Ertugrul didn't knew if it was good or if it was very unlucky of him but after he tied the reins of Aktolgali in the stables and walked towards his tent after returning from caravansaray, he found Tugtekin right away.
He was just standing, looking at the moon with his nose pinched and that wasn't the only thing that annoyed Ertugrul about him.
Tugtekin's back was towards Ertugrul so he might not knew about the presence of the man standing behind him, who was going to explode at any minute then.
Rolling his eyes and not knowing uf Tugtekin really can't sense Ertugrul's presence or if he's just acting, Ertugrul stepped ahead and stood infront of him and he seemed shocked, it's so easy for a Mongol to attack you stupid man, you can't even sense someone standing behind you.
Ertugrul being the more muscular one and the taller one resulted to be very beneficial as Tugtekin couldn't ignore the massive body standing infront of him and stare back at his beautiful moon peacefully.
"What do you want?" Tugtekin spat as Ertugrul gave him unlimited stares only.
"What do YOU want Tugtekin? Isn't whatever you are doing in tribe isn't enough?" Ertugrul questioned, standing broad infront of him and Tugtekin too knew.... he couldn't step back or get out of this without answering Ertugrul. Everyone knew this!
"Whatever I'm doing in tribe is what i hold right over Ertugrul.... ALP! I'm the alp commander and you are weak, you need training-"
Ertugrul chuckled but there was no sarcasm in it. "Yes I'm weak and that's why I'm leading the war instead of you Tugtekin." He stated and saw Tugtekin's body tensed. "Not everyone is blind like you so it's better for you to stop comparing us and playing your games or when I'll come on taking revenge about whatever you are doing....." Ertugrul took a step ahead, they were standing pretty close. Is this the type of intimacy you deserve Ertugru? And that too with Tugteki, when it should be Halime you should be standing close to? "I'll make sure it hurts where it should the most and I'm not even kidding."
Tugtekin let out a laugh, an uneven one but definitely not a scared one, as if he care about anyone or anything. "Does Halime Sultan know that the man, Ertugrul Alp whom she chose as the alp commander is threatening his cousin like this. That this man is so fake and fake his care or softness and is actually so cruel. She would love to see you blinded by your anger and revenge Ertugrul and at the end of the day... it'll be me whom she will trust."
Ertugrul with a challenging gaze smirked, the kind of one that is very annoyed and very confident at the same time "Don't think about Halime because she knows what I'm like.... she also knows what you are like, because we talked and as much as I hate that the topic was you, I'm also relieved that she know you quite well by now, I didn't even had to mention something more to her."
That wasn't true, they didn't talked about him, or even took his name, they sat together, ate, discussed, complimented each other, blushed, their hands brushed against each other and they told how much they love each other in hidden words and those things only gave him much confidence knowing she trust him with not just the war but with herself too.
"Oh so you both talked and that too about me, am i that special?? What else you did with your old new toy Ertugrul?" Tugtekin teased, hoping Ertugrul will get angry and do something stupid that he can use against him in near future. That was the only flaw of Ertugrul and everyone seemed to take advantage of it.
"You know your words doesn't matter because of how disgusting you really are and unlike you I'm interested and committed to one woman only, I don't go around impressing any and every one I come across just to make my cousin jealous."
"You are exceeding your limits!" Tugtekin shouted.
Ertugrul raised his voice too. "You already did yours by trying to come inbetween me and Halime but guess even with that many years separation.... we are strong. But don't you dare think that I don't know anything Tugtekin! You didn't informed me about Mongols attack and you didn't told me Halime was injured but know this that I found out and I'll make sure this won't happen again and you won't become a wall between us."
Ertugrul turned to walk away giving a head to toe stare at Tugtekin while Tugtekin only seemed to stand, startled and losing words. "And if you ever tried to do this again.... by not informing me about things that are related to me... especially Halime, you won't be able to protect yourself from me okay? Take this as a threat or a advice but STAY AWAY FROM THE WOMAN I LOVE!"
And saying that Ertugrul walked away towards his tent and Tugtekin seemed to not take the threat very seriously as he smirked looking at Ertugrul walking away and moved to walk towards his own tent. "That is exactly what I'm planning to do Ertugrul and you will see!" He muttered to himself.
While Ertugrul walked into his tent, he didn't expected not one, not two but six people waiting for him, sitting in his tent.
"Our big lover came!" Sungurtekin exclaimed that made everyone look at Ertugrul. Everyone's gaze were confused but the lips had mischievous smiles. Ayla squealed as she saw Ertugrul and jumped off Aykiz's lap and ran to him as her little figure hugged his legs and everyone laughed at her excitement. He leaned down and picked up Ayla in his arms as she gave him alot of smiles.
