Selcan and the women were making a new tent for Ceyda near Erutgrul Ghazi's tent when Aygul and Zohre came over.
"Who's tent it is?" asked Zohre sourly, annoyed by the women wasting materials.
"It's for our daughter, Ceyda," replied Selcan, calmly.
"What? But she lives with me," declared Aygul.
"Not anymore," jumped in Bala.
"So, the new girl gets to decide that? You're crossing your boundaries too much, Bala Hatun. First, you threaten me with a dagger, now will you decide for my sister?" Aygul questioned.
"Bala hatun," Selcan held her hand to stop her before she could reply. "Don't. It's a waste of time."
"What's a waste of time?" continued Zohre. "Talking to Aygul or building a tent for a person who will never wake up?" Aygul glared at her mother but stayed quiet as she defended her.
"Only Allah knows what will happen, Zohre," Selcan reminded sternly.
"The blow she received on her head put her in a sleep to death. I'm just stating facts."
"You seem to know a lot about Ceyda's injury, ana, and I thought she fell on a boulder. What blow did she receive on the head?" Aygul interrogated suspiciously.
Zohre's eyes widened, and she went pale. She quickly pulled herself together and calmly responded, "I am a healer. Did you forget? Of course I know about her injury."
"What blow did she receive on her head?" Aygul repeated as Selcan observed the mother and daughter. Aygul seems very suspicious. I'll have to talk to Zohre later. If she did something...
"Yeter Aygul. Haydi, let's go. You women can continue to waste our materials on someone who doesn't even help get them," and with that, Aygul and Zohre headed back to their marquee.
---
Osman freed his right hand from the chains that were holding them up. He smiled and thanked Allah. "Bey'im!" Konur warned as they heard noises of people coming in. They pretended to be unconscious and Osman put his free hand back into the chains and closed his eyes. He and the alps secretly watched the man that entered as he walked towards Osman. The man laughed at Osman's vulnerability.
Suddenly, Osman choked the man with his free hand and twisted his neck. He then used his free hand to break his other hand out of the chains as the rest of the alps tried breaking free. Osman got out of his ropes and freed his alps. They grabbed their weapons and sliced the enemies as they rushed into the cave.
One of the heads of the men came inside with several soldiers. Bogac was too wounded to fight, and so Osman and his alps were outnumbered.
"You are finally in my hands, Osman Bey," smirked the leader of the soldiers.
"You set a trap, dog!" spat Konur.
"I will kill you like I killed Kanturali who you put after me like an executioner," he sneered.
Osman and his alps froze for a few seconds. Their brother had died. "Kanturali..." Bogac grieved. "Dogs teeth like yours can't bite Kanturali," stated Osman.
The man scoffed. "Dundar Bey's son Batur wants your head."
Boran jerked his head to Osman as Osman frowned. "Batur?"
The man nodded.
"Not you, but even your dogs are afraid of me. I am seeing it in their eyes," Osman observed with a smirk.
"Death will be fun," he attacked Osman as his men attacked Osman's alps. Osman and his alps gave a fierce and strong start, but they were outnumbered and the enemies started beating them.
Suddenly, an arrow flew to the back of one of the soldiers. It was Batur. Osman and his alps continued fighting, encouraged by the help they received, and Osman managed to kill their leader. Osman saw Batur and smiled in relief, continuing to slice through the enemies.
One of the soldiers held his sword to Boran's throat and pushed him against the wall, but Batur was faster. He shot his arrow, making the soldier fall back and confusing Boran. Batur continued shooting his arrows at the soldiers, making the alps confused yet relieved.
Osman, Konur and Boran heard Bamsi and Samsa Cavus's voices from outside of the cave and grinned. The voices motivated the alps.
"Hayy dir Allah!"
"Haqq dir Allah!"
"Hayy dir Allah!"
They sliced the soldier's bodies and slit their throats with confidence as Batur continued shooting his arrows until the last man fell.
Batur walked towards a smiling and wounded Osman, "Kardesim!"
"Batur...what can I tell you? Thanks to Allah, you arrived on time," thanked Konur.
"Eyvallah."
"How did you find this place?" asked Osman.
"He..." Batur nodded to the dead man on the ground, "fell for my trap. He brought me to you, kardes."
"Give me your pardon in this world and Qiamah," Osman said, reaching out his arm.
Batur shook his forearm, "I give it." The cousins hugged and nodded.
"Eyvallah Batur Bey," Konur thanked again, shaking his forearm. "You played a game to dastards." Konur then looked at Batur with concern and hope. Batur understood his expression and answered, "She is still sleeping." Konur's face fell a little but he maintained a straight expression; he knew Ceyda would be unconscious longer.
Suddenly, Gunduz bey, Samsa Cavus, and Bamsi bey rushed inside. "Abi! " Osman grinned.
Gunduz sighed in relief at the sight of his brother, "Kardaş! Çok şükür." He embraced his brother and nodded to Osman and Konur.
Osman then hugged Samsa Cavus and Bamsi Bey who were sad seeing Osman wounded from the torture. Bogac groaned and coughed from his wound, and they all turned their attention to him. "He is not alright," Osman told Bamsi as the alps went to help him.
Then, Abdurrahman Ghazi entered, shocking Osman and his alps. "Osman."
"Abdurrahman Ghazi?"
Abdurrahman smiled but his eyes were full of worry. Osman grinned and kissed his hand before touching it to his forehead.
"Osman..." Abdurrahman was relieved and hugged Osman.
"Thanks to Allah. So, my father came back."
Abdurrahman frowned as Osman looked towards the entrance of the cave for his father to walk in. His smile turning into a frown when no one entered. Osman looked at Abdurrahman, then Gunduz. Their eyes were full of sorrow.
