" The celebration will take place today " Shehenshah put down the scroll that he had stamped the day he reached the palace two days ago. " Begum Noor's welcome will be done later. I have given my word to Ruqaiya and I cannot break it "

" Shehenshah, won't Begum Sahiba be cross with you then? None of us were able to receive her either. Thankfully Jodha Begum and Ruqaiya Begum were there but-"

" But Shehenshah's heir is far more important for the Sultanate than a new begum" Maham Anga intercepted the young Kazi who was supposed to inaugurate the celebration.

The young man looked over to the Shehenshah, only to find fine lines of stress already apparent on the emperor's face. Realising that he might as well get stuck between a kind of dilemma, he excused himself from the chamber, accepting defeat.

" The young apprentice has a quick tongue Jalal" Maham Anga spoke as she sat down on her chair, leaning a bit towards the Shehenshah who was already holding his head in his palms, massaging his temples to relieve himself of the stress.

" But he's quite correct" Jalal spoke, " I miscalculated the dates and kept the celebration on the day of Begum Jyoti's arrival-"

" You were tired and ecstatic when you reached the palace. Even emperors are bound to make mistakes. And this is not even something grave"

" Is it really not?" Jalal stood up, looking out towards the sun that was reaching its full fledged aura, " even Jodha Begum got a welcome"

" Mahanagar wouldn't mind. They aren't a strong Kingdom to take offence at such issues" Maham stated, "and the harem women are mostly filled with trophies, the only woman to mock her would have been Ruqaiya Begum but she now carries your heir"

Jalal sighed, still looking at the horizon that was slowly losing it's dawn hues.

" Are you really troubled about the formalities... Or is it just about Begum Jyoti?" Maham asked, already having an idea about what her foster son was feeling.

" Formalities are what keeping the harem intact. I wouldn't want that to crumble down"

Maham let out an inaudible sigh. The new Begum was proving to be a menace for her.

" Jalal... You're finally going to be a father now. Please stop worrying yourself with stuff that can be easily solved otherwise. The Sultanate always comes first... And for now, your child should be your greatest priority"

Jalal nodded slightly, turning his attention back to the pile of gifts he had received from his zamindars and sahebs.

" The charity should be double this time, I do not want anything to go wrong when it comes to the well being of my child" Jalal spoke. " the Hakim Sahiba should be stationed at the nearest room to Ruqaiya and the best nurses should be appointed at her service. And I know Ruqaiya would be against it, but for the upcoming year, I want her to rest. So I want someone else to be the head of the Harem. She can choose who it shall be, but ask her to do it within a week."

A sigh trailed as he finished with his commands, seeing off Maham Anga to take care of the rest. He had been tired and restless for the past few days, and it was catching up to him quickly.

Being an emperor who had a history of staying up late during regular court sessions, such stress shouldn't have been something new to him. But the ecstasy of finally becoming a father along with the new found softness in his heart for the new begum, brought an aching dilemma to him.

Especially when he knew that Ruqaiya had always tried so hard to gain the same feeling from him that came so naturally when he faced his new Begum.

As he was about to leave for the court, he noticed a guard rushing in, informing about Jaswant's need to speak to him.

" Pranaam Shehenshah" Jaswant entered hurriedly, as he knew that he wouldn't be given much time to put forth his opinions as it was already time for Diwan-e-khaas.

" I will be introducing you in court today" Jalal looked at the freshly groomed man in front of him, " if you have any doubts do ask me right now or else you'll be trapped between the strings of words that the chiefs weave in the court" he smirked, knowing well that Jaswant and Jyoti shared similar naviety.

" Ah thank you Shehenshah but I am here because I was asked to forward a letter to you by Jyoti"

Jalal stopped at his tracks and looked at the small piece of paper in Jaswant's hands.

" She wasn't sure whether you had any personnel to translate devnagari, so she asked me to read it to you personally ".

Jalal gulped, wondering what the letter might contain. "Couldn't she have said it to me in person?"

