Hellooo guys ! i have spent quite a time to write this chapter don't forget to comment and give me your prediction and thoughts <
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The past three days had been unbearable . Every moment felt like walking on the edge of a blade , Mustafa continued to prepare for his departure to Konya and despite every attempt to sway him, he remained steadfast on his decision.

I was peacefullly sitting by the window cradling mehmet when one of the girls opened my door breathless , she bowed down quickly before speaking .

« Sultana , a letter has arrived from your brother » My heart pounded as i carefully handed Mehmet to one of the girls before snatching the letter from her.

With trembling fingers i broke the seal and unfolded the letter .

To my beloved sister

Your words have reached me , i cannot imagine how you feel right now but i want you to know that i agree to help you overcome this .

I will send soldiers , a strong force that's make the sultan think twice before harming Mustafa . I will send an envoy first to mediate and the soldiers will only follow after so that it is not considered an act of war .

I do this for you , for the love i bear for my only sister . I only pray that it is not too late .

King alexander -

I let out a shaky breath , pressing the letter to my chest, help was indeed coming . there was still hope for us , to save and support mustafa .

« Wake up Nergisşah for me and put her clothes on » i ordered the girls to prepare the kids because today was the day

Mustafa was leaving to Konya to join his father's campaign.

I dressed up thinking that today was probably going to be the last time i see him, the last time i'll hold him close . As i stood infront of the mirror adjusting my gown , my mind wandered consumed by the weight of the inevitable

The sound of the door creaking pulled me out of my thoughts , Nergisşah has been brought to me , her small hands reaching for me as she was confused and still sleepy . I held her in my arms heading towards mustafa's chambers and there i found Yahya and some other guards

We exchanged a look that only us can understand « Yahya bey » i muttered as he bowed down to me .

« Take care of Mustafa and protect him with your life » i advised him before the door opened to me , i walked in and saw Mustafa standing by the window dressed in his uniform , his face set in that same determined expression .

« You're ready » I said softly , my voice barely above a whisper.

Mustafa's gaze turned towards me and on our daughter , he closed the distance between us and grabbed nergisşah holding her close .

She gazed at him with wide eyes not fully understanding what was happening. He kissed her forehead brushing her hair away from her face

« My beautiful daughter » he kissed her cheeks making her laugh and reach for his face , he looked over at the other servant and asked her to bring mehmet .

« Mehmet » he whispered as he gave her nergisşah carefully , he held him close as if he was the most fragile thing ever . Mehmet cooed as he held on his father's finger .

« My son , i will miss you more than you will ever know » he paused looking down at both his children then back at me . His gaze lingered  on me again .

« I am sorry for every tear that has fallen from your pretty eyes , if anything happens to me . I want you to promise me that my children will remember me forever and that they know how
much i've loved them » my heart sank upon hearing these words , i didn't know what to say or what to do , But i had to promise him .

« I promise Mustafa » i managed to say , a small smile tugged on his lips as he cradled mehmet . My throat tightened as i watched him memorising the face of his son , they way his eyes filled with love threatened to drown me

He turned to me once more , his gaze burning into mine « and you stella » he whispered « I can't thank god enough for bringing you into my life , you are the love of my life and the best thing that has ever happened to me »

« I have loved you in every woman a man can love a woman , from the very first time i saw you , i knew you were my missing piece , the only thing i can't live without » A sob built in my throat but i swallowed it , i stepped closer and took mehmet from his arms to put him back in his crib .

« Then don't go » i grabbed his wrists as if it was enough for me to keep him there « stay with me , with us » he closed his eyes for a brief moment inhaling deeply before pressing his forehead against mine .

« But if i stay , I am no longer the man you love , i will not run nor cower . That is not who i am and you know it » A tear slipped down my cheek but he caught it with his thumb as he cupped my face .

« But know this , No matter where i go , no matter what happens » he stared at me deeply as if he was talking to a child that was on the verge of crying « I will always love you , in this life or afterlife , in every life and every world my heart will belong to you »

Then with a slow tenderness that shattered me , he kissed me . one that was full of unspoken promises , of memories we had shared and ones we would never get to make .

When we finally pulled apart , i hugged him one last time « Take care of yourself » i whispered as he ran a hand over my back . « I love you more than anything in this universe, i will wait for you »

When i finally let go a knock on the door interrupted us , Yahya was waiting outside « Sehzade , it is time » he announced to us making Mustafa nod after him .

