Istanbul Beneath My Wings

On a captured Venetian ship brought into Istanbul, a girl named Francesca arrives with a manuscript that claims to show how to fly. The manuscript is enigmatic and undecipherable at first, stoking curiosity among scholars and adventurers alike. Hezârfen Ahmet Çelebi and Lagâri Hasan Çelebi begin to study the idea of human flight in earnest, inspired by the mysterious pages.

Hezârfen and Hasan research bird flight, testing concepts from nature and ancient designs. They accumulate ideas about lightweight frames, wing shapes, and launch mechanisms, hoping to translate flight into engineering. Their curiosity faces obstacles from law, religion, and the limits of their era.

They are caught examining a dead body, an act considered illegal by standing laws of the empire. The authorities condemn them to execution, threatening to end their experiments. The incident marks the first clash between forbidden science and strict rule.

The Sultan intervenes to spare them and orders that their case be heard in a formal court rather than executed on the spot. The trial becomes a battleground for political influence over a dangerous new science. The outcome will influence whether the empire pursues flight as a military possibility.

Murat IV forbids experiments on dead bodies but blesses the duo's research on living subjects, hoping to create a new kind of flying soldiers who could bypass walls and seas and even drop bombs. He explains the potential military value while preserving control over experimentation. The undecipherable script is introduced to him as a key element of their pursuit.

The Sultan grants leniency and orders the release of Francesca from the dungeon, allowing her to join the researchers. The alliance between science and political authority grows as the girl becomes a partner in the project. The group begins to map a path toward deciphering the manuscript together.

The script is revealed to be connected to Leonardo da Vinci, who had contemplated flight with wings. The text is coded, and the full method still remains unreadable. This discovery deepens the mystery and motivates the team to push for a breakthrough.

As investigation continues, Hezârfen and Francesca develop a deep, romance-filled bond. Their relationship provides emotional fuel amid political pressure and scientific challenge. The couple’s trust becomes a quiet counterpoint to the empire’s ambitions.

Hasan conducts early rocket experiments, pushing the boundaries of propulsion. A grand launch yields a respectable altitude before he bails out and lands in the water below. The attempt demonstrates the potential for powered flight but also the peril of early experimentation.

Drinks are spilled on the manuscript, revealing the cipher and making the coded text legible. Hezârfen uses both his own ideas and Da Vinci’s concepts to design a flying machine with artificial wings. The team moves from theory to a realizable mechanism.

The conservative Şeyh-ül İslam sows distrust and turns the Sultan against Hezârfen. The Sultan bans any further flying attempts and orders Hezârfen’s arrest. The dream of a flying army faces a sharp political counterattack.

Hezârfen and Francesca escape with the help of Evliya Çelebi to the Galata Tower. From there, Hezârfen launches his flying machine across the Bosporus, achieving a historic flight. The moment marks the culmination of a perilous alliance between science, love, and daring.