Thread 2: Destined Love... (New thread created) - Page 100

Originally posted by: Shinning_Stuti

Hello everyone, 

I will hopefully update within next week. I need a free week-off to sort things which i am not getting😛

will wait for the update with bated breath

Originally posted by: Shinning_Stuti

Hello everyone, 

I will hopefully update within next week. I need a free week-off to sort things which i am not getting😛

waiting waiting.......

Chapter 43

Jalal stormed inside the tent where Vaidya Sadanand had been taken. The old man was scared as hell, shivering in fear while standing in between two armed musclemen. He was not chained like a prisoner, but his condition was looking worse than that. 

Jalal did not waste a minute. “Taqliya!” He ordered just after entering. The guards along with Abdul bowed and left. Vaidya Sadanand picked up his head with extreme courage and concentrated his feeble eyesight. 

“I swear, Your Majesty; it was not me… I did nothing! I am just a normal physician; I tend the nomadic people of the desert and the poor homeless people of the country. I have nothing to do with royals; I swear to my God, Majesty, I swear…” 

“Vaidya Ji…” Jalal proceeded forward. Vaidya Sadanand sounded more pitiful. 

“Majesty, don’t kill me! I have not done anything…”

“Vaidya Ji…”

“Majesty, you kill me if you want; but don’t convert me forcefully! I am an old man, the only thing left to me is my own belief! Don’t snatch that from me, Majesty, I plead to you!”

“Calm down, Vaidya Ji!” Jalal now held one of his hands to pacify him. “How can I kill you? You had saved me once, forgot?” 

Sadanand was about to get fainted, but he controlled his consciousness at the last moment. He had seen Jalal’s eyes.

“You…” He sharpened his eyes. “Pardon Majesty; you look… you look too familiar.”

Jalal smiled sweetly and touched his shoulder gently. “Vaidya Ji, you have forgotten me.” 

“I… I…” Sadanand tried the best to recall. “You look very familiar. Any of my patient… I… I can’t…” Suddenly his eyes popped out. “Wait… no! You are the… the boy from the hut beside temple… You…” He started gasping. “No no… how can it be true? I must be overthinking…” 

“Vaidya Ji, you sit down.” Jalal made the physician sit while he was still trembling in the thrust of shock. “It looks crazy, Vaidya Ji,” He continued. “But it’s true. I am that man you had given a life that day. I am Chandrajeet, you remember?” 

“But… but…” The physician was still startled. “You are the emperor of Mughals. You are the… the threat of Rajputana, Jalaluddin Mohammad… How can you be Chandrajeet? No… no…” 

“It’s a very long story, Vaidya Ji.” Jalal smiled. “You can guess it. I was stuck in the adverse situation there when you found me. I had no choice left other than to tell a lie.”

“Chandrajeet… he…” Sadanand’s lips were trembling as a drop of tear rolled from his eyes. “Many thing has happened after he… you… escaped… Everything changed… Everyone kept on telling that he was a spy… that I committed a crime by saving him. But I had no guilt… Because I knew Chandrajeet is a good man. I saved a good man just like what a physician does… But…” He sighed deeply. “Everything was lie! Lie!”

“Vaidya Ji, I may have faked my name.” Jalal sat beside him. “Maybe my real name is not Chandrajeet, but I am very much the same person. Look at me, you said he was a good man; do I look an evil man to you?” 

“But… you are the Mughal Emperor!” Sadanand uttered feebly. 

“Yeah, but when does a physician treats a patient judging him by the name? My real identity does not change your goodwill of saving an injured man, Vaidya Ji.” Jalal smiled. “I never got a chance to thank you properly; I could never express my real gratitude to you. But I would never forget what you did for me that day, I will be grateful to you till the last day of my life.”

Vaidya Ji looked a bit stable. He took a deep breath and sat straight. He tried to look at Jalal’s face once again… 

“I… I don’t understand…” He talked in a still trembling voice. “Why you are back here; and why you brought me here?” 

“Don’t you know about the treaty between Amer and Mughal kingdom?” Jalal asked. 

Sadanand looked almost shocked, though he tried to hide his expression at his best by gulping several times. “N…no… I have least connection with the ongoing politics now… After all those messes happened when you left, the way everything fall down…” He sighed.

“I hope it will get back to normal now. Vaidya-Ji, I am searching for you from a long time.” Jalal said. “There are some very important question on which my life is depending. Can you please help me out?” 

