GonBor- A Gonca hatun and Boran alp story

Chapter 55- Relatives

Boran alp P.O.V

 A lot of the people that came from the other half of Kayi used to live in this tribe but moved. So that meant a lot of these people knew me from when I was a child, so that means-

"Boran Alp, you've grown so much, I last saw you when you were a little child, Do you remember me?" 

"Um..." My mind blanks out as the elderly lady looks at me expectantly. "I was like a sister to your mother," The woman keeps going, while I struggle to have any clue about who this person is. Goktug, on the other hand, is busy laughing at me, alongside Cerkutay. 

They're finding solace in my suffering while everybody else stares at them, recognizing them for their Mongolian past. I don't think they're even bothered by the stares they're getting, they're too busy having fun at my expense.

"Abi," I whisper, trying to get Gunduz's attention and he turns around, "What?" The lady continues to talk, oblivious to my desperation. "I need help," Gunduz rolls his eyes, "Boran, I can't help you, you're on your own." I sigh, "I don't know these people but they somehow know me, what the heck do I do?" Gunduz shrugs, "That's your problem, not mine."

"Thanks for nothing," I say as someone else approaches me, this time someone I recognize. Am I glad to see her? No, definitely not. My cousin, Feriha. She used to live here, but my uncle was a merchant who decided to live in the other tribe would be better for business.

Feriha made my life as a kid suck. I used to have a big stuttering problem when I was younger. And that stutter still comes out when I'm angry or upset. I hated my stutter, and Feriha only made it worse. She would always point it out in front of other kids just to make them laugh at me.

"Selam Aleykum, Boran!" Feriha says in a cheery voice, making me cringe. "Aleykum Selam, Feriha hatun." Out of the corner of my eye, I see Gonca walk up next to me, "We used to play together all the time!" I frown, and glance at Gonca beside me, 'Don't say something rude, don't say something rude, Boran.'

"Oh, who's this?" Feriha asks, gesturing to Gonca, and I speak up, "This is my wife, Gonca hatun." The look on Feriha's face changes into a scrutinizing one as she eyes Gonca, who turns to me in question.

"Gonca, this is my cousin, Feriha hatun," I drop my hands back to my sides again, practically waiting for the conversation to end. "Oh really? You used to say you would never get married," Feriha says, an innocent look upon her face, "Yeah, well I was 8 years old, things tend to change."

Alright, I don't know how much longer I can take this, normally I wouldn't get ticked off this easily, but she really gets on my nerve. "Yeah, you were e-e-eight," She says with a laugh, mimicking the way I used to talk and I tense up.

"Um, my Bey is calling me, I got to go," I say quickly, walking over to Osman before Feriha could say anything else. I stand next to Osman who looks at me in question, "Isn't that your cousin, what's her name... Feriha?" 

I nod, rubbing a hand over my eyes, "Unfortunately, yes." Osman frowns at my expression, "She's still the same girl who made fun of me in front of everyone," I say before he can ask. Osman and Konur were both there during that time. Konur had just recently come to the tribe and avoided talking to anyone. Osman's mildly aggressive threats weren't really enough to stop the teasing.

"Why must we all have a cousin that wants to destroy us?" Osman asks solemnly, joking to lighten the mood, "Some people just want to watch the world burn, Bey'm."

 I joke back and Osman laughs, "True, hey, where's Goktug?" I roll my eyes, "He was over there making fun of me because I couldn't remember the random people that came up to me."