Rumi Calendar 1318A.H. (Gregorian Calendar 1902)
“Altan we’re going to get caught and then Rashid is going to find out and our days are going to get harder,” whispered Göker furiously to the young prince.
“I can handle the likes of Rashid,” replied Altan.
“But I’m sure there are other things we can be doing,” pointed out Göker.
“Like what? Have you forgotten that Liwa Huseyin is the famed general who won the Russo-Turkish war for us when everyone had all but given up hope? He’s out doing more campaigns and only Allah knows when he’ll be back. Plus I’ve already finished everything he assigned us,” replied Altan.
“But still. You’re a prince and the law says that any potential heir must not leave the palace for the first thirty years of their life,” put in Göker.
Altan rolled his eyes and muttered, “When I’m sultan that law is going.”
“Altan,” complained Göker for the thousandth time.
“What,” replied Altan.
“If you talk like that, we’ll get in even worse trouble,” replied Göker.
“Listen, you can go back if you want to, but a good sultan has to know his people and I can’t do that if I’m stuck in the palace until I’m thirty,” said* Altan.
Göker let out a long suffering sigh and said, “Alright already. I’m coming.”
The rest of the way both boys were quite as they avoided guards by way of bushes and pillars until they reached the palace walls. To the two of them, it looked impossibly high and they had to be careful because even though they hadn’t been caught, they weren’t in the clear until they got over the wall and made their way to Istanbul.
“What now,” asked Göker.
“There,” replied Altan as he pointed at a nearby tree.
For a full three split seconds Göker was silent as his eyes darted between the tree and the wall.
“Please don’t tell me we’re going to climb it and hop onto the wall and crawl on it until we find another tree to get down from,” commented Göker.
“Wow. Either I need to work on my planning or you’re finally figuring out how I think after four years of sticking by me,” responded Altan. He then looked at his friend’s face and then asked, “So who’s first?”
“You go and I’ll keep an eye from down here before joining you,” replied Göker.
With a nod the young prince went and expertly climbed up the rough bark until he had reached a suitable branch to which he could jump off of. And without even breaking a sweat, he neatly landed atop the wall and waited for Göker to join him. Having had the same rough training of Altan from Liwa Huseyin, Göker soon joined him despite his numerous complaints on the latest of Altan’s escapades.
To avoid getting caught, the two small figures crawled on all fours until they found the tree they were looking for. Both then made sure that there were no guards and finding the coast clear, the two landed on the ground. For Göker it was the first time in four years he had left the palace, but for Altan, he could feel his excitement beginning to reach a peak. In his entire twelve-years of existence this was the first step he had ever taken a step outside the famed Topkapi Palace that had housed the House of Osman for generations.
The two then made their way towards the glittering lanterns and sounds that was Istanbul. Altan wasn’t sure what they were going to do, but he knew that if a problem presented itsself, he would surely be able to solve it. After all, in the entire palace school he, alone, was the most brilliant and strongest of all the students.
The first thing that struck the two of them were the crowds. They had never seen so much people in their entire lives. Not only that, but there were even people with the same hair color as them. These two who had always been mocked for their strange hair colors were in a place with people like them. It was truly amazing. And so the two walked while always making sure to keep each other in their sight.
And amidst the noise and bustle of Istanbul, Altan spotted something out of the corner of his eye. It was an adult man talking angrily with a girl that was about his age with her hair covered and a green traditional dress that girls wore outdoors. Remembering how he could barely protect his own mother, he halted and nudged his forehead towards the scene for Göker to figure out his meaning.
In understanding, the other boy nodded and the both of them made their way for the alley with one boy on either side. And just as they were going to make their move, the strangest thing happened. The small girl grabbed the man and flipped him over her shoulder in a move that neither thought was possible.
“How dare you try to threaten me! I don’t know who you are, but I’m not some weak little princess who can be pushed around,” yelled the girl to the man in angry Turkish.
The man scurried away as both boys looked on in shock. It was the first time they had met a girl who could move like that. As long as they remembered, they had always been taught that women were weaker and needed to be protected, but in a single second, all of their ideas about the fairer sex were completely shattered.
“Well, I guess she didn’t need our help. Let’s go Altan,” said Göker until he looked around in shock at the realization that he was talking to air.
When he spotted Altan, Göker let out an audible groan because instead of walking away like a normal person, Altan was making to strike the girl.
As the girl blocked his fist with her tiny hand, Altan said, “Not bad.”
“Don’t you know it’s not nice to hit a lady,” said the girl she realeased his hand and made to kick Altan.
With a simple side-step, Altan avoided the kick and said, “Amazing. Really amazing. There aren’t that many our age who can move like you. What’s your name?”
“Yildiz. Wh-”
“‘Star.’ It suits you...Where did you learn to fight like that?”
“Who are you to ask me these questions,” asked Yildiz.
At this point Göker had caught up and began mentally praying to Allah that Altan wasn’t going to do what he thought he was going to do.
“My name is Altan and I’m the next sultan of the Ottoman Empire,” proudly declared Altan.
“Why me,” muttered Göker.
This was the fated meeting between the üçlü. If they were to grow Yildiz would become the first female general that the Ottomans had known, Göker would become the main instigator to end slavery throughout the empire, and Altan would become the greatest ruler to have ever been born to the empire. If they were to reach adulthood
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