chapter 19: A MOTHER TOO

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Days passed after the incident... Everyone returned to their routine life... But ruqaiya was not able to do so.....
The emperor convinced himself that he cannot mourn the loss for long time for the sake of his kingdom.....
He tried convincing her too but in vain..... Her well wishers wished she could return to her early self.....
She sits like a statue all the time in a single place all day,in time of prayers she cries to God to bring her child back....
And this continued for a week....
The emperor also understood her stance and left her in her own way.....
He was not able to make time for her and maham advised him to take care of harkha begum now, as that's the only way we can get a heir atleast.....
And like that  a day was chosen for godh barai of harkha begum....
*the day*
Ruqaiya completed her morning prayers.... Gul says, " Begum sahiba! Which dress will you wear today? This or that? "
Moti too comes and asks, " Begum sahiba, which jewelry you wish to wear... Tell me so that i shall get them? "
Ruqaiya was confused.
For the first time in a month she spoke to them.
" What happened to both of you? Why I have to wear this heavy dress? "
Moti tells, " Have you forgotten begum sahiba? Today is harkha begum's godh barai right? "
Reality strikes her.... She tells, " I don't have mood to go there... You send gifts to harkha begum, gul! "
She turns and sees the mirror.... She goes near it and looks at herself....
She thought 'how come you became pathetic ruqaiya' she sits on the chair and thinks.....
Moti and gul comes  and kneels in front of her....
Gul says, " We are not able to look at you like this ruqaiya begum! "
Moti says, " We want our old ruqaiya begum back...! "
She smiles fakely asks them, " How can i go back to my old self? I am still coming to the terms that my child is no more... "
Salima hears it and comes in....
She says, " Kaun keh raha hai, aapko yeh sab bhoolne ke liye? No mother can forget it.... I am telling you to start living.... So that this sorrow becomes a habit"
Ruqaiya's eyes welled up but she controls them....
Salima says, " Gul, moti now go on.... Get the gifts ready... I will help ruqaiya to get ready... Go on"
After they had gone, she adviced ruqaiya to go there, so that they may get any clues about the incident....
Ruqaiya nods to this and smiles....
After really a long time, she gets ready.... Puts on heavy jewelry and perfumes....
She wore a red sharara with diamond complementing it...

Everyone started to arrive at the venue.... Rajputs were also present including harkha's whole family..... Bakshi bano recovered from her addiction and was also present there along with her daughter.... Salima comes with hamida after helping ruqaiya....After sometime, harkha begum and the emperor's arrival is announced.... They both walk down hand in hand with yashomati and maham on both sides.....
They both sat.... And the rituals started.... The priest did a yagya.... And all according to the rajput culture.....
In between, the arrival of ruqaiya is announced... Everyone looks at the door interestingly.... The emperor's hearbeat increased as he had not seen her in the past week.... And remembered his talk with salima begum to bring ruqaiya to the ceremony.... He smiles at salima who nods...

There she comes... Beautiful like  hell..... Like always her head raised walked gracefully.... The ministers from both the kingdoms bowed down in respect and the begums too wished her adhaab!

She goes to harkha begum and hugs her and gives her gifts....
She looks at the emperor and smiles, " Adhaab shehensha! "
He nods and smiles....

In the meantime, ruqaiya goes to hamida and sits beside her....
Hamida asks playfully, " Now had you seen the way to come to me? "
Ruqaiya smiles, " Kya mein apni ammi ki khusboo kabhi bhool sakti hoon.... Jahan bhi jana hai, wapas aapki paas hi aaunga! " She hugs her....
The emperor's eyes were always on her in the whole ceremony..... She too smiled at him..... After sometime all the men left the place including him....
Then they start the function by putting bangles on harkha's hands and apply kumkum in her forehead...
Each guest goes and gives gift to harkha after bangles and kumkum....
Shivani comes to ruqaiya....
" Namaste ruqaiya begum! "
Ruqaiya smiles, " Oh shivani! How are you? "
Shivani says, " I am good... I hope you are fine too... "
Ruqaiya nods her head.
She continues, " Sorry! I was not able to come meet you all these days... I didn't know what I would tell you.... But really I am so sorry for your loss"
Ruqaiya replies, " Thank you that u have thought this much, I thought you are too young to think this... It's okay! "
They hug each other....
Yashomati says to harkha's mother, " What is your daughter doing ranisaa? This is an important day for her sister and there she is talking to that woman who hates us and the future heir"
Ranisaa looks on..
Hamida, salima and other begums too do the ritual.... Shivani then asks ruqaiya too to come.... Ruqaiya denies that she can't come... But shivani insists....
So ruqaiya comes up to the place where harkha was sitting....
She takes the bangles in her hands and when she approaches harkha, she feels dizzy for a moment and the bangles falls down. Everyone looked at the direction of the broken bangles....
The rajput women murmured among them....
The priest says, " This is a bad omen! For both the mother and the child! "
Yashomati was quick to react, " What had you done, ruqaiya begum? How happily we are gathered to bless our daughter and the future heir, and you turned it into a disaster?! "
Ruqaiya looked at everyone there....
Salima says, " It happened by mistake rani yashomati! "
She replies, " This did not happen just like that.... She would have done it purposefully.... "
Hamida says, " Do you know about whom are you talking? Watch your words! "
Maham and harkha look at each other and smirks...
Harkha says, " Maasi! Have you lost it.... ? "
She replies, " You are young.... You don't know such things... She wants to harm you and your baby... She hates you both because her baby is no more....
Ruqaiya was very angry at the moment.... But when yashomati brought the baby in between.... She frowned her eyes.... And within no time tears were collected in her eyes.... But she controlled it....
When yashomati starts again ranisaa holds her hand and nods in a no....
Ranisaa folds her hands together in front of ruqaiya, " I don't know what to tell you.... But your arrival had caused a bad omen to both my daughter and her unborn child.... I request you to leave from here! "
Ruqaiya looks around her and at hamida.... Hamida is too helpless....
Ranisaa continues, " I am asking this as a mother! I hope you too understand a plight of a mother! "
Ruqaiya's eyes became red and gloomy and a lot of emotions running inside her.... She storms out of the place..... With tears falling from her eyes......

Sso guys, long time it is!!
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Until then,
Always ❤

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