“Sumbul agha, what do you think about Beyhan Sultan and Şah Sultan.” I asked Sumbul agha who was walking beside me.

“Yasak Hatun. If they hear us gossiping about them, God forbids they'll behead us.” He hushed and I roll my eyes at him.

“I was just asking you, Sumbul. We aren't gossiping. Isn't it Danielle, are we gossiping?” I asked Danielle who was walking behind us.

“No, Hatun. We aren't.” She replied with her head bowed.

“See, even Danielle agrees.” I said and Sumbul scowled at me.

“Halime Hatun, now you're making me angry.” He huffed in annoyance. “I could have been doing some better work if Şehzadem didn't ask me to look after you.”

Hearing him address me with my new name was so werid but that's fine. I'll get use to it. After all Halime sounds good.

I smiled at Sumbul. “Oh come on Sumbul. You and I both know we enjoy each other's company.” I said as I elbowed him and he scowled at me.

“Insolent woman.” He murmured and I chuckled at him.

As soon as we entered the garden, I ran towards the small pound and laid down flat on the grass. “Finally. This is heaven.”

“Halime Hatun, what are you doing. Stand up. It's not appropriate for a lady to lay down on the grass like that.” Sumbul scolded and he tried to pull me up but instead I pulled him down with me.

“Ignore it Sumbul. Just lay down and have some peaceful moment. You too Danielle.” I said before closing my eyes.

“Halime Hatun–”

“Shut up Sumbul. Just enjoy the nature.”

“Hatun–”

“If you don't shut up, I'll tell Mehmed that you didn't do as I wish and then we'll see who's side he takes.” I said and that finally shut him up. I smiled before rolling in the grass. This is so good.

“What are you doing, Halime?” Mehmed's voiced boomed out of no where making me jerk up instantly.

“Şehzadem.” Sumbul and Danielle bowed their heads and I just laid there supporting my head with my hand looking at Mehmed.

“Enjoying the nature, Mehmed. Enjoying the nature.” I replied before sitting up. “But you ruined my peaceful moment.”

He dismissed Sumbul, Danielle and his guards before popping down beside me.

“Didn't you said the Sultana's have arrived? I still haven't seen them. Did they went out?” I asked as I fully laid down looking at the clouds.

“They left for Istanbul this morning.” He replied and I frowned.

“Why did they leave so early. They just arrived yesterday.” I turn my head towards me to see him already looking at me and he just shrugged.

Judging by their history, those witches are definitely up to something.

“It's good they left early.” He said and I cocked my eyebrows at him. “I never liked them.”

“They use to humiliate my mother in every way they could.” He whispered staring at nothing like he was in a deep thought. “When my father freed my mother and married her, they got so angry that they tried to poison my mother by send the poisoned food to her table but luckily she survived.”

“And now that my brother is the crown prince, they are trying to cling on us.” He gritted out and I just sat there quietly.

I scoot closer to him. “Forget about them. Did you receive any words from your father or Hümaşah Sultan?”

He nodded flashing me his smile before laying down and pulling me down with him. “Hümaşah will arrive here two weeks from now and will be staying here for some time.”

“Oh.” I said and we just laid there peacefully without exchanging any words.

I know, I'll be returning home anyway so why not just enjoy my time here making the life of those Ottoman witches miserable?

“I like you, Andria.” He whispered and my heart stopped beating for a second. “No one ever me feel like this. You are different from others. You are weird. You are crazy. You fun to be with. You are insolent.” He said and chuckled making me scowl at him.

“Promise me this is forever.” He whispered but I didn't reply knowing that this wasn't.

He put his hand under my chin lifting it up and my eyes met with his. “Marry me.” He whispered and my heart stopped beating.

“Let's make it forever.”

I was dumbstruck. I didn't saw that coming.

“Say something.” He said as lightly shook me and I sat up straight.

“Isn't it too early? I mean it's been only a few months since we meet and you are a prince, Hünkarım will never agree to it and–” He shut me up by pressing his lips on mine. He pulled away before grabbing both my hands.

“I know we have known each other only for some months but those months with you were enough to let me know you are the one I want to spend my life with.” He said and I battled with myself in my head.

“And about my father.” He said before taking out a piece of paper from his pocket and waving it in front of my face. “He gave his blessings.”

How the heck is that possible?

“You are jocking. Tell me you are jocking Mehmed.” I snatched the letter from his hands and he chuckled at me.

I stare at the letter with wide eyes unable to believe what my eyes were witnessing. Was he drunk when he wrote the letter? How the heck is this possible.

“When I send him a letter telling him about my feelings for you and asking him for his permission to marry you he replied with a positive answer.” He put his arms around my shoulder grinning at me. “So, do I have your permission to marry you?”

“Think about it properly Mehmed. We're talking about marriage here. You like me and I get that. I like you too. But do you love me? What if you fall in love with some other woman after marrying me? I'm not like other woman Mehmed know that. I won't share you. Even if you become the Sultan, I would leave you in a heart beat if you lay your eyes on any woman. So think about it properly.” I said as I stood up.

He chuckled at me before standing up and brushing off the dirt from his clothes. “I know that Halime and that's what makes you different from others. You don't care about me being a Şehzade. You just treat me like I'm any man.”

He grabbed both my hands and I nervously look up at him. “I'm ready to spent my whole live with you and only you. May Allah punish me if I ever lay my eyes on any other woman than you. And talking about love, we have our whole life to fall in love Halime. Just say yes.”

I don't want to break his heart. I know I don't belong here and i'll be going going back home even if I don't want to but I did what my father always use to tell me even though I know I'll regret later. I did what my heart told me too.

“Yes. Yes. Mehmed. Yes.” I said before jumping into his arms squeezing the life out of him. He spun me around as he laughed.