Padshah begam..The True Love Story.

Chapter~10 ~ "Recovering"

"You apologized to Padshah begam?"
Asked moti bai who was standing infront of Mariam while mariam was sitting at the edge of the bed, looking abit angry.

"Yeah, I did! well kind of had to."
Replied mariam sighing.

"You had to? But you said you'll never surrender before her."
Moti asked her, sounding a bit surprised.

"What made you think i have surrendered before her?my apology?well my dear, let tell you that apologizing isn't surrendering ."
Mariam replied her,confidence dripping from her words.

Moti bai didn't say anything just looked at her abit confused,mariam taking in her confusion, further added.

"I had to do it in order to make my place in shehenshah's heart."

Moti bai getting  everything now, nodded her head in agreement.

Mariam sighed thinking about her future tactics to further strengthen her position in the harem then got up to get some rest for the night.

~~~~~~~~

"You need to let go of the past and think about your future."
Said Jalal who was sitting on the sofa with Ruqaiya sitting beside him.
Ruqaiya looked like she hasn't even got ready  for the day.
Ruqaiya kept silent while looking at her hands placed in her lap.
Jalal sighed and continued.

"Ruqaiya... what's gone is gone, just forget it ok, you have to, for yourself,  for us."
A tear slipped down Ruqaiya's cheeks followed by another,noticed by Jalal.He brought his hand near cheek slowly wiping away her tears.

He took both of her hands in his own and made her look at him.

"Ruqaiya, you're not merely a queen,you're the padshah begam, you have some responsibilities to fulfil.
Ruqaiya was now looking at  him.

"I need you,our family needs you,this palace needs you."
Continued Jalal looking intensily in her eyes.

Ruqaiya stared back at him then breaking the stare she got up from the sofa and walked up to a large mirror placed nearby.

Realization hit her hard and she thought about her responsibilities which had been entrusted to her.
How could she be so careless.
Thought Ruqaiya looking at herself in the mirror,then averted her gaze from her image in the mirror.

"Look at your condition.What have you made of yourself ?"
Jalal said getting up from the sofa and and coming towards her.

Ruqaiya brought her gaze back at her image in the mirror and realized he was right.She hasn't  taken care of herself properly which was evident from her condition.She looked at her image for a few seconds then altered her gaze towards Jalal, who was now standing beside him.Jalal looked back at her,putting his hand on her upper arm he turned her a little to look at him and said.
"Go get right ready, i have a few things to look upon and when i come back,i want to see you in a better condition."
Ruqaiya nodded her head in agreement.Jalal placed a kiss on her forehead and left.

Ruqaiya watched him leaving and then turned around to look at herself in the mirror,sighing abit she called her maid-in-waiting to prepare her a bath.