SULTANATE سلطنت

Nawaab نواب

" The northern province is totally under our control and the leaders there are ready for an official collaboration..."

" Hmmm"

" There was some resistance initially but our ambassadors were very convincing about what position they'll hold, once we come into power..."

" Nawab Sahab, Alam Shah has been creating problems with our tenents in the Western territory. Word is that he's going to orchestrate a mutiny against our management and the worker's union is totally under his thumb now"

" Hmmm"

" He's also been spreading rumors about..."

" About?"

" You're not going to like this Nawab Sahab"

" I don't pay you to tell me only the things that I like to hear"

" He's been badmouthing the women of your house"

The loud crash of a vase being thrown at the far end of the room echoed in the Haweli.

" Have Murtuza take care of him. Scare him within an inch of his life but leave him alive just so he knows what it's like to cross us. What it's like to fear Nawab Jahaangir Ali Dehwaar"

" I'll call Murtuza..."

The voice was cut off by a soft giggle and light footsteps accompanied by the distinctive tinkle of a jhaanjar running across the porch and into the lawn.

The entire brood of men sitting in the study looked curiously out the window that overlooked the vast expanse of the Dehwaar Estate. Their faces morphed into that of amusement when they saw a girl not more than twenty summers chasing after a little boy of five.

The man of the house however had an expression not that similar to the others and his face set into a scowl.

" Rahat Bi..." He bellowed out, his eyes still trained on the two figures in the lawn who were now drenched in water.

His anger peaked when he saw how her clothes stuck to her like a second skin and he bellowed even louder and this time she looked up; the fury in his stormy blue eyes scaring her soul.

" Rahat Bi, I want everyone inside. Right now!" He commanded from the window and his eyes were ablaze when she tried protesting to the frail old woman who was frantically doing damage control.

" Now!" His loud voice left no room for argument and Rahat Bi was finally successful in dragging the two resisting figures inside where they were protected from all straying eyes.

Jahaangir took deep breaths to calm down his erratic heart and turned around to his men, who had the decency to look away from the scenario due to the respect they have for their Master. The meeting went on for a few minutes more until he decided that they had had enough for the day and with the agenda for the next day discussed, he finally dismissed them.

The men politely declined Rahat Bi's offer of staying back for dinner citing various reasons, but the unworded and the major one was their boss's angry stance at the moment. They'd rather stay hungry than be subjected to his wrath.

Jahaangir heaved a tired sigh as he rubbed his palms on his face, wishing to wash away the fatigue of this last one month. It has been one catastrophe after another. With their tenents rebelling against them, the worker's union presenting their outrageous demands, the unending cabinet meetings and to top all that, the pest Alam Shah running his mouth like a lecher. The collaboration with the northern leaders was the only silver lining of the dark cloud that is the current political scenario and he was relieved to hear that.