Mushtasem Assassin Group

"YOU. I want you Nalan Kevser. You are more than the exotic dancer you portrayed yourself to be. You and your mind will change the tides of the Ottoman Empire." The serious declaration of Kosem startled Nalan.

For Nalan, who used her brain and her exotic beauty to lure the officials for her selfish gain, the moment the dainty silhouette of the alleged customer entered the premise of her assigned room, she felt an overwhelming burden from the gaze behind the oversized cloak. And when the guest opened her mouth, her unnerving voice knocked the air out of Nalan's lungs as if she was being choked. The pressure of her gaze and the words the guest spewed were all insane but were so right at the same time.

Antracos. The deadly eastern disease that no one knew what its cure was. Officials and even the poorest suffered because of this disease that could only be found in the east. Among the tribes that thrived in the eastern part of the continent, Nalan only got one reason to stay and lived in the countryside – her younger twin, Orhan. Like most of the eastern tribes, Nalan and Orhan were gifted with uncanny talents. Hers was the gift of intellect and for Orhan, it was the gift to slaughter people in one go. Combined, they were a deadly duo that formed a name in the black market of the Ottoman Empire. They were doing good as she was a wandering dancer, who sold information to the Information Guilds, and Orhan, who became affiliated with the infamous Mushtasem Assassin Group. Everything was fine until she saw Orhan collapse. To see him collapse was a sight that was not a welcomed sight by her.

Strange dark spots. Weakened body. Constant high fever. The basic symptoms of Antracos. Nalan knew that it was futile to resist the irresistible fate of Orhan, but she dared refused the one entity called destiny. For her, destiny was made up of choice – so she chose to leave Orhan under the care of Emin Tugrul, Orhan's leader and the leader of the Mushtasem Assassination Group. Her brother was in Constantinople as well, but she went immediately to the auction house wherein the officials of the empire frequently went to – her target? The wealthiest man in the empire, who could sponsor research for the cure with just one blink, Grand Vizier Fahrettin.

'But I am running out of time.' Nalan thought solemnly. She was waiting for the Grand Vizier's adviser to come every single day but failed every time until today when a very unlikely guest came for her alone.

"I am nothing, but a humble exotic dancer. Why me?" A pair of cobalt eyes stared at the very odd combination of blue and gold. Nalan knew that the guest was younger than her, but her eyes spoke of experiences far greater than her age. Nalan knew since she saw a lot of people as wandering dancers.

The guest tilted her head to the side. "Why not? You trusted yourself so much to the point that you were willing to sell your virtue just to get close to the Fahrettin Household's vast wealth. If you are willing to gamble yourself, who am I to doubt you right?" The young hanim grinned slyly at Nalan.

The temptation was great that she was almost willing to follow the young hanim. But Nalan knew better, if the information leaked like this then someone was targeting the Mushtasem Assassin Group.

'A cure? Such a fantasy. Even the greatest scholars of the empire failed to do so.' Nalan painfully thought while staring at the grinning hanim as if the latter could read her mind.

Nalan tried earnest to suppress her hope and regained her composure. "Young hanim, whoever sent you, tell them that a false cure could incur the wrath of Emin Tugrul." Gone was the light voice that Nalan used earlier replaced with a sharp one that held a threat for the person before her.

"Hmm. A mouse when cornered will bite the cat. It is indeed true, huh." The guest stared at Nalan as if she was a specimen under monitoring and she did not like the feeling one bit. Her odd eyes felt like they could see right through anyone. While her grinning lips gave off a feeling that the guest was enjoying – like a predator who was enjoying the chase. Just staring at the eyes gave Nalan a shiver that she could not shake off. The young hanim continued, "Then try using this. I do not care to whom you will use this but see the effects of this flower. I rather chose to catch the mouse than let it bite me, after all." From its cloak, the guest took a flower crumpled into a large pouch. Its white small flowers overflowed from the pouch and its small teardrop-shaped leaves shadowed the flowers – it was an Oakleaf Hydrangea. After placing the pouch on the ebony table, the guest stood up after putting down another purse full of akce.

The young hanim covered her face with the hood of the cloak again as she stood and turned her body from the frozen Nalan, who was yet to utter a single word. Hundreds of words were trapped inside her lips. "W-Wait! Aren't you going to pursue me?"

The peculiar hanim barely turned to her, her dainty body was about to open the large double door. Nalan was not able to see her expression, but the sound of her voice made her guess that she was grinning. "Boil the flower with enough heat and take it out after the water simmer. Let your brother drink it twice a day."

"Wait! How sure are you that I won't run away?"

This time, the guest turned her head away from Nalan as she opened the doors – but stopped midway. "This time, you will wait for me every day outside the merchant, Kura's store."

With that, the young and peculiar hanim left together with her two companions leaving the stunned Nalan alone.