LONG LOST (A Sungurtekin Bey Fanfiction)

32.

Sungurtekin had chased them until he was sure that Selcan and Nuray were able to go to the tribe safe and sound. He returned to the place where he had left Ertugrul and Tugtekin. They both were standing under the shade of a tree. Sungurtekin came towards them.

"Selcan hatun and Nuray hatun are returning to the tribe safe and sound!" He told them.

"Eyvallah!" Ertugrul smiled. Sungurtekin nodded and turned to Tugtekin. Tugtekin had tears in eyes as he looked up at him.

"You once saved my life Ertugrul! And now you both saved my tribe! Your help is priceless!" He said with deep gratitude. Sungurtekin stared at him for a moment. Nuray was right. What a poor man!

"Our only aim is to make Gumustekin confess his crimes. He stole the seal from me, I will not forgive him that easily!" Sungurtekin said with bitterness in his voice. Ertugrul patted on his shoulder silently, "Anyway, it's time to go back! Ana must be waiting!" He sighed and turned back. His mind was scattered. He was not at ease even if they had achieved so much! Trust of Dodurga's bey was a big achievement. But still there was something that was poking him inside. He shook his head furiously and kept walking towards the horses.

..............................

When they entered the marquee, they saw Hayme pacing up and down the marquee impatiently. Upon the rustling of the cloth of curtains she turned quickly. A sigh of relief escaped her mouth as she saw her sons entering. Sungurtekin immediately came forward to hug her. All his uneasiness melted away just at the touch of his beautiful mother's lips on his forehead. Hayme then turned to Ertugrul and hugged him as well.

"Thank God, you two are back." She smiled.

Then her gaze settled on Tugtekin who was also standing in the middle of the marquee. Devastated by the revelations on him, he came forward and held her hands in his own. Then he kissed them both and looked at her. His cheeks wet with tears. Hayme smiled at him affectionately. Her heart squeezed on seeing him suffering like this.

"What did I do, Ana?" He sniffled. "The people that split my father's bread, the people that I believed and treated with respect, killed me! How my heart and eyes sealed that much?" He bit his lower lip to hold his snobs. "What did I do, Ana? I do not have power to be mentioned as a bey or even aa human!" He was at the edge of self-pity! Sungurtekin pitied him but he needed to stand tall in order to get his tribe out of the troubles.

"You cannot get anywhere by behaving like that, Tugtekin bey! Come to yourself!" Sungurtekin said in a comanding voice.

"Carelessness sealed both our hearts and eyes, son!" Hayme said softly staring into his eyes. "Donot forget that I served them on my table! They stole the trust that our Sultan gave to Sungurtekin. And I was not able to hold them account for this even when Sungur asked me to. I let my son Gundogdu to marry that centipede Goncagul!" She sighed and stared at her sons with a hint of pride in her eyes. "If they had not opened our eyes and broke the seal of our hearts, we would be more miserable then!"

"You fought with lot of enemies, Tugtekin bey!" Sungurtekin said. "You are always in front of your nomad group. Everybody knows how you fought with Mongols. And how you risked your life." He tried to console him with his words and everybody knew how good he was with words. Tugtekin turned to him and wiped his tears.

"Those beautiful days are so far now!" He smiled sadly. Hayme placed her hand on his arm.

"We all know that you have a brave decisive heart! Those days are here, son!" She smiled softly. Tugtekin turned to her. "We will only endure one more day. You saw the light within utter darkness with a lot of pain! Last ditch effort!" Tugtekin raised his head in determination.