Sadanand kept quiet for a moment, then nodded slowly. 

Jalal took a long breath to control the excitement which was budding inside him. “Vaidya Ji, what do you know about Purnima Bai?”

Strangely, there was no line of expression in Sadanand’s face when he heard the name. “Forgive me, Your Majesty, but I never heard of any Purnima Bai recently that I can remember.” He said. 

“Please try to remember, Vaidya Ji…” Jalal pleaded. “The girl who used to come to me at night to tend me… To bring me food. You know nothing about her?” 

“Majesty…” Vaidya Ji uttered. “I had not send any girl with food to you ever. It was…” He sighed once again. “Jodha Bai, the princess of Amer had taken the responsibility of yours. I was just carrying out her orders by treating you.”

“I have searched in every archives of Amer as much as possible.” Jalal told excitedly. “I found no Purnima Bai associated with the royal family! But she told me she is closely associated with the princess!” 

“I… I never heard of any Purnima Bai with Princess. The chief personal attendant of the princess is Moti Bai; I also know some of the other maids name as she used to send them for help to me. But never she mentioned of any Purnima Bai.” He was still trying to remember… “Except…”

“Except??”

Sadanand breathed out. “I have heard about Purnima Bai in the rescue camp in Amer at the same time when you were there. But I am quite sure… that no Purnima Bai was there from royal maids. Majesty, Purnima Bai does not exist in Amer.” 

“What do you mean? She used to come, we used to talk…we used to…” Jalal suddenly looked at the physician. “Vaidya Ji, I can see you have something else to say, which you are hesitating. Say it.” 

“I am sorry, Majesty…” Sadanand closed his eyes. “I cannot say anything more. I cannot lie either. But telling you what I suspect is against my ethics.” 

“Against yours…” Jalal frowned. “Vaidya Ji… There is something bigger than it seems… What is it?”

“There has been a lot, Majesty. Bigger than you ever imagine. Amer has been finished. I cannot make it worse.” 

“Vaidya Ji…”Jalal could not control the trembling in his voice. “I know I could not hide myself from the royals till the end. The troops had come to arrest me and I had to run. I had a face-to-face combat with prince of Bhangarh. Purnima was with me that time.” He took a long breath and came closer to the physician. “What happened to Purnima when the soldiers got her, Vaidya Ji?” 

“Majesty…” Sadanand Ji looked in his eyes. His lips trembling. “No Purnima Bai was arrested that day. Only Princess Jodha Bai was brought in front of the court with the charge of treason and adultery.” 

Just a sentence, and Jalal suddenly felt the ground under his feet shaking terribly. Unknowingly he caught the nearby pillar to keep his balance. 

“The prince of Bhangarh humiliated her badly in front of the open court, demanded that he caught her red-handed with the spy in that hut; emphasizing that the princess was going to the suspected spy every night with intentions…” Sadanand’s face cracked in hatred. “There was no direct proof… but princess had a proved connection with the suspected spy. The marriage was cancelled, the princess was put into house-arrest. I was found partially guilty as well but the princess defended me; I was so vexed up with all of these I left Amer forever.”  He sighed. “I don’t know anything after that… But Majesty, I know it for sure that no Purnima Bai was there in all these mess. The princess herself took the charge, and suffered much more than she ever deserved!”

Jalal could not feel anything while he involuntarily sat on the nearby couch, his face completely drained out. “There was no Purnima Bai! Only the princess!” He murmured. 

“That is what I suspected, Majesty…” Vaidya Sadanand was looking much comfortable and composed now. “When I heard about Purnima for the first time in the refugee camp, I guessed that it was the princess in disguise. She has a habit of serving people outside which she cannot do with her royal identity. I decided to keep it to myself. That’s why when you talked about Purnima Bai I did not want to say anything… But now…” He looked at the emperor. “I think it is he time to tell the truth. She has already been punished for everything she did not do; what more harm can be undone by keeping a small secret?”

Jalal was still floating in a sea of emptiness. He could see nothing in front, he could hear nothing, neither he could think. Purnima, the love of his life, the moonlight of his darkest nights, the fiery warrior in disguise of man, the beauty with angelic touch… Purnima… Purnima does not exist! Only exists Jodha Bai… Jodha Bai… Princess Jodha Bai, whom he is going to marry tonight, with whom he is going to build a treaty of living together with peace for political reasons behind, on whom the marriage is being burdened as a sacrifice, as a punishment… 

What should he feel right now? Happy? Excited? Joyous? Sad? Anxious? Disappointed? Confused? What?

