|Helena's POV|

"Helena, they're here!" Sibylle said loudly, bursting into my room, causing me to jump up quickly, knocking the glass of water onto my dress.

"Oh my God" she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hands as I stood up quickly, staring at my dress, my eyes wide, not knowing what to do.

There are guests to be welcomed. I should be in Turhan Sultan's room right now, but here I am, a complete mess.

"Hurry, there's no time to think" said Anastasia, who had just joined my service "You need to change quickly, your highness" Without waiting for me to reply, she rushed to my dressing room.

Sibylle and Isabel began helping me take off my water-soaked dress and despite our best efforts to keep my hair in place, it seemed impossible.

I stood there, trying to collect myself as the two girls worked quickly around me... My heart was racing... How could I be this unprepared? I was supposed to be graceful, poised, the image of a princess, a Haseki!

"Don't worry, Helena, we'll fix this" Sibylle reassured me as she gently tugged at the dress, trying not to make it worse.

Anastasia was back now, holding a new dress in her hands, and I could tell she was trying to stay calm for my sake "I think this one is beautiful" she said, her voice steady, though I could see the worry in her eyes.

As they quickly undressed me, Sibylle and Isabel worked fast, pulling the wet dress off and replacing it with a fresh one.. Anastasia, already at my side, started fixing my hair.

Anastasia stepped back, giving me a quick look in the mirror... I was perfectly dressed, hair in place, as if the chaos had never happened.

"Thank you" I stood there, stunned by how quickly they worked.

"No time to waste, your highness" Anastasia replied, leading me out.

I walked quickly down the hallway, my steps a bit hurried as I approached Turhan Sultan's chambers.

When I arrived, the door was already closed, and I could hear voices drifting out, a mix of laughter and conversations... It hit me then, I was late... I had missed the reception... I didn't know who was inside now or who might be angry with me for not arriving on time.

A wave of anxiety swept over me, and I stood there, frozen in place... I couldn't bring myself to move forward, couldn't summon the courage to enter.

My feet felt rooted to the spot, and as I struggled with my thoughts, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

As I turned toward the sound of approaching footsteps, my heart skipped a beat... Standing before me was Orhan, his tall figure exuding a quiet, regal composure.

His striking blue eyes scanned my face with curiosity as he was approaching me.

"Helena" he said, his voice smooth and deep, like the soft ripple of a calm sea "What's going on?"

For a moment, I froze, caught in the warmth of his gaze... I had missed the chance to greet the guests, and now here I stood before him.

"The guests have arrived" I murmured, my voice betraying a nervous tremor "I... I was supposed to be in Valide Turhan Sultan's chambers to welcome them, but..." I hesitated, unable to keep the embarrassed smile from forming "I had a little... incident with my dress"

"An incident with your dress?" Orhan asked, a faint, amused smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

The warmth in his expression was so gentle it made my heart flutter, easing the tension that had knotted itself tightly inside me.

"It was... well, strange" I said, the words coming out lighter than I had intended, despite my embarrassment... I chuckled nervously, feeling both shy and a little relieved by his kindness.

"Don't worry about it" he said, his tone calm and reassuring, like a steady hand in the midst of a storm "I, too, forgot they were arriving today"

"It's different... You don't have to be here" I said, trying to make light of the situation with a touch of humor then I sighed softly "I'll go in now"

With a subtle motion of his hand, he gestured toward the door, his blue eyes never leaving mine.

There was something so quietly majestic about him, something that made the situation seem less overwhelming.

Every time I looked at him, I feel like a fool.... I didn't even know why, but something about him drew me in.

His presence was so calm, so... intriguing... My heart fluttered, and I couldn't look away, even though my shyness made me feel like I shouldn't be staring.

I always pulled my gaze back quickly, but it was never enough... I wanted to see more, to know more, but I was too afraid.

"Destur, Sultan Orhan Khan" came the announcement, and as we entered, I felt every pair of eyes in the room turn toward us... The brief silence that followed felt heavy, charged with unspoken words.

I took a steady breath, straightening my shoulders... Despite the rush and chaos leading up to this, I knew I had to be composed... My entrance, even after everything, had to be perfect.