" Ah no, she said whoever will be able to meet you first should tell you, and I know you two haven't had a chance to meet because I just got informed of the celebration that's supposed to take place and-" Jaswant babbled but soon realised he was just wasting time ranting about unnecessary stuff. " and so I came here quickly to forward the letter"

" Hm" Jalal came closer to Jaswant and beckoned to read him the letter.

" Shehenshah, I wanted to again congratulate you on becoming a father. I know this might seem trivial, but just for the sake of my own peace, I wanted to remind you that I don't have any qualms with you celebrating and spending your time with your beloved Begum Ruqaiya. I don't wish to become a hindrance to your happiness, and I hope you fully devote yourself to your Sultanate's heir as well as your own well being. But also, as your Begum, I will be waiting patiently for you and will be grateful for any period of time you wish to spend with me.
Yours, Begum Noor"

Jaswant read the letter in a stoic manner, not letting any emotions he was feeling to show up on his face. But the slight twitch in his jaw was caught by the Shehenshah.

" Are you mad at me for not going to your sister?" Jalal asked while taking the letter from Jaswant's hand and keeping it in a silver box.

" I have no opinions on my sister's married life Shehenshah. Whatever she feels, I cannot be a judge of that"

" That wasn't my question " Jalal stated, making Jaswant gulp at the strictness of the Shehenshah's voice.

" I am not mad Shehenshah" Jaswant stated, looking down at the floor, " but I am pitying my sister for her passiveness"

Jalal quirked up an eyebrow, wondering whether Jaswant too truly didn't have any complaints, but decided to let it go. He was too late for the Diwan-e-khaas, and the sooner he would be done with the court, the sooner would he have time to meet his new Begum.

---

The court session finished later than usual, and the chiefs could feel the growing frustration in the courtroom. Lunch was skipped because of a mishap in the calculation of gold to be distributed and Shehenshah didn't want to overlook the matter that could bring any cause of stress during the ceremony.

However, he was relieved that Jaswant's introduction had gone well, way better than that of Maan Singh's, who was Jodha's nephew. The chiefs wondered whether he would also be taken under the wing by the Shehenshah, but Jaswant declined the offer. Rather, he asked for permission to stay near Jyoti for a month, after which he would return to Mahanagar where he already had many responsibilities to take care of.

The chiefs were slightly against the idea, but sensing that Jaswant was pretty harmless, given that he was young and also from a royal family that wouldn't dare to send their son as a spy, they accepted his stay in the palace.

Exhausted from all the negotiations, Jalal was slowly pacing back to his chambers when he saw a similar silhouette in his room.

"Aadab Ammi jaan" Jalal said as he walked inside, noticing his mother standing with a worried gaze.

" Jalal... I wasn't aware of the new Begum's arrival. None of us could welcome her the way it should have been done" Hamida Begum stated after greeting her son. " But I just had a small conversation with Begum Jyoti... And she seems to be too unfazed"

Jalal smiled at his mother's concern. He had expected his Noor's antics to throw off some people but didn't know it would start so soon.

" Yes she does seem to be unfazed about a lot of things" he answered as stoically as possible.

" Jalal " her tone became stern, " she is young and naive. Don't trouble her much. She may be hiding her pain and discomfort, and you may feel a disconnect with her just like you do with Jodha Begum, but try to keep calm and support her like a husband should"

Jalal had heard the same lecture when he had brought Jodha to his Empire , but back then these words seemed to elicit a different reaction from him.

He had scoffed at the idea of providing comfort to a woman like Jodha, but now he was actually listening to his mother's words. And something did catch his attention.

Maybe his Begum Noor was in fact hiding a kind of pain deep in her heart. Something that she didn't want to share with him, atleast not yet.

" Don't worry Ammi jaan.. unlike Jodha Begum, she's not out to humiliate me at every turn " He lifted off his royal turban and placed it securely on a table. " I shall take care of her well being as her lawfully wedded husband ".

