The doctor was examining Arta when Osman arrived.

He was shocked when he saw the amount of blood around Arta's lifeless body. A drop of tear fell from his eyes and disappeared in his beard. "Arta..." he sat by her side and put her head on his knees. Her body was cold and pale.

The doctor was silently examining Arta. Samir was standing at the corner of the cell and trying so hard to hide his tears.

"Is she alive?" Osman finally asked the doctor.

The doctor stood up and bowed "She is alive my prince, but her condition is critical."

He took a deep breath "What is wrong with her?"

"Unfortunately, she had a miscarriage."

"What?!" he felt a sharp pain in his heart, his heart had shattered into thousands of pieces.

"I'm sorry my prince but this place is not suitable for her condition, she has lost a lot of blood and she needs intensive care."

"Yes, of course!" Osman quickly hugged Arta and walked past the doctor. He did not know what he was doing. He was in shock by the miscarriage news.

"I'll come and check her again soon." The doctor said while bowing to Osman.

When they came out of the dungeons Osman now truly saw how thin and pale she had become. He was blaming himself for her condition. He decided not to think about the child that they had lost because of him, it was too much. The only thing that he wanted to do for now was to keep her alive.

He took Arta to their room, the room that he had not come back to in the past few weeks. He carefully placed her on the bed and called for Nahla and Khadijeh.

"She had a miscarriage. Keep this information to yourself. I don't want anyone in the palace to talk about it." Osman told them as they were looking at Arta in her bloody clothes.

The sadness in Osman's eyes was too obvious, he was grieving.

Nahla was crying silently, she bowed and just managed to mumble "I'm going to prepare the bathing pool for the princess." and left to heat the pool that had been unused for more than two weeks.

Khadijeh also left to prepare a nutritious soup for Arta.

Osman approached Arta. He put his hand in her tangled hair. She looked pale and cold but still so beautiful. He gently cuddled her while taking out her bloody clothes. He was blaming himself "It was all my fault; I killed my child. Forgive me Arta." Tears were falling from his eyes. "How can I look into your eyes now Arta, I killed our child. Forgive me, my love!"

Arta hardly opened her eyes "Osman..." she murmured his name "I'm sorry Osman, I didn't want to..."

"hush now. You need to rest. I'll take care of you. Don't worry about anything."

"No, I have to explain..."

"we will talk later, rest now." He kissed her forehead and patted her hair.

Arta felt the pain in her abdomen and touched her belly "What has happened to me? I don't feel good."

"Don't worry, you'll become alright in no time, just close your eyes and rest."

She did not have much energy to continue the conversation. She closed her eyes and mumbled, "Don't leave me."

"I won't, never." He kissed her hands and wiped his tears.

Nahla knocked and entered "the bath is ready my prince."

"You can leave now."

Nahla hesitated for a second and wanted to offer help but she bowed and left.

Osman lifted Arta and took her downstairs to the bath pools.

The water was warm enough, so he slowly walked into the pool carrying Arta in his arms. Arta half-opened her eyes when her body touched the water. She smiled faintly "the bath pool has always been a turning point in our relationship."

Osman winked at her "true, I love bathing you."

He gently put down Arta on one of the pool's steps and started cleaning her by slowly pouring water on her head and gently rubbing her body.

Arta's eyes were closed, and her back was leaning on Osman. She was unconscious again.

Osman quickly but gently washed all the blood from her body and covered her fragile body into a clean cloth and went upstairs. He placed Arta on the bed and went to light the fire in the fireplace.

Khadijeh knocked and came in with a bowl full of a yellowish soup. He placed the tray on the table beside the bed.

"Do you need my help, my prince?"

"No, you may leave. Just send for the doctor."

Khadijeh bowed and left.

Osman sat on the bed beside Arta and held her into his embrace with one hand and the spoon in the other hand. Arta opened her eyes for a second. "You need to eat my love. Open your mouth."

She barely opened her mouth and Osman put a spoon full of soup in her mouth.

Even swallowing was difficult for her, half of the soup came out of her mouth.

Osman's heart broke again "How weak she has become. It's all my fault." He blamed himself again.

***

The doctor came and checked Arta again that day.

"How is she?"

"She has lost a lot of blood and her condition is still not stable and..." the doctor hesitated for a second

"And what?" Osman asked.