Everyone stood in respect, of course, for Orhan's unexpected arrival... From what I understood, Orhan had come to visit his mother, but when he realized his aunt had arrived today, he joined the gathering.

Orhan walked forward first, his pace measured, his expression calm, seemingly indifferent, but I knew that quiet strength he carried so effortlessly... There was a sense of calm in the way he moved, a stillness that commanded attention without effort.... As I said he's just so majestic.

Fatma Sultan was the first to speak, her voice warm, her smile wide "your majesty" she greeted him, placing a hand on Orhan's arm "I'm so happy to see you"

I was watching Orhan and his aunt with a little soft smile but when my gaze shifted, I saw the cold, calculating way the other girl looked at me... She must be Rana Hanim Sultan.. the beautiful princess.

Her eyes weren't overtly hostile, but there was something in the way she looked at me, something sharp and weird, as if I were an intruder in her space... I couldn't quite place it, but her gaze felt intense.

I quickly averted my eyes, not wanting to draw attention to myself, but when I did glance up again, I noticed Rana's expression hadn't softened.

She was still looking at me, but it felt almost... cold... Her lips barely moved, but there was something calculated in the way she studied me, eyes narrowing ever so slightly before she turned her gaze back to Orhan but this time with a beautiful smile, exchanging some words with him.

I didn't understand it at all... Was she judging me? Was I mistaken in reading her so coldly? Maybe I was just imagining it... It's okay Helena just focus.

When the silence fell again and I felt all eyes on me, I knew it was my turn... I looked at Turhan Sultan, who gave me a warm smile that made me breathe a sigh of relief and step forward.

"Helena" she began, her tone dignified "I would like you to meet Fatma Sultan, and her daughter, Rana Hanim Sultan"

"Ah, the imperial princess" Fatma Sultan said, her voice full of warmth "It is such a pleasure to meet you, Helena... I've heard so much about you"

"The pleasure is mine, Fatma Sultan" I replied, my voice steady despite the flutter in my chest.

Fatma's smile only grew as she leaned in slightly, her eyes sparkling "I do hope you will feel at home here... You must tell me everything about your empire and what it's like there.. the traditions, the religion"

Before I could respond, Turhan Sultan gently cleared her throat, drawing my attention to the girl beside Fatma, Rana Hanim Sultan.

Rana's gaze was direct, cool, and almost unreadable... She didn't smile, Instead, her eyes studied me for a moment longer than felt comfortable, almost as if she were measuring me, searching for something.

In that moment, things felt awkward... I began to glance around the room... Orhan was talking to his sister, completely uninterested in what was happening here... Rana was staring at me in a strange way, while her mother stood next to her, smiling broadly... Turhan Sultan was beside me, still looking at Rana, and her expression seemed to shift, as though she too didn't understand what was going on.

Fatma Sultan cleared her throat softly... It was obvious, but we all pretended not to notice. She was warning her daughter, or something like that, which made Rana step forward, bowing slightly in front of me.

"Your highness" she said, her voice calm "It is an honor to meet you"

I nodded politely, trying to ignore the slight unease bubbling inside me... Her tone wasn't unfriendly, but there was something about the way she looked at me that felt distan cold.. like she was sizing me up without letting anything show on her face.

"Thank you, Rana Hanim Sultan" I replied softly, maintaining my composure, though I couldn't help but feel a slight shift in the air between us.

For a moment, she said nothing, just kept looking at me with that calculating gaze... It wasn't until her eyes flickered briefly toward Orhan, standing near the door, that I noticed a subtle change.... Her expression softened just slightly, just enough for me to catch it.

But then, just as quickly, it was gone, and she looked back at me, her face neutral once more.

Orhan, who had been silent this entire time, stepped forward with his usual quiet grace, his eyes catching mine for a brief moment.

"I should be going now" he said calmly "But I'm sure we'll all have time to speak more later" and with that, Orhan turned and left the room after everyone bowed to him except his mother of course.

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Yooo I'm finally back!! I know it might look like I bailed on my promise but it wasn't on purpose.... had some Wi-Fi issues that made me super late even though I wrote a few chapters.... sorry again and thanks for being patient 💌