CHAPTER 16:
Jalal was sitting blank on the floor. Vaidhya Sadanand was blabbering as usual, but not a single word was inserting inside his ears. His thoughts were looping into a doom of repentance, while a slight trace of uncanny satisfaction smiling from a corner of his heart. He could not forget the last night with Purnima... he could not forget her melancholic eyes... and he could not forget the warmth of taking her in his embracement. It was all spontaneous, but at an instance that opened the door of the new angle of their relationship, the truth of their relationship which they both were trying to escape.
How strange, isn't it? Being an emperor Jalal has come across a lot of women in his life. The intimate touch of a woman is not new for him. But still, he never ever felt such saturation along with restlessness at the same time like he is feeling right now. Purnima Bai has changed the direction of his mind in these very less days... She has been mingled in his entity... Her eyes, her smile, her touch are no more just an addiction for him, they have become the most precious elements to live his life...
Has he fallen in love for her? Is falling in love so simple and easy?
But what next? There is a bigger truth beyond all this. That there is no Chandrajeet Rathore exists in this world. The reality is Jalaluddin Mohammad, the ruthless, ambitious Jalaluddin Mohammad, whose one and only dream is to expand his empire more and more and more... the dreamy moony nights with a simple dessert girl should not get access in between those vast and great dreams.
Still why does the heart stings!
And now, after all these, is she going to meet him anymore? Jalal had to urge for a big apology from her. Else how would he survive with...
"Though we are happy that our Rajkunwari is getting married to a great clan, still, we cannot think if an Amer without Rajkunwari Jodha Bai." Sadanand kept on talking. "There is her engagement ceremony today afternoon. I am invited there... there is a big celebration..."
"Vaidyaji!"
There was such a strange strength in Jalal's normal voice, that Vaidya Sadanand was shocked for a while. Jalal composed his voice just at the moment, and asked him "Do you know Purnima Bai? She is one of the attendants of the princess."
"No... How would I..." VaidyaJi sudden became unmindful, and after that he started stammering. "Well... P..Purnima Bai... Maybe... But why are you..."
"She used to come to me with foods and drinks... I..." Jalal looked restless again. "So... so you don't know about her whereabouts. Like where she lives and all..."
"No I don't." Sadanand told in hurry.
"But she must be there in the celebration... So I can..." Jalal kept on...
"Hey, are you planning to enter inside the fort again that too with my help?" Sadanand frowned deeply and shouted a bit violently, perhaps because he has guessed what is going on in this young lad's mind. "Don't you have any fear??? Do you want to implicate me too along with you??"
"No... no, I was not meaning that..." Jalal told in hurry and then became silent and gloomy. Though in his mind he was coming up with thousands of ideas to enter inside the fort again, but he knows he cannot take that risk anymore for his whimsicality.
"Well, your wound is almost recovered. I must say you have a strong immunity, you took lesser time to be cured than I had expected." The old physician announced somewhat enthusiastically while checking his feet. "So now, what is your further plan?"
Jalal did not answer and unmindfully picked up his knife which was kept at side. While watching the blade of that he suddenly remembered the shining smile of her blazing eyes... He closed eyes and sighed.
"What happened?" Vaidyaji had noticed his out of character behaviour, so he asked.
"Nothing... I just want to go back... to my home!" Jalal uttered listlessly while caressing the hilt of the knife with utter care.
"Ohk... Good..." It seemed Vaidji sighed of relief. He is quite a straight and simple man and hardly understands anything of the rest of the world except his field of naturopathy, still, today from the attitude of this young lad he had suspected right that he has been attracted towards Purnima Bai', and his heart was shivering while thinking about the result of this. Jalal's word gave him relief. "Though you're not completely healed, I too think you should go away... but..."
Meanwhile Jalal was staring at the knife, concentrating all his thoughts on the design of the hilt. He knows there is a word engraved on that... a word of blessings for his secured and prospering future... a blessing from his father... His father had a vast expectations from him right from his birth, and he has never let him to be disappointed a bit... there is a lot of people around him who does have vast expectations from him... they love him, they care for him, they are waiting for him... Jalal has no right to put their expectations on stake just to fulfil his whimsical dreams. There are a lot, a lot of contents in his life which are much more important than a girl he met in this enemy land only some days before... Like how he is going back from here... Strangely there is no trace of Abdul after so many days! It cannot be happen! Despite knowing what was his condition and how much was his life and safety is dependent on a responsible person like Abdul cannot be so late! This is the 4rth day after he left... where is he? Is he in danger??
The serious thoughts were able to stabilize his mind temporarily, and he was able to get back the form of a responsible emperor. "Vaidya Ji..." He asked. "Can you please do me a favour? Can you please get me a horse? Or a camel? Anything by which I can go back to my country?"
"Horse... Aaa..." Sadanand started thinking. First of all it's not easy for him to get a horse for this unknown person who might be categorise as a trespasser in the law of Amer, and secondly, he could not understand if it will be okay to let him leave without informing anything in royal palace. He decided to talk with the princess about him before promising him about the horse.
"It will be very helpful if you arrange anything for me..." Jalal smiled helplessly. He was tensed now. Not for him, but for Abdul.
Vaidya Sadanand left after talking gibberish for some more time. After he went off, Jalal's eyes listlessly roamed around the whole little cottage. A big sigh automatically came out. Had he ever imagined that a small disguise and a small drama for sake of safety will become a truth of life this way?
After some time he got out of the hut and started walking through the path towards the temple aimlessly. The confusion of own mind mingling with the real tension for Abdul and his own safety started storming inside his heart. He just needed a bit fresh air to escape from the confusion and concentrate his mind in the real matters!
...
"You know how terrible Jodha's father-in-law looks! Anyone will get afraid of him if he sees him in dark! And his moustaches! O My God!"
