Güzel aşk - Halime and Ertugrul

Chapter 1: Buried

My eyes flickered open and I took a deep breath. I was under a blue cloth. Taking my dagger out of it's sheath, I cut a small opening. I looked up and saw blackness. I was struggling to remember what happened. My head was throbbing and it felt like it was about to explode. I glanced back at the blackness it looked like...earth. I immediately started to panic. I told myself to calm down but I couldn't. Not knowing what to do, I grabbed the side of my scarf and wrapped it around my mouth. I cut a bigger opening in the cloth and stared at it. It was a flag...the Kayi flag. It started to dawn on me...I was buried - underground - alive. Quickly I grabbed the edge of the flag and pulled it off me. Tears were filling my eyes. I furiously wiped them away and scolded myself. 

No time to cry, Halime...you have to get out of here, crying won't get you anywhere. 

I closed my eyes and managed to calm down. First, I need to make a plan. I only had my dagger so I didn't have much choice, I just had to try and move all the earth away. I started by making one hole in the middle than extending it to get out. I cupped my hands and  started to dig a hole. If I was lucky, someone would be there and will take me back to the tribe. If not, then I am going to have to find it myself. Suddenly my fingers brushed something wet. I smiled despite myself either it was wet earth or grass. I made the hole bigger and thrust my other hand out I grabbed a mount of earth (I realised what it was) and hauled myself out. I rubbed my hands together and brushed the dirt off me. I looked around and there was nothing and nobody. I was in a field that stretched as far as the eye could see. I looked beside me, it was my...grave. The only place not covered in grass. My headpiece was on a rock and another dagger lay on the mud. My thoughts wandered off to Ertugrul and my children. Tears sprung in my eyes again but this time I let them fall. I blinked hard and took another deep breath. I started walking to where I thought my tribe was. I was so confused, so scared. I just wanted everything to be normal again. I had questions and I needed answers. I started running and wiped my tears off my face. 

I need to see Ertugrul... I need to talk to him. 

I carried on running till my legs collapsed. I fell over and my head hit a rock. Hard. In the middle of a remote field, I fainted and everything went black.

At the Kayi tribe:

The next day...

Ertugrul:

I was shattered. My heart was shattered. My children were shattered. They were asking too many questions and I couldn't answer them. I wasn't in control of my emotions at the time. I was overwhelmed with sadness like I've never been before and I will admit. I don't know what to do. It's a lot because I thought this day was far. I'm half expecting her to come on her horse, galloping into the tribe. Then come and hug me and our children and tell us we were crazy to think she would leave us. Especially when we needed her the most. Then she'd give us food and we'd laugh and talk and -

''Baba, baba can you hear me, baba?''

I looked up and my daughter was next to me, shaking my arm. She looked at me, nervously.

''Umm...Baba, it's Osman. He's crying and I don't know what to do. He's not hungry, I just gave him some food. We might need to milk the goats though. I think that's what he wants. Milk.''

I sighed and smiled at her. 

''Okay Ahlet, kisim I will ask the farmers''

She walked away and I started to think how young she is. In only one day she's changed from a girl to a lady having to take care of three - year - old Osman. She was so uncertain but determined to take care of him. Oh, Ahlet. Just then the drums started beating loudly and a white horse came with someone mounted on it. My thoughts went straight to Halime and I was coming together again. Smiling, I changed direction and started walking towards the sound. It wasn't Halime. I shattered all over again. 

Oh Halime, my Halime...

The man walked up to me and I was shocked. 

 ''Sultan'm ... ''  My voice trailed off. I was about to call Halime...

''Where's my niece, Ertugrul bey?''

I stopped abruptly.

Just perfect...I thought to myself.

''Where's Halime Sultan, Ertugrul Bey? I asked you a question.''

''She...left.'' I said, stumbling over my words.

''Where did she go?'' He said, squinting his eyes at me.

''She left to go where we all will end up some time later.'' I replied 

 I had other thoughts in my mind and would really not be able to answer any more of the Sultan's questions until I could get my head straight.

 He was quiet for a long time which made me happy, guilty and uneasy at the same time. Suddenly he spoke up,

''Take me to her grave.'' He said solemnly.

Well, at least he took the hint.  I thought, more than happy about not having to explain.

But then it dawned on me and it caused me to look at him, confused. He never cared for Halime. She was a fugitive because of him. Even when I had met her all those years ago she was running away from him and he never looked back at her, her future, her life. What caused the change of heart now? It really didn't make much difference. Especially now she was gone. 

My look told him everything and upon realising that I looked away. 

''I'll tell you everything once we get there'' He whispered.   

I nodded, we mounted our horses and rode off.

We got there and I led him to the grave where Halime was now resting. But little did I know I was in for a great surprise...

We looked at the grave and I stood, lost for words. Sultan Alā ad-Dīn looked at me his eyes as wide as mine there was a hole in the grave. The headpiece on the rock was gone, both daggers, gone. 

''She's alive...'' I whispered gently.