The Cats of Istanbul: Chapter Thirty-Eight

Princess to the Rescue

Zara and Serkan were overjoyed to see Zeynep again, nothing could have been more warming to their troubled hearts than to hear her recount her adventures in Greece. Zeynep had so much to tell that her anyway outstanding levels of eloquence rose towards a pitch that was perfectly picturesque. Her audience could see the scenes she was describing vividly and found themselves swept away in the emotions she had experienced at the time.

'So as far as I can make out it is some sort of slave army' said Zeynep. 'It can't be the first we have had to deal with but of course this force has an advantage in secrecy over humans as nature intended. And here we have the crux of the matter, whilst they do not need to come out in the open they will be difficult to deal with.'

'You're exactly right' replied Zara, 'but as you illustrated, we don't need to be too fussy to make progress, it is easy enough to spot them for they are drawn to obvious targets all the same. They have transcended their natural capacity for communication but still are restrained by the baseness of their objectives. Really it is still the same: they want money, they want power. They are more human than ever in that sense, for the inhibitions enforced through public society have been circumnavigated.'

'I do agree' said Zeynep. 'So what to do next then? Where to start?'

'Well I have already started a civil war in Turkey' said Zara. 'We might wait to see how that plays out. If we regain control of the human world here then we have a paw in the door at least.'

Serkan rolled his eyes. How could they be so blasé? Miserable and unfortunate as the humans were, they were still god's creatures…

'And what of the human princess?' asked Zeynep. 'Now before you answer, can I just say that I'm so glad you've finally revealed yourself as a royal. All my friends and I knew of course, so you shouldn't worry, and I am amused that you've been holding meetings with the Sultan all these years, but at a time like this I don't think you can keep the humans all to yourself. This idea of an interface is quite anti-social…'

'It will be an enormous shock to them if we all start intervening in their world whenever we feel like it. We did experiment a little back in the day you know, for the Sultan was very suspicious of us when he first came to power. They always go in the same direction. Why should we let you hide like that they say; it's unfair; it's undemocratic; we have enough problems with secrecy in our own world; we just can't stand the idea of a superior species directing things from the shadows… We explained to him what would happen, but he wouldn't accept it, so we showed him, and wouldn't you know one of his advisors had a nervous breakdown on the spot. They have evolved to support us unthinkingly, and I do not think it is right for us to disturb something so properly implanted in their nature.'

'Well you always were rather blunt' replied Zeynep jokingly. 'I might try… You see the thing is that if you have one human, Esma I mean, that can explain the situation in their own terms, then we might learn all sorts of things. We are missing a lot of information. We need to know the location of infrastructure, factories, power plants; we need to know the names of all their key people. I'm not even sure what country they're from. And of course there's the science. We really are a long way off.'

Zara sighed. She was right, there was so much work still be done, and it would take a very long time until they reached the end of this story. 

'Should we not focus a little at least on our own world?' asked Serkan. 'I mean, I agree, it seems clear that the alley cats have been affected by this human technology you speak of, but have we not a better chance of resisting it with a cat world that stands together as one?'

'Of course' said Zara, 'but I just don't see what there is to be done about it. I for one don't fancy going to war, and it's not like the alley cats are just going to give up their hold on power. Mr Respectable will marry Izabel any day now, and once he does he will have a claim on the crown. With this technology enshrining his position then he is bound to get the support he needs to hold on. I maintain that it is a good strategy to defeat these humans, knock out Mr Respectable's power base and then reclaim the cat world.'

'Are we to do nothing to help those held captive by the alleys?' asked Serkan. 'The reports I am getting from inside the city are almost too shocking to believe. If I didn't know the alley cats as well as I do I would dismiss them as false, but as it is I think we must try to alleviate their suffering somehow.'

At that moment an old mother cat walked across to Serkan and whispered in his ear.

'Ah Izmir…' said Serkan. 

The eyes of both Zeynep and Zara widened.

'How exciting' said Zeynep. 'Shall we all go?' she asked. 'I'd love to meet him…'

'Let me go first' said Serkan. 'He has been tortured I understand and is in poor condition. My friend here couldn't get a word out of him.'

'Well we'll see you for dinner?' asked Zeynep.

'Of course' replied Serkan, smiling. It was truly lovely to have them both back by his side, but now there was work to do. 

