The next morning, Kaakisaa came to her chambers with all the preparations. It was kind of a welcome party for the new Queen, so naturally she had to be dressed in the most magnificent way possible. Kaakisaa appointed the best of people to help her dress up, but Jodha got ready herself instead. Kaakisaa was very mad at her for not listening to her and so she left before. Once everything was set up, and His Majesty had already arrived, did Jodha enter the main hall.

"Attention everyone, Her Highness, Queen Jodha, The Third Empress of Mughal Emperor Jalal-uddin-Muhammad is arriving."

As Jodha entered the hall, all eyes diverted towards her naturally because she was the new queen and the function was organized for her. She had worn a red lehenga, and red choli, and put kohl in her eyes. Her lips were dark red as she had just had pomegranate juice, and her hair was plated and laid down while her hand was wrapped in mehndi. She wore just one necklace, unlike other queens, who were filled with jewels. She wore the jewelry set of a single necklace, bangles, and payals, gifted to her on the wedding night by Jalal. Even though she did not put much makeup and very little jewelry, she still looked magnificent.

Jalal couldn't remove his eyes from her. As for the other courtiers, well known of the danger lushing on them for staring at Malika-e-Hindustan, they just couldn't control themselves. Every now and then, their eyes would dart back to her. She stopped at a distance from the throne and greeted His Majesty who then asked her to share the throne with him and she gladly accepted. The function passed away peacefully. When after the function everyone else joined for eating together, Jodha retired back to her chambers.

"Where is Jodha?" Jalal asked Kaakisaa.

"Your Majesty, Her Royal Highness left for her chambers some time ago."

"But she is supposed to be here, isn't she?"

"I apologise."

"Make her aware of the customs here. I can't go forgiving her all the time."

"I'll make sure, Your Majesty."

"She is in her room, isn't she?"

"Yes, Your Royal Highness."

Jalal left for Jodha's chambers. He had decided to teach her a lesson this time. She was the queen and yet so careless. She couldn't be forgiven always.

When he reached the balcony area, he heard a faint sound as if someone was crying. As he neared the place, he saw Jodha sitting on the floor, her face unveiled and her hair open. She had covered her face between her hands and resting it on her knees, she was weeping. Though silently, she was crying and shivering.

"Jodha?"

On hearing the familiar voice, she looked up and at the sight of Jalal felt all too embarrassed. She got up and wiped her face using her choli and put her veil back on.

She then greeted him and apologized for not being in the party.

"Are you alright?"

"Y..yes. I am fine. All okay."

Although she was stuttering, she somehow completed the sentence.

"You can't fool me. Just tell me. Has anyone teased you?"

"No! I was missing family."

"I am sorry."

"It's okay."

"I am sorry because I think you are lying. Spit out, now."

"Majesty, I think I should retire to my bed."

"You are not confessing because we aren't that close. But think of it from this point; I am a total stranger to you. I know nothing about you. Don't you think its better to tell everything to a stranger than to someone who knows you? I don't know you so I can't judge you."

"You really think so? I can't. You are my husband and I have to spend the rest of my life with you. What may you think of me in the future?"

"Future isn't now. So why stress oneself for something that hasn't even happened yet?"

"I am terrible loser. I am pathetic and I hate myself."

"Why?"

"Jodha, wait! Wait there, you little punk. Where do you think you are going?"

"Catch me if you can Maasaa!"

"You little punk. Wait right there. It's an order."

"No orders for princesses."

"It's an order by your Ranisaa."

"I am a princess. I am Bapusaa's princess, and he is the king. So, no one can stop me."

Jodha ran as fast as her little legs would allow her to and not paying attention anywhere, she stumbled upon the queen.

"What are you doing, you little bastard?"

"Ranisaa! How dare you call my daughter a..."

"Oh, shut up already. We all know how you conceived her. No matter what you can never become queen so don't even think that your daughter will become a princess!"

"You are right. Jodha can never be a princess, because she is born to be a queen."

"Wish all you want to but we all know it's never going to happen."

"That's the difference, as it is not a wish but reality. Jodha will be the greatest queens this country could ever have! History will always remember and cherish her."

At night when Jodha's mother combed her hair and applied oil to her scalp, and asked her to sleep she kept her eyes open.

"Jodha, its late. Close your eyes and sleep."

"Maa, what you said earlier, did you mean it?"

"What, that you are going to be the greatest queens of all time?"

"Yes!"

"Yes, my daughter. You will and I will be very proud of you that day."

"Will you love me and take me to bed even then?"

"Yes, why not?"

"I've heard that mothers often leave their children after marriage."

"Well, that will not be the case with our little Jodha!"

"Really?"

"Because Maasaa will always be here. Okay? Now sleep!"

Jodha slept peacefully that night, and every night after that. But when her father announced that she had to be wed off to the Emperor of Hindustan, peace had gone. Her mother was against this but Jodha complied, and her mother stopped speaking to her.

