Sardonic Kingdom...

Spring is my favorite season. The giant golden flowers shine brightly, blindingly, in truth, they are not made of gold, but their petals have a color that resembles gold, and when the sun's rays shine upon them, their brilliance invades the entire field, leaving it completely illuminated. It's the most beautiful thing to see.

Princess Taya

"Taya! Taya!" I hear Asnam calling me.

I stay quiet, watching him from the top of the apple tree.

"Taya! The King wishes to see you," he shouts, searching for me among the flowers.

I grab an apple and throw it, hitting him squarely on the head.

"Ouch!" he complains, putting his hand on his head and looking up, finding me.

"So there you are," he says grumpily.

"I am!" I say excitedly.

"Come down, let's go!" he says.

"Wait, I'm coming," I say, jumping on top of him. We fall to the ground, I can't help it, and I start to laugh.

"I wish I had a job that didn't involve keeping you safe, Miss."

"Asnam, I'm not that much trouble, am I?" I ask.

"If you acted like a true princess, I wouldn't have so much work."

"Being a princess is boring, I wish I were a peasant."

"You don't know what you're saying! You should be grateful to be born a princess."

"And you should be grateful to take care of me," I say, and he laughs.

I mount my horse and he mounts his.

"Asnam, why does my father want to see me? Do you know why?"

"The King of Alexandrite is at the castle, with his son, Prince Cuskun."

"And what do I have to do with that?" I ask.

"I think the time has come," he says, looking sad.

"Time for what, Asnam?"

"For you to get married," he says, looking ahead and letting out a long sigh.

Married? I don't want to get married! The thoughts of living trapped in a castle far from everything I'm used to terrify me.

"I don't want to get married, Asnam!"

"It's not something you can choose, if the King decides, it's decided."

I start to cry, I feel my heart tighten just imagining myself leaving here, and living in a kingdom completely different from mine, my freedom trapped in a bunch of rules and duties. My father doesn't care much about me, he lets me be free, because I'm a daughter he didn't want.

"You have to help me, Asnam, I don't want to get married."

"Unfortunately, this time I won't be able to help you."

I dry my tears, dismount the horse.

"I told the king that you were painting by the lake," Asnam says.

"Right!"

"Now hurry up and get ready to introduce yourself."

I enter the castle; when I arrive in my room, the maids are already waiting for me, a beautiful green dress on my bed. They start to undress me; I feel a lump forming in my throat, without reaction and led by them, I enter the bathtub and, one on each side, they begin to wash me.

Then, they start dressing me in all those clothes I hate!

"Don't tie my hair up!"

"As you wish, miss."

When they finish, I leave the room, Asnam looks at me sadly.

"You are very beautiful!" He says.

"Thank you, Asnam," I say sadly.

"Hey, don't be like that, everything will be fine." He hugs me and lets out a long sigh.

"I wish there was a portal to another world, I'd rather fall into the darkness of the universe than have to marry this Prince Cuskun," I say angrily.

"I wish I could help you, Taya. But now we have to go."

When Asnam opens the door, I refuse to enter, simply frozen there. Asnam looks at me and motions for me to enter the hall, but I can't, I don't want to! I want to run away!

"Please, Taya come in," Asnam pleads.

"Trust me, we'll figure something out, but for now get in this room and accept the king's proposal," he says, and then my feet begin to obey my command.

I enter the hall; on his royal throne in all his sovereignty sits my father, to his right the King of Alexandrite, and to his left the pain-in-the-neck Prince Cuskun. I already hate him just by the way he looks at me, I feel like a piece of meat in front of a hungry beast.

"This is the most beautiful woman in the entire universe, Princess Taya!" My father says, and I want to throw up, literally throw up!

Prince Cuskun gets up and comes up to me, my father clears his throat reminding me that I have to bow, there's one thing I hate! If, in this case here, I were another prince, we wouldn't need this charade, but I'm a woman and before this man, I have to bow.

I wanted to tell them a few home truths, this decrepit old man who claims to be my father, and then these two idiots, to say: I want you all dead! I know it's horrible to wish this on your own father, but if you were here in my shoes, you would wish the same and without a shred of remorse.

This gentleman who claims to be my father never showed me any affection, the poor queen, my beautiful mother, died of sadness, and I, if I were in her place, would have died too.

He never held me, he always said that I was something that went wrong, because what he always wanted was a son, that life punished him by giving him a daughter.

And now? He's going to trade me for God knows what! Bastard!

