Ek Tha Sultan, Ek Thi Malika👑

24. Burden Lifted

Imagine that it's 2:00 am. You are sitting on the terrace looking at the moon and wondering about all the bad things you had to face today and that too alone. You are on a verge of crying and then suddenly you get this text (written on the photo above) from an unknown number🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺💕💕💕💕💕

'Tumhari himmat kaise hui Sikander hume dhokha dene ki?!' Gulnihal yelled at Sikander who was standing in front of her with a bored expression. The respect which he used to hold for the Ottoman princess was long gone from his features.

Everyone was still busy with the celebration and they were standing in the fountain-garden of the palace. 

'Gulnihal Sultan agar aapko yoon hi bekaar ke sawalon mein wakqt zaya karna hai toh hume jaane dijiye..............hume jashn ka looft uthane dijiye.' he said the latter part while turning around to leave but Gulnihal came in front of him and asked furiously 'Aapko humari baat bekaar ki lagti hai?.............Aap jaante hain aapne Osmani Sultanate ke sabse bde dushman ka saath diya hai!............Agar Mehrimah Sultan ki takat yoon hi bdti rahi toh ek din vo hum par hukumat-'

'-Unki hukumat aapki hukumat se toh behtar hi hogi Shehzadi!!!!' Sikander's furious voice interrupts her and she looks at him with surprise.

'Aapko kya lga hume pata nahi chalega ki kaise aap Aaka ke khandaan ko hatakar Shehzade Orhan ko takht par baithane ki taiyaariyan kar rahi hai?...............Kaise aap Valide Sultan banne ke khwab saja rahi hain?!' Sikander asked her furiously and she was taken aback by the information he had and his tone.

Though Sikander was angry but the variety of expressions Gulniahl was giving were making him want to laugh.

'Ek baat yaad rakhiyega Shehzadi....' Sikander began in a threatening tone. '......agar aapko lgta hai ki aap humare Sultan, humari Valide Sultan, Haseki Sultan yaan Aaka ke khandaan mein se kissi ko bhi takleef pohoncha skti hain toh aapko galat lgta hai.'

'Kyuki Aaka aur unke khandaan ke aage unke wafadaar gulamon ki ek fauj khadi hai jissmein sabse aage aapko hum nahi milleinge....' Gulnihal stared at him with confusion but her confusion was soon replaced by a grave look as Sikander spoke.

'Uss fauj mein sabse aage aapko aapke shauhar Vazir-E-Azam Ibrahim Pasha milleinge!!!' Sikander told her the reality which was actually true.

'Issi liye aapko ek mashwarah dete hain
.............apna dhyaan yahab vahan lgane se accha Shehzade Orhan mein lgayiye.......taaki wakqt aane par jab Shehzade Mustafa apne Baba ka takht sambhalein toh Shehzade Orhan bhi apne Baba ka ohda sambhal payein!!!!' with that Sikander started walking away.

'Mehrimah ne aapko poore divan mein zaleel kiya tha......' Gulnihal's voice stopped him and he turned. '..........tab bhi aapne hume chodkar unka saath diya?......Kyu?' she asked him.

Sikander just smirked at her and before he could speak, a commanding and elegant voice said from behind him 'Sikander Pasha aapke wafadaar banne kab jo vo aapko dhokha deinge?'

They both looked at the source and saw Mehrimah slowly walking towards them. Gulnihal watched in shock as Sikander kneeled in front of her and greeted her 'Sultana!' as if she was the most powerful one after Sultan himself.

Mehrimah gestured him to stand up and then looked at Gulnihal with anger. 'Sudhar jayiye Gulnihal Abla...........varna mushkil mein pdh jayeingi kissi din!'

'Muskhil mein toh aap pdheingi Mehrimah jab hum Sultan ko ye batayeinge ki aap unki Sultanate mein unki barabari karna chahti hain.' Gulnihal told her with a sudden uplift of confidence.

'Zaroor bataiyega aur fir hum dekheinge ki kaise aapke bhai aapki baat nazarandaz kar deinge.' Mehrimah mocked her with a smirk.

Her expressions then became serious and she said 'Murad aapki tarah nahi hain Abla jo apno ko apna dushman smjh batheinge.................unhe toh fakr hoga apni begum par.'