Mumtaz Mahal

Chapter 5 - The Cruel Prince

Chapter 5: The Cruel Prince

Three months had passed since the said engagement. Both of them did not have another chance to see each other. The lady was busy with her studies while the prince is busy on his training.

It would only count a couple days before the Prince will turn fifteen and after two months of being fifteen, the Prince will be sent to the border to defend the land, or to expand it for the better.

Tired and sweaty as the Prince sat on the ground. The sun is about to set now, a signal that he's done with his daily training.

"Abdul, does lady Arjumand came to visit the palace?" the Prince asks.

"My lord, even her shadow did not show up. I think she's very busy with her study."

The Prince nodded and decided to go to his chamber and have some bath. He's stinky and his skin feels so sticky, a warm bath should be needed.

The day of prince Khurram had come and a feast was held on the palace. Nobles, wealthy merchants and some royal people were invited to the palace –most especially, Arjumand Banu Begum.

With her, all gold colored dress, the lady Arjumand drew much attention but no one dared to be near to her and have a pretty time because of the presence of Khurram. Their engagement was announced during the feast which added to the celebration.

"Arjumand, have you gone crazy? You're really marrying him?" Nurjana, a close friend Arjumand.

The lady did not answer and just silently eating the food that was being served. The Prince was away; talking to some of his bothers happily so the lady went out to the palace and went to the garden.

She smiles bitterly as she watched the inky sky. There were plenty of stars and the moon was so bright.

"Is your mind already fixed? You're really marrying that cruel prince?"

Arjumand immediately faced the person who just spoke. It was Maham, her only trusted male friend. She smiled at him and gently nodded her head.

"Maham, what brings you here?"

"I want to see you before I leave," Maham replied.

"Leave? Where are you going?"

"I will join the travel of my father to Mallaca. We have a trade to do."

The lady nodded curtly.

"I've heard that the Mallaca is a huge market, what you would like as a present?" Maham asks her. Tilting his head as he watched the lady who's now thinking for a possible present that she would love Maham bring for her.

"Hmm...Just come home safely, Maham. I would settle with that," the lady said which made Maham smile.

"You're really sweet, my Lady," Maham said.

The both spent their time at the garden talking about some nonsense things that they had done during their childhood. They both laugh at the memories they shared without knowing the presence of Prince Khurram who was silently watching them.

Expressions left his face but his heart is burning out.

"My Lord, I was told that you were looking for me," Abdul says politely as he reaches his master.

"Look Abdul, was it appropriate for a promised lady to have an intimate talked with another male?" the Price asks.

His voice was not gentle and his servant could already sense that anytime now, the Prince would be fuming mad because of the sight that he had witnessed.

"My Lord, I think that was a close friend of Lady Arjumand. I don't think that it is intimate, the man has two meters away from the lady-"

"Arjumand is happy with him. She's laughing to every word that her companion had said," the Prince said, gazing the two. He gritted his teeth and clenches his jaw.

"My Lord, what is wrong for being happy? Lady Arjumand laughs because she is happy, I do not see anything wrong with it-"

"Abdul, she's happy with someone else and that is wrong. Arjumand is mine, all of her is mine, including her smile," he said facing his servant.

Anger is on his eyes now. The want to kill is very vivid. The eyes of the little prince are now craving to see blood.

"I want you to search everything about that guy and find me a man to kill that bastard."

"My Lord?"

"I hate repeating myself, Abdul. Do as what I've told you. You are no deaf," the Prince said before leaving his servant.

The night ended with the Prince not being in the mood.

Another couple of days had passed and he wasn't able to talk with the Lady; because if the lady isn't busy on her study, most of her time would be spent on praying.

Abdul went to the prince's chamber together with a couple of men who searched the data about the man that was talking Arjumand couple of days ago, Maham.

The men informed the Prince that the guy was named Maham, a male servant friend of the lady and he was the only male friend closest to Arjumand. They grew together and the guy is currently serving the lady. The Prince was also informed that Maham had fancy the lady yet did not dare to vocalize it, and so the lady Arjumand is very fond of Maham. It was also been told that one day when the lady was suffering from fever, it was Maham she who wished to see.

All the information that the Prince had heard did not please him, even a single. It even pisses him more. He assumed that Maham has a part in Arjumand's heart, and so in her life.

"I want him dead," the Prince said, without even thinking.

He just wants the guy dead. Anger is slowly dripping into his veins and pushes him to have a desire of killing someone. He wants Maham out of Arjumand's life.

"Everyone leaves except for Abdul!" he growled.

His servants' foot had glued to the floor and did not move. They even stared the Prince as if looking for an answer, like asking him if he really wanted them out.

"Out, now!"

When everyone was out, the Prince ordered Abdul to find a man to kill Maham. He wants the killing to be done well, without a trace that he was the one who orders the killing so he also tells his servant that when the man succeeds on killing Maham, Abdul will kill the man himself to keep the incident a secret.

"Prince, are you going to...kill me after?" Abdul asks. Feeling afraid that the Prince might kill him after he kills the man that would kill Maham to keep it all a secret.

"Dare to speak and all your family will die without a trace."

Nervously, Abdul nodded.

To be continued...

Again, this story may be based on the true to life love story of emperor shah Jahan but most of the parts of this story is purely fictional.

Thanks...