Arta - the last princess

Chapter-31

Arta's heart jumped when she heard Osman's voice shouting her name. Arta and Abtin could hear the food steps running behind them.

"Hurry up princess!" Abtin shouted.

Arta was crying without even noticing how hard she was crying. It was so sad for her leaving Osman, the love of her life. Thinking about how she betrayed his trust was worsening her pains. She could have told him from the beginning, he would have helped her and things wouldn't turn out this way. But now it was too late.

Tears blurred her sight and she fell from the last two steps. Abtin helped her standing up.

"Are you alright?" he asked looking concerned.

"I'm fine, I'm fine"

Abtin quickly walked towards the corner of the basement area. He pushed one of the bricks that had a very tiny lotus symbol on it.

Arta was standing close to Abtin when Osman arrived.

"Osman..." Arta whispered. The heavy stone door opened in front of Abtin and Arta.

Osman and Arta were gazing at each other. Arta could see in his eyes how heartbroken he was.

"Osman, I'm sorry." Tears were dropping down her eyes to her cheeks and her neck.

"Don't go Arta." He said with a low husky voice.

Abtin had drawn his sword "Come on princess you must leave."

Abtin grabbed her wrist and pushed her toward the tunnel's entrance.

Osman roared "Don't touch her." And drew his sword.

Ahmad and Samir also arrived with a couple of soldiers.

"Go princess, I'll stop them from following you as much as I could."

"And then what? Where should I go? Running? How long? Running to where exactly?"

"My soldiers are waiting for us on the other side."

"They are your soldiers, not mine!"

"You are their princess. Don't give up like that on your people."

"I have never given up on our people. Abtin this was not the way to help people." Arta said.

She looked at Osman and continued "If you hadn't interfered, we had had great plans to help people and the country. We wanted to work together to make Persians and Arabs live peacefully together. To unite the two nations."

Abtin smirked "unite two nations? You two are so naïve I must say." He laughed then continued "you have not stepped out of the palace for so long princess. You don't know what is going on, you have not seen how Arab soldiers and their beloved generals treat our people like insects. Is this what you want for Persians?" Abtin looked angry.

"I did not know." Arta mumbled looking like a child receiving blames from her father.

"Look at me princess, this is your last chance, my last chance to rescue you." He paused "Go and help your people or stay and rot in this palace and pretend not to know anything about your people troubles."

Arta looked at Osman again who was silently listening to their conversation. Osman slightly shook his head and signaling Arta not to leave him.

Arta was crying, she was so confused. How things turned out like this. It was like a nightmare, she wanted to wake up.

"I will hold them back, but you must run."

"Arta...don't," Osman said for the last time.

Arta stepped into the tunnel and Abtin quickly pushed the door but before he could close it completely Osman rushed toward him and wounded his hand.