chapter 6: IT STARTS AGAIN

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Every wives of the emperor and bakshi bano were gathered in the garden of harem as a meeting was arranged by the empress..... It was just a routine where everyone speaks of what they need.....

Everyone gathered but no signs of mallika-e-hind..... That's when harkha begum followed by maham anga came forward, " I don't think ruqaiya begum will come.... Let's start the meeting"
She sits on the centre seat..... Everybody murmurs among themselves.....salima begum was just watching what alll is happening.....
One says, " How can that happen, harkha begum.... Without our mallika how can we start "
Likewise many asked questions.....
Harkha eyed maham to which she came forward, " Be quiet everyone.... Whom do you think you are raising your voice against..... Don't u know how much power harkha begum hold in both the emperor's heart and the palace? "
There was pin drop silence from the crowd....
She continues, " U all forgot.... She is mariyam uz zamani(u all know it from my previous book)...... She is going to give the emperor a heir.... Who will rule the hind...! "
Everyone talks among themselves..... And finally agree.... Everybody is seated and the meeting starts.....

Shaista, a begum comes forward, " Marium uz zamani, I had a beautiful dupatta gifted by the emperor.... But this fatma(another begum) is claiming that to be hers.... I want u to get me back my dupatta begum sahiba "
Salima looked at harkha thinking what will she do about it.....
Harkha and maham laughed at it.... Everyone stared at them weirdly....
Harkha starts, " No wonder why in all these years none of u would get the strings of emperor in your hands..... "
Shaista replies, " What? "
She says, " Why u want that dupatta.... Just because shehensha gifted u that"
Fatma interrupts, " No begum sahiba.... That's mine and it was given to me by the emperor "
And they were arguing with each other.
Harkha says, " Just stop.... ( again all become silent) how can I believe u two.... Shehensha does not even look at u guys..... How can I believe that he gave one of u a gift! "
The begums were hurt....
Fatma says, " Begum sahiba.... He is our husband too..... He did gift that to me really.... U have to believe it"
Harkha laughingly says, " Then y u were not able to conceive a child for him... If he liked you that much fatma! "
The begums really became angrier and talked among themselves..... But not able to speak a word against her..... As she has the highest power among the people present there.... Maham too tried to imply that instead of getting their support.... She is getting the hatred... And harkha without listening kept on abusing the begums verbally.....
Salima begum says, " Harkha begum, you are not speaking right.... Watch your words..... That you are hurting their sentiment.

Harkha gone above the boundaries saying, " Look who is talking.... Bairam khan's widow.... Who kept eyes on shehensha even when married to her first husband....! And u poisoned ur husband so u could marry the emperor right? "
Salima and others were shocked.

That's when a familiar voice was heard, " Yeh kya tamasha ho raha hai yahan? "
Everyone were happy just to see her there..... She walked to the centre like a lioness with her maids in the side.... Every begum on her way bowed their heads and stood up from their place as the always loved and respected her... ...

She starts, " What were you saying harkha begum? "
Harkha stumbles and looks down....
Ruqaiya asks, " Maham anga aap to wazir-e-alia hai..... I thought u know how things would go.... But u too supporting her? "
Maham just looked down.....
She asks, " What has happened here..... Someone tell me! "
Fatma replied, " Begum sahiba, as u came late harkha begum started the meeting..... When the proceedings were going on she made fun of us and salima begum" Like that she narrated the entire incident......
Salima begum's eyes became wet and she ran away from there..... Ruqaiya tried to stop her but in vain....
Ruqaiya's eyes were red with anger.....
She says, " Who do you think you are harkha begum, can u tell me? "
Harkha replies, " I am mallika-e-alia..... Head of harem..... And also mariyam-uz-zamani, the mother of the future emperor "she said with head rised...
She replies, " No.... U r telling it wrong.... You are just a caretaker of harem.... And the head is padshahi begum not you! "
Harkha is shocked and looks at maham and she nods in response......
Harkha says, " You are trying to defame me in front of others, right? "
She replies, " I did not intend.... But whatever u did..... I am sure u r defamed.... How dare u harkha begum to make fun of the begums and their sentiments ? "
Harkha in high voice says, " U r talking too much! "
Ruqaiya replies in her wild voice, " Awaaz neeche! Yaad rakhna aapke saamne mallika-e-hind kade hain..... Varna aapko iske liye saza milega"
Maham says, " Ruqaiya begum u r crossing ur limits! "
Ruqaiya shows her palm to her face....
" Nobody interrupts an empress when she is talking "
Both gulp in fear to her fierce side...
Ruqaiya moves to the centre and starts, " To all the wives of the emperor! I always wanted the harem to be quiet without any chaos as this would not become a source of tension for the king and a weapon for the enemy..... I still want it to be that way....... The emperor loves u all equally don't fight among yourselves for that..."
She turns towards harkha, " Harkha begum.... Being a wife of the emperor, the top most rule is to give respect to your co wives.... U have no right to put your imagination on salima begum's story....i will not tolerate it the next time....As far as motherhood is concerned, it is given to those chose by my god..... It has nothing to do with the love of the king.... U better understand!!"

She says, " Maafi maang lijiye... Otherwise u would face the consequences "
She sits in the central throne... .
Harkha begum says,"no i will not ask sorry to anyone...but ruqaiya for this mistake of insulting me infront of everyone u will face the consequences......" she stormed away from the place followed my maham anga.....ruqaiya looks on......

*in ruqaiya's chamber*

She cries running inside and sits in the bed.....maham runs to her,"what have u done and come harkha begum.....instead of supporting them and turning the begums against ruqaiya u are against them.....were you in your senses?"

Harkha replies,"are you not in ur senses maham?'

Maham is shocked,"what did u say?"

She replies,"i am a rajput....i don't want these begums support.....they are beacause of ruqaiya...if i have destroyed her....then these people will too obey me...can't u see what i was trying to do?"

Maham raised her eyebrows and thought to herself,'coming  to the tracks mariam-uz-zamani!now both our goals is to eradicate ruqaiya...and then everything will fall in its place'

Harkha says,"maham...are u listening?"

Maham comes out of her imagination,"yes yes...begum harkha....i very well understand.....so what's in your mind?"

She stands and laughs at her,"ofcourse.....what do you think will shehensha do if i fell ill?and the midwife tells him that i might have a miscarriage?"

Maham shocked says,"begum sahiba....that's  very important for ur future.....u can't lose ur baby"

Harkha replies,"no no....it's not for real....by telling him thee lies we ll stage an act in front of him.....so that he ll be with me in his leisure time.....and his focus is diverted from ruqaiya  and when she is all alone.....we shall do anything to her!"

Maham's eyes got bigger and on realisation they both laugh at their evil plans....








So how is the story going forward do you all like it? If u like the chapter plz do like it and tell ur reviews in the comments section as they are valuable to me......
What do you think will these ladies do to the queen of hearts? Do tell me that too

Until then,
Always❤

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