Ceyda ran through the forest to her mother's cries. After about five minutes, she spotted a way out and heard her mother talking. "Not only your son went into the soil, but Osman also buried your reputation."
She panted out of the forest, "Ana! "
Zohre, Dundar, and Aygul jerked their heads to the familiar voice and gasped. Alisar balled his fist and glared at his soldiers. He had given them an earful about letting Ceyda out of their sight earlier and even sent out some soldiers to find her. When Dundar and his family would see he had brought Ceyda safe and sound, they would trust him more, but the soldiers ruined everything.
Ceyda grinned and threw her arms around her mother, "I missed you so much, ana'im. So much." Zohre was speechless but more than grateful for Ceyda's return. She wrapped her arms around her and hugged her tight, not wanting to let go of yet another child. After embracing Zohre, Ceyda glanced around to see her uncle and Aygul. She then noticed the grave Zohre was sitting by and recognized the burk and sword of Batur near it. She reached out a shaky hand and smoothed the still, fresh soil on Batur's grave. Aygul rubbed Ceyda's shoulders, restraining her yearning of embracing her cousin, whom she considered closer than a sister.
"Ağabeyimiz gitti, Aygul," Ceyda cried. "Gitti... gitti." She could no longer hold in her sadness. Batur's grave was in front of her, and his body was buried under it. "Are your sky eyes buried under the dark soil, benim yiğit abi'im?! " Ceyda shrieked grabbing fistfuls of the soil as she neared her head to the grave. Aygul wiped off the tears that were now falling and bent down to calm Ceyda. She brought Ceyda's head on her chest and embraced her as they cried in each other's arms. Dundar watched Ceyda and Aygul then balled his fist and slowly picked up Batur's sword. "I swear on my son's corpse... that I will rip off Osman's arms who killed him. The babies that see what I do with him will have gray hair out of fear." Ceyda slowly pulled herself together and watched Dundar. "I will make a road out of heads of the ones that don't follow him, and I'll walk on it." Aygul gulped, blinking back tears. "I'll pile their headless bodies and make a mountain so that the ones asking for mercy for the ones who killed my Batur, will take a lesson from it."
Ceyda narrowed her eyes at him, then started to get up when Aygul held her back. "Let it go, bacim. Let it go for now," Aygul whispered, and Ceyda was too weak to fight back and agreed.
"Come on, Hatun," Dundar told Zohre. After giving Batur's grave one last longing look, she got up. "Aygul, Ceyda, come on."
Aygul nudged Ceyda slightly, but she shook her head. "You go on."
"I'm not leaving you again, Ceyda," Aygul said sternly. She could not lose another sibling. Another beloved one. She would not. "I'll stay with Ceyda, baba. We will come back together."
Dundar looked hesitant but nodded. "Aygul Hatun, it may be dangerous. Come with us. Don't be stubborn," Alisar jumped in.
Ceyda eyed Alisar suspiciously and looked between him and Aygul. He looked genuinely concerned. What is up with him now? Ceyda decided to ask Aygul later.
"It's alright, Alisar Bey," Aygul reassured blankly.
Alisar gave a noticeable sigh, then gestured for some of his soldiers to stay. Zohre smiled at Ceyda once more before heading back to the kiosk with Dundar and Alisar.
After they left, Ceyda faced Aygul, "Do you believe Osman killed him?"
Aygul thought about this. Osman said he killed Dundar, but her father was alive... because of Alisar, Aygul thought, not knowing whether to be grateful or angry. Batur betrayed Osman... maybe Osman wanted to take revenge and-
"Aygul... it's not possible," Ceyda assured, reading her thoughts.
Aygul sighed, "I don't know, Ceyda. I don't know. Anyways, leave this matter for now, where were you? How are you? And-What is this get-up?"
Ceyda slightly smiled, "One of the midwives gave it to me... because I was wearing Mongol clothes."
