Under the same roof

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Amer:

The marriage preparation was going in full swing. It was a mixture of happiness and sadness but the sadness was weighing more , so much that one could feel the tension in the air.

Champavati, Jodha's mother ,wondered about how her daughter would be treated ? She went to to meet Shaguni Bai.

"Shaguni , your prophecy has come true. Jodha will be married to Jalal by this time tomorrow. I can't help but wonder how she would be treated there. Can you tell me what's in store for her?"

Shaguni laughed, " Don't worry, they may not like each other now but in the coming future, they will be inseparable. Even though the marriage may have been due to political reasons but it will be written in the history that Jodha was the love of his life."

Jodha's Room:

It had been a tiring day. Tomorrow she would get married to Jalal, she would go away from her home from her family to a place where she never wanted to even go or belong to "The Mughal Royalty".

The scene of meeting Jalal last week replayed in her mind , she couldn't deny that he had an aura .

She saw the painting she had drawn the previous week when Jalal held her and saved her from danger. She felt her heart rapidly beating replaying that scene. No , she would never like Jalal , never.

Next morning, Marriage:

The customary was done, the knot was tied and the pandit was reciting hymns.

Jodha looked ethereal and regal . Red color really does look good on her ,thought Jalal.

Sharifuddin on the other hand was wondering that why Jodha was getting married to Jalal and not him. She was his and he would make sure she was his only.

Jalal saw Sharifuddin's face, Jodha was not safe alone, he made a mental reminder to make sure that her security was high today.

The pandit asked Jodha to keep her hand on Jalal and put something into the fire.
Jalal put his hand forward and looked at Jodha.

He smirked looking at her hesitant face. He saw his mother-in-law push Jodha hand forward and place it on Jalal hand.

Jalal kept his other hand on Jodha's hand and recited the vows.

Jodha was glaring at Jalal, Jalal smiled at her , he had won this round.

It was time for bidayi, Jodha was crying, she didn't want to leave her family and her home.
Jalal was amazed looking at Jodha cry, fierce as she was , she must love her family a lot to cry this much. He looked away when he saw her cry but he didn't know why?.. he had seen many women cry in front of him but Jodha crying hit different, he felt hurt and he didn't know why?

That night in Jalal's tent,

He told Maham to bring Jodha to him, and inform her that she would sing in front of all his ministers.

It was time for showdown now. He want to make her feel humiliated and beg him.

But 10 minutes had passed and Maham didn't return.

Where was Maham he thought, what was taking so long.

Then he saw Maham,
"Shenshah, Jodha begum has denied your order. She's not coming."

Jalal was seething, he smirked if this was how she wanted to play he also would play the same way.

Jodha's tent:

What was wrong with Jalal? To call her and make her sing in front of so many ministers, did he lose his mind?

Jodha heard footsteps approaching, she immediately took her dagger and landed it on the neck of her culprit.

It was none other than Jalal. His hand was around the blade and was soaked with blood.
She withdrew the sword, and said,
"Oh it's you, I thought it was some one else."

Jalal smiled and said inching closer to her face,
"You don't need to keep this dagger, I will save you from anyone who tries to harm you but no one will save you from me."

Yes she was right she thought, that Jalal has finally lost his mind.
"If this is about you telling me to come and sing , I won't do that in front of so many people ."
"But when you were giving your marriage oath , you told you will accept all my demands and perform them" Jalal countered.
"Yea, but even you told that you will protect my pride at all cost. Making me sing in from of so many ministers, how are you maintaining your oath?" Jodha asked
Jalal laughed , " You won this round but it's not over. And by the way I will sleep here but not beside you. Don't worry, I will sleep on the diwan and you sleep on the bed ."
Jodha looked at him and asked "Why are you sleeping here?"
" I may not like you that much but you are my begum and this marriage is something that many people are against. To protect you I will sleep here."
Jodha had to agree with him . Jalal was right.

Jodha got up and went towards her bed and Jalal bent down to put soil on his wound.
"Your hand" Jodha asked.
Jalal was lost, " I am sorry, what?"
"Give me your hand, let me put some medicine on your wound." Jodha took his hand to apply the medicine.
"And yea don't think I like you or anything, if anyone else got hurt I would have done the same."
Jalal laughed, " Oh really, for a moment I thought you liked me."
Jodha glared at him, Jalal didn't know why but he felt a strange sense of happiness.
"It's done." Jodha said smiling at him , and went towards her bed.
"You need to smile more Jodha begum, I doubt you can once you reach Agra, but you look good when you smile. Good night Jodha begum."
Jodha was stunned and bent her head in a pranam and went to sleep.
The wind blew and long before they both knew , Jalal and Jodha were sleeping .

Hope you guys enjoyed it. I haven't been updating since the past 1 month cause of my exams .. I will surely try to update the other chapters soon.

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