A/N : Hello again my lovelies! I missed you all so much and I missed my dear characters, they were begging me to write the rest of their story, but real life kept coming in the way, now that I'm done with school for the summer, I hope that we're set to finish this story.
This was beta'ed by the amazing NewTwilightFan, that woman is a godsend, I don't know how she does it, I don't know how she keeps up with me, just thank you so much for all the work you put into this. THANK YOU!
As for the posting, I don't have a precise schedule, I'm a bit of a slow writer and pretty new at this so I'll try to post as many times as I can, I promise.
Disclaimer: I have a huuuuge announcement to make, twilight is MINE... no, sorry; it actually isn't, it's all SM's sooooo yeah, but I have a pretty cool collection of pencils from H to B scales, impressive right?!
I added a couple of words after NewTwilightFan arranged my mess, and with my luck those would be the only messed up thing about this chapter so all mistakes are mine, I'll let you go, for now.
GO.
Chapter 1 : karar anı, the moment of truth.
"How will this work? I don't know how my father will react. And there's Ferdinand and his own father, dear god!" Isabella starts pacing, affected by the enormity of the situation.
"I know it's overwhelming, but you don't have to be scared of any of them. Tell me you'll stay with me, and I'll fight the entire universe for you. Tell me you'll be mine, my Sultan." Ecved says, reaching for her to soothe her.
Isabella, scared at the prospect of Ecved facing her father and fighting him for her sake, becomes even more upset.
"Look at me, princess," he says lovingly. "Breathe. Close your eyes, and breathe deeply."
Isabella obliges.
The simple act of breathing calms her nerves. She opens her eyes, finding Ecved's attentive ones looking up at her. She sees care and gentleness dancing in them, but also fear; fear of what, she can't quite guess. Does he fear war, or the unknown path their lives will take? She had never thought she would such an emotion on Ecved's face. She did not know that the possibility of losing her was the cause of his fright.
Looking between his ever-green eyes, she realises that she wants to look at them for the rest of her life. She knows, deep down inside, she will never tire of the sight. The thought of infants with those same eyes flit through her mind, and she delights in it.
"This may open hell's doors upon us, but it is with great joy that I accept to stay by your side, as your sultan." Isabella finally says, with tears in her eyes.
Ecved's happiness cannot be contained. He laughs, a rich sound in which Isabella relishes, and takes her in his arms again. "Thank you, beautiful princess! You have made me the happiest man on this planet."
"But how are we going to convince my father, and more importantly, how will we make Ferdinand leave?" Isabella asks as she tries to figure every possible outcome of the situation.
"I have an excellent idea; you should return to the main hall as if nothing happened," Ecved says, grinning from ear to ear, knowing all too well his stubborn princess will have none of this.
"What? Aren't you going to share your plans with me?" Isabella asks, taken aback by being put aside.
"The less you know the better. Your surprise will be genuine. Trust me; it's nothing grandiose, only an ancient ruse." He tries to soothe away her worries.
"Don't make it a habit to keep me uninformed. I don't like it."
"I would not, my princess. I would never," he promises happily, pleased at the idea of their futures bound as one.
With one final look at Ecved's smiling face, Isabella exits his chamber, immediately meeting Rose's worried gaze from where she stands behind Ecved's guards.
"Princess! What happened to make you run this way? I was worried," Rose asks, fretting.
"I cannot talk of it right now, Rose. I will tell you all later. Let us be on our way," the princess says, trying to reassure her maid.
They both return to the party that was to take them to their new home. There Ferdinand stands with a far from welcoming frown on his face.
"Isabella, what has you running about like a madwoman and without telling me of your whereabouts?" Ferdinand asks. There is an edge to his voice that Isabella finds repellent.
"I…" Isabella thought desperately for an excuse to cover what had really happened. "I thought that I forgot my mother's locket, but Rose reminded me it is safely tucked away in my jewelry box inside one of the chests. I guess I was scared that I could have left behind something so valuable and dear to me."
"Take care that you act with more decorum in the future. Do not embarrass me in front of my men like that ever again. Now, shall we go?" Ferdinand says, although his question has the feel of a command, more than a request.
The gates to the castle stand open before them, and Isabella's heartbeat quickens. There is still no sign of Ecved, and she gets slightly afraid of what he might have planned.
She need not have worried, for mere seconds later, a voice is heard, loud and clear, saying, "Kapıları kapatın! No one is departing from my castle."
The guards bow their heads to their sultan and then start to close the doors. Ferdinand and his men reach for their weapons, hands hovering above hilts as they look around frantically. They are ready to draw their swords and fight.
"What is happening here? I thought we had your permission to depart." Ferdinand says menacingly, while Isabella stands, still watchful of everyone's movements, knowing all too well that this could turn into bloody chaos.
"Jek pasha has informed me that you, Prince Ferdinand, have not delivered the bride price due upon accepting Princess Isabella as your betrothed. I hold King Charles in too high esteem to allow his most treasured daughter to pass into your hands without assurance that he is still amenable to the arrangement. As a talented, beautiful and dutiful daughter, her value is already beyond measure. As the king's sole child and the heir to the throne of England, I cannot allow the princess to leave my custody until her own father comes for her."
Rose's breath hitches, whereas Isabella tries valiantly to contain the smile that threatens to bloom upon her face.
Ferdinand advances towards Ecved. The sultan draws himself to his full height, dismissing the guards who hurry to block Ferdinand's path.
"What makes you think you have that kind of power? She is my promised; therefore I am taking her with me. You will not dare stop me. Such an insult would ignite a war." Ferdinand's threat falls flat before the powerful sultan.
"War? You threaten me with death and destruction? Have you forgotten where you are? You stand within the walls of my castle. You stand on my land. My people will tear you to pieces before you'd even cross the gates, that's if there will be any of you left after I'm done with you. There will be no war. If you and your men were to disappear, no man, be he peasant or king, would dare challenge me, I am Ecved sultan, Padişah ve Hünkar-i-hanedan-i Al-i Osman and I will only repeat myself once. Princess Isabella will remain under my protection until her father stands before me and says otherwise."
"You cannot do that," Ferdinand replies, seething.
His tone scares Isabella. He looks angry enough to commit murder. What if he manages to stab Ecved in an act of fury?
"Yes I can, and I will. Take a message to King Charles so that he might come for his daughter," Ecved states simply, motioning for the foreign prince to depart with his retinue.
"When I return with his majesty, you will sing a different tune, Ecved Sultan," he says with a sneer, conceding but promising revenge with his underlying tone.
"I will be waiting," Ecved says with finality.
Kapıları kapatın : Close the doors.
Padişah ve Hünkar-i-hanedan-i Al-i Osman: Emperor and sovereign of the sublime house of Osman.
See you next time, review, say what you think. Love you all. I'm out!
