NOOR

10. IMPRESSIONS

" Jalal " Ruqaiya's sweet voice woke up the sleeping Shehenshah from his slumber. " Its morning. Wake up "

Jalal squirmed in the embrace of his first wife, now almost a month pregnant. He had come late at night the day before, and spent all of his time with her without even freshening up.

" You're pregnant and still awake at this time? Why?" Jalal shot up from his bed, looking around to find that it was just daybreak. " Do you need something? Are you in any discomfort? Should I add more pillows-"

" Jalal, shhh...shh" Ruqaiya shushed her childhood sweetheart, chuckling at his antics. " I just wanted something to eat, and I have already ordered Hoshiyaar to bring me some fruits. However, I am asking you to wake up because you should now go back to your chamber. The new Begum's caravan has arrived"

Jalal whipped his head at Ruqaiya, as he didn't expect Jyoti to be mentioned by her at all.

Even though he loved Ruqaiya, and respected her, he knew what kind of a woman she was. A woman who was sweeter than honey to him, but a deadly viper to everyone else.

She was the woman who had conquered his brain and knew all the mazes going on in his mind. The woman who would stick with him through thick and thin, and even slay everyone, to just become the ONLY one standing beside him. Such was the fierce love that Ruqaiya held for him, and Jalal accepted it wholeheartedly.

Afterall, such should be the attitude of a Queen. And currently, she was on her way to become the Mariam-uz-zamani of the vast Empire, and their child, the first heir of the throne.

However, for such a woman, to not only mention another Begum's name, but even wake Shehenshah up just to inform of his new wife's arrival was nothing more than a shock to Jalal.

" So, Begum Noor has arrived?" Jalal asked once again, as if to check whether he was dreaming it all up or not. As it wouldn't have been the first time.

He had dreamt of holding Jyoti in his embrace and twirl in the midst of meadows filled with lilies and roses, while being in a slumber in his first wife's arms.

He had felt immensely guilty, but such thoughts were better kept a secret. If Ruqaiya ever got any hint of his affection towards the new Begum, Jyoti's life would not only be turned to hell, but could even fall in danger.

" Noor?" Ruqaiya quirked up her eyebrows as she scooted closer to Shehenshah in the big bed laden with silk. " She told me her name is Jyoti. Begum Jyoti isn't it?"

" Shit" Jalal could see the fire rising in Ruqaiya's eyes. " Yes, yes, I meant Jyoti only Ruqaiya"

" Then who's Noor?" Ruqaiya was not a dumb woman with whom such things could be kept in the dark. Especially when it came to Jalal, everything that he loved, was an obstacle to her.

Thus she needed to keep a list of such things with her all the time, so that she could ensure that all those things stayed confined to their lanes and never dared to step into the boundaries that only she could cross with Jalal.

Jalal pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to come up with something that would keep Ruqaiya at bay. He hated how he would need to pacify her possessiveness everytime, but he loved her too. The childhood friend that stuck with him through war and death, the one that never betrayed him.

" Jyoti and Jodha are very similar names aren't they? I kept forgetting her real name so I asked what Jyoti meant and just translated it to Urdu. Afterall, I don't want Begum Jodha to appear in front of me if I called for Begum Noor- it would give me a heart attack" he managed to come up with something while standing up to get dressed.