Ay Yüzlü - A Bala Hatun and Osman Bey Story

Chapter 1

Honestly, I am pretty fed up with Malhun Hatun. She has to follow my Bey everywhere, blames all the tribe's issues on me, and acts as if her tribe is much better than Kayi. She seems to blame anything bad on me. What's the issue with her? Why does she think I'm not needed around here. We were in Soğut today and Osman'm had just found the traitor of the tribe. It was çömlekçi Idris! But obviously Malhun was there, and not long after, Osman left me with her. At that point, I knew it would be a long day. We entered the room the arrow was shot from, and as we entered, Malhun started saying stuff. She was trying to make me look dumb and was acting as if I did not have a brain. Does she really think I didn't notice the curtain with a window? I mean, it was pretty obvious the arrow was shot from there.

We searched for evidence for a while, but then she stopped me and started to defend Osman, who is my Bey! She was blaming it all on me. She was talking as if I was useless and that there was not a reason for me to exist. What she said made it seem like all my purpose for being alive was to make rugs all day. I was so tempted to say "Well, what's your purpose then? All you count on is running after my Bey! If you think I should be sitting around all day doing that, well, your a hatun as well, so that applies to you too!" But I kept quite since I knew it would get me no where.

We walked off to find evidence and again she called me. I turned around and she seemed to be hiding something. I just couldn't put a finger on what it was. she asked who Idris was then, when I replied that he was the tribe's potter, said "Ah, so traitors have come to Osman Bey's tribe, ha? What are you doing about it?" I was about to reply with something I don't think she would like to hear but Osman came, and I was glad I didn't. I don't think it would be right for me to say these stuff. I quickly asked Allah for forgiveness for thinking it. Malhun Hatun was looking into the distance, thinking through something. Osman asked her if we were missing any clues. She replied with the most annoying answer, she said, "Nothing, I was wondering what was on your mind?" Osman clenched his fist and replied, "The answers to my questions."

He held my arm and, with a reassuring pat, told me to go and take Malhun with me to the tribe. I did as I was told as I didn't want to anger my bey.

Not too long later I was sitting in the tribe with Selcan Ana. We were in one of the rooms in Osman's tent, well, it is also my tent. The room was right next to the main marquee room so we usually heard everything. In the middle of our conversation I heard Malhun Hatun ask to enter. What on earth does she want this time? Osman and Malhun talked for a while, and I could swear Osman was winning Malhun's heart. I was worried and on top of that, after she left, Osman called her a real bey kizi, so I was even more worried. However, before I could do anything, Selcan Ana stood up. We left and entered the main room since Osman wanted to talk to her.

They spoke for a moment and then Osman broke the newes to her, he told her to go to her family's tribe, and she was filled with joy, I started to feel a bit better because she was happy. Seeing other people smile always brightens up my day. Osman kept looking at me with a smile, then he looked at me straight in the eye with a big smile. My heart started to feel at ease, it had been long since I saw Osman'm smile like that. He even looked me in the eye which meant he couldn't be hiding anything.

Finally the time came when we had to say goodbye to our beloved Selcan Ana, I was happy for her but sad she would leave us for such a long time. She came over to each of us and gave us a mini speech and a hug. When she got to Aygul she mentioned that she was happy that Allah granted me to Osman, and Gonca to Boran and inshallah Aygul to someone too. I knew she was talking about Cerkutay. When she said me to Osman, Osman looked at me in a way which I did not expect. He looked at me as if he remembered I couldn't have a child. I was already crying because Ana was leaving. I hope he didn't think I was mad about Malhun becoming close to him.

After Selcan Ana left, Osman and his alps left to a holy war, and me, Lena, and sadly Malhun sat in my tent. Lena was worried, and I felt sorry for her. I can't imagine the worry of a mother. I wish I could have a child, I pray day and night for one. May Allah grant me and Osman a beautiful moon-faced child. Anyways,  I could tell Lena had seen something that worried her more, so I asked her, and she said it was Bayhoca. In his dream was a little crazy bird like him. It flew out his chest up to the sky, and into the heavens. This worried her bad, and it worried me as well. However, I tried to ease her, but it didn't do much. Malhun tried too, and I didn't stop her this time because I love Lena as a sister, and, if that would help her, then by all means I will let Malhun talk.

