Fahriye helped me dress up adequately for the party Hurrem sultan was hosting , i didn't want to wear too much but she told me that it was rare when hurrem sultan hosted something so i had to look my best .
I didn't know what was waiting for me nor who i was going to meet but i was looking forward to it . i had to change the mood a little bit after a lot of mental suffering
« isn't it too much for this , i mean » i looked at myself in the mirror and turned back at her but she insisted that it looked good .
Fahriye then accompanied me and we could hear music and chatting from very far , the harem as they called it was very packed and when i got close to the gate i saw a table full of beautiful women , they were certainly sultanas .
Hurrem sultan sat in the middle while mihrimah was next to her and i also saw four other women that i didn't recognise , i was still out of their sight so i asked Fahriye to point every one of them .
« That woman on the left is prince mustafa's mother Mahidevran sultan , she's very pretty as you can see » she pointed at her and i could finally tell who she was
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« and the one wearing white is prince mustafa's concubine who is now pregnant » i didn't know mustafa had a concubine . i thought people get married here but it's not the case , they had concubines
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They were all so pretty and especially mahidevran sultan, mustafa loves her so much . me and fahriye finally decided to step in and walk towards the sultanas .
« Your majesty » i bowed down to hurrem sultan first and then to the others , they all smiled except mahidevran sultan who was not really in the mood .
« It's an honor to have you here princess stella » she offered me a seat next to ayse sultan who held her pregnant belly .
« Tell me do you like your room , i hope you're being treated good » Mihrimah sultan asked and i smiled in returned reassuring her .
« Of course i am , i will always remember my staying here » ayse looked at me in such a rude way i was confused but i brushed it off .
« Princess i would love to host you in Manisa some day , when me and the crown prince are leaving » Mahidevran finally spoke but i could sense she said this just to make hurrem sultan mad .
« I wish sultana , i don't know how much will i stay here but i would love to » she smiled at me and hurrem sultan seemed to get bothered by her presence .
the party was going very smoothly , i loved the atmosphere and the way the girls here seemed to have fun . they were finally having some good time because it was so boring , being here everyday told what to do and ordered around .
We didn't have such customs back in my country so this was all very new and i tried to get close to theirs .
it was already getting very late and i gradually started to get more tired , but it was quite rude to get up when they prepared everything for me .
I ate quite a lot after i got my appetite back , and honestly their food was very diverse and i really loved it . we chatted in various subjects and honestly it was very awkward to interact with all of them once because it was obvious they didn't like each other .
"I guess it is time for us to finish right ? i can see that the princess is tired" Mihrimah teased when her mother spoke , i shyly smiled .
"It was a delight to be with you , thank you for everything" i was genuine , i appreciated the fact that i was well welcomed here .
Hurrem sultan stood up and we all did after her , the girls stopped dancing and singing and they all paved way for the sultanas to leave . i stayed behind and noticed that ayse was not moving
"You can fool everyone but not me , i saw you with sehzade mustafa and it was obvious you were searching for something" i got caught off guard when ayse whispered in my ear , i turned around and looked at her angrily .
" Are you aware of what you're saying right now woman ?" i got angry when she said this , who was she to say those words to me .
"Yes i am very aware , go back to wherever you were and leave me with sehzade mustafa and don't you dare come in between us" she got closer to me and threatened me but low enough just for me to hear .
"This is the last time you will talk to me this way , im not of your concubines get this in your head" i said angrily "know your place" i told her one last time and turned around to walk away .
she got on my nerves , i didn't know what she was imagining but whatever she imagined was wrong . she was disrespectful and that's what i didn't like
"Princess , did she say something you didn't like?" Fahriye asked as i passed by her , she followed me and noticed my distress .
"Yes .. she accused me of trying to steal mustafa from her . it's ridiculous" i said right before we bumped into an agha .
he stepped back and looked down , he was holding a letter in his hands and we both eyed him down .
"Fahriye hatun , this letter came for princess Stella" he handed fahriye the letter as i glanced at it .
"Who is it from"i asked him as fahriye handed it to me , the agha finally looked up .
"It's from his highness Prince Alonso" i was surprised he would reach out to me that fast , i didn't know why he was doing this .
me and fahriye started walking back to my chambers and she got in with me .
"Princess stella , is this your fiancé ?" she asked and i abruptly denied "no he is not , we just- it's complicated"
It was , we were never engaged but our families were both talking about marriage and he fell in love with me but it wasn't reciprocated by me. it was too weird for me , he was the heir to the throne and many princesses would want him but personally i didn't really see anything in him except an acquaintance .
I opened the letter and it was one page long , Fahriye was still next to me but she wouldn't understand the handwriting , i sat down and started to read it .
I was reading his love letter until he wrote in the end " i know you are not safe , i will be coming to get you back . why didn't you decide to seek refuge here with me?" .
i dropped the letter , this is exactly what i didn't want . i didn't want him to come here and cause a scene or a problem , i had to answer this letter as soon as possible .
