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1485 Words
Nur Jahan stood there in shock.
Aimen begum, Gulab and the chambermaids stood there with anger. Nobody expected this from Shazeb.
" I was feeling guilty, Nur, I promised to rectify my mistakes, but why did you push her? Why can't you control your anger? "
Nur had cried enough to this point.
I will not tolerate this further. Do hell with love. My dignity and pride are more important to me. She thought.
" your wife, dressed up in my chamber wearing my leftovers. Flaunting your love towards her and yet you slapped me just listening to her words. A man who can't be a fair husband and here you call yourself a just ruler. I pity your subjects. You have destroyed your relationship with your own hands now. There is no chance we can be together again."
"Shah I am not feeling well," Seema said.
Shazeb scooped her up in his arms. He turned, " If anything happens to her, Nur, I won't spare you."
Seema fainted in his arms, he rushed and called the doctor.
Shazebs's mother came to know that Seema had fainted and this had to do something with Nur Jahan.
She was not happy with Nur Jahan. Just a few months in the palace she was loved and respected more than her. Her popularity diminished in the presence of Nur. Seema was more obedient and could be controlled, whereas Nur was the opposite.
When she was informed about the incident and Seema being attended by royal doctors. She was very angry.
"For me, what mattered the most was the heir to the throne. Whether It is from Nur or Seema I don't care. I didn't want the crown to slip away from my son to my stepchildren. " Najma screamed at the maid.
her blood boiled hearing that Nur wanted to harm her unborn grandchild. She marched towards the wing of Nur Jahan and dragged her by her hair to the palace gates.
" I dare anyone to stop me. "She challenged the guards around."
After all, She was Mallika e Waqt(. The queen of the highest authority.)
One of Nur's guards rushed to the chambers of Shazeb and Seema.
" Your Highness, please come fast. Mallika e Waqt Najma Begum is dragging princess Nur outside the gates of the palace. "
Shazeb rushed outside. The scene he witnessed was enough for him to lose his sanity.
Nur Jahan was without any veil, her hair was messed up and she was holding a sword against his mother's neck and his mother was on the ground bleeding.
" Nur Jahan, you have broken all the boundaries today. First, you harmed my wife. Now you want to kill my mother. I thought you were childish, but I never knew you were such a venomous woman."
" Stop it Shazeb", Nur screamed.
"I, Shazeb Mir Afdali, in the presence of everyone as my witness, divorce you, Nur Jahan, I regret that I ever married you and was in love with you. I would have beheaded you for this act, but keeping in mind the past relationship with you, I banish you from my kingdom. If you are ever seen around, I order that you should be beheaded."
He turned around and declared
"Listen, everyone whoever wishes to join Nur Jahan is welcome but they will be regarded as traitors to my kingdom.
Guards make sure she is thrown outside of our borders".
Nur Jahan fainted.
Aimen came rushing up, " King Shazeb, you have dishonoured my daughter and sentenced her without knowing the whole situation.
Nur herself means light. Where my daughter goes, the light will follow her. I leave everything on time. The Nur which you are throwing away I am sure you will be at her feet one day. I leave everything to God. I curse you that you never live in peace."
Shazeb left the place in anger.
When Hafeez heard about this, he wanted to kill Shazeb and his family, but he was not irrational, he kept calm because if something happened to him, his Nur and Amma Jaan would be left alone at the mercy of others.
All the maids and guards in Nur Jahan's service wanted to join her but Hafeez stopped them.
" I know your loyalty, love and respect that you have for my sister, but I don't want you to come with us because we won't be returning to king Hamad's palace. We are embarking on a new journey. I don't want you to face hardships because of us, as you have young children and families to look after. I want you all to pray for us, especially Nur Jahan. Hopefully, one day we will meet again."
3 unmarried maids and four of the guards, who were all orphans, joined Nur Jahan and her small family.
Nur Jahan was in an unconscious state for days. The months of stress and sudden shock were to blame. She got a nervous breakdown. Nur had already packed her belongings a while back. They just took a trunk of Nur Jahan's possession that was passed on by her late mother. They left with their horses and a chariot which belonged to Aimen begum.
" Brother Hafeez, why is our queen not awake yet? " one of the young guards asked.
" Don't worry Murad, she will be awake. I think her mental stress has taken a toll on her. She did not rest for a while. Let her sleep".
Deep down Hafeez was worried about Nur but did not want to scare his mother.
" Where exactly will we go, Hafeez?" Aimen asked his son.
"Ammi Jaan, we will go to your tribe. I have already sent a message to your elder brother, Sikander Bahrin "
Just then, Baaz the Falcon messenger of Hafeez arrived with a message tied to his feet.
" I knew it, bloody witch". Hafeez roared.
"What happened, " the guards asked.
" Did you really think Queen Najma would forget her insult and let Nur go so easily? She has sent her trackers after us to execute Nur. I got a message from our inside sources."
" What should we do?"
Hafeez was very witty. He thought of a plan. " I will think of something. We need to move faster as this area is well known for pirates. I hope Nur regains consciousness soon. Her temperature has gone down".
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Back in the palace, Seema gained consciousness.
"Sultan, queen and your child are healthy. She fainted because of dehydration. It's common in pregnancy. Just make sure she is hydrated. "
" Did she have any bruises or by any chance was she hurt?"
" Not at all your highness, she is perfectly fine. As I said, this is common in pregnancy. Nothing to worry about. "
Shazeb did not see Seema for two weeks. He was in his own sorrow, but he could not show that to his subjects. He kept himself busy with work. Many things needed his attention. He went inside the chambers after Seema continuously sent messages. He did not feel like seeing her face. Seema rushed to him as soon as she saw him but he stopped her.
" Seema, why did you lie that Nur Jahan pushed you?"
"Sorry, Shah, I got scared seeing you there. I just wanted to bid her farewell "
He did not utter a word, just left from there.
He walked into Nur Jahan's palace. Everything was the same. She did not take anything from him. He was grief-stricken. He never thought He would lose her that too in this way, but her wounding his beloved mother was not tolerable. She dared to insult the Queen, his mother.
He sat near the window, the same place where he and Nur used to sit.
Why did you do this to my mother Nur? I was trying to correct everything. He thought with sorrow.
Just then he heard a few maids talking in the garden. No one was aware of his presence due to the darkness.
" our king did very badly with princess Nur Jahan"
" If it was me I would have killed the woman who insulted me. The princess was very patient."
" What exactly happened? I was away at that time."
" Malika e Waqt dragged Nur Jahan with her hair in front of all the guards. Without her veil. Imagine princess Nur's plight. She was always strict with her veil and she was humiliated. Every guard kept their eyes down. No one dared to see the princess in such a state. "
" What happened?"
" Malika said that a barren like her doesn't deserve to be in the palace, but she is a perfect fit in a brothel. "
" Oh my God, "
"Stop screaming, someone will come."
Shazeb couldn't hear more. He slumped down. ........
- Writer
