Chapter 20

Chapter 20

          Maham anga waiting for adham joint her to have breakfast together, maham anga curious what happening with jalal these lately, sometimes he looks lost in his own mind even when he was in dewan e khaas, and he is not talking to her like he used to when something disturb him, adham khan the enter maham anga chamber.

“ adaab ammijan . . . “ greet adham and he sit across her “ what are you thinking ammijan ? , you looks very serious “ he ask

“ nothing adham I just think about jalal’s behaviour these days, you notice that jalal take times fo himself lately . . . .. “

Adham chuckled “ well I might know what make him change ammijan “ cut adham

Maham anga look at him with curious “ what you mean adham ? “

“ remember when jalal missing at the day you, mariam makani and all jalal begum go to served people ? “ ask adham

“ yes adham I remember that day why ? “ maham anga confuse where adham lead with this talk.

“ well I see jalal out from jodha begum chamber, he is in hurry and but he look happy and satisfied . .  I want to tell this earlier but I’ve been busy with duty than jalal given to me “ reply adham, maham anga look she is in deep shock that adham feel worry over her “ ammijan are you ok ? “

“ adham . . what you just said ? jalal and jodha begum . . they . . they “ maham anga can’t believe what she just heard.

“ I don’t know what they are doin but jalal looks very happy you know like a cat just eat delicious fish “ reply adham “ ooh ammijan that is not a strange things, jalal have lots of begum and you know how jalal everytime he got a new toy . . he will keep playing till ge got bored and he throw away his new toy “ said adham

Maham anga think that what adham said is right but the problem is she is afraid jalal will fall into jodha’s charm and she can see the sign “ I know adham but jodha begum very special and jalal seems start to attract to her “ reply maham anga

“ what you mean ammijan . . I see no difference  . . and what makes jodha begum very special “said adham

Maham anga just looking at her son “ that is because you are not see into jalal’s eyes and soul, jodha begum very special because she is so different from other begum, she is speak her mind which is very rare, she is fearless and that is something new for jalal that someone not afraid to him beside never had or meet someone who have the same nature like him, sometimes I feel that when I look at jalal and jodha begum they are like mirror to each other and that is what makes jalal soo attach to her “

Adham chuckled “ ammijan don’t you think that you are thinking too much about this jodha begum and jalal, I stil thinking that jalal just having fun ane enjoying his new begum just like before soon he will dump jodha begum and start to looking another woman “ maham anga hope what adham said is right

 “ let’s hope what you say is right adham but I’m sure there is more between jalal and jodha begum and now I must make plan to make distance between them because the last thing I need another woman try to take jalal attention from me, one ruqaiya begum is enough for me no need others “ said maham anga

“ well ammijan just tell me what to do and I wil do it for you “ announce adham

“ I will tell you when I got and idea adham and till now keep an eyes on jalal and jodha begum “ said maham anga and adham nod, maham anga think hard and fate will her opportunity to give the first lesson between jodha and jalal.

Selima with happy come to hamida chamber, she is doin namaz and so she wait until hamida finish her namaz.

Hamida see selima begum waiting for her and she smile “ what are you doin here in this hours selima begum ? “ ask hamida

“ ammijan I’ve got good news for you “reply selima

Hamida look curios “ ooh what is this good news selima begum . . please tell me “

“ yesterday shehenshah called me and asking my opinion bout something, ammijan do you know that when we left palace to serve people few days a go and  jalal was missing it turned out he is not missing, he is with us all day and for the first time jalal see what is really happening in his sultanat “ told selima

Hamida looking at selima with disbelief “ are you kidding selima begum ? how can he go with us and why we didn’t see him “

Selima smile “ that is because he was wearing a disguise, he was there as jodha begum guard “ reply selima with happy

