"Jodha, please have this. I am sorry for opening my mouth. I will not do the same ever again."

"She must have been hungry since so long. I wonder if they are treating her well." Jodha sobbed.

Neela sighed. It had already been three days since Rambai's punishment was announced. She was to be prisoned for a month. She had served the royal family for ages now that is why her punishment was reduced, and partly because Jodha made Jalal do so.

"Jodha, she will be back before you realise. Now please complete your food."

"I have to go."

"Where?"

"To serve this food to its rightful owner."

"What do you mean?"

"I am going to give it to Kaakisaa."

"Shut up Jodha and come back to your senses. Have you lost your mind? Do you not care about the repercussions? You have already angered Begum-e-khaas with your behaviour and now you are doing this stupidity."

"Well, I guess your maid has more brains than you." Jodha and Neela turned to see who this third person was.

"Begum-e-khaas!" Neela exclaimed. Jodha raised her brows and remembered kaakisaa mentioning something about Ruqqayah the other day when she had met her for the first time.

"Ruqqayah Begum?" Jodha whispered.

"Out everyone except for our dear princess." Neela bowed and left with the other workers.

"Have a seat."

"No wonder you are still a princess. Have your parents not taught you how to behave in front of the most important queen, princess?"

"I am also a queen. Why must one queen bow in front of other?"

"Haven't you heard that you shouldn't be on the bad side of someone important! Or let me phrase it this way- I control everything here and if you don't abide by me, it will be your loss, little girl."

"Glad I am young. I have heard His Majesty shows interest only in young girls?"

Ruqqayah clenched her teeth but a second later a smile spread over her face.

"Yes. You are absolutely correct. You are young and beautiful. I wonder why he didn't touch you yet. Oh, is it true that you are not to be touched?"

Anger rose inside Jodha. How on earth was Ruqqayah aware of her personal life. She didn't speak for a while.

"Wondering how I know about this? Oh, you poor little baby, you must be. Well. Since you are new and young, I must give you a piece of advice: Jalal shares everything with me, everything."

Jodha was a bit upset but she had to come back with a reply. She didn't' want to but she decided she should. Now that Ruqqayah crossed the line, why mustn't she?

"So, you might also be aware of what happened the other day, you know when kaakisaa was punished."

"You call that old hag, kaakisaa. Wonder what she did."

"Keep on wondering. Now I wonder whether he actually tells you everything or is all of this just a bluff."

Ruqqayah couldn't guess what she meant but she did not show it on her face. She simply got up and wished her good night.

"I'll see you in Meena Bazaar then?"

Jodha smiled and once Ruqqayah left she started panicking. Because of the kaakisaa event, she nearly forgot that Meena Bazaar was less than in three days and she hadn't even started preparing.

"What happened Jodha?" Neela asked as she entered the room.

"I disappointed Begum-e-khaas." Jodha said in a mocking tone.

"Jodha, do you have any idea about the complications? First you fight with His Majesty for a woman who doesn't even care about you and then you go on disappointing Begum-e-khaas too!

Jodha raised her finger to stop Neela from speaking any further. "I fought with him with the right of a wife. And I don't consider it important to be acting as someone's slave, so I am not going to bow down to that Ruqqayah no matter what. If she is Begum-e-khaas, I am also an empress."

"Jodha.." Jodha raised her hand to stop Neela from speaking. "You are dismissed for the day."

After Neela left, Jodha kept on pondering for a while about whether what she said and did to Jalal was right or wrong. With no conclusion, she felt she would go mad and decided to take a stroll. It was around 4:30 in the evening. The wind was blowing swiftly. The trees in unison. The weather was pleasant making her feel relaxed. She kept walking until she reached a new wing of the fort, one she had never seen before.

"Wow, this fort has so many dimensions I yet have to discover." She smiled in awe as she entered this new wing. As she took another step, she heard a loud thump. Scared to her wits of what caused such a loud noise, her curiosity piqued higher.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" As she walked with each step following the source of the sound, her heart kept thumping inside her chest. Finally, after walking for a while, she noticed a faint light leading to a large open area. There were two guards, well built guarding the entrance. She stepped further. One of the guards stopped her.

"Apologies, Your Royal Highness! You are not permitted to enter the place."

"Why? Is this some secret magic place?"

"Your Highness, His Majesty is busy practicing and doesn't like interference.'

She though to herself what kind of practice he was so immersed in. As much as she recalled he only practiced fencing and horse riding and wrestling; but then again, it was merely two months since they got married. How on earth could she know everything about him. She nodded and was about to leave when she heard a loud thumping sound and along with-it Jalal's groan. Her heart skipped a beat and she ran inside despite the guard's protest. They couldn't ask her beyond a limit.

