Eren had prepared for this encounter a lot. But as soon as he entered the door, a feeling of guilt suddenly took over his body. How long has it been? Six years? No, it has been six years and eight months since he left this city. He left without saying anything. He didn't even say goodbye to his cousins, his aunt or even his uncle.
Finally, he returned here again, to this house where he spent his childhood. No matter what the outcome was, he didn't regret the decision he had made. But he couldn't shake off the feeling of guilt inside him. This feeling increased even more when he saw his uncle. Nevertheless, he approached his uncle with calm steps.
- Hi, uncle. I came.
Should Paul Padraig be angry? Should he hug and cuddle? He couldn't decide and looked at Eren for a while. But he knew that this thoughtless child deserved a good scolding. Fortunately, there was someone in this house who would do it. He controlled himself for now and greeted Eren with a smile.
- Welcome, my son. (Looking at Han) Welcome, too, stranger. I know you've come a long way. I wish you had informed me earlier that you were coming. When it came so suddenly, we were caught off guard.
Anyway, that's not the important thing, of course. The important thing is that you arrive safely. Let's go inside and have a chat while you rest.
- (This welcoming welcome caused more pressure on Eren.) Okay, uncle. But excuse me for leaving without telling you before...
- (He interrupted him.) Excuse? This is the natural flow of life. If you've made a decision, you don't need to apologize to me for implementing it. Life is yours. You're the one who will live it. As your family, our duty is to support you, not to hinder you.
Well, forget about all that now. You are fine, you are healthy, that is enough for us... Let's not wait in the heat and go inside.
Eren tried to apologize somehow, but his uncle didn't care. Although his uncle's way of thinking made Eren happy. He smiled slightly at his uncle and they all entered the main residence together. As they walked towards the living room, the smell coming from the kitchen made Eren lose himself.
- Ahhh.. It smells so good... (He took another deep breath from the smell of the food.) How many years has it been? Since I ate the stew my aunt made, boiled beef.
- Right. Thanks to you, we haven't been able to eat it for years. (The words came across, but Eren didn't have the capacity to understand this. That's why Paul Padraig guided Eren towards his sad end.)
As soon as your aunt heard you were coming, she ran to the kitchen. The poor woman has been working for half an hour. Say hello if you want.
(When Eren was about to say "I don't have to go" so as not to leave Han alone, Paul Padraig added.) Don't worry, your friend is with me. We'll be in the living room. You go and say hello to your aunt.
When Han moved his head slightly in the sense of saying go if you want, Eren left there and came to the kitchen. His gaze searched for his aunt and he saw her next to the head chef.
Whenever there was a special day and the whole family was together, his aunt would make this meal. "You can't enjoy this meal without the whole family together" she would say.
The family's special dish that represents the togetherness of the family. While his aunt was chopping vegetables with a knife in her hand next to the head chef, Eren calmly approached the stone oven. The smell of the casserole was stronger here. He leaned slightly towards the oven and took a deep breath of the food's scent.
- It smells so good. My aunt's god bless your hands. My aunt is the best among chefs. I don't know anyone who cooks better than her.
Sofia, whose eyes suddenly filled with tears when she heard Eren's voice, put down the knife in her hand and turned towards Eren. He was really here. This naughty boy was standing in front of her.
She walked towards Eren while wiping her hands on her apron. When the moisture in her eyes fell on her cheeks and she wiped her tears with the back of her hand, Eren's voice was heard.
- Hi auntie, I'm home.
Sofia, who was surprised, suddenly stopped a few steps away from Eren. Hi? Shouldn't he have run up and hugged her? This naughty boy is saying hi as if nothing happened, right? Sofia, who suddenly became angry, did not take pity on Eren.
- You... You should have said sorry. Or you should have apologized. You say hello as if nothing happened, really? You left suddenly without even giving any notice. You didn't even take your things with you...
Did you ever think about what you left behind? Has it ever occurred to you that there are people out there who worry about you?
Why would he think? The gentleman has to go. Does he care about the rest? Now he comes and says hello...