Aygul smiled as she looked down at her dress and headpiece. "You look like an angel," she complimented sincerely as she reached out for her hands. She noticed the bandage wrapped around her right hand and frowned, "What happened here?"
Ceyda looked down at her wound, "Half of it was me."
Aygul gave her a stern look, and Ceyda quickly explained herself before she could scold her, "It was an accident. I was sharpening my sword, and I got lost in my thoughts."
Aygul gave her a disapproving look, "And the other half?"
"It happened while I was fighting."
Aygul shook her head in disappointment at her incautiousness. "Will it heal?"
Ceyda tried moving her fingers and winced, "InshaAllah... but for now, it's useless."
Aygul watched her pitifully. She knew how much Ceyda enjoyed fighting, especially with both her weapons-those Sungurtekin Bey forged with her-and could not imagine Ceyda's frustration of not being able to do so. Aygul decided to take Ceyda's mind off of that to make her feel better, "How did you get here? Or... did the Mongols find out about you?"
Ceyda's face fell as she thought of the answer. She nodded her head slowly and Aygul rubbed her shoulders, "It's okay. It was for the better."
Ceyda cleared her throat. She didn't want to think about this more. "Don't worry about me. What about you? How are you? Why did you leave the tribe?"
Aygul sighed, "There's nothing for us in the tribe, Ceyda... nothing."
Ceyda did not know what to say. She longed to go back to the tribe. Her tribe. Where she felt at ease-mostly when she was training alone-and where she felt at home. But what she wanted most was her family.
And her family was here.
She faced Aygul again and took her hand in hers, "Never feel alone, canim kardesim. Never feel like you have no one. I am with you. I will stay with you for as long as you want. Okay?"
Aygul smiled with teary eyes and nodded before enclasping Ceyda into a tight and warm hug, murmuring thank you's upon thank you's. Ceyda exhaled in relief, and her eyes prickled with tears at Aygul's affection. They pulled out of each other, and Ceyda gave a final longing gaze to Batur's grave before praying for him and nodding to Aygul, showing that she was ready to leave. Aygul helped her up and told the soldiers to prepare their horses. Ceyda looked around the forest, knowing she would miss it caged inside the kiosk's stone walls when she noticed a few men in the bushes. She recognized them as Alps from the Kayi Tribe after peering at them and furrowed her brow. What are they doing here?
Aygul watched Ceyda and turned her gaze to where Ceyda was looking. She saw nothing. "What are you looking at?"
Ceyda turned to Aygul. "I'll be right back."
"Ceyda... where are you going?"
"Don't worry Aygul. I won't leave," Ceyda assured as she started walking towards the bushes. "You go on. I'll catch up."
Agyul hesitantly headed for the horses. "I'll wait by here."
Ceyda agreed and pretended to drop her dagger by the bushes. She knelt and picked it up and confronted the alps. "Cetin Alp?"
Cetin gestured for her to be quiet and spoke, "I bring greetings from Gunduz Bey and Bamsi Bey."
"Aleykum Selam..." She understood they were looking for Dundar and informed them of what she knew, "It was Alisar who raided us on the way to Elif Ana's cave. He killed Erkut...Kilic...and Abdurrahman Gazi."
"Don't worry, Ceyda. Kilic Alp and Abdurrahman Gazi are alive."
Ceyda sighed in relief, "Allah thank You a thousand times... E-Erkut?"
Cetin looked down and shook his head, angering Ceyda. "I swear I'm going to kill that Mongol's dog."
"Wait, Ceyda. Gunduz Bey wants you to do the opposite. You need to spy on the kiosk and collect information. The time to expose Alisar is close, but we need more proof. You will pretend to side with Dundar Bey for now and inform us of anything we should know."
Ceyda nodded, "Tell my Gunduz abi I will do everything to expose that Mongol's dog."
Cetin nodded and started to leave when Ceyda stopped him. "Cetin... I took your horse when we were going to Osman Bey with Samsa Cavus. Did you find it?"
