After Wolfram and Aslı made love, they stopped quickly, worried someone might walk in again. It was a short moment, and afterward, they resumed searching through the documents. Then, Aslı broke the silence, saying, "Do you remember the document we placed on the table? Do you know the story behind it? It's actually quite funny," she began.
"King Halfdan's father gathered a large army, but the battlefield was still at the border, and Kılıç, our marshal, was in another region. There was only one effective leader left to control the region, and as you know, normally there wouldn't be a military officer present. But everyone knew Kara. He was almost as powerful as a general, his word carried as much weight as Timurtaş's sword through the nation. Kara didn't need anyone's permission; he acted on his own authority."
Aslı continued, "He sent a message to 20,000 Tarkans in the area, and suddenly there were 40,000 Tarkans under his command. From what I've heard, they defeated an army of 50,000 to 60,000 men. King Halfdan's father launched an attack on the hill where the soldiers were positioned, but Kara, in a brilliant move, targeted the command banner. When King Halfdan's father saw the command banner fall, he fled the battlefield in a panic. Seeing their king retreat, the rest of the army also withdrew, not even engaging fully in the fight. So, the entire war was effectively lost because of that one single maneuver, and Kara, without any help from Kılıç, won it."
She looked at Wolfram with a glint in her eye and continued, "While Kara was handling things in the west, Kılıç was in the east, and together they didn't waste time with petty skirmishes or sieges. They bypassed the castles entirely and went straight for the large cities. The kings and dukes thought their castles would protect them, that they could hold out in a siege, but Kara and Kılıç didn't bother with such formalities. They surrounded the major cities, and the kings were forced to surrender. For those who didn't agree to the terms, they were executed on the spot. Their titles were stripped, and new ones were handed out to those loyal to Türk-il. Turkish rulers were put in their place, and the armies of these lands were no more. After all, in that region, there could only be one army and one law — Türk-il and the Türk-il military."
Aslı smiled, a sense of satisfaction in her voice, "The people you fought, Wolfram, the ones mentioned in these documents, they are either the grandfathers or the very same individuals from that war. And it seems you've finished them off this time. There's a huge power vacuum here now, and the strongest of them left is Isakios. If you play your cards right, you could form strong alliances and bring this region under your control. It would benefit both you and us."
Wolfram, sensing the implications, asked, "So this is all for Kutay's benefit, then? You're using me?"
Aslı laughed softly, "Kutay? He's nothing. I married him for political reasons, but he's a failure. We didn't even have children for many years. Yes, I had two, but he never mattered to me. He's weak. You, on the other hand, have become something entirely different. You're the man I've always wanted."
Wolfram hesitated, "But what happens when you go back to Efes? If Kutay is still alive, won't that mean we can't see each other anymore?"
Aslı's gaze hardened, "Even if I return to Efes, I will find a way to keep you in my bed, Wolfram. No one else will have you. You won't see other women. I don't want to have to deal with someone like Berk coming in and killing them the way Kara once did for Timurtaş."
Wolfram chuckled nervously, "I'm sure Kara wouldn't approve of this. He'd probably beat me senseless for sleeping with you."
Aslı shrugged, "I don't care. I saw potential in you from the very beginning. Kutay was a disaster. And now that Uluç is alive, no one will ever give the throne to Kutay. He has no place in this game anymore. You, on the other hand, have become the kind of man I need. You're not crude like the other warriors of Türk-il, nor are you vain like the Western men. You understand humor, you listen to me, and you genuinely care about what I have to say. I like that about you, Wolfram. You're exactly the kind of man I want by my side. Let's get married. Marrying me will solidify your place in these lands, and your transformation will earn you respect. Together, we'll strengthen your ties with Türk-il. We can live well until this civil war ends. We'll visit Isakios, go to Efes together, and grow old in peace."
Wolfram paused, thinking back to Kara's final piece of advice: "Marry, protect those you love, and die old in your bed." He looked at Aslı, realizing the truth in her words. "I think about you all the time," he admitted. "Even at night, I imagine coming to your room, being with you. You're so mysterious. I never know what you'll say next, and that excites me. I think I'm falling in love with you, Aslı."
Aslı's heart raced, and she smiled, her eyes bright with excitement. "Then make me your woman," she whispered as she climbed on top of him. They made love again, but this time, with all their emotions laid bare, the experience was even more intense. That night, Wolfram stayed with Aslı for hours, making love until the first light of dawn filled the room.