Princess of the dawn

Chapter 16

Din Panah - Jalals chambers

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Jalal-ud-din Muhammad,
dhanyavaad. The white feathers will fly. Now the sun is only a faint reflection of itself. She should rise for the pigeon king. If time permits, one day she will shine bright again there.

Rajkumari Jodha Bai
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Abdul dropped his hand with the note and looked questioningly at Jalal. He didn't understand a word of what was in the message.

"What is she writing there? She says thank you. But the other doesn't make sense. She writes about the sun like you do. What kind of secret you both have there?"

Jalal turned pale. He was disappointed. He understood the words. She wanted to keep in touch with him through the pigeons, but she didn't want to accept the ring. She wanted to give it back when time allowed. Didn't she feel the same bond he'd assumed? He didn't want to believe it.

"Jalal! What does she mean by that? Tell me"! demanded Abdul. He looked into Jalal's disappointed face.

"What's wrong with you? A moment ago you were so eager to find out what was in the letter and now you are very still."

"She doesn't want to accept my gift, Abdul," he said toneless. „I had sent her a present with the pigeons. I guess I was wrong about her."

"Oh Jalal, don't be so depressed. She's just a girl like any other."

"Stop it!" Jalal shouted angrily. "Give me the message and go, I want to be alone."

"Jalal, ..."

"You should go, I said!" He screamed at his friend.

Abdul gave him the message and turned at a loss. He didn't understand why Jalal had become so angry. It was just a letter. And if she didn't want to accept the gift ... Pfff! Typical girls!
He shrugged and went back to his room to pack his belongings. Jalal would calm down again. He was used to his quick temper. But he had noticed, however, how the color had drained from Jalal's face when he read the letter to him. He didn't know his friend like that.

Jalal lay on his bed, with his hands clasped behind his head and stared blankly at the ceiling. Why didn't she want to accept the ring? Was he so wrong about her? Was she really just as superficial as everyone else and saw in him only his title and not him as a human? He was dejected. He thought he'd found a soul mate in her. He couldn't have been so mistaken. He brooded and brooded, jumped up and paced back and forth. There was only one way to find out.

Mewat

The troops were ready. They gathered on an open terrain outside of Delhi. The moss-green ‚alam' fluttered everywhere. Horses neighed and pranced restlessly on the spot. The war elephants whipped back and forth with their trunks excitedly and could hardly be kept in control by their mahouts. The foot soldiers gathered in small troops with their leaders. Armors and cannons gleamed in the rising sun. Bairam Khan, Pir Mohammed and Jalal watched as a long, orderly procession slowly formed. Jalal would have loved more to swing himself on an elephant. A rider reported that the train was ready to leave. Pir Mohammed rode in front of the troops, stood up in his stirrups and yelled:

"You brave Mughal soldiers! We move to Mewat to finally crush the scattered troops of Hemu and to further secure the empire. We are here to increase our fame and to keep the memory of the Timurids". Cheers resounded from the ranks of the soldiers.

"We have fought many glorious battles. These battles were won by the courage of the soldiers and the valiant leadership of their leaders." More cheers rang out. "Let us now set out in the name of our ruler Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad to achieve another glorious victory. Inshallah!" With a closed fist he thrust his arm up and shouted, "Shahenshah Jalal-ud-din Muhammad zindabad! Shahenshah Jalal-ud-din Muhammad zindabad"!