The Princess & The Bodyguard

Between Love and Duty

Two days later Leyla and Mert went to their most favourite place - the Hidden Garden. It was Leyla's birthday and Mert wanted to spend some time alone, away from the suffocating house. Besides, spending time in the Hidden Garden whenever one of them had a birthday was something like a small tradition that the secret lovers had. When they arrived there, they sat on their usual spot under the old oak tree.

A little after they sat down onto the bench, Mert took out the tiny gift bag with the earrings which he had got for Leyla's birthday on the same day when he had taken her special necklace to get repaired, after Emir had broken it.

"This is for you, my princess." Mert said to Leyla "Happiest birthday to you, my love! It is good that you are here!"

"Thank you so much, my love!" Leyla replied with a smile

"Open it." he replied back

Leyla opened the gift bag and saw one tiny jewelry box and a happy birthday card. She first took the card out, opened it and read "Shiny gold for the woman who shines the brightest. Happy birthday!"

With a smile, Leyla then took the jewelry box, opened it and her eyes shone with happiness right away. The earrings were gold and had small heart-shaped pendants, exactly like the pendant of her special, beloved necklace.

"Mert! They look amazing!" she exclaimed with teary eyes

Mert smiled and replied "I know how much you love the necklace, so, when I saw these earrings, I immediately got them for you. At this way you will have a tiny set of heart-shaped gold jewelry."

"When did you manage to get them?" she asked

"That day when I took your necklace to a jeweler to fix it." he answered "While he was repairing the necklace, I was looking around the shop and saw them."

"Do you want to put them on?" he asked her

"Of course I do." she answered

Leyla then took off the earrings which she was wearing and put the new ones in their place.

"How does it look?" she asked Mert, showing him the earrings on her ears

"Very beautiful!" he answered without hesitation "Together with the necklace they are even more beautiful!"

"Thank you so much, my love!" she exclaimed, hugging him "I am never taking them off, just like the necklace!"

"Canım benim..." he replied, hugging her back

Then he looked back at her eyes and said "But look... If you feel like you will need to take them off for a while, do not hesitate to do it. I will know you have done it, in order to protect us."

"No, Mert. Nothing and no one will be able to make me take them off. Neither the necklace, nor the earrings." she spoke with determination "I will find excuses for the earrings the way I found for the necklace."

She then kissed him, after which looked back at him and added "Because I love you much enough to do it."

Since Leyla herself did not want a big party for her birthday, Emir offered to take her out for dinner. After a little hesitation, she accepted, so that she would not raise suspicion with the frequent denials. The one to drive the spouses to the restaurant, where Emir had booked a table for two, was... Mert... 

Mert had mixed feelings towards the fact that, for a second time, he would have to drive his beloved woman together with the person who was making her life a living hell. He took several deep breaths and straightened himself, trying to remain as calm and collected as possible.