Halime took a deep breathe sensing the environment. The bey tent people too started to look at her as if she is made of glass. She felt all eyes and ears on her. There gaze were so soft that they thought that maybe if they would give her a sharp gaze, she will break like a glass.
She wanted to roll her eyes so bad but she resisted it and the only way she found was to tell them as much as they should know and leave the suffocated tent.
Well, the gazes and questions after leaving was a whole different topic. Halime glanced a bit at Ertugrul and felt his eyes saying 'you lied to me the whole time and I don't trust a single word you say.'
That's all Halime could read in such a short time as she looked away. If she would have looked deep, she would've found something more. Care, love. Yes, his trust was slightly crumbled as she lied the whole time about herself but she had her reasons and Ertugrul knew it.
"My father's cousin brother Emir Sadaettin was a traitor." She started. "My father really trusted him, more than me actually. He was experienced and beside my father from a really long time and he saved his life a several times too but he was actually a right hand of Mongols in the palace. I started doubting him and started gathering proofs against him. He was clever and had trust of Sultan too." Suleyman Şah nodded in understanding and she continued.
"I mentioned everything to baba.... umm Sultan!!"
She corrected, keeping it less personal. Thinking of whatever happened with her. She thought that calling him Sultan might suit more then calling him baba and hurting her own damn feelings. Ertugrul sensed that change
"I mentioned everything to Sultan and he thought I'm over exaggerating and there is nothing to doubt him on. Emir Sadaettin got to know about me spying on him and gathering proofs against him so he set a trap for me. I started to go against Sultan's orders just to catch him red handed but Sultan got to know about everything."
She still crystal clearly remember that night and Emir Sadaettin's evil smirk from the back. Her alps were with her too. They were caught with her too and Sultan didn't went easy on them.
Ertugrul stood silent, no questions, no expressions, like a statue. The spark in gaze was gone somewhere. Though, he felt a bit interested in whatever Halime was telling. He wanted to appreciate her courage. She actually saved the state from the traitor.
"He ordered me to stay in my room so that I won't leave the palace but I always managed to get out and collect proofs. I was really close to catch him but got caught for working and leaving palace secretly which Emir Sadaettin informed him about. My father is a man of words so when I disobeyed him several time he locked me in dungeon."
He locked me in dungeon! After saying this Halime wanted to cry out loud but she took deep breaths to avoid the tears to trip down her eyes.
Ertugrul blinked. Once, twice, thrice.....
He couldn't believe what he just heard. It was out of his mind that a Sultan put his own daughter in dungeon. How badly he was manipulated by his cousin-brother.
"He took away my rights of everything, my rights of being an alp too. I was trained as both an alp and Sultan's daughter, I was used to go on wars and was Hatun's alp commander too. He took my most beloved thing which was my freedom and I was really mad about it. I don't like being caged."
It was a stunning statement. I don't like being caged. Halime wanted to talk about her craze with her freedom more but only with one person present in that tent- Ertugrul.
"After a few days my father made a decision that he is sending me to marry an Ayubi State Şahzade. It was a political wedding for both the states. My mother Şahzadi Aaliye is from Ayubi State and my parents wedding was also done for politics. My wedding was going to be with Ayubi State next Sultan and that marriage was going to play a huge role in strengthening both states but I didn't accepted that decision."
Ertugrul smiled over this. Kind of like a grin or more towards a smirk. She even made it clear to Emir Nizamuddin that she don't want to marry any Şahzade.
Halime especially added 'My wedding was going to be with Ayubi State next Sultan and that marriage was going to play a huge role in strengthening both states' because it gave her an inner satisfaction. The satisfaction of being an important person. The satisfaction of having the knot in her hand. Whether to hold onto it tightly or cut it.
"I was for sure going to run away but when they were taking me to Ayubi Castle, the crusaders attacked and arrested me. They wanted to use me against Sultan and take me to their castle. I even ran away from them and then I met Ertugrul who brought me here."
Halime finished and brought her gaze down towards the floor. Now what? Everyone going to push her to go back. Being a Sultan's daughter sucks. Your life sucks. It's suffocating. Royalty, fame, praises. Duhh!
.....
Halime entered her tent. Her empty tent. No one questioned her and as much as she wanted to appreciate that, she hated it.
Her tent was cold or maybe it was just something she is feeling inside. Anyways, thank god Aykiz is not here. She isn't in any mood of question and answer session.
Though she is her only friend. She never got a friend being honest. She is the best person in the entire world. She is her favorite and probably the only person she could tell her secret. She don't judge. She won't look at her as she is made of glass. She is unbelievably sarcastic and a power house.
But thank gosh she isn't here! Halime needed sometime alone.
Halime dropped herself on the couch and closed her eyes.
Breathe Halime, Breathe!
She was nearly asleep when she heard someone barging into her tent. She wanted to scold that person but she was her best friend. She gave her the rights so can't complain. She didn't even opened her eyes to confirm it's her. She could just sense her even in absolute silence.
Halime wanted to chuckle dryly at the awkward silence filling into the tent. A chuckle full of tears.
She didn't got into an attentive position. She do opened her eyes just to see Aykiz sitting beside her because Aykiz not saying anything till now is weird but thank god she didn't sat far from her.
