Neela kept trembling as she somehow walked to Jodha's room. One of the guards took the pot from her hand and asked her to leave.

"Let me in. I know how and where to apply it."

"We can't. His Majesty has ordered us not to let you and Hoshiyar Khan in."

Neela trembled with fear. Would Jalal actually kill both of them once Jodha gains consciousness?

Ruqqayah kept weeping as she sat beside Jodha.

"I am sorry Jodha. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please get better. I beg you!"

Jodha fumbled a little and then slowly opened her eyes. Ruqqayah was crying with her head bowed and hands clasped with Jodha's.

"Ruqqayah!" Jodha said slowly and Ruqqayah looked up at her. She wiped away her tears and leaned in to check Jodha's temperature.

"Hakim Sahiba!" She shouted at the top of her voice.

A woman in her forties, little pale and short heightened ran towards them. She checked Jodha's temperature and smiled.

"Begum Sahiba is fine now. She just needs to take a rest."

Ruqqayah smiled and gave the doctor one of her gold bangles. The woman thanked and greeted her before leaving.

Jodha got up slowly.

"I am so happy that you are okay. But why did you do such a stupid thing?"

Jodha coughed a little before replying. "I had to. We are friends and I took you out so I could not leave you like that to suffer Shehenshah's wrath."

Ruqqayah looked at her with guilt and happiness in her eyes. Since her mother died, she had not been close to anyone, let alone share her happiness. Jodha called her her friend and she couldn't be happier. A tear escaped her eye, but Jodha brushed it away before Ruqqayah could.

"I am fine Ruqqayah!"

Ruqqayah smiled as her eyes teared up again. Jodha wiped away her tears and slowly embraced her.

A few days had passed by now. Jodha had gotten better and was combing her hair. She had just come from an hour-long bath.

"Aleema, where is Neela? I have not seen her in like.... since I returned from the forest that day. Is she okay?" Jodha realised suddenly.

"Malika, she has been punished by His Majesty."

"What?"

"And, he asked me to inform you that he will be visiting you today." Before Jodha could react, a maid came in and announced Jalal's arrival.

Jodha stood still as all her maids emptied the room. Moments later, Jalal entered and Jodha had decided not to make eye contact with him at all but as he stepped in, involuntarily her eyes met his.

He stood in front of her, maintaining a distance as he kept looking at her. She cleared her throat to break the silence, but it was of no use.

"I know you like breaking rules."

"Shehenshah, I...did not intend to hurt you."

"Why did you involve Ruqqayah in your outings?"

"Shehenshah! It's not like it seems."

"Care to explain?"

"We sort of wanted to give our relationship a chance. A rebound and so we decided..."

"Without asking me."

"Shehensh..."

"HOW DARE YOU? YOU HAVE BEEN BREAKING RULES FOR SO LONG I THINK I MIGHT AS WELL PUNISH YOU! WHY CAN'T YOU ABIDE BY THE RULES? YOU ARE NO LONGER A PRINCESS, JODHA! YOU ARE A QUEEN NOW. HAVE SOME SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY AND MATURITY."

She kept looking down. He was shouting at the top of his voice and her head suddenly started spinning. She tried to stand straight and listen to him but she just couldn't. Soon everything blacked out and she fell down.

"Jodha. Stop acting and get up." Jalal had heard Ruqqayah's conversation with Jodha and thought that Jodha was pretending.

He bent down on one knee and shook her but she didn't get up.

"Jodha...." By now beads of perspiration started forming on his forehead.

Jodha lay on the bed, half-covered with the quilt as the hakim checked her.

"How is she?" a concerned Jalal asked.

"Your Majesty, you don't need to worry about Her Highness'."

"What do you mean? Is she okay?"

"She is expecting, Your Royal Highness!" Jalal stood there for a minute. He could not believe what the hakim just said. It had only been a few weeks since Sabrina's death and on a personal level, he had gone into a shock. He didn't expect God to bless him with a child anymore. He blamed himself for Sabrina's death.

"She is? Pregnant?"

"Yes, Your Highness." He was happy. Surely, he was. But he did not want others to know about it yet.

"This conversation should not reach out of this room." He warned the hakim.

By now Jodha had woken up. Upon seeing the hakim and Jalal talking, she grew conscious. She didn't want to talk to Jalal after he spoke to her so rudely. She didn't want to see anyone right now. She was irritated much more than she usually got. She got up only to fall down again. Jalal looked at her and signalled the hakim to leave. He walked towards her. She got up and shifted.

"I don't want to talk to you!"

"Have a seat."

"I am a Queen, as you stated earlier. So, I will do what I like doing. I will not sit."

"Will you give me something if I ask?"

"Not right now.'' She stated firmly but he covered the distance between them by embracing her. She tried to free herself but all her attempts failed. His embrace tightened after she gave up.

"Thank you!" he stated.

"What? Are you bipolar or what?" He laughed at that and she realised he was not angry anymore. She relaxed but she was still angry with him.

"Jodha, I can't tell you how happy I am."

"What? What did I do? And by the way, don't get too close. I am still angry with you."

"I am sorry." She couldn't believe that he apologised.

"Did you hit your head somewhere?"

He kissed her to prevent her from speaking.