Ceyda looked around and sighed heavily. It must be night by now. The woman looked at her, "What happened, kizim?"
"I need to go..."
"So go."
"I can't. I can't leave Osman here."
"Your Osman Bey is my Amanah. Go."
Ceyda remembered leaving her horse. "Do you know where to go?" the woman asked.
"When does anyone know where to go? ... I mean I do. But I don't know how to get there..."
"You were always such a burden," the woman chuckled.
Ceyda stiffened a little. Okay, now this is getting creepy. "Who are you?"
Osman groaned a little and opened his eyes. Ceyda smiled, "Çok şükür, you've woken."
"Osman," Bala mumbled in her sleep. Osman sat up straight, "Bala."
"She can't hear you. She's in another dimension," the woman informed.
Osman sighed and removed the blanket from him. Ceyda sat away from the bed and helped him. Osman gazed at Bala, then Ceyda. He smiled and placed his hand over hers, "Ah Ceyda, I worried you."
"You did," Ceyda falsely scolded. "Because of you, I could not go t-"
Osman furrowed his brow, then sighed once he understood what she was going to say, "Look, I won't stop you now but don't bring it up. I'm tired of this now."
Ceyda nodded, then a mischievous smile plastered her face. She looked between Osman and Bala. "Eh Osman...you never told me about this Bala Hatun?"
Osman smiled. "Were you around so I could tell you? First, you disappeared, then you were in a coma, then you were captured, then you were brainwashed, then you did not want to return to your tribe. Now, tell me, how was I supposed to talk to you?"
Ceyda was startled. She had been through so much, and she did not realize it. "If you had tried looking for me like Konur, this would not have happened..." she mumbled.
"Well, I'm sorry for thinking the 'Fierce Ceyda' could protect herself."
"I see...you don't consider me your sister but what others label me. And I thought you cared about me. Go. Drown in your love." Ceyda snatched her hand out of his, got up, and left the cave.
Osman sighed and rubbed his head. "She'll be back," the woman assured. Just a second before Osman could question, Ceyda came back inside and plopped herself onto the floor. "I don't have a horse..."
Osman hid his smile, and the woman chuckled. "It's been so long since I've witnessed a fight between siblings. They always come back to each other though. Always. Here, drink this," she handed over a bowl of soup to Osman, "You need to gather your strength." Osman drank the soup. "This won't suffice. Wait. There should be some dried meat." The woman went to find more food. "She will live, right?" Osman asked again. "She will be fine, right?"
"Blind love...you almost died but you think about her. She will live, InshaAllah."
Ceyda tried to ignore their conversation about love. She remembered when she was tied up back in the cave. She had another nightmare about her tribe burning and her father dying. When she woke up, all she could see were those blurry figures that haunted her. She felt someone hit her, which made her both angry and relieved. The blurry figures vanished and she was suddenly in a forest and musky scented Konur's arms. For less than a minute, Ceyda thought, a little upset. Tövbe Astaghfirullah, she repented quickly, smacking her head. At least he wasn't mad at me for those few seconds...She then remembered their argument and sighed.
"They call me Elif Hatun," the woman answered Osman, and Ceyda suddenly snapped back into reality, another spark of recognition flaming inside her. "When you have no one around, you don't hear your name much."
"Elif Hatun...?" Ceyda murmured, recognizing that name.
Osman nodded and looked around the cave. "Why do you live in this cave? It must be hard being alone."
"I don't like people, especially people who are servants to other people...relying upon others. I escaped here years ago, without anyone, found peace."
"Not only one but two are wounded. We disturbed your peace Elif Ana. Allah bless you. You healed us."
"You will leave when you are healed and this cave will be left to me again. A man that is healed from a great injury quickly is a strong, brave man. MashaAllah, you are really strong. You too, Ceyda kizim. I couldn't help but overhear everything you've been through. I should check your wounds too just in case."
Ceyda kizim...Elif ana. Ceyda watched the woman curiously, furrowing her brow.
Elif Hatun noticed her expression and smiled at her. "What happened? Do you not recognize me, Ceyda?"
"D-dadı? "
Elif Hatun laughed, "Took you long enough."
Ceyda gasped and tears welled up in her eyes. She rushed over to her nanny and hugged her tight while Osman watched happily.
Along with her aunt, Zohre, her nanny used to take care of Ceyda after her mother died. Before Zohre Hatun completely accepted Ceyda as her own, Elif Hatun took her in. She raised her and cared for her. Ceyda grew very close with her nanny, until one day, she disappeared without telling anyone. Ceyda looked for her day and night but never found her. Zohre Hatun finally came and convinced her Elif Hatun would not come back for her. Since then, Zohre took on the role of raising Ceyda and acted as her mother. Throughout the years, Ceyda's memories of Elif Hatun faded. She moved to Ertugrul Ghazi's tribe and believed her nanny was really gone. That was until she heard people from her tribe spotted her. She believed Elif Hatun returned to the tribe and lived with her family ever since.
Ceyda looked up at her nanny, her dark eyes glinting with hope. "If you are alive...th-that means my father is alive too. Right? My uncle? My brothers? My tribe? They're all alive, right?"
Elif Hatun's smile slowly faded. "Ceyda...I never returned. I don't know."
Ceyda's happiness darkened. "B-but they're alive...they have to be."
"There is still hope."
Ceyda buried her face into her nanny's lap. "Why did you leave? Why did you leave me? I missed you so much, dadı'im. So much."
"I missed you too. I tried calling you, but you never came."
"Y-you did?"
"It's okay. Don't think about these. It's over now."
Ceyda nodded and smiled. "I will go look for some branches...for the fire."
"Wait, Ceyda. It's dark outside," Osman warned.
Ceyda glared at him. "I think the 'Fierce Ceyda' can protect herself, don't you? Oh, right you do. Now excuse me."
Osman sighed as he watched her leave. Elif Hatun smiled, "She was like that before too."
"Oh, don't remind me," he chuckled, remembering their childhood.
"Just say sorry, son."
Osman nodded, "When I get to see her, I'll be able to talk to her." He grabbed his sword and started sharpening it.
---
"'I'm sorry for thinking the Fierce Ceyda couldn't protect herself,'" Ceyda mocked as she stomped through the forests, collecting branches for the fire. "Ah Osman...you can't even use the word sorry properly. Because of you, I could not find out why my mother was there that day...Why were you ther-" she yelped as she tripped over a log. Ceyda groaned in anger after noticing something hot trickle down her leg, "Stupid lo-" She gasped as she heard something in the bushes. Ceyda quickly pulled herself up. She reached for her back, but there were no weapons there. "Ah, I forgot..." she then reached for the sword on her belt, but it wasn't there either. "Seriously," she muttered, remembering she left it in the cave. She gathered her strength and called, "Come out."
Nothing moved.
"Come out," she repeated, steadying herself.
Again, nothing moved.
She groaned and headed for the bushes, cursing under her breath. Suddenly, she felt something cold and sharp on her neck. She stood still, controlling her breathing.
"Why are you alone?" a deep voice questioned.
"I'm not alone," Ceyda replied calmly.
"Who's with you?"
"You are," Ceyda smirked, turning her head to the voice,
"Kongar."
---
MUAHAHAHHAHHAHAH TAKE THAT. Yeah, I know her relation to the woman sucked, but I gave you an early update so...YEAH
this is not a short chapter. this is not a short chapter. this is not a short chapter. this is not a short chapter. this is not a short chapter. this is not a short chapter. this is not a short-
sorry this is a short chapter...vote, comment, or just leave and put aLL MY HARD WORK TO WAST-
o)_(0 ------- okay now I'm just wasting time bye 👋