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THIS IS MY OWN WORK OF FICTION. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ANY OTHER PERSON'S WORK ON THIS OR ANY OTHER FORUM IS PURELY UNINTENTIONAL AND I BEG MY PARDON FOR IT.
Part 6(B)- Page 27
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/114993007
Part 7
(Banner Credits by ..Tahniat..)
A Couple Of Days Later
In The Courtyard
Jodha was returning from the temple when she saw Jalal seated on the couch. She approached him yet again. The sudden sourness of their beautiful friendship wasn't going down well with the queen.
"Pranam Shehenshah" Jodha greeted Jalal with the classic Rajput Namaste. Jalal did not respond, albeit he turned his face away from her.
"Are you angry with me for some reason?" Jodha enquired.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"Of course not, Jodha Begum." He interjected sarcastically.
"Who am I, to be angry with Her Highness, Khas Begum Jodha?" He spat out still not looking at her. He knew that, if he did look at her, his anger would automatically come down by a few notches.
Jodha quickly hid the traces of a grin forming on her face. Even in jest, he had referred to her as Khas Begum.
"It is better you leave me alone now. Please leave." Jalal said with a tone of finality.
Jodha being Jodha refused to budge. She squatted down beside him and held his hand. Jalal shrugged it away giving her a glance. Jodha pulled his hand again. "Fine, you are angry with me for some reason. Don't show your anger on Kanha's prasad." She nudged him, holding the prasad out for Jalal to take. And, he did. She knew he wouldn't disrespect her Gods.
She wondered though... There had always been a tinge of doubt that he did it to somehow gain her affection. She didn't bother as yet. At least, he was talking to her. Wait. Where did that come from? From when did HE talking to HER matter to HER so much???
"Now, tell me. What did I do? Why do you find fault with everything I do? I think it's a problem with your way of thinking." She confessed.
"Khuda ke liye, aap nazariye ki baat na karein, Jodha Begum. I am your lawfully wedded husband, aren't I? I have every legal right over you. But, you... Have you ever given me any rights as a husband? Have you even treated me like one? Have you even let me touch you after months of marriage? I thought Rajputs are a fiercely loyal clan. I am yet to see the much spoken loyalty." He concluded.
Saying so, he got up and abruptly left, the facade of a calming exterior now showing signs of cracks. She was hurt. Jalal had never chided Jodha such. Openly, about her deliberation to accept him. How dare he? He cannot force himself upon me. Does he not think of anything else other than physical gratification? No wonder, he allows that Benazir to trail after him.
...
A few days passed with the cold war between the Shehenshah and his favourite Begum worsening and the bitter winds affected the rest of the palace as well. Servants and bandhis got a firing instead of a reprimand. Musicians and artists got a cold shoulder not the usual appreciation and gifts. Other Begums of the Harem desperately prayed that Shehenshah would cast them at least a careless glance. But, it seemed as if Jahanpanah had had eyes or ears for Jodha Begum all along and if not her, then for none.
Only Benazir benefitted from the spat. Jalal would purposely come close to her in Jodha's presence as if to show her that he had others falling at his feet. Benazir soon realised that Jalal only wanted to make Jodha jealous and was using her as a weapon. He hadn't touched her even once.
Jodha doesn't know, the control she has on His Highness, she mused. Foolish woman. For the first time ever, Benazir was jealous of another woman. She had always prided herself with the fact that she could make any man go weak in his knees. She had heard and she had been advised that Shehenshah Jalaluddin Mohammad was a tad bit different from all those lustful men she had encountered. The Emperor showed no interest in her whatsoever. He barely looked at her and when he did glance at her, SHE turned up at the precise moment to steal even the fleeting glance from her. Oh. She was annoyed as hell with Jodha Begum. She had noticed too, that, this Hindu Begum was the apple of the Emperor's eye. Her past meetings with both had proven her ideas.
