Yasak - Forbidden (A Goktug Alp/Kongar Love Story)

Epilogue

3 Months Later...

"I can't believe you're going to leave my tent, Melike."

"You left the tent when you married Sumeyye, Abi, how is this different?" laughed Melike softly, as Boran tied the marital sash around her waist. "I just feel that you have changed too fast...grown up too fast," said Boran in a sad voice, as he looked up and down at his younger sister, carving her image into his mind to preserve the memory. "I can still remember when I was running through the forest away from our tribe, with you in my arms, and throughout the night I kept telling you-" "That you would never let anything befall me," finished off Melike for him. Boran sighed, and he gently placed his hand on Melike's cheek, stroking it. "You were so small, so innocent, so weak and helpless," he murmured. "But even then you were already so brave and courageous...ready to face the world even when you weren't." Melike smiled.

"And you were brave to protect me, Abi," she whispered. "You ran from your tribe, from our mother's arms, so you could keep me safe. You are the reason I'm still alive today." "Allah protected both of us, Alhamdulillah," chuckled Boran humbly, his eyes tearing up. "And now you are going to leave me." "Allah, Abi, just because I will live in another man's tent doesn't mean I'm leaving you!" said Melike reproachfully, though her expression was humored. "And besides, you will have Sumeyye!" "Yes, I know," sighed Boran. "Yet she will never be you, Melike. You're my little sister." "And will forever be your little sister," said Melike, and kissed her brother's hands. "Yigit Abim, for years and years, you were my protector, my father and mother, my lineage, the one who held me close, the one who raised me, you were everything. And now, you will have to pass on and share those duties with another man, and I know that will be difficult." She squeezed Boran's hands as she finished with, "But you will always be my big brother. Nothing will change that."

Boran smiled, and kissed Melike's forehead, his inky brown eyes full of tears. "I have never told you this, but you look almost exactly like our mother," he said softly. "Same stunningly beautiful facial features, same nose, same lips, same rosy-pink cheeks...only you have Baba's eyes- we both inherited his eyes." A tear rolled down Melike's cheek at Boran's words. "I wish I had known them," she whispered. "I wish they could see me now-" "You wouldn't be here now, if they hadn't given their lives for us," said Boran sadly. "Neither of us would be in this tribe and grown up with beloved Konur, and perhaps we might not have been as close either." Melike smiled, and nodded, before Boran brought her into a warm hug, and they remained in each other's arms for a while. "Oh, I cannot imagine that!" whispered Melike with a slight chuckle. "We've driven people up the walls since we were young, with our own share of mischief and pluckiness." "Indeed, our people, and the enemy even more so," laughed Boran as he reminisced about their childhood. He pulled away from Melike and gently held her face in her hands. "How I'd sacrifice my life for you, beloved Melike." Melike was about to reply, but a deep yet very much welcome voice from outside the tent stopped her before she could open her mouth.

"May I come in?"

Melike swallowed nervously as she heard Goktug's voice call out from outside the tent, and her fingers fidgeted profusely. She looked down at her dress, and straightened it out a little out of anxiety. "You look beautiful as always, bacim, don't worry about that," whispered Boran with a chuckle. "What if he does not like this, or is overwhelmed by the elegance?" wondered Melike. She was wearing a long, pretty violet dress that Sumeyye, Bala and Gonca had made together for her- very different from the combination of a common Turk Women's knee-length tunic and pants outfit that she always wore. "Maybe I should have just worn something normal-" "Allah, Melike, me, Sumeyye, our entire tribe and probably the whole wide dunya would never have forgiven you if you wore something 'normal'," quipped Boran, rolling his eyes. However, his annoyed yet amused expression just as quickly turned into a loving and adoring one. "I know for a fact that Goktug will always and forever see you as beautiful, no matter what you wear or look like," he said kindly. "He loves you for your heart, not for your appearance- though he is very lucky on both ends." He smiled at his blushing sister, before he called Goktug in.