Arta - the last princess

Chapter-35

"Are you ok?" Arta asked when he did not respond to her kisses. "Don't you want to have a child anymore?" Arta's heart was pounding in her chest. She kissed him again hesitantly.

Osman pulled himself a bit further away from her "Of course I want, with all my being."

"Then what is the problem?" Arta sat up and covered herself with a quilt.

"I think you have not fully recovered and it's better to wait."

Arta let out the breath she was holding as a sign of relief "Don't be silly, I'm totally fine and I know that I'm ready."

Osman started to wear his clothes quickly.

"What are you doing?" Arta asked in disbelief.

"Sorry love I just remember that I have to check something with one of our companions and give him some instructions, I'll try to be back soon, but you don't need to wait for me, sleep, you must be tired."

"What? Are you serious? Osman..." Osman had already left the tent.

Osman took a deep breath to calm himself when he left the tent. What should he do now? What should he tell her? He definitely cannot tell her the truth, it would be devastating.

Arta was not feeling any better. She was confused by Osman's act. Why did he run away? Wasn't he the one who wanted a child in the first place? What has changed now? Was he truly concerned about her or something else was going on? Her mind was working fast and thinking about different reasons. But in the end, it was guilt that filled her heart. The guilt of betraying Osman and the guilt of losing her child. She blamed herself.

Osman walked for a few hours around their camp and talked with different people.

"Hopefully, she is asleep by now," He thought to himself and headed back to the tent. He entered the tent. Arta was asleep, he was lucky but he has to come up with an excuse tomorrow.

***

"Good morning to you too," Arta said when Osman opened his eyes. They were lying on the bed facing each other.

"Oh good morning!" Osman said and stretch himself.

"Well, I'm listening." Arta said as she was sitting up on the bed.

"What?"

"What do you mean what? What happened last night?"

"Oh that. Emmm..." Osman looked around for a second "Sorry I came back later than I was expecting. I told you I needed to arrange some stuff."

"You don't think that I'm going to believe that, right?"

"What do you mean? I'm telling you the truth." Osman was trying so hard to look innocent.

"What was so urgent that you had to leave me like that in the middle of... well you know."

"Oh shit" Osman slapped himself on the face in his mind. "Well I had this important thing to do. I don't want to bother you with my things."

"No please I insist, bother me. What was it that you had to leave so hastily?"

"Ok if you insist then I'll tell you." Osman was thinking and thinking but nothing came to his mind. There was a moment of silence.

"Well..." Arta stood up, crossing her hands on the chest waiting. Osman cleared his throat and sat on the bed.

"It was...the horse. Yes, the horse. One of our horses was sick and I had to end his life. Last night I suddenly remembered that and I did not want to bother you and ruin our beautiful night. But you know the poor thing was suffering and I had to put him down."