Flashback
The Day of Tansen's Second Concert
In Jalal's Chambers
Benazir walked in to Shehenshah's chambers on his orders. She stopped at the entrance to find Jodha Begum standing beside the Shehenshah. Jalal cast a disinterested glance at her and gestured her to come in. His eyes and words did not go in sync, she noted. "Adaap Shehenshah. Adaap Begum Sahiba."
"Mohtarma Benazir, I had ordered a new set of dresses for you. How do you find them?"
"Oh, they are extremely beautiful, my lord." Benazir cooed, simultaneously observing the barely concealed expressions of fury on Jodha Begum's face.
"I think, Shehenshah, is busy now, with his Khas Begum. I would take your leave now, Jahanpanah." She said but making no attempt to move. She knew, he would ask her to stop. "I have another gift for you, my dear." Jalal flirtatiously added. His eyes not leaving Jodha even for a second. Saying so, he took out an ostentatiously decorated ornament box. He opened it and there it was; an extremely beautiful armlet. Jodha's face turned darker. "This piece of jewellery should belong to none but you." Jalal said, casting another furtive glance at Jodha. What is going on between these two? And why the fuss over the armlet? Was it hers by any chance? She laughed mentally. The Emperor of India took way too much liberty in giving away his wife's things.
She accepted it, "Mashallah, it is indeed pretty. It is like none other I have seen."
"It will look even better if you wore it on your foot." He commented. Oh, now Shehenshah was even insulting his Khas Begum so. She lifted her foot, placing it on the bed that Jalal lay on, wore the armlet at her ankle.
"See, now it looks even more gorgeous. You have enhanced its beauty."
"Hume lagta hai, Jodha Begum ko aapke is taufe se kuch aitraaz hai." She carelessly commented.
"No, not at all. I don't think Jodha Begum would have a problem with it. By the way, Jodha Begum is done with me here. Do you have anything more to say, Jodha Begum?" Jalal mocked feigning innocence.
Jodha was extremely displeased. He had asked her to leave in front of that bandhi! This was the limit!
"Nothing at all. I have nothing more to say to you." She stomped out of the room. Jalal too turned away from Benazir, taking a whiff of his Hukka.
Benazir sat down on the couch next to the Shehenshah and placed her hands on his taut shoulders. Jalal flinched. "She is your Begum-e-Khas, isn't she? Your eyes never left her even once. It is the first time that this kaneez stood in front and a man's eyes had strayed away from her."
"There is nothing like that. I have some engagements to attend to. I must leave." Saying so, Jalal left.
Present
At Night
Jalal's Private Quarters
Jodha wanted to talk to him about their misunderstanding. The happenings of that night. She did have a plausible explanation. Jalal had refused to listen. Now, she decided enough was enough. She walked in, though the guards tried stopping her, she had refused to listen. "Do you have the audacity to stop Khas Begum Jodha?" Her thundering gaze had frightened the guards to no end. She had to talk to him. She had to tell him the real reason for the rejection. She resolved. Finally, reaching his chambers, she spotted Jalal lying lazily on his luxurious bed, she was about to acquaint him about her presence, when she saw another movement.
Benazir! She thought with dismay. Not again, that too at night in his bedroom. Jalal, it seemed was mesmerized in the dancer's utterly ungracious moves. What is she trying to do? Was she entertaining him privately? Was he actually... No. He cannot. Jalal wouldn't. Or would he? His actions lately had indicated this precisely. She had behaved like an ostrich and buried her head in the sand of hope.
With tears of anger and rejection now forming in her eyes, she hurried out of the room. Jalal didn't notice her arrival or departure. He was perhaps too taken by the enticing lady with him.
Outside In The Courtyard
Jodha came out, composing herself and wiping her tears away. She couldn't look like discarded property. Her ego did not allow her too. She heard noises. People laughing and the sound of glasses, and bangles. She walked in the direction of the disturbance to find some Begums having a gala time drinking and merry making. Oh. Shehenshah and his Begums having the time of their lives, albeit not with each other. I don't think anything else ever happens in this palace apart from jashn and partying. She thought. She was about to turn around and leave when.
"Jodha Begum"
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Part 8 - Page 34
Pati Patni Aur Panga
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
