Chapter 18

Chapter 18

          Ruqaiya begum waiting jalal in her chamber with angry and jealously, jalal keep saying that he hates jodha but she see with her own eyes how he and jodha talking with happy, this is not the first time she see jalal with another woman but she never feel jealous like this, there is something in jodha begum that makes her feel she need to be careful with her, since she come to mughal sultanat she seems don’t have problem with adjust herself, she didn’t hang out with other begum beside selima and she heard every maids like her since she always act nice and kind to them, ruqaiya smoke her hookah and thinking how she can make jodha and jalal more hating each other and if she can get rid of her that would wonderful, ruqaiya will talk to maham anga tomorrow and may be she can give her an amazing idea, guards announce that jalal arrive, jodha have no mood to be nice to him.

Jalal enter ruqaiya chamber and the moment he step in he can feel that ruqaiya looks very anger “ what’s wrong ruqaiya ? something happen ? “ he ask, ruqaiya just looking at him with angry but keep silent make jalal wonder what’s happen with her “ are you ok ? why your face like that ? are you mad or what ? “ he add

“ you are late “ she answer try to hold back her anger

“ oh yes . . I’ve just met jodha begum on the way here and I stop by then we talk but we lost in time so I late to come here “ reply jalal, ruqaiya hates his honesty, he really can’t feel that she is jealous

“ yes I see you and jodha begum . . chatting and talking “ said ruqaiya with angry

Jalal start to realize where this is goin “ don’t tell me that you are jealous because of that ? “ ask jalal

“ jealous? Me ? of course not . . . . why would I feel jealous “ denied ruqaiya

“ then why mad ? me and jodha begum just talking . . “

“ I’m mad because spending time with he instead rather than come here, you know I’m waiting for you “ cut ruqaiya in agry, she tossed away her hookah, jalal disbelief what he just see and listen “ you supposed to be here with me and not with her “ she add and jalal decide he had enough.

“ listen ruqaiya begum . . . it’s my right to decide I want to speak to whom, to spend the night with whom . . and since you mad like this makes me don’t want to stay here ..  I’m goin to pinaz begum . . you better rest now since tomorrow you will go out to serve people “ said jalal and before ruqaiya can react jalal leave her chamber, ruqaiya really angry to herself because she can’t play it with nice so now jalal leave her, ruqaiya hate this jodha begum and she will make sure jodha know that she steal her time with shehenshah, meanwhile pinaz begum really happy that shehenshah come and want to spending time with her, jalal try to forget his fight with ruqaiya but everytime he touch pinaz begum there is only one face that come to his mind, he try to throw away his mind but her face keep coming back, he remember her beauty face under the moonlight, how she with happy looking at the moon, what jalal said to her is honesty, they start everything with the wrong foot, she can feel her hatred toward him at their wedding night but she never act impolite to him, she keep act nice and polite, always brint arti to him in the morning and evening, and never look trouble with him, jalal get up from bed then he put on his clothes, he look down at pinaz begum who sleep peacefully then he leave and back to his chamber, he don’t know why but he feel that he better sleep alone for tonight.

Hamida just finish namaz and she will prepare to go serve people, she come out from her chamber and accidentially she see jalal come out from his chamber, hamida smile looking at him, then with curious hamida watching jalal come to jodha’s chamber and she feel surprise because she got a feeling that jalal and jodha don’t like each other but seeing this hamida feel may be she was wrong.

“ what jalal do ? go to jodha’s chamber early morning ? “ ask hamida and she will talk about this with selima, meanwhile jalal enter jodha’s chamber and he look at jodha with smile when he see her in common people attire, eventhough she is is disguise but she still look very beautiful.

“ adaab jodha begum “ greet jalal, jalal turn around and see him

“ pranaam shehenshah . . . you here “ she greet him back

“ like I said I will come early morning . . so everything is ready for me ? “ he ask

Jodha nod and smile to him “ of course shehenshah . . this is your clother please wear this then I will make over your face little bit “ reply jodha, then she give sign to moti to handed jalal his disguise attire, jalal take them and smile

“ so I will become you guard today “ he said

“ yes you are . . so change now “ reply jodha then she leave him for a moment so he can change and only need few minutes for jalal to change clothes.