He craved to meet Purnima. For once… He wanted her; God, he did desire for her! But not like this. It was supposed to be a union of love, not a negotiation! 

“Majesty…” 

Jalal suddenly got back his sense. Abdul was calling him. 

“I am sorry to interrupt your thought Majesty…” He said hesitantly. “We are already late for the procession. The royals of Amer are waiting already.” 

“Yeah… sorry!” Jalal rubbed his face while trying to compose himself. “Vaidya-Ji, you stay here and make yourself comfortable. The servants will take care of everything you need. I have a very important engagement right now. We will talk later.” 

“May I ask you something if you don’t mind?” Sadanand asked. “What is exactly going on between Amer and Mughal empire? What is the treaty all about?”

Jalal smiled distantly while his eyes were still blank. “Vaidya Ji, I am going to marry Princess Jodha Bai tonight.” 

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“Baarat has come! The groom has come!” One of Jodha’s small sisters came inside and announced. 

For the last time, Jodha looked at the mirror. The image of a beautiful lady flashed in front. Image of a lady… like an idol… like a perfect sculpture made of stone… A sculpture dressed as bride, adorned with priceless jewels, made with perfection… heartless, emotionless, soulless… 

“Time has come, Jodha…” Someone uttered in a wet voice from behind. Jodha could not quite fathom who she is. Neither she wanted to. Other than the artificially created festive glee all over the underlying current of anxiousness and tragedy was very much evident in the whole environment. Every single soul in Amer, even the always gleeful children, was somehow touched by it. Jodha was in the center of the current; it could not shake her anymore. She had already freed herself, ready to flow as per the stream of life takes her. 

Still, controlled by some dark corner of her mind, unmindfully she readjusted the poisonous ring in her finger… When there is no choice… when there is absolutely no choice other than surrender… She reminded herself. This Rajputani will not give in until she loses. She will fight till end in this fight with life… 

“Jodha…” Someone called again, and she felt three four hands holding her. Time has come… War has begun… Jodha reluctantly got up; adjusted her veil to hide her face completely like a Rajputani bride, and proceeded to her war-field. 

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“Welcome, Your Majesty; Kindly step in our home and oblige us…” 

The words of king Bharmal was no doubt spoken from heart, but somehow it lacked the natural spirit. As if the king is already a dead man, reciting whatever he is supposed to recite. The whole environment in fact lacked the usual enthusiasm. Despite the lights, the music, colours and the touch of festive glee spread here and there, the whole place was like a dead place; more like a cemetery, where everyone is anxiously waiting for some uncertain to take over… 

Mughal Baraat, on the other hand, was flabbergasted. The procession mainly contained army and closer officers, very few relatives are involved, but the common soldiers were really enjoying the whole set-up of the royal wedding quite unexpectedly. For a single day, they were acting like common humans invited in a marriage of someone close, the heartfelt smiles brightening their faces. The ruthless, cruel, conscienceless bunch of armed butchers fed by the powerful war-mongers, who are always ready to fight, ready to die, ready to take lives, were actually enjoying the lovable environment of a festive evening in an enemy land with real smile in faces; celebrating the event of love and happiness instead of cheering for hatred and death… and that is where the History remembers the wedding forever- a historical negotiation which bonds Hindustan in such a way that no wars, no bloodshed could do.

Jalal, the bridegroom for the evening, was however too much distracted even to acknowledge Bharmal’s greetings. The lights, the music, the celebrations all over was not touching him at all. He was still lost in his own maze of mind, his heart was still churning the words of Sadanand, his eyes still blind in emptiness. His mind was drowning in a hollow constantly, and he had no strength left to fight it. Everything surrounds him was blurred, as if nothing makes sense. Only, a single sound was echoing recurrently from that hollow; a promise that is made by him a long time ago… 

“I will come back Purnima! I will come back!”

Why is he thinking so much? Was not this an ideal comeback? There she is longing for him, dressed as a bride, waiting to be his forever; and here he has come with a long procession, setting an environment of a grand carnival, to take her with him; to win her, to accept her with her family’s full consent? 

Then why he is still not able to be happy? Why this heartache? Why this emptiness? 

