Akdha FF: Feast of Memories (On Hold) - Page 10

Chapter 18: The Love Blossom

How did I let dad convince me about all this? We sat in the restaurant. I had assumed that it would be just me and my family but dad has just call Vikrant and invite him too. He sat next to me. My birthday and dad wouldn't let me decide who to call for a brunch. Dadu and everyone gave me gifts.

"How are you? Better now? I guess you were a bit shaken from that whole thing." He said.

"Oh, you're talking about the attack that took place which you ran away leave me alone to deal with?" I asked tauntingly.

"Alone? Jalal was with you. I didn't leave you alone." He defended him.

"Right, I forgot that we often leave the person we're dating with someone else when under attack." I taunted.

"Jodha, stop it. I already told you. He didn't do anything wrong. He was just spooked with all that. It was a natural reaction. I called him here to talk about your marriage. His parents and I spoke, we both agreed to fix both of your marriage together. There is a good date next month." Dad told me.

"Lovely? When did you decide to tell? When you send me a invitation to my own wedding?" I asked him. What does he mean that he decided to fix my marriage without telling me?

"I would have if you just tried to spend some time with us." Dad commented. I felt my temper rise.

"Good then. I have decided to pull a no show to the marriage. It is not mine so I'm not needed."

"What is this, Jodha? Don't be a child."

"Dad, if your treat me like one, I will behave like a child."

"What is this about, Jodha?"

"This is about you treating me like I'm a naive child, dad. When I'm at work, you treat me as if I know nothing although I have spent half of my life till now into it. Now when it comes to my life after, you have taken the decision without asking me. For once dad, stop treating me as if I have not seen the world. I was not born yesterday."

"This is not a new thing, Jodha. Parents often select the groom for their daughters. You're reacting as if I'm the first parent to think good for my daughter. It is my right as a father to decide the right person for you and I know that Vikrant is the best for you."

"I don't know why I bother to even speak to you."

I threw the napkin on the table, got up and walked out. Why does dad have to ruin thing on this day? I stood by the entrance for a cab when dad walked out.

"What is wrong with? Why are you always so adamant to make me look bad in front of everyone. So many people saw it. We have some respect, Jodha. Please stop ruining it."

"Dad, I am tired. I am totally tired of you deciding for me. It is suffocating. My suggestion are of no importance to you. Sometimes I think that it is Daisy who is your own child and I am the one you had to accept without a choice. Dad, what do you even know about me? My likes, my dislikes, my ideal and my wishes? What do you know?"

"Is this because of Jalal? He is feeding you all this nonsense? What does he know about you?"

"Dad, who is he? He is practically a stranger to me. You, you are my own father. You tell me. What do you know about me?"

"Jo-"

"Do you know my favorite color? My favorite fruit? My favorite perfume? Or at least my favorite childhood story? Do you even remember what I last wished for on my birthday? Or at the least my favorite toy as a child?"

He just stood there silently. I gave a dry chuckle.

"You're asking what he knows about, dad, but do you know about me? He was practically no one to me yet it felt like he knew more about me more than you. Excuse me for saying this, dad, but this is how my life is going to be. Just like yours. Married to someone without giving much thought. Having a child, being stuck with the responsibility of it. Seeing it as a burden while having to deal with the company and not even knowing anything about the child. So, lost in my life and what I want because it won't be until I reach 30 that you'll ever think I am capable. When i finally look capable to you, I'll just jump up on opportunity because that will be the first time I'll live for myself. In that, my child will grow up and there would be nothing I know about him or her." My vision getting watery. I dabbed my handkerchief near my eyes.

He looked away, clearly angry that I said all that. I sat in the cab and left for home. In the evening we had to meet up for a party. It was one of the biggest investors in the country and it was an important deal for us. I tried to calm myself for that while I sat in my home. Shanti walked in.

"Would you like to have something?" She asked me.

"Some cool juice, tai." I told her. She nodded with a smile. She waited for a moment. "Is something wrong, tai?"