And so Serkan spent the afternoon with our injured hero Izmir. Izmir, shaken by the surprise of sympathy from the tight nervous grip through which he had held himself together, wept, letting then rivers of emotion flow through his shattered form. 

Of course Izmir could not even begin to explain all of the hurt that he felt. Beyond the basics, there was I suppose a layer of deep emotional damage, relating to a release from misery, his time in the prison camp, and then the sudden expectation of happiness, followed by the utter desecration of these hopes once captured by the alley cats.

Serkan did not need to be told. As Izmir poured out his grief, he did his best to soothe him. 

'But of course' he explained, 'the perspective you now hold was presented to you deliberately to achieve this very effect, and you should not forget that this is an artificial construct. These things say nothing of your quality as a cat, and do not reflect the relationship you would normally have with the world.'

'You are supposed to think that your efforts to help us have ended badly, but clearly you can observe that this is not the end.'

'This is but a moment of madness. The position the alley cats have gained for themselves is not sustainable, indeed it is a betrayal of nature, and very soon it will swing back against them with as much force as they applied to achieve it.'

'I was only just now talking with Zara and Zeynep, who are both very keen to meet you, about our plans to recover this situation. We have many things underway already and there are many things that you must learn if you are to help us as much as I think you should.'

'Imagine this, within the week, we will have rescued Izabel, Ahmet and Fatma. The rooftops will be restored to their rightful place and we to ours. Someone I suppose will have killed the four cats of the moment, this is what normally happens at least when cats go that far, and then you will be free to do exactly whatever you like. You will have played one of the most interesting parts in the story of our age, and the world will be before you. If you see things from that perspective you can understand why I think you have no need to be upset?'

'All of this stuff is the nonsense of right now. One moment may move a great distance up or down from the next, but you will see that the good wins out in the long-run.'

'There is no way you are going back to the prison. I absolutely forbid it. In fact, you must tell me where it is and I will find a way of rescuing the rest of the Izmirs. It is too disgusting to be endured.'

Before long Izmir had calmed and felt much better. It was true, he had simply been surrounded by nastiness, but now it was clear once again that the world was not fundamentally bad. Just being with Serkan for a few hours had put the alley cats back in their place. 

'Thank you' said Izmir, 'I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help. If there is still a chance to fight then of course I stand with you. But you must tell me what I can do, for I don't know what should happen. The alley cats said that if I ever return to Istanbul then they will kill the kittens. You see I really am a bit stuck.'

'Let us talk about it over dinner. Both Zeynep and Zara favour action. I have no doubt that they will have an idea or two for you.'

To this Izmir happily agreed, and so the two cats joined the rest of the tribe for their evening meal, which to celebrate the return of Zeynep had anyway been marked out as a special occasion, but now Izmir was here was extended further and then too in quality refined.

The gutter cats were delighted to meet Izmir. When he was ready he had to tell them everything, they were dying to hear his story, but of course there was no rush. Izmir at this point could only nod, for he had never expected to experience happiness again, and how nice everyone was! In truth he found it a little overwhelming. Serkan sat him next to Zeynep during dinner, and there he found himself charmed so completely that he entirely forgot about his recent suffering. Without him even realising it, she then coaxed out his own story, which she could not help enjoying, despite the rather sad interlude in which they found themselves. Describing his success made him feel strong again, and eventually he managed to ask her advice about what he should do next.

'Well you say you have already met Esma, who since you last saw her has herself stepped up a bit, so you might start there, but you'd have to talk to Zara about that, as she's in charge of the human world. We could see if she is prepared to co-operate in saving Izabel. I would suppose she found it captivating to meet her equivalent in the cat world, and from your story it sounds as though she did.'

Soon after Zara was called over and the three cats began planning the next stage in Izmir's adventure.

'You cannot allow the alley cats to define your scope in this world' said Zara. 'They really needn't know that you have visited Esma. We can have you brought across to the palace by boat, and they'll all be so busy that they're bound not to notice. The thing then you want is to gain her approval for a rescue attempt. Izabel is being held in the Grand Bazaar, and it isn't easy for us to go in there, but if she commands her team to help then you have every chance of success. The only problem we have is that most of those loyal to her are caught up in fighting in their own world. The palace is safe for the moment, but whilst this technology still holds sway I cannot be certain that it will stay safe for long. I do not know who will win the war, but if Esma's side does not then she is in great danger.'

