Kan Cicekleri 198

 Episode 198 Honeymoon-esque

Quick synopsis: Kudret gives Kudos. A trip to Mardin. Wedding vows.

Dilan now has a photo of her and her mom together. Her mom's profile is obscured but it shows the 2 halves of the medallion, one on each of them. She has been worried what kind of person her mom is. The photo shows them holding hands, smiling at one another. She obviously loved Dilan very much. 

Silah tried to strong arm Gul but she told him to knock it off. She's marrying Firat, not him. Firat, who is now puffed up with pride, has the grounds to tell Silah to get lost, and stay lost. 

And Gul didn't say it just to get rid of Silah. She meant it. Firat whoops and swings her around. It's good to see them happy.

Havin has exhumed samples from 2 graves of orphans, possible matches for Sabiha's daughter. But she hopes they aren't. (We know they aren't.)

I guess exhumation is easier in shows in Turkey. #nobiggie.

Cevriye is having a delicate pregnancy. She needs to take it easy. As in, not move-to-a-different-country kind of easy. They aren't going anywhere. I hope her trouble is just a plot device and not actual plot. That would suck.

Baran and Sabiha agree, in different soliloquies, that once Dilan finds her mom, they'll never be parted again. It's like a new start for the lovebirds, with him, with his family, her mom...they will finally be in a happier state, no more missing pieces.

Ooooh, Cevahir is at the mansion. It's for a meeting they planned on, but it's still a significant moment, to see him walk around the corner; the snake is in their house. But there's him against 4 Karabeys--3 if you count Hasan as siding with Cevahir, which he'd likely do. What can Cevahir possibly do to them?

Firat brings up a possible hitch in the contract. Cevahir stares at Hasan like he's trying to activate him. Which I guess works, because then Hasan bugs his eyes out at Firat like, c'mon man! Firat only looks to his uncle, being on the upstanding side of things now.

Kudret agress. Best to get the lawyers involved. Cevahir plays it off. They're right. His lawyers were trying to be pragmatic and didn't realize it was business with friends.

He's so slippery the way he turns it around.

In fact, he insists they should draw up a new contract, scrap this one. Kudret agrees. He also sees Firat sneak a wink to Gul (isn't she proud of him?!) and that makes him really smile. Firat gets kudos for his insight.

Dilan is a hot mess. Baran proposes a quick getaway for the couple days they need to wait for the woman who raised her mom to return. Where to? Dilan confesses that, in her dreams, while she was kidnapped, she used to reunite with him in Mardin.

He had the same dream. We saw it, him running through the ancient streets, trying to catch her.

Positively cosmic, these two.*

And they are leaving right now! Gul will get them packed and have their bags sent on. 

Cevahir and his glare seem to be quite forgiving of Firat finding the mistake.

Azade is still giving Gul grief. Which makes Gul worry. If Azade can't get over Dilan and Baran, how does that bode for her and Firat? 

Firat lets Cihan in on their plans to elope. 

Azade-doom continues down the war path. Cihan steps in. He needs Gul to run an errand. It's her excuse to get out and meet Firat. Azade can't refuse her golden boy. She tries though.

They are flying to Mardin. 

Mardin is not the small village we've been led to believe it is. 

I smell a honeymoon about to happen. 

The hotel is paradise.

Firat sneaks up on Gul as she's walking to meet him. He's so smooth. It's adorable. He looks about 12 years old when he smiles.

Baran is in full-on charmer mode. He knew this trip was what she needed because he knows her. Everything about her, he knows in his heart. 

What does she want to do first? See all the places he went as a kid. All the spaces where he grew up. It's a lot. Is she sure? Oh, she's sure: hands in his lapels, gazing up at the man she loves, not looking away. She's sure.

He really is going to lean in, he really is...the phone rings. When he rolls his eyes, he almost looks right at the camera. 

We know B. We know.

He is looking very Old World in his shirt sleeves and vest, no jacket. Dilan is grinning like mad. They're so happy! Have we ever seen them this happy? Maybe right before the wedding? At one point she is riding a horse through the streets, led by Baran. (Because he was afraid she'd get tired?) They end their tour lounging under a canopy. It's just like a fairytale.