With a slow exhale he walked towards the door and walked away , and just like that , he was gone .

3rd person POV

The palace grounds were eerily silent as Mustafa stepped outside , the crisp morning air biting at his skin . A line of soldiers stood at attention , his horse waited for him at the front .

He looks back at the palace once again knowing it might be the last time he sees it , his gaze lingered on the windows where he knew his loved ones were watching .

He exhaled before turning to mount his horse , the moment he took the reins , the procession started moving . Atmaca and Yahya rode by his sides , the journey ahead was long but the burden he was carrying was far heavier than the miles before them.

The road to Konya was quiet , the roar stretched endlessly before them , a cruel path carved into fate itself . Mustafa rode in s'il fence , his expression carved from stone .

From the moment he was born , it had been awritten that his father would one day turn against him.

Atmaca broke the silence «  it feels like a funeral march » he muttered , his voice low .

Mustafa exhaled slowly « Then i hope we're not marching to mine » Atmaca scoffed , though there was some humor to it .

« You speak at there is honor in walking into a death trap » Yahya added .

Mustafa's gaze remained fixed on the road , his expression unreadable « Honor is not found in survival Atmaca. it is found in how we face our fate »

Yahya turned to look at him , a frown creasing his brow « And what fate do you see for yourself ? » Mustafa didnt answer immediately, he let his gaze drift toward the horizon where the banners of konya's fortress could already be seen in the distance .

« My father will decide that » he said finally still looking straight forward. Just when they wanted to enter the city , the rhythmic thunder of hooves echoed in the distance .

Yahya was the first to turn , his hand instinctively reaching for his sword . The guards were alerted and they stopped in their tracks .

From the dust rising rising in the distance , a company of soldiers emerged , not ottoman troops but foreign ones . Their armour gleamed in the sunlight , their banners embroidered with a sigil unfamiliar with everyone but not mustafa .

A flicker of recognition passed through his eyes .

Stella's brother .

The one leading them stepped off his horse , a man dressed in fine yet practical battle gear inclined his head respectfully before speaking in a firm voice .

« Sehzade Mustafa , I came bearing the words of my king , Alexander of -» Before he could finish , another wave of hooves sounded . This time , coming from the other side .

The sultan's men .

Mustafa turned to see the gates of the palace opening , his father's elite guards emerging , their presence an unspoken declaration that this was no mere meeting.

Mustafa exhaled slowly turning the gaze to the foreign envoy « Speak quickly »

« The king has sent me to negotiate on your behalf , he brings soldiers as a deterrent not as a provocation » His voice was calm but firm « the sultan must understand that your death will not come without consequence »

Atmaca and Yahya exchanged looks , this was the first time the power dynamics had shifted in mustafa's favor .

But Mustafa remained well composed , he knew his father very well . The apparence of foreign troops could mean salvation Or it could be the thing that sealed his fate , he tightened his hands around the reins of his horse , his mind working swiftly as he calculated the risks .

Would his father see this as a negotiation or a treason ?

The lead guard from the sultan's men rode forwards , his expression unreadable « Sehzade Mustafa , his majesty commands your immediate presence »

Yahya shifted beside him barely suppressing his unease . Atmaca exhaled slowly surpressing his unease as if weighing the options .

The foreign envoy turned towards the sultan's guards « We request an audience with the sultan before any decision is made , My king will not stand idle if harm comes to Sehzade Mustafa , We will accompany the prince »

the guards looked at each other confused but the head guard answered « The sultan has granted you permission for you to present your case , however » he stopped mid sentence looking at the prince .

« Sehzade Mustafa must be alone , no one can come with him » he explained clearly as if not excpecting any other intervention.

Mustafa exhaled slowly , glancing towards his men . He knew what they were thinking . This could be a trap , if he stepped beyond the doors , he may never step out again .

Atmaca , ever defiant , took a step forward . « And if we refuse ? »

The guard's expression remained neutral , but there was a warning in his voice « Then you refuse the Sultan's orders »

Mustafa had to go « If anything happens , you know what to do » Mustafa hopped off his horse and so did both of his friends.

« This is not how diplomatic negotiations work » the envoy intervened « King Alexander has sent me to ensure the prince's safety , if he is to enter alone i will demand assurances , written ones that he will not be harmed »

The head guard remained silent for a moment as if he's debating whether to let him in or not , this was unexcpected . The sultan may have anticipated resistance from Mustafa's followers but a foreign envoy demanding official guarantee was another matter.

