Chapter 2

"The Realization of the facade

The beautiful morning had begun spreading the warmth, Jalal was all clean, freshed up, wounds tended to. Suddenly his eyes swept past the wound on his bare chest. The blood streak had dried up, he touched the blood trail with his fingers and the flashes of combating Jodha move past his eyes. Smiling he decided to leave the scar untouched.

Ready to meet Bairam Khan before he left for his journey to Mecca, Jalal left his tent and headed to Bairam Khan's.

Seeing Jalal entering, Bairam Khan made a failed move to get up, but Jalal intervened

Jalal: Relax Khan baba, Please do not rise on my account.

Bairam Khan: Long live the king! May your honor rise like mountains and glory be spread to lands far and away.

Jalal: How are you feeling?Are you really sure, you would be able to make through this journey khan baba? It could take a toll on your recovery.

Bairam Khan: My dear king, my beloved Jalal, I'm fine. Please allow me to go. Take it as my last wish. Grant it son.

Jalal stayed silent yet reluctant.

Bairam Khan (sensing the reluctance): I've something to say to you, perhaps for the last time. I have raised you like my own and I'm so proud of what you've become. I want you to know, that you are not just a valiant commander, but also a great king in making. The hardships of life have made you almost unbreakable. People fear you for you can crush the devil himself when it comes to war, but what others can't see is that underneath the brutal persona, you carry a heart of gold. Yes! A golden heart of king, who would treat his subjects equal beyond the classifications of caste, religion, language, culture, gender, in the time to come. You are too young to see it now, but my old eyes can see them all. Let noone tell you otherwise Jalal. This country was never a home to your grandfathers and father, but to you my boy, it is home. You were born in this soil, and this is your identity. Time will prove it Jalal.

My time has come and you'll have to carry forward your journey to "One Nation-One king and "A king of subjects and for subjects without me. Remember Jalal a king rules the territory but a true king rules the heart of his people.

If I were to die I would want to spend the rest of my days in the lap of Almighty, so please let me go Jalal.

Jalal : Please don't say that, May almighty bless you with a long and healthy life. I want you to know Khan baba you saved me. The hatred, anger, despise that I had as a child, you didn't let them consume me rather you moulded the anger in my skill, fueled hatred against injustice, despise against traitors and respect for culture in this land of diversity of ours. I shall always remember your teachings and I promise you what you forsee shall come true. Amen! I shall miss you.

Bairam Khan (with a content sigh and closed eyes): Make fewer but loyal friends Jalal and do recognise the foes amongst your own. Never, never trust anyone my boy..

Jalal nodded.

A brief pause prevailed between the two.

Bairam Khan (fluttered open his eyes): What have you thought about Rajputana. I think you should strategise more before taking any final decision my king. They are going to be the toughest opponents you could ever wish for.

The Rana of Mewar, Maharana Pratap can turn out to be nightmare. Give yourself more time Jalal. One setback and everything Moguls have attained so far will go in waste. A head on collision with him will be sheer disaster. He is politically ripe in his decisions, a gallant mighty warrior not an ounce less than you, and the patriotism he harbours for his soil makes him even more lethal and deadly. You will have to exercise great caution my king.

Jalal listened to Bairam Khan with a calm air. He knew Bairam Khan never under/ over estimates any enemy's potential. If he says that Rana of Mewar was equal to Jalal, he sincerely meant it.

Jalal: I agree Khan baba and I assure you unless I have made an accurate estimate of enemy's military strength and might, I shall not step a foot forward. Just to let you know, I have decided to give a halt to any further invasions. Have heard of rumors about Mogul atrocities in Mewat, Nagaur and Malwa. Have asked Abdul to report at earliest. I shall first strengthen governance in the provinces we've already seized. Would then move on to fresh encounters.

I agree, Rajputana has to be dealt with great caution. I assure you, I shall see to it.

