GonBor- A Gonca hatun and Boran alp story

A Funeral and Memories

(Prepare yourselves, this is going to be a sad one. I promise we'll have some light-hearted memories, maybe with some Konur, next chapter.)

Boran alp P.O.V

We ride slowly and sadly back to the tribe, carrying Savci Bey and all of the shaheeds with us. When the drums beat and people stop to look, gasps and cries are heard from all around. People searching for their sons, brothers, husbands, and fathers amongst the ones who are still alive. People cry and break down in tears as we stop our horses in the center of the tribe. The loss preventing us from celebrating a victory. 

Lena hatun comes, holding her young son in her arm and Bala hatun and Gonca follow behind her. Lena hatun searches the group with her eyes, looking for her husband, "Osman Bey, Where is Savci Bey?" Osman looks down in silence, pain showing in his eyes, "Gunduz Bey, where is your little brother?" She asks, more frantically, but Gunduz can't seem to answer either.

Gonca catches my eye, silently asking the same question, 'Is he alive? Did he make it?' I can only shake my head, "Osman Bey, Gunduz Bey, Savci nerde?! (Where is Savci?!)" Osman turns, looking to the stretcher behind Savci's horse. Lena Hatun follows his eyes and slowly walks toward it. Kneeling, she carefully pulls back the flag that covered his face. Lena hatun lets out a sob, "Savci?" "My dear older brother Savci has become a shaheed. He is with Bayhoca now." Osman Bey chokes out, somehow keeping his voice steady.

People cry, but Lena hatun seems the most broken. First, her son, her young, brave son who was only 15 years old. And now Savci. The body is taken to his tent to prepare for the funeral. Osman and Gunduz barely hold back tears as they too go their own ways to mourn their brother. I walk back to my tent slowly and sit down, holding my head in my hands. 'Savci is gone.'

(Almost 20 years ago- Boran is 6 years old. Third-person P.O.V)

Boran squats on the ground looking at something in the grass with interest as Savci flips the pages in his book, searching for a herb. Boran gets up and taps Savci, pointing to a strange-looking flower.  "What is that?" Boran asks the older boy, and Savci's eyes spark with recognition as he flips through the book. "Grab a few of those flowers, Boran. I'll show you a cool trick." Boran nods and runs around, grabbing the flowers from the ground.

"Should I go find Osman?" Boran asks and Savci shakes his head, smiling at the younger boy. "No, this is a special trick only for you. Now, come on."  Boran follows behind Savci as he lights a small stick using the fire under a pot of water. Boran watches quietly, but curiously as Savci tears up the flowers and puts them into a jar of some sort of oil. "What does that do?" Boran asks as he stares at the jar.

"Just wait," and within a minute the liquid goes from a yellow color to a bright blue one. "Ooooh," Boran watches in awe and excitement, waiting for what Savci would do next. Then, Savci taps Boran's head, pushing him back a little. "Scoot back, I don't want to set your hair on fire." Boran pouts but moves back as Savci picks up the light stick. 

When Savci hovers the stick over the liquid, instead of putting out the fire like Boran thought, the substance bursts into flames. Boran jumps and down, "Woah, that's so cool!" Savci smiles at the boy's happiness. Boran had lost his family and he was so small, he rarely smiled. Savci only wanted to make the boy happy and seeing him happy, made Savci happy too.

(End of Flashback)

'Ah Savci Abi, now you've become a shaheed. And to think you didn't even want to be an alp in the first place.'  Gonca comes and sits next to me, setting a hand on my knee. "Are you okay, Boran?" She asks quietly and I sigh, "I'm not sure. Savci has always been like a brother to me. He always tried to cheer me up after my parents passed away. Always making sure I didn't feel alone. And now he's gone." I say sadly, and Gonca rests her head on my shoulder, in hopes of comforting me.

Later that day, Goktug, Baysungur, Saltuk, and I walk to the Marquee. It is time for the funeral of Ertugrul Ghazi's middle son, Savci. "One of Ertugrul Ghazi's 3 lions has fallen." Davut Ustadh says as we enter the tent and sit down. "Osman and I would be arguing while Savci tried to read his book." Gunduz starts, turning to Osman, "One day, I'll move somewhere peaceful, like a Mongol camp or Byzantine castle. He would say," Osman Bey chuckles at the memory.

"It's probably more peaceful there. At least you two wouldn't be there, bickering every second of the day." Osman Bey says, finishing the memory as the two brother looks down, smiling slightly. "May Allah bless your soul, Abi." Everyone stands as an alp calls the adhaan outside, Osman and Gunduz pick up an end at the front, and Goktug and I stand behind them. Each of us carries the stretcher on our shoulders and the door of the marquee opens.

The adhaan is heard and people call out, "Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!" Two brothers, two of Ertugrul Ghazi's sons carry the other on their shoulders. Umur Bey and Malhun hatun arrive, quietly joining the group of people behind us. We arrive at the cemetery, where each of us takes a turn shoveling dirt for the grave. Savci's body is lowered into the dark soil and everyone stands to pray.

"Savci Bey, my dear brother will never be forgotten. His generosity, kindness, and skill will always remain with us in our hearts. And remember those who are martyrs are not dead, for they are alive, but we can't see them." Osman Bey says, his voice once again strong, "We will continue fighting for justice! We will not let them see us as weak! We will fight just as Savci Bey would! Allahu Akbar!" The cry is echoed amongst the people of the tribe. 

They may destroy our families, and kill our brothers, but we will not stop. Until Justice is served.

A/N: Hello hello, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I know it's really sad, but I promise the next one is light-hearted. I think I'm going to skip a couple of months for the next chapter. Also, I'm thinking of bringing Turgut into the story, what do you guys think about that?

Salaam and have a great day!