𝔹𝕚𝕣 𝔾𝕦𝕟丨 𝕆𝕟𝕖 𝔻𝕒𝕪

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 10

The man stood there. He blocked the entrance. 

'Cerkutay, move out the way.'

'Not Cerkutay, my Bey, my name is Casim.'

Bala looked over to Osman. He looked back and smiled.

'So, your name is Casim, huh? May all your sins be forgiven, courageous man.'

Casim put his hand on his heart, he had a new feeling. He was warm inside as he let his Bey and Bey Hatun in. He followed after him, walking with a little skip. Bamsi Bey looked over and nodded at him. He smiled back. 

Bala looked back at Casim. He had turned to Allah on Osman's path. Osman and Bala got off their horses, and Bala patted Aktogali. They tied their horses in the stables, then turned to each other. Osman stroked her face, then held it.

'Oh Bala. My black eyed, star spotted woman. We have finally retrieved you. I will cut the head off that Flatyos and Nikola.'

'My Osman. Nikola is as good as dead. I had managed to poison him before escaping, with the help of Eleftelya, our spy.'

Osman smiled, so she had done some harm to them. He tilted her head up again, and hugged her. He whispered sweet nothings into her ear, and kissed her forehead. 

'If he dies, then I will make it known, Bala Hatun killed the oppressor, Nikola. But there's also something else I need to do. I will be a father. Allah and the world be my witness, I WILL BE A FATHER!'

He ran out the stables, sword in hand, and turned around and around. 

'I WILL BE A FATHER. ALLAH ALLAH!'

He threw his sword up, and it neatly landed in a haystack. He ran back to his woman and picked her. He twirled her around, then put her back on the ground. At that moment, Alaca, Karayel and Aktogali reared up. They had managed to rip through their ropes. They circled the couple, as Bala watched in happiness. 

'Osman. Our baby will rule in your state. He will be your helper, and mine, till the day we die. He will continue to follow your cause until he returns to Allah. From him, will the Sultanate pass down. Our descendants will rule the world, under your name!'

'Bala, your children shall rule, with your pure noble heart in them. Their souls will all be on the halal path, and they will go to battle with your name on their lips. They'll say, "ENEMIES, we don't fear you, because our mother, Bala Hatun taught us only to fear Allah." Bala, I wait for the time to fight alongside our children.'

Bala smiled at her man. He spoke such kind words, which made her fall for him the first place. She fell in love all over again. She looked up, it was Maghreb time, as the sun  was setting. So that meant it was about 6 o clock. She had spent all day at the kalesi. 

Goktug Alp came up and whispered something to Osman Bey. Osman looked over, and placed his hand on his chest. 

'Bala, Bamsi Bey called me to the secret cave. Whilst I'm away, you look over the tribe with Goktug Alp.'

'Eyvallah, my Bey. But what will you do?'

'They say Flatyos was seen at Kara Tepe. We must spy on them. Like I said, stay with the tribe, and my Baba.'

He was off, so Bala turned to Goktug. She inhaled, and exhaled. Flatyos really wanted to kill Osman, and Bala herself when Nikola died. 

'Goktug Alp, come with me.'

Goktug walked alongside Bala Hatun. She wandered past the kilimhane, then past the blacksmith. She then pulled him aside.

'Goktug Alp, you know Osman's orders, to stay with the tribe. But I'm scared. All of this, is because of me. Nikola could be dead by now, thanks to the poison. But that'll put a bounty on my head.'

'Don't worry, Bala Hatun. Osman Bey knows what he is doing. He is with Bamsi Bey and Boran Alp. They will finish off Flatyos.'

'Evelallah. We need to protect our tribe, still. You go over to the marquee, and I'll stay by the kilimhane. Right now, pray Maghreb, then go to your duty.'

'Your order is my command, Bala Hatun.' He placed his hand on his chest, then left. 

Bala exhaled. She was afraid. Afraid of the enemy for once. She walked over to the Kilimhane. The Hatuns greeted her, then went back to work. They'd be finishing in an hour. Hopefully Osman came back before then.

It had been an hour, and Bala was getting worried. She had looked over all the rugs, and helped the leather maker. 

'HATUNLAR, you have made progress today. Mashallah, Allah bless your hands. You may now go, and we shall pick up tomorrow.'

'EYVALLAH, BALA HATUN.' They all chimed.

Just then, the drum sounds made their noises. Bala turned her head towards the entrance. She saw, oh no, a stretcher, being held by Boran Alp and Dumrul Alp. She looked around for Osman. He wasnt there. She prayed to Allah that Osman was still at the cave, and not the body on the stretcher. Bala's heart turned as she saw Bamsi give her a scared look. She followed the Hatuns walk towards the alps. She had managed to push towards the front of the crowd. She saw a familiar armour, with the black wolf on it. She walked slowly towards it, whilst Boran and Dumrul hung their heads. A tear formed in her eye. She almost screamed when she saw Osman. She looked at her wounded soldier. He had 2 arrows in his left arm, and 1 arrow in his right. He had a huge gash on his left leg, and blood running from his stomach. She knelt down, and stroked his face. 

'ALPLAR, WHO DID THIS TO MY OSMAN?!'

She stared hard at each alp, tears rolling down her cheeks. She knew who it was, she just wanted confirmation. 

'ALPLARRRRR!! TELL ME!'

'It was, was, Flatyos, Bala kizim.' Bamsi Bey looked at the distraught woman. 

'Take my Osman to the medical tent.' 

She sat on the muddy floor, and burst into tears. She let all her people see her weak side, but she didn't care. Her husband was more in pain than her, so why was she the one crying. Some hatuns tried to pick her back up, but she pushed them away. Her head hurt, from all the crying. She knew this was going to happen. She felt some strong hands pick her up, and she finally allowed them to hug her. She breathed in the faint woody smell of Ertugrul Bey. He had her arms around her, and patted her back.

'Kizim, for my Osman son, you must be strong. For the people you must be strong. Please, my Bala, stop and be with your husband in his darkest time. You are his light, remind him you are there.'

Bala listened to the words of Osman's Baba. She nodded, tear still streaming, but she fought them back. She wiped her hands down her dress, then wiped her tears. She walked to the medical  tent, and inhaled, before entering. She almost backed away when she saw the blood. Selcan was wiping at his wounds, and looked up at Bala.

'Don't worry, Bala. Osman will be ok,' Selcan said uncertainly.

Bala ran up and grabbed another cloth. She dipped it into the water, and put the cloth on his head. She went closer to him, and pushed his hair out of his face. She kissed his forehead, but when she looked back, he looked pale. 

'Osman, stay with me. You must stay with me, to see your child.'

Osman stirred, but at that moment, he exhaled. Bala stood still. 

'Os-Osma-Osman.... OSMAN, SAY SOMETHING, please.'

Selcan came to see what happened, and checked his pulse. She couldn't find it. Maybe it was there. She pressed his hand. And a tear fell. Bala witnessed it.

'OSMAN, HAYIR, NOOO, OSMAN, AC GOZLERINI, OPEN YOUR EYES.'

Bala shook his head, and screamed. It was heard all around the tribe. People dropped to their knees, and cried. Ertugrul Bey swayed, almost falling over, when Bamsi caught him. 

'Osman. No, Osman. My Halime's last gift to me.'

-side note

Yes, I'm mean.