Princess of the dawn

Chapter 50

Azad Khan's eyes suddenly widened in horror! "Jahanpanah!" he yelled and pushed him aside with all his might. Not a second to early! Both landed on the floor! A draft, a thud, red dust swirled up and covered everything in a fine mist. Where Jalal had just stood now was the stone that the workers had fastened when Jalal arrived! Everyone stood paralyzed. The silence was palpable. As if on cue, the workers began to scream in excitement at the same time. They pointed to the winch. Several of the ropes were ripped. The ends dangled loosely in the air. Jalal got up and dusted his clothes.

"Ya Allah! Azad Khan! You saved our live! Shukriaa!" He patted the overseer on the shoulder in appreciation after he had overcome the initial shock.

"Jahanpanah! You live! Thank Allah!" stammered Azad Khan. "Forgive me for push you down!"

"Calm down! You saved us! Thank God!"

"How did that happen?" Azad Khan yelled to the workers. „Didn't you check the ropes? How many times have I told you to check the ropes before every stone! His Majesty could have been slain. Or one of you!"

"Huzoor, we checked everything as you told us!"

"Then why did the ropes ripped?"

"We don't know huzoor!"

"You incompetent sons of a mangy bi**h! I will have you flogged!" Azad Khan cursed. „Nothing like this has ever happened on one of my construction sites! You shame me!"

Meanwhile, Jalal had climbed the scaffolding with Sharif ud-Din and was inspecting the ropes.

"Sharif, look at this! The ropes didn't just rip! They were broached!"

"What do you say?" asked Sharif, startled.

"Look, if it were torn it would be frayed and unraveled. The fibers were broached with a sharp knife! Some have a sharp cut. It should tear! Surely it was hardly noticeable during the check. But it was enough that the ropes were torn by the weight of the stone. "

Sharif looked at him in shock!
"You mean the rope was broached on purpose? But, that means ..."

"I think someone was after my life!" Jalal's expression was emotionless. Outwardly calm, no one noticed the turmoil inside. Only his clenched fist testified to his tension and painstakingly suppressed anger.

"Did you notice someone tampering with the rope?" Jalal asked the workers.

They looked at each other fearfully. One stepped forward with lowered eyes.

"Huzoor, just before you came, a Rajput was here. He was hanging around the construction site and looking around everywhere! It seemed that he was interested in the winch here. He didn't prevent anyone from working, so we didn't pay any attention to him and did our work. When he saw you coming, he ran away!"

"A Rajput?

"Ji huzoor! A young one! Pretty big and strong!"

The other workers nodded in confirmation.

"Maan Singh!" said Jalal toneless.

"Sharif, Adham!" he yelled. „Get me Maan Singh and Bhagwant Das! Immediately!"

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Jodha stood in the garden and looked out over the river. She thought about the missing dagger. Who could have taken it and why? No matter how many times she thought about it, it didn't make any sense. Probably a servant had actually seized the opportunity and stole the valuable item. But why nothing of her jewelry? She sighed deeply. Again she thought of the night in the garden, Jalal's kiss on her hand, the tingling in her stomach she had felt. She blushed and smiled at the thoughts.