The Mughal Emperor Jalal has only ever known death, betrayal and hate. He is heartless and cruel beyond measure and nothing dares touch him for he is the Devil with the face of an Angel.
Until he sees HER.
His Golden-eyed Angel- His saviour, who s...
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After that horrific night, Jalal-ud-din did not return to her chambers again. Jodha was unsure whether to feel relieved about his absence or anxious about his possible return.
However, Jalal-ud-din hadn't magically vanished from her life after that night (Gods, if only). Unfortunately, she still caught glimpses of him here and there, mostly coming in and out of his Palace, which happened to be right opposite hers.
Sometimes, while roaming around in Angoori Bagh, she would see him engrossed in conversation with one of his "begums" or discussing matters with his trusted Maham Anga or Ruqaiya Begum.
On occasion, she would even notice him looking in her direction, although she was certain he wasn't actually looking at her but rather at something behind her. Nevertheless, Jodha would react by leaving, unwilling to allow his gaze to even graze her presence.
She was subtle enough in her evasion that the people in the Harem didn't notice, but she knew he did, given the irritating smirk that crossed his face whenever he succeeded in making her depart simply by being there. (The last time she had been forced into his presence was when Maan Singh had been dragged out of the Harem for the crime of entering it and although everything had turned out well in the end she couldn't help but wince- being in that Jallad's company was an unbearable punishment in itself.)
It wasn't her fault that he was impossible to be around. His presence felt stifling, his dark eyes cold, and even his scent lingering in places around the harem made Jodha twitchy, reminding her of that night and how easily Jalal-ud-din had hurt her. How effortlessly his power, of which he had barely scratched the surface, had subdued her own powers. How easily he had cornered her against the wall, and how easily he could have done so much worse. Much worse.
Jodha shuddered, passing it off as a reaction to the cold, and looked around the Angoori Bagh where Rajah was dozing lightly. She felt as safe as she could with the thousand eyes of the Harem on her. Speaking of the Harem- which she often referred to as the Viper's pit- Jodha had quickly learned many things during her first week there.
The women in the Harem thrived on gossip and whispered criticism. Their hobbies included stealing from one another and spreading lies. The most dreary part was their monotonous daily routine: waiting for the Shahenshah, playing games, more waiting for the Shahenshah, and engaging in petty fights while still waiting for the Shahenshah.
Jodha wished she could erase the memories of witnessing so much longing and sexual frustration directed at a man she despised. It didn't make sense to her how these women could desire someone like Jalal-ud-din. Sure, he may have been pleasant to look at and a skilled soldier, but he was heartless, cold, and ruthless. She dreaded to think how those violent tendencies translated to the bedroom.
Just then, someone clicked their fingers in front of her face, and Jodha snapped back to the present. It was Ruksaar Begum, one of the few tolerable women in the Harem, although she too had fallen for Jalal-ud-din's charm- Ruksaar was utterly enthralled by him, constantly trying to change Jodha's "uneducated" opinion by sharing random facts about the Shahenshah, which only left Jodha more unimpressed than before.