"Don't take me wrongly, beta. I see you as my daughter. I have seen you grow up. If I should have the courage and dare enough, I'd say that I have raised you for 18 years. In all the 18 years, I never have seen a day when you have lived for yourself. You liked playing with cars but because your father would say to his people that you were a girl and would like dolls, you started playing with them regardless of what you liked. You wanted to be a painted and always had the talent but for him, you became a businesswoman. You have spent you whole life trying to please him. Yet, if the person is not pleased then probably you should stop. Take a while to make yourself happy, baba. You're one of the most rare people I have come across. No businesswoman of your ambition would be so compassionate as to show up at a young girl's birthday party just because she's your driver's daughter and her father works for you personally. You spend most of your money on charity and trying to do the right thing. Sometimes, listening to other people put that 'doing the right thing' at risk. Listen to your heart. It will tell you the truth." She said. She never had to be told what I was feeling. As if she had learnt telepathy, she would just know.

I walked to her and hugged her.

"I just don't anymore, tai. It just feels like I want to quit because nothing is ever enough for dad. I don't want to make him seem wrong in front of people but then he does thinks that puts others in risk." I cried a bit. She caressed my hair softly.

"You are a wonderful woman, baba. You have only wanted to make him proud but sometimes you can't walk the same path as him to make him proud. You have always done his wish but you don't seem like an elder until you stand up and do what seems right to you. Your sense of right and wrong has always been perfect and very honest. Don't change what is the deep truth about you to make someone else happy. You can only make others happy when you do something happily rather than forcefully." She comforted me.

The morning had started perfectly. The first people to wish me were Jatin, Sakshi, Dadi, Dadu and my mom. I felt bad that Jalal didn't call me. I thought he would call me to wish me a birthday.

I wore the lehenga, blouse and dupatta set that Dadu gave me. Dad had invited the investors to the birthday party of mine. It was mostly a business party on the name of a birthday. When I was finally dressed, I walked down. Dadu gave me a bright smile. He offered me his arm. I smiled and took it.

"You look beautiful, meri bacchi. Almost like an angel. 24 years ago, the first time I ever held you, you felt like a blessing that came to our family. You were the most beautiful baby I had ever seen. Sweetest brown eyes and with those tiny pair of arms, you almost held my heart. I never knew what it was to love another girl except your dadi until you came into our lives. I knew that I loved you almost instantly and promised myself to do everything to protect you." He said. I smiled at him. Regardless of everything, dadu loved me the most. Till the last breath, he would stand by me and I know that he would always be my favorite person.

"I love you a lot, dadu. I know I have been angry with you over this whole thing about the seat of the chairman but nothing in this world can make me stop loving you. You're my dadu, my hero and my king. I will always love you." I hugged him. He hugged me back. He kissed my head.

"May you live forever in the hearts of people and they always remember you for the beautiful heart you have." He blessed me. I smiled at him.

We walked out and people had already arrived. The business partners gave me gifts and greetings with bouquets. I then saw Nasir Ali Sheikh, Jalal's dad. I was actually surprised. Dadu smiled at them and they walked over to us with a smile.

"You look gorgeous, Jodha." His wife told me. I smiled.

"Thank you, Mrs Ali Sheikh." I thanked her. Dadu and Nasir Ali Sheikh shook hands. I looked around but couldn't find Jalal.

"He'll come soon. Jalal isn't one to make a silent entry." She told me, knowingly. I blushed. Was I so obvious? She was a beautiful woman. She had perfect straight brown hair, lovely greenish grey eyes, impeccable fashion sense and the kind look in her eyes. No doubt Jalal looked so beautiful. The woman who gave birth to him was something of grace. She commanded that air about her. Soft but strong and head strong. She was compassionate but unshaken in her values.

"Hello, beautiful." Samaira walked up. She wore a beautiful saree. I smiled and hugged her.

"Happy Birthday, sweetheart. Here, this is for you." She gave me a box. I opened it and there was a beautiful necklace. The style was almost like the ones queens wore. It would probably shine through the entire crowd.

"It is beautiful, Samaira, you didn't have to do this, though." I told her. She scoffed.

"Just get used to it, sweetheart. This is nothing compared what Jalal is going to put you through." She told me with a grin. Just as she said his name, the crowd looked around and he emerged. He looked handsome as ever. He wore black trousers, white shirt and a slytherin green coat. His signature accessories and shoes. Perfectly polished Jalal.