Because today along with every dream, his greatest fear in heart has come true. The fear of losing the purity of his love forever in the trap of conditions… The marriage between him and Jodha Bai, is not a marriage of love; it is not a normal relationship, it is a negotiation, a political treaty… a state of condition which says that she will stay in his empire as a token of his control over Rajputana, and in exchange he will give her the deserved status and freedom… That is the crux of the marriage; there is nothing else, and there could be nothing else!  

Purnima was his love. He wanted to secure his love of life at any cost; be it the pain of losing her forever… He did not want her like this! Not like this!

“Excuse me, Your Majesty… Are you alright?” 

Jalal looked at King Bharmal. This time the dead voice of Bharmal was showing real concern. He nodded indifferently while passing a courtesy smile. Bharmal smiled back. 

“I can understand you are tired. Kindly excuse the royal ladies for a moment for some rituals, then we will be escorting you to wedding venue.” 

“Of course, Rajasahab.” Jalal nodded. 

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The crowd of royal women with long veils came forward with various platers decorated with lights, flowers and sweets. The first one among them, possibly the queen herself, started moving one of the platter in circle in front of him while chanting something. These acts continued, and also someone put something on his forehead with welcoming gesture. After these rituals are over, the king welcomed the groom and his companions in. 

The elders of the family were coming one by one, putting their blessings and gifts for the emperor as the priest was reciting mantras; however, those blessings were rather full of fright than goodwill. If everything was normal for Jalal, he would take a step up to ease the things right now, but right now he did not care. The ritual of blessing the groom took place fast, then the rest of the people stayed back in a grand restroom full with various food and entertainments, while Jalal was escorted to the place of wedding. 

There was something uncannily holy about the small square and the fire of havaan inside that. A strong perfumed aroma by the side of the fire, the smoke constantly mingling with the air, the priests chanting mantras soulfully and everyone standing in silence… as if the God himself has come down through the smoke to witness the grand wedding. Jalal at right in front of the fire, his hands acting as the priests instructing like a puppet, as he stuck his eyes in the flame of fire. The heat watered his eyes, the ache of his heart drowned in that water… You played me this way, God! He uttered in a broken mind, his lips trembling in emotion. 

There was suddenly some noise. The princess, the bride had taken an entry… 

Jalal saw through the veil of smoke. She was coming. Dressed in an orange Choli and Lahenga, face completely covered with a golden veil, she was taken small steps to the stage for the marriage. Her face covered, her steps cautious, her gestures defensive… but still there was something present in her entire appearance, something very evident, very telling… that anyone can say in one glance that she is not ordinary; she is unique, she is the most special; she is the real blue-blood princess… Jalal had recognized this specialty right the moment they met first, in the time of their sword-fight; and today he recognized that again in this defensive gesture of a reluctant bride… The factor of uniqueness, which had attracted him towards her right at the first meeting, the factor which have pulled him towards her endlessly like a magnet; and eventually which turned into love unknowingly, was again pulling him… pulling each of his blood-particles towards her… But this time it seemed the restrains were much hard to break. The wall between is too strong to penetrate in!

She came closer, escorted by the group of women. Slowly she took the seat right beside him. Jalal gazed at her, tried to find the bits of her fervent Purnima in this regal, elegant, firm lady sitting beside him. The veil was too long, he was unable to see her face. But the moment she took the seat beside him, he felt a wave of current passed through his body all of a sudden. 

It is not a dream. Everything is happening here is real. Purnima Bai is lost forever in this elegant idol of Jodha Bai, and Jalaluddin Mohammad, burying Chandrajeet Rathore forever inside, is going to marry the princess right now. 

“Princess, kindly keep your hand on the emperor’s palm…” The priest instructed. 

It seemed the princess hesitated for a while before placing the hand on the groom’s palm. Jalal felt the warmth of her beautiful, soft mehendi-adorned palm on his rough hard palm of a warrior. For a moment he wished if the time could stop here. He is here, she is here, her hand on his hand… let end the story here; let live this moment for eternity… Let this moment be the real, every single thing beyond this being fake, being lie, being illusion… 

The princess flinched a little when her hand touched his palm. As if she could recognize the warmth of the touch. But she controlled herself, did not even looked up, did not picked her face up. She just stared at the flame of the fire, just like Jalal, and lost in the flow of the chant. 

The high priest was chanting the pledge of marriage passionately. The  marriage rituals had started. They had begun to bind their lives in the greatest bond ever… 

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The emperor has rough hands. Just like a warrior should have. 

