" This is you tent Begum Sahiba" the maid bowed in front of Noor, as she smiled and signalled her to leave her alone.

Stepping inside the tent, she found her belongings already set at a corner, with the makeshift bed hogging most of the space.

She chuckled internally, this was way different than all those nights and days she spent in tents with Jaswants while wandering through different Kingdoms.

" I am a Begum now, obviously I will be bathed in luxury" she smiled, her hands slowly going through the expensive silk that covered the cushions on the bed.

Suddenly hearing footsteps entering the tent, she turned around quickly, a wide smile and an expecting gaze adorning her face. Which quickly fell when instead of her husband, Jaswant stood at the entrance with his mouth wide open.

" Jyoti your tent is twice the size of mine... That's not fair. I am a guest too!" He whined, plopping down on one of the sofas at a corner, trying to judge the "springiness" of the cushions.

" Where's Shehanshah? Why are you here?" Jyoti's accusing tone didn't go unheard by Jaswant, who smirked and held a mischievous gaze at his twin.

" Wow, already missing your husband? Maybe he's already contemplating marrying a witch like you!"

" You-" Jyoti huffed, throwing one of the cushions on the bed at Jaswant, who caught it before it could hit his face. " You are now talking to a Begum, Jaswant. Treat me so!"

" Oh ho, Begum Sahiba, so sorry for my ABSOLUTELY TRUE comments!" He bowed while sitting, thus missing the second cushion being hurled at him.

" Ouch... Jyoti! I could have broken my neck!" Jaswant whined again, massaging his cervical as he put the cushions back on the bed and plopping down beside Jyoti.

" Sorry" Jyoti pouted, almost feigning any guilt at her actions. " But seriously, where is he? Its almost night"

" The chief minister has come to us, you know, Shehanshah's Bari ammi, Maham Anga. He's right now having a meeting with her and the rest of his people. He'll probably get late, so I thought I should come and accompany you till he comes back"

" Accompany me? Why?" Jyoti tilted her head.

" So that you don't fall asleep on your first night idiot" Jaswant flicked Jyoti's forehead, who winced in pain. But even that couldn't stop the slowly creeping redness on her cheeks.

" You don't have to care about that..." Jyoti sulked, as she realised that Shehanshah left her alone on their first night without any notification. If Jaswant hadn't come to tell her, she would have probably dozed off while being frustrated.

" I have cared about everything in your life Jyoti. And although I quite didn't want to interfere in such topics... I still think I need to remind you to not.... Exert yourself. Understand?" Jaswant stated, worry clearly etched on his face. " Maybe tell him straight forward that you cannot have kids. Or that you cannot afford to lose much blood-"

" Jaswant... Calm down. Please" Jyoti held her twins hands, " I understand everything Jaswant, and I really... really appreciate your concern. But... I love him. And I want... Want to spend time with him. Plus I am sure, he who has numerous wives in his haram wouldn't pester me for more than maybe five times" she chuckled, hiding a bit of sadness in her words.

Jaswant's eyes softened, hearing his sister always put herself down made him angry at first, but he had now accepted it. He knew, it was her way of justifying the whole world and her existence in it, so he let it be.

" He does have a lot of women, but numerically, you're his fourth wife. Don't forget your worth when we reach the fort okay? If you talk like this in front of the women of the haram, they will walk all over you" he stated firmly, " they won't coddle you like Maa or Bhabishrees. Oh God... I am already hyperventilating thinking about everything. Cannot he just give you a room close to mine? What if you fall and bleed all over and no one comes to save you because they're all jealous of you or hate you-"

" Jaswant you're spiralling again!" Jyoti hit her twin lightly on the arm. Jaswant, who had been appointed as her 'protector' since their birth had always done this, spiralling too much into "what ifs" that could possibly hurt Jyoti.

But Jyoti hated it. To be notified of every mild way of getting hurt that could take her life because of her condition seemed nothing but a waste of her mental health.

She knew, her time on earth was supposed to be short. The Vaidyas have told her, she would die if she ever gave birth, but she knew she couldn't live a life where she hadn't experienced everything. Which was why she begged Jaswant to take her on a long trip and let her view the world, which should have been done by her "husband", but it wasn't possible. She needed to experience most of the things before getting a partner, so that when the time comes, she wouldn't have any regrets, and she could leave a part of her in the living realm without any qualms.

" Sorry Jyoti, ugh I am just exhausted from the travel. I hope we reach Agra soon"

"Me too" Jyoti sighed, as both of them sat in silence for a good few minutes, before Jyoti laid her head on Jaswant's shoulder to wait for nightfall.

As her eyelids almost closed out of exhausted, a sudden whiff of air hit her face, coming from the entrance of the tent which was pushed open violently.

" Not even a day has passed and the new begum is already inviting men to her tent?" The female voice held a tone that didn't quite fit Jyoti's knowledge. It was dripping with hostility, which Jyoti has rarely encountered in her life.

Jaswant stood up instantly, as he too had dozed off for a second. He nudged Jyoti, who stood up, supporting herself against Jaswant who stood in front like a shield.

