opening notes: as a continuation, I had planned to start with Bharmal but I felt it was unnecessary and would have fitted part one instead, so, I cut that part out and I'm opening up with Jalal because he seems fun to write about, lol💀✋🏾.

flashback

"What do you mean by 'you lost thirty men'?" he questioned, his voice barely above a whisper as he fixed his intense gaze on the soldier standing before him.

By his side stood Khan Baba and Abdul, the three men having just finished their evening prayers and preparing to discuss their strategies for the upcoming conquest over Amer. It was at this moment that one of the soldiers urgently requested an audience with him.

"During our mission, Huzoor, we besieged the Kali Mata Mandir; however, we encountered an unforeseen obstacle that hindered our mission," The soldier quivered under the intense stare of the Badshah.

Solemnly, Khan Baba, who had been quiet until now, cleared his throat and questioned, "What could have possibly hindered you? Is the army of the Mughal Empire so lacking in capability that they are unable to accomplish a simple mission?"

"It was not just anyone, Huzoor. She-."   

As Khan Baba let out a chuckle, it sent a chilling tremor down the trembling soldier, unsettling him to the core. Jalal could only smirk as he heard the rare sound of amusement emanating from the Wazir-e-Aliya. It was an unusual sight from the typically stoic man as it spelled doom for whomever the recipient was.

"A woman?"

The three men had broken into a loud chuckle at that. The young emperor's interest was now thoroughly aroused. He wondered which courageous woman would dare to defy his soldiers, defy him, and defy the mighty Mughal Empire.

"Who is she?" Abdul asked, having calmed down now.

For a moment, the soldier hesitated, the thought of a woman defeating his fellow soldiers posing a huge hit to his ego.

"Registan ka Gulab."

flashback over

He was rarely the kind of man to get easily excited unless it was the adrenaline rush which came with the war field.

Yet, why did he look forward to when his entourage would finally make it to Sambhar?

He sat from from the bed, his eyes scanning his hojra as he slowly began to rouse from his slumber. Then, a smile fell on his lips at what awaited him over there.

That innocent face, those beautiful dark brown eyes that peeked out of her palki to observe the Gangaur festival.

Ya Allah, his breathing had ceased for a moment that he almost felt that organ he considered to be nonexistent beating just at the sight of her.

He had seen beautiful women, made them his bride and some his concubines to serve him but for her - Registan ka Gulab - he knew he had to have her.

Reconciling her innocent face to the woman who had caused the death of thirty of his soldiers posed a difficult task to the young emperor at that time.

That had shattered the moment she held Raja Suryabhan's sword at his neck.

Just hearing about the woman who had raised a sword and slaughtered thirty of his men placed her on his radar immediately but, that particular moment had sealed her fate for good as the young Badshah had started plotting the ways he could bring her with him to Agra.

Right now, he could only wonder how she took the news of her arranged marriage to him, his only regret being that he was not there to see her reaction.

What would her reaction to learning about her marriage to the man she hated so much be? He could only imagine that she was holding the tears right in while maintaining a stoic mask before her kingdom.

Jalal could only chuckle at the irony of events.

"My only wish and I pray the Goddess honours my prayer is to have the severed head of Badshah Jalaluddin Mohammad," she had confided to Raja Suryabhan that night at the prison grounds, not knowing that the man she was talking about was within earshot.

She had called him a barbaric beast and he had shown her just how much of a beast he could be with the promise of a war which he had delivered on. That and the pile of bodies of Rajput soldiers he had left for her.

His hand rubbed under his neck, feeling the spot where she had placed her sword. He had not anticipated it would be that sharp to leave a faint scar nor had he anticipated his mind still treating this as some kind of significant scar to be embedded.

Then and there, he had thought of carrying her in his arms with him to his camp. Even Abdul had asked him why he chose to rescue him instead of snatching her away in his arms.

"Time, Abdul, time," he had replied as he tended to the injuries of his companion.

The crippled man, in his delirious state, stared up at him with an eyebrow raised.

"It is unlike the powerful Jalaluddin Mohammad to let such an opportunity pass him by. Is it really time that prevents you from making your move?"

A grin lit up his face at Abdul's smart reply. If he had snatched up the Rajput princess right then and there, she would have become a martyr in the eyes of her people and there were many ways  - numerous ways. Poison, immolation, anything to save her honour.

No, he needed her alive to make his conquest over her more significant and to avenge his wounded ego.

"I promised war, didn't I?" He asked rhetorically, earning him a weak laugh from Abdul.

"You never cease to amaze me, Shehenshah. You never cease to amaze me."

And the opportunity eventually struck in the form of a letter from Kunwar Sujamal. From the whispers in Amer, Jalal had learned that the Rajput prince was on the run after challenging Bhagwan Das who had recently been crowned the heir to the throne of Amer.

With a signal, Jalal permitted the messenger to read out the contents of the letter to his court.

To the Shehenshah-e-Hindustan, Badshah Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-Din Mohammed,

May peace be upon your reign as you receive this letter. It is with great honour and respect I address you. As a little boy, I heard tales of the Mughal Empire and the exploits made in its name.

