Married For The Kingdom

The Shehnaaz Haider Ali

"shehzaadi shehnaaz... Badshah-e-aalam wants to see you..." One of her lady-in-waiting came running to her room. Where shehnaaz haider ali sat stoic looking at her reflection in the mirror. She nodded curtly and didn't budged. She stared at herself in the mirror. Her eyes looked hollow, lips parched and face pale. She took a deep breath before picking up her heavy velvet shawl and wrapping it around her head and chest which was already engulfed in her ocean blue anarkali with beautiful diamonds studded on to it. The one which was so precious to her. The one which was gifted to her by her fiance. The one which holds immortal memories of his love. She sighed stepping out the room, while her lady-in-waiting zulekha followed her.

"Assalamualaikum abbu...Kya hua sab khairiyat?" She asked curtly. Her father's heart broke. He never saw his daughter this pale and gloomy. Her eyes would always shine speaking with everyone. For him they would shine with love and for everyone else, they will shine with fire and ferocity.

"Shehzaadi.... I know you're not in right state of mind. Reyhan ke jaanese hume bhi bohout dukh hua hai. Aap kab tak aise udaas rahegi. My heart breaks for my daughter. I am sorry." Her father said walking down his throne to embrace his daughter. Who stayed still in his arms without any movement. She smiled bitterly hearing his sorry.

"Its alright abbu. Your sorry can't bring him back." She said parting away from her father with hollow voice.

"Shehzaadi.... He went away from us forever but he also gifted us Neelgad. Neelgad is almost our territory now. You should be happy. You should celebrate. Your father got what he wanted." His father said with the tint of joy laced his voice.

"Yes you got what you wanted. After killing my fiance. I want to hate you abbu. But I can't. Because I love you more, and I can't help it." She said with pained smile. Haider ali stared at his daughter with pride. She never lets him down. Just like her elder brother. He was proud of all his children.

"I love you more my child. You always make me proud. You remember what reyhan asked you before leaving?" He said making her smile and few tears leak down her eyes.

"You're haider Ali's daughter shehnaaz. That man is no less than a god to me. If ever I can't come back to you alive. Promise me you won't ever mourn over me. You're your father's pride. You have to be happy. Because you smiling makes my god smile. Don't ever feel guilty to move on. You know how much I love you. I love you enough to let you go shehnaaz. All I want is to see you and badshah-e-aalam happy. "

"He worshipped you abbu. You were his god. Those words were more for you than me. He wants to see you happy always. And I want to complete his wish. I will never let you down abbu." She said with determination in her eyes and her father smiled at her proudly.

"Thats the thing of The Shehnaaz Haider Ali. You're my pride shehzaadi. " Her father patted her head slightly making her smile.

"Badshah-e-aalam. The King of Neelgad Sidharth Rajput made a surprise attack to get his father back. Shehzaade Tahir ali breathed his last. He is no more. But shehzaade Shahzain killed the old king and denied to give his body back to Rajputs. He demanded the treaty of Neelgad in return of old kings body." The massenger brought the news shaking off the ground beneath their feet. The elder brother of shehnaaz haider ali was no more. The next king to the mughal sultanate was no more.

Haider ali landed on the royal chair with the thud. He lost his son. Just like he lost reyhan. He lost the most precious warriors of his army and his most loving sons.

"Abbu..." Shehnaaz was quick by his side. She knew this was the time to stay strong. For her father.

"Tahir.... Shehnaaz my son Tahir.... He died..." Haider whispered clutching his chest letting the tears flow down.

"Sambhalo abbu apne aap ko." She whispered rubbing his back.

"Shahzain kaha hai...is he alright." Shehnaaz asked to the massenger. She felt immense proud of her younger brother Shahzain. He was barely 17. He handled everything so nicely, without breaking for once. He was still a small kid. But the smartness he showed in the situation was impeccable.

"He is still there, the king of Neelgad is too raged. He demands to see Badshah-e-aalam." The massenger replied to which she nodded.

"Don't give him his father's dead body. Ask him to come Delhi for the treaty and his father's corpse. No way we are letting him go so easily." Shehnaaz instructed. Though she wasn't the heir to the throne she had every rights to take decision for it.

"Tahir mera beta...." Her father broke down in sobs and few tears leaked her eyes too. She lost her guardian. Her brother who was more of a father to her. But gotta hold on strong. For her father, for her father's empire.

"Abbu..." She sighed not knowing how to console him. Though the mughals were ruling the war doesn't means they didn't faced any troubles. Even their soldier died, Even their women were widowed, even their children became orphan. Even their royal family wasn't dancing in glee. Their situation was as worst as Neelgads if not more.

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"Shahzain... You're a kid. Let go my father's body or else I'll kill you right away." The Rajput king roared. Sidharth lost it when he saw his father lifeless. His life was miserable. He lost his mother now his father. And he isn't even able get his father's dead body. These cunning mughals are still stuck at the treaty.

"I don't care how much of a kid I am. You killed my brother and you deserve this for committing this crime." Shahzain yelled out too. Tahir was a man with golden heart and good virtue. Tahir was not the only one to die. After listening the news of his death his pregnant wife killed herself and the child too by swallowing poison. Haider ali lost his unborn heir too.

"I killed your brother and I will kill you too. Give me my father back." Sidharth said breathing fire.

"I'll if my you sign the treaty and stay there for 2 weeks. This treaty was my brothers last wish. My brother died for this. Do this, I'll give your father back. Oh sorry dead father back." Shahzain smirked. Sidharth felt the Rush of anger through his veins.

"Fine I am ready for the treaty. I'll be in Delhi by this full moon which is after 3 days. I'll sign you my territory and you'll give my father back." Sidharth said calmly. He knew mughals needs to be handled in certain ways. And politics was their way. They didn't even knew the tempest he was planning for their destruction was unimaginable.

"That's like a good king.... See you in Mughal court my brother..." Shahzain said and sidharth smirked getting out the shamiana.