Dodurga bey tent
"I want the alp commander to be from our tribe Tugtekin son. I want you to do this job. Your bravery is not hidden from anyone. You take care of the alps of both tribes." Korkut Bey stated as the bey family sat together for the breakfast.
Halime's announcement the previous night at the dinner appealed Korkut Bey alot. He had been thinking about it the whole night and wanted to present the glorious idea before his family.
"EyVallah baba! No one can stand against me and you know this." Tugtekin stated proudly and confidently. Obviously he always looked at Ertugrul as his competition and he knew well that it's only Ertugrul that have been defeating all the mongols with his alps.
One thing that both of them thought was that due to they did the favor of giving Kayi Tribe some space on their lands, they won't try to stand against Dodurga as a competition. Korkut Bey have always made sure that Kayi Tribe is under his pressure and one of her help in doing so have been his sister Hayme.
"This is an opportunity. An opportunity to get close to Sultan and closer to Halime Sultan too. I don't want you to miss this opportunity." Korkut Bey stated, giving a little glance at his wife beside him who gave him a smirk in return. Tugtekin understood by their little contact that they have discussed whatever they are talking about but the comment still seemed a little blur to him.
"I don't understand anything baba. What do you mean to say, what do I have to do with Halime Sultan? My only motive is to tell Ertugrul that me being Dorduga Tribe bey and Korkut Bey's son is alot powerful and better than him."
He answered and caught his father giggling. He had some plan that now Tugtekin wanted to know. He looked at Aytolun as he seeked answers now.
"Your baba really likes Halime Sultan and he considered it a good opportunity for you to steal her heart and make her yours Tugtekin son. She's a strong woman, obviously she deserve a strong man like you. You'll suit each other" Aytolun made it clear. Tugtekin raised an eyebrow at the idea and cleared his throat.
"But how can you say this? I love Gokçe and Ertugrul love Halime Sultan since such a long time and you both know this."
He answered even though he too liked the idea that was in his father's mind, what was a better way to torture Ertugrul but still he wanted to get more information out of his father and step mother.
"Don't act like a fool Tugtekin. We all know Gokçe loves Ertugrul and Halime is a Sultan kiz, she is intelligent and she'll choose whoever is more powerful. She is from Sultan family, she understands politics."
He completed and as Korkut Bey found his son lost in his thoughts and not looking at him, he took a hold of his hand, looking at him in his eyes now.
"Ertugrul, Gokçe and you, all three of you are standing on a one sided love. It's the time to get strong. It's the time to get the support. This will take us closer to Sultan and it will secure our tribe's position."
Tugtekin's eyes sparked with hope as his father finished his sentence and as if it wasn't enough Aytolun spoke her taking her husband's side.
"And as you said that you want to tell Ertugrul who is the most powerful here then maybe it's the best way to do so. Halime Sultan will choose you because you aren't stubborn and problematic like Ertugrul. She'll find you alot better than him and that will be Ertugrul's defeat other than that of the one in the ground of wars from you."
Aytolun definitely knew what Tugtekin wanted to hear the most. She took advantage of his competition with Ertugrul and used it against him. She was a snake for everyone, for Tugtekin too but she was better at manipulating.
Tugtekin smiled and placing his hand on top of his father's hand, he said, "I will think about this, but all I know at this point is to prepare myself for the post of alp commander."
Kayi bey tent
"Tugtekin will volunteer to become the alp commander in the war." Gundogdu said like it was a news for anyone sitting in the tent. Hayme, Ertugrul, Sungurtekin, everyone knew he was going to try his luck and stand as a competition for Ertugrul because that's what he have been doing.
Sungurtekin being the fast observer saw the spark in Korkut Bey's eyes when Halime made the announcement. The moment he looked at Tugtekin who sat beside him. The eye contact spoke alot.
"Gundogdu brother is right ana! Korkut uncle will not miss this chance to get close to Sultan." Sungurtekin answered as he looked at Ertugrul. He was clear with Ertugrul and Ertugrul knew what he meant by being closer to Sultan.
"Gundogdu! Sungurtekin! Then who do you think should be the alp commander?" Hayme asked. Sungurtekin exhaled a deep annoyed breath.
That was true that Hayme from the past years had always been supporting Dodurga in every thing and taking their side just for the sake of keeping peace. She was the one to agree upon exiling Ertugrul from the tribe. She have been the one to tell Ertugrul to back up and not fight with Tugtekin just because they were living on their lands.