'Then I must go now' said Izmir. 'I can't stand to wait around if in doing so I risk losing the chance to help Izabel. I'm sure Esma will agree. Izabel told me that they were soul mates.'

'Yes' said Zara, smiling, 'yes if you're feeling up to it then why not go now.'

And so Izmir left that very moment. 

Now we should move a little back in time, so that I might share my own story since the war of the cats began, for although it contains nothing but the conflict within my own mind, it is an important introduction to the challenges that you will soon go on to face. 

You will remember, Zara had visited my chambers and informed me of my father's death. Together then we had planned the assassination of Nadir. The screams I heard from somewhere within the palace I had known to be the start of another chapter in my life, but little did I understand how quickly the change would now come. Then of course there was the drumming in Taksim Square. After that, for a few minutes I had sat and surveyed the scene beyond my window, waiting to see what would come from all that noise. 

Contrary to my expectations, the forces that arrived at our gates were not hostile to my cause. The resistance, those men loyal to my family, had arrived to retake the palace. I recognised many of them as they came through the gates and cheered them on as they broke down the doors. It was a surprisingly quick job. The traitors that had backed Nadir - the centre of their coup, who was now cut up into small pieces - fell apart, putting up only the most pathetic of fights. Yavuz and Hamdi were released from the prisons and came up to my chambers, on both of whom I immediately bestowed our highest honours. They advised me to stay where I was for the time being, for the fight had only just begun. Now there was the possibility of war, and they would leave Istanbul the next day.

The next couple of days I spent alone, trying to make sense of what had happened to me, and indeed what on earth was going on in our country. Everything had happened so quickly, and I hadn't found a moment to reflect on the various events through which my world had entirely changed.

Izabel had come to me for help and shared with me the secret of the cats. Izmir had arrived and I had helped him steal one of our diamonds. Izabel had been abducted. Zara had arrived. My father had died. There had been a coup. I had ordered the assassination of Nadir. The palace had been retaken. Throughout all of this I had barely left my room.

To be honest, although I had little experience of it, I really felt the need for a drink. Now of course I was in charge and the thought that I could do whatever I wanted was powerful. Of course I should celebrate, and at the same time I felt the need to mourn my father. I was I suppose also a little stressed. So it was then that I turned to champagne. I drank and I drank. I drank and I slept. I drank again and again. Once more I slept. I remember waking in a fright. 

'Now we make our stand' said a voice in my mind.

Suddenly every tendon in my body tightened and I began to shake.

'You see Esma' continued the voice in my mind, 'you really don't understand who you're dealing with. Sooner or later you will accept that we control everything, and we cannot stand the inconvenience you have caused us. Are you completely stupid? Do you really think you have any chance against us? Because of a few talking cats? Evidently you are mad princess. You will be ridiculed across the world. You better hand over the keys to your kingdom right now, because if you don't then we'll have you sent to the asylum.'

Then an image was projected into my mind of myself in a wheelchair, wearing some horrible spotted hospital gown. My head I saw had fallen against one shoulder and my mouth hung open to one side, through which came down dribble. I shuddered, and the degree to which I shook increased.

I stood up and took a deep breath. It was odd I thought, why would I think such things? It was entirely unlike me to conceive of the future in negative terms. The cats were a curious subject, but otherwise my mind seemed to be working perfectly well, except of course these words and pictures that I had just now experienced.

Was it possible that I had not imagined these voices? Could they have been real? I was familiar with the idea of telepathy, but I knew it as the product of fiction. On the other hand, science was never the strongest of my subjects, so I was by no means certain that my enemies lacked this ability. If it was true, that somehow our rivals across the world had acquired the means to communicate into my mind, then what should I do? I decided to explore the theory. Now what had they said?

'We control everything…' 

I looked back at all of the things that happened during the last few days. Clearly it was not so. My side in this conflict had been successful. Izabel was with me, so too was Zara, and of course Yavuz, Hamdi and our supporters. Zara… What had she said. Yes of course I thought, she had mentioned that there was some new technology in use. How could I have forgotten? So then, if I could rely on her account, it was certainly true.

'But that was a cat Esma…'

It all came down to the cats. I understood what was happening because of my conversations with the cats. If this experience had not been real then I had no evidence, but if it was to be believed then I knew exactly what was going on.

