HBAS Chat corner

'Ya Allah! Save my soul' the old adviser sucked in a fresh gulp of air 'Please tell me you're not having doubts that our Akbar knew about all this?'

This time it took many more lengthy sighs for the Shehzaade to come back with an answer. 'Well... the information I received, is that Akbar not only KNOWS about all of this... but that he seized every single scroll... had them burnt... imprisoned the messengers... basically' he almost seemed amused by this point 'that Akbar buried it all underground, so nothing would come out in the open...'

'WHAT?' blinked Farooq Sahib. 'No' he blinked again. 'No... no... no... this cannot be true... who brought you such bizarre information, my Huzoor?'

'A Hindu prince'

'What?' his head shook, under the shadow of his large scholarly turban 'You cannot believe the words of a Hindu prince, Huzoor! The Hindus always have ulterior motives... dividing us, by coming up with such stories!'

'Farooq Sahib... don't you think I recognise that?'

'Huzoor... 10 years we've known Akbar... all that has ever mattered to him is YOUR well-being! The loyalty that runs in his veins is deeper than the colour of blood...' he brushed an awkward finger through his long beard 'he wouldn't commit treason to protect a mere woman, would he?'

'Obviously...' scoffed the Shehzaade 'obviously he wouldn't!'

He then turned away, to break the edgy monotony by beginning to take a casual stroll across his chamber - possibly to mask his expressions from the adviser 'Of course, I know... I know that I cannot trust the words of a Hindu Kunwar over Akbar... Of course I know he wouldn't commit treason, to protect his Begum... not against ME!' His stares locked down at a spot on the floor. A tiny ant was scuttling about his spot, maybe tracing its way back home. For many moments he watched the spot, his mind journeying elsewhere...

'Huzoor... I would like to be promoted to the rank of a special-ranking Mansabdar... permanently posted at Parnagarh!'

'Huzoor... then with your word as assurance, can I take it that my family and my men will be safe... even if and when I'm not around, to protect them?'

'The Sahiba will become family Huzoor... when I make her my bride... with your blessings, of course...'

'Not a manoeuvre Huzoor... but a desperate measure... I realised I couldn't sit by and let her die... not today... not ever'

'Of course I know' Abruptly crushing the little ant into a flat carcass with the sole of his foot, the Mughal heir turned around 'I know better than to doubt my intelligence officer'

He returned to take his place opposite the old adviser, jutting his chin out. 'But I would be a fool, if I didn't look into these allegations... that too, allegations brought to my personal attention by a prince, no less... HOWEVER absurd those allegations may sound!'

'Which is why you want ME to investigate Akbar Mahmoud Khan?'

'Yes'

Originally posted by: --cute.manasi--

ohhh

its becoming sooo gripping...