Aiyla | Uyanış Büyük Selçuklu

Chapter 3

Aiyla stayed near Aslan when they returned to the tribe. Many were not awake yet, or perhaps they preferred remaining in their homes.

Aliya would have loved to stay home the entire morning, but she would have suffocated from loneliness.

Sure she had Sencer's mother come to the rescue, but she didn't want to burden anyone. She spends a lot of time with her already, so not barging in on her every morning seems like a good thing to do.

"Aslan, do you miss your mother?"

Aslan didn't even budge to the question; he remained too busy munching on the food.

"I miss my mother. Like I know, she is resting peacefully, Alhamdulillah. But, Aslan, I keep dreaming about her. I miss her greatly, and every time I wake up thinking she'll run beside me to comfort me, but I realize that she'll never come back. She's never going to be here beside me." Aiyla said in a heart-wrenching tone while trying not to let her tears fall.

Aslan stopped gobbling his food and nudged Aiyla's arm softly as if he were trying to comfort her. That action made her tears finally drop down her cheeks.

Aslan knew the pain and perhaps understood the pain that will never heal anytime soon within her; maybe the wounds would never close.

"Looks like Aslan is in a good mood today," Sencer said out loud with a chuckle.

"Yes, he is in a good mood, and it looks like he isn't the only one in a good mood." Aiyla chuckled.

"I forget to introduce you to someone dear to me, Aiyla."

"Sencer, I already know your mother." Aiyla laughed.

"I'm serious though, come meet Jahangir." He said as he went to a horse that Aiyla was oddly not familiar with before.

Aiyla was astonished, "MashAllah, it's a beautiful horse, Sencer."

"I know it's a very dear gift from Sultan Meliksah," Sencer mentioned while petting Jahangir.

Aiyla froze a bit; she knew that Sultan Meliksah was Sencer's actual father. He had confided in her when they were younger, and she never spoke upon the topic out of respect.

"That's great, umm, so did he finally figure it out?" She said quickly.

"No, I saved him from an assassination attempt yesterday."

"Assassination?!"

"Yes, Aiyla. These things are always happening. We live in a power-hungry world with backstabbers all around."

She nodded at his words. "I couldn't send out a message in time to warn about the attempt to take my father's life, so I got to Isfahan as fast as I could," Sencer told her.

"I don't have anything to say except that you should be proud of yourself; you have not led rage to consume you," Aiyla spoke softly.

Sencer understood what she meant. Anyone in his place would be mad with his father leaving and especially leaving him without even spending a whole day with him just for the sake of the state.

But Nizamülmülk was the vizier of Sencer's late grandfather Sultan Alp Arslan and the vizier of now Sultan Meliksah had become a mentor for Sencer from a young age.

Sencer had yearned to be beside his father and talk to him as a son would speak to his father. But till that day comes, he will remain loyal to what is right and protect his father.

"Why are you out here right now? Are you already leaving?" She questioned Sencer.

"Yeah, duty calls. I need to head to Isfahan though I do not want to leave my mother; she seems out of it lately."

"Oh, come on, you know precisely why?! You're always risking your life! Your mother only has you as of right now." Aiyla let out in an annoyed tone.

"I know, but this is what I need to do and, we all have our specific moment in which we are destined to leave this world."

"Alright, I won't argue about the topic. Just be careful."

"I always am; I put my faith in Allah every time I step out of my home."

"Tamam, can I go to Isfahan with you? I need to do something there but do not want to go alone."

"Tamam, but I'm leaving soon with the guys, so hurry up. I won't be able to stay with you but just make sure you have weapons and stay alert." Sencer told her quickly.

"Tamam!" She had already started heading to her place to gather her stuff quickly.

Soon later, she left her home and saw that the people of the tribe had started to go on with their day. She quickly made her way to Aslan. She got him ready for their little journey.

"Took you long enough, Aiyla, " Sencer said playfully.

His dearest warriors laughed, already knowing that it would be an entertaining journey to Isfahan.

As they left the tribe, Aiyla smiled at Sencer's mother. She had told her she was planning to go to Isfahan a couple of days ago.

Sencer going was a perfect time for her to go even though Sencer would not be there with her.