A/N: So yes, here is another Ruqlal OS. This one was written years ago but I never bothered to post it. 😆
His Closest Companion
Ruqaiya walked into her chamber taking steps that seemed to weigh more than swords and maces. Her nervous system bore haunting, perplexing, dejecting, adamant thoughts that refused to let go and her eyes had tears she could efficiently govern as her eyelids were lowered in remorse. She felt she would fall on the bed in a stupor, bawling like a baby but there was that Mallika in her that held it all back as she sat on the bed with a thud.
“Is anything the matter, Mallika?” her trusted attendant came running to her “Do you need anything?”
“I have seen my world transition, move on and leave me behind.” She declared with an angry laugh.
“Why...” The bandi began
“Takliya,” Ruqaiya snapped “Takliya!”
And she walked out in fear.
Left on her own, Ruqaiya sought sleep as a way out but the moment she closed her eyes, she saw it again. Her Shehanshah officially announcing he was going to be a father and that Jodha Begum was going to give him his heir. Startled, her eyelids stood ajar and her heart in fragments. Recollecting the happenings of the day had her upset and on the verge of breaking down but she kept telling herself that Mallikas don’t cry. Manoeuvring her swollen eyes that had all her emotions safe inside and away from the ruthless world as she looked in the mirror, nostalgia hit her hard all over again. Crystal clear were the memories of every time her lord entered into wedlock with another, slowly stabbing her heart with a dagger, making it bleed as love pelted stones, faith smothered and envy stormed it and every time she managed to put it together again and cleaned up her mess, telling herself she’d be his first love and that they were still going strong.
But something today made her chide the very inception, roots and robustness of their love, a love that could not give them the child they had been yearning for, for ages. She had asked, requested, prayed, instructed, pressurized, blackmailed and begged the one above all for a baby but he had never listened. He had only given her magnanimous, gaudy hopes that were destined to shatter, tattering her heart and soul beyond recognition. Her sympathies were with the fallow lands that could never be of use to anyone and the universe never missed an opportunity to overlook because she was, however hurtful it may seem, one of them. She dreaded being forgotten and ignored, lonely and aimless as her reflection in the mirror laughed at her and provoked her to yell at inanimate objects and throw them around, in haplessness and jealousy, causing her hand to bleed in the process. As she sat down at last, exasperated, she heard him call out to her.
“Ruqaiya?” He asked “Is everything alright?”
“Yes, yes, it is, Shehanshah.” She smiled and looked away, wiping her tears and wrapping her hand up in her dupatta to stop the blood flow.
“Are you sure?” He asked again, still in doubt.
“Of course! As long as you’re there, there is nothing that can bother me.”
“Do not lie to me, Begum-e-khaas,” He looked in the eye and exclaimed, “For I can make out, merely from the look on your face. You have been my closest companion for as long as I can remember and it is going to stay so. Nothing would ever change that.” He stated with a twinkle in his eye.
“To me you aren’t the subservient, meek goat, one could shape and reshape as one pleases. You are my wind-like rage, my water-like calm and my sun-like radiance, I can never live without.” He continued and without her realizing it, he grabbed her hand and blew gently at it.
Now, that was true. His closest companion, she was. No one could dare to rob or deprive her of it; wouldn’t she just rip that person off if he tried? And if he survives, shaking in fear would he flee, far far away from her and her Jalal. He had married others, held other hands but never had he left hers, holding firmly to it and nothing anymore looked gruelling. Friendship had never felt stronger, stronger than all other feelings, including love. It was a bond that was tied in threads of iron.
“Run as fast as you can to the Hakim and get me a remedy for her wound.” Jalal commanded the attendant, subduing her train of thoughts.
“I’m fine, Jalal!” She pulled back her hands with a start, observing he had been nursing them.
“I know you aren’t and I also know that you would never tell me the truth or cry as you must and therefore I am here to tell you how much you really mean to me.”
“You not being able to give me a heir would never undermine my feelings for you...”
“Stop, my lord.” She superficially placed her palm on his mouth “I am guilty of having misunderstood you, guilty of feeling that you might disremember me. I would henceforth find my happiness in yours and wouldn’t Jodha begum’s child be my child too? He would be, obviously. I would make him call me ammi jaan too and he would have two mothers, in fact, probably 3 or even more. I would be your faithful companion in these lovely moments of joy.” She cheered.
“And I would soothe your pain!” He said as he bandaged her palm and her soul, healing the bruises inflicted on it by time and fortune.
***
A/N: So yes, here is another Ruqlal OS. This one was written years ago but I never bothered to post it. 😆
His Closest Companion
Ruqaiya walked into her chamber taking steps that seemed to weigh more than swords and maces. Her nervous system bore haunting, perplexing, dejecting, adamant thoughts that refused to let go and her eyes had tears she could efficiently govern as her eyelids were lowered in remorse. She felt she would fall on the bed in a stupor, bawling like a baby but there was that Mallika in her that held it all back as she sat on the bed with a thud.
“Is anything the matter, Mallika?” her trusted attendant came running to her “Do you need anything?”
“I have seen my world transition, move on and leave me behind.” She declared with an angry laugh.
“Why...” The bandi began
“Takliya,” Ruqaiya snapped “Takliya!”
And she walked out in fear.
