A-Game ✔

shadows of change / episode twenty seven / sophia

The palace was a hive of whispers. Everywhere Sophia turned, the murmur of hushed voices lingered in the corners, echoing down the marble hallways and through the silken drapes of the harem. Though she had been Sultan Orhan's favorite for weeks, something was shifting, and it had the weight of an unseen force pulling against her.

Mara.

It was always Mara.

The women in the harem spoke of it quietly at first, but as the days passed, the rumors grew louder. Sultan Orhan was seen more frequently with her, and those once-innocent moments they had all brushed aside as fleeting now seemed more deliberate. Mara, the cunning, wicked girl who had pushed her way into the Sultan's inner circle, was becoming more than a passing distraction.

Sophia, still reeling from Orhan's sudden coldness, could feel the weight of betrayal pressing against her chest. She thought they had something unique—something real. Yet, now the Sultan was drifting toward Mara, almost as if under a spell.

✧･ﾟ The rumors grew worse with each passing day. Mara was said to be drawing the Sultan in like a magnet, her influence so strong it was unnerving. Some whispered that it wasn't just her beauty or her ambition but something far darker, something... unnatural. The word "witchcraft" began to find its way into conversations, slipping through the cracks of careful politeness.

Sophia could hardly believe it. Witchcraft? It seemed ridiculous, but the change in Sultan Orhan was undeniable. Even when he saw her—his once-favorite—there was a distance in his eyes, a coolness that hadn't been there before. His focus was elsewhere.

✧･ﾟMara had become a storm, slowly pulling the Sultan into her orbit. People whispered about the strange way she had managed to rise so quickly, from a girl mocked by the harem to someone who was now always close to the Sultan's side. Her smirk, once that of a girl playing a shallow game, had turned into something more calculating, more victorious.

Sophia felt it too. Every time Mara passed by, there was an air of triumph around her—a subtle but unmistakable glow of someone who had won, and knew it.

The harem was on edge. The power dynamics were shifting, and Mara was at the heart of it.

✧･ﾟ: On one particular evening, after another silent meal filled with sidelong glances and murmurs, the women in the harem gathered to discuss the latest development. Mara was said to have received a gift from the Sultan himself—an extraordinary honor for someone of her rank. A name. A new name.

"Rifat," one of the girls whispered, her voice laced with disbelief. "The Sultan has called her Rifat now."

"Rifat?" Melania, seated beside Sophia, furrowed her brows. "What does it mean?"

"It means 'exalted' or 'high,'" replied one of the more knowledgeable concubines. "It's an honor... and a clear sign of her rising power."

Sophia sat in stunned silence. Mara, now Rifat, was no longer just a rival—she was becoming something much more dangerous. The name carried a weight, an elevation that meant she had surpassed the others in the harem, and was perhaps even aiming for a place higher than a mere concubine.

There was something sinister about how swiftly Mara had risen in the ranks, almost as if this had been her goal all along.

✧･ﾟ: Later that night, when Sophia returned to her chambers, her mind swirled with uncertainty. How had this happened? How had Orhan, the man who once seemed to cherish her, drifted so far away, and into the arms of someone like Mara?

She had thought their connection was strong, but now... now she wasn't so sure.

Melania, ever the loyal friend, sat beside her as Sophia struggled to make sense of it all. "It doesn't add up," Melania whispered. "I've seen Mara. She's ruthless, but for Orhan to fall for her so deeply, so quickly... it's strange."

Sophia shook her head, her thoughts jumbled and confusing. "Do you think it's possible?" she asked softly, her voice trembling slightly. "Do you think Mara could be... using something against him?"

Melania's eyes flickered with uncertainty. "Witchcraft? I don't know. It sounds impossible, but..." She hesitated. "She's always been ambitious. And if there's something she could use, some way to control him... maybe she would."

The air in the room grew heavy, the weight of the conversation settling on both of them. The idea that Mara had used dark forces to manipulate Orhan seemed far-fetched, but the evidence of her rise to power was undeniable.

"What if she chose the name herself?" Melania said suddenly, her voice sharper. "Rifat. It's such a powerful name—too powerful for someone like Mara."

Sophia glanced at her friend, a sick feeling growing in her stomach. "Do you really think she would?"

Melania nodded slowly. "Yes. I think she's playing a bigger game than any of us thought. And if she's chosen that name, it means she's not just after the Sultan's attention. She wants everything."

✧･ﾟSophia's heart sank. Melania was right. Mara—now Rifat—wasn't just playing at being the Sultan's favorite. She was positioning herself for something much larger. Perhaps even for the role of Sultana.

Sophia rose from her bed, pacing the room as her mind raced. The betrayal she had felt before now grew deeper, more profound. She had believed that Orhan was lost to her because of Mara's manipulations, but now it seemed that Mara was aiming for more than just the Sultan's affection. She was setting herself up to take over completely.

There was no longer time to sulk or lament. If Sophia was to save her place in the palace—and possibly the Sultan's heart—she would have to act.

But what could she do against someone like Mara, someone who had turned the Sultan's eyes so easily?

✧･ﾟ: As she paced, a single thought grew louder in her mind. She would not let Mara win. Sophia had to remind Orhan of who she was, of the bond they had once shared. And she would need every ounce of strength and wit to do it.

The game was far from over.