"We can't lose her!" Said Gundogdu with a pressure, staring right through his brother's soul who was sitting opposite to him.
Suleyman Şah invited his sons to his tent after dinner to have a discussion about the event that happened that day.
Halime's words were in Ertugrul's mind ringing again and again.
"The Halime you are looking at now..... will die when she will return to that palace."
"It's a torture!"
"It's a prison, a cage, a dungeon keeping me locked inside."
"I can't sacrifice my life for politics!"
She definitely don't want to go back. She considered Ertugrul as her last hope and chance, the only one who can help her and stop the mess about to happen or in worst or the best, take her away.
She hated her life in that palace. She was just not happy there. Ertugrul couldn't stand watching her like that, tied, hopeless, unhappy. She didn't deserved to be any of that.
She trusted Ertugrul cause he understood her. His eyes spoke love and believe to her. She loved him and believed him too. Now there's Ertugrul trying to indirectly tell his father and brother, how that palace is not a place for her and she would be pressured to do so much stuff, that's against humanity.
Gundogdu obviously went to speak opposite Ertugrul, thanks to Selcan.
"Abi! She don't want to go back. Who deserve to live their life controlled by someone else?"
Obviously Gundogdu can because Selcan is controlling his life but Ertugrul didn't had the courage to say it out aloud infront of their father even though he would totally and for surely agree.
"Baba?" He questioned now looking at his father seeking for some answer.
"She is a human!"
"But she is different than us normal people Ertugrul!! She is..."
"Royalty? That she is born to wear crown made of gold, live in a palace with strong tall walls and sleep on a luxurious bed." Ertugrul repeated Halime's exact same words and immediately grinned when a flashback of her saying exact same words with exact same expressions, passed through his eyes. He continued after sensing only silence.
"And to be tied with a man for the rest of her life, whom she didn't even met. Can we imagine such thing happening to any of us?"
Ertugrul came to a stop when this father gestured. He threw his hands up and then folded them on his chest. He was getting quite aggressive at the point. Everyone in the tent knew Ertugrul's feeling towards Halime and that was now becoming one hell of a problem.
Ertugrul isn't one to let go of his feelings and the one whom he loves.
"Ertugrul! Gundogdu! I've heard both of you. Now calm down."
Gundogdu looked away and Ertugrul took deep breaths.
"You both are right in different manners. I understand both of you well." He continued. "Halime Sultan.... is Sultan's daughter, he entrusted her with us. He believe us and allowed her to live here."
"All three of us here knows about politics and how important part marriages play in unity between two states. Sultans.... their parents.... their children... their fate are sealed like that. They don't get much options."
"Halime kiz stood for herself well and put her condition in front of Sultan and she'll get the response soon from Sultan. She don't want to get married, she don't want her life to get ruled and she have all rights to live her life and marry someone whom she wants."
"She don't want to be a part of politics, a toy, a deal!" Ertugrul added. Suleyman Şah nodded.
"We will wait for Sultan's message. He will definitely call her back. He is her father."
This saddened Ertugrul.
"But will he disturb a tradition going on between two states for years for his daughter? This is the real question." Gundogdu asked.
"You both don't know about a heart of father till now." He glanced over at Gundogdu, who decided to hide his hurt. He wanted to be a father and was trying, he knew it's only in Allah's hands and a matter of fate but all he could do is pray and try. It was his wish. It's been years since his and Selcan's marriage and now he was losing hope.
Suleyman Şah continued, clearing his throat.
"He'll do anything for his daughter. He is Sultan and he is a father too. He will listen to her. He might think it's a huge problem to deal with but he will either convince his daughter....." Suleyman Şah looked at Ertugrul who's face said 'she'll never agree, that's impossible'
"Or he will convince Ayubi Sultan!"
Gundogdu and Ertugrul nodded while they both remained unsatisfied.
"For now! We will take care of her and deal with Crusaders too who are after her. Titus lost his brother and Sultan's daughter too. We need to make a plan!"
Gundogdu and Ertugrul nodded again.