Left on her own, Ruqaiya sought sleep as a way out but the moment she closed her eyes, she saw it again. Her Shehanshah officially announcing he was going to be a father and that Jodha Begum was going to give him his heir. Startled, her eyelids stood ajar and her heart in fragments. Recollecting the happenings of the day had her upset and on the verge of breaking down but she kept telling herself that Mallikas don’t cry. Manoeuvring her swollen eyes that had all her emotions safe inside and away from the ruthless world as she looked in the mirror, nostalgia hit her hard all over again. Crystal clear were the memories of every time her lord entered into wedlock with another, slowly stabbing her heart with a dagger, making it bleed as love pelted stones, faith smothered and envy stormed it and every time she managed to put it together again and cleaned up her mess, telling herself she’d be his first love and that they were still going strong.
But something today made her chide the very inception, roots and robustness of their love, a love that could not give them the child they had been yearning for, for ages. She had asked, requested, prayed, instructed, pressurized, blackmailed and begged the one above all for a baby but he had never listened. He had only given her magnanimous, gaudy hopes that were destined to shatter, tattering her heart and soul beyond recognition. Her sympathies were with the fallow lands that could never be of use to anyone and the universe never missed an opportunity to overlook because she was, however hurtful it may seem, one of them. She dreaded being forgotten and ignored, lonely and aimless as her reflection in the mirror laughed at her and provoked her to yell at inanimate objects and throw them around, in haplessness and jealousy, causing her hand to bleed in the process. As she sat down at last, exasperated, she heard him call out to her.
“Ruqaiya?” He asked “Is everything alright?”
“Yes, yes, it is, Shehanshah.” She smiled and looked away, wiping her tears and wrapping her hand up in her dupatta to stop the blood flow.
“Are you sure?” He asked again, still in doubt.
“Of course! As long as you’re there, there is nothing that can bother me.”
“Do not lie to me, Begum-e-khaas,” He looked in the eye and exclaimed, “For I can make out, merely from the look on your face. You have been my closest companion for as long as I can remember and it is going to stay so. Nothing would ever change that.” He stated with a twinkle in his eye.
“To me you aren’t the subservient, meek goat, one could shape and reshape as one pleases. You are my wind-like rage, my water-like calm and my sun-like radiance, I can never live without.” He continued and without her realizing it, he grabbed her hand and blew gently at it.
Now, that was true. His closest companion, she was. No one could dare to rob or deprive her of it; wouldn’t she just rip that person off if he tried? And if he survives, shaking in fear would he flee, far far away from her and her Jalal. He had married others, held other hands but never had he left hers, holding firmly to it and nothing anymore looked gruelling. Friendship had never felt stronger, stronger than all other feelings, including love. It was a bond that was tied in threads of iron.
“Run as fast as you can to the Hakim and get me a remedy for her wound.” Jalal commanded the attendant, subduing her train of thoughts.
“I’m fine, Jalal!” She pulled back her hands with a start, observing he had been nursing them.
“I know you aren’t and I also know that you would never tell me the truth or cry as you must and therefore I am here to tell you how much you really mean to me.”
“You not being able to give me a heir would never undermine my feelings for you...”
“Stop, my lord.” She superficially placed her palm on his mouth “I am guilty of having misunderstood you, guilty of feeling that you might disremember me. I would henceforth find my happiness in yours and wouldn’t Jodha begum’s child be my child too? He would be, obviously. I would make him call me ammi jaan too and he would have two mothers, in fact, probably 3 or even more. I would be your faithful companion in these lovely moments of joy.” She cheered.
“And I would soothe your pain!” He said as he bandaged her palm and her soul, healing the bruises inflicted on it by time and fortune.
***
So poignant and heartbreaking! At the same time, gives such a deep insight into her heart and mind! She accepts what comes her way but never deters, she is so strong..... Beautiful work Rammy!
Ramya! It's so good to see you writing, even though this piece had been written a while ago it was nice to read something from you.
Beautifully written shot. The emotions, the inner turmoil of Ruqaiya has been portrayed well. I don't really like to get into the relation of her and Jalal cause I've liked Jodha and him since the movie 🤷♀️ and if I get into Ruqaiya I know I will feel for her. 😫 I have a soft corner for first love and stuff. And you did it. You hit my spot.
You have made their complicated realtion yet so simple and beautiful. I enjoyed reading the shot.
Please do continue writing and posting whenever you can, it's always a treat.
Can I just say how much I loved this OS!
This was always what I felt about Rukaiyaa. The strongest and the most ferocious of them all. She could bear everything but not being away from Jalal. She always wanted to be his top priority because she had spent most of her life supporting and accompanying him in all his life endeavours.
Anything else you write please do PM me 😊
Can I just say how much I loved this OS!
This was always what I felt about Rukaiyaa. The strongest and the most ferocious of them all. She could bear everything but not being away from Jalal. She always wanted to be his top priority because she had spent most of her life supporting and accompanying him in all his life endeavours.
Anything else you write please do PM me 😊
Thank you so much! Your comment just made my day. I am glad you liked it so much! ❤️
Sure, I will PM you whenever I write more. Also, I can share with you some old one shots I wrote on RuqLal and Akdha if you like. 😳
Wow...❤️ Loved reading this ...
Felt Rukaiya's pain of having to share Shenshah.. and also having to suppress that feeling and be happy for him ..
Thanks! Thanks for telling me what it made you feel!!❤️
So poignant and heartbreaking! At the same time, gives such a deep insight into her heart and mind! She accepts what comes her way but never deters, she is so strong..... Beautiful work Rammy!
Aww thank you so much, Anu!😳🤗
Thanks Pro! Thanks for always reading my work and providing me with valuable feedback!!❤️