I sat back down and drank some more champagne. How to solve such a conundrum? I had to admit, the testimony of talking cats was not exactly a cornerstone of credible argument. For some hours then I wrestled with these conflicting conceptions. On either side there was much to be said, and before I had resolved the matter I fell asleep in my armchair.

As now you must be expecting, I was soon after awoken by the sound of miaowing. I heard it through my drunken slumbers, and thought it a dream, but the noise was so persistent that eventually my eyes were persuaded to open, and whilst still reacquainting myself with consciousness, I was surprised to see a cat looking in at me from the windowsill. Of course, my heart leapt, and even though I knew that the cat was too large and too masculine to be Izabel, I thought for a glorious moment that she had returned. Izmir jumped in and landed on my lap. 

'Iz…. Iz….' I cried, 'Oh Izmir!' And for a second I was somewhat disappointed, as with the weight of the cat on top of me I could not deny that it was Izmir and not Izabel, but this feeling lasted only for a second. For having Izmir himself visit me, and for the possibility that I would get news of Izabel, I was overwhelmed with joy. I kissed and hugged Izmir for some seconds before he began to paw at me and struggle away. Indeed he looked a little uncomfortable, and I suppose was unused to such levels of affection. I released him and he turned around and jumped up onto the table next to my armchair. At first he looked slightly hesitant, as if he did not know what to say, or perhaps how to speak at all. He frowned and coughed a few times, before croaking out his first words in human.

'Prin.. hrgghhm.. prin… hahrighh… princess' he managed, his voice weak with emotion, 'princess, I have come to ask you for your help.'

I was at once delighted and afraid. Delighted to have an outlet for my worries - an avenue along which I might assert my energy - and yet afraid at what might have happened to my dear Izabel. 

'Izabel? Where is she Izmir? Tell me how she is!'

And then Izmir looked downcast and for a second my heart fell into an abyss of fear.

'She is alive. Mr Respectable plans to marry her yet, but knowing the alley cats as I now do, I am sure she is in danger. There is much to explain, but we have little time…'

'Izmir you must tell me everything' I insisted.

He nodded.

'After leaving the palace when I saw you last, I went to fight the king of the dogs, whom I vanquished without difficulty. I was sure then that we had won. The three treasures of the cats were united, and I thought there was nothing left to do but wait for the happy future I had been promised in the prophecy. But then the alley cats appeared out of nowhere. They told me that Longshanks was planning to kill Izabel. I flew to Istanbul immediately to save her but I was trapped. The kittens too were arrested. Soon after the gutters rose up against the rooftops. Once both sides had beaten down the other, the alleys revealed themselves. Of course it was they that had captured Izabel, Ahmet, Fatma and myself. Both the gutters and the rooftops surrendered, and so now the alleys are in charge. They… they are doing the most terrible things Esma. We must save Izabel. We must save the world of cats.'

'Well of course' I replied. 'We will do anything we can. Tell me where she is being held, I will have my guard go there at once and release her.'

Izmir paused for a moment.

'Zara told me that your supporters have left Istanbul. Do you think there is anything we could do sooner?'

'Yes…' I replied, thinking about what might be done. It was difficult, for certainly my servants were poorly suited to such endeavours. What guard remained here I could little ask to leave the palace unprotected. Hmmm… It was an idea. Certainly I was prepared to… After all they were only cats.

'Then let us do this' I said. 'I will send a message to Yavuz to come himself personally with whatever force he considers sufficient. You go back to Zara and ask her to do the same. I will go to rescue her myself. All I need to know is where she is being held. Is it the Grand Bazaar? Izabel told me that was their headquarters.'

'It is the Grand Bazaar' Izmir replied, looking at me with eyes expressive of the utmost gratitude.

'Then let us waste no more time' I said. 'Go now, Izabel will be rescued. Over my dead body will she marry Mr Respectable.'

Izmir jumped back onto my lap and brought his head against my face. 

'Thank you Esma' he said, before turning around and jumping back out of the window.

Immediately I called down for an administrator to pass on my message to Yavuz. Next, I turned to planning my trip to the Grand Bazaar… Was there anything I needed to do to prepare? I looked about me, there was nothing in my rooms that looked useful. But what about my clothes? It might be a good idea to change I thought, my dress was somewhat ornate and the last thing I wanted was to be spotted by one of my enemies. I summoned a maid and had her bring me some of her things. These being brought, I changed and then walked down into the courtyards and out of the palace.

