Nader Shah. Historical novel. Yunus Oghuz
fire couldn’t be seen. Nader stopped and whispered to his brother:
– Wait for me here! I shall return after a little time.
He returned the same way as silently as he had come. He took the knife that he had hidden under his shirt with which he had killed the Uzbek of Khorasan. He readied it in his hand and approached the fire. He cast a furtive glance at the place where the Uzbek who had kicked his mother was sleeping. Nader approached him carefully. The noise of the snoring of the drunken fighters mixed with the noise of the dragonflies. Nader closed the mouth of the fighter with his left hand and began to thrust the knife into the Uzbek’s throat with his right hand:
– Didn’t I tell you beforehand that I shall kill anyone who touched my mother? – He whispered in a low voice that couldn’t be heard. The fighter struggled a little and then he died. Then Nader disappeared in the darkness of the night. The darkness swallowed and made him unseen.
Their mother was watching that scene in tears and was saying in her heart: “Well done, my son!”
After some time the beams of the Sun began to be seen through the skyline. It was the first night that the teenage Nader spent without his mother.
Kalat, 1722
From Nader:
“....It seemed that somebody was calling my name. I opened my eyes. Sona Beyim was calling me. She was the daughter of Baba-ali khan, the head of the stock of Avshar. My son Rzaqulu was standing near her and was catching the hem of her dress. I was so busy with fulfilling the tasks of Baba-ali-khan, which was why just then I noticed that my son had already been brought up.
– What do you want? – I asked her angrily. -Don’t you know that I came just towards morning?
Sona Beyim:
– I know, but my grandfather is calling you. – Sona Beyim called her father as grandfather. – He sent my brother to call you.
– Where is he?
– In his own room.
– Has anything happened?
– I don’t know, my brother said nothing.
I raised myself up in the bedding; I called Rzaqulu. The child jumped towards my arms as if he was waiting for my words. I sleeked his hair and kissed his red cheeks. Then I turned towards Sona :
– Ask the servant to bring water! I want to wash myself. Tell your brother that I am coming after a little time.
– All right, my bey! – Sona Beyim said and went out.
The voice of Sona Beyim was heard in the yard.
Sona Beyim was the elder daughter of Baba-ali khan. She was very beautiful. She could rule the home very well. But she often fell ill because her health wasn’t good. She had suffered much while giving a birth to Rzaqulu.
I kissed my son once more and stood up. The boy went out of the room running.
I wore my chukha2 and my cap, fastened my sword to my waist and went into the yard. Rzaqulu came to me. Immediately the servants brought the washbasin and a can. I took my cap and put it on Rzaqulu’s head. He looked funny. Sona Beyim wanted to serve me herself. She took the water can and poured water into my palm. I asked while washing my hands, face and throat:
– How is the khan?
– He looks a bit tired.
– He had to marry after your mother’s death.
– My God! Enough! Did our father want to marry and we didn’t agree?
– Yes, I know, he might marry. The khan himself didn’t want to marry; he loved your mother too much
When I finished my washing, Sona Beyim gave me the towel. The wife of the khan died while giving birth for the last time. The doctors tried hard but they couldn’t save her. After the death of his wife the khan grieved. The hale and hearty man began to melt like a candle before our eyes.
…When we escaped from the danger of the Uzbeks of Khorasan, I and my brother Ibrahim came to the city of Kalat, to Baba-ali khan’s palace. He greeted us kindly. Though our family was poor, he knew my father very well. Baba-ali khan spoke some sweet words about my father. I told him all that had happened; I informed him that my mother and other Avshar women and children were captured. Baba-ali khan was listening to me attentively and he couldn’t take his eyes off me. I lost the power of speech under his looks. But also I was afraid of not befing able to speak. I finished my words and kept silent. He turned pas- sionately towards my brother and asked:
– My son, did you see how Nader killed the armed Uzbek?
Ibrahim answered simply:
– Yes, I saw only one of them, but not the other one. When he ran towards the camp of the Uzbeks I was in the forest.
Baba-ali khan stood up:
– Bravo! Bully for you! – He said. Do you want to work in my palace?
We answered his question by nodding our heads. We had nowhere to go. Thus, we began to serve to Baba-ali khan.
Afterwards I learned that Baba-ali khan had sent a mes- senger to the ruler of Khorasan and asked him to give back the women and the children of the stock of Avshar. The Uzbeks of Khorasan promised to return the captured people in return for some sum money in order not to be cross with the Avshars.
I couldn’t see my mother among the returned prisoners. In this way, the languor of my mother remained in my heart for ever.
I was promoted to the post of a military leader in the palace. The quickest, the most famous regi ment among the Avshars was mine. One day Baba-ali khan called me. I supposed that he was going to send me to fight. But I was mis- taken. That time he had another thought. Baba-ali khan began talking in a roundabout way. It was his habit, when he wanted to solve a serious problem he used to begin his talk in a roundabout way. He spoke about the summer pas- ture, winter hut of the Avshars, about the forest, river and frontier fights. At last he began to state his purpose:
– My son, Nader, you are more than twenty five years old. Don’t you want to marry?
I dropped my eyes shyly:
– I follow you advise, my khan!
Baba-ali khan:
– My son, don’t be ashamed! Consider me to be close to you. There is a saying if water is in the can it is drinkable. If you love somebody, tell me. I shall be your match-maker.
– I love nobody, my khan!
From the author:
Nader had a vigorous constitution; he was tall, large-eyed, with long eyelashes and black brows. The scar which was the keepsake of the fight made him look much braver. The colors of his eyes were yellow and that color suited him very well. He had a severe character. When he was betrayed he used to suffer from nerves and became much crueler. In spite of everything he was very joyful.
In life he loved much firstly his mother, and in his old age his grandson Shahruh. Nader and the people around him liked to speak the Turkish language. He didn’t know the Arabian language. He used the Persian language only if necessary. Till the end of his life Nader didn’t learn to read and write.
“…I went upstairs quickly and stood at the room of the khan. The servant standing at the door said to me: “The khan is waiting for you”. I entered the room and greeted the khan. The khan was leaning against a cushion and was staring at an unknown point; he was looking somewhere as if he didn’t notice me entering. Though the mushtuq3 of his pipe was in his
A Caucasian coat
A part of a pipe