Sabır (Patience) - Kurulus Osman

Chapter 17

When he entered the dungeon, he heard faint grunts of struggling and immediately recognized those as Ceyda. Kongar controlled his urge to see her as he slowly walked to the last cell of the dungeon, the most guarded. It was the one where the Shaman brainwashes people.

When Kongar arrived, the Shaman was just getting out. Blood smeared his face and hands. He looked at Kongar and chuckled evilly. "She was a hard one to crack, but it's done. She's gone."

"What did you do?"

"See for yourself," he smirked as he strode out of the dungeon, leaving behind a pondering Kongar.

Kongar debated whether or not he should see her. You're going to have to see her soon. Once Balgay is informed that the job is done, she will work with you all the time. He sighed. He was somewhat afraid of the results. Part of him didn't want her to change, even if he only met her once. Kongar decided to at least check if her wounds were healed. He slowly and nervously made his way into the dark cell.

Ceyda's hands and feet were chained up along with her neck where her head hung low. Okay, she's unconscious. Now, I can go inside. Kongar was slightly afraid of what Balgay wanted Ceyda to be like. She is already so powerful and fierce, what would she be like now? He took a deep breath and stepped inside, motioning for the guards to leave.

He scanned the cell and noticed the bowl the Shaman used on the floor, drops of some sort of liquid still in it. He walked closer to Ceyda and regarded her heavy breathing, then noticed that her clothes were drenched in blood. As Kongar made his way towards her, he stepped on something hard and black. He knelt to pick it up and recognized it as a whip. "Balgay..." Anger built up inside Kongar. He was supposed to heal her wounds, not make them worse. He shot up and started towards Balgay, the whip clenched in his hand when he stopped and shook his head, "What am I doing? Why do I care about this girl? Why should I care about what Balgay does with her? This...deli kiz..."

Kongar heard something. Someone. He turned to see Ceyda in the same state. There was no one there. He went closer to Ceyda and listened. It was her. She was mumbling something under her breath. He listened harder.

"Balgay is the iron fist of the Mongols. Balgay is my father. I will obey him until death. Neither human nor thing will get in the way of that."

It took a second for Kongar to process what he just heard. He did it. Balgay did it. He forced the fiercest warrior in these lands to obey him. Kongar continued watching the brainwashed girl and forced a smirk. Balgay just forced the fiercest warrior in these lands to obey him... Then why am I not happy?

A Mongol soldier arrived at the door of the cage as Kongar continued questioning himself. "Commander Kongar, Commander Balgay is waiting for you. Alisar is here." Kongar pushed aside his thoughts and nodded. He was about to leave when the soldier stopped him, "What is it?"

"Commander Balgay also wants you to bring her along."

Kongar turned to Ceyda. She was barely conscious and still mumbling. Now, her mumbling was getting louder and deeper. Kongar detached the chains that held her up, making her fall onto him. He held her up with one arm and unlocked the rest of the shackles with the other. He then put her arm around him and carefully led her out.

Ceyda panted heavily, starting to growl as she did, and she made swift movements like an animal, her growls and deep noises echoing in the halls. When Kongar arrived, Alisar and Balgay were talking smack about Osman. Balgay turned and smiled to see Kongar and a different Ceyda. "Good. You brought her."