"Merhaba maybe?" Ertugrul replied stepping inside his tent after he remembered that yes, he's in his own tent and he can. "I guess I'm not in the wrong tent." Ertugrul looked at Ayla as she also looked at him. "What's wrong here my angel, you tell me."
"No, you aren't in the wrong tent." Selcan answered and Ertugrul nodded as he took his seat and Ayla found the toy she wanted to play with, Halime's tassel hanging with his sword. "Well, go on then, tell me what happened when I wasn't here."
"Korkut Bey, Aytolun, Hayme Ana happened." Aykiz answered.
Ertugrul raised his eyebrow, still looking at Ayla only. As much as he didn't wanted to hear anything bad after a nice day, he couldn't miss out on any information too. "I just met Tugtekin outside, have a heated conversation but I will explain that later. First fill me up with what happened here."
All eyes went on Gonca Gul who stood at one corner because she was the one to witness everything and convey the message so everyone expected her to explain. "Korkut Uncle.... he is planning to stick Tugtekin with Halime Sultan.... for marriage."
That wasn't much of a shock so Ertugrul giggled. "I have an idea about it but it's Halime's consent and heart that matters, not anyone's wish."
"But you might not know that they are doing everything they can." Gundogdu added taking a seat beside Selcan. "He called Hayme Ana in tent, told her to convince you to stay away, let Tugtekin be the main man, trying to keep you away from important matters too, involve you in war stuff, use your weak points, your anger for them and your love for her. You might know about most stuff Ertugrul but there's so much inside one and other thing that you will be trapped, Ertugrul it's not easy."
What is not easy? Ertugrul wanted to ask. Were everyone there to tell him to stay away from Halime or were they gathered for something else and make him do same stupidity he did years back by letting Halime go.
"I understand your concern but let me tell you that Halime and I aren't the ones to fall into such traps, they can do whatever they want and today proved that to me, Tugtekin knows better to not mess with me, I told him enough right now."
"No.... umm what happened brother?" Turgut asked and Ertugrul wanted to thank him and congratulate him for being the first person in that tent to ask a genuine question that actually concerned him.
It just made him angry that how everyone looked at him as if he will lose again, as if he is easy to set up trap against. He spent more than two years manifesting his life with Halime and praying for her to come back. He was strong in every sense and he was going to make Halime strong too because he knew he wasn't going to drag his love life with Halime, he was going to ask her if she will marry him, the very next time they meet. He wanted to gain only her confidence and win only her heart.
"Halime and her alps got attacked three days ago, her alp came to tribe to inform me... inform us and we weren't here and before he could find anyone of us in the tribe, Tugtekin's alp met him and her alp conveyed his message to him and then Tugtekin's alp told Tugtekin but he didn't told anyone of us, especially me and Mr brave went to caravansary to meet her and that's what Halime told me! I was so angry because how dare he? Who even is he to come between us? Why do he want to keep his hand over everything that belongs to me? Why is he so obsessed with me? Why can't he just let me live and have a nice life with the woman I love and continue his own life with someone he like?"
Ertugrul snapped as much as he didn't wanted to. He was just not happy with the conversation going on. He was not happy with everyone's eyes fixed at him. He was not happy with alot of people that were supposed to play a huge part in his life. No one asked him, no one talked to him, no one knew what he was going through when Tugtekin treated him like something useless. He never spoke up like that, he always stood on his grounds but all he wanted at the end was to have a happy life with Halime. Just that and he was ready to take everything on him but no one let him have that too.
"I.... we care about you and Halime that's why we are here Ertugrul. You fought enough for her, you fought with baba and anne, you did everything and you will continue to do it but all we want is for you to be aware of people around you. Tugtekin might think about proving you as a bad alp commander by ruining your plans or traps too. We don't want you to feel like everything was nice, Halime trusted me, she loved me but what went wrong. We can't see you through that phase again because she right now is sultan's trusted here and if she will return to Konya with defeat and that too because Tugtekin ruined your plans.... she won't be able to protect you and Sultan might never entrust her with you. Do you have heart to lose her again?" Sungurtekin asked.
"Obviously not abi! Never!" Ertugrul said quickly and there was silence in the room.
"Then think about it." Gundogdu replied and with a motion of his hand, he told everyone to leave and that's how Ertugrul was left alone in his tent with just his thoughts and a line repeating in his mind again and again
You can't lose her again Ertugrul! Or you would never forgive yourself and she will never forgive you.