Princess of the dawn

Chapter 4

In the hall, an angry Bairam Khan smoothed the waves after the young ruler had left. He consoled ambassadors who were not received, to the next day. While courtesans, who were summoned quickly, entertained those present. Maham Anga poured fuel on the fire:

"Eh Vazir, do you no longer have a grip on Jalal" she asked mockingly?

With a pinched face and without words he hurried with quick steps to the stables where he suspected Jalal. He asks the stable boy about Jalal:

"Hey you, where is the emperor" Bairam Khan yelled.

The lad replied scared: "Huzoor, he rode away with Abdul Khan."

"Why didn't you stop him"?

"Huzoor who am I that I can stop the emperor". The lad bowed his head down.

"Fool, didn't I say he shouldn't leave the fort?" He hit the guy hardsy in his face with lightning speed. A crack could be heard and the fellow went down whimpering. Blood ouzed out his nose. Snorting angrily, Bairam shouted: "Saddle my horse!"

Meanwhile, Jalal and Abdul galloped along the Yamuna river. As always, nature had a calming effect on Jalal. After a while he reined in his horse.

"Abdul, let's rest here". They sat down on the bank and began to throw stones into the water.

"Today I honored the Rajput who played Fort Narnaul into our hands," said Jalal.

"Yes and?"

"I saw him again yesterday."

"Where?"

"When I calmed the wild elephant. Everyone ran away screaming. But he and his men just stood still there. That impressed me a lot."

"Oh, that's very brave to stand still there. The elephant could have trampled them. "

"Yes, but they just stood there. Honor is paramount to them. Raja Bharmal brought his family with him today. There was a girl ... "

"A girl? Uhh! They're only interested in their clothes and jewelry anyway. Boring!"

"Abdul, I don't know. She stared at me unabashedly from under her veil the whole time."

Abdul looked at him with wide eyes. "What? She didn't look down? How could she do that?"

"I found it refreshing that a girl has the courage to stare at me when everyone else is scared."

Abdul was impressed. A girl had piqued his friend's interest? He, who usually fled if Ruqaya wanted to spend time with him?

"I have to get to know her"!

"How do you want to do that"?

"I invited the Raja and his family to the festivities for tomorrow evening," he chuckled.
"You should have seen Khan Baba. He wasn't thrilled".

"How do you want to talk to her"?

"I don't know yet, but I'll think of something"

For a while they pondered their thoughts and talked about the falcon hunt that was to take place in the next few days. Then they went back to the fort. On the way back they passed Raja Bharmal's camp. Jalal recognized it by the flags which fluttered in the wind. "Look, here are the raja's tents. Good to know " he thought to himself.

As they rode into the city, Bairam Khan came riding towards them.

"Jalal" he yelled "how dare you leave the hall like that?!"

"Khan Baba, don't be angry, I couldn't take it anymore. You know that I can't sit still that long."

"How often do I have to tell you that a ruler has to be above his feelings," he reprimand Jalal.

"Why? I am the emperor, I can do what I want" replied jalal defiantly.

Bairam Khan sat perplexed on his horse. It was the first time such words came out of the boy's mouth. Was Maham Anga right? Was he slowly losing control of him?

"Jalal, there are some things that you have to do and endure, even if you don't like it at the moment. You can't just go in the middle of a reception."

"Oh Khan Baba, let's not talk about it anymore. What happened happened ".

Calmly he steered his horse on, leaving behind a stunned Bairam Khan.

To be continued...