FF: Pride and Prejudice, The Mughal Edition [Chapter Three!!]

Pride & Prejudice
The Mughal Edition

"Do you hear my dear lord, the Mughal's are visiting Amer," Her over-reacting Maa-Sa pestered her dear King for the 54th time that day.

"I'm afraid it hasn't been mentioned once in this fine palace, I'm completely unaware my dear Queen," he teased.

"Oh dear your inappropriate humor will be the death of me! Must you tease me so?" she fanned herself resting herself on the King's bed.

"I understand most beloved, your exasperation, but what are we to do? The Mughals have offered to either take over our kingdoms, or allow us to govern under them, almost as a territory. And I will not, at any cost accept to rule under anyone, especially those Mughals. Those heartless brutes."

"Dear what am I going to do with you? Don't you see the more important underlying situations that are to arise? Once we lose our kingdom, who is to marry our daughters? We have five of them! Five unmarried daughters, no kingdom or fortune, what are we to do? Marry them off to a commoner? My dear, do something please."

"My dear, do not doubt my love for you but do not question my loyalty to my kingdom either. I would rather be a pauper than destroy it with my own hands,"

"But with your hands or another, it is to be under the Mughal's rule regardless. My dear pleas..."

"Enough! Not another word my dear Queen, this matter has been discussed and my decision is final. As for our daughters, their virtues are divine, I am not the least bit worried about their future for I'm sure great things are in store for them. Great things I tell you! Especially my dear Jodha."

"Your dear Jodha will certainly remain a spinster if it were up to her, it was unfortunate I was so heavily in labor in the years of her development. She is just another you! Insolent and improper!"

"Speaking one's mind does not make him improper my dear, you've had more than enough woes to handle for a day. Shubh ratri."

***

All night in her chamber, Rani-Sa tossed and turned. She thought of Raj-Kumars or even Rajas that wouldn't object to a shotgun wedding. But to no avail.

She remembered discussing the matter with her second youngest and favorite daughter Laabha, but all she inquired about was if the physicality of the Mughals. Useless sometimes she was, but still her dearest for she understood her the most amongst all her daughters. Charvi following her elder sister Laabha's steps, she was also delightful. Manvi, the Queen hardly ever saw much of her, roaming around the palace absorbed in her own world, the third eldest. Jaina, the eldest, what was she going to do with her? Her kindness was her biggest weakness, which was why her fellow Raj-Kumaris from the neighboring kingdoms had all managed to wed every eligible bachelor Prince there was. But none of them were as beautiful as her Jaina might she add.

And then there was Jodha, the problem child. Whenever approached, she either scared off the suitor with her knowledge or insulted him with the lack of his own. Unfit to be a Princess sometimes, but what can she do, she labored over her for 9 months, and there was still innate attachment that could not be removed. And with attachment came worry.

Her dear King's pride would be the death of her someday, why couldn't he just agree to the treaty? But she knew he would rather die than do so, with the image that has been painted of the Mughals, the last he would want to do is to follow their orders.

Emperor Jalaludin Mohammad Akbar would show no understanding, even the offer to choose the path of our defeat came as a surprise. Perhaps the King could negotiate terms with the Emperor. Perhaps instead of governing under, the King could offer the Emperor a monthly amount. Rent in a way, for being able to rule the land the Emperor had won. The King should negotiate something, anything!

Yes that would be it! She thanked her Lord Krishna for showing her way. The king must agree to this at once.