Akdha FF- A tale of ice and fire Chap 10: Part I 03/22/2020 - Page 22

hey plz come back.......😭

Hi guys, sorry for delay..would be dropping an update this Sunday for sure..thanks for hanging around..

Originally posted by: sm1308

Hi guys, sorry for delay..would be dropping an update this Sunday for sure..thanks for hanging around..

Originally posted by: sm1308

Hi guys, sorry for delay..would be dropping an update this Sunday for sure..thanks for hanging around..

waiting eagerly , plz make it long one .

Chapter 9 (Part II): “A deal with the devil”

Jalal had left, leaving a distraught and defeated Jodha on floor. Entering Abdul’s tent.

Jalal (to Abdul): Send word to the king of Amer. Let him know, his men, his sons and his daughter are safe..(with a pause) FOR NOW…and that we need to talk, the terms of their release.

Abdul (confused): Terms of their release???When did we apprehend them? It was Sharif’s doing, you came to put an end to this turmoil..Why to put up conditions now? I don’t understand..

Jalal stayed silent..

Abdul: What is it,you’re not telling me Jalal? I thought you were here to save the fort from Sharif’s annexation? What about the girl, you wanted to look for, ensure her safety? You know that if you need to find her, we first need to have cordial relationships with Amer. Putting up a condition for their soldiers, or royals release, wont fetch you their trust..I don’t understand this..What is it you are up to??

Jalal: Just send the word Abdul. Let the king know, I need to see him, right away.

Abdul (irritated):What about the princess? How is she? Atleast we should send her back, if she is at all, in a condition to move. We can send an apology that she got ambushed, because you couldn’t recognize her. We should send her back to her distraught father.That would be a good start.

Jalal (hissed in anger): SHE STAYS HERE. I’M NOT SENDING HER ANYWHERE. SEND THE WORD TO THE KING, I SAID…

Abdul (unafraid, yet horrified): What the hell are you talking about? You do understand the seriousness of the situation. WE HAVE A GIRL IN OUR BATTLE-CAMP.. A RAJPUT PRINCESS FOR GOD SAKE JALAL..We have a code of honor…keeping women hostage-Are you out of your mind??

Jalal (roared in seething anger): SEND THE WORD ABDUL, AND LEAVE ME ALONE..

Abdul didn’t argue anymore. He left the chamber, agitated..Jalal was not in his right mind, there was no point talking to him now..He would get back to his friend, when he had cooled enough. But he couldn’t send the princess back without Jalal’s consent. Why would Jalal change his mind. He was trying to safeguard the interests of Amer, he had no intentions to annex Rajputana, he was looking for someone he had met, he had got more humane, why risk it all now?..He has an opportunity here, to release them all, return the princes and princess with honor and respect, garner Rajputs friendship instead of this generations of animosity. WHY?? WHY RISK IT ALL??

Jalal was altogether in an entirely different dilemma.

Jalal (POV): How to tell Abdul that the girl I was looking for is none other than their crown princess herself. And Oh my holy God! It was actually her, Sharifud’din was after, he knew, that it was her, I met that night. He must have figured out that she was important enough for me, that I killed his soldiers, my own people to safeguard her honor. I brought this nightmare upon her.

And he is still out there, me coming here for Amer’s help, that must have strengthened his suspicion. And she, a naïve princess, jumping into the battles like this, not having a single clue that it is not Amer Sharifud’din is after, it is her. He is after her, because of me and I have jeopardized her safety. He will keep coming after her, and she will keep throwing herself in these hellish situations, and then it would just be the matter of time, who gets an upperhand. My unrestrained behavior has revealed her as my probable weakness, one who is out my domain of security, and a perfect target to get to me. How could I have been so careless. How on Earth he (Sharif’id’din) could have known? He is an open threat, even if I restrain him, what are the chances that some other enemy of mine wouldn’t come after her for the very same reasons, Sharif had.