Do you know how much I wonder you? I was very worried about you, I was very troubled. But you didn't care. You didn't even think of giving any news.
When you got lost, there wasn't a place in the whole city where I didn't look for you. Taverns, hospitals, police stations... But there was no trace of you. There is no description of the despair I suffered. And you come and say hello to me after all these years, really?
A full year. I got the news from your brother a year later. You wrote a letter, remember? You didn't even send me a greeting in the letter you wrote, and you remember that very well too, don't you? Are you standing in front of me and saying hello to me now...
(Sofia started to cry.) Instead of apologizing, kissing my hand and hugging me tightly, just a dry hello. Really? Even though I am your sister-in-law, you are my first child. You are the first baby I held in my arms.
Of course you don't know how much I worry about you, how many sleepless nights I have. How would you know? You... You are so ungrateful... Did you have the right to leave me helpless like this? Tell me... Tell me, why are you torturing me like this...
- (Eren had turned bright red from shame and guilt. When Sofia's crying got louder, her eyes filled with tears too. She quickly rushed forward and hugged her sister-in-law tightly.) I'm sorry. I'm sorry sister-in-law. I really was so stupid. I didn't realize I was upsetting you like this. I never wanted it to be this way. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, please forgive me...
They held each other for a while until Sofia's crying stopped. When Sofia finally calmed down, they chatted a bit and shared their troubles. After a while, Eren left the kitchen and went to the living room, to his uncle.
...
The older of the two sisters was named Mary. She was the vice president of the tailoring business. Together with her father, they were running all the tailoring business. For now, she was only responsible for production and shipping.
But when she matured a little more and gained experience in her job, then she could take over her father's business completely and become the head of the tailoring shop. She was working very hard for this.
Mary, who was working on new creations with all her attention, got very angry when the door of the room was knocked.
- (Shouting) I told you not to disturb me... (Before she could finish speaking, the door opened and her father's assistant entered. Even though it was her father's assistant in front of her, Mary could not control her anger.) Yes, what is it? Tell me now and get out later.
- (Mary's angry words prevented the assistant from going any further and the assistant stopped in her tracks.) Your father ordered me to inform you that your elder brother had arrived. That's why I came and now I'm leaving immediately. Good luck to you, sir.
The assistant suddenly turned around and he quickly left the room. Mary continued working where she left off, muttering to herself.
- What is it? My brother has come. He comes home every evening anyway. What does it add for me to care about he comes home early or not? Why are you interrupting my work for this? …?? ...??
Right… Why would he interrupt my work for this? There must be something else. What did this man say a moment ago. (He thought for a moment.) Ahh ahhh… I can't remember. Or maybe he didn't say anything because I was angry?
(Shouting) Aysel… Asel, look at me. (When secretary Aysel enters the room) My father's assistant just came here. Run and catch him and find out why he came to me. Be quick.
Secretary Aysel quickly left the room after said "yes sir" and came back the room about five minutes later. Mary was more careful this time. She put down what she was doing and started listening to secretary Aysel.
- Sir. Your elder brother has come home. (When Mary suddenly stood up upon hearing the word elder brother. Secretary Aysel paused for a moment and but then continued her speech.) That's why your father is calling you and your little sister home.
Mary put down the pen in her hand and hung the silk shawl hanging on the side around her neck. She put her bag on her arm.
- Aysel, this place is entrusted to you. I probably won't be back today. If I have a meeting, postpone it until tomorrow, okay? Come on, I'm out... See you...
...
Little sister Berfin. She is responsible for the family's military structure together with her grandfather. They must always be on the alert for any order from the king. That's why they train constantly, day and night.
In the future, this little girl will represent her family in the best way possible in front of the king. Because she will soon take her grandfather's place and represent the Padraig family in the military council. She may even give her life for this cause.
However, she won't have to wait long for this because the Padraig family has another secret structure beyond what is visible. They lead the kingdom's execution squad under the king's command.
