Princess of the dawn

Chapter 75

Hidden in the dark

"Atgah Khan! Are there any clues to the identity of the assassin?" Abdul asked.

"Not a single one! It seems as if nothing ever happened. No rumours, no dialogue ... Not a single word in the bazaars. Everything seems to have been carefully planned in secret!" Atgah Khan paced upset back and forth. Concern for the emperor was driving him.

"The description of the herbalist fits every second man in the town!" interjected Fadhil.

"You are right Fadhil Khan! I don't know where we else to start."

"We are in the dark! We haven't made any headway with the poisoned maid either." Abdul's anger increased.

"We have gone through the harem records. Maybe we should question the maids in Maham Anga's service again." Abdul mused. "Fadhil, did Moti Bai think of anything during the interrogation?"

"I haven't been able to speak to her since then!"

"D*mn!" Abdul slammed his fist into his other hand. The men lapsed into brooding silence.

"On top of that, this riot in the city! This riot was deliberately instigated! Who spread the word that Jalal is on the verge of death? These two incidents are connected!" burst out Abdul.

"A conspiracy against Jalal, against the Mughal Sultanat! The conspirators wanted to get rid of Jalal! That failed! Then they deliberately spread that Jalal was on the verge of death! It could only have been someone in his close circle. No one knew about it! Someone must remember something. The assassin has boasted of his connections with the court." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Let's spread the word in the fort that the culprit is from the emperor's inner circle!" he exclaimed in frustration.

"It's worth a try!" Atgah Khan replied sombrely. "Silence is bought or extorted! Let us not expect too much of it. Khair! Let us spread the rumour. Promise rewards. Maybe some gold will help loosen a tongue or two! After that, let us ask around among the soldiers. I will pay Sharif ud-Din a visit. A few questions won't hurt!" He continued to walk up and down.

"Do that Atgah Khan! I will question the servants who were planted with Adham Khan. The sooner these attacks are solved the better! Fadhil, let's go to the training ground and chat there!" Abdul smiled grimly.

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Jodha's chamber

"Jodha! Jodha!" shouted Moti excitedly.

But no one answered. There was silence in the room. Agitated, Moti knelt before Lord Krishna's murti and said a prayer.

"Kanha, please let these bad times end! Please help Shahenshah and Jodha!"

The small bright flame of the diya in front of the murti burned quietly and Moti relaxed a little. Finally she stood up and began to do the tasks Jodha had told her to do.

"I need to speak to Jodha and Fadhil urgently!" she thought. "But she's with Shahenshah. I can't disturb her. Tonight I will meet Fadhil and tell him what came to my mind. She is innocent! She need to be cleared of this suspicion at all costs! She has to bear so much." She sighed before continuing with her work.

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Suspicion

Jodha sat at Jalal's bedside, her hand on his forehead. He had a slight fever again. After jharokha darshan he had fallen asleep exhausted. What pain he must have been in! Lightly she caressed his cheek.