Feriha Hatun (Ertugrul's Wife)

Chapter 13

They had decided that the Man should be saved first. They carefully removed the arrowhead from Ertugrul's chest and then proceeded to cauterize the wound all whilst calling on Allah to help them. After they had cleaned down the area around the wound, they moved to Feriha.

The girl was still unconscious on the grass and was laying on her stomach. They carefully removed part of her clothing making sure that any areas where the gash didn't spread to remained covered. The follower carefully cleaned the wound and the area around it. Then the Shaykh rubbed an ointment into the wound and then began slowly stitching her up.

Once he was done, he carefully wrapped some cloth around the wound and tied it, pulling her dress down afterwards. The shaykh and his follower then lifted and placed the couple onto makeshift stretchers and tied the ropes to the back of their horses and making their way to the Kayis's camp.

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*The Kayi Tribe*

The people of the Kayi tribe were, as usual, making the most of the day. Children were happily playing with each other, the women were sewing or cooking, the alps were training or making weapons and the elderly were helping around where they could and teaching some of the people or telling thwm stories. The beys were going round checking the order of their people's work. Suleyman shah was sat in his tent conversing with his sons and his wife. The tribe was peaceful.

It was beautiful to see such happiness in the faces of people constantly plagued with worry for work or for the attack of enemies. Unfortunately for them it wouldn't last very long. The serene atmosphere was quickly disrupted by the banging of drums. The tribe's people looked up from their work and in the direction of the entrance to their camp.

They waited patiently, before two horses came into view. They did not revognise the faces of the rider, but ifentified the injured pair on the stretchers with ease. "Ertugrul Bey? Feriha Hatun? What has happened to our Bey's children?!" The people exclaimed, shocked by the sight as the riders trotted up to the marquee. Melikşah and Hamza alps helped the men of the horses before telling Abdurrahman to get their Bey.

He ran off as fast as possible and headed straight into the marquee without asking for permission. "Abdurrahman? What's wrong? Why are you so worried?" Hayme hatun asked the alp. "Ana, Ertugrul and Feriha have been brought to the camp by two men. Both are injured and unconscious" he told her. His words worried her beyond measure so she ran out, Suleyman Shah and Abdurrahman following swiftly after.

"Ertugrul! Feriha! My children! What has happened to you? Who did this to my dear son and my daughter in law?" Hayme asked as she ran between the pair trying to shake them awake. As she shook Feriha, her eyes opened and she gasped, causing Hayme to try and get her to speak, but before she could utter a word, she fell back, unconscious once again.