|3rd Person POV|

-Two Days Later-

"I don't know what's wrong with him... he could have anyone, but he's acting like I'm invisible" Rana said, pacing nervously in front of her mother.

What happened in that night still lingered in her mind... the dinner that turned into a bad memory.... Their glances... their touches.. his conversation with his wife in her own language... all of it stirred anger inside her.

Yes, she had come prepared to face all of this, but she hadn't expected it to be this complicated.... It was so difficult for her.

She had grown up with the dream of one day becoming Orhan's wife, especially with Turhan Sultan's plan to get rid of the sultanate of women and the concubines.... Rana had dreamed of being the perfect wife for Orhan.... She had trained for years to be that woman.

She desired him... and the power that accompanied him.... His reign was already hailed as the "Glorious Years" by the people, a time marked by his strength and influence.

When she gazed into the mirror, she saw a woman who was meant to stand beside him, a partner worthy of his greatness.... She couldn't deny that Helena was beautiful and gracious, but that was never enough... What truly fueled her bitterness was how effortlessly Helena had attained the very life she had longed for... everything she had dreamed of for years.

"Why does he have to be so stubborn? If he just opened his eyes, he'd see I'm the perfect choice" she added again, frustrated, as she stopped pacing and looked ahead.

"Leave the details to me, Rana" her mother said with a knowing smile "We need to build a barrier between them, a divide that will give you the opening you need to get close to him"

"What are you talking about, Mother?" Rana asked, confused, walking quickly to sit beside her "Speak clearly"

"The gap will be a girl" Fatma said, her eyes fixed on her daughter "It's time for Orhan to enjoy his harem"

"Mother!" Rana raised an eyebrow "What are you saying? I'm telling you I want to get close to him, and you want to distract him with women?"

"I'm paving the way for you" Fatma said seriously this time, because she realized her daughter didn't understand the plan "We need to separate him from Helena... This will be the only way... Once the distance grows between them, it will be easy for you to fill that space and then get rid of the other women"

Fatma wanted this to work more than anything... She had always aimed to marry her daughters off to powerful men, and while raising Rana, she had always thought she'd be the perfect choice for Orhan.

She craved that power.. Despite his recent marriage, she saw no obstacle in her way.. The opportunity for Rana to become a Haseki still loomed large, and once she bore him a son, they would stop at nothing to place that child on the throne.

Rana understood her mother's intent, and though jealousy seethed within her, she had no choice but to face the harsh truth.. She would bide her time a little longer, but Orhan would be hers.. whether today or tomorrow.

Fatma and Rana made their way to the harem, where they observed the girls and selected the one they deemed most fitting for this evening.... How will they ensure she crosses the Golden Corridor, though?... Well, Fatma had her ways.... She was the daughter of Kösem Sultan.

»»-----　♔　-----««

|Helena's POV|

I stood a few paces away, Isabel by my side, observing Ahmed as he practiced archery with his coach... With a bow in hand, he faced the targets before him, while the coach guided his aim, adjusting his posture and technique with careful attention.

I smiled as I watched him prepare, then hold his breath and focus on his target... He released the arrow, but it hit the side of the target instead of the center, making Ahmed look a little frustrated.

He'd been trying this for days and wasn't happy with his progress... Everyone kept telling him he was still too young, but he insisted on trying.

"Good job, Ahmed" I said, clapping my hands to cheer him on and when he looked up at me, I smiled warmly "Try again"

He nodded and took more instructions from his coach, adjusting his stance.

"Take your time" I said, stepping a little closer "You don't have to rush"

After a moment, the coach gave him another command to release the arrow... Again, Ahmed held his breath and shot the arrow, but it was still close to the target, though not quite enough to satisfy him.

"That was good, Ahmed" I said quickly, clapping again to encourage him... But then, I froze when I heard a voice behind me.

"Well done, Ahmed" Orhan remarked, stepping closer to where we stood... His gaze was fixed on his son with pride evident in his eyes.

"I won't leave until I hit the target" Ahmed said, looking at both of us, clearly not convinced by our encouragement.

I took a breath, trying to calm myself as Orhan stood beside me, his hands clasped behind his back while his eyes focused on Ahmed.

