The birds chirped. The sun was glowing. It was a new day and a new beginning. Sona's wedding had been fixed with the Crown Prince of Jodhpur, Yuvraj Aditya Rathore. Champavati sat beside the verandah as she looked at the clear blue sky.

"Attention. His Majesty, King Bharmal is arriving!"

She sighed as she turned around. There, stood Bharmal. His face was showing clear signs of victory, with the large grin that almost showed his greasy yellow teeth.

"Your Majesty!" Champavati greeted him.

"Sona's wedding is fixed."

Champavati looked up, slightly frightened. The last time he had brought news of Jodha's marriage, everything had been devastated. Then, as though sensing his queen's oblivion he answered,

"Don't worry. The groom is the Yuvraj of Jodhpur!"

Champavati's face brightened. Her Sona would never have to sacrifice as Jodha did. She could now sleep peacefully.

"Rajaji, I am much obliged."

"Sona is our daughter, Champavati. And I want you to feel that. Now stop wasting time and start with the preparations!"

"Hoshiyar.... Hoshiyar!!" Ruqqayah shouted and Hoshiyar ran to her room, stumbling at times.

"Begum Sahiba!"

"Get my bath ready!"

"Your Majesty!"

Ruqqayah sat down. Jalal would be back in a few days. She was happy. She was sad that she could not mend her relationship with Jodha but nonetheless, at least Jalal would become a father and she a stepmother. She would nourish and care for the child just like her own. True, she could not have her own kids but she could still be a fantastic mother.

"Your Majesty, if you would have stayed for a few more days, it would be an honour!" Raja Bharmal pleaded.

"State work calls for me, Rajaji. But I will visit soon for Sona's wedding."

"Your Majesty."

Jodha stood behind Jalal. She walked up to her father and embraced him. At least he treated her like a daughter and she wasn't invisible to him like Champavati. She couldn't believe her mother didn't even congratulate her for being pregnant, let alone recognise her existence. She walked up straight to her palanquin after exchanging greetings with her father. Jalal followed soon after.

"Ranisaa, you asked for me?" a maid asked as she approached the queen.

"Bring me all the things Jodha used in the past days!"

"Your Majesty." The maid bowed and left. Champavati looked at Jodha from the terrace of the fort as the royal entourage left. She had wanted to be by her daughter's side, to kiss her, to hug her and moreover to congratulate her for endearing it all.

"Ranisaa, did you not meet with Jodha even once?" Champavati turned around to see Bhagwan Das standing.

"Bhagwan!" she spoke as he greeted her.

"Ranimaasaa, Jodha was really looking forward to meeting with you once!"

"Bhagwan, what are you saying? Couldn't she have talked to me first?"

"She took your revenge from my Maasaa and you still want her to talk first? You abandoned her first because all she did was to agree to marry Shehenshah to save Amber, and didn't you see how nice a man he is? How much he respects us all and cares for Jodha? And above all, was it really in her hands? Her kingdom needed her and she willingly sacrificed herself. She used to be a bright girl, Ranimaasaa but she is not anymore. She is happy but not chirpy and full of life as she used to be!"

Champavati couldn't speak a word. She had wronged Jodha greatly. All this while, her ego had won but she lost her child.

"And even when you knew Jodha is pregnant, you ignored her so badly! How can you be so cruel? How can your ego matter so muc...."

"What? What are you saying Bhagwan? Jodha....no! I would have known if it were true."

"Don't pretend Ranimaasaa, just don't."

Champavati's world turned upside down in a second. Her daughter was going to be a mother and she didn't know. She didn't congratulate her. What was she doing? By then, the maid arrived.

"Your Royal Highness, these are the sheets and ghagras Malika e Hind used during her stay."

Champa's eyes teared up. Her legs became wobbly and she lost balance. Bhagwan Das supported her from falling but she fainted in his arms.

"Your Kaakisaa told me everything," Champavati said as Jodha looked over at her. Her dark little shiny black eyes looked at her mother, as she wrapped herself in the quilt.

"Maasaa, kaakisaa is lying! I didn't eat the churma." The three-year-old confessed.

"No, you did. Or who would have eaten it? This?" Champavati said while patting her round belly.

Jodha closed her eyes for a while then opened them and shouted, "Yes, it is Sona's doing."

"Who is Sona?" Champa asked and Jodha smiled as she spoke, "Who else? Of course, it is her. She is inside you that is why no one scolds her but she will come out sometime. She won't be inside always."

Jodha patted on Champavati's belly and kissed on it. "It's okay little sister, Maa will forgive you."

"You think you are very smart, huh? And how do you know it's a girl?"

"Maa, now come on. You know I know most of the things, I am a Goddess. Don't you know that by now? You can also kiss my child when I get pregnant."

"Jodha....you have really have to stop reading those stupid books now."

Jodha's eyes fluttered open. She looked around and saw herself seated in the palanquin. Time had passed quite quickly. In a few hours, they would reach Agra and she would be seated comfortably in her bedroom. Then, as she was thinking the palanquin was placed down. She waited for a while before Jalal drew the curtains away and asked her to step out.

"What is it, Shehenshah?"

"I want to show my favourite begum my favourite place!" she smiled and stepped out with his support.

They walked for a while before he came to a halt. He looked at her and she looked tired. He forwarded his hand and she grabbed it. They walked for a while. He sat down and she sat beside him.

"Do you know there is a temple around here?" he asked as she looked up at him, surprised.

"A temple? Here?"

"Yes. I heard some legends about it."

"But who would dare share legends with the Shehenshah?"

"I used to disguise myself and visit different parts of the empire. That is when I came across this place and the stories associated with it."

"Wow, do you not do that anymore?"

"I want to. It's just that...I don't get time, and since I have been married to you, I have hardly found time."

"Is that a compliment?"

He laughed. She smiled.

"Earlier, you were not happy. Why?"

Should she share her pain with him? Would he understand? He surely respected her, but he didn't love her. She knew that, and no matter how much it hurt her to accept it, it was the truth.

"My mother and I...have not been on good terms ever since our marriage."

"Was she against it?"

"She has been against everything all her life. But things happen, and she has to accept it. I don't know why she is so sensitive."

"Did you reconcile this time?"

"I wanted to. I thought she would come to talk to me when she heard I was expecting, but she didn't. I can't believe my mother's ego is bigger than her daughter's happiness. But then again, I don't want to judge her. I don't know what she is going through, so I cannot make a judgement just by sitting here. Maybe, I would have let go of my ego."

"Come here." He patted her shoulder as she leaned in his embrace.