NOOR

1. DISGUISE

" Shehensha, you shouldn't have left the soldiers " Adgah Saheb was melting under the sun. And he could only imagine what his Shahenshah was feeling wearing all the expensive silk out in the city.

" I just wanted a stroll Adgah Saheb..." Shahenshah was adamant. He started taking off the extra layers of expensive silks, and quickly bought a loose shawl to wrap around in order to fight the loo. " You should go with the soldiers and Maan Singh. It would be disrespectful if both of us are absent"

" And leave you alone here?"

" Adgah Saheb... I am Emperor Jalaluddin Mohammad. I can protect myself" The Shahenshah beckoned him to leave, and Adgah Saheb did so reluctantly, although both knew a second more would have proved to be fatal for the latter.

As soon as he went out of sight, Shahenshah started roaming around freely, watching children play, women and men working, the old people gossiping. It was a lively Kingdom, going by the name of Mahanagar.

It had been just two months since he had visited a Hindu Kingdom, may it be for war or alliance. He was hoping for a war this time, but instead he got invited over by the Raja of the Kingdom for an alliance.

The ministers of Shahenshah's court had laughed about the small Kingdom's quick conclusion to an alliance, but seeing how happy its citizens were, the Shehensha was relieved that he did not wage a war on such a land.

" I don't want another marriage " the 25 year old Shahenshah already had lot of focus on, and marrying the Rajput princess of Jodhpur had been a trip for him. First the war, then the alliance, everything about his last marriage gave him a migraine. He knew, he had done great injustice to his begum Jodha, but her unyeilding nature made him irked towards her even more.

And he didn't want another marriage like that.

" THAT WHORE NEEDS TO STAY AT HER PLACE "

The Shahenshah's stroll was quickly interrupted by a horde of people surrounding a table, where a gambling match was taking place. His interest piqued up, as he swerved through the crowd to claim the closest position to the argument. He thought it would be between two men, seeing how burly of a man was shouting curses, but instead he found two women standing against the man who was a foot taller than both of them.

" This is wrong " The Shahenshah took a step towards the center to help the fight dissipate, but instead saw the girl clad in a heavy dress push the other girl behind her, and step upto the man.

" No one calls a woman by such names in this Kingdom "

The command in her voice was similar. The Shehensha sighed, he realised that the girl had to be the one he was supposed to form an alliance with. The Princess of Mahanagar.

" Its not my fault that her drunkard husband gambled her and her son away and then went on to kill himself! If you cannot face the consequences, then don't play!" The man shrieked, as half of the crowd agreed with him.

" It was not her or her son who played. And you are not allowed to gamble in this Kingdom anyways, so you are either way guilty of a list of crimes" the woman spoke. " but I will look over it"

" What!?" The whole crowd gasped, even the Shahenshah.

" What do you mean?" the man raised his eyebrow, his mouth contorted at the confusion.

" I will play against you, for everything that her husband has lost. I will play one game. If I win, she wins back everything her husband has lost to you. If you win, you get 4 gold coins"

" Gold coins!" The group gasped again, anticipation making their hairs stand up.

" Are you sure young lady?" The man smiled, and took his seat on one side of the table. He gestured the woman to take the opposite seat and laid down the cards.