“ I’m done jodha begum “ said jalal then jodha come back in and she watch jalal witn interesting because although jalal wear a simple attire but his royalty aura can’t disappear and he looks really handsome “ how do I look ? “ ask jalal

“ very good . . . “ praise jodha and jalal feel really happy listen to that “ now come and sit here I will put beard and moustache for you “ she add

“ but I had moustache “ reply jalal

“ I know but this one just to make you more convincing “ said jodha, then moti and reva handed jodha fake moustache and beard, jodha help him to put that stuff on his face and so she must touching his face and she feel really amazing sensation when she touch him, jalal too feel the same, when her smooth skin touch his cheeks he feel something beating soo fast inside and he almost can’t breath, moti and reva seems understand what’s happeing inside jalal and jodha head and they both just smile because this is amazing scene to them “  ahhh ok done . . . you can check how it is “ said jodha

Jalal looking at mirror and he almost laugh “ wow jodha begum this is amazing, this beard and moustache really make me different “ he feel really amaze with jodha’s works.

“ yes you looks very different . . .  now come . . ammijan waiting of us “ reply jodha and jalal nod then they both following by moti and reva leave too, everyone waiting for hamida and jalal come, and when jodha and jalal arrive everyone looking at them but none of them recognize jalal and jodha smile because her plan looks like will work, jodha join other begum, ruqaiya looking at jodha with angry.

“ you should keep your poker face ruqaiya begum “ said maham anga in whispers

Ruqaiya looking at her “ what you mean maham anga ? “ ask ruqaiya pretend not understand what maham anga said.

Maham anga chuckled “ I can see it clearly ruqaiya begum . . you are very jealous towards jodha begum, but you must keep your cool because believe me when you go against jodha begum you can’t use your emotion “ said maham anga

Ruqaiya hate when maham anga right “ yes maham anga you are right . . I must keep my cool” reply ruqaiya “ after this serve thing over I want to talk to you . . come to my chamber after we got back from serving people “ said ruqaiya and maham anga nod with happy, the guard announcement hamida arrival with selima begum, she and selima pass jalal but they don’t realize that guard is jalal.

“ adaab “ hamida greeting everyone

“ adaab “ everyone greet him back

“ pranaam “ greet jodha, she look at jalal who seems arouse when nobody recognize him, she smile and think this is good for his ego.

“ I appreciate everyone come and help me to serve people, and since you all already knew your assignment so we better leave and start to do work “ announce hamida, then she and selima lead the way while others following them, jalal keep tagging on jodha and he can watch her closely, jodha look happy and excited to meet people in agre, she open small camp with other hakim sahiba and they give free medicine for people, jalal see lots of queue and he wonder why soo much people come for free medicine, he watch jodha checking a very older woman and her grandson.

“ what’s your name ? “ ask jodha to older woman

“ I’m asha and this is my grandson emir “ said asha, emir looking at jodha with shy

Jodha smile to emir “ helo emir . . . you look soo cute . . how old are you ? “ ask jodha

“ I’m nine years old “ said emir

“ ok . . “ then jodha look at asha “ are you sick asha ji ? “ ask jodha

“ no jodha begum . . he is the one who sick . . . he fall from tree yesterday “ reply asha

“ oooh come emir let me see your wound “ ask jodha, emir come to jodha and open rolled up his sleeve and jodha see blue bruises “ wow that must be hurt “ she said

“ yes jodha begum . . very hurt “ reply emir with teary eyes, jalal look at emir hands and see small bruises.

“ that’s small bruises . . and look not too hurt “ said jalal, emir looking at him with angry

“ this is very hurt “ said emir with teary eyes

“ of course it’s hurt . . . I’m sorry emil my guards not understand how hurt this bruises “ scold jodha and she look at jalal with warning glare and jalal just smile and weird because he never been scold by anyone.

“ I’m sorry jodha begum . . “ reply jalal he observe asha and emir and curious why asha not taking emir to hakim sahiba before “ why you didn’t take him to hakim sahiba before ? “ ask jalal

Asha smile with sad “ go to hakim sahiba very expensive and I can’t afford that, even emir didn’t go to school because he is busy helping me and beside school here only for rich people not for people like me and hindu people “ said asha “ sometimes I wonder what shehenshah doin . . we all suffer here, everything very expensive these days and he just stay inside his golden cage, eat from silver and golden spoon while we must working very hard  just for a small food and sometimes I must hold my self because I want my grandson healthy and eat enough food, shehenshah only think himself and never think his people especially small people like me, shehenshah should be like a father to his people, a father should taking care of his kids, making sure they are happy and thinking kids welfare, not keep conquear another kingdom and make lot family lost the man in their family “ jodha really don’t know how jalal will react with asha words but she hope this is reality check for jalal and she hope this is a good thing.

