The Fallen Widow

Race for Jahanpur- Part III

The morning bled into the afternoon and the old grandfather clock struck one, piercing Shahgul's heart at Bagham Haveli. Something was wrong. They were supposed to arrive at 10 o'clock. Sweat ran down her spine as she paced the courtyard wearing her heels thin.
In the lounge, Fiza and Malaikah adjusted Shah Nawaz's groom sharvani ensuring he as dressed well.
"Ammi-he keeps unfastening the buttons." Malikah buttoned him swallowing his neck.
"You're strangling me." He unclipped the button under his chin. Fiza held a square shaped boxed that contained his silver watch which completed his outfit.
"This is a circus! They're not coming!" The collar scratched his chin, Shah Nawaz complained.
Uzayr stood in the courtyard glaring at the scrawny maulvi who prepped to marry the couple in secret.
"Allah hoo! Allah hoo!" The old man shivered repeating God's name to save him from Uzayr's beady eye and the barrel of his gun.
The haveli was buzzing with worry and excitement waiting for the convoy from Kharagpur.
"They should be here. I said ten o'clock!" Shahgul looked at her watch.
"Calm down, Choudharani ji." Wajahat extended his hand in front of her. Shahgul pushed his hand away and made her way into the lounge her heels clicking with the long scarf running behind her. Wajahat Ali sighed.

Three and a half hours later than planned, a white SUV drove into Bagham haveli. Uzar took his foot off the kat and straightened his spine like a soldier releasing the safety releasing clip and his index finger on the trigger. He didn't trust the enemy. The maulvi shuffled back on the kat and his tempo increased uttering God's name at bullet speed.
From the lounge, Wajahat Ali took out his rile and stood beside Shahgul with Shah Nawaz entering the courtyard with Malaikah and Fiza by his side. Both women dressed in colourful dresses and dripping with gold, their smiles wide ready for a shotgun wedding.
Shagul's hand shivered with fear running through her spine. This was it. She was close. When the car door opened, Malaikah's smile melted with terror. She looked at Shah Nawaz.

A black shoe stepped into the courtyard with two guards jumping out of the car. Shahgul's heart fell to her feet when she spotted Muzaamil's tasbeeh and his tall white turban. Shagul grabbed Wajahat's hand and squeezed it tight and quickly released his hand. She turned but she couldn't walk away. He pulled her back and stepped in front of her protecting her with his rifle. Shah Nawaz unfastened his sharvani revealing his bare chest. He took out his pistol from his belt preparing to fire.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Muzaamil sniggered waving his tasbeeh beads glaring at Shah Nawaz in his glimmering sharvani.
"A wedding party and your dear uncle wasn't invited." he slow clapped.
Their plan was foiled. Shahgul kept her head straight and shoulders square. With support from the driver, Reshma stepped out of the SUV and reached for the Zimmer frame. Emaan revealed the truth to her grandmother unable to hide the secret. Yasmin was beaten and ousted of the haveli by a seething Muzamil.
"How dare you make my innocent granddaughter lie? How dare you?" Reshma waved her fist whilst holding onto the Zimmer frame. Her face solid like thunder.

"Where is Emaan?" Shahgul cleared her throat and stepped forward.
"Don't you dare say her name!" Muzamil pointed with his index finger.
"You have promised her to me-" Shahgul neared Muzamil, but Wajahat stood beside her like a pillar.
"After your son is crowned." Said Reshma.
"Never!" Muzamil argued standing face to face with red faced Shah Nawaz. Taking a deep breath, Shah Nawaz ran his hand over his beard shivering with anger. Muzaamil sniggered in his face.
"I would rather give my daughter to daku (thief) than you! You hear me! Whether you are crowned or not, you will never have my granddaughter."
Shah Nawaz's nostrils flared with anger.
"I heard it on good authority that your nephew, Jahanzaib will be leader of Jahanpur."
Shah Nawaz cocked his gun to the maulvi's terror. The maulvi stood up and stepped back fearing a gun battle would commence.
"I may give my granddaughter to him. A true leader!" Muzamil scratched his beard waiting for Shah Nawaz's explosive reaction.
"Give her to whom you want." Shah Nawaz clenched his left hand into a fist. "She has no benefit to me now!" He grit his teeth.
Muzamil cackled with laughter.
"When I am crowned, which I will be tomorrow, prepare for a shower of bullets. I only did this for my mother, now, it's my way." Leaning in to his uncle, he shoved the barrel into his chest. Shah Nawaz unfastened his buttons ready to leave. Shahgul held him back.
"It's over ammi!" He pulled away. "You had your chance. Now, I will do it my way!"
"You don't scare me, nephew!" Muzamil leaned into him, their forehead inches away.
On the other side of the courtyard, Shahgul tried to explain to Reshma, but the old woman wasn't having any of it.
"Reshma- this is a misunderstanding. Just bring Emaan here."