Jodha-Akbar OS: The Hunt
Contrary to what he father thought, Jodha did not actually set out to get into trouble all the time. It was not her fault that she was lost in the forest! Their entire party had been tired after the long journey, and her brothers had suggested a brief rest. Retreating into the forest to avoid Mughal patrols, they had set up a camp for a few hours. Of course her brother's had taken the time to tease her about Raja Suryabhan, so Jodha had walked off in a huff, their laughter trailing behind her. She had known that the soldiers and Moti Bai had been following her, but had not realized where and when she lost them.
Now, Jodha was stuck in this forest, not knowing where she was, and growing afraid.
Scowling, she stepped forward, a twig snapping underneath her foot. Freezing at the sound, she heard another noise. A footfall making its way towards her.
Gut instinct telling her that it was not her soldiers or Moti Bai, she went around the tree, looking the see who it was.
She stifled a gasp as the profile of the figure became clear- it was that Mughal- Jalal!
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Contrary to what Ruqaiya had thought, the hunt was doing very little for Jalal's temperament. The boar that they had been hunting had gotten away, and Jalal had gotten off the horse to give chase. His soldier, who he would have to retrain, had not been able to keep up with him. So now, he, the Mughal Emperor of India was off tromping the forest alone. Jalal resisted the urge to maul the tree with this shamsher. Tantrums were not becoming of a king.
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He had a sword in his hand, and bow and arrows slung across his back. He was hunting.
If he is here, Jodha thought, biting her lower lip, then the others cannot be far behind- I must warn our encampment!
Trying to stealthily make her way across, she froze again as another twig cracked under her. Jalal turned around around quickly, faltering as he saw her. Gathering her wits about her, Jodha grabbed the nearest tree branch, swinging wildly at Jalaludin Mohammad as he gaped at her.
XXX
He had been half convinced she was a hallucination, but the tree branch she swung at him was solid enough. Jalal ducked, grabbing the princess by her wrist as she tried again.
"What are you doing here?" He demanded as she tried to bite him.
"Don't touch me!" She shouted, eyes flaring at him angrily. Jalal held her still, admiring that beautiful face. Shehzadi Jodha was a rare jewel indeed. And, obviously Allah had granted her to him, as she had appeared before him, so far from home.
"Come, Rajkumariji" He sneered, accent a mockery of the one he had donned in the royal jail. "Aren't you the one trespassing this time? These woods belong to me. And so does everything that dwells here."
"Jallad-!" Whatever she was going to say was cut short as, ironically, the boar Jalal had been searching everywhere for, took the time to find him and charge.
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One moment he had been holding her tightly, the next she was flung to the side. Jodha watched in amazement as Jalal turned his attention to the boar that kept trying to charge him. It was obvious that he was struggling, as his bow and arrow had been knocked away in her struggles against him. Jodha quickly saw where the weapons were and swooped them up, aiming at the struggling man and beast. For a moment, she hesitated.
Then she loosened the arrow.
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Jalal had planned to duck when he had seen the princess getting ready to fire the arrow, but to his surprise it sunk into the neck of the boar, killing it instantly. He glanced at the girl, but another arrow was now trained at him. Thinking quickly, he tossed his shamsheer aside, smiling at Jodha's scowl.
"The brave Rajputs don't kill unarmed men, do they?" He asked laughing. Jodha continued to frown, then lowered the bow.
"We don't." She replied quietly. The two stared at each other for a few moments, silence surrounding them.
"Why didn't you kill me?" Jalal asked her, fascinated by the princess before him. Jodha's lips spread into a mocking smile.
"You're head is destined for Suryabhan's sword. It will be his gift to me after our marriage."
Raising the bow again, she began to back away. "We won't meet again, King, but I shall look upon your head with pleasure." Jodha called as she faded into the forest.
Jalal watched her go, lips twisting into a smirk.
"You made a mistake sparing me Rajkuwariji. When I kill that man, I will kill him slowly, painfully, and then I will lay his corpse before you." He promised.
"And then? And then I will make you mine."
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