Bairam Khan: Mewat, Nagaur and Malwa, provinces under Sharif and Adham Khan. I have heard too. Adham Khan has not even sent the details of seized treasury to be recorded in Mogul accounts after the annex of Malwa. I ve heard he didn't allow the women of harem there to leave the city after the Nawab of Malwa fled. I couldn't look into the matter given my health, but now that you've decided to look into the matter, I'm quite sure the truth shall be out soon. I never get loyal vibes from the two of them Jalal. They are vicious, brute, arrogant and too ambitious, you better be cautious of the two.

Jalal nodded but stayed silent.

Bairam Khan: There are two more things I wish to ask you my king, but you'll have to promise me that you'll grant me the wishes.

Jalal: Just say it Khan baba and deem it granted.

Bairam Khan: Take care of my family- my wife, Salima Begum and my son Rahim. Nourish him under your wing Jalal after I've left.

Jalal: Please stop saying that Khan baba. You're going nowhere. You'll be fine. But if it brings you any peace, I promise you, your wish shall be my command, and I shall accomplish the task as my responsibility. Say, what is next?

Bairam Khan: Reconcile with Mariam Makani.

The expression at Jalal face changed from soft to stern.

Bairam Khan: I know you feel hurt, given the fact that she couldn't fulfill her responsibilities as your mother. She kept you distant, when you needed her the most. But my dear son she knew she couldn't protect you on her own and you were the only hope of Moguls, you were to be protected at any cost and it is because of this she took the toughest decision of her life. She should be respected for her courage, because you don't even know what it takes to stay away from the person you love the most. The courage you've is her inheritance.

I know you don't hate her, you just wanna keep that distance, not fall into temptation. I know how much have you yearned for a parental love, my boy. The feeling that she could distant you again is what makes you vulnerable to reconcile with her.

Do you stop going to battles because you got struck the last time. No, it never stopped you Jalal, because you know whatsoever comes you'll seize the victory. Same goes in relationship my boy. Love comes with an inevitable part of pain, but you've to be sure that whatever comes your love for that fella shall stay forever.

Now that everything is in your control and command, and that you've also called the ladies to Agra, spend time with your family, get to know them, make them realize that you shall make up for all the lost time. Every phase of life of a king has to be won Jalal, be it personal or political. Open your heart my boy and let the love of people peep through.

Jalal (sighed): I shall try khan baba, I assure you.

Baiarm Khan (rejoiced): That's all I wanted to hear that you'll try. May god bless you with all best he has Jalal and I know with the bottom my heart, my boy, that he will. Let the time come.

Jalal kissed Bairam Khan's hand and left the tent, wishing him a happy and safe journey.

On his way back, faint glimpses of his mother kept flashing before his eyes and words of Bairam Khan "she should be respected for her courage kept reverberating. Jalal knew somewhere in his heart that every word uttered by Bairam Khan was an absolute truth. He was too scared of love lost to give it another shot and fail again. Staying apathetic was much much easier than to open up and get hurt again. Was it so hard to give a try.

Jalal was so amazed that his khan baba had been hinting this for quite sometime, but he never gave the man's advice a serious ear, but what has changed today why he could understand every single word to its actual meaning.

The realization struck him the very moment. The last night he was so natural, he was so overwhelmed in the company of Jodha, everything was so effortless. Her vicinity, his racing heart, he felt and loved the feeling to the very core without even trying for it. As if she just opened the door he'd kept locked for ages. Is his apathy, just a facade that he had believed to be real. Is he just a normal being and is it this easy to break away the walls he had built around his heart to not let anyone, especially his mother to get in as it was for Jodha.

Jalal realized that his childhood was denied of motherly affections, love and care. It was his fate. But now, it is him, who is denying himself the love and care of a family staying distant.

Awestruck and amused he realized that he met her just this once and she had already struck his facade in one blow. God! She was going to be the death of him.

Remembering Bairam Khan's prayer " May god bless you with all best he has Jalal smiled feeling relieved and light- "He just did Khan baba, raising his hand in prayer and sweeping the palms across his face, he murmered "Amen!