"You're right Bhabi... Thank God our Jijasa is not like his father. He is so handsome!!"
"Tu chup kar! I know you're jealous!"
"WHY?? I will get even more handsome husband! Dekh Lena Huh!!"
The chitchatting of the girls was going on along with the preparations of the engagement ceremony. Jodha was sitting quiet amidst of all in complete attire of a new bride with full of ornaments and a heavy lahenga, and was completely unmindful to all the kind of gossips going on regarding her and her marital house. She is fond of this type of family chatting, and she might have joined them with all enthusiasm if it was any other normal day. But today it was different. She was unable to be happy even after trying so much from morning. The fake sweet smile fixed in her lips was getting clouded time-to-time. Perhaps the others did not notice, but Jodha was still fighting with her heart with all her logic inside.
"Buasa..." Suddenly the young voice of Maan Singh floated in the air among the crowd of meaningless giggling of the women crowd. Poor Maan Singh had been made a scapegoat by the other male members of the family to penetrate inside the troop of these women to pass an important news. And it's needless to say how he fought alone with the army of these young women, but at last Jodha came as his rescuer.
"Everyone... excuse me," Jodha came forward and pulled Maan Singh's hand to draw him in a rear place without leaving any clue to anyone. Maan Singh was relieved as well as surprised, and before he started to say something Jodha looked at his eyes.
"Can I trust you, Maan?"
"What kind of joke is this Buasa?" Maan Singh responded with a confused smile.
Jodha did not answer. The resplendence of ornaments and the gorgeous dress had amplified her glowing beauty, but there was no glow in her face. It was not visible clearly, but if someone sees her from closer, he will clearly see the faint blot of weary and gloom imprinted on her moon-like face. Instead of answering she took out a letter from under her veil. "Will you please give this letter to someone on behalf of me?"
"Letter?" Maan Singh uttered!
"Yes..." Jodh handed him the letter. "You will find a man near the abandoned temple outside of the border of the fort. Please give him the letter and tell him that Purnima Bai has sent this to him."
A lot of questions were pinching Maan, but he did not ask anything and took the letter. "Promise me, none will get to know about this." Jodha uttered.
"You can have faith on me." Maan assured. "But Buasa..."
"Don't worry Maan, I will not do anything which will tell upon the reputation of my clan."
"I know this Buasa... But..." Maan asked after a moment. "Who is this mysterious man Buasa? I remember you once told me about him and had sent me to save him from the eyes of the soldiers of Amer and the prince of Bhangarh. Who is this stranger for whom the princess of Amer has to write letter in a fake name?"
Jodha smiled palely. "Perhaps I could really know who he is!"
"Buasa..."
"He is a man, Maan Singh... A true man, a perfect man... A valiant warrior... a saviour... a protector..." Jodha pronounced each word with a firm potency. "You may think I am talking too much emotional, but I myself have seen him to endanger his life to save the lives of those poor slam-dwellers. I do not want him to be harassed in hand of the soldiers of Amer, so..." She stopped supposing this much is enough to quench the curiosity of Maan Singh, then looked at Maan. "Maybe what I am doing is not correct as per the rule of Amer, but do you think it is wrong to save someone's life breaking the law? After all laws are made for humans, humans are not made for laws!"
"I believe whatever you have decided to do, you have decided after giving that a good thought and your decision cannot be wrong." Maan smiled heartily. "Don't worry Buasa, I will hand him this letter safely, and even he will not be able to know about everything."
"Thank you Maan." This time Jodha smiled brighter.
"Buasa, I had to tell you something more..." Maan hesitated before telling. "The prince of Bhangarh had visited the arsenals, the small training camps of Amer. Also I got to know he had gone to the rescue camps. It seemed he is not much happy after that."
"But... why?"
"I suspect..." Maan sighed before telling, then told with a hesitation. "He is not liking your involvements in these state affairs... maybe..."
...
Jalal sat on the step of the abandoned temple. This is the place from where he started his journey in disguise. He had tied his Tufan right under the shadow of that tree... that is the rock from where Abdul had started his journey of crossing the desert via feet only for him. Four days, four days have passed... and still the future is uncertain... Here his heart is entangled with dreams and desires which he perhaps never would have imagined in the attire of an emperor. The desert girl has won him. The pride of an emperor has accepted his defeat in front of the grace and vigour of that valiant, sharp and complete woman. But the spontaneity of a common young man has won her. Maybe what emperor Jalaluddin Mohammad could never do, the poor vagabond Chandrajeet Rathore has done! Jalal's heart kept on bouncing between his identity of emperor and Chandrajeet, hence the restlessness kept on increasing.
Suddenly a slight sound of neigh broke his static. He got up at once, carefully watching the surroundings. He saw a black house is rushing towards him. A man dressed with a complete black dress and a black turban hiding his face, is boarding on that.
Before Jalal could do anything to hide himself, the horse came too near. Jalal's instinct of a warrior arose at once. He took his position and his right hand automatically went on the hilt of the dagger of his waistband.
But the rider of the horse did not seem to be in mood of fight. He slowed down his horse when it was in front of Jalal. Jalal could only see a glimpse of his bright eyes. He stretched his hand and poured a piece of paper in Jalal's palm. "This one is from Purnima Bai..." Only a sound floated in the air when Jalal picked his eyes from that paper, as the rider of the horse had passed a pretty well distance between that very short instances.
Jalal kept on staring with a deep frown. Who was this rider of black horse?
And he was carrying a letter of Purnima Bai???
Excitedly he opened the letter. But alas! If he could read only! Perhaps he never felt so helpless for being illiterate like today.
And perhaps in the disappointment of not be able to read the letter, his cautious eyes missed the pair of those suspicious eyes behind the bushes capturing the whole incident of this letter-exchange...
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