But there is also something more… A gentleness, a bliss of warmth, a wave of current in that touch…  everyone cannot have that. 

Her warrior had. He used to have the same gentleness in his touch; those hands were not raised only to hold sword. Those hands used to protect, those hands used to create, those hands used to bind the world with the spell of love… 

The emperor is a rough warrior. A powerful ruler. Ruthless, conscienceless- as they say… How can he have the same touch as he had!

Jodha’s face was covered under the bridal veil. Her eyesight was hindered by the smoke of Haavan, her soul was blocked by herself. It was not possible to see the face of the man beside him passing through so many restrictions. Still someone from her deep heart was screaming, she could hear.. she was telling her to look up at him, to see his face, to see him for once… 

No! She decided. Clenching her jaws tight, shutting the eyelids, she firmed her hand as the other hand on her took a light grip. Her heart trembled once again. She has left those dreamy memories far away from her… still why, the touch feels so familiar? Why her heart wants to imagine that he is here, right beside her, holding her hand… 

She closed the door of the heart as well. This day, this moment is real. This is the biggest, harshest truth of Jodha’s life. There is no place of dream in this moment, no place of illusions. A warrior cannot have illusions in war-field. Jodha is a warrior, standing on the field of harshest reality with the weapon of her pride and firmness; she won’t allow the trespassing of slightest dreamy moment here!  

The ritual of kanyadaan started, her father handed her to the emperor. She could not help but smiling for a moment. You are not giving my hand to someone, Bapusa, you are dealing my hand. She thought in her mind. After the Kanyadaan, her bhaabi came forward and knotted the corner of her veil to the edge of his shawl. The bond of 7 lives formed, followed by sacred seven vows. She took a firm grip over herself, started moving around the holy fire for seven significant rounds, chanting the vows… She did not care what the groom was thinking, did not care what the rest of the people were thinking… She was moving around in her own pace, chanting her own vows in mind.

O Deity of fire, bless me, so that I can stay firm to my destiny till the very end… 

The Saptapadi being over, she again sat beside the groom, to fill her hair-partings with the colour of vermilion, to register the sign of her submission to him forever. She sat still, her eyes lowered but jaw still firm; she could see the hand of the emperor slowly touching her hairline with the pinch of red in the tip of his finger… For a moment the image of Chandrajeet flashed in front of her eyes, she could see the dagger with blood which had filled her forehead long back. Controlling herself quickly, she took a long breath… Bless me, Ambe Maa!  She murmured in mind. She felt her veil being moved by someone, and the ornament on her parting being moved aside. And she felt his fingers slowly touching her hairline, she felt the prominent trembling in those fingers, and she felt something… something… that she could not resist anymore… She picked up her eyes and looked at the face of the groom…

For a moment, a slightest of moment, she thought she was dreaming… Then something hit her hard. 

And she saw the man of her dream, the man whom she loves, the man whom she has surrendered her everything to, is sitting beside her, his eyes mingled with various expression… of longing, pain, guilt, hesitation, mesmerisation, of love… and her hairline is bright with the colour of vermilion from his hand.

The love of her life sitting in front of her as her newly wed husband, in the costume of the emperor of the Mughal dynasty! 

Everything went blurry after this… and then there was nothing but darkness.

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The whole wedding ceremony was feeling like a distant dream to Jalal. He was doing everything as per the instruction, but all his mind, his soul was concentrated on the veiled beauty beside him whom he was marrying. The woman of his dream, the woman he loved, his moonlight, his Purnima… he was trying to mingle his Purnima and the elegant princess Jodha Bai in his mind, trying to cope up his mind with the whole situation while losing himself in the charm of his love… Everything was going on mechanically, till the time of sindur-daan, when the princess looked at his eyes, when he could properly see her face- her beautiful face which used to shine like moon in those dark hours of night in that broken hut, the face which is now, despite all the beauties, all the glamour and ornaments, looking extremely pale in hopelessness of uncertainty and humiliation… he could read every line of her face, could feel every moment she has gone through from the moment he left her, and could witness how she reached the broken point of endurance when her eyes met his eyes… 

Then she lost her consciousness. Before he could tell anything her. She just passed out and leaned almost on him. A startled Jalal held her immediately while everyone else present there became too worried to function properly. After a moment she was taken away. The ladies present in the wedding hall followed her path. The men of the family were both surprised and afraid, probably thinking about some imaginary aftermath because of the emperor’s rage. The king looked genuinely distressed when he tried talking to Jalal. 