Jalal really surprise and shock to hear what his own people think about him “ I believe shehenshah try his best “ reply jalal and he look at jodha but her expression unreadable.

“ I don’t think so . . even I don’t know if shehenshah know his people condition . . I just hope emir could have a better life so it’s ok I have less but he must have more “ said asha then she look at jodha “ first time I heard you marry to shehenshah I hate you because you are hindu but I heard bout you help hindu people pay tax so they can pray in mandir and how you always give away money, food and clothes everytime you to mandir then I start to respect you, finally there are other than mariam makani and selima begum who think small people like me and others “ she add

“ I’m glad if I can help “ said jodha, then jodha put medicine for emir and after finish jodha give him sweets because he is not crying when she put medicine, then asha and emir leave, jalal look outside to people who come to get free food, clothes, medinice and small money, they look suffer and some look not in good condition, how can his people become like this, does he not doin his duty as shehenshah very well, soo many things come to jalal’s minds, then he see mariam makani come to jodha’s camp and jalal bend his head so she wont see him.

Hamida enter jodha’s camp see jodha just finish checking one patient and finish give medicine “ aree jodha why don’t you take rest for awhile . . you’ve been working since you arrive here and I haven’t see you eat or drink “ said hamdia, she is very happy looking selim and jodha genuinely happy helping these people.

“ I will just about to rest . . . come and sit with me ammijan “ reply jodha and she sit “ you must be tired ammijan, I notice too that you hasn’t rest too, you keep checking everyone and make sure everything fine “ she add and hamida smile, then moti and revae bring water and light food for them.

“ you are really enjoying this service don’t you ? “ ask hamida

Jodha smile with excited “ yes ammijan in amer I always the same thing just in amer I usually come to people home who need medicine “ said jodha

“ aahh I see so that is why you look very enjoying this “ reply hamida

“ hmm shehenshah  never accompany you in this service ? “ ask jodha and jalal now giving her a warning glare.

Hamida shaking her head with sad “ no . . jalal seems like hate me, may be for him I even barely exist “ jalal can feel pain and disappointing in hamida voice and he look at her teary eyes

Jodha reach hamida hands and hold it “ that is not true ammijan . .  I’m sure that shehenshah love you . . you are his ammijan why he hate you ? “ ask jodha

“it’s complicated jodha begum, he think I abandon him since I must go with humayun to battlefield, may be you and jalal wont understand now but when you two have kids in future will understand my feeling when I must leave him, it’s like killing me slowly, everyday I cried and thinking about him but I can’t turn back the time and what’s done is done . . I just hope one day he can forgive me . .i love him jodha begum more than everything in this world “ jodha try to read jalal’s face expression but hard to read, and jalal feel very mix feeling now, listening how hamida feel for him make him confuse and curious.

“ don’t worry ammijan because I’m very sure one day shehenshah will understand your feeling to him “ reply jodha with confident, hamida wipe tears that falls on her cheeks and jalal see that and he feel hurt too.

“ thank you jodha for the pray . . . now better back to work . . people still waiting outside “ said hamida and jodha just nod then hamida leave, jalal watching his mother leave and he is bout to say something to jodha when ruqaiya come to jodha’s camp.

“ jodha begum “ she call her

Jodha look up to her “ aree you ruqaiya begum .  .what can I do for you ? “ ask jodha

“ nothing . . I come here to warn you stay away from shehenshah, he is mine and last night you steal my time with him . . shehenshah belong to me and I wont let another woman take him from me and especially not by a woman like you . . . . you are like toys for shehenshah, he will feel interesting to you at first bit you will see he will get another pretty woman and he will just forget about you . . you are not important to him . . so next time you disturb again my time with shehenshah I personally will kill you if that happen again “ jodha can’t believe that ruqaiya threating her but now jodha got people in queue to give medicine so no need time to listen to her words, jalal feel embarassing with that, ruqaiya really goin too far, jalal looking at jodha who seems not care with what ruqaiya said but him, jodha want to laugh because jalal listening to all of this but jalal will make ruqaiya understand couple things in his mind, ruqaiya then leave just like that and jalal see jodha and he see she feel amusement and he know that this one is special.