Chapter 14

Chapter 14

          Everyone who attend court looks very tense and scare, now a little boy will get punish by cutting one of his hand because he steal money, people feel for the kid but they cant go against shehenshah, the boy very brave because he didn’t deny that he stealing and when shehenshah give him the punishment he just nod but inside his heart the boy feel terrify because how can he help his mothe if he only have on hand, but it be rather him who loose one hand rather than his little brother, jalal looking at the boy and he admire his bravery to fake his punishment, jalal looking at the boy mother and his little brother, his mother look almost faint and her face really pale, jalal feel pity for them but rule are rule and it apply for everyone without compromise.

“ guard do the punishment . . . cut his hand “ announce jalal, and to everybody horror guard take the boy while his mother and little brother crying, the boy try his best not to cry, selima and hamida feel sad to the little boy.

“ ammijan don’t you think shehenshah goin too far . . . he is just a little boy but shehenshah really hard on him “ said selima

“ yes selima begum I feel too that jalal should show compassion to that little boy, look his mother looks very sick and his little brother look very sad and can’t stop crying “ rerply hamida, ruqaiya who listen to them smirk because for her what jalal do is right.

“ ammijan . .  selima begum . . shehenshah just doin his job, he must rule his people with fair and rule are made for everyone so what is this with he must show compassion ? I think jalal do his duty perfectly “ said ruqaiya

“ shehenshah is the one who make rule and he is the one who can change rule . . to give that punishment to a little boy is very cruel for me, you see his mother look very sick and his little brother not stop crying, may be he steal money because he had too “ defend selima

“ steal is steal selima begum no matter what the reason and that little boy deserve to be punish “ reply ruqaiya with cold and selima just shake her hand because she can’t believe ruqaiya even don’t have an ounce sympathy for the little boy.

“ wish we can help that little boy selima but we can’t against shehenshah in public “ said hamida, selima just feel really sad but then she see someone walking in hurry and she smile looking at jodha, well if there is someone who will help that little boy it’s jodha and she have advantage here since she is new so she still don’t know about all the rule and jalal can’t punish her for something she don’t know.

“ guard . . . cut his hand . . and my people this is the punishment for stealing and I don’t make any differences between my people . . . “ announce jalal, the little boy close his eyes when executioner take the little boy hand and put in on a wood and he rise his sword and just about to cut his hands when they all hears someone yell ask him to stop.

“ sttopppppppppppp “ screams jodha and she rushing to come to the court, everyone looks very surprise with jodha suddenly appears there, jalal looking at her with angry, ruqaiya smirk because jodha just get herself into trouble, selima smile with relieve and hamida look surprise yet curios why jodha stop the punishment.

“ jodha begum . . . what are you doin ? “ ask jalal and jodha can see that he is angry then jalal looking at maham anga “ maham anga what is jodha begum doin here ? “ ask jalal, maham anga bout to speak something but jodha speaks.

“ i want to stop this cruel punishment “ said jodha and jalal’s eyes burn in anger, maham anga dancing in her heart because this is amazing, jalal wont forgive his relative who dare to go against him in public.

“ you don’t have right to make that such thing and you are not allow to interrupt in my court . . . so you better leave “ warn jalal the he looking back to the executioner “ cut that boy hand . . this is my order “  and then he rise his sword again to cut the boys hand but jodha hold his hand, jodha see to the little boy and try his best to look strong eventhough she can see fear in his teary eyes, then she look at a woman and a little boy who she met before in market his name ahamd, he look at jodha then he run toward her and he kneel in front of her and hold on to her lehenga.

“ begum sahiba . .  please my bhaijan . . please . . . . he . . he . . “ ahmed crying out loud, and everyone feeling sad for him.

“ may I know what his fault so you have to give him very cruel punishment ? “ ask jodha

“ he is stealing money and everyone who do that crime in mughal sultanat will get punish no matter who do the crime “ answer jalal, he really piss off because jodha dare to interrupt him in his own court, atgah really curious what will happen between jodha and jalal, this is very interesting because all atgah know this might be will clash of the titans, no one should underestimate jodha begum or they will sorry, eventhough she left palace for a long time but what he heard jodha really smart and even if she is born as a man she will become a great king and the most important she is not afraid of jalal, atgah feel it’s about time someone will show him a mirror, atgah love jalal like his own son and it’s sad for him to see become hard, rough and cruel like this because he know that deep down jalal have compassion and love for his people it just he don’t know how to express his love and atgah feel there are lot old rule that not suit for current era but it will need time to make jalal realize that and may be he can change the rule.