"It reminds me, did you send him to some sort of grooming classes or such kind of men are just born like that?" I asked Shazia Ali Sheikh jokingly. She laughed.

"Jalal? He's just Jalal. He was just simply born like that." She answered.

"Also, he was simply born to make mom like him the most." Samaira teased. I chuckled. He walked up to me.

"Happy Birthday." He greeted me. I hugged him. There was a grin on his face.

"Bhai had been gone for almost the whole week. He has been like hell busy. He had returned like a few hours ago." Samaira told me. That explained why he didn't call me. I didn't feel angry anymore. He was busy.

"I hope that you'll like it and it will help you when times are difficult for you." He explained and gave me a box. It was wrapped in wrapping paper. I smiled.

"Thank you." I thanked him. The whole evening went perfectly well. It was like a slow realization that I had begun to see him in a different light.

I opened the wrapping paper neatly and saw an old box. It was a box I could say was almost a relic or something that Government of India will take away saying it is a part of its history and belongs in the museum. It wasn't a very huge box but it was beautiful. It had a beautiful peacock on the top. Inside it was a small book and a few letters. It was enough to say that the kind of paper didn't exist in these days. I took the book. The book was written by hand. The handwriting wasn't the most beautiful but seemed exactly like that of a writer. A little messy but aesthetic. When I started reading it, I noted that it was Amir Khusrau's poetry.

I still couldn't register the whole thing? Was it his own writing? It couldn't be possible. Someone had it saved since the 12th century? Yet, I knew that it wasn't all of his poetry.

Hum dekhte rahe aapko hazaaron dafa
Par yeh kaisa asar hai pyar ka
Jitni bhi dafa dekhen phir bhi
Dil ki dhadkan dekhke yaar ko
Ho jaati hai bechain
Hote hai hum aapse khafa
Par narazgi toh khud se hai
Ki is pyar ki khumari utarti hi nahi

It wasn't a poetry I had ever heard before.

Kya ek hona hi hai is pyar ki zaroorat
Kyu hai yeh dard
Jab pyar ki toh fitrat hi hai mareez ki dawa
Hum kisi aur ke kaise ho jaaye, shehzaade?
Dil ne toh kabse aapki hi chahat ke sapne dekhe hai
Aapse kaha nahi gaya aur humse se chupa nahi gaya
Agar yeh kismat hai humari
Toh humein pyaar ki khata karne ki saza qubool hai

The writing was consistent but the poetry was different on every page. Almost like someone was putting up all their favorite poetry in a book. Then ahead was a series of painting. It was probably a man in them. The face wasn't very clear but for some reason it felt familiar. One of them was a scene of a marriage, perhaps. The wedding rituals in the Islamic custom. There was a screen and the groom behind it. I couldn't believe the detailing. Even through the sehra, you could note the green eyes teasing the bride. A grin on his face. He was playfully saying something.

Kabhi jo galti se aapko hum yaad karna bhul jaaye, sanam
Khafa mat hona humse kyuki zindagi humari rooth jaaye humse
Aap humse khafa hue toh
Kabhi jo galto se aapka naam agar bhul jaaye, sanam
Naraz na hona humse ki dil humara kabhi ruk jaaye
Jo aap humse alag ho jaaye toh
Kabhi jo hum aapko peeche chod jaaye, sanam
Chod na jana hume kyuki raahi rasta bhul sakta hai but saathi nahi

It was written below the painting. I smiled at the paintings. I had seen them for the first time but my heart smiled fondly at that. Like seeing your childhood art book after you grow up. There were several small entries written about general things.

There was another painting. In this the faces were a little more clear. Probably women's court room. There were around four women and one man were in the painting. Three of the women were sitting against one woman. It was a game. The one woman alone was confident while all the three looked a little confused. The man just looked amused. All four of them were definitely queens. They were dressed as one. The three women dressed in mughal style while the one woman was wearing a Rajput style clothing. The title of the painting was written in arabic script.

