|Helena's POV|

-A Week Later-

Today marks our fourth day here in Bursa. We arrived in less than two days because Orhan gave us a choice: we could travel by carriage, which would have taken five or six days, or we could travel by sea. I chose the sea route, which took us about seven hours, and then we spent the rest of the day traveling by carriage to reach the palace.

The weather today is fairly mild, so we decided to sit in the garden and enjoy breakfast there.

"Sibylle, you're going to choke" I said, watching her slather a large piece of bread with honey and shove the whole thing into her mouth.

She raised a hand, signaling that she needed a moment to chew before she looked at me, sipping her juice "The weather here suits me perfectly.. I eat morning and night" she replied with a grin.

"I can certainly tell" Isabelle teased, eyeing her as she chewed something "You're not as slim as you used to be"

I lowered my gaze to see Aysel, who looked like she was about to fall asleep.. I gently ran my fingers through her hair, trying to comfort her.

"No, I'm still slim.. What are you talking about?" Sibylle said, her eyes widening.. She jumped up quickly, placing her hands on her hips in mock defiance.

"It looks like Aysel still needs some sleep" I said with a smile, then gestured to one of the servants to take her inside so she could rest in her bed.

"Zeynep Sultan, please tell her she's not slim anymore" Isabelle winked at Zeynep, who was watching them both and trying not to laugh.

"Yes, yes" Zeynep nodded, smiling as she spoke "You've gained a little weight"

Sibylle was about to reply, but Ahmed interrupted with a big grin "Don't worry, Sibylle, you look beautiful" he said with a warm smile, then took a sip of his milk.. Just as Sibylle was about to smile and possibly kiss him, he added "But eating too much is never a good thing"

As soon as the words left his mouth, we all burst into laughter, while Sibylle looked ready to pounce on him.

We stopped laughing when we heard someone approaching. Turning around, I saw one of the aghas who worked here.

"Your Highnesses" he lowered his head respectfully before adding "His Majesty has just arrived"

Before I could fully grasp what he had said, Ahmed had already jumped up, his excitement obvious. I quickly stood and grabbed his arm because if he started running, none of us would catch him.

"I want to see Father" Ahmed said, bouncing in place, his energy infectious.

"Alright, come on.. I'll take you to him" I said with a smile, lifting my head to nod at the agha "Thank you"

"Now that Father's here, I'll find someone to play sword-fighting with me" Ahmed said, walking beside me, his hand firmly holding mine.

"Yes, and you can also show him the little wooden castle we made yesterday" I said with a smile, thinking back to how we spent the entire day yesterday working together to build a small wooden castle.

His eyes lit up with excitement, and he nodded eagerly.. We walked into the palace, passing through several short hallways. As we turned a corner, we heard Orhan's voice, as if he were speaking to someone. Before I could react, Ahmed had slipped free from my grasp and was running toward the sound.

I followed at a calm pace, and when I arrived, I turned the corner to find Orhan speaking with Ahmed, who had already reached him and was talking eagerly.

I slowed my steps as I entered the hallway, watching quietly as Orhan and Ahmed engaged in their little back-and-forth. Ahmed was practically jumping with excitement as he showed off his wooden knights, his voice quick and eager.

Orhan's gaze softened as he watched his son, a proud smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He was always a man of few words, but his love for Ahmed was clear in the way he looked at him. I couldn't help but smile, too. In the short time I'd known him, I'd come to realize that Orhan had a quiet way of showing affection, even if he didn't say much.

I cleared my throat, my voice small and uncertain "Your Majesty" I said, my words barely more than a whisper then he turned his head, his gaze meeting mine.

"Helena" Orhan acknowledged, his voice calm as always, with that faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

It wasn't an unkind smile, but it still felt distant, as though he was offering it to me out of politeness rather than affection.

I stood there, not knowing exactly how to approach the situation.. The air between us was always formal... there was a line I never dared cross, though sometimes I wondered if he thought the same.

He motioned for me with his hand, and then we all entered Orhan's room, waiting for the maid to bring Ahmed's castle. This is exactly what happened a few minutes later, during which Orhan asked me about Aysel... I told him she was asleep.

Ahmed, ever the lively child, was now fully absorbed in showing off the little wooden castle we'd crafted the previous day "Father..Look at this.. The knights can defend the castle just like the real soldiers" His voice was full of pride as he held the small toy up to Orhan, eager for his approval، the soldiers were the thing Ahmed was most excited about, to the point that he didn't even care much about the castle.

Orhan crouched down to Ahmed's level, his attention focused on the boy "That's quite the fortress you've built" he said, his voice low and thoughtful. He glanced at me as he spoke, and I felt my cheeks warm under his gaze.

