Sophia sat in the gardens, her fingers brushing through the soft blades of grass beneath her. The gentle rustle of the leaves and the hum of insects filled the air, but her mind was far from the beauty of the scene. Her heart felt heavy, weighed down by the choices she now faced.
Beneath the ornate luxury of the palace walls, she clung to her Christian faith in secret, a part of her she couldn't let go, even in this foreign land. The whispers of conversion surrounded her daily—everyone expected it, and perhaps, it would make things easier. But Sophia had never been one to bend easily.
The garden had become her sanctuary. Here, away from the eyes of the court, from Rifat's schemes and Orhan's confusing affections, she found peace. Today, though, that peace felt distant, and her thoughts turned toward escape. Maybe it would be better to flee, to risk everything for the freedom she yearned for.
She knelt down on the soft grass, her eyes searching the canopy of trees above, where sunlight filtered through, dappling the ground in light and shadow. She clasped her hands together, her prayer almost a whisper.
"God, show me what to do," she murmured softly. "Do I escape this place and return to who I was, or stay and become something new?"
Her breath caught in her throat as she let her prayer drift into the stillness of the garden. There was no answer, no voice from above to guide her. She felt small, lost, like a leaf floating on the currents of a great river.
Sophia stood and wandered deeper into the garden. Her fingers trailed along the leaves of the rose bushes, their thorns pricking at her skin, a reminder of how beauty could hide danger. Her eyes flicked to a small fountain nearby, the water trickling in slow, rhythmic circles.
As she gazed at the water, she noticed something—the reflection of a single rose petal drifting on the surface. It floated there, caught in the gentle current of the fountain, but it didn't sink. It danced lightly on the water, moving in small, circular patterns.
Something about the sight calmed her.
It was as though, in that small movement, Sophia felt an answer.
The petal remained afloat, carried by the water's quiet force, but it didn't vanish. It survived. It stayed, despite the currents pulling it, gently pushed but never overwhelmed.
Sophia took it as a sign. The message she had asked for.
Stay.
She needed to stay. Perhaps there was still a reason she was here, still a purpose she had yet to fulfill. Orhan still lingered in her thoughts, and though she felt the ache of betrayal from Rifat's growing influence, there was a part of her that wasn't ready to let go. She couldn't walk away, not yet.
Sophia bent down and touched the water, her fingers brushing the petal. It swirled in response, continuing its gentle dance on the surface.
She closed her eyes, breathing in the soft scents of the garden once more. "I'll stay," she whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. "I'll stay for now."
In the quiet that followed, Sophia felt a strange peace settle over her heart. It wasn't certainty, but it was enough to keep her grounded, for today at least. She rose to her feet and made her way back through the garden, her steps a little lighter than before.
There were still battles ahead, both in her heart and within the walls of the palace. But for now, she had made her choice.
The rose petal floated on the water behind her, caught in the gentle current, still unbroken.
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FanfictionSultan Orhan who got on the throne at the age of 17, has a lot to contend with. His mother, Ayşe Neslişah, has a really bad disease from whom she has been suffering for years. the Sultan loves a lot his mother and he will fulfill every wish of hers...
