Divya, this was not a filler and TE is not playing with either Jodha or Ruqs.Lets look at Jodha - She came to Agra with hatred and refused to be a part of Agra initially. Slowly she realised that she had clubbed all to be bad. Yet she kept aloof. Also she had always referred to Ruqs as TE's wife - never thought of herself as his wife (this is very different from thinking of him as her husband).
Though Jodha changed her belief about the Mughals and TE, she still did not think of herself as his wife, for her only Ruqs has that position - perhaps this may be why 'The Night' resulted in the 'Shove' and the next morning he was accused of SKLL - for her it perhaps was and she closed herself to his words - I can now see the line of events and somewhere TE also has realised it - which is why he stopped referring to the 'Dhakka' - The Khema incident gave him proof of Jodha's convoluted thinking!!!
So though Jodha has changed her mind about all at Agra she is still on the kinara testing the waters - Jab tak paani mei koodegi nahin she will never belong - always remain the outsider - She has given advice to TE that he has to be a part of his ppl to be their Emperor but Apne uper yeh advice Madam Jodha ne apply nahin kiya - TE is just making her do this - He is pushing her into the water so that she can start swimming (The best way to make the reluctant swim)
As long as Jodha does not look on herself as TE's wife and take her place as such she will always keep him at arms length - Toh pehle TE has to get Jodha to realise that she is as much his wife and has rights on him as does Ruqs - tab kahin jaake woh TE ko uske haq degi (tab tak yeh durr durr ka romance jhelna hi padega)
Coming to Ruqs - She too needs to realise that in a polygamous situation she cannot claim sole rights as wife. And this is where the problem lies - she has managed to make all the others to feel like they are interlopers and the third wheel when infact she shd have made them all feel equal as TE's wives. TE is just making her realise that just as she has her rights on him so do the other wives and just as he needs to give them those rights so too do they need to claim it - Kisi ko right dene se sab khatam nahin ho jaata they also need to claim their right and its only when we claim our right will we do our duty with happiness in our heart - warna duty becomes a burden.
So the lesson for Ruqs is that she cannot claim sole rights as wife - sharing is mandatory - and its this reason why Ruqs has become what she has - and this lesson in humility is very much needed - and TE does realise that Ruqs can become vicious which is why I do feel that for all that it seemed he was stoking Ruqs making her anti-Jodha he will make sure Jodha has his protection from all of Ruqs viciousness.
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