It has been already months since i came back here and today was finally the day , the day that i come to the capital .

After attending my brother's wedding , i spent most of the time inside the palace daydreaming about my own wedding . I couldn't believe that i was getting married by the end of this week , it felt surreal to me that i was finally going to be reunited with the one i truly loved .

This was my last time living in this palace , my home and my heart . i felt sad to be away from it forever but at least i remember the good memories i spent here , my childhood and my adulthood .

I packed few things to bring with me since they have already prepared dresses for me there and i didn't need to worry about it , i was going with Maria because she was like a mother to me and i would not leave her behind on my special day , as for my brother he still had some state matters he had to solve before joining us .

I looked at my room one last time and closed the door , i would miss it very much .

I got inside my carriage followed by Maria , i didn't want to bring any one else with me because i wouldn't need people anyways . There they will serve me just fine , just like Fahriye . I have missed her so much and i hoped she did too .

The carriage started moving and watched the palace fade away from my eyes as we passed by it , i hope this will not be the last time i visit .

"You're going to like it there Maria believe me , it is very different from here but in a good way" i tried to describe how was the ottoman palace to her " it is a magical land , their traditions are very different from us and mostly they are very welcoming"

" Did you meet your mother in law ?" i knew she would ask me this because of her worry so i had to tell her . "Yes we have met , i mean we don't have the best relationship but it's going to improve" i tried to tell her that i was going to be fine and that she shouldn't worry but her face said otherwise .

"You want me to not worry ? do you think i don't hear what's coming from outside ? that the sultan's wife has your husband as her target ? and she will eventually try to hurt you" One thing about Maria which i understood was her mother instinct , she would start listing all the bad things first .

" I know that .. but i can't live out of fear all the time and what can she even do at worst ? she can't touch the crown prince because it would cost her a lot" I tried to make it seem okay but she was absolutely right , hurrem sultan would not have blood on her hands in order to achieve that .

" You are too innocent for them , you can't excpect everyone to be as good as you are . that is for sure , so you have to make your husband strong , always guide him and show him the right way so he gains his father's appreciation and most of all you have to keep your eyes and ears open everywhere and take precautions" I felt like she knew what she was saying , as if she was talking from experience .

"I understand" i nod carefully listening to her words "You have to , you don't have a choice" she said in a more serious tone making me think twice .

We had stopped talking for a while until the sun was down , we would probably arrive tomorrow at night so we had a long way to go . I was definitely going to sleep through the night .

The next day was finally here and we were in the ottoman territories already , i felt safe here and i knew we would reach the capital safely . I had asked the guards to stop the carriage so i can rest and take a break from the awfully long road , i did get down with Maria and breathed clean air .

My stomach hurted and i felt like throwing up from the bumpy road , i started to drink some water and walked around a little bit before i felt someone else's presence and someone put their hand on my neck .

"What" i tried to scream but the person but their hand over my mouth , i grew terrified from what was happening .

"You scream , i will slit your neck understand ?" i could tell it was a man who was speaking , i tried to calm myself down and just comply with whatever this man was saying .

" You will reach the capital don't worry , but you will say no to this marriage . You will give up on it or else out sultana will make your life miserable" his grip tightened around my throat and i felt like passing out .

" Who is your sultana ?" i said tried to get hold of myself "It doesn't matter , you will suffer the consequences of your actions , you have to refuse" at one point i felt like passing out but i kept trying to take the man's hand off my neck .

He suddenly let go of me and pushed me on the tree , i looked at him trying to see him but he had his face covered . He looked at me and gave me a sign to shush before he left running away into the woods .

I put my hand over my neck trying to catch my breath and realise the danger i was in just now, who sent him ? that is the question i needed an answer for .

I tried to calm myself down and go back to the carriage where i found maria desperately looking for me .

" Stella ? where were you i thought something happened to you" she said worriedly reaching out for me " I was just walking around im here now" i answered her still trying to recover from what happened .

I went back into the carriage and sat down thinking , why were they threatening me ? and who exactly ? i had two people that didn't like me so it had to be one of them . Even if i wanted to find out i would not ask mustafa about it

" We are finally here your grace" the guard informed us after a very long road trip , i sighed in relief not realising that i spent the whole day thinking about the incident that just happened

I stepped out of the carriage finally , last time i came here i was in a different state and now i came as the future wife of the crown prince . It felt very strange yet so peaceful

" This is the palace Maria" i told her once she stepped out of the carriage , she looked amazed for the first time in her life .

" It is .. just like you described it" she said admiring every trait her eyes could see. Before i can answer her one of the harem aghas approached us followed by some girls .

"Your highness welcome" he said welcoming me warmly , this man served hurrem sultan but still he looked like a trustable person .

"Thank you agha , it took us a long time to get here" i said hiding the sun with my hand , it was indeed sunny since spring was already here .

" Come in your highness , i hope it wasn't very tiring" he paved the way for me and Maria , we walked inside the palace and i felt like its scent never faded away , it brought a lot of memories for me .

" Sehzade mustafa already came here from Amasya" I looked at him shocked at the mention of this city , where was he ?

"Amasya ?" i asked making him have a confused face as if i asked a forbidden question " Don't you know about it your highness ?" he asked .

" His majesty has changed provinces , it's şehzade selim who governs manisa now while his highness is in charge of amasya .

I knew how devestating this was from him and i didn't know why he didn't tell me this in all the letters we sent each other .

" Did something happen ? or it's just his majesty's decision" i asked trying to get more informations before i ask mustafa myself .

" Yes your highness but it's better if Şehzade mustafa tells you himself" of course a devoted hurrem servant will never disclose more .

I was confused on everything , what could've happened that his majesty banned mustafa from his province when he knew how much he liked staying there .

I left him there and went to my room , my old room where i used to stay . Maria opened the door and stepped in while i followed her

" This is where i used to stay" i said while walking towards the center of the room , it still gave me the same nostalgic feeling .

« I didn't think the day would come for me to visit you here » Maria said touching the furniture carefully .

« Same for me and i am glad you're here , i also wanted to introduce Fahriye my friend who kept me company here but i didn't see her around i hope she still serves here » I completely forgot about this option but she most likely is still here .

« I will rest , i don't think i can stand anymore » Maria admitted to being exhausted , so was i probably would fall into deep sleep but i wanted to see Mustafa first .

« Go see him , i know you will » Maria said before putting down her stuff on the couch, i smiled knowing that she caught me and knew what i was thinking . « What is this ? » she said pointing at my neck .

I looked at myself in the mirror and realised that she was talking about the bruise on my neck , i knew where it came from .

« It's nothing , it's just my necklace . i was struggling to pull it out » i knew this sounded like the biggest lie but i had to at least say something .

« You know you're a bad liar , what happened ? did someone do this to you? » she put her hand on my neck and tried to examine it closely.

« Well when we took a break someone sneaked in behind me and threatened me but  don't worry about it » i said while leaving my room so i can escape her interrogation, she called for me but i was already running towards the door .

I sighed in relief and went directly to mustafa's chambers, the guards next to his room looked at me confused .

« Is Mustafa here ? » i asked and they looked at each other « His highness is with his harem »

What did that even mean ? did it mean that he was with someone ? with another woman ?

« Who is inside ? » i asked « with ayse hatun » i got furious at the mention of her name , did he not excpect me to come ?

« Tell him that i am waiting » i ordered them but they didn't budge from their place « Didn't you hear what i said ? »

« We can't go inside your highness » one of them answered but it just made me more furious .