"Kardes, you stay here. I will bring Ceyda," Batur said as Konur nodded. He went inside the tent to see a frozen Ceyda. Ceyda jerked her head to the soldier who came and pulled out her weapon. "Shh. Ceyda...it's me, Batur."
Ceyda sighed in relief and put away her sword. She handed over the laws to Batur, "Abi, you take it. Give it to Osman. There are still some things I have to look into here."
Batur refused to take the laws, "You need to give it to Osman. Come on, we are leaving."
Ceyda shook her head, "Please, I have to stay here."
"How many times do I have to tell you? You don't have to do anyth-"
"I need to... please."
Batur could feel the desperation in her voice and eyes. He didn't know what to do. He sighed and nodded. Right when he was about to take the laws, someone covered Ceyda's mouth with a cloth. Ceyda struggled to break free before fainting. Konur grabbed Ceyda before she fell and put her arm around him as Batur watched in horror. "Why did you do that?!"
"Be quiet, Batur. I did what was necessary. Now, help me take her out. We're leaving."
Batur reluctantly put Ceyda's other arm around him, and they followed Osman out of the camp.
---
"Search every place!" Balgay ordered in rage. "Ceyda!" he called. She was the one who stood guard in front of the tent. If there was a traitor, she would have got them. He arrived at the front of his tent. Ceyda wasn't there. He looked around but saw no sign of her nearby. He entered the tent, but there was no one there either except for a dead soldier's body on the ground. The laws and dagger were gone because someone stole them. He lost face in front of the Mongol heads, and his daughter was nowhere to be seen. He bellowed in anger and stomped on the dead body.
---
Osman, Batur and Konur, carrying an unconscious Ceyda, ran to the nearest exit. Mongols jumped in front of them and blocked their way, so they unsheathed their swords and revealed their faces. Konur and Batur laid Ceyda against a tree. The Mongols raised their swords to attack when arrows pierced their flesh and killed them all. Boran, Dumrul and Ayaz alp revealed their faces and stood from their hiding spot in the bushes. Osman and Batur smiled at them, and they returned the smile. Suddenly, two Mongols came swinging their swords from behind when Osman effortlessly sliced through them both.
They regrouped and Boran brought the chest. Osman took the dagger out and placed it inside. He then remembered Ceyda had the laws and saw that she was unconscious, "Ceyda?"
"I did it, Bey," Konur spoke up.
Osman gave him a confused look and knelt beside Ceyda to feel her breathing.
"I didn't kill her...but this was the only way to bring her back."
Osman nodded at Konur, understanding, took the laws from her belt and placed them into the chest before closing it. Konur and Batur grabbed Ceyda again, and they all escaped the camp and headed towards the cave.
---
"Find her!" Kongar roared. The soldiers scurried to find Ceyda. She was missing since the night before, and he was both mad at himself for not being able to protect her and mad at the security for being so weak. He headed for Balgay's tent, his head hanging low. The Mongols dragged the dead body outside and Balgay walked to his seat. "Did they succeed?"
Kongar didn't answer and looked down. Balgay roughly sheathed his dagger. "Did you at least find Ceyda?!"
Kongar did not answer.
"Wherever he goes, we will find Osman, Balgay," Cerkutay assured.
"I don't want fancy words. I want my daughter back! I WANT BLOOD! I want blood running like a river, Cerkutay!"
Cerkutay hung his head in fear, and Kongar silently gulped before speaking up, "Commander Balgay, the other Kayi tribe's Bey, Samsa... he is enemies with Osman now. Our man in his tribe told me."
Balgay thought of this and took a seat, "An arrow which can hunt a crow is made of its plumes again. Kongar, send an expendable man to Samsa's tribe."
Kongar nodded, "Should they bring him here?"
"He won't come. We need Samsa's bravery now. The man you send will play with his honour, so Samsa will solve it with blood. Freedom-seeking Kayis will gather around him after he kills some Mongols. Then...Osman's passion and Samsa's bravery will fight. And we won't get tired." Balgay and Cerkutay smirked at his evil plan.
Kongar's thoughts were still on Ceyda, "What about Ceyda?"
"If she is not here, then she is with Osman. Osman will try to change her, but it won't work. Kara Shaman Togay's work was put into brainwashing the girl."
"So, what will we do?"
"Wherever Osman is... Ceyda is."
---
Osman and his alps entered his cave. Here, he stored many weapons and armour. Konur and Batur dragged in Ceyda and sat her against the wall. Konur grabbed some ropes and was about to tie Ceyda's hands when Batur stopped him, "Dur kardes, what are you doing?"
"Making sure she does not leave again."
Boran and Osman looked in their direction. Boran stared at Konur. So, he meant what he said...
"Konur, she is already unconscious. There is no need for this."
"Batur...you don't know Ceyda as I do. If I didn't know any better, she is faking her unconsciousness right now." He tapped Ceyda's arm roughly. "You're not fooling anyone, come on. Get up," he snapped.