The envoy was not budging without a proper answer and so did everyone else , the air was tense and the time was running out . The guard was torn , refusing an envoy of a foreign king could be seen as an insult but bending to his demands might anger the sultan .

« I will go alone , this is my last word . If anything happens , you shall go back to Amasya and tell my family that i walked this path knowing the risks » Mustafa stood firm on his decision , the envoy got silenced by mustafa .

Mustafa turned to his friends « Do not make a move unless it's necessary . If my fate is sealed today , you must not act recklessly . Protect my family , that is my command » Atmaca and yahya both inclined their heads and listened to the prince .

Mustafa then opened his arms and hugged Yahya first « Take care of yourself my brother » Yahya could barely keep his composure . « Don't do anything reckless Mustafa » Yahya muttered , his voice strained .

Atmaca then pulled Mustafa into a tight embrace. « You're coming back » Atmaca muttered near his ear , voice low and fierce « Whatever happens in there you will comeback » .

His gaze shifted to the envoy whose presence was a stark reminder of the political weight of the moment . the envoy met Mustafa's eyes and gave him a slow , approving nod .

Mustafa handed his sword to the guards and followed them inside , The great doors sealing shut behind him . Mustafa stepped forward , his boots echoing against the polished marble walking towards his fate .

At the far end of the hall was the divan room , where he remembered accompanying his father to when they used to come to Konya together .

The gates opened and his father sat at the centre of the room , the very air around him heavy with authority .

Sultan Suleyman , the father , the ruler and the executioner of fates . The man who taught him how to wield a sword , who had spoken to him of duty , honor and of legacy .

Suleyman watched him , his face a mask of cold authority . No viziers , no witnesses - just father and son .

« So you finally stand before me » Mustafa lifted his head locking eyes with his father «  As i have always done »

« I did not come here to beg for forgiveness, i came here because you have sent for me . I will not hide like a traitor accused for crimes i didn't commit »

The sultan's voice was like ice when he spoke « You think you are above reproach ? you think your ambitions and actions will go unnoticed ? » he exhaled « You have been conspiring with my enemies to overthrow me »

The accusation hung in the air , sharp and as cold as a blade « That letter is a lie , i will never do something like that . Someone forged my name and made it look like it was my doing »

the sultan's eyes flared with rage « How dare you stand before me and deny this ? when the evidence is right infront of me ? Do you think i am blind or worse , a fool ? » His voice raised filled with fury «  You bring shame to this dynasty and to the very throne you wish to inherit »

Mustafa's eyes darkened « I have never betrayed you , Father . If there's anyone who has been betrayed here it's me . All i have ever wanted was to prove that i am worthy of my title and for being your son »

« You speak of worthiness ? » the sultan interrupted , his voice trembling with anger « How can you talk of worthiness when you conspire behind my back , plotting in the shadows ? You sought power not for the kingdom not for the people but for your own selfish ambitions »

« Just like Ibrahim , greed has blinded you »

As mustafa stood there , the weigh of the accusations and betrayal hung in the air like a storm ready to break . His father's words echoed in his ears but something shifted inside of him when he caught a glimpse of the windows behind his father .

A dark ominous shadow that flickered as a pair of executioners silently approached , their footsteps barely audible against the marble floors . Mustafa stayed still as the weigh of the moment settled in , the executioners silent and unwavering their purpose were a physical reminder that the sultan had already given his verdict .

His gaze shifted from the window to his father , the father who had raised him who was once his source of inspiration but now all mustafa could see was contempt , a bitter disdain that cut deeper than any blade

He realised that there was no way forward , no reconciliation and no throne to be his and no life ahead . His dreams his desire to rule were about to get stolen from him

« I should have never trusted you Mustafa , You were never meant for that throne , You've been a disappointment and now you will pay the price for it »

Mustafa's thought flickered to his family , Stella ,his mother , Nergisşah and mehmet and what would this world become for them without his existence .

His family has been his anchor , his reason of surviving and for fighting . And now he stood on the precipice of his downfall , it was that thought of the that kept him grounded , reminding him that no matter what happens and no matter how the sultan's wrath would fall upon him , he still has something to fight for .

His love for them and their love for him would be the flame that could never be extinguished, no matter what the world threw at him.

He took a slow breath feeling the weight of his own silence , in this moment he saw clearly that there was no redemption in his father's eyes . No escape from the decision he had been avoiding for so long .

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