…
In the large courtyard of the mountain house, Berfin was turning the karambit knife in her right hand while looking at the three humanoid wooden puppets in the courtyard. The facial features of these puppets, which were equal to her own height, looked very familiar, but she could not figure out where she knew them from, whose face it was.
If the puppets had been carved a little more and the places where their eyes were detailed a little more, Berfin would have immediately understood that this was her puppet. But now, in their current state, they only created a slight sense of familiarity.
Finally, she stopped looking at the puppets and walked calmly towards her grandfather, who was resting in his rocking chair on the terrace of the house.
When she came to next to the terrace, she stopped spinning the karambit knife attached to her index finger and lifted her right foot and leaned it on the edge of the terrace, which was about sixty centimeters high. When she leaned her right arm's elbow on the knee of her raised foot, she called out to her grandfather.
- Hey old man! (Pointing to the puppets behind her with her thumb.) Are we going to work with these three puppets today?
- (Her grandfather stopped her rocking chair and slightly opened her closed eyes, getting ready to teach this stupid grandson a good lesson.) What three puppets? No three puppets. There must have been four. (He watched his grandson's movements through his squinted eyes.)
- There are only three puppets in the yard, old man. I didn't see any other puppets.
- They must have put them somewhere in the corner. Go and take a look. If you find the fourth one, then we will start the lesson. (He closed his half-open eyelid again.)
When her grandfather closed his eyes and started rocking in his chair again Berfin took her foot off the terrace. I wonder where the fourth puppet was. When she turned around and tried to look for the last puppet, she heard a slight creaking sound.
She immediately reacted to the sound and took her guard. However, she did not have the chance to look back at her grandfather. She only turned her neck when she saw the knife attack coming to her face. She ducked to the side with a sudden waist movement and avoided the knife, but the enemy seemed to be expecting this.
A hard knee hit his kidney. And Berfin was thrown back about five or six meters. Her feet were off the ground. Just as she was about to fall to the ground, she turned once around her axis and adjusted her balance, stepping firmly on the ground, but the force of the blow was too much. She could stop after sliding backwards on the ground for a while.
When she got back up properly again, she pointed the karambit knife in her hand at her grandfather.
- Grandfather! Do you think this is right?
- So you remember that I am your grandfather. Good... You made a good start.
- So… You got angry because I called you an old man?
- (He shouted angrily.) The old man is your father. Am I an old man? My hair and beard have turned a little white, that's all...
(He took a deep breath and exhaled.) Come on. I'll make sure I teach you today's lesson well. By the end of this lesson, you will have learned what it means to take your eyes off your enemy.
- If you say so...
Berfin Padraig relaxed her shoulders. She bent her head from side to side and cracked her neck. She put her left hand on her waist and took out another karambit knife from the sheath on her belt. She would be safer with two karambit knives.
This time, she never took her eyes off her grandfather. She adjusted her stance. Slowly but carefully she began to approach her grandfather. Each step was calm but threatening. She had taken a few steps towards her grandfather when a messenger came running into the courtyard.
The person who came was one of Berfin's subordinates. When he stopped to the side without getting too close to Berfin and his grandfather, Berfin also straightened herself. She looked at her grandfather and got approval from her before approaching her subordinate. After bowing to subordinate Berfin, he started speaking.
- Sir, your father wants you to go home immediately. A welcome preparation will be made at home for your elder brother. That's why you should be there too...
- Anything else?
- Nothing else, sir. That's all.
- Okay then, you can go. The rest is mine... (As the subordinate left the yard, Berfin turned to her grandfather.) Grandfather! Come with me too. Let's go together.
- You've become really thoughtless. Do you want us to teach you everything from scratch? Tell me, since when do the elder ones go to the little ones. If anyone is going to go, it should be that spoiled brat, right?
Come on, go, don't keep your father waiting. And tell that little brat that I'm waiting here. He should not go anywhere without seeing me.
- You won't come... OK, I'll forward your message.
After taking one last look at her grandfather, Berfin said, "I'm leaving. Take care of yourself," and with quick steps she left the yard and headed home...