The Fallen Widow

Chapter 5; Secret Mission

The sleeping giant had awoken hearing the news that Meh'r-Bano could be in the city of Khari. It was Shah Nawaz's mission to find Meh'r-Bano and bring her back no matter how long it took. Shah Nawaz had alerted twenty of his trusted guards to travel with him to the city of Khari. Why? He kept that information classified. Dressed in a grey Salwar Kameez and a white shawl, Shah Nawaz made his way downstairs where his guards waited for him in his bettak. However, his plan would soon be thwarted when Shahgul came rushing into his haveli her eyebrows furrowed with panic and fear.

"He's sold her! He's sold her!" Shahgul gasped  racing into the haveli holding up her skirt. On hearing her panicked voice, Wajahat Ali emerged from bettak and followed her panicked voice.
Shah Nawaz was indifferent seeing his mum's panicked state. Like a soldier he prepared for his own mission.
"Where you are you going? You need to find her and bring her back here?" Shahgul pressed Shah Nawaz with her hand on his arm.
"Who are you talking about?"
"Choudhary Muzammil's granddaughter- Emaan. Her grandfather sold her to Tabliqis. They lied they would take her to umrah and she believed! You must go after them! You must bring her back!" She shook his arm with urgency.
Shah Nawaz had washed his hands from Muzammil - they were his enemy and he had nothing to do with their village of Kharagpur.
"Puthar- you must go- go find her and bring her back." Shahgul voice was deep and intense as she pleaded. Jahanzaib emerged standing behind Wajahat Ali in the corridor on hearing the raised voice. The mother was begging her son, however he didn't dare look at her. What was going on? His attitude cold and indifferent.
"What he does with his granddaughter has nothing to do with us! He can sell her, kill her! It's his blood!" Shah Nawaz took out his handgun and loaded the cylinder with bullets and clicked it back.
"Puthar, they are from us! They are our clan! You must save her! Where are you going?" She stood in his way.
"Why would he sell his granddaughter?" Jahanzaib stepped forward and asked with concern. Who were these people? Shahgul looked at him, there was no time to explain. Jamila called her in a panic and cried out that Muzammil did a deal, he needed money and they wanted a pure woman for marriage. He lied to Emaan that the group believing would take her on a holy trip.

"Two hours have passed. I don't know where they have taken her. Where had they gone?" She needed Emaan, Emaan would be her daughter in law.

"You need to find her, Shah Nawaz! It's your responsibility!" Shah Gul was distraught, holding onto her son not letting him leave until he agreed.
"Kharagpur will forever remain my enemy. An enemy's daughter is no responsibility of mine." With that Shah Nawaz made his way into the bettak and commanded his uniformed and armed guards they would travel with him to the city of Khari. When they reached the city, he would then announce their mission. They marched to the SUV's and climbed in the pick up truck carrying rifles. He'd prepared his army for the invasion of Khari until he found Meh'r-Bano, however no one knew about his secret mission.
"Do it for your mother!" Shahgul pleaded chasing her son. "I order you to go and find her and save her. Muzammil must have found out about-" She paused. She couldn't tell Shah Nawaz she was secretly meeting Jamila and planning Emaan's marriage to Shah Nawaz. Muzammil must have heard about it and hence quickly got rid of his granddaughter.
Wajahat Ali was in a quandary, his mission was always with the king of Jahanpur-however, Shah Gul's countenance etched with worry, without jewellery or kohl,  she'd run from her room the moment she heard the news- weighted his feet.
"I think we should do something-" Jahanzaib spoke up troubled with the news of a woman being sold. "Who knows what else could happen to her?"
Shah Nawaz glared at Jahanzaib. "Who asked you? We haven't heard a squeak from you recently and suddenly you're worried about Muzammil's granddaughter. What's it got to do with you?"
Shahgul intervened between the pair. There was no time to waste.
"My son, listen-" She pressed her hands on his chest forcing him to look at her in the eyes. "Do this for your mother. Please save her."
Shah Nawaz glared at Jahanzaib staring over his mother's head.