She ran and ran until she noticed a huge elephant rambling loudly and Jalal by his side, trying to control him? Well, it didn't make much sense. I mean why would a person try to control a mad beast. She stood their shocked, in awe and surprised as she saw Jalal being pushed and thrown by the elephant. Once she even cried out, but he didn't hear. Finally after what seemed never ending, she got up but at the same moment Jalal jumped with the help of the wall and landed on the elephant's head. It was done. The elephant gave in and was controlled. He was perspiring now and the sight of Jodha took him by surprise but also made him happy.

"Malika!" He addressed her cheerfully.

"Shehenshah!" She addressed him back.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You played well."

"Its no game. It's a hobby. A habit I would say would make more sense."

"Dangerous habit. But then again, you like taking risks."

"You know me that well?"

"I have been trying to understand you lately."

"You still haven't answered my question."

"Well, why don't you freshen up first?"

"I have to go horse riding after that. Then, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"You can come afterwards."

"I really shouldn't."

"Why would you say that?"

"You've clearly drawn a line and I don't want to cross my boundaries."

"I am sorry. I act up without realizing."

"Do you have a split personality disorder?"

"No, Your Majesty!"

"Then,--"

"I will wait for you."

Saying this she turned around and left. He didn't ask her to wait. He didn't come back at night. Time passed and he didn't visit her for a few days until Meena Bazaar. She had held a shop selling cosmetics straight from Amber.

"Attention, His Majesty, Jalal-uddin Muhammad is arriving in Meena Bazaar."

As Jalal entered all the ladies of the harem crowded around him like bees, asking him to visit their respective shops. But like every year, he headed straight to Ruqqayah's shop. She was enjoying her hookah when he arrived. She smirked at him.

"What would His Majesty like to purchase?" She asked without getting up and greeting him, laying down all this while.

"I order you to get up and behave properly this instant. There are guards here."

She complied as it was the king's order. She let go of the hookah and instead chew a paan now.

"What are you selling this time, Begum-e-khaas?"

"Paan, to enlighten your mood. Would you like to try?" He sighed and bought one paan from her shop. "Serve me some tonight!"

"Of course, Your Majesty."

He turned around to leave but she caught hold of his hand. "Don't waste your time. There is nothing you will get there anyway!" She taunted as he removed her hand and walked away.

"This one smells nice. What does it do, Ranisaa?" One of the maidens asked.

"It glows up your face if applied overnight."

"That is nice. I am getting married next week. I think I should buy one."

"If you like it, then you should."

"By the way Ranisaa, your shop is selling the most items but why isn't Shehenshah visiting?"

"It will be 2 gold coins." Jodha answered ignoring the question. The girl understood she shouldn't have asked it.

The entire day Jodha spent on selling her products. As dusk appeared, about one third of her products were still left. She thought of gifting it to the harem inmates, now that most of the shops were closed and Meena Bazaar came to an end. She asked Neela to wrap up the items and got up to have a glass of water. When she returned twenty minutes later, as her entire body ached and she walked rather slowly, she saw Neela waiting empty handed.

"Why haven't you packed the stuff yet?" Exhausted, she looked around and to her surprise the products were not even in the shop. "What did you do this time, moron?"

"If selling items to an emperor is what a moron does, then I guess, all the ladies who set up their shops today are morons." She turned around at the similar voice. Jalal smiled and walked towards Jodha.

"Shehenshah!"

"I have brought most of the items from your shop. All my ladies will be impressed today, thanks to you."

She simply nodded. "Why didn't you visit earlier?"

"My mother-in-law and father-in-law were arriving today-"

"Oh,--"

"From Amber."

"Maasaa and Bapusaa."

"I had to give them a proper welcome."

"Where are they now? Can I meet him?"

"Not today. They are very tired and already asleep. Visit them tomorrow."

She nodded and smiled this time.

"Jodha.." she looked at him when he called her and before she could realise he had embraced her.

"I thought you would come to see me even once, when I was not giving you attention."

"I assumed you wanted to stay away from me."

"I always want you in my arms."

Her face turned crimson as he said those lines and kissed on her hair.

"God, I am going to miss you."

"Why?"

"I am going on a long battle."

"Where to?"

He didn't spoke for a while and she just relaxed against him.

"I hope Allah hears my prayers." He said in a dejected tone.

He was mournful. She didn't know why. He had gone on battles earlier too, so what was it this time?

"Don't worry, all your prayers will come true. I will ask Kanha to do so."

He chuckled at her innocence not realizing she meant every word of it.