Truth

Paths

"In that moment, at the hut, I called you 'Bad King' to remind myself that's what you were."  Can's face showed his defenses start to rise.  Feeling slightly, but unfairly attacked, he went to speak but she stopped him again.

"I know you are not.  I didn't know then."  His brow still furrowed, she tried to clarify-  "What I mean is-  Before I met you... spent time with you... meeting your friends...  you were made to be a bad person."  

"How?" he asked, still feeling incredulous.  "If you hadn't met me yet, how could you make that decision... that I was a bad person??"   She hesitated, still hated the concept of speaking ill of his family.   Family was so important to her.  He saw the wince on her face.  "Please, Sanem... I want to understand."

"I want you to understand too, my life" she answered, reaching to caress his cheek.  "It is still difficult for me to say it-" she caught her breath and tried to work up her courage again.  "Can, your brother."   

"Ne?  Emre?"  

"Evet, Emre...  in my first days at the agency, Emre had somehow learned of my family's predicament with their store...  And you had determined I was the only person on the staff to trust since I had not been there for the spying trouble that went on-  Emre -"  she shut herself short, exasperated with trying to find the right words...  Oofff!  Sanem- you are rambling now!

Can sensed her frustration-  "Sanem...  you're saying Emre made me out to be the 'Bad King'?"

"Yes!" she was grateful he was trying to help her through this. "He paid my parent's debt as a pay advance, and said you had only come to the agency to build up it's value with big accounts, then you would sell it and then go abroad again, leaving him, your father and all the staff - betrayed."

She took another breath, waiting for his response.   Can looked down for a moment, considering.  He admitted his brother probably did have it in him to do something like this, but it was harder to swallow now that he had mended their relationship after his accident.

"Ok Sanem...  but, why did you believe him blindly?   You didn't know Emre before then either, so-"  Sanem began to nod, acknowledging his logic.  "A mix of things I think," she began.  "My sister had worked for Emre Bey for a while and she had always spoken highly of him...  now I realize she was blinded by her desire to be with him.  But-  on top of this- he had helped my family with their debt.  I saw it as a kind gesture, and you yourself have said that I am naive."

He dipped his head in a nod, chuckling a bit.  "I have said that haven't I, sweetness?"  He reached out and hooked a finger under her chin.  "It's one of the things about you that I find so endearing."  His soft smile slowly turned downward, along with his gaze, saddened that one of her best qualities landed her in so much mess.  He felt a tinge of anger then-  for his brother, for taking advantage of his beloved.

Sanem watched her lover's face morph...  from initial understanding, to morose regret, to hostility.  She had to redirect him quickly- "Can!  You said before that we have been through all this- that you've agreed to a fresh start.  Remember that.   We have been through this part already - and moved on.  I only bring it up to explain where my idea of you as 'Bad King' came from...  that one concept laid the groundwork for everything after that...  all the lies and deceptions came from this initial basis."

He heard her words and agreed with their logic, but his emotions conflicted.  She watched him struggle with himself for a moment, then laid a hand on the side of his face...  he closed his eyes, trying to focus on her touch...  soft... soothing.  Taming the lion.

"Can, the picture was painted for me that you were the enemy and that my help was needed to defeat you- saving my sister and the rest of the agency.  You know family is everything to me."