“I sincerely beg your pardon, Majesty…” He said humbly. “My daughter is… maybe she is exhausted because of all the rituals and… she is keeping a fast from morning so maybe her…” 

“It is alright, Rajasahab…” Adga Sahab talked on behalf of Jalal. “It can happen to the best of us. She is just a young girl… Hope she is fine…” 

“The good thing is the marriage is over.” The royal priest said. “It would create a problem if the timing got missed somehow. Raja-Sa, you should go and check on her.” 

“I… I…” The king uttered worriedly. “Bhagwant Das, you please take care of Jamaisa and the others, I am coming…” 

King Bharmal went inside while Bhagwant Das came in front. “Shahenshah…” He started. “So sorry for all these inconvenience. Jodha has been a bit under the weather these days. I am sure she will get better fast.”

Jalal tried to smile out of courtesy. The smile did not reflect in his face; especially when he knows what is exactly the reason of the princess’s unconsciousness. 

“It would be very grateful if you care to have some rest in the restroom till the physicians treat Jodha and give their opinion.” Bhagwant Das said. “I am very sure it is because of the fast she has kept… She will be alright very soon and…” 

“No Baapu-Sa, it is not…” 

The sudden comment was so strange, that Bhagwant Das looked utterly confused. “What do you mean, Maan?”

Maan Singh was standing behind. His expression all rigid. “I said this sudden fainting is not because of the starvation, Baapu Sa. Bua Sa got fainted because of shock. Her nerves were too much stretched out, and this sudden shock did not go well with her.” 

“What are you talking about? What kind of shock?” 

Maan Singh did not waste time talking to his father and went straight in front of Jalal. “I don’t know how much do you know; I don’t know if this thing is intentional or not, but I need to talk to you. I need to clear our part of the story before anyone starts judging my Buasa…” 

“Maan Singh I command you to go away from here.” Bhagwant Das tried using his commanding voice out of the fatherly concern that his daredevil son might say something odd to infuriate the emperor. But Maan Singh did not care, he just looked straight to the emperor’s eyes. 

“What do you know, Prince Maan Singh?” Jalal spoke after a long time, his voice getting cleared of all shock. 

“Not much… But I think I know enough.” Maan Singh answered. 

Jalal sighed a little and moved his eyes around. Then with a tired smile he looked at Bhagwant Das. “Shahzada Sahab, I think your sister is really stressed out. I would like to stay in the restroom until she gets better. Don’t worry about me and take care of her.”

“It’s very kind of you, Majesty…” Bhagwant Das sighed of relief. 

“Thank you everyone…”Jalal looked at Maan Singh before proceeding out of the hall. “Prince Maan Singh, you come with me. I have a lot to hear from you; I have a lot to tell you.”

He left the marriage venue, leaving all startled. 

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A little massage to the feet, a some sprinkles of rose-water… Jodha slowly opened her eyes. The royal physician was checking her pulse while the women of the palace was surrounding her. Everyone had went white out of worry. 

“Jodha! O my Jodha!” Jodha’s mother could not control the sudden release of tension when Jodha sat up and hugged her tightly. “You… you don’t worry my dear. Nothing will happen to you! You need not to go to Agra with that Mughal if you don’t want to! I will not let you go!”

“What the hell are you talking, Mainabati!” King Bharmal almost jumped in. “She has got married. She cannot stay here anymore. I am dying out of worry and praying that this incident would not leave any impact on Amer and Mughal relationship and they would accept Jodha, and you are talking about such omens!” 

“Yes!” Mainabati shouted. “Can’t you see her face? Can’t you realise what she is going through? Your concern was the marriage, right? The marriage is over, now what happens to Jodha should not be a royal concern. My daughter will stay with me, she will not go to Agra and that is final!” 

“Are you mad? A married girl cannot stay forever in her father’s house! What about her life, her future?” 

“You have already thrown her in a dark doom, now you need not to be worried about her future!”

“You have lost your mind. Stop it and let her rest.”

“I have lost my mind? Or is it you? What do you think, you can do anything you want to my daughter??”

“Baapu sa, Maasa… can you please stop for a moment?” Jodha uttered in a tired voice while pressing her temple. “I need some lone time! Please!” She gasped. 

“Jodha…” Her mother started, but Jodha raised a hand to stop her. 

