"I hope you are doing fine!" Ruqqayah said as she asked Hoshiyar to prepare another hookah for her.

"I am alright. What about you Malika e Khaas?"

"I am doing okay. It's just.... it's just that, this harem is so complicated at times that I just want to run away you know. It is suffocating."

"Then maybe you should. After all, we all deserve a break sometimes."

"I know. But if I ask Jalal, he will allow me but he will send a hundred guards and then I won't be able to be myself."

"If you really want to go out, I can arrange something."

"Jodha Begum, don't get too ahead of yourself. How will you manage to get out of the palace without informing Jalal?"

"I have done it before."

"Wh..hat?" Ruqqayah was much amused at this. Jodha smiled at her as she eyed Hoshiyar who smiled back. "Hoshiyar knew?"

"I wasn't lying Begum Sahiba."

"Woah. You are courageous."

"I have been doing so ever since I was thirteen or fourteen!"

"I think I should trust you then."

"You must. And remember, it will be the best day of your life."

"We will see about that, Malika!"

They smiled at started talking about other things. Later that day, as Jodha was taking a stroll in the garden, she saw Sabrina sitting near the pool. Sabrina was a quirky and chirpy girl, always happy and ready to do anything, but she looked rather pale today. A maid was combing her hair. She looked down and her face revealed, she was not happy. Jodha was personally not very fond of her but she decided to talk to her in an attempt to console her for it would not do any good to the baby if she wouldn't be happy.

"Sabrina..." Jodha called and the maid greeted and so did Sabrina as she stood up.

"Aadab Malika!"

"Please sit down. You need to take care of yourself."

"I am fine Malika." Sabrina and Jodha sat together. Jodha looked at her smilingly as she stroked back her hair in an attempt to comfort her.

Sabrina looked up at her as she smiled. "You don't look fine," Jodha whispered slowly.

"A mere concubine like me has no right to be happy, Malika!"

"Why are you saying so? You will be Mariam uz Zamani and nobody will dare to come close then."

"I don't want that, Malika. I want to be fre...Apologies Malika, I have spoken a lot, I would like to excuse myself."

"Wait, Sabrina if everything is not okay, you can always come to me!"

Sabrina left without acknowledging Jodha. Jodha stood there as the leaves rustled. The weather was especially nice today and it reminded her of the night she had spent with Jalal. After that night, she didn't get a chance to see him. He had gone hunting and she was escorted to the fort. And almost a week after that, she had still got no chance to see him.

"Jodha...what are you doing here?"

Jodha turned around to find Kaakisaa. She smiled and walked towards her.

"I was taking a stroll."

"Is everything okay? You look rather dull."

"It's because of Shehenshah."

"What do you mean?"

"I am in love with him and he has no time for me."

"Am I hearing this correctly? Shehenshah has no time for you?"

"We haven't met in a week now."

"So what? If he cannot come, you go and meet him."

"I am a little shy to face him."

"Why....?" Kaakisaa realised just after the words left her mouth. She gaped at Jodha as she covered her mouth. "You, did it?"

Jodha's cheeks turned red. She looked away to avoid having to make eye contact.

"He must be shy too."

"Why would he be shy? I mean, this isn't his first time anyway."

"With you, it is!"

"Kaakisaa!" Jodha said as she looked away.

"I would suggest you meet him once. Maybe he is looking forward to meeting you but doesn't want to because of all his emperor ego?"

"Well, maybe."

Later that night, Jodha decided to visit Jalal after gathering up her courage. There were many guards outside his room as usual. She walked up to them and asked for permission to meet Jalal.

"Just a moment, Malika." The guard went inside to ask for permission. A few minutes later he came out and nodded. Jodha stood there for a while. She felt nervous but now that she had already decided, she had to meet him. She walked in and saw Jalal standing near the window looking at the night sky.

She tried not to make any noise but collided with a large vase upon her entry as she was looking at him and didn't look at the vase as it fell. Jalal broke from his trance as he looked at her. She tried to avoid contact with him as she picked up the vase and tried putting it in its place but failed miserably as it was quite heavy.

"Leave it be."

"I didn't intend to."

