Chapter 51- Enough!
The news of the tragic event at the court , in no time , reached the royal Harem “ Enough ! I had enough , why don’t Allah free me of this miserable life? Why?” Qtub cried , she was completely broken , nothing was left in her except emptiness . Zehna and Shamshaad tried their best to console Qtub , but all their efforts went in vain , after all , she was a mother.
Rukknuddin’s crimes and unjust rule was at it’s peak , he let the big merchants user children as laborers , his weapon making department itself had more than a hundred child labourers , almost 20 new taxes were imposed on people and the the income of people were reduced . There was an acute shortage of food since it was being diverted to the troops .There were more beggars than people living in homes peace fully ‘joy’ and ‘peace’ seemed to have turned their faces from Dilli . Now , it was exactly what Yakut was waiting for , the people were regretting their decision , they had realised their folly but it seemed to be too late now.
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Zehna , who was sitting with Qtub , wiped away her tears , without saying a word , she rushed out of her chamber “ Zehna?” Shamshaad called for her but she ignored Shamshaad. Zehna reached Nasir’s chamber , she knew he was there , without knocking the doors , she entered the chamber , she looked more angry than gloomy. Nasir , who was sitting by the bed , lost in thoughts stood up seeing her “ Zehna?” he asked , curious “ Nasir bhaijaan , I never expected this from you. “ Zehana snapped at him “ Do you even know the whole thing?” Nasir asked , annoyed “ I do bhaijaan but YOU DON’T” did you even for once that why would she call her lover at your chamber and not hers?” Zehana cut him off in between , now Nasir realised the most prominent and important fact he missed , Fatimah had decorated ‘his’ chamber and not ‘hers’ , his eyebrows raised as soon as he realised what Zehana actually meant “ And secondly …bhaijaan , Fatimah had told me this morning only that…. that she wanted to confess her love TO YOU , she wanted to surprise YOU , if this was what she got in return , then I would have never let her love you bhaijaan , why did yuou do it ? How could you trust that… that Turkan and not your heart , not Fatimah’s loyalty? How could you bhaijaan , how could you?” Zehana broke down with those words.Nasir realised his folly now , but it was too late , he got up at once and staggered out of his chamber.
Running out of the palace like a mad man , he reached , his horse , at the palace backyard and , jumping on his horse , he sped out of the palace entrance , he searched for Fatimah all over the city , by now , the sun had set , he made his way out of the boundary of Dilli but his search seemed to be worthless , he had been searching for her for a good hour or two , but somewhere in his heart , even he knew that he was going to fail , it started to rain heavily tiered and helpless , he got down from his heart , his tears fused with the rain washing his face , he fell on his knees on the ground and cried helplessly “FATIMAHHAA!” he cried.
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Meanwhile in the royal palace , Zehna was busy writing a letter , after she finished writing , she took the letter and rolled it , she did the same with another letter laying beside she had already written , she then called for one of her trusted messenger as well as spy “ This , letter , in this red coloured cloth , this should reach in my brother’s hands and this one , wrapped in this cream coloured cloth must reach either Yakut or Razia , is this clear? I am trusting you with these , please don’t let my hope die.” she instructed her messenger , the messenger then , bowed and assured her “ Don’t worry shezaadi , I’ll protect these letters with my life and will make sure they reach the right people.” . Zehana knew her brother was , he was living in Kashmir as an ordinary farmer , she was also well aware about Razia and Yakut’s location.
She watched the messenger as he galloped away into the mist and the darkness of the night.
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To be continued.
Precap – Yakut finally realises that he has fallen for Razia and decides to confess his love to her