Sienna - Kurulus Osman

18

*bursts into tears* why Bozdag why

The door squeaked as it cautiously tore away from the rest of the cage, hesitant to let out the unpredictable commander. Aygul Hatun gripped the ropes, staring hard at the light-eyed commander who stepped out.

Before she exited the tent, she was reminded of the foul insults of the tribespeople on her way in. She groaned inwardly, "The...tribe isn't there readying their crops, are they?"

Osman Bey raised a brow. "So, you're afraid of our tribe?"

Sienna clenched her jaw. "Not fear...anger. Absolute despise."

Osman pretended like he understood, then stared at her cut near her slightly bruised eye. "I'll get used to that, right?" he remarked snarkily, and Sienna, reminded of her earlier comment, shot him an irate look as he glanced at his cousin. "If you want to leave without drawing attention, you'll have to dress like one of us."

Sienna nearly snorted. "Oh, like that never brings trouble."

"I meant in the tribe."

"I'm not going anywhere dressed like a Turk," she affirmed, staring hard at Osman to make sure her words sunk in.

---

Sienna fidgeted with the unusual Turk outfit, smoothing out the entirely straight dress and brushing off non-existent dust. Thick cotton rubbed uncomfortably against her skin, and the minimal jewels dangling from her lightweight, deep red headdress continuously bounced against the sides of her forehead. She stared resentfully at her charred maroon dress, remembering the shabby one they offered her earlier when she reluctantly agreed to wear Turk clothing. As much as she wanted something duller, she thought this alternative better than the rags. It was accompanied by a negligibly lighter shaded layer from the waist down, a single copper ornament sitting in the middle of the belt holding her sword. She carefully hid her sharp dagger in the cuffs, sighing hard when she remembered her other dagger was still lost. Not lost...stolen, she thought begrudgingly, her thoughts landing on Goktug.

"Are you done, Prenses?" Aygul called bitterly from outside the tent, knocking harshly on the door. Osman Bey, Goktug Alp, and Boran Alp waited uneasily near her, wondering how Sogut was doing.

Agitated, Sienna quickly hid the rest of her knives before adjusting her headdress. She pushed the doors open, wincing at the brightness of the sky.

"Still think the other dress would attract less attention," Goktug shrugged, avoiding the oddly appealing sight before him.

Sienna glowered at him as Osman ordered, "Haydi if you stay out of trouble, nothing will be thrown at you." 

Instead of dragging the conversation, Sienna followed silently as Osman and the Alps made their way to the horse stables.

Her stomach growled at her, and Sienna remembered that she hadn't eaten since the night she was captured. Neither had they, she realized. "Wait." They paused and turned to her. "We're going now?"

The Alps blinked in confusion. "No, Komutan, first we'll wait for Sogut to fall, and while that happens, why don't we give you a tour of our tribe?" Osman offered with a fake smile, sarcasm evident in his tone.

"But I can't fight on an empty stomach!" she argued. "And it's not like you've eaten...why don't we eat something first, and then go. We'll be more alert then anyway and..."

As she continued throwing out facts about why it was better to eat first, Goktug mentally facepalmed, Boran silently agreed, and Aygul shook her head.