"You wanted to talk?" He looked gloomy and she didn't know the reason why.

"You look sad. Maybe some other time." She was already very nervous so she decided to leave. As she turned around, he grabbed her hand preventing her from leaving. She stilled.

"Jodha, please stay with me tonight." She didn't know what he meant exactly by that until he came closer and her heartbeat increased. He hugged her from back making her quiver as he rested his chin in the crook of her neck.

"Shehenshah...." She tried to break free from his embrace only leading to his embrace tightening. She gulped as fear dawned upon her. She didn't know what to do or how to react. The first time she had been with him, she didn't feel anything but pain. And after it, she was so tired that she fell asleep as soon as they were done. She didn't know what to do to make him want her. She had no experience with all this.

"I want you to stay right here, beside me."

"But..." before she could complete, he twirled her around and hugged her. As her chest collided with him, and he embraced her she felt warm. And for some reason, her nervousness seemed to disperse in seconds. After a while, he looked at her and it was the first time her eyes met his since that night.

He stroked her hair as he descended down to claim her lips. She quivered and held onto him for support.

His hands reached her back as he slowly untied her blouse and it fell. She was too flustered to look up as he claimed her his and kissed her everywhere. All this while, she leaned onto him for support. He looked up at her and carried her in bridal style to his bed where he placed her. She looked at him as he slowly undressed her and then got on top of her. She was not looking into his eyes now.

"Jodha...look into my eyes." He commanded but she couldn't.

"Jodhaa....." he asked again and she slowly looked up. He claimed her lips once more before getting inside her.

Jodha turned around to find Jalal sleeping next to her, peacefully. She had tried not to have sex with him as it was painful initially but she enjoyed it this time. Her mood was much better and her face had a different kind of shine. She didn't know why that didn't happen the first time. She tried getting up to get dressed and leave but Jalal grabbed her hand.

"Stay with me." He said as he pulled her towards himself and she landed on top of him. She looked into his deep eyes and they wanted only her, she realised. Her cheeks grew a crimson red shade as soon as realization dawned on her. She tried to look away but he rolled her upside down, with him on top as he claimed her once again.

"Your Majesty.... we have very important news!!" One of the guards shouted trying to ask for permission. Jalal got up and covered himself in his robe as he asked the guard to speak up.

"You...Your Majesty, Sabrina lost the child!"

Jalal couldn't believe his ears. What was happening and why with him? He turned around to take his sword with him when his eyes fell on Jodha. She was holding onto the quilt, her upper skin flashed as she was sleeping peacefully. He covered her flashed part with the quilt and stroked her hair lovingly before moving away.

"Don't let anyone in." He commanded his guards before leaving.

Sabrina was lying on the bed surrounded by many maids and her quilt was all bloodied. As Jalal neared her, he realised it was not a miscarriage. She had killed her baby and died because she was not able to bear the pain, being only seventeen.

Her mother wept inconsolably.

"Get the body cremated." He left as soon as he arrived. The news spread like fire in all the harem and the fort.

He walked straight to his room. He cancelled all the meetings scheduled for the day. He was too broken and needed to be healed. If it would have been the old days he would have gone hunting and spend hours beside the lake recalling the Amber princess, and it provided him solace. But now she was with him, sleeping like an angel in his room.

As he entered his room, he saw Jodha dressing up. He walked up to her and grabbed her hand, twirling her around. Her face was glowing, hair messy and lips dark red as he looked at her.

"You cannot get dressed or leave my room until I ask you to."

"Shehenshah, I have to do puja and then....."

"I suppose it can wait for a day." He said as he removed the pin holding her hair. She looked at him as he pulled her closer, this time placing soft kisses on her neck.

"You are not going anywhere." He whispered in between making her smile.

She folded her hands around his neck, giving him approval. But this time he was far from sweet. He kissed her lips slowly and then turned it into a rough kiss as he shoved her to the wall. His hands touched her body slowly making her shiver and lose her senses completely as she surrendered to him.

As he looked up at her before entering her, she whispered a little love you and he smiled. He got inside her roughly this time, making her wince at first but then hold onto him for support as the pain soon turned into pleasure.