Chapter 8: Part II
(At the fort of Amer)
Raja Bharmal was sitting at his throne, lost in pensive thoughts. His aged and wise prime-minister stood at one side of the throne, while Khangar Singh in his army attire stood at other. The news of the capture of Sujamal and Bhagwant Das had reached Amer. The fate of 3/4th of finest of the Rajput armymen that had gone with Bhagwant Das were also sealed. With fistful of men left for inexperienced Khangar Singh to command, Raja Bharmal was assessing the chances they had, to the best of his wits.
Just then, the guard entered the court room.
Guard: My king, there is a messenger of Sharifud’din waiting at the gate. He is here with his master’s message and insists to see you.
Bharmal (calm): Bring him in.
Guard left and shortly after, arrived with a tall dark, lean, gloomy man.
Bharmal: Speak
Messenger: My lord Sharif’ud’din has a proposition for you, king of Amer. With your permission and excuse to my life, I shall read the letter addressed to you.
Bharmal: Read
Messenger:
“Bharmal, I would have referred you as “King of Amer”, but given the defeat your fleet of men have suffered at my hands, you no longer seem to be retaining your kingship for long, so formalities, what for??
I have the lives of your two sons and a huge number of your finest army men at my call.
Open the gates of Amer fort, welcome my men in, swear your undying fidelity to my reign at the throne and subjects of Amer, and I shall let your sons, your men, and you LIVE..
Sharif’ud’din,
the Mogul commander of Nagaur, Mewat”
Before the messenger could even finish the read,Khangar roared like a raging lion and ran towards the messenger with his sword to retaliate the insulting address, that came off his mouth..
Bharmal (yelled in the loudest of his otherwise calm voice): KHANGAR STOP!!
Khangar Singh writhed in anger, but stopped at his king’s command..
Bharmal rose up, came down the throne, stood afront the messenger, who by now seemed to be trembling in the fear of death. All of king’s strategies crept at the back of his head, there was no other way, the honor of his people had to be protected, and head of the serpent had to be struck off with whatever force he was left with.
Bharmal (seething in anger): “Tell your master, all my men, both my sons- I do not seek their release, they are martyrs for me now..and I shall avenge their martyrdom with whatever strength I’m left with. I’ll not let that filthy, gutter- pest master of yours lay his eyes on my ground or my people, forget his foot. We prepare for charge, I hope you reach earlier to that miscreant scoundrel master of yours, before we do…..LEAVE NOW!!!”
The messenger ran for his life..Bharmal looked at Khangar Singh, nodded for him to prepare the whatever men they were left with, for charge. Khangar Singh left along with the prime-minister.
Sensing someone’s eyes on him Bharmal looked up and saw the infuriated Jodha, who had heard the entire conversation. The tear of rage had prickled her eyes to blood red. She was seething in anger sending an unversed plea to her father, the tears were threatening to flood their boundaries, but before they could Bharmal gave her the mute consent that she had been requesting for and she left to give in to her destiny’s call.
The words had spread in the entire palace as a wildfire, that remaining men would be leaving to face the enemy. Mainavati knew the time had come, she laid out the armour, shield and sword of Bharmal, gazing in for one last time, she smeared the sacred vermillion on it.
Mainavati: Let me help you with clasping the armour.
Bharmal: My queen, I leave the women, children, and old to you, I shall take the men with me.
Mainavati (gave a calm smile): I promise you, we shall protect our honor till our last breath, and if it came to end, the enemy would not be even able to touch our ashes.
The unbreachable resilience of his queen shook Bharmal with an ultimate sense of pride and regard, he hugged Mainavati and without looking back again, left for the waiting infantry.
In no time, the rajput infantry had assembled, the army men usually left behind for the security of the fort, as the second line of defense had all been roped in. The men from the common subjects who were equipped with artillery and warfare strategies also joined in the infantry at the call of duty. Women, children, and old from the city were moved to palace, under the protection of Queen- Mainavati, the young blood-Man Singh (Bhagwant Das son) and her guards of honor. The palace gates were sealed from within and the small yet modest count of rajput men were ready for the call of charge, under the leadership of their king himself. The infantry was split in two, one was placed under the command of Khangar Singh, and other was yet awaiting their commander.
The palace gates opened for the last time, and out came their princess, Harka Bai (Jodha) all clad in a warrior’s attire, on the swiftest horse of Amer, her Badal. Her lean yet toned musculature reverberated a ferocity that emanated out of her metallic armour. The two light weight swords (made of the finest ardent steel) hung on either side of her waistband. She was one of the few warriors in Amer who could fight with the same finesse with both of her hands, hence she preferred the twin swords. Her back adorned with crossed spears which were much smaller in size than the regular warfare spears, yet in the hands of their princess they were one of the deadliest and formidable weapons she could forge against her enemies . A whip served as her waistband, the one that would skin the opponent in every single lash that she was brutally trained to hurl on. She had painted her face in green/ black stripes that made her seem more like a young lad, than a princess in hiding, completely unrecognisable. The entire infantry gave a huge cry of welcome, seeing their princess hurling on her Badal towards them. She was loved, respected for her potential and revered as one of the gem warriors of Amer, if not more than in no way less than the crown princes themselves.
