"Ahhh! Fetch me some water, Bindoo." Madho shouted at the top of his voice and his wife walked wobbly towards him carrying a plate and a glass.

"Here, lord!" she placed the glass of water and he drank all the water in one go.

"Have you heard of this woman? She is travelling alone and is currently living in one of the ashrams run by us."

"I have not, but I will fetch information about her if you will allow me to."

"No, I'll take care of her. You go and take care of our children."

She nodded and left. Jodha had been on his mind for a long while now. He had tried talking to her some days back too, but she had paid him no heed. Now, it was getting on his nerves. How dare a mere woman behave this way with the sarpanch? He would surely teach her a lesson tonight. It had been a week now, a week since all this and he was getting too restless. So restless, that he didn't even read the news an attendee had brought. Badshah e Hind was visiting Mathura.

Jodha sat on the muddy floor. She had woken up early, performed her puja and had had breakfast. Although it was for poor people, she couldn't simply sit and eat. She had to earn something. So, she had started washing and cleaning the floors of the nearby mandir. She could have given her bangles, but they were very expensive, gifted to her by her father at her wedding. And it was a family thing, had existed in their family for generations. She didn't want to give it to just anybody. One day, her bahu would wear it and she had to take proper care of it.

Today she had taken a leave, for she did not feel like going. She had not been fully recovered when she left Agra and on top of that, she had not had a very nutritious diet in the past few days. Some days she had fallen asleep on an empty stomach. This was deteriorating her health and its symptoms were clear. She could not walk properly. She felt tired and restless all the time. She missed Amber. She missed Ruqqayah and she also missed Neela. Lastly, she always missed Jalal. A tear escaped her eyes, and then more. She was in tears, sobbing hard before she realised.

The door to her room was slightly open. It was mid-afternoon. The old lady walked in as she kept a set of branches on Jodha's bed and walked to where she was. She sat beside her, slowly caressing her hair and face and Jodha slept on her lap, sobbing. The two had bonded well. Jodha told her, her name was Kamla and she was here only for a short period. The old lady's name was Meera. She had been with Jodha, whenever the empress cried. She had told her different stories to calm her and heal her broken heart.

"It's okay beta. Cry your heart out. It is not good to keep things stored in your heart."

"Maa Ji, why me? Why do I have to suffer so bad?"

"It is just a test beta. You will soon learn a lesson from it and be thankful to God. All happens for good. God has a reason why he does certain things because it is all planned in the end. Don't hurt yourself too much. You will be fine."

"What lesson from this Maa Ji? Today, I do not have anyone. Not even the house of my husband welcomes me and my own house discarded me when I married him! Where am I to go now?"

"Calm down, beti. All will be okay. You are suffering sure. But all suffering comes to an end! It is not long before the sun will shine again." She embraced Jodha and kept muttering soft words to calm down the broken girl, as she clutched onto her arm and cried.

Madho, who had been here all this while, heard it all. So, she was a thrown-out woman? She had no one to rely on and even then so much pride? He was thinking for a while, for she gave him weird vibes but now, he was sure. He could use and throw her and she would not be able to do anything. She had no shoulder to cry on, and this old woman? When Meera Ji wasn't even able to walk and see properly, what good could she do?

He decided to come here again tonight. For tonight was it. He could no longer control himself.

~

"Your Majesty, news has come."

"What is it?" Jalal asked washing his hands. He had just had lunch and they were prepared to go out in search of Jodha now.

"Her Majesty, a young attendee says he saw her."

"What? Where is he?"

The boy was brought in. "Your Majesty!" he performed the konish and head bowed, waited for Jalal to question him.

"Where?"

"Near the Yamuna River. I saw Her Majesty with some girls."

"Tell me everything in detail."

"Your Majesty, as you per the painting of Her Majesty, I saw a woman perfectly fitting the description, only she seems to have lost a lot of weight. Her bones were visible through her skin. She was wearing a plain ghagra choli, like the one her maids wear and she was washing some clothes. Then, an old woman came to her side, the two talked for a while and then they left in the direction of the ashram."

"Which ashram?"

"The Mrinal Ashram. The sarpanch of a nearby village runs it."

"Okay, get the guards ready. I will leave somewhere around the night."

"Your Majesty!"

This was it, Jalal would now get Jodha if she truly were her. But what about her health? Why was she so thin? It was all because of him. How would she react? She was not in the right state, and she had to come back to Agra now.

~

Madho stopped at a distance from the hut. Surely Jodha was not here now, she had gone out to eat, but she would return. He sat there, as he drank. How wonderful a night would it be? He was extremely happy.

As the night deepened, he saw a slender figure walking slowly towards the hut. Very few people were out by this time, and most of them were not in this area. When the moonlight fell on her face, he saw her reflection clearly for the first time. She had always veiled herself, but today it was unveiled. He had never before seen such a beautiful woman. She had sharp features and although she was a little too skinny, he was mesmerised beyond words at her sight.

He straightened himself as he got up and walked towards her. She had just opened the door when he came from behind and held her hand. She turned around and at his sight, anger burned in her eyes. He backed down for a fleeting moment. She looked fearless, but again the thought came back to his mind. She was a mere woman, she had no power, and he could use her just the way he wanted. He was sarpanch, after all.

And so, gathering all his leftover courage, he grabbed her hand again as he threw her inside and got in after her, closing the door behind him. He smirked at her. She had hurt her elbow, but it was no time to cry over it. She got up and raised her finger, as she moved backwards, maintaining a clear distance from the wretched man.

