Sabır (Patience) - Kurulus Osman

Chapter 30

Ceyda looked around and sighed heavily. It must be night by now. The woman looked at her, "What happened, kizim?"

"I need to go..."

"So go."

"I can't. I can't leave Osman here."

"Your Osman Bey is my Amanah. Go."

Ceyda remembered leaving her horse. "Do you know where to go?" the woman asked.

"When does anyone know where to go? ... I mean I do. But I don't know how to get there..."

"You were always such a burden," the woman chuckled.

Ceyda stiffened a little. Okay, now this is getting creepy. "Who are you?"

Osman groaned a little and opened his eyes. Ceyda smiled, "Çok şükür, you've woken."

"Osman," Bala mumbled in her sleep. Osman sat up straight, "Bala."

"She can't hear you. She's in another dimension," the woman informed.

Osman sighed and removed the blanket from him. Ceyda sat away from the bed and helped him. Osman gazed at Bala, then Ceyda. He smiled and placed his hand over hers, "Ah Ceyda, I worried you."

"You did," Ceyda falsely scolded. "Because of you, I could not go t-"

Osman furrowed his brow, then sighed once he understood what she was going to say, "Look, I won't stop you now but don't bring it up. I'm tired of this now."

Ceyda nodded, then a mischievous smile plastered her face. She looked between Osman and Bala. "Eh Osman...you never told me about this Bala Hatun?"

Osman smiled. "Were you around so I could tell you? First, you disappeared, then you were in a coma, then you were captured, then you were brainwashed, then you did not want to return to your tribe. Now, tell me, how was I supposed to talk to you?"

Ceyda was startled. She had been through so much, and she did not realize it. "If you had tried looking for me like Konur, this would not have happened..." she mumbled.

"Well, I'm sorry for thinking the 'Fierce Ceyda' could protect herself."

"I see...you don't consider me your sister but what others label me. And I thought you cared about me. Go. Drown in your love." Ceyda snatched her hand out of his, got up, and left the cave.

Osman sighed and rubbed his head. "She'll be back," the woman assured. Just a second before Osman could question, Ceyda came back inside and plopped herself onto the floor. "I don't have a horse..."

Osman hid his smile, and the woman chuckled. "It's been so long since I've witnessed a fight between siblings. They always come back to each other though. Always. Here, drink this," she handed over a bowl of soup to Osman, "You need to gather your strength." Osman drank the soup. "This won't suffice. Wait. There should be some dried meat." The woman went to find more food. "She will live, right?" Osman asked again. "She will be fine, right?"

"Blind love...you almost died but you think about her. She will live, InshaAllah."

Ceyda tried to ignore their conversation about love. She remembered when she was tied up back in the cave. She had another nightmare about her tribe burning and her father dying. When she woke up, all she could see were those blurry figures that haunted her. She felt someone hit her, which made her both angry and relieved. The blurry figures vanished and she was suddenly in a forest and musky scented Konur's arms. For less than a minute, Ceyda thought, a little upset. Tövbe Astaghfirullah, she repented quickly, smacking her head. At least he wasn't mad at me for those few seconds...She then remembered their argument and sighed.