"Sheh aur maat, Padshah begum. Heer Kunwari ka pranaam swikar karein. Aap khiladi behetareen hai par tajurba hai hume au bhi bade khiladiyon ke saat satranj ka. Siyasat ka ek usool, aaj hum aapko batate hai. Shatru ko akela samajh kar use kamzor mat sochna. Wahi sabse badi haar hoti. Jise haarne ka darr nahi hota woh hi jeet ke sapne dekhte hai."

- 17th day of the Spring season, year 1620. Malika-e-hind Mariam uz zamani, Padshah Begum Nur Jahan, Arjumand Banu Begum, Ruqaiya Sultan Begum, Shehzaada Shahab-ud-din Muhammad Khurram. Commisioned by Shehenshah Nur-ud-din Muhammad Salim Jahangir. Artist- Anant Kumar Pandit.

This was the most amazing gift ever. So, almost three greatest queens of Mughal dynasty in a single frame. One rare sight. I could see the whole grandeur of the scene. It was a sight to the rare sight. It must have been a sight to see. The confidence of the woman stood out in the whole scene like she knew that she was going to win. Behind it was a a handwritten note, in the same writing as that of the poems.

Kabhi kabhi insaan ko apni fitrat, apna rutba aur apni takat dikhane ki zaroorat hoti hai, jaan. Jab sabh aapko kamzor samjhein toh awaz buland kar ke batana zaroori hota hai. Jaan hai aap humari, kabh haar ka darr sataye aur khudko akela samjhein toh yaad rakhiye ga, aapki haar Jalal ki haar hai aur Jalal ud din Muhammad Akbar kabhi haar nahi sakte.

It was written like a note on the painting.

The book still had some empty pages left. On the last page was a small written note.

Kitab-e-amanat,
Heer Kunwar, Mariam-uz-zamani

Did Jalal actually find the diary of a queen? I couldn't believe it. Finding something like that, he gave it to me as a birthday present? He has to be crazy. I wouldn't say it is like a diary with entries with date and all, it was probably a journal.

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Okay, guys. I'm so so so sorry. I know this update is long overdue but I've been a little busy and hence finishing it is a little difficult. My classes have started and there's a lot of work been given. SO, my updates have been terribly slow. I'm sorry about that. 😕

Love you all for still reading my story and not leaving it aside. Will be back soon with the next update. ❤️

he gifted her own diary to her....thanks for the update somewhere i was afraid tht u r not gng to update anymore....loved the way jodha stood for herself wish she does the same....she shouldnt let her dad decide things for her

Chapter 19: Firsts

The moment I had mistakenly told Samaira that I never had night stays with my friends or any pajama parties when I was younger, she was insistent that we have pajama party.

"So, what did bhai give you?" Samaira asked me. I showed her the box. She laughed when she saw that. "So typical of bhai..." She laughed.

"Why?" I asked.

"Nothing. This is practically something like a family heirloom. It has lived in our family for generations. It belongs to Heer Kunwar, the first ever Rajput Queen in the family. If the stories passed down through our family are true, she was a formidable Queen. Almost with no rivals near her stature. Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar's favorite queen, the love of his life, mother of his heir and his favorite rebellion." She answered.

"Favorite rebellion?" I asked laughing.

"Boy, his whole life was like that of a rebel child. Taking over control at the age of 18 from everyone who tried to control him. Marrying off a Hindu princess by her customs and giving her the status of an official wife. She was the fourth wife who had the legal status. The elaborate and infamous love he shared for her that he even had a palace built for her. Well, most of them are destroyed but there were possibly around 12 or 13 palaces built for her. Some of them survive. Two in Fatehpur Sikri, one in Allahabad. Then giving equal status to Hindus and Muslim in the sultanate. Ruling the country on his wish. Almost changing major customs. His life is almost a bollywood movie." She answered laughing as I packed my stuff. Toothbrush, toothpaste, some night clothes, some clothes to change in the morning.

"He gave me your family heirloom? Wouldn't it make your mom and dad angry?" I asked.

"I don't think so. If he gave it to you then they probably know." She just simply shrugged her shoulders. "Also, I think you'd appreciate it more than others."

"How? I'm no student of history." I commented.

"You like art. Everything about her in my eyes is like art." She said with a smile.