There is no other way to put an end to this. She will have to come within the niche of my security, she will have to leave Amer, not just for her own self, but for Amer and her people too. To steel them away from recurrent attacks of Sharifud’din or anyone else, targeting her. She will have to come with me, Sharifud’din wouldn’t dare an attack, if I’m close.

If only she could realize my intent that it is not only her own but the life of her subjects too at stake. Or would I ever be brave enough to accept that most of all it is my life at edge too, because God knows if anything happens to her, my heart would halt to beat and my soul shall cease to exist.

But how I’m a suppose to make her understand, if I can’t even make Abdul understand all of this.

Abdul’s word were reverberating in Jalal’s mind. The opportunity to garner Rajputs trust and friendship. Jalal had wished it more than anything else, he did want to show his good intent, make them believe that he is more humane than everybody tends to believe. But he would admit, this intent of generosity and goodwill only arose in him for the very first time, because he had met “a divine rajput girl” out of nowhere. A rajput who tugged his heart with such a compassion that he didn’t have any choice but to give in respect that his sworn enemies-“The rajputs” so well deserved.

Never in his wildest dreams he would have expected her to be the crown princess of Amer. What princess roams around the terrains of her landscape in the dead of night, all alone by herself, on a stallion, armed and camouflaged as a teen boy. He had thought of her as daughter or sibling to some rajput men guarding the border at night. A commoner who couldn’t have contained the excitement of accompanying her brothers, patrolling the borders. She had told him her name “Jodha”, never once mentioning that she was the acclaimed princess“Harka Bai” of Amer. God! The girl has no pride, how could a royal be so down to earth. He had seen princesses but never one like her. But how on God’s green Earth, couldn’t he sense it, the pain and anger she held for the atrocities being committed on her people, her dedication and compassion for them, the confident aura and combat skills she possesed, she was every bit a princess to her people. It was him too blind to see that.

Things would have been so easy if she would have just been a common subject to Amer, as he thought of her to be. He would have taken this opportunity to show his good intent and respect for Rajputs, he would have offered his friendship. He would have made them believe that he was more than“the devil”, they think him to be. That he came for their aid, against the treacherous attempt of his own general. That he has no intentions to annex rajputana, that the attack was against his official decree, that he wishes to put an end to this generations of animosity with a seed of goodwill and trust. May be, may be then, they would have believed him, she would have believed him.May be, he would have convinced her, may be he would have asked the king to lend him the hand of one of his common subjects.

But all hopes were gone. She turned out to be the princess, and there was no way that Rajputs would agree to what he has to offer. They would die rather than believe that he was doing all this to ensure her safety. She is the symbol of honor for their clan, and there is noway that they or even she herself would ever accept any sort of alliance between a rajput and their sworn enemy, Moguls. Besides, she is too headstrong to realize the impending danger she is in. He would have accepted her denial, understood it, only if she was SAFE. Never in his weirdest dreams he would have thought to enforce his intentions, only if she was SAFE. But, she isn’t.

Jalal (sighed): There is no other way, however brute, evil and sinister it looks, I’ll have to do it.. even if you have to hate me for the rest of your life.. I know I’m not entitled to take any decisions on your behalf, but I cant help it…I’ll do whatever is crucial to keep you out of danger’s way, that I myself have pushed you in..

(Back at the gates ofAmer fort)

The sun had risen, but there was no sign of Jodha or her Badal. Khangar Singh had been looking for her within and around the fort, but she was nowhere to be found. The king was cursing himself for probably being too harsh on his girl, the previous night. But, he knew well, Jodha was too compassionate to leave her battalion unled, just because of some harsh words from her father. She had temper of the worst sort, but there was noway that anger would overtake her sense of reasoning, in such critical war-like situation.

Khangar Singh (exasperated):She is nowhere to be found. Neither within nor around, the fort. No one has seen her, since last night. One of the guards said, that he may have seen a flash of a white horse, in the dark of night, perhaps towards the enemy camp.But he thought it was an illusion, since he couldn’t hear the sound of the gallops.

Raja Bharmal (terrified): No!she wouldn’t do that. Going into the enemy camps in the dead of night, alone. No! this would be a suicide. What could she possibly achieve from this?

