Jalal smiled at his Rajput firebran

Jalal smiled at his Rajput firebrand. She was so innocent. He hugged her with same passion.

Now Jodha could not control her feelings. She sobbed in his arms.

" Hum kal bahut dar gaye the Shahenshah.. Kahin aapko kuch ho jaata to.. isliye hum aapke liye prarthna kar rahe the.. lekin humein nahi pata tha ke Ruqaiya begum aisa kuch bhi kar sakti thin..
Aap jaise hi aaye..humari jaan mei jaan aa gayi Shahenshah.. Aapko sahi salamat dekhkar humein shaanti mili.. Lekin..Humein vishwaas nahi hota ke Ruqaiya begum ne itna bada aur ghinona kaam kiya.."

She tried to seek comfort in his manly arms. Jalal knew all her fears and pains. He took her tightly in his embrace and consoled her.

" Humein sab pata hai Jodha.. Tum fikar mat karo.. Sab thik ho jayega.. Jisne sangeen jurm kiya hai..usse to saza milkar hi rahegi.. lekin humare liye sabse zyada zaruri tum ho.. Agar tumhe kuch ho jata
to hum apne aap ko kabhi muaf nahi kar paate.."

Jodha broke the hug and shushed him.

"Shahenshah hum bilkul theek hain.. ab aap apne aapko kosna band kijiye.." and she hugged him again.

Jalal embraced her lovingly. His happiness knew no bounds. He ran his one hand around her lower back and took her in close embrace. Both of them were enjoying their love.


Part 50 -


For around 20 minutes, Jalal caressed her back as she was in his embrace. He also comforted her head with all the love he had and when he found no further movement in Jodha, he realised that sleep had again taken over her.

He slowly made her lay on the bed and covered her with warm blanket. Now he had no more fears. His love and his child were fine. He thanked Allah with the bottom of his heart.

After he made sure Jodha was fine, his mind went to some other thing.
His eyes were raging with fire again. He had to punish the culprit soon. He had to do a lot of important things today.

He arranged for very tight security around and outside his room and in the whole palace.

He called for many expert baandhis and asked them to be near Jodha all the time for if Jodha needed anything, they had to take care of all her needs. He arranged for a group of skillful Hakim Saahibaas around
Jodha so that they can keep a track of her health.

Then, he made his way for the work he had to do today.

****

As afternoon arrived, Jalal called for Diwaan-e-Khaas and asked everyone to be present there. His order had to be followed by each and everyone.

He asked the guards to bring in Ruqaiya as well in the Diwaan-e-Khaas.

Soon, everybody started gathering in the court. A lot of murmurs in the court could be heard. Obviously, everyone was still not out of the shock that had taken place outside the King's room last night.
They could not forget how their Queen Ruqaiya was being punished by their king. They were expecting a lot of answers today.

Guards proclaimed - Ba Adab Ba Mulaiza Hoshiyaar Shahenshah-e-Hind Jalalluddin Mohammad padhaar rahe hain...

Soon, Jalal entered the court with a hurry. His eyes were still red hot but he tried to be as calm as possible. Today he was going to take a major decision and it was very very hard and painful for him.
But he had no reason to regret for it, for the culprit had done more than enough to get this punishment.

He straight went to his throne and took his seat. Everybody stood up and greeted him. Ruqaiya was held by female guards at a corner of the court, as Jalal had ordered.

Jalal greeted all as well. He was beyond angry no doubt, but there was a calmness in his mind. The well-being of his wife gave him utmost mental peace. Hence he was able to use his wits and decide punishment for the culprit.

He took the honour.

