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1110 Words
Nur finally woke up.
" It was all a dream, isn't it?" She thought. She looked around her surroundings. Reality sinked in.
Aimen, who saw her eyes open, screamed in joy.
"Hafeez, your sister is awake."
She hugged Nur, kissing her face.
" You slept for a long stinky cow?" Hafeez teased her. She just kept quiet.
"Where are we going, bother Hafeez?"
" To the tribe of our maternal family. Trust your brother Nur, I won't let anything happen to you."
She saw her maids. " Why did you accompany us?"
" We can't live without you, our queen."
" I am not your queen anymore. Consider me as your sister if you can?"
They briefed her about the incident after she fainted. They continued their journey. Suddenly, their horses halted.
The sight in front of them was horrifying. There were corpses in front of them. Looks like they have been killed by bandits.
Suddenly, something struck Hafeez.
"Murad, Salaar, please pick up bodies whose faces are destroyed, and help me exchange our clothes with theirs."
He then turned to his mother."Ammi Jaan packs all Nur's belongings in bags and gives me the trunk."
He then threw the trunk near one of the bodies of a young woman.
He planned everything in such a way that it would look like they encountered the bandits and were all looted and died at their hands,
"You are so clever, Brother Hafeez".
"Hafeez, how many months will it take to be there?"
" Three months, Ammi Jaan?"
Aimen wanted Nur Jahan to heal and she vowed that she will keep her safe till her last breath.
Nur stayed inside the carriage throughout the journey, hardly speaking to anyone. a smile was on her face.
Nur had become very silent, no matter how much her maids tried to cheer her up.
" What should I talk about? Shazeb broke my trust in marriage and love. I never imagined that he would discard me with so much humiliation. He was never like this, he always listened to others. I guess he was not the man I fell more in love with. I don't want to cry over him. He is not even worth my tears. I am glad I am out of that misery. I don't want his name to be taken again."
No matter how she tried to be strong, she was broken beyond repair. The man she thought she loved dearly betrayed her in the worst possible way.
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Here Shazeb went mad after listening to the whole saga.
I broke the trust of the woman who was my life. I never did justice to her. Guilt was consuming him.
He contacted the scholars to find a way to get Nur back into his life.
Since he pronounced only one divorce, he had to get her back within three months or else she was free to marry anyone else.
After speaking to scholars, now he knew that the way he treated Nur was unfair and he was a sinner. Seema was still his wife and he had to treat her well, but after losing Nur, he lost interest in everything, especially Seema.
He sent his best horsemen to find his Nur Jahan as time was running out. He prayed to get a lead to find where she went. He was sure that she would never go back to her father.
I know Nur will never get back to me, but I will beg her to be back now. I realised if I was meant to have kids I would have gotten them with Nur. It was too late now.
He was very angry with his mother. Their relationship was strained. He stripped her of the title of Malika and gave the honour to his stepmother.
He still visited Seema but his talk was just limited to knowing about the welfare of his unborn child. He took back all the jewellery from Seema which belonged to Nur. He shifted his residence to Nur's quarters. He named the place Nur Mahal to honour his queen.
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Here Baaz again gave a message to Hafeez. He then called his mother.
" Ammi, we are not going back to Uncle Sikander, instead we will head to the tribe of Jalaluddin Uzbeik which is in the south."
Hafeez was aware that Sultan shazeb was looking for Nur and wanted to get her back.
" Nur, can I talk to you please? "
" Yes, Brother",
"Tell me honestly, if I tell you that King Shazeb wants to apologise and get back to you, will you give him a chance? Don't say it in anger. Think about it with a calm mind"
" Don't I look calm to you, brother?"
" Nur baby, you can fool the whole world, not me. I know you still love him. "
" You don't know me then, Nur does not love him anymore and I would rather die than go back to him."
" In future, don't say that I did not give you an option of getting back with Shazeb."
"That man is my biggest regret. A mistake I committed myself to"
"Nur, I want a promise from you?"
" Yes, I give you my word, but what is it about?"
"If I decide about your future you will obey me. Think again before accepting "
" I trust you with my life, Brother, seal my promise".
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Shazeb started sleeping in Nur's bed.
Forgive me Nur, please come back. I was a fool. He used to shed silent tears at night away from everyone's eyes.
He got the most shocking news that Nur Jahan and her family were killed near kahar by robbers.
" Tell me it's not true."
" His guard handed him the dress. "
" No it can't be true ", he started throwing things.
He took the clothes and hugged them tightly. He could smell her.
There was suddenly a bright light coming behind the curtains. It was Nur, his Nur. She was holding a bright lamp glowing with brightness. Oh my God, she looked breathtaking. He rushed to hug her but she stopped.
" Why did you do it, sultan? Look, now I am gone where you can't reach."
" Take me with you, Nur, please."
" Listen carefully, Sultan. You can't be like this. Your people need you. Be the ruler which I dreamed you to become.
Promise me, Sultan "
" Nur, I will do whatever you say. Please come back. I promise I will be fair. " Nur touched his face, gave him a peck on his cheeks and turned away.
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