"Bow!" he yells, startling me.

With my heart filled with anger, I bow and see a satisfied smile on the damned prince's lips. Without thinking about the consequences, I spit in his face.

"You're going crazy!" My father gets up from his throne and slaps me in the face.

"She looks like a difficult mare to tame," the nasty prince says, wiping his face.

"But that's no problem, you know how to tame a mare very well, my son," says the King of Alexandrite.

"Yes, Father, I love a challenge," says Cuskun.

"Can we skip the ceremony and go on our honeymoon?" Prince Cuskun asks my father.

"As you wish."

"I'm your only daughter! And you're not even going to have a ceremony? You're just going to give me away like that?

"It's what you deserve for being so rebellious. Go pack your things, you will leave this very day with your husband." A lump forms in my throat, I leave that room devastated.

Asnam accompanies me to my room, the maids pack my bags, I cry desperately, this can't be my destiny, I can't end my life being the wife of such a nasty man!

When everything is ready, Asnam hands me a ring.

"It was my mother's; she gave it to me before she died. She said it was enchanted, that it had been passed down through our generations. I don't know if that's true, but I have it as my lucky charm."

"Then I can't accept it, Asnam."

"You must accept it, you will need it more than I do."

"Thank you, Asnam." I give him a hug and say goodbye.

During the journey to the kingdom of Alexandrite, I can't stop crying, I think of several ways to get out of this situation.

• Kill Prince Cuskun and become a prisoner or even be hanged for it.

• Take poison and die.

• Run away to who knows where.

"Are you going to cry the whole trip?" the nasty man asks. I say nothing in response.

"You can cry, but the real crying will be when I get my hands on you in my chambers."

He's gone too far, I'd rather die than submit to this jerk.

I want to get out of here, I want to get out of here. I start repeating endlessly, my tears flowing like a waterfall, I grab the ring Asnam gave me. Meanwhile, I close my eyes and start to pray, begging the gods, my mother and anything that can get me out of this situation.

"Stop it!" I hear the idiot's voice in the distance and suddenly a very bright light comes out of that ring like a flash taking over the carriage.

Istanbul, Istinye Park, Turkey...

"Mr. Osman, Melisa Dongel is waiting for the interview." Aylin, my secretary, notifies me.

If there's one thing I like, it's my privacy. I only agreed to give this interview because Esra, my PR person, said it would be important for my company's image.

I've always avoided the cameras, and yet these TV and magazine people won't leave me alone. This will be the first time I speak to a broadcaster, and since the questions were only about my business, I saw no problem in granting them this interview.

I enter the room and there she is, the insistent Miss Melisa Dongel, a beautiful single woman who loves a party, and the way she looks at me tells me she's another one who would love to have a night of sex with me. If she wasn't a journalist, maybe I'd leave her unable to even sit down the next day.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Osman Osberk, it's an honor to interview you." I look at her outstretched hand.

"Good afternoon, Miss Melisa, you didn't do your homework right, otherwise you would know that I don't shake anyone's hand unless it's properly sanitized. That in front of you is alcohol." I say pointing to the alcohol on the coffee table.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Osman, I already sanitized my hands, I did my homework right." she says.

"I didn't see it, so do it again." I speak seriously.

She, a little embarrassed, rubs the alcohol on her hands again, and this time I extend my hand in greeting.

After we settle in, she begins the interview.

"Mr. Osman, when did it all begin?"

"My father died of tuberculosis, leaving my poor mother with a huge debt that she couldn't pay. So, we lost our house and started living in a rented place, we were evicted several times, my mother cried. One night we slept in the bathroom of a bus station, until one day my mother got a job as a nanny and her very generous employer allowed me to stay at the house too, I always told my mother: I will grow up and give you a mansion, you will have your house and no one will ever kick you out again. I was always enchanted by buildings and the details of decoration in houses and buildings, in fact this started after we lost our house, when we passed by a building I would tell my mother: when I grow up, I want to build a building like that. And she would say: You have to study and graduate in the field to build a building like that, to be a civil engineer, an architect. It all started right then and there, and I think the fact that we were without our home also influenced my education."

"Those who see you today cannot imagine that you went through so many difficulties. When was the turning point? You became one of the most powerful men in Istanbul."