"And Ertugrul...." Suleyman Şah called and Ertugrul knew what was that for. It was about his feelings.
"Convince her to go back to palace. It would be better for the whole tribe or we will emerge as Sultan's hit list. Get some control hmm? Don't create too much feelings around stuff or it might get difficult for you too and us too."
It wasn't a request, it came as an order.
Ertugrul without nodding left the tent. It was impossible. He fell in love for the first time and he wasn't actually in a great position in the whole situation. The thing he hated the most was that nothing was in his hand.
A part of Ertugrul wanted Sultan to get cruel and not care a world about his daughter so that he could marry her but another part of him didn't wanted Halime to hate her father or anyone else.
He left the marquee and realised how chilly the night actually was, inside tent it was quite good and warm.
Ertugrul was going towards his alps. He wanted some words from someone, maybe Turgut soothing words or poetry, or Deli Demir's encouraging words to remind him to never step back or Bamsi's advice to run away with Halime.
Though he liked the idea.
Walking, walking and walking. He came to a stop when he saw Halime near stables. She was smiling to herself and giggling too. The light of the lamp was only making her face visible, so Ertugrul didn't knew whom is she talking to or smiling at.
He moved forward and saw it. It was a horse. A beautiful horse of brown and white color. He smiled and walked towards her so that he could hear her clearly.
"Ahh my Sultana!" "My beautiful" "I missed you alot!"
She was saying sweet nothings to the beautiful horse. Her eyes then diverted to Ertugrul who was standing a few feet away from her. They passed a smile.
"Sultana is my horse!" She started telling and Ertugrul stepped forward to caress Sultana's mane.
"Back in palace, she was my only friend, the one who never left me. She would take me away from everyone and everything so that I could take deep breaths. She took me away fron every problems and tensions. My great friend. We went to wars together Ertugrul Bey. She is really special."
Ertugrul smiled. He loved looking at her genuinely happy. Sultana was a strong horse and really special for Halime so it eventually became special for Ertugrul too.
"Selcuk soldiers brought her?" He asked and Halime nodded.
"They did good." He commented.
"It's good to have someone you know, someone special."
As they both got silent and caressed Sultana's mane, their hands touched. His hand came upon hers. They both felt the touch. None of them flinched or got out of the touch, they let it be like that.
"Sometimes, a stranger can get really special too. Just in some days. You are special Halime." He murmured this to her. "For me!" He added which made Halime tilt her head to look at him.
Their eyes met. In the dark and chilly night, the only light was of the lamp, enough for them to stare into each other's eyes and find the love. Love they both held in their eyes but quite difficult to take it to tongue. None of them wanted it to be that complicated.
But who said you need words for the confession? In some case only eyes can do the magic.
Halime knew that the woman Ertugrul loves is Halime not Halime Sultan. She wanted to remain Halime for him. Just Halime. His special Halime.
A few moments of deepening the eye contact and what Halime found behind Ertugrul were two eyes looking at them. Eyes of Gokçe who stood at a distance with arms hanging beside her and fists clenched.
The jealousy though! Halime controlled her smirk really hardly.
She left and Halime and Ertugrul too backed off.
"I talked to baba!" Ertugrul told as he promised to Halime earlier. "Are you cold?" He asked as he saw her rubbing her hands together.
"No worries, continue with what you were telling me." She answered and crossed her arms so that her hands would remain warm. Ertugrul noticed that, he had nothing to give her to stop her cold but also wanted to talk about everything.
"I'll head straight to my tent after talking to you so don't worry." She informed him.
"Let's talk while walking to your tent." Halime nodded. Ertugrul took the lamp as they both start to walk.
"Baba said to wait till Sultan's order." He informed and Halime hated that thing, she knew what his next order would be.
"He further said with a firm trust and believe in Sultan that he will call you back and that he will make a way by either convincing you or Ayubi Sultan."
"And most probably he'll pressurise me and give me burden and then I won't even have a chance to speak for myself or run away somehow. Then what? I'll be in same position I'm running from."
