Dark Hillsides

Agreement and Sharing

Alp' father's will was a betrayal of the lands he wanted to unite. But he must have been ashamed to have thought of such an epithet. Four brothers and four pieces... He would come together today to share the land with his older brothers, whom he had not seen for a long time. He had missed them, but this longing had to remain hidden due to the situation. From the age of twelve to eighteen, he excitedly turned his head slightly away from Bilgin, his teacher and friend from the times he lived away from the capital, so that they did not make eye contact.

"You know, as we divide into four parts today, we will get four chief assistants. You know very well that my father determined these people. Even if you are not my chief assistant, I want you to be my assistant." Said Alp softly.

"As you see fit, my Sultan." Said Bilgin, bowing his head.

Not once had he heard the word of the Sultan. He didn't know if he would be able to deserve such respect, become a legendary Sultan like his father. He wondered what fate would bring him. Bilgin started to speak, taking advantage of the situation to ask the question he was shyly curious about.

"My Sultan, which castle will you take?"

Alp knew the answer very well. He would consider it disrespectful to his father to have an eye on him elsewhere. But he was anxious to tell Bilgin about it. He did not want to be confused before the division of land. Especially fearing Bilgin's protectionist policy.

"I don't know, Bilgin."

"Sir, you must aspire to Palangir, or we may find it difficult to stand."

Alp did not respond to this. He looked nervously at Bilgin's hair, which was slowly falling white. It was clear what he meant. He actually looked at him with pity that he could not understand why his father had not chosen it as the capital for all these years.

"I'm going to the meeting room." Said Alp, with a stern expression.

Bilgin slowly bowed his head in obedience.

Bilgin had just turned forty-one a few days ago. The white that slowly fell into his hair at his early age and the wrinkles that appeared on his forehead indicated that he had spent many years with a difficult Prince. The worst part was that he could not understand Prince Alp despite their long-term relationship.

**

"Brothers... How are you?" Said Alp, smiling.

After chatting with each of them for a short time, they were interrupted by the nervous tone of his eldest brother Cengiz's voice. Alp had not seen Cengiz for twelve years. Even on the day of his marriage, they were separated due to Alp's health problems.

"Let's start now."

Cengiz was thirty years old. He thought that he always felt deprived of his father's love, that his father's will proved this, and that's why he divided the lands for his youngest brother Alp. Cengiz was the shortest at one meter and seventy-three centimetres. He was considered to be the ugliest among the brothers, but still very handsome with the beauty of his bloodline. He now considered his past marriage as a disappointment. A marriage could bring great deals, great conveniences to his shattered state.

"Sure." Said Metehan, trying to respond equally to his brother's nervousness.

Although Metehan seemed to be the bravest, he sometimes made the cowardice hidden in his heart be noticed. The biggest reason for his lordship mistakes was his bold breakthrough and retreat. Being the tallest made him look majestic. The fact that he had just reached the age of twenty-six and that it was at the right time for marriage made her stand out. A proper marriage could lead to a proper union. He especially had his eye on King Tarik's only child, Berrak, but he wasn't the only one who caught his eye... Berrak was actually very ugly, but the throne could make people blind.

"How will sharing be?" ' Alp asked, trying to soften the atmosphere.

Alp knew that; The more the tension of the environment increased, the more it would affect him. He was sure to be one of the hardest to experience the hardships of being the smallest in this four-legged pan. He wanted to turn the disadvantage into an advantage, he was waiting for the right time. Cengiz, the biggest, started to speak again.

"Fortunately, I don't think we'll have any problems in this part, since my father added three different Lordships to its borders. I'll go to Palangir in the northwest, Metehan in the southwest, Emir in the middle, and finally here, you in the west." He said and left a small smile as he finished his speech, that he would be pleased with such a sharing.

Alp was partially relieved because he thought that his father's legacy would remain with him. But deep bargains began here. All the gold mines were left by his other brothers. For the jewel, Metehan would be one step ahead. At the same time, he was the luckiest in the lake with Emir. The eldest brother Cengiz, who believed that money would solve everything, would feel very comfortable as he bought the largest gold mines and Palangir, which is easy to defend.

"But this is unfair! In the most difficult place, we will put our youngest, most inexperienced brother like a lamb to the wolves. Also, considering that we don't give any underground riches, you realize that it doesn't make much sense!" Emir said to Cengiz, snapping out of nowhere.

Emir was the most handsome of the brothers. It had become a classic to hear his name in the mouths of girls waiting in line for marriage in the southern realm. All the brothers knew that if he could use this surplus, he could live on his land for a long time, but he didn't realize that he had fallen in love with an servant in his castle where he was a lord.

"Are you talking about the right? I share it with you when the throne should be left to the eldest brother, me. Is this right?" Cengiz said, shouting.

Alp understood that the right time had come to turn the situation in his favour. Fearing that his older brother Cengiz would react and make the situation unbearable, he wanted to intervene immediately.

"Brother, wait a minute." Said Alp, calming his brother. "You're all right, so I accept this place, Castle Eronat, but I want some privileges." He said, and after the positive reaction in the eyes, he continued his speech from where he left off. "I want forty-nine percent of the army. I also want forty-nine percent of your treasury... Finally, I want you to cover my one-year army expenses. You know very well that in such a capacity, without my gold mines and income for the army, I cannot afford the expenses." He said looking into the eyes of all his brothers one by one.

Neither Cengiz, Metehan, nor Emir had taken a sideways glance at this situation. The important thing was future. They were all going to agree, thinking they could get more in a year, but Metehan's thoughtful expression slipped out of his mouth.

"What if you attack us." He said with a side glance.

All at once, their eyes were fixed on Alp . Here, Alp was not late to put his second plan into action.

"Let's add the clause of sending aid with ten percent of the army to the person who has been defenseless for five years."

All of them had a sudden pause. Alp was measuring the reactions of all of them. The facial features of his youngest brother Emir showed that he was positive in this matter. But others were quite thoughtful. Cengiz spilled the beans.

"Five years is a long time." Cengiz said hesitantly. "Three years is enough."

"Well, I agree." Said Metehan.

Emir looked suspiciously into the eyes of his youngest brother Alp. He watched his accept the offer like a suicide. And then he agreed too. After three years, he realized that the brothers would eat each other. His fear was not his own, but his brother's.

The deal was completed after the finishing touches. Now, finally, the choice of chief assistant remained. They gave priority to Alp  because they made this choice because their father wanted it. Alp  was now ready to speak with the four candidates and make an election...