Ruqqayah sat in her room looking at Jalal's swords. He always liked to keep a collection of them in her room as he spent most of his time with her. But things changed when he had his first concubine, and then second and now countless. Being his wife meant only being queen. You would get money and respect from the world, but he would never love you the way he would love a woman. That side of him, as a man, only his concubines knew. They too didn't know much as he never opened that much to any woman. Ruqqayah had thought that he never would open up to a woman. He would be in his shell, like he had been for the past many years. But today, when she saw him running to prevent Jodha from falling and losing his temper so quickly and the brightness on his face when Hamida mentioned Jodha's pregnancy, she had never seen all of this before at once, especially his brightened face was a rare feature. She lay down on her bed and closed her eyes as she recalled some beautiful and painful memories of the past.

"Ruqqayah, Ammijaan has called for you." Jalal spoke as she entered his room.

"Is that why you called me here?"

"No, I called you here to spend some quality time with you but Ammijaan just called for you. Let's meet her first then we will spend time together."

"Both of us?"

"Yes, she has something important to discuss. Let's go." He forwarded his hand and she placed hers.

"Have a seat, Ruqqayah Jalal." Hamida said as they entered her chamber.

"Ammijaan is everything okay?" Jalal asked.

"Jalal you remember how Ruqqayah had fainted earlier this week and..."

"Yes. But what about that?"

"Jalal, at least let her complete first." Ruqqayah kept a hand on his shoulder requesting him to be patient.

"So, my talented and patient daughter is pregnant," Hamida spoke and Jalal's mouth fell as he heard what his mother just said.

Ruqqayah was so shocked she didn't move for five whole minutes.

Ruqqayah opened her eyes. Tears had filled her eyes by now as she lay on the bed. She recalled how happy Jalal had been and had fulfilled each of her wishes. She closed her eyes again as a cluster of memories appeared before her.

"Ruqqayah wait!" Jalal shouted but Ruqqayah kept running, laughing at times that Badshah e Hindustan wasn't able to catch her.

"If you catch me, I'll do anything but if I win, you have to get me what I want." She replied as she kept running. She didn't pay much attention to the muddy flooring as he ran over it and her foot slipped. Jalal wasn't there to help her and she fell down, her screams awakening the entire zenana. Jalal ran to her, but she already lost consciousness by the time he arrived. His blurry figure appeared before her, as she lay there, suffering from one of the worst things a woman can.

Her body suffered from a lot of pain, both physically and mentally for months. The hakims treated her with all the care, but she had just lost her baby. Even if the baby had just meant an heir for the kingdom, for her, it was another life building up inside her. She cried at nights, when she thought she was alone, but Jalal was always by her side. He would walk up to her and embrace her in his arms, and stay there till she fell asleep. This had been a result of the various drugs she was given to ease her pain; the pain continued nonetheless. If not physically, it did leave an impact on her mentally. Even Hamida stopped visiting her, for her incompetence to carry a baby. She was distraught, ever since her own mother died, she had found shelter in the arms of Hamida, Gulbadan and Jalal. And now even Hamida turned away from her because she was not able to carry her baby. What fault was her? She survived that was a blessing. But no, this hungry empire didn't respect women, only wanted an heir, that was it.

Even after being able to walk again, she didn't feel any happiness at all and tried giving up her life many times. Jalal had been worried about her for a long time now and decided to take her out on a trip for a change. They had travelled together in the spring of 1559 to Ajmer. Ruqqayah found solace at the dargah and started returning to normal after the first month. Jalal had been very tired and sad all this while so one fine day for some refreshment he decided to go out hunting. He had gone alone, as all the soldiers were asked to protect the begum. He was riding on his horse somewhere between Ajmer and Amber when he heard a roar and adrenaline rushed into his body because of all the excitement. He hadn't had a tiger hunt in months now. As he proceeded to follow the source of the voice, he saw a timid young man facing the tiger. He was way too slim for a man and was shivering continuously.

