" This is going to be your chamber" Ruqaiya Begum led both Jyoti and Jodha begum to the room that had gotten readied for the 'new begum'. 

Ruqaiya recalled being shocked, at the sudden request for a room to be decorated as she had known Jalal to have gone out for declaration of a war and not for marriage. She even felt way out of her wits, almost wanting to kill everyone around her and burn the Harem to ashes along with its women, only later to realise that her hormones were all over the place because of the pregnancy.

She caressed her still invisible bump, as it had merely been a few weeks, and turned to look at Jyoti's face to judge whether she liked the room or not.

Jyoti stepped inside cautiously, avoiding tripping against the mattresses that covered the whole floor as well as the numerous showpieces that covered every edge of the room. She looked around, trying to gauge her surroundings but failing as the darkness of the room deflected her.

" Should I open the curtains Begum Sahiba?" Jyoti heard a male voice, as she saw an eunuch approach Ruqaiya with their head bowed, as the head Begum allowed the order.

" Men aren't allowed in the Harem" Jodha spoke, catching the glimpse of curiosity in Jyoti's eyes, " so eunuchs like Hoshiyar become the messengers as well as protectors".

" Ah " Jyoti exclaimed in a whisper, as she turned around to notice that the guards at the entrance were also eunuchs, who she had previously mistook as men.

" By the way Jyoti Begum" Ruqaiya spoke, " where are your maids? why are you alone?"

Jyoti sighed, bracing herself to answer the Head Begum as the room got a bit brighter with the curtains being pushed open. She could now judge the extravagance of the room, almost every artefact kept around her waiting to shine bright once the sun rays hit them after daybreak.

But the thick forestry surrounding the palace was enough to keep the sun hidden for a few minutes longer from the royal palace, as soft light illuminated the morning sky. 

" The wedding proposal was sudden, so my belongings couldn't be arranged properly for the departure" Jyoti spoke, " I was adamant on following Shehenshah on the same day as his departure, so my maids were tasked with overseeing proper transport of my belongings while I left before them"

Jodha's eyes widened at the explanation. She remembered her own wedding day, how she craved to stay beside her family even if it were for a few seconds. How she cried at Kanyadaan and throughout the journey from Amer to Agra. She knew if she had the same situation as Jyoti, she would have chosen to stay back with the family members, spend a bit more time away from the cruel emperor and in the laps of her mother and father. But alas, her fate was cruel.

And here, in front of her stood a girl who deliberately left early to be with the same cruel Shehenshah. How could it be possible?

" Jyoti-"

" So you like Jalal?" Ruqaiya's enquiry silenced whatever Jodha was planning on saying.

Jyoti's cheeks flushed at the sudden inquiry, as her eyes darted to the floor and her mouth reluctantly started speaking gibberish.

" Yes, Begum Ruqaiya. I do like Shehenshah" Jyoti was atlast able to state her mind coherently after a few minutes.

" Interesting" Ruqaiya paced towards Jyoti, who instinctively looked up to meet Ruqaiya's eyes. 

Ruqaiya was the same age as Jyoti, but looked far younger than the latter. She also had the fairest skin and exotic emerald eyes that could pull in any man, if they had the fortune to witness them. However those eyes only searched for the Shehenshah's, desperately so, but always found a soft feeling of companionship or the passionate feeling of lust, and never anything more.

Ruqaiya wondered if the growing life inside of her would atlast bring a sense of love between her and Jalal, but the woman standing in front of her made her a bit unsettled. No Hindu princess could ever love her Jalal, she knew it. And it was justified, just how she hated every Hindu man. But in front of her were a pair of eyes that held the serenity of being in love, something she craved for since childhood. 

" Does Jalal love you?" Ruqaiya asked, making Jyoti widen her eyes in shock.

" I.. I don't know Begum Ruqaiya"

" Of course you don't" Ruqaiya smirked. " His mind is like a maze Begum, a maze that very few people can navigate. And among the begums, only I know the route, for I have gauged every corner of his mind since childhood, and I rule it" Ruqaiya stated, challenging Jyoti's stance in Jalal's view.

" I am aware of that Ruqaiya begum" Jyoti spoke, a soft smile adorning her face, " he has talked about you when we were travelling. And I have heard about you from the common mass too. The petitions and cases you have put forward in your young age for women, I have been in awe at them for a long time. While I was dillydallying as a child, you were actively taking part in politics of the Diwan-e-Aam, and supporting the Shehenshah through tough times. And even though our religions clash and there have been too many casualties, I cannot fault you for those. Those were wars created by men and greed, and I know you must have done your best to support the women of the Sultanate and the Harem through those tough times"

Begum Ruqaiya went silent, her eyes losing the fierceness it held for a moment. Her heart beat at the thought of gaining a trustworthy friend in the Harem, someone who wouldn't judge her harsh comments or decisions. Someone who would understand her predicament as the youngest but first begum of the Shehenshah, the daughter of a noble whom the previous Emperor cherished. The pressure of holding up her family name and honour, the guilt and responsibility it came with, she wanted someone whom she could vent out to without being labelled as weak and unfit for being the Begum of the ruthless Shehenshah.

