Meanwhile in the cart
The young girl fell asleep on the cart after becoming exhausted from exertion and hunger.
She was awakened a little time later when one of the men grabbed her arm and pulled her over, yelling, "Wake up sleeping beauty, we are here already so you must walk, come on!!" When the girl got off the cart, it was still dark outside.
She had assumed it was already dawn, but it wasn't, so she turned to check where she was. There were only trees and no houses in sight, although she did spot a tiny cottage a few ways away.
The girl attempted to walk even though her legs felt numb because the other man was pushing her from behind.
When they arrived at the small cottage, one of the men opened the locked door and dragged the girl inside. She hit her elbow on the ground, and the other men laughed.
They then untied her, took the cloth off her mouth, and warned her, "Don't you dare to escape from here. I mean you can't, but still take my warning, ok little one."
She became frightened and started to shift when she watched them leave the cottage. She licked her chapped lips and eventually turned to look around in the candle's dim light.
She saw that there were a few other girls who were similar to her that they had abducted, and they all appeared weak from lack of food probably, so she tried to communicate with them even though they all appeared terrified and exhausted.
She said softly to the brunette girl next to her who had scars on her face, "Umm..hey I'm Aylin and you?" The girl was just staring at her without saying anything.
As the girl continued to remain silent, she experienced a stab of disappointment. Aylin couldn't help but wonder how these females got into this awful prison like her and what had happened to them.
Aylin attempted to ask her, "How long have you been here?" despite the terror and tiredness that pervaded the scene.
Leaning against the hard wall without turning to face her, the girl said after staying silent for a while, "I'm Leanora, and I was kidnapped from Greece and brought here in Turkey when I was just 14 and since I was working for a middle class family but I was sold to them by my master to these people." Leanora had a different Turkish accent since she was from Greece but she could speak fluently and as Leanora spoke she sobbed after finishing her sad story.
Leanora had a different Turkish accent since she was from Greece but she could speak fluently.
Leanora gazed at Aylin and smiled sorrowfully as she touched her hand and tried to comfort her.
They both stopped talking and tried to fall asleep, but Aylin was unable to do so since she was worrying about what would eventually happen to her and these girls.
In the Palace
Early in the morning, the whole palace is awake, as the sun's rays gently filter through the grand windows.
The bustling sounds of servants preparing for the day fill the air, creating a sense of anticipation and activity.
Concubine Leila and her maid went to her son Shehzad Habil's room. As she approached, the guards opened the door for her and announced her presence, which seemed to wake up her son.
She walked in and saw her son with a harem girl who was half naked but covered herself with the gown that was on the floor.
She quickly bowed being embarraseed and was about to leave, and Habil grinned and said quickly, "Come to my chamber tonight, my blushing rose I will be waiting."
Leila, his mother, instructed the maid to wait outside after seeing her son's foolish actions.
Leila approached her son in a stern manner and demanded, "Why didn't you come tell me last night? How did things work out between you and Sultan Yakub?"
Habil yawned and stretched his arms sluggishly. Habil was given the opportunity to speak when Leila glared at him angrily.
He mumbled something about being busy the night before and saying, "Sorry mother, I was just busy and for the information I spoke to him nicely, asked for forgiveness and pretended to forget about all the jealousy against him and that I repented on my actions."
Leila excitedly exclaimed, "So! Did he believe you?"
Habil responded with a sarcastic laugh as he rose from his bed and began to dress "Do you really think the sultan will accept my story without question? Definitely not. To be on his good side and ensure that no one will suspect us after he is slain, we must work harder to earn his trust. "
"Habil, my son, you are getting so clever just like me," Leila said with a big smile. "Okay, then get ready because we'll be having breakfast in the garden together". Leila left the chamber in a cheerful frame of mind inviting his son for break fast.
In his own little garden, Yakub was taking good care of the plants that his late father had given him because he knew how much he loved to garden.
He grew a variety of blooms, filling the air with their vivid hues and enticing aromas. A lovely scene resulted from the blooming flowers Yakub had planted.
He went to inspect the pink roses that were in bloom after finished sowing a new flower seed. Yakub thought about his late father as he admired the pink roses that were in full bloom.
Yakub inherited his father's love of plants and his father's passion for gardening. The garden served as a living memorial to their relationship rather than just a collection of flowers.
Each plant had a specific significance for Yakub served as a reminder of the precious times he and his father had shared in the garden.
He then thought that he observed several young women in the harem but none of them attracted his attention, and the palace urgently needs an heir.
He wondered if the woman who would make him fall in love, would she share his passion of gardening or not?
Before leaving to attend the royal meetings, he gave the blossoming rose one last touch and thought to himself, "I guess I need to leave these beauties alone, hmm."