Suddenly, Bharmal’s eye widened. If Jodha did go, then she must have gone after the Mogul king. With Mogul king down, rajputs charging against the unled Mogul soldiers wouldn’t seem an impossible task. His heart thundered against his rib cage. Oh Bhavani! His daughter had gone into that enemy camp against that brute king. Bharmal yelled at the top of his voice, addressing his people,

Bharmal: PREPARE FORATTACK!

Khangar leaped onto his horse, aligning the rajput soldiers, prepping them for the march. Bharmal led the battalion, but before they could make their way downhill. One of the guards at the gate yelled:

Guard: There is someone approaching towards us. A Mogul soldier.

Bharmal seized his descent and saw a mogul soldier galloping towards the fort of Amer. He waved his hand for the rajput soldiers to halt. In a short time, the Mogul soldier was standing at the gate.

He forwarded the letter, that bore the seal of the Mogul king, and Bharmal snatched it from his hands, giving a deathly glare to the already scared messenger.

“Addressed to the king of Amer,

Raja Bharmal, this letter is to inform you that your soldiers, crown princes and princess of Amer (who was with-held after her vain attempt to assassinate the Mogul emperor, in the dead of last night) have been held captive, yet are safe (for now). The Mogul Emperor, Jala’ud’din Mohd seeks your presence to negotiate the terms of their release. Denying or failing to meet the conditions of the letter would force us to charge the fugitives with the crime of conspiration against the Mogul crown.

On the behalf of the Emperor,

Jalal’ud din Mohd.”

Bharmal’s heart sank. He could bear his sons being held captive, but his little girl, Jodha was in captivity, that too in the camps of his worst enemy. Fear engulfed his heart, and without losing a second, he signaled Khangar Singh to join him, leaving his entire battalion of men at the gates of Amer. The two whipped the reigns of their horses and galloped towards the enemy camp.

(At Mogul camp)

Jalal was still immersed in his thoughts, when the soldier arrived.

Soldier: My king! RajaBharmal and his nephew, Khangar Singh are here.

Jalal nodded, dismissed the messenger and prepared himself for what was about to come.

Abdul had received the king of Amer and his nephew with a sense of confusion. Not able to decide whether the two of them have to be treated as enemies or probable allies. He kept himself to fewer conversations and led them towards the tent, set up for meeting with Jalal. The two princes and all theother rajput soldiers in captivity, had already been relieved off their cuffs, and Sujamal and Bhagwant Das were informed to join their father and cousin. Abdul had already sent them the word that their sister was safe, medically attended, yet not in a condition to be relieved.

Sujamal (on his way to meet): The handnote, we received early morning- all it says is your sister is safe and alive.

Bhagwant Das: God knows in what condition is she? I’ve never been this scared brother. I almost felt dead,seeing her in that state last night.

Sujamal: I know, me too brother. But thankgod that brute had the decency to provide her medical aid.

Bhagwant Das (hissed):Only after he thrashed her to death.

Sujamal (winced): Yeah!But I cant imagine, what Jodha was thinking. Why would she take such a suicidal step?

Bhagwant Das: Father must be here for our sister. God knows what that devil is gonna ask, but whatever it is, I would pay with my life if it means safe procurement of our little sister.

Sujamal: Yeah! As I would. But the Mogul king didn’t attack Amer, he is looking for some common ground,and I’m having a vice vibe. God knows what he is up to.

The two princes entered the tent, and saw their father and cousin already in there. The moment Sujamal’s gaze met Bharmal’s a tidal wave of embarrassment and guilt flushed over him.

Bharmal seeing the two of them alive and breathing, exhaled a sigh of relief and covered the distance.

Sujamal (with his gaze low): Its all because of me. I brought this upon Amer, on you, on Jodha.

Bharmal (hugged the two of them together): No! If there is anyone to blame, its me. I should have been more open, more understanding. Its my fault, not your son. I’m proud of you two…Have you seen your sister??