She slowed her Badal’s pace and took the position afront her batallion, acknowledging her men with a small welcoming nod. Khangar’s eye beemed with pride. Jodha looked at her father.
Bharmal: While I would lead the infantry from afront, I give you, your commanders in chief, their command shall be your action. IF WE DIE, WE SHALL ALL DIE TOGETHER…FOR THE HONOR OF AMER”..The Enemy awaits, prepare for the CHARGE!!!
By this time messenger had reached Sharif’ud’din.. Breathless he charged into the tent of his scornful master.
Messenger (panting heavily): My lord, the raj..rajputs, they are preparing for the charge..Attack,,, can attack any second..
Sharifud’din (infuriated): WHAT THE HELL? DIDN’T YOU TELL THEM I SHALL HAVE THEIR MEN’S HEAD STRUCK OFF??
Messenger (trembling): I did my lord, but the king said, he wont seek the release of his son or men, that, that, they are martyrs for him now, and he will avenge their sacrifice and honor..
Sharif’ud’din (yelled): FOOLS!!! ALL THEY WANT IS TO DIE..SO LET IT BE… I SHALL GIVE THEM WHAT THEY SEEK..PREPARE FOR CHARGE, NOWWW..
Leaving few men to guard the brutally assaulted princes, and other chained rajput men, Sharif’s men assembled again to face the approaching fleet of men. The brutal clash and loss Sharif’s men had faced from Bhagwant’s attack had left them unnerved, exhausted, with stooping morale to yet again stand up and face the formidable foes, who never back down- tha rajputs. But the command of their master had come, with utter reluctance and exhaustion they lined up, only hoping that the count of men approaching would be too small, and may be there would be a glimmer of hope that they would be able to overpower them.
The two forces stood again, one at the top of hill where the fort of Amer stood tall, and other at the places on foot hill. The infuriated and exhausted Sharif’ud’din gave the command to their men to charge ahead. Reluctant men charged towards the fort to make their way uphill.
Jodha (restless, pacing her Badal slowly) looked at Bharmal for his command.
Bharmal looked at the approaching fleet of enemy, yet gave no command. Sensing Jodha’s and Khangar’s eagerness,
Bharmal (calm): Let them close in.
Jodha sensed the strategy and yelled at the top of her voice,
Jodha : Archers, prepare!
Despite being in small count, the only benefit Bharmal and his infantry had, was being on top and before getting into hand to hand combat, he wanted to ensure that he took the maximum benefit of their position.
Archers tucked their arrows in the bows, waiting for the enemy to come within the range of the shot.
Just, then the dawn broke out, and with the rising sun, came the loud shrill sound of trumpets indicating the approach of a massive fleet, that shuddered the hearts of both Sharif’ud’din;his men and rajputs alike. The speed and size of the approaching fleet was so huge, that in the wake of their passing a huge storm of dirt, hurled backing them like an appraching gruesome giant, ready to engulf all that came in its way.
The approaching steps of Sharif’s men halted to where they were, they trembled, shook in fear and with receding steps started running back to their posts..Rage and utter disgust fueled Sharif’ud’din nerves. He yelled and spat in anger “NOOOO…This can not happen, this can not happen”..
The scene had changed, Bharmal looked keenly and utterly confused at the approaching fleet that was gushing past the foothill plains in direction of Sharif’s men like a gust of wind, as if chasing Sharif’s men. It was a cavalry with a Mogul flags hurling, troops of strong men, riding massive stallions, leaded by a huge devil of a man who was riding at such an immense speed that the rajput king couldn’t even see him properly. If it was an aid for Moguls, why would Sharif's men back off?
Jodha yelled, panic laced with rage dripped off her voice, “Its a huge Mogul fleet baba, it is a massive cavalry, they must have come for Sharif’ud’din’s aid”
It was then that Bharmal could focus his gaze on the leading commander of the massive fleet, the huge, towering warrior, was the devil himself, Bharmal’s gaze widened and the words that came off his mouth, sank Jodha’s and Khangar’s hope, “Its him, Jalal’ud’din Mohd”…
"NO", a reluctant gasp came off Jodha's throat. She knew, all hope of overpowering Sharif was lost, with Jalul'ud'din backing him up, there was no way out. Death was the destination now, A small drop of tear dared to prick her eyes, she looked back at her fort, reminiscised her people, perhaps for the last time, gazed back at calm stooper of her infantry and yelled at the top of her voice, "IF DEATH IT IS, SO BE IT"..Khangar Singh joined in "FOR AMER, JAI BHAVANI"..The electrified infantry gave the war cry, hailed the deity, and held their position looking up to their king, waiting for him to command..
But the calm king, was still looking atop the hill, trying the decode the meaning of the changed events and perhaps the intent of the infamous devil incarnate, the merciless Mogul King," Jalal'ud'din Mohd"..
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