"Don't you dare come near me!" She had not taken him seriously initially as she thought he was just an idiot, trying to show his power. She had taken the matter too lightly. Meera had warned her about him, but she was too much into her own grief to notice such warnings.

"A mere woman, for a mere commoner with no husband and parents, you surely have a lot of pride!" What? How did he know? What else did he know?

But without shaking or getting scared, she stood there. Slowly, she took out the knife she had placed into her cummerbund. She always carried one since a child. These were the perks of having been born in Rajputana. Although her father didn't teach her the many things her brothers were taught, he made sure she always carried a knife with her, for security reasons. She was the princess of Amber and had to be careful.

"A knife? You'll use a knife to protect yourself, huh?"

"Stay away from me." By now hot tears started forming in her eyes, but no, she wouldn't give up. She was a Rajvanshi, she would fight until the very end.

"You cannot get away now, so it is better you submit."

~

Jalal had changed into normal clothes. He had not wanted to have proclamations in his name, thus giving Jodha a chance to run away. He would surely meet her today and agree to all she would say. She would not talk to him, that he could agree, but he could not let her wander alone. It was not safe. She was the Empress of Hindustan and had to be treated that way. He had a bunch of guards accompanying him. He had asked about her, explaining her description to a few people and had reached here finally. It was in a secluded region of the ashram, a small hut was located.

~

What was Kanha doing to her? Where was he? Did he even exist? What did she do to go through all this? Why?

Madho pranced on her like a tiger on its prey. She shoved him away, but he was too strong. She had lost a lot of weight and was not able to push him away. He clutched her shoulders tightly, as he tried to rip her blouse. She scratched his face with the knife. His cheek skin cut apart, as blood oozed out of it, and he flinched, letting go of her for a second. She got out of his grip and ran away.

He realised in a moment and ran after her. She had not been able to run very far with her wobbly legs almost giving away, and getting out of breath. He ran after her and she trembled. He caught her hair and pulled her towards himself. He did it so harshly, she cried out of pain. She begged him to let go of her, as she struggled against him. Her tears had now exploded, as she had endured too much in the last days. She was on the brink of giving up when her eyes widened. She couldn't believe it. Was she dreaming?

Ruqqayah stood there, her expression unreadable as she walked towards them. A group of guards and attendees fully armoured followed her. Jodha looked at her, although her body was giving up now, she somehow managed to keep her eyes open.

Madho looked at the woman, and her expression, her posture all conveyed she was not someone common. Who was she and what was she doing here at this time?

"Who are you, woman?" he asked and Ruqqayah looked at him, her eyes clearly demonstrating anger and death. He gulped as he stood there. No, she is no one. Why am I getting scared?

He kept reassuring himself. That is when Jalal appeared. He was shocked to see Ruqqayah there. He had sent her back to Agra, then what was she doing here? And then his gaze shifted to the man standing there, and his mind exploded. Was she Jodha, with him? What was he doing to her, and why was she in such a condition?

Jalal couldn't believe at first what was happening. Jodha, his Jodha. His Malika. What had happened to her? Who did this to her? Her hair was in a disarray and her lips were trembling. Her face was teary, her bones appeared through her skin as the attendee had described and her body was trembling. What had happened to her? And then he saw her torn sleeve and torn dupatta.

But before he could react or ask anyone anything, Ruqqayah asked the soldiers to grab him. Madho started fighting, kicking and slapping the soldiers, but they were just too many in number. He tried but they obviously outnumbered him and then threw him at Ruqqayah's feet. She grabbed him by his kurta as she made him stand.

"What are you doing?" he barked as he spit blood. "Let go of me, you wretched woman."

"How dare you....?"

"How dare I what? Touch that woman? She has no one, no parents and no husband, she is a free commodity, and I will do anything I want to with her. She is in my ashram so she is my property..." Madho fell on the ground the next instant when she slapped him tightly.

He looked at her and was about to say something else when he noticed the soldiers dressed up in black and red, and next, he noticed Ruqqayah. She was wearing minimum jewellery, but her clothes spoke of class, and then his eyes wandered to her finger. She was wearing the royal ring. He was about to accuse her of stealing when he realised who she was. He looked back at Jodha.

The woman was trembling. He gulped in fear as reality dawned upon him as to what he had done. Was she really...and did he really try to harass the queen....no...no way in hell was she Malika e Hindustan! He was contemplating things when Ruqqayah sliced his fingers and he cried loudly.

"Ruqqayah...!" It was then that Jalal finally ran up to them. Ruqqayah didn't look back but when he approached her she simply smiled. It was a sarcastic smile but. He stood there frozen as she started laughing. "What happened Jalal?" she asked as she looked at him. "You thought I would leave you to search for Jodha? You actually thought that I will trust you after all that has happened? I was always right when I said you are not human, you are just a selfish being who wants heir and nothing to do with his wives."

Jalal looked at her, guilt clearly evident in his eyes, but his anger also flaring up. She not only disrespected him publicly but also deceived him. His anger was on the edge of exploding any time now. Madho looked at them. What did he call her, and what did she call him? Jalal? And what does he need, an heir? The ground beneath his legs slipped as he looked at them. They truly were Badshah and Malika e Hind. His gaze then shifted to Jodha. She was actually an empress. The hair on his neck stood up as he looked at them, and the soldiers. There was no way in hell, he could now escape death. Except if he tried...He looked at Jodha, who was still standing there while Jalal and Ruqqayah fought. He stood up quickly and ran to her as he put a knife around her neck.

"I will kill her!" he shouted and Jalal and Ruqqayah turned around as they looked at him. Jodha had almost given up, as her eyes closed after that instant and darkness overpowered her senses.