I suppose I was still drunk, for I thought nothing of what I was doing. I should no doubt have spent some time reflecting on the risk, but I felt wonderful and so spared not a moment in my mind to question this most dangerous of paths. Anyway it was fascinating to be out and about, alone and anonymous. This was the real world, of which I had seen little. I observed my people bustling about in front of stalls, bartering over the price of their purchases. I adored the children pleading with their parents for Turkish Delight or roasted chestnuts. I wondered at the variety of faces that I came across. I smiled wherever a passerby caught my eye.

I thought of the human course in life as a student learning the piano. In life, just as with the piano, it takes a while to tinkle out a tune, and even after, one has one's ups and downs. If overly tired, or unused to the music, things can come out a little clunky. However, at this moment in time I felt as if I was playing superbly. I could hear a sublime music rising all around me. What, with the wonder of my city, the spectacle of the architecture, the fantasia of the twinkling stars in the night sky, the energy of my people, I felt as if an instrument within the grandest of concertos. This movement was of the purest beauty. I played the keys as though I was sure that I could not fail. With this feeling of inspiration I might bring together the banks of the Bosphorus, I might unite the East in peace and co-operation, more, I thought, I might solve all the problems of this world. All I need is try.

Soon I was before the Grand Bazaar, which of course was largely closed. The doors were still open, for such a place is never entirely shut, but two security attendants were stood blocking my way. In the mood that I was in, I did not stop to think that they would prevent me from entering, and of course why would I? People in general do not impede my will. Perhaps it was the look on my face, perhaps these guards were on the side of the alley cats, but anyway, as I expected, they parted as I drew close and I walked straight in.

Now what to do? Well I thought, I must look.

'Izabel!' I cried, striding along the dimly lit corridors. 'Izabel, where are you?'

A black cat came out from the shadows and stopped before me. It hissed at me. My first alley cat! I was not intimidated. I knelt down as one might if intending to engage in stroking. The alley cat thought it had me. It ran along towards my outstretched hand, which I moved in a kindly manner, making as if to pass a length of its back. I was ready when it swiped at me with its claws. I pulled my hand quickly back and then grabbed it by the neck, standing up and then shaking it back and forth.

'Where is Izabel?' I screamed at it. 'Tell me where she is right now!'

The alley cat looked at me blankly, pretending of course that it did not understand. 

'I know you can talk' I said. 'Don't think for a second that I'm going to let you get away with this. I'm going to count down from five and if you haven't told me by the time I reach zero then I will be left with no choice but to kill you.'

'Five, four, three…'

'Get off me you bitch' squeaked the alley cat, struggling against the pressure I held against its windpipe.

More furious than I had ever thought possible, I looked about me and found an appropriately hard surface. I bashed the cat's head against a stone pillar.

'How dare you refuse me?' I said. 'I'll give you one more chance.'

'It is more than my life is worth' it squeaked back.

I smashed it hard against the pillar and flung it away on the floor.

Moving down the corridor I continued to call out for Izabel. 'Where are you? I'm going to rescue you Izabel. If you could just make a noise to let me know where you are?'

'Miaow' I heard a cat say, his voice, would you believe it, dripping with sarcasm.

A monstrously large black cat walked out from behind a stall.

'I am Mr Security' the cat said.

'Ha!' I replied.

Mr Security readied himself to attack me, drawing back against his heels, preparing to jump.

I side-stepped as he flew forwards and then flung out an arm, luckily managing to punch him in the face.

Falling to the floor he squealed, 'Enforcers to me! Get her!'

He hit the ground. I side-stepped back and turning then dropped down. My right knee landed just below his head and snapped his neck. I had destroyed a demon. I was for a second extremely proud, but then a cat jumped on my head and started clawing at my eyes. I screamed but then another cat jumped on my face and clawed at my mouth. And then another and another, until the weight of the cats on top of me forced my back against the ground. Glimpsing through my bloodied eyes, I could see nothing but a mass of wriggling black shapes. There must have been hundreds of them, alley cat after alley cat came charging in at me. I must admit I began to panic. I was suffocating. Soon after that I lost consciousness. How stupid I had been. Now I too had been captured.