Recap
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/108371986
Part 3 - Page 5
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/106264844
And, a special mention of varshaakulkarni. She kept sending me PMs to update it. Love you all! This is not amazing or anything. Below average I would say. So terribly sorry for the trouble. 😛
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Part 4
Banner Credits by Tahniat
Midnight
In Jodha's Chambers
Jodha couldn't sum up her own feelings. The day's events had
taken a toll on her. So much had happened that day. It started off with last
night when she had lost her cool, unnecessarily, she felt now. She had been
very angry the previous night. She looked at her bandaged wrist. She remembered
the events of the previous night...
Flashback
Previous Night
In Jodha's Chambers
She stormed into her room like the never-abating storm. "Ekanth."
She did not want to talk to anyone now, not even Moti. She instructed the maids
that she did not want anyone coming and meeting her. She was so angry that,
even if it would have been Jalal coming to meet her, she would have admonished
him. How dare she? What is that maid's status compared to her? She is Shehenshah
Jalaluddin Mohammed's Begum. No. She is his Khas
Begum.
Who is that mere bandhi to defy her in such a manner? It is
all because of HIM and the freedom given to that vile Benazir that her MAID behaves
in such a manner. She broke that vase? Why? Didn't she have enough problems to
deal with already? Why one more? It was so special to her. She had never
verbally conveyed its importance to Jalal but that does not mean she did not
like it. It was so beautiful and delicate that she had fallen in love with that
inanimate object. More so as it had come as a gift from HIM.
She could not let her go unpunished. She had done the right
thing by punishing her. It would be a lesson for that wicked woman. But was it
too cruel? After all, Zakira did say it was an accident. Was I that harsh? Should
I forgive her? Her rational mind was doubting the reason behind her own
actions.
No. another voice echoed in her head. She had done nothing
wrong. After all, there are countless begums in the Harem who punish servants for
the pettiest things every day. She had done nothing wrong. Wrong was the
Shehenshah and that vile... Benazir... She has come... and...
Exhausted with the mental labours the queen underwent every
day now in addition to her unattended wound, Jodha fell asleep on the couch.
The Next Morning
In Jodha's Chambers
"Jodha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" "Jodha? Get up. Wake up.
Please. Oh. No. How did this happen?
Moti's frantic calls woke the sleeping queen. She looked
down to find the hakim trying to bandage her cut wrist. Moti standing aside,
was weeping. There was a pool of blood on the floor. "It is fortunate that the
cut isn't as deep as it seemed. Otherwise she would have lost consciousness and
it would have been really hard to bring her back to consciousness."
"Begum
Sahiba, I have appliedlep. You should
be well and about in a day or so. Please do not move around too much. You have
already lost quite a lot of blood. I have instructed Motibai to do the needful.
Please summon me for any emergencies." With the traditional salute, the hakim
to her leave.
"What actually happened Jodha? How are you feeling now? Why couldn't
you have called me last night itself? And Zakira..."
Jodha had lost track of what Moti was saying. Her thoughts
drifted back to Zakira. No. she did not commit a murder that she had given her
such a harsh punishment. She immediately called a bandhi.
"Stop Zakira's punishment immediately. Tell the guards I take
back the sentence. I have forgiven her."
The perplexed bandhi looked at Motibai questioningly. "Woh
Begum Sahiba, Shehenshah ne khud rukwa diya..."
Sometime Later...
In Jodha's Chambers
"When so much had happened Jodha did you not feel the need
to tell me all this? I know my position as your maid but I thought you treated
me like a friend and sister..." Moti was feeling very low and was tear-eyed.
Jodha looked up guiltily. " I was blinded with rage
yesterday..." She had finally recounted the previous day's happenings to
Moti.
"But Jodha it was very good of the Shehenshah to stop the punishment.
Poor Zakira."
"It wasn't at all. He has insulted ME by doing so. Agreed I erred
there. Still. He could have waited. Also, he stopped it not because of his
generosity but because of his Khas Kaneez who went and served him early morning."
Jodha didn't understand Moti's stance at all. Why was she
supporting Jalal throughout? Even now. she has nothing to say against him.
"Jodha, he has done this to SAVE you from disgrace. Not to
disgrace you." With that Moti took her leave.
Jodha stared at her retreating figure blankly. What did Moti
mean by that? All the begums in the Harem were gossiping about her. She knew
it. How had Shehenshah saved her from disgrace? She was confused. She could not
come to a definite conclusion.
Present
Midnight
In Jodha's Chambers
She had spent the entire day in thinking about the issue.
What she wanted to do was going and shouting at Shehenshah for what he had
done. But Moti had stopped her. Later she had actually understood his actions. She
would have been maligned. Thank the Lord he stopped it. But.
He had, as usual, refused to see her. She had just wanted to
convey her gratitude. If he indeed cared for her, why couldn't he meet her just
once? No. She thought she had committed a blunder by thanking him. She shouldn't
have done that. He did not deserve it. When the guard had said the Emperor was
busy, she knew he was with Benazir.
With great difficulty she had restrained
herself from asking the guard about that. Sleep evaded her today. She was deep
in thought. She had felt deeply hurt when Jalal refused to see her. But she had
promised Moti to thank him. So she did as she did.
Why was she feeling so terrible? Why was she so upset with
Shehenshah? Why did she hate Benazir so much? Didn't he spend many a night with
his other begums before? Why did she not feel anything then? Why now? Why did
she care so much about his whereabouts? Why did she not want Benazir in Agra
anymore? Why did she not like when Jalal did not meet her?
Why did she want to
meet him? Why did she want HIM to meet her? Why did she want HIM to WANT to
meet her? Why? What was happening? Why was she bothered? Why did she feel
abandoned? She did have so many loving people in her life. Salima begum, Rahim,
Ammijaan, Moti, her family at Amer- they all loved her. Then why did HE matter
so much?
And why is he doing this? Why is he hurting me deliberately?
What did I do... She stopped there. She knew the answer to THIS question if
not to the others. But she refused to admit it. No. I did not do anything
wrong. It was his fault then to. He had no right to demand THAT from me. He
should not have forced me. FORCED?
Her rational mind echoed. When did he force her? No. He had forced me then. He
assumed it wrong. But what if she had made an error in the letter? No. She had
not made any mistake. Okay. Maybe something went wrong somewhere. But what?
Moti had personally delivered it to him. He did not assume it. He purposely did
it to satisfy his animal faculties.
No. This was all wrong. He couldn't be like this. No. He is
like this. She had misunderstood. No. She hadn't.
NOOO!! She had. NOOO!!!!!! She had not.
NOOO!! Yes!!!!!!!! No. Yes!!!!!!!!!!
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Part 5(A) - Page 17
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/110878795
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Edited by najma123 - 9 years ago
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