" Umm... Who are you may I ask,..ma'am?" Jyoti's feeble voice caught Maham Anga by surprise, but only for a fleeting moment. A huge smile, almost as hostile as her words, adorned her face as she stepped towards the twins.

" I am Wazir-e-ala of the Mughal Sultanate, Begum Jyoti. I am let down by your arrogance to not even welcome me warmly" she stated, which led Jyoti into a frenzy.

" Ah Bari Ammi!" Jyoti exclaimed, while scavenging through the cups and jars to fill them with water and serve them to Maham Anga.

" Jyoti, Jyoti, leave them. You sit with her. I'll serve-" Jaswant whispered as he tried to take the cups from her hand and pushed her towards Maham Anga who was still standing at her place.

" Is he your eunuch?" Maham Anga asked unabashedly, which made Jaswant stop his work for a second. But Jyoti just chuckled at the suggestion.

" Bari Ammi, I am sorry for my unpreparedness. I didn't even get to welcome you. Assalamualaikum" Jyoti bowed. Her Salaam was a bit too novice, but still not as unacceptable as Maham Anga wanted it to be.

" I was told that you didn't agree into Islam... Then why?" Maham Anga commented after a good minute of standing still, as she hadn't expected such an action from the new Begum. Especially after her bouts of fights with Jodha Begum in just a month of her arrival, she had expected a younger Begum to be even more feisty, but alas her measurements were quite off.

" I tried to learn some basics of Arabic, such as greetings and the letters since I was young, Bari Ammi. Afterall, Mughal Sultanate is quite big, and it would be a shame if I couldn't read or understand the quality poems and prose that the writers of such a big empire wanted to convey" Jyoti smiled, as she forwarded the cup of water that Jaswant handed her, towards Maham Anga.

" Huh...." Maham Anga was again caught in awe at Jyoti's explanation. She presumed that Jyoti started learning just to woo Shehanshah but she was too wrong in her assumptions. Something that wasn't taken lightly by the chief minister of Mughals.

" Bari Ammi... Water.." Jyoti said again, which made Maham Anga break off from the trance of her own thoughts.

" Ah.. thank you child-" Maham Anga stopped at her own words. Child? How could she call a Hindu Begum her child? With such an endearing tone? A tone that she only used towards her Jalal?

Jyoti smiled brightly, hearing the word "child", the first non-hostile word from the woman that her husband respected and loved so much made her feel accomplished. She wasn't going to let anyone walk over her, afterall, if she was good to everyone and loved them, they would HAVE to love her back, right?

Afterall, Jyoti loved being loved.

" I believe you didn't introduce me to this man beside you" Maham Anga returned to her stoic facade, sipping the cold water slowly while glaring at Jaswant who gulped in fear.

" Ah... He's not a eunuch Bari Ammi. He's my twin brother, Kunwar Jaswant. He is accompanying me to ensure I settle comfortably in Shehanshah's haram"

" Ensure? Does that mean your family doesn't have faith in Shehanshah's ability to keep you comfortable?" Maham smirked, knowing well that her questions were making the new Begum uncomfortable.

" Huh? What? No... " Jyoti fidgeted with her chunri, not knowing what to say. She couldn't disclose her disease, not so soon, and definitely not to anyone else before Shehanshah.

Jaswant looked at Maham Anga, clenching his jaw to stop himself from saying anything reckless. Right now, he had no power to say anything, afterall, he was just here as Jyoti's guard. Any questions to Jyoti would HAVE to be answered by her only and no one else, as her place in the Sultanate was higher than those of her family members in front of Shehanshah.

" Then what is it? Your brother is currently in your tent, still coddling you after you have left your home in Shehanshah's Jalaluddin's care. Isn't that insulting to the Emperor of the Mughal Sultanate that his wife has brought along another man to care for her?" Maham's voice got more stern, as the new Begum cowered in front of her. She had missed this feeling, of imposing her power on weaklings who dared to influence her Jalal.

" Bari Ammi... I didn't mean to... Jaswant will only be staying for a short term..." Jyoti's lips quivered. Maybe she was wrong, maybe some people would just not like her inspite of how well she behaves.

" Why? Why will he-"

" Bari Ammi I think you have hazed my new wife enough" A gentle but firm voice came from the entry of the tent, soft nighttime breeze keeping the curtains open to the man that stood in front.

" Shehanshah!" Jyoti couldn't stop the squeal arising from her throat. It was embarrassing, and possibly insulting, but she was relieved.

" Adaab Bari Ammi" Jalal greeted Maham Anga who returned the gesture, his eyes quickly falling over to Jyoti whose head remained at a bow.

" Won't you greet Shehanshah?" Maham Anga stated, as Jyoti straightened up quickly, putting her hands together for a quick Namaskaar.

" What is this? I thought you learned our ways since you were a child?" Maham Anga stated again, as Jyoti hit herself mentally. The stress made her return to default settings, and now she had embarrassed herself to no bounds.

" Pranaam Shehanshah " Jaswant broke the awkwardness, as Jalal nodded in acknowledgement.