We then walked to the car. Jalal was sitting in the car waiting for us. Sakshi, Samaira and me. Three of us were going together.

"You guys take ridiculously long to pack essentials." He complained.

"You offered, bhai. Now, don't complain." She commented. She sat on the passenger seat next to Jalal. "Now, bhai, we need ideas to convince her dad not keep bothering her with this marriage proposal with Vikrant."

"I thought you were the scheming one between us." He taunted her.

"Oh please. We both have to admit that you're the one who has a crazy cunning ideas. You have some creative ways of escaping our annoying aunts and uncles in family parties."

The Ali Sheikh house came into view. He stopped the car in the driveway. Their house was beautiful. You could see hints of mughal and moroccan architecture. I had never gone inside the house but had seen the gym. There was a greenhouse on the other side. Several plants planted there.

"Thank you for the gift. It is beautiful." I thanked him.

"I'm glad you liked it." He smiled at him. His parents had gone quickly from the party because they had a flight for London at night. They had some work in London. Somewhere a huge reason for agreeing to come with Samaira was Jalal and I think even she knew it considering she had begun to stick with Sakshi.

We were running around the garden, laughing and running around. Finally playing around enough, he sat down on the seat near the tree. Playing annoyed. I smiled at that and walked up to him.

"Giving up already?" I teased him. He looked up at me. He moved to grab me quickly but I moved away faster and laughed.

"Mind your feet, Malika. Might as well fall down." He warned.

"Well, last fall I had left me unable to feel any other fall but that."

"Did you fall down running down the starts?"

"No, I fell while trying to get my life together, right into a certain someone's trap."

He chuckled. He leaned back and looked at me. Suddenly, like a flash he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him. I landed right on his chest. Like it was a reflex, he wrapped his arm around me. My back against his chest. His hands slowly sliding under my dupatta.

"Is his majesty looking for something?" I asked him teasingly stopping his hand.

"Well, apparently it has happened that I lost my heart somewhere here last night so was trying to find it." He answered teasingly.

"Oh, that? I guess I have put it somewhere and forgotten. I did find it in the morning but I don't remember where I kept it. Like I have so many hearts that it is almost like a garden at this points. I guess much bigger than angoori bagh."

"Khayal kariye zara, Malika. Woh humara dil hai jagir nahi ki aap uske baare meing bhul gayi. Aisa tofa kisi ko aise hi nahi milta."

"Acha? Aisi konsi khaas baat hai usmein jo inti naayab hai?"

"Jalal ka dil, Malika. Abh is tarah kahi rakh kar bhul jaayengi toh deewana kya kare?"

I moved to rest my head on his lap.

I don't know why I was having such dreams? I wasn't even sleeping to have dreams then why was I having such drams? That too with such sharp distinction. Every detail so perfect. It wasn't from the time that was now. Seemed something from a costume drama period. I think I was thinking about Jalal a little too much and that's why I kept on having such dreams.

I shook my head.

Samaira led me to her room. Sakshi and I changed to night clothes. I wore shorts and a loose shirt. Three of us sat down to watch a movie. Popcorn and nachos. Their home was like a maze. Large and grand. It wasn't any less than a monument of its own kind. My company worked with construction but this was a beautiful home. It has hints of Mughal and Moroccan architecture and some Indian style perches. It was beautiful. Half way through the movie, Samaira and Sakshi fell asleep. I was far far away from sleep. After trying to get sleep for a while, I got up and tried to look around the house.

I found Jalal in his workshop. He was working on a car.

"Not sleepy?" He asked suddenly. I almost jumped at the suddenness of it.

"Yes..." I answered. He got up and put his tools aside.

"I take it that the two fell asleep." He said.

"Yes. They fell asleep during the movie."

We were sitting on the hood of the car. Right next to each other. He wore a loose black shirt himself. He was so beautiful. Even so in my dreams. I could feel my heart's beating as his perfume reached me. It was now mixed with the smell of garage. Regardless, I didn't instantly retract at that scent for some reason. I never thought that I'd be alright with that smell of car oil and grease. His beautiful eyes deeply staring at me. His eyes had always held the intensity.

"I could probably spend all my life just staring into those brown eyes of yours." He said.