“Whatever you say, Maa Sa; I have got married and I will leave with my husband. I won’t tolerate any more humiliation from my father’s house for staying here after marriage. I have already endured enough!” Jodha said roughly. “Don’t worry, Baapu sa, I will not create any problem further in your life! I just need a moment. Can you people give that to me?” 

Everyone in the room got stunned with Jodha’s sudden outburst. Then, after a bit of hesitation, everyone left the room. 

Jodha leaned back on the pillow, completely worn out. She kept on staring blankly on the ceiling. 

What was she supposed to think right now? Why everything was so vacant all over? From where should she start? Where should she stop? Where is the beginning? Where is the end? 

She had set out for a mission; a mission of dealing with her reality knowing in heart that she has secured her dreams, her love in droplets of memories. But how she will deal with this new truth now? How will she deal with the fact that those dreams were nothing else than a part of the cruel game of reality which her destiny is playing with her? That everything happened; every single thing happened in her life is an illusion, nothing is real! Chandrajeet was a lie all along! Everything was a lie! Everything!

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“Maan! Maan Singh!” 

Maan Singh was trying to ignore his father’s call before he goes to the emperor; but he could not ignore it anymore when Bhagwant Das pulled his hand. 

“You better look at me and say what the hell is going on!” Bhagwant Das ordered. “What the hell are you doing? What are you going to tell him?”

“Something confidential which you people need not to know.” Maan Singh tried to hurry but his very furious father pulled his hand and pressed him to the wall. 

“Watch your mouth and remember to whom you talk to!” He hissed.

“I am sorry, Baapu sa!” Maan said adamantly. “I will apologize later, but really I need to talk to him.” 

“What the hell you can have to talk to him?” One of the princes of Amer asked. 

“Very important. The fortune of Amer and you people rests on that.” Maan Singh said with a strange smile. “You have any idea who is he, Kakasa?”

“What do you mean?” Kakasa looked confused. 

“Remember the spy from the border of Amer you people could not catch? And blamed Bua-Sa for everything after that?” Maan reciprocated. “Baapu Sa, Kaka Sa; he is that spy!”

Everyone got so shook that none could react anything. Maan Singh loosed his father’s grip and slipped out. 

“You people keep on thinking what I told and how is that possible; meanwhile I get to talk to the emperor and clear out everything.”

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“May I come in, Majesty…” 

Jalal was sitting alone on the seat, closing his eyes tightly to compose himself as soon as he could; he looked back hearing Maan Singh’s voice. 

“Come inside, My Prince.” 

Maan Singh entered without hesitation and stood in front of Jalal. “Shahenshah, you might think who am I…”

“Never mind, My Prince; I could not recognise you at first but now after thinking hard I remember.” Jalal smiled sweetly. “You are that mysterious horseman who handed me a message from Purnima.” 

“Purnima… Right. It was the name she used to hide her identity.” Maan smiled back. “Yes Shahenshah, I had met you once only; we did not really introduced ourselves. There was a strict order from Bua Sa.” 

Jalal got back to his seat again. He looked distressed. 

“How is she?” He asked then.

“She will be okay. She has got a big shock, but she will be fine.” A slight smile touched Maan Singh’s face suddenly. “And she will be happy. After all the ordeals she faced, at last she will get what she wants!” 

“Huh!” Jalal could not hide the sarcasm of his voice from the young boy. “If only it was what she wants!” 

“I…”Maan cleared his throat. “I can’t understand what you…” 

“You might not, My Prince!” Jalal sighed deeply. “However, I wanted to tell you that I did not know anything about it. I mean about the real identity of Purnima. I did not know Purnima Bai is actually the princess in disguise. When I got to know it was already too late.” He closed his eyes and uttered, as if he was talking to his own. “If only I could know it before… I don’t know, maybe I could work things better. Maybe this marriage would not end up being a political negotiation only… if I could know before I would straight go to her father and ask for her hand! I would not let anything to corrupt our relation… if only…”  

“Aa… I beg your pardon, Majesty…” Maan Singh was feeling a bit uncomfortable. “I believe your intensions, and I am sure Bua Sa will believe it too.” He sighed. “Maybe I am not the right person to say these to you; but Bua Sa loves you very much!”

Jalal chuckled. “Maybe I am not the same person for whom your Bua Sa fall in love.” 

