My Life. My Only One.

The Girl

Can, Emre and Chey Chey entered the Bazar at the Eastern gates. They took their time walking through the passages and entering one or two shops along the way. Emre was a bit nervous and scanned the areas as they walked by for any strange activity. Can was not at all bothered but he too kept his mind alert. Chey Chey seemed the least worried of all having decided that none would recognize Can Bey he went around the shops as he normally would. He decided since these two strong young men were around he would avail himself of them. He stopped in two shops. Once was for the textiles and the other was for shoes. In the first he purchased several towels and rugs. These he made Emre carry. At there next stop he picked up an order of shoes that had been waiting for him. The shoes were for the master. He had one dozen ordered in all different colors. There were three large packages and he gave these all to Can. Normally he would have had them delivered after inspecting them but he thought it funny to have these two troublemakers pay for their little joke. Also it helped in heir disguise. Can grimaced at carrying the load not because of its weight but because it obscured his view a bit. Chey Chey announced that the shop they were looking for was just up the way.

Aziz and Nihat embraced at length and blessed Allah that up to now all had gone well. They sat down and quickly got to the point. "Nihat I was prevent from coming to see you and as a result the governor took action and used it as his opportunity to force the engagement of your daughter to his son". Nihat bent his head low and nodded. He felt great shame at not having been able to prevent it. Aziz touched his shoulder in camaraderie and told him that he understood. He had lived something similar and still felt the shame of not being able to clear his name, causing his two sons to be exiled to a foreign land. "I too have suffered at the hands of this ambitious excuse for a man. He has no honor and respects nothing. However I believe that I have solved the riddle to his hunger. First let me explain what I have planned. The two men bowed their heads and spoke quickly and in hushed tones. Every moment that he was away from the clothier was an opportunity for discovery. A few times Nihat raised his head and wondered aloud if the plan would work. Aziz assured him that it was their best course of action and that if they didn't take it his daughter would be in the hands of a despot. Nihat agreed. "Let it be done as you say Aziz. Inshallah". Aziz nodded but before Nihat began to rise, thinking the meeting was over, but Aziz motioned for him to sit. "Nihat as you know I had a reason to come to your home that night". Nihat moved his head with eyes wide not knowing where Aziz was taking the conversation now. "I came because the information that I learned only I could share. Yet it is not mine to keep but rather it involves you". Nihat was confused and spread his arms wide. "I don't understand Aziz. Forgive me. I am not a learned man. My knowledge is in the business trade and negotiations, in bartering and sea faring missions. Inshallah please explain yourself". Nihat looked at Aziz expectantly.  "Nihat your brother lives. He is in the jails held by the governor".

Chey Chey moved steadily through the passageways through the crowds. It was late morning and soon most of the shops would close for lunch. As they approached Can noticed that the stall was filled with earthenware decorated in vivid colors, there were tea kettles in bronze and large glass containers filled with herbs and tea leaves. Setting the packages on the floor while Chey Chey talked to the young woman inside he picked up a glass pot and opened it. It smelled amazing. Oddly enough he felt as if though he had smelled an aroma such as this before. He opened up several other pots and although they smelled nice none of them smelled as good as the one in the Turkish blue pot. He selected the blue pot, a pink one and then a white one. Each one was a gift for his mother, his sister and his soon to be fiancé who's name he didn't even know yet. He gave the pots to Chey Chey and reminded him he also wanted some of the tea he had given him the night before. He walked out of the shop and bent down to pick up the packages he had set on the floor. As he did so someone walked by wearing almost the same sent he had smelled in the pot. She entered the shop as he turned while holding the packages and looked around them to see who it was.  She had her back to him. She wore a long blue gown of very fine silk and her hair hung loosely in waves down her back. She turned to the left as she reached for something on the shelf that Chey Chey had asked her for. Circled around her waist was a fine mesh belt made out of silver and each end hung two small birds with very ornate carvings of swirls and grooves. He imagined that she must be quite wealthy as the belt would have cost a small fortune. Chey Chey stood just in front of her and obscured his view of her profile. He moved a little to the left in order to catch a better view and in that moment she laughed at something Chey Chey had said. He immediately felt a sense of recognition but as he could not see her face he couldn't place her. He strained a little more but now she had her back turned to him again. He was about to set the packages down when she turned completely around and embraced Chey Chey. He saw her face clearly as it was bent over Chey Chey's shoulder. He almost dropped the packages if it had not been for Emre that had stood up to see what it was he was looking at. "I bet you wish that was your fiancé? ....what was it you said, the face of a crow and the body of a cow....". Can straightened up and remembered that none were to know they were here. If he had remembered her. She might remember him. Now he knew where he had first smelled that scent. She was wearing the scent in the blue glass pot the day his father had been arrested. Actually it wasn't exactly the same. But enough to have made him look up. She was here. No longer a the girl he had remembered fondly all these years but a grown woman. Even more beautiful than he remembered her to be. Sanem.

Nihat starred at Aziz as if he had seen a ghost. He scarcely could believe what he had heard. The story that Aziz told was unbelievable but he didn't doubt his friend. Closing his eyes for a moment he saw his brothers face, identical twin; came into view. All this time he had believed him to be dead. All this time he had wept for his brother and he had been in the governors hands the entire time. He wanted to scream out his pain but all he did was shake with anger and pent up emotion. Aziz understood all too well how he felt. It had been Mitat that was Azizs' right hand. It had been Mitat that had warned him of the plot against him. It had been Mitat that had discovered the spy and it had been Mitat that would not divulge where the diamonds had been hidden. But now that Sanem would be Yigit's wife he had the ammunition he needed to force Mitat to speak or watch his daughter sold off to slave traders. It was a disgusting plot. And now his beautiful child was at the middle of it all. It took everything in him not to run out of the shop and straight to the governors palace and kill him in one fell swoop. Since he couldn't he needed to control himself and continue on with what had begun. But after. When all had been settled he promised himself no matter what else came to pass he would kill that filthy excuse for a man and he would do it with pleasure.

He never thought that he would see her again. And now here she was. So close he could walk up and touch her but she may as well have been on the other side of the sea. He would soon be bound to another. He cursed under his breath and his brother turned to look at him. "Abi, what's wrong?" Can avoided looking back into the shop and told his brother that they needed to leave. Emre looked at Can who was clearly agitated and motioned for Chey Chey to hurry up. Chey Chey bid a farewell to both of the women and they began their walk back through the bazar. All the way back Can remained silent, his mind filled with thoughts of Sanem. Her name brought sweet memories to his mind as well as the worst. She was linked to that place and time and he shook his head to free himself of those thoughts. He spoke quickly to Emre as the got to the carriage and while Chey Chey was getting inside he looked up to see that Can was not following him. "What is it Can Bey will you not join me inside the carriage or do you wish to ride up top!". Closing the carriage door Can nodded his head "Hayir" and walked away until he was out of sight.

😍😍😍😍🤫🤫There you go Ablas. The first time Can sees Sanem in current timeframe. I hope you are enjoying my words. I thank you all for your support and messages. They mean everything to me!!!!🦋🔥🦋🔥🦋💃🏻🦋💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻😻😻😻