Chapter 17

Chapter 17

          Abdul arrive at atgah study room and jiji anga welcoming him, abdul see aziz already there too and he greet them, abdul sit in front across atgah.

“ so what’s wrong atgah ? “ ask abdul

“ there is new information from the man who try to kill shahenshah ? “ ask atgah to abdul and aziz

“ all I got that someone from palace hire him to kill shehensah at man singh and adham khan match so i gues whoever hire that man really know bout situation inside and I think it someone close to shehehshah want him dead “ reply abdul

“ why are you sayin that ? “ ask atgah

“ think about this atgah . . . that match is announce in last minutes and impossible to arrange professional killer in short time . . . someone new that adham khan and man singh will have a match so he plan to kill jalal but jodha begum save our shehenshah “ reply abdul

“ what abdul said is right abbujan there is no way an outsider know about this match, is this possible that maham anga who plan to kill jalal ? “ ask aziz

Atgah shake his head “ I doubt that . . she wont act that stupid killing jalal inside palace, but what abdul said is right so we know now that there is another people beside maham anga and adham khan who want to kill shehenshah, we must investigate this matter quietly so our enemy wont realise that we are on to them and now there is abu mali problem “

Abdul and aziz look at each other with surprise “ what about abu mali ? we catch him ? “ he ask

“ no but I’ve got news that abu mali recruit and train his own army and I’m afraid he will revolt one day “ reply atgah

“ ya Khuda . . . . this is such a mess “ said aziz

“ yes but what makes me worry that if there is another people close to shehenshah beside maham anga and adham khan who want to kill him then his life is in danger, we need someone that we can trust and loyal to jalal to become jalal’s shadow “ suggest atgah

“ you are right atgah but who ? it’s hard to find a loyal man that we can trust these days “ reply abdul

Atgah thinking hard then he got idea “ there is someone “ said atgah

“ who atgah ? “ ask abdul

“ yes abbujan who ? “ aziz very curious too

“ man singh “ said atgah

Abdul and aziz looking at each other with surprise “ man singh ? are you serious abbujan ? “ ask aziz

Abdul think why atgah choose that little warrior and he realize what atgah think “ aah I see atgah . . . I know why you choose him and I think that is very good idea “ said abdul

“ why him abdul ? “ ask aziz

“ man singh is rajput and since now he related to shehenshah he will loyal to him, rajput always put family first and they better kill themselves rather than broke a promise or betrayed theis own family, I think we can count of this young warrior ro be jalal’s protector “ abdul explain to aziz

“ aaaahh yes yes now I understand “ reply aziz

“ I will talk to man singh to keep an eyes on shehenshah and people around him, shehenshah too a great warrior but his problem is that he have blind trust to someone he love dearly and I hope he will realise his mistake “ said atgah

“ don’t worry atgah I think soon or later jalal will realize all that “ reply abdul

“ yes and you know something funny ? although jodha begum is shehenshah new begum and we don’t know her too well but I trust her, I can’t explain but I can feel that she is the one shehehshah need “ said atgah

Abdul chuckled “ well done atgah because I feel the same way too that jodha begum exactly what shehenshah need, she is fearless, brave, smart and stubborn too . . it’s like I see shehehshah in woman version “

Atgah and aziz laugh “ exactly abdul hahahaha ooh God . . . that is why whenever shehenshah and jodha begum face off I feel something weird yet similarity “ reply atgah

“ amazing right . . shehenshah will got hardtime to conquer his new begum but that is worth to watch “ said abdul in amusement

“ yes abdul . . ok now aziz tomorrow you in disguise find out bout what abu mali plan and shehenshah ask you to be careful ok “ told atgah to aziz

Aziz nod “ don’t worry abbujan “ reply aziz

“ I will start to keep more eyes and ears in palace and harem . . I’ve got bad feeling that the one who want to kill shehenshah is the one that we never guess “ said abdul

“ I just hope we can find out who is that person “ reply atgah and they all nod then they discuss their further plan to keep shehenshah save.

Jodha watching the moon at garden, she always love moon sinceh she was little girl, the moon looks very beautiful and the weather not too cold today and that make jodha want to sing, when she was in amer she like to sing while looing moon but now she is in agra and so she can’t do that since she know that lot’s people don’t like her and will objection if she sing, jalal just about to go ruqaiya chamber when accidentially he look down and see jodha, he wonder what she is doing there, then he change his direction toward her, his mind command his body to keep walking to ruqaiya chamber but it seems his body listening his heart, jodha listen footsteps and she recognize who is coming to her, after few weeks living in harem jodha quite often listen to jalal footsteps and she now recognize his footsteps.

Jalal standing behind jodha and he enjoying looking down at her “ why are you here jodha begum ? it’s very late now “ ask jalal then he move and standing in front of her.

Jodha smile “ I just watching the moon . . . it’s very beautiful right ? “ ask jodha, jalal look upon the moon then he look back to jodha and he feel that moon should feel ashame because the beauty of woman who sit in front of him are beyond words.

“ yes jodha begum it’s very beautiful “ said jalal and jodha look at him just to find out that he is watching her.