Halime came to stop with her words as her last sentence showed the urge to cry in her voice. Ertugrul listened to her and noticed that too but didn't said anything because his one wrong or right word could turn either his family and tribe away from him or the love of his life.
"What will you do now then?" He asked. Halime looked at him and disappointment covered her face well.
"I can't marry someone else. Can I?" She threw her question towards Ertugrul, which shocked him because his answer would be equal to confession. He thought for few seconds and then answered.
"I mean, without your interest and consent and ummm... no! No!" He completed and looked away, he was blushing.
"Right! Right!" Halime said, giggling and they both went silent and continued walking towards the tent.
"What if I run away Ertugrul?" She asked in a calm tone as if she was just kidding but still Ertugrul looked at her shocked.
"Don't! You can't! I mean.... why?"
"Because Sultan now knows where I'm and it's easy to find me and I know what his order is going to be and you can't refuse Sultan. If he will put some pressure on your tribe, I'll feel bad for your people because they already faced so much because of me and you'll consider me like a pressure on head too and then I'll agree to go back." She explained which made sense to Ertugrul but her running away with Crusaders all around and her being alone in all situation made Ertugrul put away all thoughts.
"You won't. We'll face everything together. You aren't any pressure on me and I'll do for you as much as I can. I brought you here so I'll always stand with you, protect you at any cost not just because you are a responsibility or you are Sultan's daughter, I'll do everything because....."
I love you! He wanted to complete but stopped. Halime didn't wanted it to be complicated so she interrupted him.
"You will get tired of me." She added with a sarcasm and kept walking but Ertugrul stopped his steps. She looked back when she saw him not walking. He was angry at her words.
"I won't! I'll never! You'll always remain special for me." He answered and continued walking avoiding any and every eye contact. She liked his possession for her.
Their journey towards the tent ended and after passing a thank you smile and an incomplete talk, Halime stepped in but she didn't wanted it to be like this, to stay like this inbetween them because who knew what tomorrow will bring.
"Ertugrul!" She called as he just turned away but then faced her, giving her full attention.
"After I came into this tribe, I got another reason to not get married to anyone else other than my attitude and you know demands."
His breathing stopped. Is she going to confess?
"Now my main reason to not get married is that.... I love someone else." She half confessed and stopped. Then faced towards her tent. "Good night! Who knows what tomorrow will bring." She commented and went inside. Ertugrul didn't gave much attention to the last sentence because he was to shocked to process the half confession, she just made.
He was happy. Really happy.
The morning came as beautiful as the night. Ertugrul entered the tent smiling like never before. He greeted everyone warmly. Gokçe avoided every eye contact after what she witnessed with her own eyes. She knew Ertugrul never looked at her the way, he was looking at Halime the previous night.
"Do I have permission to come in Bey?"
Suleyman Şah straightened and answered 'yes' to Abdul Rehman. He entered with Deli Demir and Aykiz. Aykiz was holding a note in her hands.
"What happened Abdul Rehman?" Suleyman Şah asked examining tension at everyone's faces.
"Bey! Halime Sultan..."
"What happened to her?" Ertugrul was quick to ask as he stood up and waited for answers.
"She ran away last night!" Deli Demir answered.
Everyone's eyes remained wide. Selcan and Gokçe felt happy and shared a smile but everyone else was shocked. For Suleyman Şah he was worried about what he'll tell Sultan. For Ertugrul he was worried about where she went and why.
"She left a note saying 'thank you for everything! I can't give you any more trouble because of me', I found this near her bed. Her horse is not in stables too." Aykiz informed and handed Ertugrul the note.
He read it and then it hit Ertugrul. Her last line. The last thing she said to him which he didn't noticed.
Who knows what tomorrow will bring!
.....
These edits just touched my heart. Found them on insta. Hats off and credits to the editors. GonBor ❤ GonBal ❤
Thank you for reading. Make sure to vote and tell me your reviews through comments.
Love y'all. K bye.
Iqra ♡