Sabır (Patience) - Kurulus Osman

Chapter 52

The tribe greeted them gratefully upon the victory, and the people threw everything they held on Alisar, some even managing to beat him. Once they were inside, Osman pulled Alisar's rope in front of him, sending him to the ground while the Alps helped Dundar and Bahadir off their horses, leading them to either side of Alisar. Osman circled the captives on his horse and reared behind them, insulting the former Sanjak Bey mockingly.

"Osman!" Alisar yelled. "You will pay for your doings, Osman! I will make you throw up blood! I will burn your roots!"

Bamsi walked over to him, bending so that they were face to face. "Don't make me cut your poisonous tongue," he threatened. "Don't make me cut your poisonous tongue!" Alisar growled at him, and Gunduz patted Bamsi's back to calm him.

Osman announced Alisar's crimes for the tribe to hear, making them lunge at Alisar, restrained by the Alps. Osman held up a hand to calm them. "As for my uncle Dundar and Bahadir...they were fooled by Alisar and betrayed our tribe's Beys... But my father will sentence them." Approving smiles were brought to Gunduz, Bamsi, and Selcan's faces. Osman dismounted his horse and walked up to Dundar, telling him something Ceyda could barely decipher. Then, he was taken away. Osman turned to Bahadir next, ordering the Alps to take him to the Prisoner Tent.

After dismounting and greeting their loved ones, the Alps and Beys brought Alisar to the front of Ertugrul Bey's marquee and prepared for his execution. Ceyda limped to her aunt who brought her in for a hug then examined her. "None of the Alps are wounded, why are you?" Selcan frowned, after seeing her bandaged leg.

"I'm not wounded, yenge," Ceyda retorted and then leaned in to whisper, "And they are, they just hide it better." Selcan chuckled under her breath and embraced her niece again. Ceyda then turned to Bala and Gonca who stood beside Selcan and nodded at them with a smile. They returned it; "May your victory be blessed," they congratulated, and Ceyda thanked them before wrapping her arms around the two. She noticed Gonca's wounded arm and raised her brow. "May yours be blessed too. Who did you run after?" She glanced between the three Hatuns, whose smiles fell slowly. And then Ceyda realized that they must have been a part of the raid of Alisar's kiosk. "Zohre, Burcin, and Aygul," she sighed. "Where are they?"

"Zohre and Aygul are outside of their marquee," Selcan answered, and Ceyda nodded before rushing away from the execution toward her cousin.

Once Ceyda neared Dundar's pavilion, she saw her uncle and aunt standing by a tent in front of the marquee and the Alps standing in a line beside them with their weapons out. She ran to their side to see Aygul with her back against the tent, tears streaking her face, and a dagger she held, to her throat. Ceyda gasped and started for her cousin when Dundar held out his arm to stop her. "Aygul," she called.

"Ah, Abi," Aygul cried, staring ahead sightlessly.

Ceyda realized that Dundar must have told her the real killer of Batur. "Aygul," she tried again. "Look at me." Ceyda lowered Dundar's hand and took a step closer to her cousin. "Look at me."

Aygul's tear-welled eyes met hers, and she glared. "What are you doing here? Traitor! Go away!"

"I told you I'd never leave you, didn't I?" Ceyda reminded, swallowing as Aygul tightened her grip on the dagger.

"But you did!" she screamed. "You left me. You broke your promise, and you left me alone! My brother left me and then you did too," she cried.

"But I'm here. I came back, Aygul. I'm here." She was now just an arm's reach from her.

"Don't come closer! You'll leave me again."

Ceyda shook her head and reached out her hand as she rested it on Aygul's wrist. "I'm sorry, I won't. Not again. Now we will be together. Hmm? It will be just like before. We've lost a brother...but now we have each other. Will you forgive and accept me once more? Huh?" Aygul watched her cautiously, and Ceyda lowered the dagger, waiting for Aygul to drop it.