The names of these characters come from a game I play called Game of Sultans. I do not own the characters, this is fan fiction.
“Was good battle no?” Kuyu grinned, his heavy Slavic accent and booming voice echoed through the chamber. He patted Kane on the back, maybe a little too hard. Kane grimaced. “Now we drink!” Kuyu proclaimed and grabbed a pitcher of ale. Some of the unranked soldiers gathered around him, and quickly they began to recount the battle they’d all won. Murat scanned the room. Worry filling his eyes as he looked down at the blood on his uniform. Battle almost never bothered him, but this one did. He’d been a titled vizier in this King’s army for several years now, and while he didn’t enjoy taking lives, it didn’t bother him either.
He nodded at Kane and Sinadim, with their heads together, no doubt talking strategy. He noticed Beryl and Tolana together also. He thought they made a nice, albeit scary couple. Tolana was the toughest vizier he’d ever met. He ambled over to the oak barrel and began to rinse his hands as maidens and consorts began to enter and the festivities were fully underway.
They were in an old castle at the far reaches of the king’s territory. The soldiers were camped here, several miles away from their friendly neighbor turned enemy. That is what Murat couldn’t come to terms with. How did they go from peace to war in the blink of an eye? Midlothian was mostly farmers with a few nobles. The king mostly ignored them because they were never a threat. But what changed? Murat pondered this while watching the crowd. He locked eyes with her. She smiled at him but didn’t walk his way. Seeing her, here, made his heart skip a beat. Yes the kings consorts could date outside of their poly relationship but they could not marry nor bear children that were not the kings. It was a dangerous game he knew,one that he desperately wanted to play, but couldn’t. Not only was Ceren one of the king’s favorite consorts,she was also the half sister of Kane. It was just so complicated. Ceren was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. And he’s been around the world a lot, has met queens and fae and beautiful women from the underworld, but none as captivating as Ceren.
Get a grip Murat. He chided himself. He hurried out of the castle without a backwards glance. He needed some air.
Outside he breathed deep. Cleansing breaths that seemed to lessen the hold Ceren had on his heart, at least for the moment. Murat jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder. He spun around to see Tolana smiling a knowing smile at him. She was a woman of very few words. He heard she used to have a voice like an angel until it was taken from her by a god. Her eyes went sympathetic and Murat shrugged off her hand. “ Don’t pitty me Tolana.” He growled at her. She held her hands up in a surrender gesture and took a step back. He sighed. She seemed to understand how he felt. He didn’t know how he knew that he just knew. She stepped closer to him and enveloped him in a hug. Murat would never let anyone hug him, but Tolana, somehow she knew this is what he needed.
“Why does this siege bother me so much?” He asked her after the embrace. She pointedly looked at him. He hated when she did that. “Because it’s where Ceren was raised I know. “ Tolana smirked at him. Ceren was raised in Midlothian which is another reason this siege felt wrong. He wanted to ask Kane, but he felt like that might be too direct. It seems Tolana knew of his feelings for Ceren, did anyone else? Was he that obvious? Tolana raised her eyebrows at Murat, mimed a walking motion with two fingers towards the castle, then turned and walked away. Sighing Murat conceded that she was right, as always and went back inside to talk to Kane.
Murat had his head down, picking at the blood on his tunic and ran right into Kane. “Apologies Commander.” Kane held up one hand in a halting gesture. “Just the vizier I was looking for.” Kane said. Murat noticed that he’d changed out of his war uniform into a more casual tunic in his signature blue that denoted him as the Chief Strategy Commander. “Oh?” Murat asked. Kane nodded and motioned for Murat to follow him.
They weaved through the boisterous crowd. The soldiers and maidens and consorts all drinking and singing along to a song led by Hadim. The jovialness seeming to be contagious as Murat smiled. Kane looked over his shoulder at Murat and all happiness drained away. Kane’s expression tense, they bustled through to the other side of the chamber and through a door. Inside the smaller room,were Sinadim, Ceren, Davut and Hersek. Ceren the only consort, dressed in a pure white gown with golden accents. She looked otherworldly. Kane cleared his throat. Murat tore his eyes from Ceren to face Kane.
Murat had not noticed that Ceren looked unhappy. Her smile from earlier was long gone,she seemed a bit haggard. She sat at the small table with the viziers around her.
Her voice clear, though her eyes troubled Ceren said “The war is far from over. We must burn Midlothian to the ground. For the nobles have killed my son, Giles.” Murat knew that Ceren had birthed three sons for the king, Giles being the oldest at seven. Murat cared for the boy, having taught him how to wield a sword, hold a shield and plan a proper attack. Ceren continued “We shall kill them all.”
E Monique Writes 