“ and you . . what are you doin here ?  are you looking for me or you want to see the moon to shehenshah ? “ ask jodha

“ none of what you’ve just jodha begum . . actually I’m on the way to ruqaiya begum chamber and accidentially I see you so I decide to come here first “ reply jalal then he sit across her

“ ahhhh I see . . I see . . “ said jodha

“ I heard that you will come too with mariam makani tomorrow to serve people ? “ ask jalal

Jodha nod “ yes I really excite about that . . . “

Jalal chuckled “ I can imagine you might be feel that way . . “

Jodha looking at jalal with curious “ have you ever come with ammijan and serve your own people ? “ ask jodha

“ I’m shehenshah e hindustan and it’s my people who must serve me and not the other around “ reply jalal

“ you become shehenshah because of them . . if you have no people then you wont be able to be shehenshah . . serve people wont make your position degraded “ said jodha

“ what so ever I’m not interesting to doin something like that “ reply jalal

“ you know what . . . I think if people see you without your crown and sword they wont recognize you “ said jodha and jalal looking at her as if she already out of her mind

“ wow my people will not recognize me even I’m in disguise jodha begum “ said jalal with confident

“ really ????? then why don’t you go with us and see if that’s true ? “ ask jodha

“ are you just challenge me jodha begum ? “ ask jalal

“ oooh shehehshah I wont dare to do something like that . . I just want to prove your own words and beside for once I want you to see the real situation of your own people “ jodha really hope that jalal will accept her challenge so he will open his eyes bout how his people live, there are a lot of people who live in poverty and that is not just hindu people but islam people too.

“ sound like challenge for me jodha begum . . and I always up to a challenge so I will accept your challenge . . tomorrow I will come with you all “ jodha really surprise with his decision but she feel happy too

“ wow that’s amazing sheheshah . . .  “

“ wait I will come with one condition “ cut jalal

“ of course shehenshah and what’s that ? “ ask jodha

“ you prepare for my disguise and will let me to tag along with you since you are the one who challenge me so you are the one who must taking care of me “ answer jalal

Jodha already imagine jalal in disguise “ done shehenshah tomorrow morning I will bring you clothes for . . . . “

“ no . . I will come to your chamber early morning tomorrow before everyone wakes up so no one will know that I’m goin to your chamber and know I’m in disguise “ reply jalal and jodha surprise to hear he will come to her chamber but she think his reason make sense.

“ alright shehenshah I will prepare everything for you “ said jodha

“ good then . . . may I ask you something jodha begum ? “ ask jalal

“ sure . .what you want to ask ? “ said jodha

“ I heard bout you giving your jewelry to pay tax for hindu people . . why are you doin that ? I can understand you decline your privileged as my begum you have privileged not to pay but you insist to pay but why pay the tax for them ?  “ ask jalal, he is been wanting to ask this question to her.

“ I’m a hindu too shehenshah and saw with my own eyes how people who don’t have money couldn’t go to mandir for pray really make me sad, how can we prevend someone who want to pray “ reply jodha

“ are you criticize my rule jodha begum ? “ ask jalal with curious

“ that is not my intention shehenshah I’m simple state my mind, like you said that this is your sultanat, your rule . . I believe you do whatever you can for your people welfare, I just feel sad how in mughal sultanat hindu people must pay tax before they enter mandir and all I can do is to help them “ reply jodha

 “ yes jodha begum this rule been applied since shehenshah babur and i wont change something that already there for years “ jalal explaining to her

“ I understand shehenshah you do what you have to do and I will do what I can do to help people here, as a hindu it’s my call to help other hindu people to pray to bhagwan in mandir “ jalal admire her bravery to let him know where she is standing.

“ you can’t help them forever you know . . don’t spoiling them too much otherwise they will get used to be being paid by you and hope that will continue “ warn jalal

“ don’t worry shehenshah . . . I know the boundary when and where I help people “ said jodha and jalal nod, he never imagine that they can have very civil conversation since they hate each other but since she live in harem jalal notice that she almost never create problem and when they meet and talk always can act civil to each other, he guess even they hate each other but they respect each other too.

“ what are you thinking shehenshah ? “ ask jodha

Jalal looking at her and just smile “ nothing jodha begum just thingking that we don’t like each other , hate each other but look we can act and talk in civil manner “ reply jalal

“ well shehenshah as you know I hate you for what you’ve done, I don’t hold personal grudge to you as a person but to what shehenshah jalaluddin muhammad akbar order his soldiers to destroy mandir in amer but since now you are my pati so I must learn to let go all negatives feeling bout you in my heart because how can a patni hate her own pati “ jodha explain her feeling to him and jalal quite surprise with her answer

“ and I hate you because you challenge me through my soldiers and not to mention your sister humiliate me so I want to give payback to her through you “ reply jalal

Jodha smile but jalal can see that it’s a bitter smile “ I think you no don’t know my relationship with my own family, sukanya without thinking twice runaway and abandon her family, kingdom and her people, she lay our fate in your hands . . you think she will care if I sad or hurt ? “ ask jodha, and jalal too feel something goin on in amer kingdom when jodha suddenly came and claimed to be heer kunwari rajkumari.

“ hmm to be honest jodha begum I wouldn’t know what sukanya will think since I never meet her . . . but like said I just want to give sukanya rajkumari and raja bharmal payback “ reply jalal “ it seems that we both have the same issue with our own family “ he add

“ probably . . . but you should thank to your khuda for blessing you with amazing ammijan “ praise jodha

“ yeah right “ reply jalal sarcastic, jodha observe jalal and she too notice that jalal and hamida have serious problem because jalal keep calling his own mother with her title mariam makani, then jalal looking at her too and they staring each other try to see through their eyes, through their soul and actually their soul already recognize each other just need time for their heart to realise that their heart incomplete because their half part beating on the person that they are meant to be, meanwhile ruqaiya who impatient waiting for jalal watching the most irritating scene for her, she watch jodha and jalal talking with happy and now they looking at each other, ruqaiya got bad feeling about this but she know and believe that jalal wont fall for jodha because he don’t have a heart and ruqaiya will talk about what happen tonight to maham anga and see if she got idea to red rid of jodha, ruqaiya keep watching them both talking and after past midnight jalal tell guards to take jodha back to her chamber while jalal went to ruqaiya’s chamber but before they leave garden both looking back and staring at each other then they leave with confuse and curiosity in their mind.