‘ stealing money ? you cut this little boy for stealing money ? “ ask jodha disbelief, then he push the executioner hands and he look at jalal and jalal give him sign to step away, jodha bend and make ahmad who kneel in front of to stand up and he come to his brother and he hug him.

“ yes jodha begum .  .he is stealing money and so he must get punish “ said jalal “ and punishment for stealing money is cut one hand “ he add

“ hey bhagwan . .  that is very cruel especially to punish a little boy like him “ protest jodha

“ this my sultanat jodha begum and my words are rule not yours and when is said he must be punish then that mean he will get punish “ said jalal with impatient “ now since you already know the problem step aside and let that man do his job “ said jalal with polite but it sharp like a knife

“ please forgive me shehenshah . . . I don’t mean to against you but I can’t let that boy’s hand being cut . . . is there no other punishment beside this ? “ ask jodha

“ no . . jodha begum . . . and now you are make me impatient . . guards escort jodha begum back to harem and don’t let her come out from her room until I I come there “ said jalal

Guards come to jodha but she told them to stop “ wait . . . wait . . . “

“ what now jodha begum ? “ ask jalal impatient, ruqaiya really can’t believe this, this jodha begum dare to argue with jalal in front of everyone while she eventhough she is the chief of harem but she would never do something like that.

“ ammijan this jodha begum really need to be teaching how to respect shehenshah . . how can she argue with him like that in front of everyone “ protest ruqaiya

“ no ruqaiya I guess what jodha do is justify, she is outsider so it’s make sense if she ask bout the rule in mughal sultanat and to be honest I feel bad for the kid but we all can’t talk to jalal but jodha is different she is not from here and she don’t know the rule around her beside she always speak her mind so I feel it’s very interesting to see finally someone can talk back to jalal while looking him straight into his eyes “ reply hamida and now she can understand what selima begum try to say and she now can see that she is what jalal need.

“ are you out of your mind ammijan how can you agree to jodha’s act . . she humiliate shehenshah like that and . . . . . “

“ no ruqaiya begum . . jodha not humiliate shehenshah her reaction and her question are right “ cut selima “ let’s see how jalal will handle this situation “ she add

“ shehenshah may I know from whom this boy steal money ? “ ask jodha, then jalal clap his hands and one guards take an old lady

“ that boy steal the money from that lady . . . “ reply jalal, jodha looking at the old lady then she come to her

“ is that true that he steal money from you ? “ ask jodha

“ yes . . . I just want my money back because earn that money with hard, I sell spice at market, I didn’t mean this to happen “ said the old lady, after she got to know that the boy steal to buy food for his sick money she feel sad for him but people already catch him and take him to court, jodha can see and feel that this lady feel sad for the little boy.

“ you’ve got your money back ? “ ask jodha

‘ yes begum sahiba and I wish that shehenshah can forgive him but I’m too scare to said that to him “ said the lady whispering, jodha smile and she try hard to find solution for this problem then she got and idea.

Jodha looking at jalal “ shehenshah I want to give a suggestion may I come closer to you ? “ ask jodha

Jalal looking at her with curious but he still angry at her “ come here then “ said jalal, then with every eyes looking at her with curiosity jodha come to jalal atgah show give jodha sign to keep come closer until he said she is close enough “ so what are your suggestion jodha begum ? but don’t think that I will change my mind for you “ warn jalal

“ I just want you to think my advide before you really want to cut that boy hand “ said jodha “ ok that old lady said that she is just want her money back which she already got and I think I know the best punishment for the boy “ she add

“ ahhh really ? by all mean then tell me jodha begum “ said jalal in sarcasm

“ that lady said that she sell spice so why don’t we make that boy to help her as punishment but in return that lady will give him a little food for him . . . and now the boy can feel how hard that lady earn money so in the future he will think that before he steal another people’s money “ said jodha, atgah smile listening to her because that is brilliant idea and with that they will teach that boy too that to earn money he must work not steal “ to be honest I don’t like my idea because he just a little boy and he should play and enjoying his childhood but circumstances not allow him to do that so I feel that this punishment will make him realize that if you want something you must earn it not steal it “ she add, and jodha not tell jalal that with this she help him from doin sin because that little boy is innocent, it’s his brother who steal the money, when his brother kneel and crying in front of her jodha know that this what he meant when they talked for a while at market.

“ jalal .  .dont listen to that riddiculus idea . . you must punish that little boy . . rule are rule jalal “ said ruqaiya

“ yes jalal I agree with ruqaiya begum . . if you not punish that boy then everyone will think that you are unfair “ reply maham anga

“ I think jodha’s idea very good jalal . . beside that he still a little boy and it will better if we teach him not punish him “ said selima, jalal looking at hamida but he said nothing then he look at atgah.

