flashback
The Gangaur festival had concluded five days ago, yet as she sat behind the mirror, her mind could not help but go back to the man at the Gangaur lake.
She had initially believed him to be Raja Suryabhan as she had never set her eyes upon him until the day before and the only times she had spoken with him was between a thin wall with her ghoonghat concealing her face.
Yet, when she got to finally behold him without any obstacles, her heart fell at the fact that her mysterious man was not Raja Suryabhan.
The man she saw in the waters had fair skin - her first sign that he was not from around here while Raja Suryabhan had the tanned complexion common around Rajputana.
Her mysterious man had intense hazel eyes which had the ability to send shivers down her spine the moment her eyes met his. The eyes Raja Suryabhan had for her were dark brown like hers which spoke of a gentle kind of love their owner held for her.
Her mysterious man had given her a smile which twinkled with mischief and something more while Raja Suryabhan's face lit up in appreciation as he got to gaze at her beauty for the first time.
If that man at the lake was not Raja Suryabhan, then who could he possibly be? What was the goddess Gauri trying to tell her? And most of all, why could she not get that man out of her mind especially now that she was going to marry Raja Suryabhan?
"Moti," she called out to the maid, who had made herself busy with arranging her hair into a simple braid.
For a moment, Moti paused, making eye contact with her through the mirror. Jodha knew that her friend could read every sign of her being unsure of everything that had taken place within the past few days.
"Jodha, is this still about the man at the Gangaur lake? He is Raja Suryabhan, no?"
He wasn't. And she hated herself for lying to everyone, especially her Maa Sa, yet it had seemed her only option then and there.
"Is it possible for the goddess to send mixed signals, Moti?"
Time ceased as a mask of confusion fell on her face, Moti dropped the braid against Jodha's back and stared down at her.
"Nahi, that is impossible," she answered carefully, gears running in her mind as she attempted to put two and two together. "Does this have something to do with you floating your diya at the lakeside?"
"I-," Jodha stopped herself before attempting another lie. It was unlike her to lie to anyone, especially her best friend. "I think there is an error somewhere. The man-."
"Is not Raja Suryabhan," Moti completed her statement before picking up her braid. "I saw the conflicted look on your face when you saw him for the first time, Jodha. Do you think the Gauri Maa is trying to tell you something different?"
She had no idea how to answer that question. She had gotten dressed in hopes that she would meet her Shiva only to find someone different. Who could that man possibly be and was it possible he was somewhere around here? Could he still be in Amer?
"I think you should forget about that man. You are engaged to Raja Suryabhan now, he will make you a happy woman," Moti continued, arranging her hair to her satisfaction, securing with pins and jewelry.
Jodha exhaled, her friend's advice was easier said than done. How could she forget those hazel eyes when they stared back at her each time she closed her eyes? How could she forget that smile each time she looked down on a surface of water? How could she forget the intensity at which his eyes stared at her when she felt the room heat up even without him there?
Yet, Moti's advice sounded reasonable. If Gauri's plan was the man at the lakeside, he would have been the one standing before her in Raja Suryabhan's place. Besides, why was she here ruminating over a man she had less chance of seeing in Amer when she was set to be married to a man who loved her?
Maybe she should forget about her mysterious man.
A few months later, here she was again in front of the mirror, with Moti arranging her hair.
Maa Sa had helped her with her bangles, makeup and jewelry before Dadi Sa called her over to perform the tilak ceremony.
This is it, Jodha could feel the way her heart bested erratically. I am doing this for Amer, this is for Amer, she repeated like a mantra as she stared into the mirror. Any moment from now, she would be called for her muh dikhai, which would have had her dancing in excitement but now, had her clenching the material of her ghagra tightly.
"Jodha," Moti gently called out to her and she looked up. They did not need to exchange further words as Jodha slowly nodded.
The plan she had formulated could either make or break Amer but she had gone over each step with Moti when Maa Sa had sent her to keep her company while the wedding arrangements were getting wrapped up.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Moti's eyes widened.
Jodha knew she was playing a gambit that could lead to bloodshed if it went south but she also knew that Badshah Jalaluddin Mohammad would be bound to his honor regardless of what his answer was. Regardless of how much of a monster he was, he would not rescind his word, right? She could only hope so.
"What you have laid out, Jodha-," she started but Jodha cut in.
"It won't be Amer breaking her end of the deal, it would be Jalal doing that. We can only hope he keeps to his word to leave Amer alone if he refuses to abide by my conditions," she concluded.
Just at the right time, Sukanya and Shivani were at the door, ready to accompany her to the muh dikhai. Moti then arranged her dupatta in a way that it covered her hair and had a few more material she could use as a ghoonghat.
The moment she stood up, Sukanya and Shivani were by her side, the two sisters leading her to the main hall where the event was held while Moti tailed behind her.
Jodha had to let out a deep exhale to calm the pace of her beating heart. Uncontrollable thoughts ran through her mind with each step that took her closer to her destination.
