Drilis Ertugrul: A New Love

Chapter 10

" What are you thinking about my bey?" Halime asked Ertugul with a smile on her face. " Halime, I am worried about Gunduz" Ertugul replied. " Why bey, did something happen to him?" Halime started to worry. "No, no, don't worry my gazelle eyes. Gunduz is fine Alhamdulillah" Ertugul responded. Halime breathed a sigh of relief and said " Then why do you worry Ertugul?". " I feel that Gunduz and Fatma are rushing things, Gunduz talks about marriage when he has barely gotten out of his teenage years. When I was his age, I did not care about women, love, and marriage. I am afraid that he is too young and immature, and he will hurt Fatma. My Halime, I am worried that he will become too close to Fatma and they may never get married in the end. I saw him clutching Fatma's hand outside her tent, why is he touching a Hatun who he is not married to yet?" Ertugul explained, panting and on the verge of a breakdown. " Brave Ertugul Bey, Mighty Ertugul Bey, Why do you look like you are about to cry when discussing such matters? I will handle this, it does not befit a mighty bey like you to stress yourself about your son's marriage while your wife is still alive and well" Halime Sultan tried to comfort Ertugul. " Thank you Halime, you are right. However, I am still slightly worried. Gunduz should not be caught touching Fatma again" Ertugul Bey responded. Halime chuckled " My bey, you act like you didn't hold my hand or touch my face lovingly before we got married. You act like you didn't gaze into my gazelle eyes even in front of your elders. Everyone knew you loved me. Now I imagine if Hayme Ana and Suleyman Shah used to sit and talk about our relationship 22 long years ago". Ertugul chuckled and leaned forward to kiss Halime's forehead. "You are right, my gazelle eyes, you are right" he said. 

Meanwhile, things were looking very gloomy in the healing tent. Aslihan Hatun was still very ill. " Will my Aslihan get better Artuk Bey?" Turgut Alp cried. Artuk Bey remained calm and patient and tried his best to comfort Turgut. " Allah is the one who provides shifa, I will try my best but only Allah can save someone from illness and death" Artuk Bey explained. " Please keep trying Artuk Bey, I cannot live without my Aslihan. I have already lost one wife, don't let me lose another one". Turgut pleaded. " This is something you should ask from Allah, I cannot control life and death however I will work hard using my knowledge and medicines. The rest is up to Allah, just make dua and inshallah Aslihan Hatun will recover" Artuk Bey smiled. Turgut smiled hesitantly and sat down next to Aslihan Hatun as Artuk Bey left the tent. Aslihan was coughing a lot, her face was extremely pale, and her condition was bad. Turgut was extremely upset. 

While Aslihan Hatun and Turgut Alp remained in the healing tent day and night, there was no-one to look after their 3 children, Meryem, Gokce, and Hamza. So the responsibility fell on Halime Sultan. Halime was running after Meryem that morning, extremely frustrated. " Meryem! Come here! you must wear your shoes before you can go outside, and why didn't you finish your breakfast!". Gunduz complained to his mother " Ana! are you their mother or ours?". " Enough Gunduz! you are the eldest, at least you should understand that Aslihan Baci is very sick and I have to take care of her children well" Halime scolded Gunduz harshly. Gunduz nodded and left the tent. 

Later that day, ear-piercingly loud screams came from the shifa tent. It was the screams of Hafsa Hatun. Several alps and Hatuns went to see what happened. It was horrible news. Turgut was on the floor, bawling. Hafsa Hatun was screaming and putting her hands on her face in shock, fear, and sadness. Bamsi Alp was quietly weeping and hated seeing his dear friend in pain. Halime and Ertugul walked into the room to see Selcan, Hafsa, , Bamsi,  Turgut, and Artuk Bey crying. Ertugul glanced at Aslihan Hatun who was laying with her pale lips open, and her body was motionless. Halime felt a twinge in her heart. "Aslihan Hatun is dead!" Hafsa Hatun yelled.