You walked through the quiet valley, the air heavy with the weight of your shared silence. After so long on the run, each step felt heavier than the last. The endless fleeing had taken its toll, and deep down, you knew it was all because of you. You glanced at Erdem, your husband, his head bowed as he trudged beside you. He hadn't said much since that night, but the unspoken tension between you lingered, thick as the mist rolling off the distant hills.

Erdem had always been too kind, too gentle, a man who never complained even as he was worked to the bone. A peasant by birth, he had endured the cruel whims of his master without protest, taking every insult and blow in silence. But you couldn't bear to watch it any longer, couldn't stand to see him treated like less than a man. So, you had acted. One night, while his master feasted, you poisoned him.

Now, here you were, wandering in exile, far from the only home you had ever known. Erdem hadn't openly condemned you for what you'd done, but his silence spoke volumes. He walked with his shoulders slumped, the fire that once lit his eyes dimmed, as if something essential had been stripped away from him. You had hoped, in your heart, that freeing him from his torment would bring him peace. But instead, it seemed to have left him hollow.