Ceyda did not move. Osman furrowed his brow. He looked at Boran for clarification. Boran shook his head and explained quietly, "Beyim, back when we were prisoners, Ceyda came to us. As Konur told you, she had come back to herself. We told her to stay, but she didn't listen. Konur swore if she left, he would not speak to her or consider their friendship. We all thought he was joking, but it turns out, he was not."
Boran sighed. Konur's anger was getting the best of him. He came over and knelt beside them. "Leave her Konur. Come on, let's look at the weapons and armour Osman Bey has in here."
Konur gave one last despiteful look to Ceyda, told Batur to tie her up, and followed Boran toward the weapons. Batur continued watching Ceyda. She was twitching and sweating now. He sighed. He knew it was not right for them to steal her from Balgay, even though Balgay stole her first. Ceyda's words in the tent were still stuck in Batur's mind. I need to... please. Batur slowly tied up Ceyda's hands. What does Balgay have that we could not give you? Why did you want to stay back so badly? What did you see?
"Batur'im, come here. Look at what our Osman Bey has. Come, let me help you put it on," Konur called, grinning.
Batur smiled at Konur, "Coming, kardes." He left Ceyda and stood beside Konur, who was already throwing on the armour he held.
"Balgay the dog must have gone crazy after he learned he lost the chest," Konur said between chuckles as he tied on Batur's wrist armour.
Osman and Boran smiled. "Balgay is an enemy we know, kardes," Boran smiled mischievously. Konur looked at him after he finished putting on Batur's armour. "What about the enemy we can't face?" Boran continued.
"What does that mean?"
"The enemy of your heart... love," Boran teased in an airy voice.
Konur's smile vanished and Osman and the rest of the alps burst out laughing, "Boran...be grateful I won't tell Ceyda about this, or she would beat you so hard that..." Konur suddenly remembered what Ceyda had done and stopped. "There is no love...only betrayal."
Everyone became serious when Osman said, "A state cannot get rid of its enemies unless it cleans the factious ones in it. If the factious ones find a place in your veins once, they won't be cleaned until they are shed. It will also be their turn. We will rip their hearts."
Batur nodded from the outside, but on the inside, he knew what he was going to do had to be done. Even if he was going to be considered a traitor, it had to be done. Konur stared at Ceyda. "Did you hear that...we will rip your hear-"
"Ceyda does not count, Konur. She was not in her senses," Osman informed.
"When is she ever?" Konur muttered bitterly.
Before Osman could scold Konur for his rude comment, Bamsi Bey walked into the cave. He placed his hand on his chest in greeting, "Sons." He looked around the cave, and his eyes landed on a tied-up Ceyda. He was about to question when Osman asked, "What happened, Bamsi Bey?"
"Osman'im, Dundar became the Sanjak Bey of Balgay." Bamsi spat, deciding to ask later.
Batur looked away and Osman shook with rage. "What are you saying, Bamsi Bey?"
"In return for his obedience, Balgay charged him as Sanjak Bey. As the first act of obedience, he raised the Sanjak Bey next to our flag."
"You shouldn't have done this, Baba!" Batur shook his head.
"Even Alisar the dog wouldn't do this," Konur added.
Osman thrust his sword on the ground, "Either freedom or Shahadah! Those who fight for dawah affect the future, not the ones who obey. We won't lose our hope, brothers. We will take care of this first. Then, we will go to the tribe! And we will tear that Sanjak Beylic flag! Go. You go. I will take the chest and come."
The alps left the cave and Bamsi nodded to Osman. He then gestured at Ceyda, and Osman explained, "While taking the chest, we found her. We asked her to come, but she refused. So, Konur brought her here by force."
Bamsi nodded even though a hundred questions flooded his brain and followed the alps out. Osman walked over to the chest and picked it up. He then looked at Ceyda. "Who's going to look after you?" Osman sighed. He would ask Konur to stay, but for the first time, he was afraid of how Konur would treat Ceyda. "Maybe...maybe if Batur stays too." He put down the chest and sat beside Ceyda. Osman noticed the sweat that trickled down her forehead and her twitching. "What are you seeing?" Osman grabbed a blanket and put it over his cousin. He loosened her bindings a little, then picked up the chest and left.
---
"Konur, Batur... stay inside. Later, the alps will join you."
Batur nodded, but Konur shook his head. "I'm sorry, Beyim, but I cannot. Please don't make me go near her. I will lose my mind."
Osman sighed in annoyance, "Konur, do as I say."
Konur stayed silent and looked away. "Beyim, if it's okay. I can look after her by myself," Batur spoke up. Osman nodded, and Batur went inside.
Making sure no one was around, Batur sat beside Ceyda who was twitching more than before and mumbling louder. "Ceyda...bacim. Can you hear me?"
Ceyda was still somewhat unconscious, so Batur took out his dagger and raised it on Ceyda.
"I'm doing this for you, canım kardesim."
---
:0 What are you doing, Batur?? Finally an update :) Vote/comment!