Till Life Bring Us Together... {COMPLETED}

Chapter 9

Ruh's POV:

I walked as fast as I could. I ran like a mad woman to his chambers. I could still feel his lips on mine. Why it elicited feelings inside me was still strange to me. I thought I didn't feel for him and I let him take advantage of me. But that's the thing, he didn't, I let him. I was as much as in the wrong as him.

"Ekant." I rasped out at the guards on his door step.

Pushing his doors open, I went inside. "Shehnshah..." I cried out. But there was no reply. The room was empty. He wasn't here. Where was he? I placed a hand on my heart. My chest rocked with sobs. I was impure now. How did I even take part in such a shameful act? I had just committed infidelity against my husband. I placed a hand over my mouth to cover up my sobs.

"Ruh!" He came pacing and stood before me.

"No! Please leave! Please!" I said joining my hands begging him.

"Ruh... let me speak.."

"No! Please leave before he comes here. Leave!" I screeched. I tried pushing him out of the room.

He grabbed my shoulders and shook me. "Ruh-lekha! I am-" He let out a groan, his eyes rolling back. His hold on my shoulders tightened. He slumped on me, his face resting on my shoulder. " your shehnshah..." He whispered. I tried pushing him away but he did not budge.

That's when my sights fell on the man behind him. I could only see his eyes, he had everything covered. He wore a black turban and was dressed in black. His eyes were deadly. They were mocking me. I gasped as he tried to run away. I tried to run after him. But Badr slumped on me like a limp.

"Oh God! No!" I said trying to take on him.

A dagger was sticking out his back. "Guards!" I cried out and tried to stabilise him but his weight was too much for me to handle.

"Badr? Oh God no! Please! Guards!"

Two guards rushed in, seeing me struggling with the limp man, they helped. "Shehnshah!" They called out to him. What? I looked at him limp and frail. He was unconscious so soon. The past few days flashed before my eyes. He even called me Leela in the evening, I dismissed it as being misheard. All the pieces now came together. And that night, when he was intoxicated, he was telling the truth. Oh no!

"Where did the assassin go, Begum Sahiba?"

I pointed to the balcony he jumped out of. Both of them rushed out to look for the assassin. What were they doing?

"What are you doing? Go and call the hakim now!" I ordered. "And you, help me with the emperor." I said quickly.

He helped me with laying him down on the bed. After he was laid on the bed. I placed my hands on the hilt of the dagger.

"What are you doing, Begum Sahiba?"

"I'm removing the dagger." I said.

"No, Begum Sahiba! He might bleed out." He tried stopping me.

"But what if the dagger is poisoned? Quick, grab a cloth. Once I pull out the dagger, apply full pressure so that he doesn't bleed out. Got it?"

My hands were shaking. I took in a deep breath and held the hilt of the dagger again. With one swift motion I pulled it out and the young guard pressed on the wound.

Taking the guard's dagger, I started cutting out his tunic. I ripped and pulled it out leaving his torso bare. I looked at the cloth in the guard's hand, it was red with blood and sopping wet.

I muttered a curse and pressed his torn tunic on the wound too. Tears threatened to flow out of my eyes. What if he-? No, Ruh! The sensible part of me stopped me. You have to be strong now. With that I pressed with more strength.