Which are the next words out of their mouths!

If I had just waited 2 seconds...

She loves the city where he grew up, the city he loves. It's a final piece of their puzzle fitting into place.

Hasan is having them followed in Mardin. Hasan, you rat.

Gul and Firat are going through the paperwork they need. Like a health certificate "and lung x-ray". Wha-?** Firat is right: this prep feels like army level discipline. 

He dutifully contradicts her when she says her passport photo is ugly, with a, "Who? You?!" exclamation of disbelief. So adorbs.

He has a ring,

The same ring. From before. He couldn't throw it out. 

I love these two..

Firat continues to be adorable. What's to worry about? he asks. We already did the hard part, making you forgive me. 

I have to say, I'm not one for smarmy puppy love stuff, but as close as this is to that, it's pretty darn cute. I love this new Firat. I suppose it's in direct contrast to how he was raised, to see this upbeat, smiling, child-like optimism. Yes please!

They almost kiss. Firat smiles as she leaves. His eyes just shine when he smiles. He's so smitten.

Baran and DIlan are back in their room and she looks pensive. Her shoes are hurting her feet.  They're super cute patent leather Mary Janes, but the heel on them... Woof! Who wears those for sightseeing? D, c'mon. Baran gets cream to put on her foot. I think this is the most intimate touching he's done. She can barely stand it. In fact, she's antsy. Almost panicky. She has a bath and Baran gets room service. 

At bedtime, Dilan is braiding her hair. He gives her a present of a fancy handheld mirror. (I knew this was a Beauty and The Beast vibe! Dude gave her a mirror for crying out loud.)

In her ear, he says it's not more beautiful than her.*** She starts having heart palpitations again. 

The mirror shows her that she couldn't get the braid right in the back. 

(Holy frick. Does Baran know how to braid hair too?!?)

Maybe, but what he actually does is undo the plait with two fingers--far more sensual, to be sure--running the fingers through her hair. Then takes her hand and pulls her up, swinging her around in front of him.

"Leave it down." Then runs his fingers along it from her head down, as it falls along her neck, then ribs, skirting her dressing gown, and rests his hand on her waist. Pulls her close with a deliberate tug.

This is some Sultan level shit right here.****

And you know Baran. He's just watching her the whole time.

And now I'm having heart palpitations. The man knows a slow seduction.

Azade is aware Hasan is having them followed. She's there when he gets the report. In fact, she directs him to keep it up. Then she goes into the kitchen to boss Gul around. Gul had put the ring in her purse, but in her haste she accidentally knocks it over. The purse falls to the floor, the ring tumbling out behind Azade-doom's back.

Baran moves his hand to her lower back. Pulls her even closer. It's agonizingly deliberate. The intention is clear. There's no farce, no oops button, no extenuating circumstances. He wants to feel his wife against him. He leans just a hair's breadth more down. 

There must have been a knock at the door because she asks, trembling, if he heard the door. 
He doesn't move. Yes, he heard it.

Are they going to answer?

A small teeth-suck. (The absolutel best response.)*****

Ever so much closer. He's millimeters away now. Her eyes are closed. I think she's resolved to let it happen. 

The show ends there.

Well played, gang. Well played. 

Yelling at the tv:

*There's going to be some symbolism forthcoming with this trip to Mardin. I can feel it.

***While this is very romantic, I don't get these comparisons. A person's beauty compared to a thing. I guess it's typical, but to be called more beautiful than a mirror is weird. Less like comparing to a sunset, for example. Plus, the mirror is literally her reflection so it's almost like calling her not more beautiful than herself. Anyway.

*****Kudos to whomever wrote that tiny teeth-suck in place of a 'No, we're not opening the door." It was absolute perfection as a response. And it couldn't have happened--I'd have never recognized it for what it was--would never have known how perfect that simple response could be if you hadn't brought me along this far.

Culturisms:
**LungX-ray!?! Holy moly, that seems extreme.
****In my head, Sultans and their surroundings have taken on the same level of prominence as Arthurian knights, but with a middle eastern aura. Like an answer to the western fairy tale kings, but with their own brand of magic, power, intensity, and intoxicating romance.

Teaser 199:

Breakfast. Deeper connection.