Feriha Hatun (Ertugrul's Wife)

Chapter 2

*2 years later*

It's been so long that I have been stuck in this dark room. I lost track of time a long time ago. My body has become so thin and I feel weightless. Bruises, cuts, scars and other marks that I do not wish to mention litter my body from head to toe. I do not know how I have lived this long but I do not plan on dying now. Not after I have found a way to escape. I know when the soldiers switch places, when they sleep, when they train and when they try to entertain Ögedei khan. I just have to wait for the right time.

*****

Ögedei khan is inside feasting now, the soldiers outside are drunk and sleeping and the few that are awake are guarding Ögedei's tent or patrolling the other side of the camp. I stand next to the fabric door of the tent they had me locked in with a dagger in my hand. I quickly glance outside to ensure that the coast is clear, then I run out without looking back...

*The Woods near the Kayi tribe*

Ertugrul had reached the woods and spotted a deer that he was getting ready to shoot. Just as he was going to release his arrow from the bow, he heard the scream of a woman. Immediately, he jumped up and ran in the direction he heard the scream. Eventually, he reached an clearing in the forest. He looked closely and saw many Templar soldiers guarding three prisoners who appeared to be Turks also. So without hesitation, he shot arrows into some if their hearts before running out with his sword in his hand and shouted "God is Great! God is Just!" The nearest Templars attempted to turn their heads towards him but he struck them down before they were able to.

As he continued fighting, his alps across the forest heard the sound of swords clashing and ran to help their Bey. They quickly came upon the scene and began attacking together too. Soon, they had overwhelmed them all and killed them. Ertugrul then turned to help the woman who he had heard erupt a scream before he had come to this clearing. Her father was injured on the floor and Ertugrul moved to help him.

*****

They had finally got the old man up off of the floor and onto a horse. The girl mounted a horse too along with her younger brother. Ertugrul then mounted his snowy white stallion and led the way back to his tribe. The family followed in the middle. Turgut and Dogan rode behind. As Bamsi was about to follow them, he heard a cry of pain not too far behind him. He turned around and saw a woman come running out from behind a tree. She was limping and was heavily injured. As she neared, he saw a bit more of her face and could of sworn he had seen her before. As he continued to watch her, he heard the insane shrieks of Mongol soldiers which snapped him out of his trance in time to see three Mongolian soldiers who jumped off their horses and ran to the woman.

He ran forward and attacked the two closest to him and killed them in one, swift cross blade motion. He then turned to see the last soldier looming over the woman with his sword raised above her ready to stab her as she helplessly brandished a small dagger at him. Bamsi launched himself forward and swiftly cut off the soldier's neck. The girl was shocked but then calmed down as she realised that the soldier had died. But then she looked up again scared as Bamsi hovered over her.

"Don't be afraid woman, I am here to help you from that Mongol scum" he told her. She didn't say anything, just observed him from behind her hair. "What is your name then?" He asked her. "Feriha" she mumbled before blacking out. Bamsi was thinking about her name and was about to comment when he saw her lying on the floor. He was about pick her up but then he saw blood under her unconscious body and immediately became worried. He carefully lifted her up and placed her on her horse and carried her back to the tribe.

Ertugrul

We reached the tribe and I noticed Bamsi wasn't behind us. He had probably stopped somewhere after seeing food. I chuckled to myself at the thought and waited for the girl I had saved to come back in her new clothes. Her name, I had learned is Halime. She is beautiful and maybe I have found love again I thought. If I get to know her would she accept my hand in marriage? After I finished that thought, shivers ran down my spine and images of Feriha flashed in my mind.

As I drifted off in thought of my first wife, I heard the drums beating outside. Are we expecting someone and who is it? I wondered. I left my tent and headed outside, just to see Bamsi speeding to the front of the marquee, an unconscious girl on his horse. I ran over to check on him and find out who the woman is. Bamsi dismounted and then carefully pulled the woman off his horse. "Bamsi, brother, what is this?" I asked him. "I found her running in the woods from Mongolian soldiers. They were trying to attack her so I killed them and went to help her and then she fell unconscious" he answered. My mother gasped from nearby and my father cringed from where he stood on the marquee steps. " She did say something before she fell unconscious, she told me her name. She said it is Feriha..."

A/N: You will probably hate me for the time skip but don't worry I'll fill you in with flashbacks