He stood there for some time but when the tiger pranced on the man, he took out his musket and shot the beast. The momentum of the weapon pushed him back, but he held his support on the horse to prevent himself from falling. There was silence for some minutes. As the air got visible again, he looked at the dead animal and then noticed the young man somewhere near, his eyes shut as he shivered

He might have never seen a tiger for real, Jalal thought. But he was dressed as the Amber Royalty and that bothered him. Jalal had not dressed up like a royal so he had no issues. He decided to walk up to the man and comfort him with a little man to man talk, but the moment he saw his eyes, he realised he was not a man. Was she a woman then? Was she sent here to lure him? He stood still as the person looked back at him. He offered his hand to help her, and she jumped on him. He looked at her, confused. Why was, whoever this person was, so scared? But was the person a man or a woman? They had a little talk and he was convinced that the person was a man but just when he was about to leave, the man's turban got stuck in the tree and all her hair flowed out. She was a woman. He was right about it. She looked at him and he was mesmerized by her beauty, so much so he couldn't speak for a moment. She smiled and then threw an anklet to him asking him not to tell others that he met the princess of Amber.

Jalal opened his eyes with brightness and happiness as he recalled the time, he met his wife disguised as a man. Jodha, the princess of Amber whom he married for having an alliance with Amber. How he had considered the marriage only as an alliance but today it proved to be so much more for him.

Amidst all this, he suddenly recalled that he had totally forgotten to share this news with Ruqqayah. He jumped in happiness as he walked to her room. The aura outside her room was dull and when he asked Hoshiyar whether she was inside or not, he replied saying that she didn't want to meet anyone.

"Why? Is she alright?"

"Begum Sahiba is taking a nap."

"Okay. I'll go in then." Hoshiyar couldn't stop Jalal.

As Jalal walked in, the room was all dull too. All the candles blown off and the drapes hid the sunlight. He walked to her bed to see her covered in a thin blanket as she shivered, and all her body was sweating.

"Ruqqayah?" He called out but she didn't respond. He touched her hand and she was burning.

"Hoshiyar!!" He shouted and Hoshiyar came running with another hookah and Jalal grew furious at this. "What the hell are you up to? You want to kill her?" And the moment he said this, he realised how in the past she had tried a similar method to kill herself and he had goosebumps at that moment.

"Ruqqayah! Ruqqayah get up." He shouted in panic as he lifted her up and carried her to the hakim.

The hakim had just finished her work for the day and was going to have lunch when Jalal entered her chamber with Ruqqayah. Worried she kept aside her food and ran towards him to help him lay Ruqqayah on the bed.

"What happened Your Majesty?"

"She...she is not waking up and she is burning."

"Worry not! Champa!!" The doctor called for her assistant and a young girl with a small built ran towards her and did as instructed. The hakim fed Ruqqayah some medicines and then applied some on her body and covered her with a shawl.

"Is she going to be fine?"

"She is all okay Majesty. I have given her the necessary medicines and she will be fine soon."

"What happened?"

"She.... seems to be in pain...not physically."

"What do you mean?"

"Spend time with her more than you used to. And make her feel like she is loved."

Jalal was in shock when Hoshiyar bent forward and informed him about Gulbadan Begum requesting to meet him. Gulbadan ran towards Ruqqayah. She was shocked and tears fell from her eyes. As she noticed Jalal, she looked at him sternly.

"Your Majesty, I do not know what is going on but I have known Ruqqayah Begum since her childhood and I can tell you she is not happy. This is....this is why...she is trying to take her life! Ya Allah, bless my child." she cried as she clutched onto his qaba. "Are you giving her enough attention Jalal?"

"Is it because of all the Jodha Begum thing?"

"What Jodha Begum thing?" He realised not everyone knew of the pregnancy.

"I....I thought..since I married Jodha, I spent more time with her than with other women of the harem, and Ruqqayah....but she never showed any signs of jealousy...!"

"I don't know Jalal. I just know that my child is in pain and you are her husband so you need to heal her pain. Just, protect her, please?" she sobbed looking at him and he nodded.

Jalal stood still as he looked at Ruqqayah who looked pale and yellow.