Kosem watched as Torah walked away with Grand Vizier Esad and the other bureaucrats with a smile as she waved her small hands. Hazeyn's retainers and adviser also left the premise, leaving her alone with the temperamental young ruler. With the last of their silhouette left her line of vision, Kosem's childlike smile vanished. "So, what would the busy and glorious sultan like to talk about to me?"
His long strides crossed the distance between them. And the next thing she knew, his slender yet long fingers held her chin harshly – making her look up to his tall frame. "I don't care what you do. Never messed with my empire." His lilac eyes darkened as his silver locks framed his face elegantly even if he looked so angry.
The pain from his forceful fingers pinching Kosem's chin made the latter wince. "Oh glorious Sultan, your empire you say. For how long, huh?" She grinned at him, cocked her head, and clicked her tongue.
Kosem watched as the darkened lilac eyes turned darker.
"Be careful with your words, hanim. Or I might forget that you are supposed to be my playmate." The eighteen-year-old sultan's words were harsh to the fifteen-year-old Kosem. He emphasized Kosem's standing by reminding her that she was a mere playmate for him. His lilac-colored eyes were burning as he gazed down at her peculiar eyes which were devoid of any emotions while she stared at him. His hot breath fanned over her face like a predator that was impatient to eat its prey.
Kosem's aqua and golden eyes glinted under the shade of a Baroque-style high ceiling. Her eyes shone with defiance as her young voice contradicted her malicious words. "Even playmates have rivalries, oh great Sultan." Kosem gave him a grin.
His jaws were clenched while his fingers attached to her chin let go completely as if he was repulsed by her words. Taking a step back from the young girl, who gave him sleepless nights, Sultan Hazeyn Suleiman's eyes flashed with betrayal.
'And why did I ever think that someone so pure could exist in this world that seeks me dead?' Hazeyn painfully thought as he stepped back.
Kosem clenched her fists as she watched him withdraw. His pain-laden strides away from her and his pitiful ashen face took everything for her to stop him and hug his body – burrowing her nose under the crevices of his body like she always did a long time ago. The pain and betrayal painted on his face as if he was punched in the guts wreaked havoc inside Kosem's heart and logic.
'But I can't be with you anymore, my love, my king. If I reach out my hand to you, I will only bring you tragedy and you do not deserve any of that. I bargained with the Goddess, Kayra, to make you happy the second time around since I failed to make you happy when I chose to be with you. But worry not, my king. This time, I won't be with you anymore. But I promise you, I will seek retribution to every last one of them – to the bastards who killed us that night.' Kosem promised in her thoughts as she steeled herself. Erasing every remnant of emotions in her eyes that would betray what she truly felt at that moment.
Kosem crossed the distance between them and when she was a foot closer to the young sultan, she stopped and tiptoed as she whispered her words of provocation – a Cheshire grin plastered on her face. "So, did you discard the sherbet tea as I told you?"
Annoyance flashed on Hazeyn's face. Gone was the look of being betrayed on his face, replaced with a stoic face. He placed his hands on Kosem's shoulders, pushing her and creating a good distance between them. "Mind your position, Kosem hanim. You may be the adopted heir of the Fahrettin Household, but you are still the sultan's subject. And in case you forgot, I am the sultan."
The indifference from his voice still hurt Kosem, but she reminded herself that what she was taking was the right route for everyone – to change history. Consoling herself, she whispered in her mind that she would get used to his hatred.
Smiling from his warning, Kosem took a step back from him and his electrifying touch. The hushed murmurs reached her sensitive ears that were beyond a normal Ottoman Turk.
"Oh, I do respect you wholeheartedly, oh great Sultan Suleiman." Kosem paused and she gazed at him slyly, earning her a frowning sultan before she continued, "To show my respect, I will give you the highest form of respect a person would do to you."
The moment that the onslaught of footsteps vibrated the carpeted floor of blue and gold, Kosem Fahrettin's forehead touched the carpet. Her kneeling stance with her head touching the floor and her arms folded on her stomach was the scene that the Grand Vizier Esad and other foreign dignitaries from the east.
"Kosem?" Grand Vizier Esad Fehrattin called Kosem in an alert manner. His voice startled Hazeyn, who was already astounded over her exaggerated display of respect. The resounding 'oh' of the foreign dignitaries made Kosem smile while maintaining her posture.
"Kosem Hanim, what is happening?" The edge upon the young sultan's advisor, Muhammet Bey, betrayed his composed voice as if the scene was normal – he was trying to act as if there was no anomaly in the scene.
A pair of large and clammy hands pulled Kosem from her kneeling position, but she strengthen her body from the pulling force. Tears fell and a hushed broken voice replied, "I-I can't, Grandfather. Not unless I have proven myself to the great Sultan Suleiman that I am worthy of your name."
Her hiccups and tear-stricken face along with her statement concluded to the foreign dignitaries that her kneeling position was imposed by the young sultan – everyone except Muhammet Bey, Hazeyn's adviser.
"What a poor child."
"Is this how a sultan should behave?"
"As expected, the sultan is still a kid."
Every murmur of the foreign dignitaries from the east was heard by Hazeyn and Kosem. The Grand Vizier, who was always on the lookout to take Hazeyn down from the sultan position, immediately grasped the opportunity given by Kosem to corner Sultan Hazeyn Suleiman.
"If that is indeed the will of the glorious sultan, then as Kosem Fehrattin's grandfather, will kneel as well." Grand Vizier Esad was about to kneel beside the crying Kosem when Kadir Tayyar Bey, Grand Vizier Esad Fehrattin's trusted advisor, dramatically entered the scene with his wrinkled face full of anguish – stopping the Grand Vizier who did not intend to bend his knee in front of the young sultan that he deemed unworthy of the sultan seat.
"Peace be upon you, Glorious Sultan of the great Ottoman Empire, this Kadir Tayyar will kneel for my masters instead."