“ what ???? but how . . .it . . . “ hamida really confuse how can that happening

“ jodha begum challenge shehenshah to go with us and just like shehnshah said he always up to challenge so he come with us in disguise as one of jodha begum guards, and ammijan what he saw that time make a deep impression for him, he said to me that he never though some of his people must live in poverty and now he doubt himself if he is a good shehenshah and he asked me too what he must do “ said selima

“ ya khuda . . is that true selima begum ? “ ask hamida

“ yes ammijan and I think now jalal’s eyes start to open but let him decide what he want to do we don’t need to force him, I believe shehehshah will do the right thing for his people happiness and welfare, we just need to wait and see “ reply selima

“ we must thanks to jodha begum for make jalal out from his shell and see what is happening in his sultanat, jodha begum very smart to challenge jalal so he couldn’t refuse “ hamida feel happy and proud to his son and daughter in law

“ yes ammijan . . . jodha begum know how to push the button so shehenshah will agree with her and see the real world “ selima to feel happy that now jalal start to listen to other people beside maham anga and ruqaiya begum “ and I think ammijan it will be interesting to see how relationship between shehenshah and jodha begum because if you notice they are very different yet similar “ she add

Hamida chuckled “ yes selima begum I feel the same way too  . . I hope that jodha begum can awaken the good side in jalal, he is been too long living in his dark heart and I hope that jodha begum will bring a light into darkness inside his heart “ she said with hopefully

“ I will pray too ammijan and I believe Allah will listen to our pray “ reply selima begum with confident and that make hamida more confident that she will get back her son, her long lost son, selima know what is hamida mind and she take her hands and hold them, hamida looking at selima and she know that selima understand her pain and she just nod and thank her for her support.

Jodha waiting for jalal at practice room, today his training is start and she still don’t know how jalal will react when he must goin through very hard lesson, jodha remember when sujamal trained her she always got bruise but the more she got bruises the more she feel exciting and enthusiasm, jodha then hear a footsteps and she see jalal enter and for a second she feel hypnotize by him, he looks very handsome and strong.

“ adaab jodha begum . . wow you are very on time “ greet jalal

Jodha smile “ yes well I am on time person . . so you are ready with your train ? “ ask jodha

“ yes I am jodha begum . . . and I’m very exciting “ reply jalal

Jodha nod “ good . . . . “ she said then she take sword made by wood

Jalal looking at the wood sword with confuse “ why are you using that ? “

Jodha looking at wood sword in her hands “ until you can avoid my attack and you can attack me back with eyes close this wood sword will be my weapon . . “ jalal just about to protest but jodha stop him “ believe me shehenshah you don’t want got cut by my real sword in your trained and I assure you that this sword still can hurt you “ she add

Jalal smile “ alright then . . but since now we are in practice you can call me jalal instead of shehenshah “ told jalal

“ sorry shehenshah in my religion and culture a wife can’t call their husband name “ reply jodha

Jalal looking at jodha with curious “ really ? seriously ? “ he ask and jodha just nod “ wow that is the most strange thing that I ever hear . . . then it will be my pleasure to make you call my name “ he said with cheerfull

“ that’s not gonna happen “ said jodha

“ we’ll see jodha begum . . . now let’s get start “ reply jalal, jodha handed jalal a fabric to close his eyes and jalal put it on “ oh then what ? “ he ask

“ this technique will trained your instinct and hearing sense . . you must be able to feel where your enemy position to attack . . now concentrate and attack me then I will attack you . . and before we do it I want to apologize first if I hit you “ said jodha

Jalal smile listening to him “ oooh don’t worry jodha begum . . this is a gold opportunity for you that you can hit shehenshah e hindustand “ tease jalal

“ and I’m goin to enjoying it “ jodha tease him back and jalal chuckled “ ok concentration now “ told jodha and jalal try to concentration, he try to feel the wind and he think he hear a slowly footsteps so he attack to that direction and he feel that he hit into air, then jalal feel something hit his back hard and it’s hurt like hell, he try to concentration again he attacking again when he think he got her now only to got hit by her for the second time, jalal can’t believe that jodha can move without making sounds, jalal very sure that he will got lots of bruises but he wont give up, he try and try again but in the end he getting hit by his back, shoulder, waist and belly, jalal can’t imagine if jodha must goin through the same trained, it must been hard for here since she is a woman but now look how she mastered this technique so jalal wont give up, for more than ah hourse jodha train him and she know even for the best warrior in this world wont easy to mastered this technique but jodha feeling sure that jalal will succeed.