"Do you know anything about archery, or are you just here to cheer on little Ahmed?" he asked, turning toward me... His tone was teasing, making me feel a little self-conscious.

"Oh, I know a thing or two" I replied with a smile "My father and brother used to practice when I was younger... I spent hours watching them... But in recent years, I've lost the passion for it"

"Does that make you a good archer?" he asked with a smile and curiosity, as if testing whether I was just a spectator or if I had actually tried shooting.

"Well, I may not be a professional like you" I replied playfully, smiling back at him "But I'd say I know enough to hit the target"

"Then let's test it out later.. I wouldn't want to face a crushing defeat in front of Ahmed" he said, trying to keep up with my playful tone with a smile on his lips.

"Don't worry... I'll go easy on you... just for your pride's sake" I teased, looking into his eyes, which seemed to be laughing at my words... Then I turned back to Ahmed, who was still focused on his practice.

The silence between Orhan and me lingered... I longed to speak, to do something, but hesitation held me back... Though every part of me yearned to spend more time with him... to hear his voice, to lose myself in the depths of his blue eyes... I wasn't sure how to bridge the distance between us.

"How about a walk?" Orhan suggested suddenly, his hand gesturing gracefully as he spoke.

I nodded with a warm smile, feeling so happy... I looked at Isabel, who understood that she needed to take care of Ahmed.... She gave me a smile that encouraged me, then I turned back to Orhan, and we began walking together.

At first, the silence filled the place, with only the sound of our steady footsteps, but I liked it... I enjoyed being beside him, sometimes pretending to admire the flowers while stealing glances at him from time to time.

"I can see you're a bit tense these days, Helena" Orhan said... It was the millionth time I thought to myself that Orhan always spoke out of nowhere and said the last thing I expected "Go easy on yourself"

I looked at him, surprised, but quickly tried to look away... He must have noticed my worry, especially that night two days ago.... It had been obvious, and if it weren't for him, I would have probably spent the entire night crying.

I didn't want to get into this conversation, but I didn't know how to respond or change the subject.... So, I felt my anxiety growing inside me, and it seemed Orhan began to notice.

He stopped walking, and I stopped too, my heart skipping a beat, expecting him to say something... But instead, he picked a beautiful white flower and turned to me.

"Here" he said calmly "A little something to brighten your day"

I hesitated before taking the flower, still surprised by the gesture... I never expected it, but it made my cheeks flush.

"Thank you" I whispered as I looked into his eyes, running my fingers gently over the flower's petals.

"So, tell me" Orhan began, breaking the silence "What was it like in the Holy Roman Empire? You mentioned your family used to practice archery... Were there other things you did there that you'd like to do here?"

When Orhan asked this, a smile appeared on my face, and I felt like he didn't really care about how life had been there... He just wanted to change the subject and hear something that might comfort me.

"Well" I started "there were many things we did... My father loved intellectual games, and we spent many evenings playing different games around the table... One that I remember fondly is Hnefatafl... It's a strategy game with pieces similar to a chessboard... It was always a challenge to outsmart my father"

"I've heard of it, though I never had the chance to play" he said, nodding "It sounds like an intriguing game"

"It is" I replied, smiling at the memory of those quiet evenings with my father "It was a game of strategy, much like chess... The pieces were arranged in a way that required deep thought to either defend or attack" I added with a playful smile.

"I must admit, I do enjoy a good challenge" he said with a beautiful smile "And I love chess... It's been some time since I've played, though"

By now, I felt more at ease, and I noticed Orhan speaking naturally... He didn't have to try hard to seem charming because every move he made made my heart beat faster.

"Maybe I could teach you a thing or two then" I teased, sensing an opportunity to spend more time with him.

Orhan raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by the idea "I'd like that very much... If you're not too busy tonight, maybe we could have a game?"

I froze for a moment, struggling to fully grasp his offer. A wave of warmth rushed to my cheeks, and before I could stop it, a smile spread across my face, uncontainable and genuine.

"That sounds like a lovely idea" I said softly but steadily, allowing myself to imagine the evening ahead.

"It's settled, then" Orhan smiled with satisfaction in his eyes.