Gundogdu suggested to leave Korkut Bey lands. He didn't liked so Korkut Bey indirectly called them a burden and never failed to make a comment about how Kayi Tribe was so helpless and especially the times he have been taking steps against Ertugrul but Hayme have been the one keeping Gundogdu silent too and he didn't liked getting controlled where he knew he was right and what his father would've done too.
Hayme for everyone in Bey tent have been a real hurdle. A tough problem. No one can do anything without telling her. Her favorism was so unacceptable that it feared everyone that one day someone will spoke up against her and they won't be able to handle the situation.
"Anne! We have the meeting to be held tomorrow. Who do you think can stand? The tribe is big no doubt but we have been losing since forever because of Tugtekin wrong techniques. Halime Sultan will not choose anyone blindly and the way she was saying that on dinner is a proof of that." Sungurtekin spoke.
Ertugrul cleared his throat and looked at his mother. He hated how she didn't acknowledged him, she knew what he was going to say and it was noyt acceptable for her.
"Anne! If you give me permission and if you see this suitable then I want to volunteer myself for this job." Ertugrul stated confidentially and looked at his brothers who gave him a small smile but knew what his mother was going to say. Hayme ana seemed shocked by Ertugrul's words as if she wasn't expecting him to volunteer.
"Ertugrul! I have been telling you this forever and I'll tell you again that this will give an impression on Korkut brother that we don't trust him or Tugtekin and it won't stand out to be a good decision, as we are living on his lands. They will think that we are having a competition with them and trying to let them down."
"So what to do anne? Lose alps again? We have been under pressure for so many years but now it's enough. It's enough! Ertugrul prepare yourself, you are standing for it." Sungurtekin stated, not daring to look at his mother.
"SUNGURTEKIN! Know your limits!" She warned and the way she raised her voice shook everyone.
"Our alps are down, they have lost their power, can't you see that. Tugtekin didn't appeared to be a good alp commander within the tribe do you actually think that he can be the alp commander of Turk Tribe alps in front of Mongols. His performance is infront of everyone."
"Halime Sultan came with a chance, Sultan is giving his soldiers because he expect defeat of mongols, if we'll not stand now then when? Our one right decision and strong step can change the future of turks, of kayi tribe. We aren't cowards, if this is Korkut Bey lands we are living on then we'll leave these lands but never! Never going to compromise on our future. It's enough now."
Sungurtekin's words made everyone silent. He was right and everyone knew this. They were tired of living under the favor of Korkut Bey. They were tired of losing from mongols because of Tugtekin. They were tired of their mother making them silent and they knew now was the time to spoke up or never.
"I can't even say you are wrong but I can't even say you are right. Your baba..." Now she was playing the emotional card. "He would've never let you talk to me or stand infront of me and my decisions like this. He gave the responsibility to me and I know better what to do."
"Baba always taught us to never compromise, especially at war time. Do we have power left to lose more people?" Sungurtekin paused as he seeked answers when no one replied he continued. "Baba would've supported Ertugrul to go on and stand for the alp commander because he too know that Ertugrul out of us is the most capable of that job."
Ertugrul nodded at his brother and admired how he stood up for him, for the tribe, for their future. The years when Sungurtekin wasn't in tribe, he was in trouble, in hands of mongols who tortured him day and night. Ertugrul understood why Sungurtekin was standing up for him like that, it was his revenge too, revenge of all those years he was away from his family.
"I don't allow this, I can't betray my brother but if you want me to get insulted like that then okay do whatever you want."
"Why do we even have to get insulted for taking right decisions Anne?" This time it was Gundogdu who spoke up. "I will make sure that before spring we will migrate to somewhere else, we can't live like this. Korkut uncle is using us for power that we have now lost just because of his son."
Hayme Ana stood up as Gundogdu completed. Ertugrul too stood up after her and without saying a single word she walked out of the bey tent.
"You went a bit far abi." Ertugrul told Sungurtekin in a soft low voice.
"It was now or never Ertugrul. The ground of war and...." Sungurtekin glanced at Gundogdu smirking. "And love is all yours. Haydir!"
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It feels like it's been ages since I've written a chapter of this story that I actually forgot how easy this story is for me to write.
<3