"And I'm sorry to say that she may not fully recover ever again." The doctor looked uneasy.

"What do you mean?" Osman asked looking concerned.

"I'm sorry prince but your wife may never get pregnant again."

Osman quickly looked at Arta to see if she was awake to hear what the doctor just said. He was relieved when he saw her eyes were closed.

Osman approached the doctor "You will not talk about this to anyone, not even the princess. Understood?" he was threatening the doctor.

"Yes my prince!" he bowed and left the room.

Osman walked toward the balcony to breathe in the fresh air and clear his mind. He covered his face with his hands and screamed, a silent scream that no one heard.

He went back inside. Arta was already awake. He rushed toward the bed and held her hand.

"How long you've been awake?" he asked suspiciously.

"Not long." She replied in a low and weak voice.

"Good, good." He patted her hair.

"What is wrong with me Osman? Why did I bleed? Why do I feel pain in my stomach?"

"I told you it's nothing serious my love. You just need to rest for now. Everything will be fine. Don't think about anything." With that Arta closed her eyes again.

***

The next day when Arta woke up she saw Osman sitting next to her on the bed. He was asleep.

Arta tried to sit up. She was thirsty. She did not want to wake Osman. She put lots of effort to sat on the bed then she leaned to take the jar of water from the bedside table but it was too heavy for her weak hand. The jar slipped from her hand and shattered.

Osman suddenly woke up "What are you doing?"

"Sorry to wake you up. I was thirsty."

"Don't you understand how weak you are??? You should have woken me up." Osman shouted looking angry.

"I said I'm sorry." Arta said, her eyes filled with tears. She did not know why she was feeling too emotional and mostly sad.

Osman hugged her tightly "It's alright. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have become angry. I'm just worried about your health."

He helped her lying back on the bed.

"Osman please tell me the truth. Am I dying? Is that why you are kind to me after what I did to you?"

"No no no my love. Don't be silly. You are not dying and for sure we will talk about your actions after you get better." He tried to laugh to change the mood.

"Then what has happened? Why are you looking so sad?"

"I'm not sad." He said with a fake smile.

"Don't lie to me. You are hiding something from me."

"Hey, I think it's breakfast time. Where are the maids? I'm starving." Osman said jumping on his feet and clapping his hands, trying to distract Arta from that conversation. He did not know what to say to her. She deserved to know the truth but how can he tell her.

"Osman!" Arta almost shouted, "tell me the truth." Her heart was racing in her chest.

"you had a miscarriage." He sad in a low tone looking everywhere but not at her.

"Whaa What?" her head was spinning. She took a deep breath and shut her eyes. Tears were falling from her closed eyes.

Osman hugged her "shshsh... I know, I know" his eyes filled with tears.

He released Arta from his embrace after a few seconds and softly grabbed her chin "look at me." They were looking into each other's eyes with their broken hearts and watery eyes "We will make more babies, lots of them." Arta closed her eyes again and shed more tears silently. He hugged her tightly again and kissed her hair.

He did not want to tell her that she may not become pregnant again. That would be too much for her. She did not need to know that ever.

***

A few days passed and Arta got better physically but emotionally she was not doing well. Her silence worried Osman and as much as Nahla was provoking her to talk, with different gossips and funny stories from around the palace she still did not show any interest.

The guilt of betraying Osman and losing her child was killing her. The worst part was that Osman had forgiven her betrayal. How could he? is he loving her that much? She felt that she did not deserve this much love from him and that made her feel even more depressed.

Osman was not feeling any better as well, even though he did not show any of it. During the day he was busying himself with governing tasks and in the evening, he was wearing a happy face mask and spending the rest of the day with Arta. He blamed himself for losing their child.

***

"An urgent letter from Arabia my prince." A soldier came into his office and handed him a letter.

Osman grabbed the letter. He could guess what the letter was about, his marriage. The new bride that his father had chosen for him.

He opened the letter and was shocked by the content.

The Sultan had become sick on their way back to Arabia and he was not doing well. He had been summoned back to Arabia to be with his father as soon as possible. 

Hope you are all doing well. 

Finally, the new chapter is here. I know it took me tooooo long to update but with a newborn baby, time is a bit limited.