After her marriage, she got a few peaceful nights at Agra. And it was when she realized that one of the two promises her mother had made that night were not true. She was wed off to the Emperor of Hindustan but her mother was not by her side.

"Jodha?"

"I did that again, didn't I?"

"Is everything okay?"

"When I was a little girl, father had said that one day I will be wed off to the prince of Jaisalmer, but I did not like him. He used to visit me once a month, but I didn't like him at all. Father said that he was my fiancée and that even if I hated him, I had to endure it. Days passed into months and years passed with the blink of an eye. One fine evening, when I was returning from the garden, I saw father running towards me and so I stopped. He took me my room where my mother was already present and she was crying; or maybe her eyes were red and she looked sad. After a lot of queries father finally spoke up. He said: 'Jodha, my dearest child, I have decided you have to be wed off to the Mughal Emperor Jalal!'

To this I asked: 'Wasn't I to be married to Vishnu?'

He replied saying: 'You'll get married to whomever I wish. You did not like Vishnu anyway, did you?'

And that was it. I agreed, but Maasaa looked at me with hatred in her eyes. She hated me for choosing a Mughal over a Hindu!

She said: 'I am your mother, and unfortunately will always be. You are just a stain, and I have no intention of talking to you ever again. Be wed off to anyone you wish. Even if you come back here, don't even dare come near me. You are dead to me now.'

Well, she promised me she would never leave me, but here I am all alone in Agra, with no one by my side."

"That might have been a little harsh to endure. But you are still here, strong and independent and on your own foot. So, won't you consider yourself as a survivor?"

"Yes, I may. I mean no one ever said that to me before. I don't even know why I am telling you all this when I should go sleep.."

"Because sometimes it's better to share your pain with a stranger than someone you know."

Jalal waited for Jodha's reply, but got no response. After a few minutes he realized that she had not willingly put her head on his shoulder, but had fallen asleep. In the full moon light, he could see her face, though not clearly but partly, just like he had when he first saw her. Her veil had dropped back and her hair was flying all over her face. She looked peaceful. He had always thought that she was a happy-go-lucky girl, but today after seeing in how much pain she was, did he realise that you can never judge a book by its cover.

Jodha woke up at once, feeling fresh but with a severe cold. Her maids checked her and she had fever and cold. She didn't remember what she had done for getting sick. Then again, the environment was new and it was difficult to adapt.

"What did you do to get sick, girl?" kaakisaa asked.

"I remember doing nothing of such sort to fall sick."

"Huh? Had another rendezvous all by yourself at night?"

"What?"

"I have seen you strolling all by yourself many times at night."

"It might be difficult, to adjust and you might be missing your family and homeland."

"Frankly speaking I only miss my room, and my sisters."

"Isn't this room much bigger?"

"I am emotionally attached to the one in Amber."

"And this one?"

"It's great. But I don't have anyone I love here, so naturally..."

"Whom do you miss the most?"

"My younger sisters. And Maasaa sometimes."

"Well, you have a long way to go. I am sure you will find love here too."

"I have no expectations!"

"Coming back to my question, where were you last night? You left the party quite early and I couldn't find you in your room."

"I...

"Shehenshah wanted to talk to you. I guess you made him angry by leaving early."

"I will surely make amends to him."

"You should. I don't think he will forgive you easily. I mean he is all good and everything but when he gets angry, it gets out of control."

"I think he is rather happy that I left earlier."

"Now why would you say that?"

"I don't know. After all I am just a Rajput in a land of Mughals; I am an outsider."

"Don't ever think of yourself that way. You are the Malika."

"I have heard that only one special begum gets the honour and title of Malika. Now why would you call me that?"

"Because you are the Malika. I served Queen Mother before she became Malika, and I knew it would be her."

"So, you serve only Malikas then?"

"Don't play with me Jodha. The empresses I serve, become Malika. Queen Mother was fourteen when she was married to Emperor Humayun and fifteen when she gave birth to your husband."

"You knew her back then?"

"I was forty years old back then, which by the way is not very early as Emperor is only nineteen right now."

"Wh..hat? Shehenshah is nineteen only?"

"Yes girl. Didn't he tell you? All his wives know."

"I...no, he didn't."

"So, all you did was then make him happy on the first night? No questions, really?"

"What do you mean?"

"You don't have to hide it from me. The night when you consummated, all you did was give him pleasure, and ask no questions did you?"

"Kaakisaa..."

"Don't call me that. And what are you blushing for? Hasn't it been a month since your marriage? Its spring already. Learn to make conversation girl! I have seen you many a times; you can't even make eye contact with him!"

"That..that is not what I meant.."

"Okay, okay now get ready for your bath and then wear the best outfit."

"Alright."

Kaakisaa dropped Jodha's veil surprising her.

"You are Malika, no one can look you in the eye! Plus, you are going to meet your husband. This is not needed."

"Why am I meeting him?"

"To apologise. Forgot already?"

"For yesterday?"

"Yeah. Now off you go. Come back and meet me in the garden."

"Kaakis..."

"No more queries."