The distance between us had reduced. We were almost nose close to each other. All it took was a single moment. I closed my eyes. The kiss was soft and slowly. My feet could no longer feel the ground. My entire body had left the sober state. All of the five senses lost in what felt like an eternity of waiting.

"Waqt ke mayne uske liye hote hai jinhe uski khabar hoti hai. Pyar toh ek pal mein bhi puri zindagi dundh leta hai. Kitna waqt bitae hum aapke saath yeh hum kya bataye kyuki uski khabar hume toh hoti hi nahi aapke saath.." I replied as if I had said that all the time. Suddenly, I pulled away.

As the drunk like haze fell off, I was back to the present. The awkwardness of what I did and said washed over me. I looked down and the floor seemed really interesting to me.

"How about I show you my home?" He offered to dismiss the awkward air.

"Sure." I nodded. He started leading me out of the workshop. On the side, I saw several paintings just put up like they were junk.

"You paint?" I asked.

"A bit." He nodded. I looked around at them and they were beautiful.

He led me out of there before I started looking at all of them. He showed me the backyard garden. There was a patio in the garden. The dome was specific of Mughal architecture. The garden had several flower bushes and trees. The patio was made of marble and sandstone. There were square pillars. Whoever did the landscape designing was a genius. The garden almost gave a regal feeling.

"This is the garden. The evenings are always here." He told me. He led me back into the house.

Awesome chappy didu

Dheere dheere feelings jag rhi hai jodha mein😳

Continue it soon😊

Awesom chapter...

Their bond is getting strong and

Now Jo is also getting the flashes of past😛

Lets see how it goes...

Keep writing...🤗

They are coming close

please update soon

~CHAPTER 1~

awesome

a beautiful start

jalal's reincarcanation a new concept😛

waiting for jodha's entry

Wow
just beautiful update

Chapter 20: The Jump of Faith

We were in the study.

"This is just where abbu has kept all the family portraits and all. There are other things." He explained. I stopped at a certain portrait. I heard him swear. The ground had suddenly become wobbly. No words came out of my mouth.

"Jodha, let's go..." Jalal tried to drag me but I was strong on the ground in front of the portraits.

Every inch of her was perfectly matched to me. I knew there was sharp difference in the whole thing but still she looked exactly same as me. I turned to look at Jalal. He groaned and ran his hands through his hair.

"Please don't joke like this, Jalal." I told him. He sighed.

"Look, I don't want to lie to you but it will be off for you. I understand. This is no joke." He honestly answered. There was no sign of mischief or joking in his eyes. He was serious.

"It is impossible. Why do I look like her?" I asked, my inside shaking. The ground felt like shaking. I almost fell but he caught me. The portrait next to hers looked very sharply like Jalal. Every inch the same. Only, his eyes were greener in the portrait. Though, the Jalal in the portrait was every inch the same as I see in my dreams. "You look like him..."

Jalal made me sit on the chair nearby. "Jodha, I want you to forget all that. It is not needful to you. It will only just mess your head." He tried to brush off the topic.

"After I walk through a portrait that looks exactly like me at your home which in a room where you keep ancestral portraits, you can't expect me to just forget all that." I almost screamed at him.

"I would tell you the truth but you'd freak out." He admitted.

"I am already freaking out. I feel like I'm being played the fool."

"That is Heer Kunwar. Malika-e-hindustan. The only one who had ever hold that sort of title. Rest of the Queens had other title but the Queen of Hindustan title always rested with her. Although the highest stature Queen has the title of Padshah Begum, her title was close to being the Queen who could issue her own orders in her own title which was given to the Queen Mother, highest Princess of the sultanate and the Queen Consort. She was later the mother of Jahangir. And yes, she looked exactly like you." He explained. "When I was born, my birth chart matched exactly as that of my namesake."

I looked at the portrait. There were no names specifically written on the frame it was set on. I looked at another familiar portrait.

Malika-e-aazm Hamida Banu.

"She's Akbar's mother, isn't she?" I asked. The portraits weren't like the ones in the official documents. These were probably the portraits that were made just for the family and not official documentation. "Salim. Mehrunissa. Khurram. Arjumand Banu." I named a few other portraits. I don't even know how I knew them at all. Jalal looked at me surprised.