Through her veil, she could see the guests - her family and her groom's entourage. It felt weird calling him hers anyway.
Speaking of the devil...
He stood right behind the pardah, awaiting her arrival. Everything about him made him stand out from everyone in the room - from his attire to his posture, everything.
Now in front of him, she could see that pair of hazel eyes that had stared back at her at the lake. Her breathing ceased as he reached out to unveil her and she wished she could back away but her feet remained rooted to the ground.
"Mashallah," that deep voice would have had her weak in the knees and made her swoon like a common girl if not for the fact that the voice belonged to him. "not even the most beautiful sights in Hindustan can hold a candle to your beauty."
Then, he flashed a wide smirk at her before putting down her veil. He took his seat, awaiting her turn.
No sooner had she sat down behind her side of the pardah had she found her bravery urging her to lay out the plan she had rehearsed with Moti.
Regardless of whatever his answer would be, she had her victory right in the palm of her hands, however small it was.
Squaring her shoulders, she held her head up high to address him.
"I hope you would not mind, Shehenshah," she wanted to hurl herself off a building for the formalities. "But before the wedding proceeds, I have two conditions."
She could note that look on his face, challenging her to go ahead as if he thought her conditions were something minute. Well, it depended on how he was going to take them.
"Go ahead."
Here we go, she fought the urge to look away from his intense eyes or even stare at Moti whom she was sure had started reciting prayers.
"My first condition is that I will not change my religion," it was then the room was filled with murmurs from the groom's side. Jodha bit her cheek as she watched the smirk fall off his face, yet she proceeded. "I will retain my religion, my culture and traditions after our marriage."
The Mughals seemed to be scandalized at the nature of her conditions, knowing that her first condition was controversial to them. She could observe the bewildered looks his courtiers sent her through the thin pardah, giving her the idea that she was probably the first queen who would request that she not change her religion.
Wait until they hear the second condition I have for them, she almost snorted at the looks on their faces.
"And my second condition is that I will carry the murti of Kanha with me and a temple will be built within the palace in Agra."
If they were already scandalized by the first condition, she could tell that the second condition had them boiling. She had a surface-level knowledge of Islam but was aware that both conditions might as well have been an affront to the Mughal Empire with its customs and laws.
Abruptly, Jalal stood up from his seat behind the pardah, causing everyone in the hall, except her to stand as well. It was at that point Jodha found herself offering prayers that he'd call off the wedding and for Amer's safety.
If there was anything Jalal could appreciate if this was in any other scenario, it was her temerity. But then, his neck still bore the scar that resulted from her holding that sword at him.
Like a tiger encircling his prey, Jalal found himself pacing as he stared down at her through the pardah. He could read the fear on her face - fear of his retaliation. Like a sadist, he took delight in it.
Her love for her people was what would keep her in line after all. He decided to capitalize on her fear although he knew what his answer would be. His courtiers continued to exchange words in hushed whispers of her bravery in laying such conditions.
Yet, there was another emotion which reflected in her eyes - glee. The glee that she had managed to throw him off, glee that he was now in a dilemma. It was impressive how she could hide it from others yet, he was not the kind to easily miss her hidden body language.
She had indeed put him in a dilemma - or more accurately, a trilemma. If he refused, his efforts would be all for nothing and he would be known as the king who could not fulfill the simple request of a princess. If he refused and retaliated against Amer for the conditions she had set for him, her people would be praised as martyrs and that would defeat his goal of marrying her.
He could not take that.
But if he gave his assent, ya Khuda, he could find himself almost swearing as his mind conjured the images of his maulvis breathing down his neck for bringing in a bride of another religion.
The more he delayed, the more he came to understand her reasoning for the conditions she laid out for him and he grinned down at her.
Smart girl, his eyes seemed to read. Her dark brown gazed up at him innocently like a deer within the sight of its predator, awaiting its next move. This was her way of reclaiming a sense of control over herself because she knew.
He was the Shehenshah-e-Hindustan, who was he to refuse her this one thing? As long as she knew her place, he had no problem. His courtiers' murmurs seemed to have come to a standstill, Badi Ammi had her eyes on him as if she knew what his answer was going to be.
His eyes were back on Jodha as he stopped pacing.
"Such heavy terms you lay," he spoke up after a long while and he could detect the fear from the other side of the pardah coming from her family. It would be better to let them experience some fear before granting them assurance, wouldn't it?
Khan Baba would have been so proud of him if he was right here in this hall.
Shutting down that part of his mind which threatened to bring up his deceased foster father, he continued.
"But no wish is too hard for Badshah Jalaluddin Mohammad to fulfil," he concluded, noting the looks of protest from his side and the sighs of relief from her side.
He knew he was going to be met with a barrage of questions from every one of his advisors but he had prepared himself for this the moment he agreed to the proposal for a political alliance between his kingdom and hers. He let out another sigh, he would deal with them later
closing notes: I probably messed up the muh dikhai part, I am sorry in advance 😭🙏🏾.
Edited by MideOfTheShadow - a day ago
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