" You finally came out of your chambers, Handan. I thought you harmed yourself from sadness already." Mahfiruz Sultan, mother of Mehmed said to me arrogantly.

I took deep breath trying not to take her words too close to my heart, as I knew she wanted to provocate me now as she is Valide Sultana.

" I guess you would have been happier if I harmed myself." I said to her seriously looking at her.

" What you were doing in chambers of my lion Mehmed? Did you go there just to make him feel guilt because of Osman?" Mahfiruz said to me while standing proudly in front of me.

" Why shouldn't I go to visit my brother? He is my blood. You are the one I blame the most for Osman's death. " I said to her coldly and seriously.

" He got what he deserved. There is no Osman anymore. Your mother is far away. You should behave better to me because I am the one who will decide about your fate." Mahfiruz said to me with a smirk on her face.

" You are nobody to me, and you won't be the one who will decide about my fate. I will chose my path myself. " I said to her.

" We will see, Handan, we will see. " she said with a smirk on her face again.

" You shouldn't forget to address me with Sultana, Handan Sultana, because that what you are Valide Sultan now means nothing to me. I was born as Sultana and no one can change that, so you should take care how you act towards me." I said to her leaving her without any words, so I continued to walk over Harem until I saw Musa is signalising me something.

" Sultana, Kapudan Murad Pasha wants to see you now in Secret Gardens. " Musa said to me and I blushed at that moment.

Since young age I felt towards Murad what I have felt towards no one else. Even since when I was young, when I was close to him I could feel butterflies in my stomach.

My mother always knew I loved Murad, but she looked at it as childhood love. On one occasion, she promised to me that she would help me marry him one day, as he was her right hand and he was always with her.

I went as faster as possible to the Secret Gardens where I saw Murad standing there. He looked like real warrior. Tall, handsome, with dark eyes, dark hair and dark moustache and beard.

Even since I was young, he was my ideal how a man should look. He had everything what I have ever searched for in a man. And the thing that I liked the most about him is that he is loyal to me and my mother. He was best friend of my late brother Osman.

" Sultana, I am so happy that I could finally see you. I know it was hard time for you, it was for everyone else too. We can't believe what happened and in what kind of hell we got." Murad said to me as he bowed to me and gave me the most beautiful smile in the world.

" I am glad to see you too, Pasha. Many time has passed. I haven't seen you since you informed me about the death of my brother. " I said to him and my mood quickly changed at the mention of my brother.

" I am sorry that I had to be the person that had to inform you about the sad things, when I would be the happiest to tell you happy news and see your beautiful face smiling." he said to me which made me blush even more and feel a little bit shy in his presence.

I gave him a smile because not often I could hear beautiful words as I heard from him, and as he was man I liked, it made me feel special even more.

" How is my mother? Is everything fine with her?" I asked him as I was worried how is my mother. I haven't seen her since all the bad events that happened to us, and I missed her so much.

" Your mother tries to be as strong as possible, but you know it's hard for her. I believe it's the same for you. She would like to meet with you soon." he said to me and came closer.

" We will have to do whatever is needed to realise our plan, Murad. I can't wait anymore in this Palace. We need to do something quickly. " I said to him and he came even closer to me.

He took my hand and kissed it, and then putted it into his hands, gently touching them which made me bit shake from happiness. But no, I will never show my emotions to any man.

" I will do whatever is important Sultana, I will even give my life for you. We will realise our plan with God's help as sooner as possible!" he said as he continued gently touching my hands.

" I am glad that I can count on you any time, Murad. It is hard to find people like you nowadays." I said to him with biggest smile possible.

" I would do whatever my Sultana wishes. " he said and kissed my hand once again, before I left Secret Gardens and headed towards my chambers.