SITTING BEFORE Torah, who held the reins of the camel they were riding, Kosem was clad in a fancy aquamarine tunic as golden bangles dangled on her right foot. Their camel was surrounded by Janissaries riding on their respective horses. Leading their procession was the Grand Vizier Esad Fehrattin, who enjoyed the awestruck looks of the common folks as they paraded in the capital city towards the main palace of Sultan Hazeyn Suleiman.
Today was the day that Kosem prepared wholeheartedly. With the intelligence of Clara and the heart of Kosem, she reminded herself of her ultimate goal and that was to avoid the original history from repeating itself even if it would take her to be the villainess against the man she loved.
Kosem already pondered this decision of hers and she could not think of a better plan than this. In the original history, she would fall in love with the Sultan and this would trigger a series of misfortunes for the young sultan. In short, falling in love with her would be something that Sultan Hazeyn Suleiman should not do again to avoid the series of misfortunes that he would surely face. And Kosem knew how to make him hate her – after all, she was once his lover hundreds of years ago.
Her peculiar eyes moved to the Grand Vizier who was riding his prized camel. According to Torah, the Grand Vizier would attend the monthly meeting wherein all leaders from the vassal territories and autonomous territories would gather to discuss the bureaucratic issues together with the governors and the captain of the Janissaries. Kosem knew that the Grand Vizier would propose to take the control of the entire elite military with the guise of concern towards the young sultan.
Kosem remembered that it was during this time that the opposing bureaucrats would attempt to take the control of the entire Janissaries from the young Sultan Suleiman. But the opposition failed miserably.
"Torah, what is my itinerary today?" Kosem looked up to Torah, who was sitting behind her. The latter pondered for a few seconds before answering Kosem. "You will meet the great Sultan Hazeyn Suleiman right after you arrived in the main palace. After the introduction, I will bring you to the room that is designated for you to wait before lunch with the Grand Vizier and Sultan Suleiman. Then you are free to take a stroll inside the main palace or even in the garden."
'Hmm. So I don't have the luxury of time to meet him in private,' Kosem thought.
"Is your itinerary okay with you, Kosem Hanim?" Torah worried after being answered by silence from her. To ensure her and to shut her up, she gave Torah a dazzling sweet smile. "It is okay, Torah. I am just shy of the Sultan. I heard that he's also young. He won't bully me, right? You will protect me, right, Torah?"
'You will die for me, right Torah?' Kosem continued in her mind.
Torah tapped her chest. "Do not worry, young hanim. I will definitely protect you and your innocence."
Kosem's childlike appearance fooled Torah as she nodded with enthusiasm before she looked ahead of her again – waiting for the procession to end.
'Innocence, huh? If you can only read my mind, Torah. You will be surely running to the hills.'
NUMEROUS GOVERNORS from autonomous territories and vassal territories welcomed the Grand Vizier's party as soon as the latter stepped into the main palace. Kosem walked one step behind the Grand Vizier and no one dared to point her out. She was establishing the fact that she was the adopted heir of the second most powerful person in the Ottoman Empire. She needed these people to remember her face for her future plans.
"You look healthy more than ever, Grand Vizier Esad!" said a governor appointed by the Grand Vizier himself to manage the vassal territory of the south. He was clearly sucking up like the others were doing.
"Is this the rumored heir of the Fehrattin Household?"
"My, my, what a bright-looking child!"
Grand Vizier Esad Fehrattin's laughter boomed in the hallways of the main palace as they were being flocked with bureaucrats. "Yes. Her name is Kosem Fehrattin. Say hello to Grandpa's friends, Kosem. In the future, their heirs will help you too."
Kosem greeted them all. No trace of shyness or immaturity in her stance as she gave them each a perfect display of etiquette. "Kosem Fehrattin greets the respectful beys and hanims of the glorious Ottoman Empire."
The bureaucrats were about to gush around her when a young voice silenced the entire hallway – bringing along a tension that was as cold as ice. "I never thought that you would seriously adopt someone just to give me a playmate, Grand Vizier Esad."
All heads turned to the approaching young Sultan, behind him were his adviser and his retainers. All the people in the hallway showed utmost respect to the most powerful person in the empire by bowing their heads – even the prideful Esad. Kosem followed suit after she gazed at the ethereal appearance of the young Sultan, who was only covered with the finest white silk and adorned with gold from his ankles to his wrists, neck, and to his hair and ears. "All the glory to the great Sultan who rules us all," said all of them said including Kosem.
Kosem simply steeled herself to remind herself not to get swayed by his ethereal beauty and to stick to her plans.
'Snap out of it, Kosem! Things should not happen the same way twice!'
Hazeyn stopped a meter away from Kosem – his lilac eyes not leaving hers. And behind those eyes, Kosem saw the contempt that he harbored for her. Though she wondered what made him hate her already, she treated it as good news.
'I don't have to exert much effort to make you hate me.' Kosem thought, bitterness oozed in her mind no matter how much she denied it.
"Sultan Hazeyn Suleiman, meet my heir, Kosem Fehrattin. Kosem, this is the great sultan that you will be serving in the future in my stead." His words made the adviser sharpen his eyes upon hearing the oblivious threat to power from the Grand Vizier. Kosem pretended to not know the gist of the threat as she smiled and bowed again in front of the Sultan who was busy glaring down at her.
"It will be a great pleasure to serve the great Sultan, Grandpa. I will be in your care." Kosem smiled shyly but Hazeyn saw the pretense behind her action.
"Leave us, everyone. I want to talk to Kosem Hanim alone. I should get to know my subject, right Esad?"
Reluctantly, Grand Vizier Esad let go of Kosem's hands. "Of course. I leave Kosem to your care, Sultan Suleiman."