" Bari Ammi, Jaswant will be staying till Begum Jyoti feels comfortable enough. They are twins, and the youngest in their family. It would be quite ruthless to separate them so suddenly " Jalal explained the point, although keeping it a secret that it was Jyoti herself who begged to take Jaswant with her.

" I see" Maham Anga commented, not caring why Jaswant was here. Her part of the job was done, that was to show Jyoti her place. She had threatened her enough, shown her how every step taken by her could be criticised by the Wazir-e-ala, and could lead her to trouble. " I came here to invite Begum Jyoti to our meeting. I am sure the rest of the members too want to meet the new bride"

Jyoti stole a glance with Jaswant, the idea didn't sound like a good one. Meeting a bunch of old men was not something Jyoti liked to do, but Maham Anga and Shehanshah would probably not let anything happen to her. Hopefully.

Her gaze travelled back to Shehanshah, who was now looking at Maham Anga in worry.

Jalal remembered how the Jodha Begum had reacted to such an invitation. He didn't know what Jyoti's reaction would be, but he also couldn't ask Maham Anga to not comply with the wishes of other courtsmen who had come to meet the new bride, although with questionable motives.

He looked at Jyoti, a hint of worry visible in his eyes.

" We'll come in a minute Bari Ammi. Can you please stretch out the meeting till them?"

" Yes of course" Maham Anga nodded, " I hope you'll make her understand how to appear in front of those courtsmen Jalal. Afterall, Jodha Begum's stunt is still fresh in their minds. Another Begum following on that path would surely raise some questions" she said and left, quickly followed by Jaswant who only wanted to now hop onto his bed and stay away from the drama.

Sparing a last glance of "good luck", he went out of the tent, leaving the newly married couple alone.

Jyoti waited for her eyes to dry up since tears were something she could easily conjure up, not necessarily voluntarily. She knew Maham Anga was only testing her, but still faint pools of tears didn't fail to fill her eyes.

Sighing deeply, she tried to wipe any moistness around her eyes slowly, but before she could do so, she felt Shehanshah's finger under her chin, slowly lifting her face to look at his.

" So my Noor is quick to cry too?" He whispered, his gentle fingers tracing Jyoti's cheekbones which were already becoming crimson at the proximity.

A gaze could be so intense, Jyoti only came to know it the moment her eyes met that of Shehanshah's, worry as well as mischief clearly marked by his face.

Jyoti had never felt such an intense emotion, as if her stomach was doing somersaults, and butterflies roaming around in her head, masking any other thought.

As if pushed by an invisible force, Jyoti came closer to Shehanshah, closing the gap between them even more, making the latter raise his eyebrows in amusement.

His Noor was a surprise, every moment he stayed with her, he would find something unbelievable about her. One second she was challenging a man double her size, and the next she's sitting by the fountain, speaking to a stranger like a five year old.

The same who couldn't meet Maham Anga's eyes, was now unabashedly taking the lead. But Shehanshah was also not a fool to give in so easily.

Just as their lips were to touch, he turned himself around to the entrance, almost letting Jyoti fall on her face as she lost the support.

Stabilising herself, she looked at Shehanshah accusingly, pouting like a child from whom a sweet had been snatched away.

Shehanshah looked at Jyoti, her fave puffed and red like a baboon, and couldn't hold himself back any longer. Clutching his stomach hard, he laughed out loud,  as the picture of Jyoti's face plagued his mind.

Jyoti looked down on the floor, embarrassed, but couldn't help but join Shehanshah's fit of laughter in a second. Something about the laughter of a stoic man was freeing, and Jyoti felt pride that she was able to make the Mughal Sultanate's emperor, her Jalal, laugh.

Jalal slowly regained his composure, looking at his wife who too stood beside him, huffing from the laughter. If he had his way, he would have taken her to bed and kept her by his side for as long as he could, but reality wasn't as pretty.

" We need to go now" He stated, forwarding his hand, that Jyoti gladly took. " Don't be scared, I will be there"

" I am not scared about my safety Shahenshah " Jyoti spoke in a hearty tone, " but rather of embarrassment"

" I also would love to see " Shahenshah spoke in an equally jesting manner, " who dare embarrass my Noor".

" Someone just did Shehanshah!" She exclaimed, as Jalal smiled, holding Jyoti's hand tightly in his as they walked towards the tent that held the meeting.

" Then he shall be punished!" Shehanshah too exclaimed in a whisper.

" Oh is that so?" Jyoti chuckled, " then maybe I can decide it?"

" As you command Begum Noor" Shehanshah could see the redness return on Jyoti's face, as the latter again averted her gaze from her husband, hearing him call her so endearingly.

Maybe if the situations were different, she would have asked the punishment to be something in the lane of spending every night with her. But now, she needed to use her words differently.

Still hiding the true reason of her words, she said " then your punishment shall be, that you cannot touch me till we reach Agra, my dear Shehanshah"

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Hello Readers!

Yea, VERY big break, but even bigger break is coming.

I am a med student and its exam season currently which will continue till mid- April.

I actually don't mind if people drop this book as its not really a novel but a novella, but I just wanted to give a heads-up.

Plus also I don't really know how to write romance yet, so any critisism is welcome.

VOTE & COMMENT