Bhagwant Das: No, we haven’t,not after she was taken to be given medical assistance. She is badly hurt. She attacked Jalal’ud’din and before he could realize that it was her, before we could reach for the assistance, we were tackled down and she had passed out. God knows father how is she..we got a word early morning that she is conscious but not in a state to be relieved.

Bharmal nodded, and with slouched shoulders, grief-stricken stupor held his gaze towards the entrance, waiting for the arrival of Jalal’ud’din Mohd. Every second felt like eons, when finally the guard announced the arrival of the emperor.

Jalal entered the tent, followed by Abdul.

Bharmal and his sons looked at the infamous king, for the first time,upclose. His curls were all disheveled, falling over his blood shot, kohl smudged eyes. He seemed atleast half a foot taller than Sujamal himself. He wasn’t armoured and the dirt from the combat last night still stuck to his plain clothing. His wrists were loosely bandaged, carrying thick stains of blood. His waist band held a heavy sword at his left side and an artistic dagger at the right. But his face was composed, hard, incessant, relentless and with no signs of mercy or emotions, whatsoever. Bharmal could see why he was called a true bringer of grief and death, a devil indeed. It was the aura of the man that was darker than the demeanor, he carried. He swept past everyone, without passing a glance, to take his place at the centre high rise chair, and signaled everyone else to have a seat, rowed on his either sides.

Neither Bharmal nor any of his sons, showed courtsy and stayed at their place standing.

Bharmal: We are not here for the Mogul hospitality. I’m here to listen to what you demand in return for my daughter. But before that, I need to see her.

Jalal (curtly): And I’m not here to address your needs, you’re here to address mine. Just reminding. But I’ll let this one time, pass, only if I don’t have to remind you again.

Jalal gave a nod to Abdul, who left to fetch Jodha.

P.S: Hi guys, here is the chapter...do not forget to drop by ur reviews..kz while you wait for story, I wait for how it made you feel..n thanks for all the cooperation, understanding n love..

Superb...read all chapters at one shot...its amazing....please update soon....i m loving this...

Hello dear writer.... After a long long wait... U finally updated... I thought u vanished 🤔.... But thank u for updating n no thank you for stopping at a very crucial stage... U r being heartless my dear writer  😆... Have mercy please... Kindly update soon...

N extremely sorry for not commenting on previous chapter.... My daughter is down with dengue fever.... So I am quite busy with hospitals n blood tests....  But trust me if I say that the previous n the current chapter had me on the edge of my chair with bitten nails... (oh goodbye to my freshly manicured nails 💅 😒) 

So, hmm... Jalaaal n his twisting  ways of ensuring the safety of his umm wat should i say "love"...? I wonder wat reactions will we get from the amer party.... Guess fireworks it is 😎..... Waiting eagerly for the next update.... Don't forget us n the forum... Till then chao 😛

Originally posted by: mirami

Superb...read all chapters at one shot...its amazing....please update soon....i m loving this...

Thanks..glad you liked..n yeah will update soon..

Originally posted by: PBDcrazy

Hello dear writer.... After a long long wait... U finally updated... I thought u vanished 🤔.... But thank u for updating n no thank you for stopping at a very crucial stage... U r being heartless my dear writer  😆... Have mercy please... Kindly update soon...

N extremely sorry for not commenting on previous chapter.... My daughter is down with dengue fever.... So I am quite busy with hospitals n blood tests....  But trust me if I say that the previous n the current chapter had me on the edge of my chair with bitten nails... (oh goodbye to my freshly manicured nails 💅 😒) 

So, hmm... Jalaaal n his twisting  ways of ensuring the safety of his umm wat should i say "love"...? I wonder wat reactions will we get from the amer party.... Guess fireworks it is 😎..... Waiting eagerly for the next update.... Don't forget us n the forum... Till then chao 😛

Oh my God! I hope kiddo gets well soon :(

Pls you two take care..n I won't take that long this time..will drop an update soon..

N thank you so much for the reviews..

Originally posted by: divyaJA

Awesome update

Thanks :)