile crossed my lips as Osman entered the room with Ebru.. the moment he spotted me, he let go of her hand and hurried over.

I lifted him into my lap, cradling him in my arms.. unlike his twin, he was never in a rush, never loud or chaotic.. Instead, he simply curled against me.

"You are my calm" I whispered, gently rocking him.

"Mommy, I want to sleep" he murmured, shifting slightly as his tiny fingers grasped mine.. I pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, inhaling his sweet scent.

»»-----　♔　-----««

-14 October 1664-

I tried to concentrate, carefully weighing my next move, but the flickering candlelight cast restless shadows across the chessboard, pulling at my attention.. across from me, Ahmed sat with his chin resting on his hand, watching me with a knowing smile, as if he could already anticipate my decision.

"You're taking too long" he teased, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"I take as much time as I need" I laughed softly, moving my queen forward.. It was an intentional move.. I had already won several rounds against him.

With a swift motion, he captured my queen, his grin triumphant while I gasped in mock horror "You tricked me.. well, you won"

"You let me" he countered, his expression amused.

Ahmed was no longer the little boy who needed me to lose for him to feel victorious.. he understood the game now, but he still didn't seem to mind how sweet it felt when I let him win.

I gave him a warm smile before my attention shifted to the door as it creaked open and Sumbul entered, carrying a letter case.

The moment my eyes landed on it, I knew it had to be from Orhan.

"His Majesty sent this" he said, his steps steady as he approached and placed it before me.

I wasn't surprised.

I had been waiting for something.. anything.. from Orhan.

I missed him terribly.

"I promised Selim I'd take him to the garden.. I should go before he runs out of patience" Ahmed said, standing and stretching.

He gave me a small smile before leaving, and Sumbul followed, giving me the privacy to read the letter in peace.

Ayleen, my beloved, my everything,

I hope you are enjoying your time in Edirne. I hope that being with Zeynep and the children brings you some happiness, but I long to see you soon, I need it more than you can imagine.

I find myself sitting here, wishing I could speak to you about everything that troubles me, things that keep me awake at night.. I know you would understand, as you always do.

I may be making decisions now that seem harsh, even destructive.. but I am thinking ahead, Ayleen.. perhaps, years from now, it will all make sense.

I need you back soon.. there is something very important I must discuss with you.

I folded the letter shut, but its words had already etched themselves into my mind.. Orhan's words felt different, troubled.. he would never send a letter like this unless it truly mattered.

I drew in a slow, unsteady breath, trying to compose myself.. but before I could gather my thoughts, Selim suddenly burst into the room, his tiny hands clutching sticky honeyed dates.. his face was smeared with golden syrup, his fingers a sticky mess.. behind him, Zeynep and Ahmed chased after him.

"Selim" Ahmed called out sternly, arms crossed.

"He wouldn't let me help him eat them properly" Zeynep said with a smile, raising her hands in surrender.

At the sound of her voice, Selim finally seemed to realize I was standing behind him.. he looked up, wide-eyed, caught in the act.. Then, as if deciding the best course of action, he slowly offered me a honeyed date from his sticky little palm.

"For you, mommy" he said sweetly, blinking his gray eyes.

"You are trouble, my son" I sighed, crouching in front of him.. Yet, I took the date anyway, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek.

"Are you feeling any better?" Zeynep stepped closer, studying my face with concern.

"A little" I admitted "My head still aches, but I'm fine"

"I really think you should see a doctor.. you barely eat, and you look exhausted" She reached out, brushing her fingers over my arm "It doesn't have to be something bad... maybe you're pregnant?"

"I..." I hesitated, considering the possibility before letting out a small laugh "I don't think so.. there's nothing to suggest that, I'm just tired, It will pass soon"

She gave me a knowing look but smiled, choosing to let it go.. with that, we all made our way to dinner.

I tried to push Orhan's letter to the back of my mind, shifting my focus to the children instead.

But in truth, I longed to return to the capital as soon as possible.

I had enough of this place.

»»-----　♔　-----««

I'm so sorry for being this late <3

So guys what do you think about Turhan's decision? was it fair or...