Chapter 16

Chapter 16

          Jalal and jodha just looking at each other for couple minutes and man singh watching them with interesting, jodha pull off her sword from jalal’s neck.

“ I’m sorry shehenshah . . I don’t mean to . . . . “

Jalal chuckled “ no need to say sorry jodha begum .. it’s my fault to come in silent when you are practicing “ cut jalal then he looking at man singh and jodha with curious.

“ how you two do that ? I mean fighting with eyes close ? “ ask jalal

Man singh look at to jodha and she just nod to him “ well shehenshah to be honest it’s hard to do and I still learn it, and since now there is only buasa with me so she is the one who must train me “ reply man singh

“ you two are really amazing . . . I never seen people fighting with eyes closed, I remembered when you have a match with adham khan and he throw sand into your eyes you fight with closed eyes then and I thought that was just quincidence but I know tthat is not the case, I thought it impossible to do that but here I am watching you two doing that . . is it hard to train fighting with eyes closed ? “ he ask, he really want to able to do that.

“ it is hard . . at least for me it’s hard . . we depend in our hearing and intuition, the wind will tell you where is your enemy, and I’ve been trained for few months but still had hard time to mastered it “ said man singh

“ what I see you are amazing man singh . . “ then jalal looking at jodha “and you too jodha begum . . “ he add and jodha feel weird that he praising her.

“ can you two teach me how to fight with eyes closed ? “ask jalal, evenhough he hate jodha but he must admit that her skills in sword fighting and archery

“ if you want to learn shehenshah it must be jodha buasa who teach you because I’m still not capable to teach you and beside my self still learning from buasa “ reply man singh

Jalal watching jodha with interesting “ aaahh ok man singh . . . so jodha begum are you willing to teach me ? “ ask jalal

Jodha smile to him “ shehenshah it will such an honor to teach you but there is something that I need to said before I agree to teach you “ said jodha

“ ok sure just say it jodha begum “ reply jalal

“ when we are in training you are not a shehehshah but you are my student and you will do whatever I say and I must tell you that the training wont be easy, I’ve got very hard time when i learn this but I must said was very worth it “ jodha explain to him

“ deal “ said jalal with confident and determination “ now if please have sword practice with me with your eyes close, I want to see up close and personal how this thing work “ ask jalal

Man singh look excited with the opportunity that jodha will be jalal’s guru and now he can see they fighting “ come on jodha buasa show to shehenshah so he can start learn “

“ fine .  . wait im gonna close my eyes first “ said jodha then she close again her eyes with black fabric, and she standing there with calm and confident, jalal silently walking around her and she still not react, then with fast and quietly he attack her but to his amaze jodha defend herself perfectly and jalal feel excited about this and she didn’t move soo much but when she attacking him it’s very deadly, man singh smile with proud when he see jodha and jalal practice with amazing, he know that his buasa have amazing skill in sword fighting and watching her sword fighing with jalal very special because he know that jalal too have amazing skill but his buasa skill can match him but then their practice suddenly interrupt by atgah who have bad news for jalal.

Jalal looking at man singh and jodha “ well too bad duty call . . we must doin it again, and please jodha begum let me know when I can start my training “ jalal reminded her

“ of course shehenshah I will let you know “ reply jodha, then jalal nod to both of them and he leave with atgah, man singh tease jodha miserable and her skill very amazing even her skill match jalal skill, jodha just smile then she and man singh continue to practice.

Jalal and atgah arrive at jalal chamber and then atgah ask all maid to go out because he is afraid there is a spy.

“ so what’s wrong atgah ? “ ask jalal

“ shehenshah I’ve jut got the news that abu mali quietly train army and I heard that he will revolt in delhi “ reply atgah

Jalal curse in silent because abu mali really looking trouble for himself “ anything else atgah ? “ ask jalal

“ and I heard too that he is planning to kill you . . I don’t know how reliable this news but I guess when it comes to abu mali we must always take precatious “ said atgah

“ true . .  why don’t you send aziz to find out bout the truth, ask him to lay low and in disguise so no one will suspect him, I want to know what abu mali plan exactly “ suggest jalal

Atgah nod “ yes that is very good idea and I will arrange it with aziz, and I will ask abdul to tighten security in palace especially in harem, we should never underestimate abu mali . . you know he can hand in hand with your enemies to attack you “ warn atgah

“ yes atgah I think you are right . . . and so please arrange with abdul and aziz, sharifuddin, maham anga and adham khan can help secure palace and hare “ atgah about to said that jalal shouldn’t trust maham anga, adham khan and sharifuddin too much because atgah know that they have bad intention to him but atgah realize that maham anga is like mother to jalal and wont easy to break the bond between them, atgah just hope that jalal know the true color of maham anga.

“ ok jalal I will do that . . . “ reply atgah “ but by the way you seems very enjoying sword fighting with jodha begum “ tease atgah

Jalal looking at them and he chuckled “ well atgah as much as I hate her but I must admit that she is really good in sword fighting and archery, you know I always like to people who have amazing skill in those two . . jodha begum is just a woman but her skill and ability hundred times better compare to most of my soldiers “ reply jalal and atgah can feel that jalal looks admire jodha begum.

“ and she is a good human being . . . I don’t know if you already know about jodha give her jewelty to pay lot hindu people who want to go to mandir and pray and she is too pay for herself and her maids “ said atgah, he really shock yet happy when he heard about that amazing news, he feel this is what jalal need in his bitter, empty and dark life.