Hamida Begum found relief at her son's words, which in a very long time didn't contain any sarcastic inflection or subtext. He genuinely seemed to care about his new Begum, and she had already suspected a blooming romance at the day of the wedding, when she noticed a slight playfulness on Jalal's face at the Muh-dikhai rasam.

As she excused herself to leave, Jalal swiftly left his chamber and hurried towards where his new Begum had finally settled.

Seeing his fast pace, the soldiers too were confused whether to inform his presence in the Harem and before any one of the ladies could realise his arrival he had already made way towards his Noor's chambers.

Stopping momentarily before her room to catch up his breath, he finally entered through the flimsy curtains.

As the bright light illuminating the room captured his eyes, he couldn't help but squint his gaze and walk to the middle of the room, trying to spot his Noor. And just as he expected, he found his wife cocooned at one end of the couch near the balcony, bathed in sunlight and adorned with jewelleries that sparkled under it.

Her dusky skin glowed golden under the morning sun, and the Shehenshah couldn't help but be entrapped by the alluring spectacle in front of him.

Pacing towards her sleeping figure lightly, he grazed his fingers like a feather across his wife's cheeks, appreciating the softness that resided within her. Unknowingly his fingers trailed to her slightly parted lips, as it gauged its texture and made Jalal gulp with anticipation.

But before such thoughts could take over him, he felt his Noor shift under his touch, scrunching her nose and tossing over to the other side to shade her eyes from the sun rays.

But in an attempt to scoot farther from the heat, she came close to the edge of the narrow couch, thus losing her balance, being unable to control the heavy weight of her dress as well as the jewelleries.

Her eyes shot open as she braced her body to bear the pain, but instead felt two arms snaking below her, catching her midway to the floor.

Her hands instinctively went to grab onto the shoulder of the person who caught her, as she let out a short gasp in fear and shock.

" Careful!" Her ears caught on to the similar voice, as her eyes met with those that she had been yearning to see for a while.

" Shehenshah?" Her voice was barely audible, but enough to be heard by him, as he paused for a second to relish the proximity. But soon he shook his head at her apparent vulnerability to her surroundings and assumed his stoic expression.

" Do you not like beds, Begum Noor?" He teased, but before Jyoti could register his words he lifted her up in his arms and walked over to the bed situated in the inner chambers. " should I then hold you in my arms till you find a better place to nap?"

Red hue bloomed across the young begum's face as she shied away from the piercing gaze of her husband. She hid away by burying her face into Jalal's chest, which soon reverberated loud with laughter.

Jalal found his muscles slowly lose their tension and stress leaving his body seeing his wife curled up in his arms, red as a beetroot.

As both of them savoured the moment, Jalal slowly put her down on the soft mattress of the rose petal adorned bed, and placed a soft kiss on his wife's forehead.

" I missed you, Begum Noor" he whispered, slowly focusing his gaze on the lowered eyelids of his flustered bride.

Gathering her fleeting thoughts, she raised her eyes to meet his, the twinkle in them repeating his words. " I missed you too Shehenshah" her soft voice hummed, making him feel melting away in warmth.

But before they could say anything more that spoke of their hearts, the guard came rushing in, informing that all the Begums were finally gathering in Ruqaiya's chambers to present her with gifts for her child.

And without any further exchange of words, the two of them promptly left the room , ready to present themselves again as just a Shehenshah and his fourth Begum, lest they be punished for acting as anything more.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Hello Readers!

I know I haven't updated in over a month but a lot of things happened.

Main thing is, I passed all the subjects. That too with an honours in one of them. I am so relieved but now I gotta actually start studying for 3 rd year. Cannot believe I already am in 3rd year. I feel it was only yesterday that I entered college.

Anyways, I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. To be honest I wanted to end this book in 20 chapters but seeing my pace, it seems it will be quite long. I don't yet have a middle plot, just the end is fixed, so I have to make up some middle dramas before actually jumping to the last arc.

Vote & Comment!