Kabul - Acceptance: Sequel to 'Yasak - Forbidden' (A Goktug Alp Love Story)

CHAPTER 9

"So, Agabey, when are you going to tell Gonca how you feel about her?" asked Melike, as she fixed her dagger to sit more comfortably in her belt. Her older brother groaned. "Can you give it a goddamn rest, Melike?" he whimpered, and she only shook her head solemnly. "No, I cannot," she answered promptly. "Not until you have told her. Do not wait until the world ends, for heaven's sake."

She and Boran were at Karacahisar with Gunduz Bey, helping out with the trade, as well as acquiring requested herbs from Gonca and Lena in Sogut. The plague patients were finally healing, and they were concocting a final medicine of Lena's recipe to soothe the aches that the recovery would bring, as well as to quicken its pace. They had gone to Sogut at the crack of dawn, accompanied by Goktug Alp and Dundar Bey with his Alps.

Melike and Boran had just been excused from their duties after having finished them, and had gone off to the market to search for what was ordered of them- and in the meantime, Melike found it suitable to once again lead the conversation to Gonca, as they walked side by side through the paved streets of the fortress they had conquered with Osman Bey just about a year and a bit earlier.

Since Boran had not answered her latest comment, she only continued to pester him, unbothered; "Come on, Boran, what did Bamsi Bey say to us, now?" she demanded. "Ever since we were young, he would tell us that 'marriage is completing half of the deen'. These things ought to not be delayed, especially if you are in love. You should get married straight away!" "Why are you so bothered about it, Melike?" grunted Boran, rolling his eyes. "It's not like you are the one getting married." "Exactly, I already am," smirked Melike. "So you should too- mostly because you already have someone in mind, Agabeyim. If there was no one, I would not pester you so." Boran sighed, as they turned a corner into one of the stores.

"These are the herbs that they wanted, right?" said Boran, taking a fistful of Byzantine-grown, leafy sprouts in his hand from one of the barrels. Melike nodded; "That is one type, yes," she answered. "They wanted three more- here is another." Boran nodded back at her, before he drew out the money to pay for the herbs.

"You know, now that we are here, why don't you buy something for Gonca?" asked Melike, making her brother cock a sharp eyebrow at her. "You know, just a little gift. You did say you like doing 'nice things' for her- and that is brutally true, you even milked a goat to assist her, Boran." Boran snorted as he thrust the small leather bags of herbs into Melike's arms, after paying for them. "I clearly embarrassed myself doing so," he grumbled. "Ayaz and Dumrul would not leave me alone." "But it was nice," chirped Melike. "I must be honest with you on that." "It was?" asked Boran. "But you all make fun of me so-"

"We do that because we love you, Agabey!" groaned Melike, rolling her eyes. "Besides, we are all excited that you are in love, of course we must tease you a little. And as for you and I, have we not messed around with each other since we were children?" "That is true, I suppose," chuckled Boran. "I still remember the spider you put in Konur's bork when you were seven. Scared the living daylights out of the two of us." Melike smiled, but they both felt their hearts sink at the mention of Konur.

"How did Goktug cope with his loss?" asked Boran. "He never really speaks of it." "He doesn't like to," admitted Melike with a shrug. "Even though he and I would speak about it sometimes...but only when he has dwelled upon the memory so much it would almost break him. He was, and still is in pain because of all that had happened, accompanying the regret of his past life as Kongar. Time will make him stronger, but unfortunately I believe he will always be in some sort of anguish in relation to it all."

"I cannot blame him for being in pain," murmured Boran. "If I killed you, I would feel the same." "A death from you is a blessing, Agabey," whispered Melike, nudging him playfully, trying to lighten the mood. "I would be happy if I ever died from your hands." Boran smiled back at her; "I wouldn't be, though," he admitted. "I believe I would feel the same way Goktug did. And I would miss you." Melike blushed, and looked down as they continued to walk together. Boran spoke up again, after a while.