"Abi, my father?" Gunduz looked away. "Abdurrahman Ghazi, where is my father?" Osman demanded, his eyes now tearing up with worry. "Tell me, where is my father?"
Gunduz finally answered, "Our father is sick, brother." Osman froze as Gunduz continued, "Now, our uncle Dundar has the deputation."
Konur and Boran looked at each other with sadness and worry, and Bamsi nodded to Osman to confirm.
---
The drums were beating and Osman, his alps, Bamsi, Samsa, Gunduz and Batur returned to the tribe. Selcan and Bala came out of their tents and grinned, thanking Allah.
Aygul was working in the rug house and smiled when she saw Osman. "Thanks to Allah." She looked over to Bala and saw the same smile on her face. Aygul's smile turned into a look of jealousy. Bala noticed Aygul staring at her and stopped smiling too. She then went back inside the marquee.
Dundar and Zohre came out of their marquee and watched as the people who arrived head for the front of their tent. After meeting Dundar and disappointing him, Osman went to meet Bala.
Konur headed for the healing tent to see Ceyda, but she wasn't there. He suddenly started panicking. "Didn't I tell her to stay there? Ya Rabbi, even in her sleep, she doesn't listen to me. She's making me crazy," he shook his head.
"You're already crazy," someone commented.
Konur turned around to the familiar voice and saw Boran grinning from ear to ear.
Konur sighed in annoyance. Boran always had to be around when he was thinking of Ceyda, "What are you doing here?"
"What are you doing here?" Boran interrogated, flipping the question.
"I-uh... I asked first."
"Fine. I was looking for Ceyda, but it seems she's not here."
"Why are you looking for Ceyda?"
"Because I understood that wherever Ceyda is, you would be near," Boran laughed, proud at his joke.
Konur watched his friend cackle with a blank face. "Are you done?"
"No," he laughed more, even louder, then pulled himself together. "Okay, now I'm done."
Konur nodded. "I was also looking for Ceyd-"
Boran started cracking up again, "See, I told you!"
"Anyways! Where is she?"
"They probably moved her to Dundar Bey's marquee."
Konur sighed. He really wanted to see her.
"You're not thinking of going there, are you?"
"No, I already know how much Zohre Hatun despises me. I'll just go see Ceylan."
"Okay, go talk to the horse, and don't forget to tell me the interesting conversation you had," Boran joked between laughs. He then left, still smiling.
"I will have an interesting conversation," Konur guaranteed quietly as he made his way to the stables. Konur groomed Ceylan as memories flooded his mind.
"Ceyda'im, which horse would you like?" asked Bamsi cheerfully.
It was time for the kids Bamsi was training to learn to ride horses, and Bamsi let Ceyda have the first pick. Ceyda walked by the horses, reaching out her hand in front of each one. Every horse she passed neighed softly at her firm yet gentle touch, but she continued walking by them.
Konur groaned and rolled his eyes. "Why does she get the first pick? Look, every horse loves her. They're going to throw us off their backs now if we ride them."
The rest of the boys nodded in agreement as Ceyda giggled, "That would be a sight to see."
"Just pick one already!"
"Fine. This on-Wait this- No-this." One of the horses reared and neighed loudly before Ceyda could touch it. "Ceyda watch out!" Bamsi yelled, starting for Ceyda. The horse was about to attack her.
Ceyda watched the horse with admiring and observing eyes. She put her hand in front of it to calm the horse and gently rubbed its neck. It stopped rearing and came back down gracefully, giving in to the affection it was getting.
Bamsi slowly backed away, his eyes full of surprise and wonder. This horse was the most dangerous of them all, the hardest to calm. He forgot to tell the alps that were helping him to leave this horse in the stables. He was amazed at how easily she calmed the horse and how easily it let her hug its neck.
Ceyda looked into the horse's eyes and saw the fear fading away and happiness taking over. "This one," she chose, happily.
"Are you sure? You picked a very stubborn horse."
"Then that's great. We can be stubborn together."
"Eyvallah. Eyvallah my fierce daughter. Come on Konur, and the rest of you, pick your horses."
Later that day, Bamsi taught them all to ride horses and jump them. Ceyda and Konur rode them the best. "MashaAllah to you, my braves! Now it is time for you to go home. Eat some meat and become stronger. We will continue tomorrow," Bamsi advised enthusiastically.
They took their horses back to the stables. Ceyda groomed and talked to her horse for a while. "You were great today! Oh, I still need to name you. I shall call you...Ceylan because you are as graceful as a gazelle." Konur snickered as he listened to their conversation. "What is it?" Ceyda demanded.
"Ceylan? It's a horse, not a deer."
"Gazelle."
"Same thing."
Ceyda rolled her eyes playfully. There was no explaining to Konur, "And what did you name
your horse?"
"Aslan."
Ceyda snickered. "It's a horse, not a lion."
"Well, my horse is as brave as a lion."
"And mine is as graceful as a deer."
"Gazelle."
"Oh, you remembered."
Konur and Ceyda laughed together and then headed for their tents.
"Ah Ceyda," Konur smiled, remembering. "Ceylan... Do you remember?" He turned to Ceylan and rubbed her neck. The horse sighed heavily, making Konur confused. Ceylan would always whinny softly when he did that. "Are you okay, Ceylan?" Konur examined the horse.
It was lighter than Ceylan. Rougher. The mane was brown, not blonde. The lower legs were black, but Ceylan's were white, and this horse's eyes were a lighter shade of brown.
Konur checked 'Ceylan's' neck again. Ceylan had a white spot there. It set her apart from many horses. Konur's eyes filled with worry and confusion when he didn't find it.
"You're not Ceyda's horse."
---
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