I sat on a delicate surface. Cihangir walked towards me, his either hand holding a cup.

   "Here", he said, handing a cup to me, while sitting next to me.

   I took a sip of the sherbet. "Thanks", I said in a small voice.

   We sat there drinking our sherbets and gazing at the sky from his window. I placed my head on his shoulder and he rested his head on mine. His hand squeezed my hand. The soft breeze caressed our faces.

   A loud cry shattered the peaceful atmosphere: "SENORA"

   I woke up in a panic. I looked around to find myself in the harem. Girls ran towards a certain bed whilst a girl was frantically screaming out Cecelia's name.

  I got up in anxiety and made my way towards the center of attention.

   "Oh my-", I gasped in horror.

   "What's happening?", a man, who I remember from the feast, asked.

   He looked at Cecelia and started calling out for aghas and maids. He quickly wrapped her slitted wrist with a piece of cloth.

   "Kızlar! Go back to your places! Don't form a crowd!", a Kalfa ordered whilst the man carried Cecelia out of the harem.

   I went back to my bed. I tossed and turned but couldn't sleep. I sighed and sat on my mattress. The horror had finally settled down.

   I sat there thinking about earlier events of the night and my dream.

   I should be sleeping right now.

   But my brain was busy thinking about Cihangir.

   Getting out of bed, I made my way towards the reason for my insomnia.

   "Hatun! Where do you think you're going?", a voice startled me.

   I turned to see Fahriye Kalfa.

   "Kalfa, you scared me", I said letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

   "Doesn't answer my question. Where to?", she approached me.

   "To Cihangir", I said before turning to leave -

   Only to be turned back again.

   "Why?", she demanded.

   "Aufff!! Kalfa", I rolled my eyes. "Look I need to talk to him", I said trying to get my arm out of her strong grasp.

   "About?", she insisted on.

   "About how much you bother me", I said taking a deep breathe and stopping my struggle.

   "The truth hatun. The truth.", she demanded.

   This woman.

   I looked down, thinking, should I tell her? She serves Hürrem Sultana, the mother of the guy I think of every time I close my eyes.

   I can trust her.

   "I am confused", I whispered.

   She raised an eyebrow and tightened her grip.

   Seriously?

   I frowned in anger.

   "Let go and I'll tell", I told her.

   She looked at me and finally let go of my arm.

   "Speak", she said.

   "I'm having a problem. Whenever I close my eyes, I see one face. The same face appears in my dreams. My heart tells me to stay with him all day. Whereas, my mind, when I'm not with him, only thinks about him.", I spill everything out.

   "Careful, one might think you're in love", she said with a faint smile.

   "Love?", I repeated.

   "Luckily, our prince hasn't slept yet", she said before leaving me alone.

   I made my way towards his chamber.

Cihangirs pov

   My throat was worn off from all the reading. I had ordered the agha to bring me some fresh water from the kitchen but it feels forever since he had left.

   I stood up from my seat and started roaming around the room. An uncertain longing in my heart. This had never happened to me before. It felt as if my heart ached.

   I looked at myself in the mirror. A smile danced on my lips thinking about when Katerina was with me. As much as I try to ignore the fact, I can't escape reality. And the reality was I am in love with her. No matter how much I hide in the books or keep myself busy thinking about the state and its affairs, the moment I take a long breath, I can smell her perfume in my lungs.

   My heart ached to meet her.

   A knock on the door brought me out of my thoughts.

   "Come", I said walking to my bed.

Katrina's pov

   "Come", he said permitting me to walk in.

   "Cihangir", I said in a cheerful tone.

   "Katerina, you?", his face lost all its color.

   "Nooo, it's not me. You're being delusional", I joked making him laugh and regain his colors back.

   "I wasn't expecting you", he said sitting.

   "Oh really? Were you expecting someone else? Did I ruin another halvet?", I asked sitting next to him.

   "Is that jealousy I smell?", he said sniffing.

   "Jealous? Me?", I raised my eyebrows and scoffed. "Impossible"

   He looked at me with that infamous smile.

   Oh, that smile.

   I could kill to see that smile.

   Stop staring idiot.

   My mind went blank.

   Was I-

   AM I STARING?

   "Uh", I looked down, blushing, and started to play with my fingers.

   I could still feel his gaze on me and I couldn't resist anymore.

   Lifting my head, I looked right into his bright eyes.

   Leaning in a little, I get close enough for our noses to brush against each other. I closed my eyes. His hands cupped my face and we kissed.

   I instantly melted amongst his soft lips. He kissed me like there was nothing else he could ever ask for. It started slow and gentle but it didn't take much time before it was passionate enough to make me see fireworks in my eyes. My hands were in his hair whereas his hands were holding my face in one place.

   Knock.

   I jumped in my place and looked at the door.

   "Come", Cihangir said allowing the agha to walk in the room with a jug of water.

   "Took you long enough", Cihangir said making his way to the table where the jug now rested.

   Oh my God- what was that imagination? What is happening to me? I can't stay in here. This isn't how it's supposed to be. No no no. I shouldn't be thinking that. Why am I even thinking that? He's just a friend. How could I think like that for a guy who had been nothing but kind to me. A friendly kindness because he's a good person.

   "Katerina, Katerina", a nudge on my shoulder bought me out of my thoughts.

   "Huh? Wha- what's it-?"

   "I'm calling out your name for a minute by now"

   "Oh? I- uhm- I might have zoned out", I said rubbing my knitted eyebrows.

    "Katerina are you okay?", he said taking a seat next to me.

   "Hm? What? Of course"

   I can't do this. I feel like his words are suffocating me.

   "Katerina, you can talk to me", he said lightly grabbing my hand.

    No. No. No. Get that hand away.

   I got up from my place and started roaming around, trying to catch my breath.

   "Katerina you're scaring me. Is everything okay? Why are you breathing like that? I'm worried", he said getting up as well.

   "I- i- I need to go back", I announced and left as I heard him calling after me.

    Idiot.

   I made my way to my bed in the harem. Looking around I found out Cecilia wasn't here.

   Is she okay?

   I laid on my bed and pulled over the covers.

   Sighing, I put a hand over my mouth and screamed in it, quiet enough to not wake anyone up.

   This is stupid. What is this feeling?

   It's stupidity.

   Stupid Cihangir and his stupid blue eyes and his stupid smile and his stupid everything.