Duvarları içinde - within the walls

Chapter 29

Selcan burst through the doors with an injured hand. ''Osman!''

''Ana?''

Selcan fell on her knees, and Mihrimah and Osman kneeled beside her to support her. ''Who did this to you? Who?''

''Wait. I am not injured.'' Selcan said. ''But Cornelia... That dastard hurt her, but he escaped. Go to that tent. Hurry!''

''Let's go, Bala!'' Malhun said, and the two hatuns left.

''What do you mean, Selcan Ana?'' Mihrimah tried to make sense of everything.

''The attacker was wearing a mask. I couldn't see his face.''

''They even got in the tent of my mother! What are you doing here?! Find him now!'' Osman questioned his alps. They immediately left the tent to find the attacker.

''Are you alright?'' Mihrimah asked worried.

Selcan took a gulp of water and then answered. ''That dastard tried to kill me.''

''Ana.'' Osman called out to her. ''Tell me what happened.''

Selcan explained that while she was praying, she had her back to the door of her tent. The attacker tried to sneak behind her but she was warned by Cornelia. She fought the attacker, but was overpowered by him. Selcan confronted him and managed to slap him. As he was about to strike again with his dagger, Cornelia threw herself in front of Selcan, resulting in her getting cut. After that, Selcan ran to the Bey's tent. ''He came in and left in a span of seconds. He knew his way around. It's obvious... It is someone among us.''

''Osman Bey.'' Faqih spoke. ''Selcan Hatun is right. That dastard sneaked in the tribe like a snake.''

''My alps are looking for him. He'll be found. Many traitors were among us until now. They looked into our eyes. But as always, we waited for the right time. He'll be found.

''Cok sükür, Selcan Hatun is alright. We should leave so she can have some rest.'' Faqih said and left with Barkin Bey.

After waiting for awhile, Bala and Malhun returned with serious expressions on their faces.

In the meantime, Konur and Saltuk came by the orders of Osman. ''Bey'im. That dastard ran away. We closed the doors of the tribe. We will question everyone and search around for him,'' Konur informed.

Even so, Osman was frustrated. ''How could you let him escape? How could you?!''

''Bey'im. I was after him. But then he suddenly disappeared.'' Saltuk defended himself.

''Question all of the Alps! All of them! The traitor is still in the tribe.''

Before Konur and Saltuk left, Mihrimah gave Konur an apologetic smile. But given the situation, Osman behavior was normal.

Just as they left, Bala, Malhun, and Aygul arrived.

''Did you find something?''

''We found this in Ana's tent, Bey'im.'' Bala said and showed him a necklace. ''It belongs to Cornelia.''

Mihrimah approached Osman, and he gave her the necklace to inspect it. When she opened the locket, she saw something that was the answer to some of their questions.

''She apparently hid the poison in this, Bey'im.'' Malhun said.

''Malhun is right. There are traces of some powder on the inner side of the locket. And Cornelia never had a necklace like this before.'' Mihrimah informed and gave Omsan the necklace.