" Hoshiyar!" she yelled, coming out of her trance. She had been taught too many times, there's no one you can trust in the Royal Palace, not even your own blood and bone. And she was going to abide by that law. Afterall, she didn't need a friend in someone whom she could subjugate. She didn't need dumb, weak women tailing her and wasting her time. She just needed her Jalal, and soon, her heir. " Let's go. The new Begum seems well accustomed with Royal etiquettes and manners.... even flattery"

" It wasn't a ruse, Begum Ruqaiya-"

" Enough" Ruqaiya put her palm in front of Jyoti's face, ordering her to not speak another word. " Even if what you show is the truth, it only means more trouble. No one would spare you of betrayal just because of your kind-heartedness, or rather, naivety, Jyoti Begum. Remember to tread lightly but firmly, that's all I can advice you as someone who doesn't want to cause you any harm, lest you change your opinions about me someday"

Ruqaiya sidestepped both the Hindu Begums and stomped off from the chamber, Hoshiyar following her in suit.

Jodha and Jyoti shared a confusing and scared look, wondering if whatever happened would make Ruqaiya a foe to the new Begum too, as she was already a nuisance to Jodha since the day she got here.

" I hope she doesn't stay angry" Jyoti sighed, " it's not good for the baby"

" Neither for you Jyoti Bai !" Jodha hit Jyoti lightly on her head. " You almost vaporised in front of her deadly gaze. Don't ever try to act smart in front of her"

" I wasn't!" Jyoti cried while rubbing her head. " I seriously have gone through her works. The general public holds her in high regard. Surely she must be a good leader just like Shehenshah?"

" Just like Shehenshah!?" Jodha's nostrils flared and eyes widened in horror, " how can you say that when Mahanagar was on verge of war with the Mughals?"

" Mahanagar has been in actual war against Amer too, when the royal line was active. But I wouldn't say any of the Kings involved were bad rulers. Yes, they were wrong for I remember the reason was something mere, like resources and money, which could have been solved by negotiations, but which Kingdom has ever shied away from war, Jodha Bai? If we were to go back in history even the mighty clans of the northern subcontinent were established through a string of war and destruction"

Jodha went mute for a moment. " Are you seriously saying that Shehenshah is a good person? Worthy of being treated as a husband even?"

" I know he is a brute. And I also know, that he was a mere boy of 12 when he was forced onto the throne and the battleground. I am well aware of what went down in your wedding Jodha Bai, and why you hate him. And I hate what happened too, but isn't it wrong to vilify him when it was Rajkumar Sujamal who betrayed-"

" No " Jodha interrupted, " Sujamal Bhaisa was just fighting for his place at the throne. Plus we don't know if these Mughals are stating the truth. Bhaisa would never side with the Mughals-"

" But he did. Jagdish Bhaisa was present when the trials and investigations were going on surrounding Kumar Sujamal. It was proved well enough" Jyoti turned to the window through which the first rays of sun peeked through and lightened up the room. The chamber was surely a piece of art, and it reminded her of the name she had gotten from her husband. The same husband whose character was stained and marred with the blood he had spilled over the years of his governance.

" Are you truly supporting him Jyoti Bai?" Jodha asked, defeated in front of Jyoti's statements, " the man who snatched away everything from me?"

" I will never support his crimes Jodha Bai" Jyoti held Jodha by her shoulders, " I am always on your side. Always. But we as women also need to understand and analyse way more than men do. We need to judge the conditions, and then act upon them, as the sin of brute force didn't get passed down to us. My mother used to say, as women we have the ability to make even swamps bloom Jodha Bai. And I wish to do the same"

Jodha's mind settled, even if for a fleeting moment, hearing Jyoti's words of affirmation. She remembered that her own mother used to say something similar, but it turned desperate the moment the news of Mughals reached her. She remembered what her mother said the last time she saw her, to compromise and adjust, to sacrifice in order to survive, for it was her existence that held the honour of Rajput women. 

The same thought, said in a different manner by someone who wasn't fear stricken at the thought of Shehenshah abusing or killing her, made Jodha confused. It rattled her to the core, that someone so similar to her could see good in the man who had hurt her in so many ways. 

"I... I shall take my leave then. Pranaam" Jodha left in a daze, as Jyoti saw the retreating figures of the maids following their Begum.

" Did I speak too much?" Jyoti sighed and looked beside her, only to find the absence of her twin. Realisation dawned upon her that her twin, her brother would no longer be beside her, to advise her, to comfort her, to look over her actions and words. 

Tears slowly built up in her eyes, reluctant to fall down as Jyoti didn't want to cry at her situation. She had wanted this, a life with her husband. Even though she never imagined her husband to be the Shehenshah, she had been ecstatic since the day the proposal had been made. And even more so, since the day she fell in love with him, beside the fountain, under the starry nightsky. 

She strode towards the huge window, now illuminating the whole chamber to it's full glory and glamour, and glanced outside to the scenic beauty of the royal courtyards and gardens. Taking a deep breath, she sat down on one of the couches kept near the balcony, not knowing what to do next, whether to take off the jewellery or let Shehenshah visit her first. And as she casually went through her own throughts, exhaustion took over as she drifted off to sleep under the warm embrace of the morning sun.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Hello Readers!

So this was pretty difficult to write because I did not want to diminish the troubles of Jodha. According to the serial, Jalal was pretty abusive in the start and it was very uncomfortable. I was thus very conflicted about how to show Jyoti's justification for her love/actions, and thus I had to edit this chapter so many times. 

Also, I had a hard time wondering what aspects of Ruqaiya should be shown. Like I had planned on making her think that the chamber was actually pretty bad because it was so secluded from everything else, and thinking that Jalal actually hates the new begum. But I remembered that I had already established that she knows that Jalal maybe likes the new Begum so it wouldn't work out.

Anyways, I hope y'all had a good read.

Will Jalal and Jyoti meet in the next chapter? Fingers crossed!

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