“Yes… And maybe Bua Sa is not the same person that you fell for.”  Maan Singh answered. “But how does it make any difference?” 

“It really does not!” Jalal laughed sarcastically. “Do you want to tell me anything?” 

“Not much… I don’t know much about you, how you ended up being here, or what exactly happened between you two.” Maan Singh exclaimed. “Just… Majesty, she has endured a lot. She had to bear insults from everyone, she was living a cursed life till today. Just, don’t misunderstand her position in all these! She knew nothing and she had to do nothing… Please try to understand her…” 

“You don’t need to worry about it, My Prince.” Jalal smiled. 

“Thank you so much, Your Majesty!” Maan exclaimed. “And may I request something?”

“Of course, My Prince…”

“You need not to address me ‘My Prince’. Call me Maan.” 

“Ah!” Jalal laughed remembering their previous encounter. “What happened all of a sudden that you want to allow me to your personal level?”

“I don’t know…” Maan chuckled. “Maybe I have that belief on you to give the access to my personal life…” 

“Well, we really don’t know each other.” Jalal said. “What made you to believe me so badly?”

Maan looked serious when he talked. “Maybe because my Bua Sa believed you! She knew you, and she knew you right!” He smiled. “You know what she told me about you? That you are a true man; a perfect man. A valiant soldier. A saviour. A protector. Shahenshah, I really don’t know who you are; but my eyes are not covered with the cloud of judgement like others. All I know is if my Bua Sa was even half right about evaluating you, if you are really the perfect man in her eyes, then my Amer, my motherland is truly grateful to have your back! Maybe none will understand it today! But one day they have to admit.” 

Jalal smiled in reciprocation. Even in this odd circumstance, the clear and straight words of the young boy really touched his heart. 

“Allow me, your Majesty… I might get to go.” Maan Singh bowed down. His gesture showed complete obedience, and his obedience was not out of fear like anyone else. He was confident in bowing down in front of him; as if he is surrendering himself in front of him with all his sense and self-respect, with all his heart. 

“Maan… ” Jalal addressed. “May I ask a favour from you?” 

“Sure, Your Majesty…” Maan said. 

“Will you come to Agra with me?” Jalal smiled. 

“Pardon Majesty… but Agra?” Maan Singh stammered. “What will I do there?”

“Serve in the army. Will get trained to be the best among all.” Jalal touched his shoulder. “And will be always at my side, like my right hand?” 

“It will be an honour… But I need to…” Maan Singh looked startled. 

“I myself you ask permission from your father and grandfather.” Jalal said. “I see something in you Maan. I see a lot of common among us. Somehow both of us share the same passion. How can I lose you? I need you to be by my side forever. Can you ensure that to me?” 

Maan Singh bowed down again. “I will keep it in mind, Majesty!”

After Maan left, Jalal stared at his path for a long time, his mind echoing the words he said… 

Maybe he is not the man Purnima fell in love with. Maybe Jodha Bai is not the person he loved so deeply. Maybe the way they reunited was not the best one anticipated. But does it matter anymore? All that matters is the truth, the reality. The truth that they are together now. Purnima and Chandrajeet have been mingled with Jalaluddin Mohammad and Jodha Bai. Jalal and Jodha are standing together on the stair of truth now, together, bound by the unbreakable bond tied by the destiny… forever!

So beautiful. Grateful to you for updating one of my favourite story. I hope jo dosent misunderstand jalal. Thanks once again for an amazing update.

Awesome chappy Di 

But they r not happy 

Update soon Di 

Thanks for Pm Di 

Whole of your update was enchanting. I believe their reunion is not so easy there is a long journey to go through. I was very delighted to find this chapter. I am going to read it again.

Wowwwww......soooper 👏👏👏👏👏awesome dr......wats gonna happen 🤔🤔

beautiful chapter loved it JJ are married yaaayyyyyyy hope everything goes well update asap btw.. I think my like button is not working pardon me for that

I thought Jalal will be happy knowing that his purnima will now always be in front of his eyes but this was unexpected..he is so sad..why they can't be just happy...ur writing skills r so amazing that we can feel each and every emotion while reading it..i can't get enough of the chapter i want to read it once more.... their journey of love and marriage is going to be long and Jodha will have a hard time to digest about the fact that her chandrajeet is now her husband also can't wait to see her family reaction

Can't wait to read further..update asap

Amazing update 👌🙌 😍......

Thanks for updating.......

Waiting for the confrontation scene .....