"I worked hard for it, I started college at eighteen, when I won a scholarship, at twenty-three I graduated in civil engineering. I started working at the company of one of my college professors, that's when I worked on the project that helped change my life, I had never received so much money, I bought the house for my mother. I was still working at the same company when I went back to college, this time to study architecture, I became well known and at thirty I opened my architecture firm, Arte Osberk which had only two employees, me and my friend Burak, and within a year we already had fifteen employees, in the third year we managed to do an incredible project and it was my turning point."

"Your company will complete seven years, how are the preparations for the party?"

"That I also want to know, so far I haven't received the reports, HR will have work this week." I say and she laughs.

"To end this interview, I know this question wasn't on the list, but my boss added it at the last minute. You are the most coveted bachelor in Istanbul, you have never been seen with a woman, why don't you have a girlfriend?"

This question annoys me deeply, I don't like improvisations, I don't like my privacy invaded.

"Miss Melisa Dongel, tell your boss that my personal life is my business, this interview is over." I say, giving her a cold stare and getting up, leaving the room.

"Mr. Osman, let's finish the interview, cut, cut the recording!" Melisa shouts to the cameramen.

She grabs my arm, another thing that annoys me.

"Get your germ-ridden hands off me, Miss Dongel." I say coldly.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Osman, but please finish the interview."

"No, I've made up my mind."

After leaving that annoying interview, I went into my office and poured myself a shot of whiskey.

I went to a meeting and then with Burak to a bar where we always go to relax on Friday nights.

"Ayla said that journalist left crying, what did you do? You need to be friendlier, bro." he says wryly.

"You know I like my privacy, you're the only one who has access to everything in my life."

"The only one who puts up with your bitter mood." he jokes.

"You're an idiot!" I say punching him in the arm.

"And you're a jerk!"

We stayed there for a while, and between sips of whiskey I realize I'm drunk enough to get home and pass out.

"I love you, Burak, you're the brother I never had."

"He started to declare himself, he must be drunk." He says.

"Yeah, you son of a bitch." I say.

"I'll help you get to your car." he says.

We get to my car, Hilal, my driver helps Burak get me into the back seat of the car.

"Take care, bro. And Hilal, tell Zeynep to make the coffee strong tomorrow." Burak instructs Hilal.

"I'm conscious, you idiot!" I say.

Hilal gets in the car and drives off. When we arrive, Zeki, my security guard, helps me open the car door and takes me to my room. They already know that every Friday night I come home like this.

"Thank you, Zeki."

"Good night, sir."

I lie down on my delicious and comfortable bed, I love this life of mine, not having anyone to get on my nerves is the best part, I will never get married, I want to live like this, casual sex, come home whenever I want and without having to explain my life.

I wake up to the sound of my alarm clock, with difficulty I open my eyes, I think I'm still drunk and hallucinating, because it looks like there's a Disney princess sleeping in my bed. I rub my eyes, pinching myself to make sure I'm awake.

Osman Osberk

"Oh my God!" I exclaim, touching her, it's true! There's a young woman dressed as a princess in my bed!

This can only be a prank by Burak, I'm going to kill him!

"Young lady, you can open your eyes!" I tap her shoulder.

She lets out a long sigh and pushes my hand away with her eyes still closed.

"Let me sleep, Asnam..." she mumbles under her breath.

She's a great actress, I take the glass of water from the side table and throw it on her face.

"Enough of this clowning around!" I yell and then she opens her eyes.

And then, she screams like a madwoman.

Taya...

I was about to die of fear, I've never been woken up like this, where am I? Who is this madman yelling at me? And where are his clothes? I immediately cover my eyes and turn away so as not to see him. He's practically naked, wearing a small piece of cloth placed on his body.

"Listen here, my girl! I don't know who you are or how much Burak paid you to play this unfunny joke on me, so I suggest you get out of my sight!" He says.

"Stop screaming! Listen here, you! How dare you speak to me like that? And go put some clothes on!" I say, still with my back to him.

He laughed like a madman and, suddenly, I feel his hand on my arm, turning me around. His eyes meet mine, his gaze brings a strange shiver down my spine.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my house?" He asks.

"I am Princess Taya, from the kingdom of Sardinia."

"You must have mental problems, surely you do! No one in their right mind would dare do such a thing. I'll give you one more chance, who are you, what are you doing here in my house?" He asks.

"I am Taya, from the kingdom of Sardinia." I say, already without any patience.

"You're going to continue with this little game, right? Fine."

He was talking when a small, rectangular, black thing started making noise, like an instrument playing; I had never seen anything like it.

