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

CHAPTER 32

Goktug gently pushed a lock of hair away from Melike's face, tucking it behind her ear as he watched her sleep peacefully in his arms.

He smiled as he reminisced the previous night that they shared together in blissful reconciliation, and felt his heart overflow with warmth as he allowed himself to remember the way she uttered his name, held his face, brushed his skin with her soft lips, and looked into his eyes with nothing but love in her own.

He knew that the name 'Melike' had two meanings; a queen, and an angel. To him, she was both. She was his queen, his angel, and his Cilek.

She was his everything.

"I would burn the whole world for you, Melike," he whispered. "For you and you alone." He placed a kiss on her head, and pulled her closer.

Melike stirred slightly, and whispered, "You do not have to do that, though." Goktug chuckled.

"Vay, vay, vay, someone is awake," he said, and she opened one eye to look at him with. "Hello, Cilegim." "Hello to you too, Goktug'im," she said. "Why are you not asleep?" "I was about to ask you that question," he said. "Did I wake you, my love?" "No, I have been awake for a while," she admitted. "I was just resting my eyes." "Mmm..."

He kissed her head again, and tucked it under his chin. "What are you thinking?" he asked.

"That I have a lot to tell you," said Melike. "Well, I have quite a bit to tell you too, in fact," said Goktug, running his fingers through her hair. "But I believe we got quite caught up in the bliss of our reunion." Melike giggled, blushing. "I believe so too," she said. "But we can speak now."

Goktug looked down at her; "You go first. What happened in the tribe whilst I was away?" "Well, my day started off rather drastically, after you left with Osman Bey," said Melike, chuckling a little. "Hazal Hatun had invited many women of the tribe to her tent for breakfast and a small celebration and she was hosting, in honour of Targun Hatun and Osman Bey's wedding." Goktug blinked.

"Did...did she invite Bala Hatun?" he asked slowly, and Melike nodded. "Of course she did," she said in an obvious voice. "She would never miss a chance to make Bala feel down. Of course, Bala keeps herself composed and holds herself strong and resilient, but she is breaking on the inside. I had to leave half-way through breakfast, because Aygul was getting upset about Hazal's words, and I had to take her away."

"Well, I would not blame Aygul Hatun for getting upset," said Goktug. "Bala is her friend, and we all know that she already despises Hazal." "Of course," said Melike. She sighed.

"Goktug, can I ask you something?" she said, and he hummed in response. "What do you think about this whole thing?" Goktug hesitated for a moment, before he replied.

"I am very loyal to Osman Bey," he said. "And I support him regardless." Melike nodded, feeling slightly deflated, as she absentmindedly traced patterns on his bare chest.

"But I will not lie, I do feel terribly sorry for Bala Hatun," Goktug continued. "This whole ordeal is very unfair on her especially. She will be the one suffering the most, knowing that she has to share the one she loves with someone else. It will tear her apart from the inside, if it has not done so already. Not to mention that she will feel responsible for all of it- she will blame her own infertility on herself, and that pain will be the biggest challenge of all...especially when Osman Bey does have a child with his second wife."

Melike nodded again. "I agree completely," she said. "Poor Bala..."

"Mmm," hummed Goktug. "What else happened? I believe it must have been a very eventful two days, judging by what we had returned to."