Cetin chuckled, "It's alright, bacim. I found it by the Hills." Ceyda nodded, and they backed away into the trees, heading to inform Gunduz Bey of their news.
"Ceyda?" Aygul called, peering to see why she was taking so long.
"I'm coming." Ceyda tucked her dagger into her belt and strode to the horses, mounting one of them with some difficulty.
"You should have let us help," Aygul advised, regretting not getting off her horse to help.
"It's fine," Ceyda dismissed, patting the horse.
"Haydi askerler," Aygul ordered as they headed for Alisar's kiosk.
---
Zohre and Dundar were walking around the balcony of the kiosk, wondering where Aygul and Ceyda were. "It's been so long, Dundar," Zohre notified, starting to worry.
"Don't worry, Hatun. The soldiers are with them. Besides, our daughters are strong enough to fend for themselves. Don't forget that," Dundar reasoned, hiding his concern to ease Zohre.
Zohre gulped, "Ceyda's wounded, Bey." She hadn't told Dundar about causing Ceyda's injury, nor did she tell him about going to Balgay, and she wasn't planning to anytime soon. Though there was a voice in her head that edged her on, her cowardice held her back. What Dundar would say to her, what he would think about her would be beyond disappointment.
Suddenly, the gate of the kiosk opened, and Aygul and Ceyda entered, loosely surrounded by Alisar's soldiers. Dundar smiled, "See, I told you they would be fine." Zohre nodded and sighed in relief, thanking Allah silently before embracing her children who joined them on the balcony. Aygul pulled away from Zohre rather quickly and did not meet her eyes. She had not forgotten Zohre's sins as Zohre hoped. Zohre then turned to Ceyda who had the brightest smile on her face. She couldn't help but smile at her niece whom she considered a daughter but was hesitant upon hugging her. Zohre hurt Ceyda after all.
"K-kizim... will you forgive me?" Zohre somewhat begged.
"For what, ana? " Ceyda asked, clueless, her smile not leaving her face.
"Fo-" Zohre did not want to announce her crime in front of Dundar, so instead she wrapped her arms around Ceyda and held her tight, hoping Ceyda would understand. Aygul shook her head in disbelief as Dundar put his hand on Ceyda's shoulder as greeting. "Çok şükür, you are fine. Er-Will you go back to Osman?"
Ceyda silently sighed, then looked at Aygul who had a hopeful yet sorrowful expression. Aygul needed her at a time like this. She could not abandon her cousin whom she considered closer than a sister. She shook her head, "I will stay. I will stay here with you. Osman was wrong... "
Aygul sighed in relief even though she had a feeling Osman was not wrong. Ceyda would be staying. She wouldn't have to face her parents or Alisar alone. Dundar wore a noticeable grin while Zohre forced a smile. Even though she was beyond happy Ceyda would be staying with them, it meant she would not be able to hide her crimes from Dundar as long as she hoped.
"Ceyda, you should go rest. You can stay in Aygul's room," Dundar said, making sure Aygul was content. Ceyda shook her head. She needed to hear more of what they thought of Osman. More of their plans. Dundar disagreed, "Go, kizim. You are not well."
Ceyda forcefully nodded. She would ask Aygul what they talked about later. Aygul pointed to her room, and Ceyda went in, dropping onto the mattress as her mind landed on the man she slammed into earlier.
"Siddik..." she smiled unconsciously, remembering his bewildering behaviour. She could feel her stomach squirming as she continued thinking of him. She felt her stomach, confused. She never felt this before when thinking of someone. "Maybe I'm just hungry." There was a basket of fruits on the shelf next to her, and she grabbed an apple and bit into it. After a while, the squirming continued, and she groaned. It was a welcoming feeling but frustrating as she did not know what caused it. "Whatever..." she put down the apple and laid herself on the bed, pulling over the covers and dozing off into a peaceful sleep.
---
Well well well... what is this squirmy feeling, Ceyda?
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