"Just a minute." He says, pointing his finger at me, picks up that small thing, puts it to his ear and starts talking to it. So, I'm the crazy one then.

"You have the nerve to still call to see if your joke worked, right? That wasn't funny, Burak." He speaks to that thing.

"Don't you know what I'm talking about? I know you're behind this, this time you've gone too far." He yells.

"Come to my house right now, Burak!" He shouts and throws that thing on top of this very strange bed.

Then he turns to me.

"And you're not leaving here until we clear this up!" He says, pointing his finger in my face, it irritates me so much that I grab his finger and almost break it.

"Ouch, you crazy woman!" He says, pulling his finger away.

"Don't you ever point that finger at me again!" I say firmly to him.

"You are very bold, I will sue you."

He says things I've never heard in my life.

Sue?

He leaves the room we're in and slams the door, then I hear a noise, I run to try to open the door and then I realize he locked me in.

My stomach makes an absurd noise, I'm hungry, thirsty and my bladder is about to burst. I need to pee!

I look under this bed and I can't find the chamber pot. Where does this madman relieve himself?

I start banging on the door and yelling.

"Open this door! You can't lock me in here!"

This ring of Asnam has brought me to a completely unknown kingdom. On the bright side, I got rid of Prince Cuskun's ass face.

"Get me out of here!"

Then I hear footsteps coming. The door opens and it's the madman with another man, who's dressed very strangely. What is this place? Why are these people so strange?

"Brother, this princess is very beautiful. Nice to meet you, I'm Burak." He approaches, takes my hand and kisses my face.

What audacity! I slap him in the face.

"How dare you? Respect me, I am not your wife for you to treat me with intimacy." I say and he looks at me, massaging his face.

"Heavy hand, huh princess..." He says.

"Are you sure it wasn't you who paid her to do this whole charade?" The madman asks the bold one.

"No, brother, I've never even seen this girl."

"If he didn't pay you, who did?" He turns to me.

"I don't know how I got here, I just know that my father forced me to marry Prince Cuskun of Alexandrite, the last memory I have is being in the carriage with that disgusting man, that's when I started to wish that my fate would be changed, and then I was disrespectfully woken up by you." I say.

"Brother, this woman must be high or really crazy." The Burak guy says.

"I'm not crazy, and I'm not that other thing you said either!"

"I know how to find out how you got in here. Come with me!" Says the idiot who still hasn't put on any clothes. He takes me by the hand and drags me away. I pull my hand away abruptly.

"I'm not going anywhere, one more step and I'm going to pee my pants." I say.

"All right, you can use the bathroom. It's right there."

"Bathroom?"

"Yes, my girl, bathroom."

"I don't know what a bathroom is."

"Oh my God! Are you trying to drive me crazy? Stop pretending. The bathroom is over there." He says, pointing to the door.

I go to this bathroom and when I enter it's a place with a mirror, a thing that looks like the same material as the chamber pots in Sardinia. Is this his chamber pot?

I go back to the room to ask.

"Is that white thing stuck to the floor the chamber pot?"

The two idiots look at each other and start laughing.

"What's so funny?" I ask.

"Please, Burak, introduce the bathroom to this crazy woman."

Not wanting to argue anymore and because I'm about to pee myself, I ignore the fact that he called me crazy.

"So, princess, I'm going to introduce you to the bathroom, this is where we do all our hygiene and physiological needs. In other words: here we take a bath, and this thing here is the toilet where you pee and poop." He says it in a funny way, so I end up smiling.

"You are even more beautiful when you smile." He says and then my smile fades and gives way to a serious expression.

"I complimented you too much." He says.

"Now that I know, may I be excused?"

"By all means. Just one more detail, this button here flushes, once you're done, press it. And here you wash your hands." He says and leaves, leaving me alone.

Desperate, I lift up all my clothes and sit on that thing, which is quite comfortable, it feels like I'm peeing out all the water in Sardinia.

After I finished, I pressed where he said, and wow! That's like magic! If Asnam saw this here, he'd be as surprised as I am. I know what this is for, the difference is that there's no maid holding it, it's the towel that we use to clean our private area after relieving ourselves. I clean myself, wash my hands and I don't know how the water comes out hot, this kingdom is much more evolved!

I go back to the room and then, without saying anything, he just signals for me to follow him and so I do. I keep observing everything. It's very different, there's no gold and no precious stones, there are no frames like there are in the castle, the walls are gray like the clouds on rainy days, there are squares scribbled in black and white. This castle seems very sad and gloomy.