Right from this morning, the mirror had been promoted from an estranged acquaintance and befriended. Begum Salima Sultan stood before it checking on herself as every cell of her body was shaking and dancing in all elation. What she felt that moment, to put that to words was a nearly impossible task. Goosebumps were aloof all over her arms, and butterflies fluttered within her. She was electrified as she felt within her a bundle life that was growing, a part of hers and a part of his.
"Do i look okay? " She asked her attendant for probably the millionth time, as she adjusted her neckpiece yet again. Perhaps that evident frustration on that poor thing's face revealed how fed-up she was, as she nodded in establishment.
Salima never cared more than the size of a mustard seed for her looks, not even at the most royal festivities and yet managed to look exceedingly great and elegant each time. But there was a thing about this day that instilled in her a confidence that encouraged her to look better and better and better if not possibly the best.
"Salima begum!" Her beloved appeared in the doorway as she was still exchanging pleasantries with the reflective glass but his call made her turn at once.
"You look beautiful dear! " Shehanshah commented as he looked at her in awe and amusement.
"Thank you! " A shade of red flushed her cheeks as she said with lowered eyes.
And then she lifted them to feast on her love, her shehanshah. But what they chose to see, made worry arise within her heart.
"Shehanshah? You look tensed? " She asked as anxiousness resided over all other feelings in her eyes and he was once again astonished at the way she always managed to look through him and read his eyes and forever seemed to know what was on his mind while the worry on her face incremented two fold with every passing second.
"Tell me? " She demanded again and akbar's hesitance finally gave way.
"Actually, a series of thefts have been taking place in the city and people are terror stricken. The number of complaints is increasing every day and we are still figuring a way out." He confessed.
"Thefts? " Salima let her mind lose into thoughtful oblivion until she continued "Shehanshah, increase the security of the city."
"Done already! Its been a week and the result, the problem is still unsolved and truth be told, the robberies only seem to increase!"
"Question the chief guard! And if need be, punish him! "Salima said.
"What for? " Jalal was flabbergasted.
"Because i think he has a hand in this too! He is either aiding the robbers or is himself actively involved in this! " Salima reasoned.
"Oh my god!" Jalal answered "I never thought of this myself possibly because i thought the chief guard was trustworthy. Yes, i had my doubts but maybe my heart didn't concede and prodded me against it. But now i think that this is highly possible!" And as his words concluded he was once again at awe at his dear wife, how homogeneous was it for her?
"Salima, how do you manage to do just this every single time? Whenever i come to you with a problem at hand, it doesn't take a minute or two for you to arrive at the solution, and a highly successful and applaudable solution! " Jalal was full of praises for her as he eyed her in respect, reverence and most of all, love
Salima smiled, a smile of deep satisfaction, a smile of glad contentment that warmed her heart.
"I am glad" She spoke words of elaboration.
"Now tell me why did you call upon me today? And so urgently?" Akbar asked, curious as ever.
Oh no, how could she just forget? Not that she was surprised, she had always been so keen every time her husband was apprehensive about something. She always found herself too attached with him, as if she was just somewhere in him. His pain was her pain, his worry was hers and she would do anything, undergo any pain herself if need be, to lessen that. And when victory was hers, her contentment was beyond anything else, something that nothing else could complement.
"Tell me Salima? " Jalal repeated himself.
Oh yes, why had she called him! She experienced a transformation within, a transformation of excitement brewing as her hands grew cold.
The shyness that until now floated above her forehead fell onto it and she was dripping in redness till the edge of her chin, a redness that made her resemble a tomato. She closed her eyes, unable to face him with restraint. She couldn't stretch this, she had to be straight. She took a deep breath and blurted in a pace of unfathomable words as the two rows of her teeth rubbed against each other.
"Shehanshah you are going to become a father." She let her words go in a quick succession and then heaved a sigh of relief.
She remained as such for a few more minutes until the residual shyness wanted her to.
And then as her eyes re-opened she beheld him, his eyes open in wide surprise and his lips curled round then, switching between the shock and extreme ecstatic happiness.
Her eyes open, he crushed her to his bosom, a tight hug of immense joy and infinite love which almost suffocated her but something she wanted to stay in, forever and ever. Next, he lowered her face and placed a peck on her forehead.
"I can't tell you how happy i am! " He said at last "I, am going to be a father!! "
He held her close again and stole the words out of her mouth "I want to keep you in my arms forever! "
Suddenly a dilemma took over, a dilemma between the wants and wishes of the head and the heart. The head that reminded her of something it had worked upon not more than a few minutes ago and the heart was being the heart, deriving pleasure from the presence of the dearest.
Shehanshah stared into her eyes and he saw in them, the reminiscing of a king's duty. Yes, he knew all.
"Dear, i'll just get back to this matter that we discussed sometime ago. And come right back, pretty soon! " He grinned in reassurance.
He stood up as she smiled back.
"I'll be waiting! "
"Take care!" He said as care fluttered in his eyes while leaving.
Right after he left, Salima excitedly ran towards a corner of the room, took out her writing scrolls, dipped her writing pen in a bottle of ink and scribbled on one of them,
"Mohabbat ka ye kaisa rang chadha hai,
Chadha ishq, iss dil par aa chadha hai,
Aapke bin ek pal bhi lage saza kyun,
Lo aaj ek aur dor kar rahi isse mazboot. "
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