Yunus Oghuz - Nader Shah. Historical novel

– Well, your words have confused me and I don’t know what to say. I have also other relatives. I must consult with them. Why must we hasten? Let me call my relatives, dis-

cuss your request, and then I may answer.

– There isn’t time for discussion, Jafar kishi! We must gather troops with the Shah to free his father from Mahmud khan’s hands. – Fatali khan wanted to entice Jafar kishi with richness. – Don’t worry; I shall give you how much you want for bashliq 16 16 Money which is given to the parents of the girl. .

Jafar kishi didn’t want to show his agreement:

– The problem isn’t only the money, khan! Both my sons and daughters are your slaves. To solve the prob l em in a hurry makes me worry.

Fatali khan didn’t want to yield to him. He wanted to make Jafar kishi believe:

– Don’t worry, Jafar kishi! I shall organize the wedding in Tabriz. I shall invite all the people of the hamlet to the wedding. I shall give jobs to your sons too. I shall give them the tittles of bey.

Jafar kishi couldn’t look for any excuse:

– Well, I agree. God bless you! Be happy! I have one condition.

Fatali khan couldn’t bel ieve his ears; he didn’t except that Jafar kishi would agree so soon. That was why he said joyfully:

– Please, Jafar kishi, tell me your conditions, I am ready to fulfill them.

– I want you to register the marriage here; either today or to morrow.

Fatali khan was confused because the proposal was unexpected.

– Today or tomorrow?

Jafar kishi said:

– Fatali khan, try to understand me! I am her father! I must be sure whether my daughter is married or not.

Fatali khan answered after thinking a while:

– Yes, I agree with you. Tonight I shall send a mullah to your home.

Whatever Jafar kishi had wished became true.

– God bless you!

Fatali khan reached his hand out:

– I give a hundred sheep for the bashliq, and also I give twenty sacks of gold.

Fatali khan took a sack of gold and gave it to him:

– This is the bashliq for your daughter. I shall send the sheep as soon as I reach to Tabriz. …But… No one must know what we talked about; only you and me.

– My khan I wonder, is it a secret to marry?

– No, it isn’t a secret. But I don’t want the Shah to be aware that in his troubled days I think about marriage. When we leave the haml et, you may tell everybody that Fatali khan married your daughter.

Jafar kishi couldn’t say a word against the logic of the khan:

– I don’t object; let it be however you wish!

Fatali khan came to Tahmasb Shah after parting with Jafar kishi.

In the Shah’s tent, which was covered with carpets, there were a lot of people. At the upper part of the tent there was his throne. The newly appointed butler called the names of the winners, one by one theycame forward, got their gifts on behalf of the Shah, and said the words “We serve the Shah, let our Shah’s life be long!” and then re i turned to their places.

It was the turn of Murad. In the middle of the tent, Murad fell on his knees:

– My Shah, I beseech you, I have a request to you.

Tahmasb Shah liked Murad. He looked like a quick-witted boy. To his mind, the brave boy falling on his knees at him was also a decent person.

– State your request!

Murad said without standing up:

– My Shah, I want nothing, I want no gifts. I want a way-out of my sorrow. Only you are able to find a way-out of my sorrow.

– Maybe you don’t like our gifts?

– No, my Shah, who am I not to like your gifts? But no expensive gift can assuage my grief.

Tahmasb Shah looked with int erest at the young boy who grieved and asked for his assistance. In his troubled days it was very important to carry out the boy’s wish.

– To my mind, your name is Murad

– Yes, my Shah!

– You are from this hamlet, aren’t you?

– You are right, my Shah!

– What is your sorrow, what troubles you?

– Mine is a probi em of heart, my Shah; the probi em of love.

Tahmasb Shah never fell in love with any girl, but he had to solve the love difficulty of others. He didn’t lose himself:

– Tell me the sorrow of your heart, Murad!

– My Shah, I beseech you! I can’t speak myself, it would be better if the respected adults told you about my sorrow.

Tahmasb Shah liked the behavior of such a brave boy.

– Is there any respected adult of your hamlet here?

Among the people in the tent one of the respected old men came forward:

– I am here, my Shah!

– Please, come and speak about the heart sorrow of this young boy!

– All right, my Shah!

The old man began to speak about the love of a boy and a girl without mentioning their names. He spoke about the love spoken by all the people like a legend. He noted how fragile was the love of the boy and the girl, who loved each other so much.

The eyes of the Shah filled with tears. What kind of love it was; he couldn’t understand. How could a boy and a girl love each other like the old man spoke. The Shah had heard about the love of Leyli and Mejnun, Asli and Karam who turned into legends. He couldn’t think that at present someone could love each other like them. It was as if it was the first time during his life that the Shah was fragile. The Shah decided to help the boy who fell on his knees in front of him:

– But who puts an obstacle in the way of joining the two young boy and girl? – The Shah asked.

The re spected adult an swered im medi ately:

– The girl’s father, Jafar kishi!

– Why doesn’t Jafar kishi agree with their marriage?

– Poverty is guilty, my Shah! The boy is poor, that is why the girl’s father doesn’t agree; he thinks that it will wound his pride.

The Shah turned towards the guardsman:

– Go and bring here Jafar kishi! But don’t hurt him!

Soon the guardsman came back. Jafar kishi was near them. Jafar kishi came forward and bowed to the Shah. While bowing he saw Murad who was falling on his knees at the Shah and Jafar kishi was uncertain about the situation. As soon as Fatali khan saw Jafar kishi, his face turned white. He thought that Jafar kishi might make known their conversation.

Tahmasb Shah pointed to Murad and said:

– Are you the man laying an obstacle in the way of the joining two young boy and girl each other?

Jafar kishi was afraid. The Shah could punish him. He looked at Fatali khan implori ngly, asking assistance from him with his looks.

The Shah got angry seeing Jafar kishi’s keeping silence:

– They told me that you don’t agree because of Murad being poor. Is it right?

Jafar kishi could hardly swallow his word about Fatali khan’s request:

– Whatever the people tell it is right… Right… My Shah!

– How do you think, can the man who serves the Shah be poor? I will give Murad a job near me. What is your opinion, Jafar kishi? May we say “Be happy!” to the two young boy and girl who love each other?

Jafar kishi was confused hearing his words. He wanted to speak because he had promised her to a much richer person. – He had promised her to Fatali khan.

– My Shah, my daughter has been betrothed since childhood years. How can I deny my promise?

Fatali khan understood that those words concerned him. He thought that if the Shah asked about the betrothal all would be clear. The Shah also would ask him that when they met and when they were promi sed to each other. Fatali khan had to urgently solve that prob lem. Though he was only about thirty five or forty years old he had good experience of life and he was aware of what was better. At that moment he could give up the girl, but he couldn’t give the Shah up. That was why he came forward: