FF- Hum ho gaye apke (UPDATED) PART 6- Page 15 (20/4/14) - Page 3

After Ruqaiya and Jodha were ready Jalal and his two begums set about on completing the journey back to agra. Jalal and Jodha smiled sardonically again at the 100^th complaint Ruqaiya uttered about her feet paining and that the harsh sun was tiring her out. "Jalal kya hum yehi kahi araam karne ke liye ruk sakte?"Asked a cribbing Ruqaiya. He turned to face Jodha.

"Kya aapko bhi takahan ho rahi hai Jodha Begum?" He asked. She looked up surprised at his question.

"Ji nahi... Hum aur chal sakte Shahenshah" She replied shaking her head. Just then she noticed Ruqaiya Begum's face falling and she decided to intercede. "Lekin Ruqaiya Begum sach much thaki huyi hain, agar hum vishram kar leye toh unko thodi se araam milta" She added speaking to Jalal. He looked at her and nodded.

"Thik hai, Ruqaiya Begum, hum agle gaon mein araam karenge" He stated and Ruqaiya smiled with relief. They soon reached a small village dwelling, where there were a few people around. Jodha immediately set about arranging some food for all of them, whereas Ruqaiya Begum, tired from her journey sat down on a stool to rest. Jalal too sat down in order to rest. He saw Jodha Begum sitting a little way off, preparing roti's her hands patting the roti's in order to even the dough. He frowned at her bare arms, remembering how she had given away her bangles to the solider to prevent him getting whipped. He had felt so helpless when he saw her removing her jewellery, he felt useless, as though he couldn't fend for his wife, and that was still the way he felt today when he saw her bare arms. His thoughts were broken by Jodha's arrival with the roti's asking him to start eating.

"Khana sach mein bohot lazzez hai Sethani sa" Said Jalal as there were many onlookers nearby. Jodha smiled in response and proceeded to eat. Soon after eating Jalal excused himself while his two queens gave him a confused look.

"Hum todi der mein aate hain, humme thodi der ki liye telna hai " He said smiling.

"Theek hai Jalal, hum kuch der sote hai, jab tak aap vapas nah aaye" Said Ruqaiya, lying down on the mat on which they sat on.

"Shahensha aap akele math jaye, aap ki suraksha ki liye hum bhi aapke saath aate hain" Jodha insisted. He smiled at her and nodded. They both walked around for a while before he suddenly stopped.

"Kya hua Shahenshah?" She asked softly.

"Kuch nahi Jodha Begum, aap yahan kuch der rukiye hum abhi aate hain" He responded, she looked confused but nodded to his words. He was back soon enough, and he was carrying a set of bangles in his hand.

"Yeh sab kya hain shenshah?" She asked gesturing to the bangles. "Inhe aap kesye karide?"

"Kyun kya sirf aap hi apne zevarat bhej sakti? Humne apni angooti bhej diye" He smiled, showing her his bare forefinger.

"Kya? Aap ne apni angooti bhej di, lekin kyun? Iski avashat kya thi? Ek shahensha ko bina ghene rehete huye shoba nah deta" She said shocked.

"Jodha Begum, hum hamare begum ko kaali haatoin mein nahi dekh sakte. Aur vaise bhi aap humare liye apni kangan deye te, tooh aaj hum aapke liye kuch lekar aaye hain" He said smiling at her.

"Magar Shenshah" She protested. He silenced her words by placing a finger over her lips. Her eyes widened in shock and she stared at his hand. He removed his finger and replied.

"Shhh Jodha Begum hum aur kuch suna nahi chatien hain" He caught hold of her hand and started to slide on the green bangles he had bought for her. He pushed them further down her fingers, all the time looking into her doe-like intoxicating eyes. She stared back and at that moment the resolution she had made hardly mattered anymore. Just then she let out a small gasp, the bangles had gone over one of her knuckles in a rather painful way.

"aaahh" She whimpered, ,her face turning to a side as a reflex action, causing him to look up at her, and break their trance.

"Dard hua?" He asked softly. She nodded. "Humme bhi" He whispered softly, causing her to turn red. He reached for her other hand to place the remaining bangles on it, but she pulled back.

"Nahi Shahenshah, aap inhe Ruqaiya Begum ko deje, yeh humare liye kafi hain, aur vaise bhi unhe bhi acchi lagenge" She said removing half of the bangles on her hand and shifting them to the other so that both hands now held some. He smiled at her thoughtfulness. They walked back together in silence, each thinking about the other. Ruqaiya was sitting up by the time they arrived.

"Ye ligiye Ruqaiya Begum, hum inhe aap ke liye laye hain" Lied a reminiscent Jalal, handing over the green bangles to her. He was sure of what her reaction would be but he had wanted to humour Jodha, Ruqaiya's reaction didn't disappoint him.

"Chee Jalal!" Exclaimed a disgusted Ruqaiya. "Yeh kya hain, kya hum, Malika- E- Khas inhe phenege? Ya aapne karedne se phele yeh bhi nahi socha ki inhe pehenne se hammari izzat aur audha kam ho jayegi? Khair agar aap humare liye laye toh hum unhe phekenge nahi. Hoshsiyar! Tum inhe pehenlo!" Commanded Ruqaiya. Jodha was shocked at this exchange and she immedeatly looked at Jalal to see how he'd take it but to her surprise she saw him giving her a knowing look saying "Hum issi vajah se sirf aapke leye yeh choodien lekar aaye the Jodha Begum."

However behind all this she could see the hurt in her husband's eyes, and that was enough to trigger Jodha's response.

"Bas Ruqaiya Begum!" She said, tears forming in her eyes. "Yeh aap kaise kar sakti hain? Shahenshah aapko itni pyaar se leker aaye huye bhet aap aise kese beizzat kar sakti hai? Bhet ki keemat yah shaan ko nahi dekthe, uski peeche chupe huye prem aur bhavanaon ko dekhte hain. Hume aaj apko deke daya aa rahi rain ki aap iss sansar ki sabse keemti bhet nahi pheechaan payi. Khair hum Shenshah ki bhet ki itna beizzati nahi dekh sakte issileye hum unki bhet khud rakenge, takhi aap use aur beizzat nah kare aap ki bandhi ko de kar" Cried Jodha, pulling the bangles out of Hoshiyar's hands and swiftly walking away from them, leaving Ruqaiya fuming.

"Unki himmat kaise hui humse aise baat karne ki? Kya samaj thi hai woh khud ko? Woh toh sirf ek maumuli si, ek take ki begum hai aur hum Malika- E- Khas" Spat Ruqaiya.

"Ruqaiya" Roared Jalal. "Khabardar aage ek lafz bhi bole toh. Hum Jodha Begum ki shaan ki khilaf ek shabd bhi nahi sunege. Aur vaise bhi unhe job hi kaha tha who sab sach hi toh tha. Yaad rakna ki ayenda unke khilaf kuch bhi kaha toh aapko humare samna karna padega, samji?", and with that he walked away leaving a sodden, shocked Ruqaiya in his wake.

Salim Chisti's words had already begun to become true "Mausam badal rahahai, karvatein badal raha hain"

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