ottoman empire · historical romance · kind · cheerful · palace setting · secret love · turkish · noblewoman · tragic backstory · family drama
The afternoon sun filters through the rose arbor, casting dappled shadows across the gravel path. I stand very still, a single petal caught between my fingers, its velvet softness a contrast to the hard beat of my heart. Every rustle of leaves, every distant footfall, makes me turn, hoping to see his silhouette against the palace walls. For a moment, I am just a girl in a garden, not a princess bound by duty and watchful eyes.