Jalal truly shock to hear that “ are you serious atgah ? “ ask jalal

“ yes shehenshah I’ve heard that news from guards . . . they said hindu people adoring jodha now . . they said it’s like sudden sunshines comes through darkness “ reply atgah

“ hmm really ? “ jalal ask again

“ yes shehenshah . . . “ answer atgah

Jalal don’t know how to feel or react to that news and he remember abdul words that jodha could become angel of mughal sultanat “ she just pay them tax and they act like she was doin such a huge favor “ he said

“ I’m sorry shehenshah for us that may be not a huge deal but for hindu people that is very huge . . although I know that lot hindu people can’t go to mandir because they don’t have money to pay the tax but this is rule that been applied since long time a go and it’s one of our main income for us “ reply atgah

“ yes atgah and with that tax we pay soldier salary, maids and among other things “ said jalal and there are lots of things in his mind right now.

“ very true shehenshah . . . well I just want to let you know about what jodha begum did, I know that you don’t like her but I hope you can see her in from another angle since I got feeling that jodha begum is really a nice person and may be she is the one you need shehenshah  . . . . “

“ someone I need for what atgah ? “ cut jalal

“ for accompany you to rule this sultanat, I know it must not easy for you to sit alone in your throne and even late humayun told me once that as shehenshah he feel soo lonely, can’t trust anybody not even his own shadow . . but I guess if you can find someone you really can trust so you can share the burden being a shehenshah . . . . . “ jalal want to say something but atgah make him stop “ being a shehenshah never easy because there are lot people who depend their life on your hands and you must think everyone happiness not just one party “ he add

“ I’m completely fine atgah you no need to worry . . . “ reply jalal

Atgah smile “ if you say so jalal . . I’ve just want you to find someone who will be there for you with you in good and bad times “ said atgah

“ I have ruqaiya begum atgah . . . she is my first begum, she is my friend, and my chief of harem, she will help me to rule this sultanat “ atgah think that jalal don’t know that he talk about

“ shehenshah right now may be you don’t understand but I believe that one day you will understand what I mean and when you realize that I hope you already have that special person “ reply atgah, jalal just don’t understand what atgah try to say but he wont think bout that too much because that is noe important to him, while atgah know that jalal never falling in love so he don’t know what it’s like to be love and to love someone, but atgah got feeling that he will know what’s love soon and if he is not mistaken the woman who can make jalal’s heart start to beat is the woman who jalal said he hate.

Jodha arrive at hamida chamber and there are some other begum there, jodha hadn’t meet all shehenshah begum and she only know selima begum and ruqaiya begum, selima smile when jodha enter and she wave to her and ask her to sit beside her, jodha greet everyone and then she sit beside selima.

“ is something happening selima begum ? why we all here ? “ ask jodha

“ ahh nothing happen jodha begum . . you will know about what happen any minutes “ reply selima

“ jodha begum I heard that you pay tax for hindu people who want to go mandir but couldn’t because they don’t have money “ said ruqaiya

“ wah jodha begum you must be really badly want to be look good in hindu people eyes so you are doin that “ said pinaz begum

Jodha smile to them “ this is not what you think ruqaiya begum and . . . . “ jodha not recognize who is pinaz begum

“ pinaz begum “ selima whispering on jodha’s ears

“ and pinaz begum “ said jodha, pinaz begum looking at jodha since she know that jodha don’t know her “ why I paid their tax because I have more money so why can I help them, me and them are hindu, while I can enter mandir without paying tax and they couldn’t because they didn’t have money make me shame and I know exactly their feeling if I don’t have money and couldn’t enter mandir and pray there I will super sad so I decide to pay they tax “ told jodha to ruqaiya begum and pinaz begum.

“ ahh nahh I think you just want have good face in front them . . but very smart way jodha begum “ reply ruqaiya sarcastic

Jodha chukled listening to their accusation “ well I don’t care what people think bout me or bout my action . . I just did what I think is right, my people can go to mandir and that is enough for me “ ruqaiya and pinaz show bitter face expression towards jodha but when they want to say something hamida arrive.

“ adaab “ she greet them all and everyone greet back “ ok the reason I calling you all because like you all know tomorrow are the special day that all women in harem will serve people and I just want to make sure everyone know their duty “ announce hamida

“ wow ammijan that is very amazing idea . . . what can I do help ? “ ask jodha with enthusiasm, hamida and selima smile looking how exciting jodha

“ are jodha begum and selima begum the only begum who looks very happy and enthusiasm with tomorrow event ? “ ask hamida

“ ooh ammijan you know me .  . I don’t like to do something like this “ protest ruqaiya begum

“ yes I’m aware of that ruqaiya begum but they are your people so you must learn to serve them . . understand ? “ scold hamida

“ fine ammijan fine “ reply ruqaiya

“ ammijan I know little bit bout medicine to I can help treat sick people “ suggest jodha

Hamida nod and smile because she likes how jodha suggest that by herself not wait to be given a duty by her “ that is very great idea jodha begum . . we can use your skill medicine “

“ yes jodha begum .. I’m surprise that you understand medicine . . tomorrow you are with me and I will show you around and you can give free medicine . . ohh this is amazing ammijan finally I found someone who have the same perspective with me . . jodha begum I believe we will be very good friend and you can be my partner in my mission “ said selima with excited

“ what mission ? “ ask jodha confuse

Selima smile “ I will told you later . ..  “ reply selima, ruqaiya watching selima and jodha bonding with angry and jealous, selima is her cousin but how come she getting close to jodha, she is her relative why she choose to get closer to stranger, hamida see anger and jealously in ruqaiya eyes but then she look at jodha and selima and hamida feel that they both will bring new air to mughal sultanat and hamida feel happy too because now beside selima she have jodha and she feel that the three of them will able to open jalal’s eyes for his people real condition.