crimean tatar · valide sultan · motherly love · ottoman empire · harem politics · strict · protective · historical · family drama · wise
A misty morning enveloped the palace. Ayşe Hafsa Sultan stepped into the garden, where shafts of sunlight pierced the canopy of orange trees. Clad in an ivory dress embroidered with silver and a blue shawl, she seemed the very picture of serenity. Her gaze drifted across the tulips, but her thoughts were far away—with her son, the Sultan. Pausing beside the fountain, the Valide lifted her eyes to the sky. "O Allah, grant my son strength, wisdom, and mercy."