"Helena helped me with the castle" Ahmed interjected quickly, looking at me with a beaming smile "Didn't you?"

I froze for a moment, unsure how to respond "Yes" I said softly, giving Ahmed a shy smile "I did help.. It was... fun"

Orhan looked between us for a moment, his expression unreadable, before standing up and brushing off his trousers "I see.. Well, I suppose I should be the one to defend the castle now, shouldn't I?"

Ahmed's face lit up, and without waiting for a response, he grabbed Orhan's hand and started tugging him toward the garden "Come on.. Let's play with the swords ..I want to show you how I can block just like you taught me"

"You too, Helena, you should come watch us" Ahmed said excitedly before turning his attention back ahead.

I watched them go, feeling an odd sense of relief that the attention had shifted away from me.

I was never comfortable in the spotlight, especially not with Orhan.. He was always so composed, so confident, and I... well, I wasn't.

I stood still in the quiet room, unsure of what to do next. Part of me wanted to join them, to watch Orhan and Ahmed interact more, to learn about the relationship they shared.

I walked slowly toward the garden, my feet light against the stone floor. When I stepped outside, I found Orhan and Ahmed already in the training yard.

The wooden swords were raised, and Ahmed was taking wild swings at his father.. Orhan easily blocked each blow, his movements graceful and controlled "You'll need to be faster than that if you want to land a strike" he said, his voice calm but firm, though I could see the pride in his eyes. His son's enthusiasm was contagious, and Orhan seemed to enjoy the sparring in his own way.

I stood at the edge of the garden, my hands clasped together in front of me. I didn't want to intrude, but I couldn't help but watch. Orhan's bond with Ahmed was clear in the way they interacted, in the quiet encouragement Orhan gave when Ahmed managed to land a hit, or the small chuckles he offered when his son missed.

It was... nice to see... I didn't know if I'd ever be able to share that same kind of connection with Orhan. He was still a mystery to me, even after weeks of marriager.

We were like two strangers living under the same roof, connected by duty but not much else. The friendship I'd hoped for.. maybe even a closeness... felt just out of reach... I don't know why these thoughts come to my mind, but whenever I watch Orhan with a family member, a lot of questions start to pop up... Are we really friends? What is my role in this family? How long will this last? Will I always be the outsider who everyone treats with respect, and will I grow old like this?

"Helena, come watch" Ahmed called to me, turning his head mid-swing "You have to see how good I'm getting"

I hesitated for a moment before walking over, my feet feeling heavier with each step. When I reached them, I took a seat on the bench nearby, careful not to interrupt.

I smiled to myself, watching Ahmed and Orhan, wondering if, someday, I'd feel like I truly belonged here.

I started clapping as they finished, then stood up when I noticed they were approaching me.. Ahmed dropped down in front of me, looking tired, while Orhan unexpectedly pulled off his shirt, causing my eyes to fixate on him, watching his every movement.

He washed his face and hair in the water fountain, then took a towel from the servant.. He began drying his neck, getting closer to where I stood.

I was frozen in place, my eyes glued to the upper half of his body, which, to put it simply, was perfect... Not that I was used to assessing people like this.

When he stood in front of me, I slowly lifted my eyes, following the droplets of water that traced their way down his hair, along his face, neck, and then to his chest.

"So, are you enjoying it here?" he asked, his eyes meeting mine as he tossed the towel aside.

"What?" I replied, confused, still staring at him as if he were speaking a language I couldn't understand.

"I mean, the place" he gestured around, his hand sweeping through the air "I hope you've had a good time"

"Aah" I quickly lowered my gaze and began fiddling with a piece of my clothing "Yes, the place is beautiful.. Thank you for suggesting it"

"No need to thank me" he sighed slightly "I'm really grateful that the children like you, and that you're putting so much effort into spending time with them"

"It's not hard" I said softly, my voice almost a whisper "They're easy to be around.. They're... kind" I could feel my cheeks warming, and I shifted nervously, still not fully meeting his gaze

"You make it seem easy" he said, his voice low and steady, as though he were saying something important.

I quickly glanced up, only to find him watching me more intently than before.. For a moment, neither of us spoke.

"You don't need to do so much, Helena" he added after a beat, his tone almost... reassuring "The children are lucky to have you here.. We all are"

I nodded, unsure of how to respond, but the words hung in the air, settling somewhere warm in my chest. Without meaning to, I felt a little lighter, as if the weight I hadn't even realized I was carrying had eased just slightly.

Before I could say anything more, Ahmed looked up from the ground, his face brightening "Are we going inside now?" he asked eagerly, pulling me out of the moment.

Orhan turned toward him with a quiet chuckle "Yes, let's go" he said, offering me a glance that felt both casual and comforting.