"Your guess seems to be right." He said.

"It wasn't a guess. I know I am not wrong about it." I answered. He looked confused.

"What?!!" He exclaimed.

"I don't know. It is all confusing to me. I don't know why I know it."

I felt slightly scared. I wasn't supposed to know who it was so perfectly. I never even saw them. It was so odd. Jalal made me sit down.

"Calm down... Breathe." He told me. He gave me a glass of water. I gulped it down at once. My nerves were just ticking and head was getting fuzzy. He picked me up in his arms. We were soon out of the study and he brought me to the guest room. "Sleep for a while and rest. I know it is all really freaky to you but try to relax."

"I don't know why I know all that. I mean, you know it because it is your family history but I couldn't possibly know all that. I'm like really messy in the head right now." I complained and touched my head. He sat laid down on the bed next to me. He just stared into my eyes.

"Jodha, is not something to worry that you have an instinct. It is okay. Sometimes we all know the answers to something that even don't realize that we know." He assured me.

"Is that why you have this liking for me? Because I look like her?" I asked him suddenly. He thought for a moment.

"You look like her a lot, Jodha, and of course, she is very beautiful. One of the most beautiful people one could lay eyes on but there are specific differences between her and you. She's Heer Kunwar. Her beauty wasn't just her physical appearance but her softness. She was the perfect princess on one side and completely fiery on the other side. At one side, she'll accept even a wilting rose when someone gives it with affection and on the other hand she'd spend hours trying to select jewelry. While on the outside she'd say nothing if the king makes a wrong choice but personally, she'd condemn them. It is like she walks right into trouble like it is her long lost sister. You look like her but her spirit is not in you." He explained. I looked at him. It was a little offensive.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"She could withstand the strongest storms for what she believes in. She was known to stand up for herself when it calls for it. She wouldn't be afraid of speaking the truth when it was required. A girl is not afraid of losing the favor of the Emperor for the sake of her people. She wasn't afraid of what people would think. She would not let someone make her do something wrong. Truth would hurt but she would say it in their face and rather let them know how foolish they are being rather than sit and try to keep her relationship perfect." He answered. He had a certain look in his eyes as he spoke about her. Like she was the love of his life. "He loved her immensely. Out of all people, she was his favorite. The girl who changed his life and thinking."

"So, that's why she's buried near his grave? I mean Shah Jahan was buried in Taj Mahal with Mumtaz." I teased. He chuckled.

"What is distance when you're in someone's heart? When you live in someone's heart, it doesn't matter how far you are from them. Love finds a way to return to those you love." He answered looking at me. My eyes locked into his. I felt sleepy slowly. I blinked to make sure the sight of him doesn't leave my eyes. Everything behind him blacked out and he looked blurry.

I entered a beautiful room. It was large and had luxury. The dhoop tray in my hands. I had started to spread it around the room. There were translucent curtains drawn around the large king sized bed. The bed was placed on a raised platform. I signaled the maids behind me. They all opened the curtains of the room letting sunlight brighten the room. They then opened the curtains around the bed. When light fell on the sleeping, there was groan of complain. He turned around pulling the blanket over him.

I was reciting morning prayers while spread the dhoop around the room.

"Go away all of you. What is this bugging in the morning." He complained like a child. I finally finished my prayer reciting and gave the tray to my maid.

"Good morning, sleepy. It is already morning. Aren't you missing your morning prayers?" I asked him.

"I am not. I have taken bath, done my namaz and now please don't bug me." He complained. I laughed pulling the blanket.

"Come on, get up. There are people waiting to see you out the window."

"Isn't the point of being the Emperor means that I do what I want?"

"Well, you're right but also you have certain obligations."

He groaned but woke up and looked at me. A smile came up his face.

"Which reminds me that I have obligations to my wife."

"Which one? You seem to have quite many, your majesty."

"Begumein toh woh sabh hai, jaan, par biwi to ek hai jo hum par itna haq jatati hai."

"Yes, can you please go and get ready now?"

He groaned but woke up finally.

did she believe everything 🤔 i didnt get whether she believed r not