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

CHAPTER 20

A/N: Enjoy this beautiful picture of Aslan Avcisi Flatyos

"Ouch, Boran, you stepped on my foot."

"I am sorry."

"Shh...."

Osman brought his finger up to his lips when he shushed them, as they crept through the small passageway.

"Do the soldiers know about this secret passageway, Beyyim?" asked Goktug, and Osman shook his head. "No they do not, Goktug," said Osman. "This is one of the ones we added in case of situations such as this one." The entrance to the secret tunnel they were using was on the other side of the fortress, blocked by stones, which led to a trapdoor that opened up in a room in one of the towers, one that they knew was not as occupied by soldiers as the others were.

It was not long before they got to the trapdoor, and Osman turned to look at all of them as they stopped, drawing his cloak over his head. "The armory is nearby," he told them. "I will take Melike with me, and she will retrieve Byzantine armor for all of you to disguise yourselves in for our mission." He leaned in closer; "This is only a quick attempt at an assassination," he said in a low voice. "This is to shake them, and show them that we are not afraid to make any means that are necessary. We may or may not succeed in taking Nikola's life. But whether we do or not, I want us to leave the fortress and be back in the tribe in the morning. Tonight is not the night that we die, my valiants. It is vital that we should live."

"Eyvallah, Beyyim," Goktug Alp, Boran Alp and Melike Hatun said in unison, before Osman carefully climbed the ladder that led out of the trapdoor. He lifted it ever so slightly, peeking out to make sure that the room was unoccupied.

"It is clear," he said after a few minutes of surveying the area, the edges of his lips curling up in a smile. "Come on, Melike." He fully opened the trapdoor and hoisted himself out, before lending a hand to Melike so she could climb up. She shook her head at him; "Thank you, Osman Bey, but with all due respect, I can do it by myself," she said, and that she did- she clambered out even quicker than Osman did, and had done so more swiftly and silently. Boran chuckled at her from down below.

"You may be a wolf, Osman Beyyim, but my sister is a jaguar," he teased, and they all laughed as quietly as possible. "All jokes aside, Allah protect you both, kardesler," said Osman. "Do stay where you are until Melike comes with your disguises." "We would not dream of moving," said Goktug. "We will sit down here and wait- and hopefully not be eaten up by rats." Melike shook her head at him in amusement and carefully closed up the trapdoor without making a sound. She looked around the room and crept over to the door, quiet as a mouse on its tiptoes. She opened it cautiously, and peeked out.

"It is clear, Osman Bey," she whispered. "There is no one in this hall."

Osman nodded at her, and the two slipped out of the room in such a swift motion that even a snake could have been challenged.

The armory was not far; in fact, it was just a few rooms down the empty corridor, lit dimly by the dying torches that lined the walls. Osman turned to her and inclined his head, indicating that right then was when he was to leave her. "Allah protect you, Melike bacim," he said and she nodded back at him. "Remember to not attract attention of any sort. We cannot risk getting caught tonight." "Eyvallah, Bey. May Allah protect you too," she replied and hurried over to the armory, hoping against hope that she would not find anyone in the room. And to her relief, it was empty except for its contents that were the soldiers' uniforms, armor and weapons. "Allah, thank You," she whispered under her breath as she immediately locked the door behind her upon entering, and picked out a uniform for her to wear.