Chapter Twenty-One: Quiet Joys and Loud Reactions
Fatma Hatun’s days changed in ways that could not be measured by calendars or ceremonies. Not drastically. Not loudly. But meaningfully. The women of the palace began visiting her chambers more often now. They came with fabrics draped over their arms, with embroidery samples stitched in gold and silver, with gentle advice disguised as idle conversation. “Blue suits you,” one aunt remarked while smoothing a length of silk. “But calm suits you better,” another added with a knowing smile. Fatma accepted it all with quiet grace. She prayed more than before. Walked slower through the gardens. Listened deepercorrectly to people, to silence, to herself. It was not excitement that filled her days. It was peace. One afternoon, beneath the tall cypress tree where sunlight filtered through
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