It has come to my attention that you plan to wage war against the Kingdom of Amer and I intend to form an alliance with the the Mughal Empire in this war. My father, the deceased Raja Puranmal, was friends and allies with the late Nasir-ud-Din Mohammad Humayun and had aided in recapturing the fort of Bayana which would lead to his eventual death.

To honour the alliance of our fathers, I, Kunwar Sujamal, have sworn to aid the Mughals in the war against Amer. However, I would like to make the condition that I get to regain the throne of Amer - that which was my birthright unfairly taken away from me.

Kunwar Sujamal.

Not the one to let the opportunity pass him by, Jalal had signed off the letter with the royal seal before dictating a response letter to Sujamal and forwarding the request letter to Mirza Sharifuddin Hussein.

The things men would do in desperation.

While Jalal could feel the frustration of a man who had his birthright taken away, Kunwar Sujamal had made the foolish decision of sending that letter to him of all people. Yet, the Badshah had him to thank for this major event he looked forward to.

In a surprising turn, the Rajput king of Bhanpur, Raja Suryabhan, met his tragic end while trying to defend Amer in battle. His unexpected involvement in the war took many by surprise. However, Jalal still managed to kill two birds with one stone thanks to the decision made by a disgruntled prince.

As Jalal looked up at the morning sky, he noticed how the newly-risen sun made a beautiful canvas across the sky. His entourage would finally reach Sambhar in just a few days, and he looked forward to it.

Despite the sombre nature of the news, the royal family had swung into preparation, setting up their tent in Sambhar.

Badshah Jalaluddin Mohammad had proposed her hand in marriage with the belief that he had conquered her but she was not called the Registan ka Gulab for no reason. She would prove to him that she was no easy conquest of his.

Had her feelings changed about her marriage? No, but her outlook did - to a degree.

Despite the morale boost Maa Sa's words gave her, there was still that feeling of despair. She would have been making arrangements to get married to Raja Suryabhan right now if he hadn't died in battle.

As opposed to her previous engagement where she looked forward to their wedding with indescribable joy and excitement, this one filled her heart with dread.

There was nothing she would like more than to put an end to the farce of this wedding. Despite everyone being unhappy that Jodha was going to Mughal territory, they throttled around as if they were happy for her.

Maa Sa, for one, who had taken ill and locked herself in her chambers at the news of the arranged marriage, looked lively in her queenly outfit and jewelry today. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought she was excited to have her daughter be married to a Mughal.

"I tried to change your fate, Jodha...It turns out that no matter what a man does, he can never fight his destiny."

Maa Sa had taken it upon herself to oversee the wedding of her oldest daughter, pointing out the places that needed decorations.

Dadi Sa, on the other hand, busied herself with the food preparation and bridal arrangements. And speaking of her...

"Jodha, bete," the elderly woman walked in, taking nibble steps with her hands holding a red choli-ghagra and three to four different dupattas with matching colours. "The royal tailor has completed your outfit for the wedding, I thought I should see which of these dupattas would suit you."

As Jodha phased out, she blocked out the remainder of her Dadi's words. In front of her was an open box containing her bridal jewelry, which she remembered Maa Sa had ordered from Mewar after her engagement to Raja Suryabhan was announced.

Why did her mind keep on bringing him up? She was getting married to another man after all. Was this her mind's way of mourning what could have been? Regardless, what was done was done now and she could only try to move on, it was what he'd have wanted after all.

"Bete," Dadi Sa's voice, coupled with her warm hands cupping the young princess' face, brought her back to the present. Jodha could only let out a tight-lipped smile.

The elderly woman gave her a smile of her own as she held up a silky semi-translucent dupatta, holding it by her face before placing it on her like a shawl.

"I think this one looks good on you, bete," she said, momentarily stepping back to gaze at her granddaughter in appreciation.

"Thank you, Dadi Sa."

The older woman shook her head, knowing that her granddaughter was anything but excited about this wedding and for reasons she saw as being valid. Empathetically, her hand reached out to hold hers.

"My rishta with Prithviraj was not born out of love either," she gently reminded her. "Our marriages rarely are, bete, but we can only try to make the most of what we can out of it."

"But why, Dadi Sa?" Jodha questioned in a low voice, her eyes pricking with tears again.

With an empathetic look, Dadi Sa held her by the face again, giving her a small smile.

"I am afraid I do not have the answer to that question, bete, but all I can say is that fate chose you for a reason. What it is, I know not but it is up to you to make your own place over there."

"As the future queen, I want you to familiarise yourself with the people, and build your own place in their hearts."

Everyone seemed to be sharing the same advice with her these days, it seems. Jodha let out a little bit of air from her nose.

Sulking about her fate was counterproductive for her and was not going to change anything. She nodded solemnly and Dadi Sa let out a huff of breath.

"You have always been a wild child, Jodha. Way too stubborn for your own good that you still protest at the thought of the wedding."

"I am not-."

"Nahi, bete," the older woman interjected. "Everyone can see it in your face. That was the same look I had on my wedding." Then, she sighed again, "Eventually, Prithviraj and I got to know each other and-."

Jodha found herself scoffing at the implication. That was not going to happen, not in this life, not in the next life.

"You know that is never going to happen, Dadi Sa."

The older woman said nothing, only shaking her head before pressing a kiss to her granddaughter's forehead. Maybe the young one would understand later along the line, but for now, she was not going to try to change her mind.