After she eased slightly, she left and it was just me and Malhun Hatun. Malhun started talking as if I have never felt the pain of someone's death, but she does not realize that I do, I have been through it a lot, I lost my mother, and I even almost lost my Bey, and he is my world. Without him I don't know what and where I would be. I said something which I shouldn't have, because, that led to Malhun Hatun to repeating that same line,

"So you rely on Osman to do everything, then what's your purpose?" I mean, first of all, he is Osman Bey, not Osman. Only his family members can call him that. She then turned into her oh I am smarter than you, so stop being stupid mode.

She started talking about how there is a traitor and he is close to Osman Bey and I felt like as if she was trying to say I may be the traitor. I really wanted to blurt, "WELL IF THERE IS A TRAITOR THAT IS CLOSE TO US, STOP TELLING US THAT, EITHER GIVE US THE EVIDENCE AND CLUE OR TELL US WHO THE TRAITOR IS! I THINK WE ALREADY FIGURED OUT THE REST ALREADY!!" But I knew shouting would get me nowhere. It was when she started blaming our family, that it got out of hand. I told her that his brothers would never they fight against each other in war, Dundar Bey wouldn't try to ambush Osman because that could lead to his own daughter's death. There was so much more behind Dundar Bey, but I didn't want to encourage Malhun Hatun on.

Out of nowhere, I heard crying and screaming. I swore I recognized it, then I realised it was Lena. Gonca and I ran to her with all our speed. It was Bayhoca, he was wounded really bad. Ya Allah, I feel so sorry for her, her son looked like he was barely grasping onto life, may Allah bless him in Jannah. There were many other wounded Alps, so I commanded the Hatuns to start treating them. As I was treating the wounded, Malhun grabbed my arm  and she said, "Didn't I tell you there is a traitor?!"

I was so annoyed so I replied with, "This isn't time to boast now, Hatun. Get on with it and help the wounded." I ripped my arm from her and got back to work.

All of a sudden I hear the loudest scream I had ever heard. It was Lena, I knew right then my nephew had gone to Paradise. We all ran in and not long later Osman arrived. He asked who was the shaheed in his tent, and he was devastated by what he saw. But Lena, ahh Lena, she was broken. I left the room as she laid down by Bayhoca, but then Malhun came and we repeated the whole thing again. After Malhun left, Osman came in and I was helping him put on his armour. That's when I decided to poor my heart out to him, but he seemed to be mad, that made me not want to poor my heart out anymore. I hate my Bey being mad, and this is why I am always careful about what I say. However, after he was about to leave, he turned back around and put his hands on my arms. He told me he was not mad at me and to wait for his heart's fire to go out. I just nodded.

They had just buried my nephew Bayhoca and Osman was mad. I think Lena and Savci had killed Flatyos while they were mourning. They were in the other room; Osman, Lena, Savci, and his 2 alps, when Osman called me. Lena was in pain, and I figured she was about to give birth, I told Boran Alp to get the Hatuns, then got Lena into a bed. Not long after there was a cry of a new beginning. I walked into the room holding Lena's newborn baby, and Osman looked at me as if he remembered something. Oh I wish I could have a child! Maybe if I could have a child, the problems would not have been this bad. I walked in with the baby and all the Beys were happy to hear it was a boy.

Later that day, Malhun came to Osman again, and I couldn't resist but to leave my room. That's when I said, "Osman'm, Malhun Hatun believes there is a traitor very close to us." He didn't really respond or say what I wanted to hear.

Instead, he asked Malhun Hatun what she wanted. And she said she was going to go to her father. Osman insisted he would go with her, and this made my heart drop. Malhun left and I wished my Bey luck and was about to leave, but then he stopped me and called my name. He said ever since the Hatun arrived that I have been acting very cold. I had to agree but instead, I put my hand on his knee and he put his on top of mine. I simply replied that I was fine and wished him good luck on his journey. With Malhun.