“ what do you think atgah ? “ ask jalal

“ I think what jodha begum said is right shehenshah . . sometimes we need to think outside the box to and see the big picture, that boy seems the eldest probably the head of family if he loose his hand how he can taking care of his family so I agree with what jodha begum suggest that it will better if we teach him rather that to punish him “ reply atgah and maham anga really hate that atgah always against her, she know that atgah doesn’t like the cruel jalal, and after bairam khan death jalal always asking his opinion, maham anga think after bairam khan out the picture jalal will depend in her but she is wrong, he have his own mind now and this is very dangerous for her because she must always make him under her influences and she must get rid people who stand in way especially atgah.

Jalal thinking everyone advice and even he hate it but he must admit that what jodha said is right “ ok . . . listen . . . lady . .  do you mind if that boy working for you let say a month ? so he will learn how to earn money and he will appreciate how hard to earn money, so the next time he want to steal again he will think twice “ said jalal

“ ooh no shehenshah I don’t mind . . actually I need help and I cay him and give him food too . . it’s not lot money but at least he can buy food for his family “ said the old lady, everyone start to whispers that this is miracle that shehenshah change his mind.

“ fine then . . kid today I spare you .. from tomorrow you will work with that lady and I will ask one guard to watch you so don’t make mistake “ said jalal and the boy with his family kneel in front of jalal

“ thank you shehenshah . .  . from the bottom of my heart I said thank you . . you forgive my son . . “ said the boy’s mother with low and weak tone.

“ just don’t make the same mistake otherwise even khuda cant save you “ threat jalal

“ I wont “ said the boy with determination, and then his little brother looking at jodha and he run to her and hug her, ruqaiya and maham anga watching with disgust, how jodha want to be hug buy that dirty little boy, but jodha smile then she kneel down and she look at him.

“ don’t ever do that again ok ? you are lucky that shehenshah forgive your bhaijan . . be a good boy and a good man . . you and bhaijan taking care of your ammijan . . ok  “ said jodha with whispering so no one can hear them

Ahmad nod “ thank you begum sahiba and I promise you that me and my bhaijan will taking care our ammijan . . khuda will always bless you “ he said, jalal curious what jodha and that kid talk about, they seems know each other but jodha new here and she even just go out today so impossible if they know each other.

“ atgah arrange everything for that boy and keep eye on him “ said jalal, then he stand up and everyone stand up too and then a man announce the court is dismiss then jalal leave following by atgah, he look at to jodha before he leave and jodha know that he is not finish with her, then guards take ahmad and his family leave, jodha watch them with happy, then she leave too.

Ruqaiya come to jalal bedroom with angry, how can he let jodha have her way, ruqaiya find jalal drink wine and he seems thinking something.

“ jalal . . .. “ she call him and sit with angry in front of him

“ oooh you ruqaiya . . what’s wrong ? “ ask jalal eventhouh he know why ruqaiya come with angry.

“ what’w wrong ? are you kidding me ? “ said ruqaiya “ why you follow jodha begum idea in that boy case ? why not keep with your punishment “ ask ruqaiya

“ I just thinking what she and atgah said and they are right “ reply jalal

“ bullshit jalal . . I know it’s more than that “ ruqaiya really angry, beside jodha argue with him in court she too can make jalal agree with her advice, she feel something is wrong here.

“ what are you talking about ruqaiya ? it’s not a big deal that I’ve change my decision “ said jalal

“ it is a big deal since jodha begum who made you change your decision . . don’t tell me that you start to like her jalal . . do you ? “ ask ruqaiya with curious

“ don’t be mad ruqaiya . . I hate her and I despise her . . . and I can’t wait to destroy her . . crush her into pieces “ reply jalal and ruqaiya feel relieve and happy that at least he still sound really hate her.

“ you better make her understand that jalal because I’m afraid that after today she will think that she have you wrap around her finger “ warn ruqaiya, jalal laugh then he drink his wine

“ don’t worry ruqaiya I will make her understand that she is no body here “ reply jalal then he get up.

“ where are you goin ? “ ask ruqaiya

“ I will go to her and make her understand that the next time she dare to speak again in my court that is the last time she will see the day “ said jalal and ruqaiya can see anger and hate in his eyes and she happy then jalal leave and then ruqaiya pour a wine for herself and drink it with happy because jalal always do whatever she ask him to do.