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

CHAPTER 21

A/N: They look like they're admiring Goktug's backside help-

Goktug Alp snuck up the stairs as swiftly as a fox, and found himself on the main wall of the Kulucahisar Kalesi, facing out toward the forest. He smote the two soldiers occupying that section of the wall within seconds, as Boran and Melike appeared behind him.

He then moved forward and looked over the edge; as Melike had said, there was indeed a cart of hay waiting silently for them with their horses down at the bottom. He smiled under his mask. "Good job, Cilek," he said, turning to her and nodding. "You did well." "I had help," said Melike humbly. "But we must take out as many of these guards if Osman Bey and Aygul want to escape through the gate." Goktug nodded at her again, though this time more slowly, with an expression of distaste on his handsome face as he pulled down his balaclava.

"Did Aygul already go to the courtyard?" he asked Melike.

"She did," answered Melike. "Do not worry. I believe she will succeed with her part and help Osman Bey escape. I have faith in her." "Oh, I am not worried about that, Melike," said Goktug in a sour voice, scoffing slightly. "I am worried about what Osman Bey will do to her afterwards." "What do you mean?" asked Melike, concerned. "She did disobey him, Melike," Boran spoke up. "You should have sent her back, even if you had to force her to do so." Melike scowled at the both of them, clearly aggravated.

"She is my friend," she said firmly. "And she wanted to fight. Do you both feel this way just because she is a woman?" "You injure us, Melike, for are you not here with us?" snapped Goktug. "This has nothing to do with Aygul being a woman. She merely disobeyed my Osman Bey's orders. And he despises disobedience." "And does he not do it himself when it is necessary?" demanded Melike, silencing her husband with her sharp tongue. "Besides, Aygul is his cousin- she will be fine. And he should see himself within her. He is partly the reason why she is like this." She cocked her eyebrows at Goktug before she pulled her mask off in an affronted manner, then grabbed a bow and arrow to shoot a soldier that was aiming at them from one of the other walls.

"And if I must, I will take responsibility," she said to Goktug and Boran firmly, turning around to face them. "Neither of you need defend me nor do the opposite. I chose to help Aygul, and I believe it is a good thing I did too. This castle is full of surprises and Nikola and Flatyos are full of tricks. We need all the help we can get if we want to escape." Goktug and Boran were silent as Melike sprinted across the wall to get to another section so she could get a better aim at the soldiers down below in the courtyard.

"OSMAN!"

Goktug and Boran looked down from one of the towers they had just occupied to see Flatyos and his men chasing after Osman Bey, holding their swords high with their archers stopping every now and then in their paths to shoot at him.

"Do you think he has killed Nikola?" asked Boran. "Perhaps," said Goktug. "But we will never know if we let him get killed- come on!" They raced down from that section of the fortress's walls to get to the one Melike was occupying after she had taken out the guards, and was currently shooting arrow after arrow from, aimed at Flatyos's men that were going after Osman.

Melike watched as Aygul appeared out of one of the doors, and took off her mask so that she would be recognizable and not mistaken for one of the other soldiers. She looked up at Melike on the wall, nodded at her, and waited for Osman to appear. As she did, more soldiers appeared from all over to attack her, but she managed to defend herself by fighting back. Melike kept her focus on the other soldiers, yet could not help but be impressed with Aygul's fighting skills. She felt a swell of pride as a fellow woman and warrior, and sincerely hoped that Osman Bey would let his female cousin fight alongside them as an Alp from that moment onwards. It was the least Aygul deserved, and Melike knew it.