"Humnein aap sab ko yahaan ek behad hi zaroori faisla sunaane ke liye bulayaa hai.. Hum aap sabhi ko bataana chahte hain ke Ruqaiya Sultan.. Jo ke kal raat tak humari Khaas Begum thin.. unhone behad hi
sangeen jurm kiyaa hai.. Vo is had tak gir gayin ki unhone aap sab ki Mallika-e-hind yaane humari Jodha Begum ko jaan se maarne ki koshish ki..
(As he recollected all the scenes which he had witnessed last night, his heart skipped a bit.. His innerself was trembling..But he anyhow composed himself.. This was not the time of getting swayed away in emotions..
This was time to give away his verdict.) Humnein inhe apna gunaah qubool karte suna hai..Inhe Jodha Begum ko chot pahuchaate dekhaa hai... Inhone qubool kiya hai ke inhone hi Jodha Begum ko Dargah ki seedhiyon se neeche giraayaa thaa..
Inhone hi kal raat Jodha Begum aur humare bachche ka qatl karne ki koshish ki... Itne sangeen jurm ke baad hum inhe inki sazaa dena chahte hain... naahi sirf inhone gunaah-e-azim kiyaa hai...balki baar baar
galtiyaan dohrayin hain... Galtiyaan nahin jurm/gunaah kiye hain... Mughal Sultanate ki hone waali Mariam-uz-Zamani ko maarne ki koshish ki hai...
Isliye inhe sirf aur sirf Saza-e-maut mukaddar (death sentence) ki jaati hai...

He completed his words with a heavy heart. He felt very vulnerable after this verdict. He was not a god to forget all the moments with his childhood friend just like that. She had broken his trust and she had broken him.
She didn't deserve any chance to justify herself.

There was a pin-drop silence in the court. Everybody was shocked with the decision. They were not against it for the reason their Shahenshah had given were more than justifiable.
What was more shocking was that, Ruqaiya Begum had done this.

Ruqaiya anyhow freed herself from the clutches of the female-guards and ran to Jalal's feet. She dropped down in his feet and began crying.

"Humein muaaf kar dijiye Jalal.. humse gunaah ho gaya hai.. humein apne se alag mat kijiye Jalal... humein muaf kardijiye.." She was crying profusely and asking for forgiveness.

However, Jalal seemed untouched by any of her words. Infact, her voice only seemed to raise his anger.

"Gustaakh.. humari nazaron se dur ho jao.. Hum tumhaari shakl bhi dekhna pasand nahi karenge... Inhe abhi ke abhi yahaan se le jaakar saza-e-maut di jaaye..
Inhe abhi ke abhi FAASI di jaaye.." with that, Jalal pushed aside Ruqaiya and dismissed the court.

Without looking at anyone, he straight moved out of the court. His heart was beating fast. His head was throbbing with some unknown pain. He had just given the death sentence of his childhood friend
and his Khaas Begum. But she had compelled him to take this drastic action.

Everybody including Hameeda and Salima Begum were shocked. But they didn't feel going against his decision. They very well knew that he must have thought very well upon his decision and that,
he was in his senses while giving this decision. Moreover, they held no more soft corner for Ruqaiya. She had done an extremely low sin.

Everybody moved out of the court and Ruqaiya was taken to the prison, where she would be hanged till death.

******
Evening time arrived.

Ruqaiya had been hanged till death and her body had been buried with respect. No matter what crime she had done, she was bid farewell with all due respect.

Jalal was in his room, by window side. Jodha was still asleep. She had been under the effect of the medication.

Jalal had not gone to see Ruqaiya's face. He hated her now. She had made him hate her. He felt so disgusted with himself. Ruqaiya had done so so evil to him and Jodha.

A lone tear trickled down his eye. He knew Ruqaiya was no more in this world and he felt a little strange. He felt angry as well as pity on her.

He wanted to get rid of her thoughts. He wiped off the tear and went by Jodha's bedside.
As soon as he saw her, all his worries seem to disappear. An angelic and genuine smile appeared upon his face.

He didnt know how Jodha will react to his decision. But he wanted to be fair to her. So he had decided to take decision in his hands for he knew that, if Jodha was asked to punish Ruqaiya, she would have forgiven her.

Jalal caressed Jodha's forehead and laid by her side.

Hakim Saahibaas had told him that Jodha would be awake in some time and that, she should have her dinner before she slept again.

Jalal had arranged for the dinner and now he waited for Jodha to wake up. He wanted to share his decision with her. He wanted her to know that Ruqaiya is no more.
He felt somewhere scared inside.
He just wished that Jodha shouldn't get upset with him for punishing Ruqaiya this way.

Anyways, he put his thoughts aside and waited for her to get up.


Precap - Jodha - Jalal have dinner and Jalal tells her about his decision