“ ooohh shit “ yell jalal when jodha hit his chest hard, jodha standing not far from him.

“ are you ok ? “ ask jodha

“ no . . hahaha oooh jodha begum you must be really enjoying this beaten me up “ said jalal

“ no shehenshah I’m not enjoying it . . . but this is what you must goin through until you mastered this technique and consider yourself lucky enough that I’m the one who trained you not my guru . . I’ve got beaten prerry bad until I can’t sleep on my back for couple weeks “ told jodha “ you can take that off  . .  I think it’s enough for today I will let you know when we will practice again “ she add and jalal do what she say.

“ I can imagine it must be hard for you . . why are you doin this ? “ ask jalal

“ well I want be good enough like men so when my kingdom in trouble I can help and men no need worry for me “ jalal can understand her point of view and he think that it’s very good and amazing that jodha are very skillfull in sword fighting and archery.

“ you are indeed very strong jodha I have to admit that you even better compare to my soldiers “ praise jalal

Jodha feel strange jalal compliment her “ oww . . thank you “ she said

“ and I can’t wait to mastered this technique so we can have match with eyes close “ suggest jalal

“ aahhh I should see this coming “ said jodha and jalal smile then jalal see hairs fall on her cheeks and before he know what he is doin jalal with gentle put her hairs behind her ears and jodha feel surprise with his acton and jalal too feel surprise by his own action, jodha look up and they both looking at each other, cold sharp eyes meet a warm doe eyes, for a moment time is stop for jodha and jalal they can’t believe what just happening, atgah and abdul see the scene and they are shock too, abdul never see jalal act like that and he can see a little bit softness in his eyes, atgah and abdul looking at each other and they both smile, they don’t want to disturb the precious moment but rahim almost arrive and jalal want to be there when rahim enter palace, so abdul pretend to cough, jodha and jalal almost jump when she hear cough, then they see abdul and atgah standing on the door and jalal can think what they are thinking.

“ yes abdul . . atgah . . what’s wrong ? ask jalal

“ just want to tell you that rahim almost reach palace so may be you want to prepare before welcoming him.

“ ooh yes yes . . I almost forget . . thanks abdul . . . atgah for let me now and of course I must welcoming him “ said jalal then he look at her “ come you must go too . . you will like rahim . . he is very smart but very naughty “ jalal told jodha

“ ooh I want to meet him soon “ reply jodha

“ you will like him “ said jalal

“ you must prepare now shehenshah and you too jodha begum “ said atgah

Abdul watching jodha and jalal with curious “ are you practice together ? “ he ask, it’s kinda weird seeing jalal fight with jodha.

Jodha and jalal looking at each other “ yes we are practice together “ reply jalal

“ ooohh ok ok . . . “ reply abdul

“ better leave now shehenshah . . jodha begum “ warn atgah and both jodha and jalal nod agree with him “ ok then let’s go “ he add and jodha, jalal along with abdul walking behind, abdul and atgah try to hold their laugh, while jodha and jalal feel really happy with their practice and both enjoying their trained, jalal smile because he never thought that he will become very happy like this and all because this jodha begum, jalal confuse that jodha might put spell on him since he keep thinking about her, jalal feel someone touching his shoulder and he see abdul wink to him and jalal just try to compose himself but he can’t take off his eyes from her and he is happy can watching her in silent and observe her, jalal feel funny that he hate her but he feel interesting to her and jalal is not the only one who feel like that because jodha feel the same way and she try to figure out what is this feeling and she hope she will find out about this soon.