Halime turned her head and opened her eyes to look at Aykiz who was silent till now. Weird. She can't stop talking and there she is silent.
Halime gave Aykiz her puppy eyes and pout. Aykiz saw her with a pout already on her face. Aykiz shifted a bit more towards Halime and opened her arms, inviting Halime for a hug which Halime happily took.
"I'll fight from Sultan for my bestie." Aykiz said.
"Silly!" Halime commented and they broke the hug.
"I mean it!" Aykiz argued.
"I wasn't talking about you. I believe that you can do anything for me. I was talking about rules of Sultan." Halime rolled her eyes.
"Your baba!" Aykiz corrected.
"Evet lakin.... he need to listen to me. Listen to his daughter."
There was some silence in room for few seconds. Halime's voice seemed annoyed and desperate. She must have wanted everyone to believe her desperately. It's so hard how everyone just straight face tells you that they don't trust you and just want one.... only one person to believe you. Trust you.
"But.... he got to know about everything and he called you back, he accepted his mistake." Aykiz smiled trying to bring the positive side but she didn't knew that this isn't the half of problem.
"That's not it Aykiz!" Halime told her, smiling and digging into the couch. Her voice remained low and sleepy.
"So what is it?" Now Aykiz sounded desperate.
"When I'll go back, I'll lose my freedom! I'll be Sultan's daughter again! The respected! The one made of gold! My life decisions would be made by anyone but me. I don't want to go back."
Aykiz nodded in understanding whereas Halime thought that Aykiz barely understood something.
"I understand! But you are different. You are Sultan's daughter. If this got out, you'll face danger."
"Don't you think I'm experienced and I've already faced alot?" Halime asked with a smirk. Aykiz shook her head in disbelief.
"I mean, you are fragile Halime. Sultan is right too. You need to get back."
"He will force his decisions on me! I can't marry that Ayubi Şahzade!"
Halime threw her hands in air.
"I don't even know his name." Halime added.
"Is that all? You need time to know him?" Aykiz questioned which she knew will bring the answer for her. She isn't dumb. She knew what attracts Halime the most in Kayi Tribe.
Son of Kayi Bey. Ertugrul.
"Because I love..... I love someone else." Halime confessed looking at Aykiz from corner eyes who was controlling her giggles.
She too knew that she knew but decided to play along.
"Who?" She asked teasingly.
Halime took a deep breathe. She knew Aykiz is the only one she can tell any and everything. She can even help maybe.
"Ertugrul! I love Ertugrul..... alot!" She confessed, a sad smile consuming her lips.
"Well then you gotta talk with him instead of me or actually anyone." Aykiz suggested sounding happy for Halime and Ertugrul.
"What to say? I can't go back because I love you and that our marriage might turn Sultan against us or maybe your whole tribe against the state and Ayubi might come for us too but I don't give a damn, the states can ruin. The relationship of years can ruin. Just marry me!"
Halime catched some breath as she says all in one breath.
"Do I have permission to enter?" Asked Ertugrul and Halime grinned a little looking at Aykiz who stood up giggling.
"Maybe you just need to fight for your love, honey." Aykiz stated before going out and signaling Ertugrul to enter.
Halime stood in the middle of her tent. Silent and expressionless. Just like Ertugrul was a few moments ago in bey tent. Ertugrul was taking a bit to enter, he might be interrogating Aykiz about what we talked about.
Two minutes passed and Halime dropped her arms to her side when Ertugrul didn't entered. Maybe he changed his decision to come to her. God knows what Aykiz the great told him.
Sighing, Halime dropped herself on the couch again and closed her eyes until she felt a figure entering her tent calmly and silently.
He thought she is sleeping.
A part of Halime who was stubborn wanted to act dead and not open her eyes. Another part wanted to stare at him and be like your permission to enter is expired, please leave. Third and the most kindest part of her wanted to open her eyes, stand up respectfully, answer his questions, read his expressions and call it a talk.
Halime opened her eyes and acted to pretend like she didn't noticed Ertugrul have been standing in her tent while she was collecting options about how to treat him. She stood up very slowly as if it's really hard to do. The room was filled with awkward silence. The one especially Ertugrul hated the most.
They both stood opposite to each other. Halime was biting her lower lips, not in flirt way, she wanted to peel the skin with her teeths but not until her lips started to bleed a bit. She covered it up though Ertugrul didn't seem to notice. Duhh staring at a girl's lips seems intimidating bruhh!!
"Want to talk about something?" "Question me?" "Ask me?" "Maybe convince me?"
Halime asked, tilting her head to crack her neck. She seemed annoyed. Really annoyed for what's upcoming.
Ertugrul shook his head.
"I want to know something."
Halime smirked. A sad smirk. A lazy one.
"What?" She asked, hoping that the answer won't be the truth.
"The truth."
.....
Hello guys!!! Wrote this chapter in ny physics class cause who wanna learn about laws of refraction. But I'm on back and hiding mobile in book so....
I even watched Osman in library with earpodes and my hair covering my ear. Bala is fine. Child is fine. It was good. Osman's care was good. Btw I'm shipping Turgut and Mari lol.
Anyways.. vote and comment.
Love you, K bye. Peace
Iqra ♡