Sabır (Patience) - Kurulus Osman

Chapter 50

"Osman?" 

Bala choked, and Ceyda swallowed as Selcan's cries rang through the commotion. "Allahim, don't make me suffer this pain," Bala prayed before breaking into a run to her wounded lover. They laid Osman's stretcher in the small open hut where the dervishes, Sheikh, and the two women gathered.

Ceyda slowly made her way to them, praying not to lose another brother. She heard the dervish that brought him tell Edebali he was unconscious when he found him and that the arrow in his back was lodged too deep to take out. Ceyda remembered Zohre Hatun dealing with something similar; she used a hot iron to press the skin, making it less harmful to pull the arrow. Unfortunately, Ceyda hadn't stayed long enough to see the ointment. She immediately turned to help the dervish light fire and pulled out her dagger to rest in it as Selcan tore out pieces of white cloth to stop the bleeding.

A few dervishes rapidly prepared ointment to rub over the wound while the others brought in helpful equipment. Ceyda handed the Sheikh the dagger when it was hot enough, murmuring a few instructions as he slowly loosened the arrow. "Selcan Hatun, prepare the iron," he called out.

"It's ready, Sheikhim," Selcan answered promptly. "How does the wound look?"

"It's tough; it won't be easy if it touched his lungs. We will do our best. The rest depends on the Sultan of Wisdoms. Ya Shafi!" Osman groaned at the impact and slowly the Sheikh managed to pull out the arrow. He handed it to Ceyda who put it in a bowl of water as Selcan rushed over with the hot iron.

"He's bleeding too much, Baba!" Bala notified as Edebali pressed rags on the wound before gently bringing the hot iron to it. Osman winced and so did the others as Edebali whispered, "Ya Shafi," and the cauterizing was done. As Selcan and Sheikh Edebali bandaged the arrow wound, Ceyda took the time to examine the bloodied arrow. She realized with a clench of her jaw that they belonged to the Mongols, learning to identify Balgay's arrows rather quickly after her unpleasant stays in his company.

Edebali and Zulfiqar Dervish left the women, and Ceyda grabbed the rest of the ointment, sitting beside her aunt to rub it over the bruises and cuts on her cousin's face. Bala watched Osman from the opposite side, and Ceyda realized that she hadn't given her a word of comfort. She frowned at herself but continued spreading the medicine, wondering if the information of those who did this to Osman would be useful.

Her thoughts were cut short when a trample of horse hooves was heard. She peered at where Sheikh Edebali was standing to see Boran and Goktug dismounting their horses and walking toward the Sheikh. Ceyda sighed in relief to see them unharmed- or at least less wounded than their Bey.

She passed the medicine to Selcan Hatun, rubbed Bala's arm soothingly along with a warm look, then made her way to the Alps.

"What happened to him?" she questioned once the Sheikh left them. She studied them carefully; Boran's face was also framed with cuts and bruises, but Goktug seemed fine- though he was a little pink. They were silent for a few moments, so she spoke up, "Balgay did this, didn't he?"

Goktug nodded slowly, and Boran winced, in anger or pain she couldn't tell. "We were ambushed by our own...they handed us to the Mongols," Boran informed bitterly.

Ceyda remembered Konur telling her something similar. She couldn't bear hearing Bahadir or her uncle's name again, so she turned her attention to Boran's wounds. "You don't look too well..."

"I'm fine...how is my Bey?"

"He will get better, InshaAllah, and you will too. Come with me." She wouldn't take no for an answer, so she started for the hut before he could protest to get more medicine and a jug of water, waiting by a log a few feet from the hut. Limping to her with Goktug, Boran sat down, and she started rubbing ointment over his cuts as Goktug awkwardly sat beside him, watching her. There was a moment of silence when Ceyda broke it. "You stink," she smiled, and the corners of Boran's mouth twitched.