I woke up quickly when I heard my aunt's voice waking me up anxiously "Victoria hurry up we have to leave"

"What's going on" I said as I stood up and adjusted the white nightgown I was wearing.

Her eyes looked full of worry as she said "They're about to get here"

I took a long coat from her and started putting it on, then I took my sword in case I needed it, and before we left m, the door opened forcefully, we looked at it quickly but we were relieved when it turned out to be Albert, my aunt's loyal guard.

"Come on hurry up we'll leave through the back door" he said quickly holding his sword in his hand then he left and we followed him, we got down quietly then went out the back door.

"Is everything ready Albert" my aunt said anxiously as she carried her dress.

He nodded, "Yes, there is a ship waiting for us" He opened the carriage door "Come on, get in, we don't have enough time" As soon as he finished his sentence, we heard the sound of many horses approaching. We looked at each other anxiously, then she and I quickly got into the carriage, while Albert sat in the front and took off with the horse quickly, while some of our guards were following us from the sides and behind.

I looked out of the small holes in the carriage "They are behind us!"

My aunt closed her eyes, then held the cross in her hands and began to pray. This scene really hurt me a lot, she is here because of me.

I put my hand over hers "Aunt you can back off you don't have to do this"

She opened her eyes which were filled with tears then she moved her head "Your mother when she was about to die left you with me as she was sure that I would never abandon you" she took my hand in hers "I will go with you to the end of the world if it will make you safe"

I smiled then kissed her hand, she is like my mother, I love her more than anything or anyone "Don't worry I am sure Sultan Ahmed will help us"

She didn't look convinced but she tried to smile "I really hope so"

Suddenly the carriage stopped and Albert opened the door and said "I am the only one left I will try to make them delay" He looked at my aunt "It was great to serve you my lady, you must continue on your way alone"

Before we could open our mouths we saw him quickly leave back heading towards our enemies, I don't need to think or take orders from anyone I won't let him face more than ten soldiers alone, I took out my sword and ran after him while my aunt was screaming my name and asking me to come back.

I'm not good at using swords at all, although Albert spent more than ten years trying to teach me but it seems that I'm not up to it, but I will try.

He and I clashed with the soldiers and one after the other started falling, I felt happy because there were only three soldiers left, we can do it, we will get out of here alive.

I felt something placed behind my neck from behind, damn it it was a sword, suddenly its owner fell to the ground and when I turned around I saw that Albert was the one who saved my life, before I could thank him the last soldier was behind him, I opened my mouth to scream but a sword pierced his back and came out of his stomach.

Albert falling in front of me made me sad, devastated, shocked and most importantly angry, I raised my sword and then cut off that soldier's head before he could even comprehend anything.

It was over but Albert was lying on the ground, I turned and saw my aunt Catherine approaching then my vision was blurred because my eyes were filled with tears, I sat on the ground next to Albert then took his hand.

"You shouldn't have risked your life for me" I shook my head "This is all happening because of me"

He couldn't speak he was in such a bad state, my aunt and I kept watching him until he died then after we finished crying she put the cross on his chest then she turned to me.

She said worriedly "What are we going to do?"

"We need to go now" I took her hand I pulled her with me then I put my other hand on my sword and we started running quickly.

We had been running for two hours then we started walking because my aunt was getting tired, and we had no water or food.

"We must be getting close" I said looking ahead.

She nodded trying to catch her breath "Yes we are very close I know the way well"

Another hour later we had reached the place and found a small ship waiting for us. As soon as the captain saw us he signaled to the servants saying "Come on Princess Victoria and Lady Catherine have arrived we will move quickly now"

I am really grateful to these people who risk their lives to protect me.

____

We have been at sea for two weeks, everyone here takes good care of us, delicious food and clean clothes, they of course took their wages but in the end they were not obligated to do this, it is not their duty to stand by my side, the unrecognized princess.

I am Victoria Stuart, the illegitimate daughter of King Jacques V, my mother was one of his wife's friends, the queen, and somehow they fell in love, to be honest it was clear that it was a sin, after her pregnancy they hid her and promised her that they would protect her, but one day she discovered that they were planning to kill her, the king and his wife of course, so she escaped with the help of my aunt Lady Catherine, my aunt is powerful because she was married to a rich politician and when he died he left his fortune to her. Anyway when she gave birth she fell ill for a month and then died, maybe this is God's punishment for her because she committed a great unforgivable sin.

For the eighteen years I lived I knew that I was a princess, but I lived in secret and did not ask for any of my rights but we always had to move from one place to another. After my father died five years ago his son became the king and he is determined to find me and kill me, on the other hand there are those who want to overthrow my only brother and so they are looking for me to put me on the throne in his place.

I really don't want anything but peace and to be recognized as a princess, after all the king is the one who committed this sin so why should I be the one to pay the price?

After this long suffering I decided to take my rights by any means so I had connections in the state, politicians and soldiers who supported me and they also gave me important information, so after I made a good plan I decided to resort to the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Sultan Ahmed I, they said that he was a wise and intelligent man.

Everyone told me why the Sultan would help me to overthrow the King and take the throne, what they don't know is that I have important papers with some names, dates and places that the Sultan will want to know very much because this information will either bring down his empire or make it stronger and greater.

_____

Finally we arrived to this place place, as they call it "the center of the world" .my aunt and I got out with two guards behind us and we started walking quietly because we were supposed to meet someone here, Albert told me that he contacted him and he will help us, his name is Mehmet Pasha.

I put the cap on my head so as not to arouse suspicion with my appearance and dress, then we sat in a place among the people.

"What are we going to do with a crazy sultan?" a random man said, looking angry "Everyone says he is crazy."

Because I can understand six languages, I understood what he said easily, but I did not understand what he meant by this. I exchanged some glances with one of the guards because he also spoke this language fluently, then we decided to watch in silence.

"Maybe it is just rumors" another man said "His Grand Vizier Davut Pasha said that the sultan was just nervous and sad about the death of his brother Sultan Ahmed that's why he was a little bit weird"

"Sultan Ahmed was great, he left very early" another man replied. Then they fell silent, each one busy with something. I gave a signal to the guard and he understood what I meant.

"What are you guys talking about?" he said, trying to sound normal "What sultan?"

One of the men turned to him and said, "Sultan Ahmed died two days ago and yesterday his crazy brother, the crazy Sultan Mustafa, ascended the throne."

What! A crazy Sultan...No way!