Three Great Emperors had toiled hard to build the vast and flourishing legacy of the 'Mughal Empire', keeping relative peace by unifying its Mughals and Hindus. However; by mid 1600s, cracks began to appear in its solid foundations. Insecurities crept in through the gaps, widening the gulfs between the two religions once again.
With the old Emperor becoming too feeble to take charge and his jealous successors remaining preoccupied with expansion and power, the damage was never repaired. Not surprising then that new rebellions arose every day. Violence escalated, claiming many innocent lives.
Yet; in the midst of such turmoil and peril, there bloomed a beautiful story - much like a lone flower blossoming upon the steepest edges of a cliff - a story of love, of sacrifice and honour!
Forced to flee from her motherland, the one home she knew... forced to leave behind her people, for whom, she was their only hope...forced to grievously abandon the last rites of her loved one while the flames on the pyre were still ablaze...the orphaned heiress of 16 overcame grief and many shortcomings, as she embarked on a long dangerous path... setting out to seek help and support, for her people and her lands...
Till a chance stay with a complete stranger would change the course of those very plans forever!
Being the most shrewd, determined and unforgiving of the lot meant he was formidable... a force to be reckoned with... it also meant he could have owned it all - riches, power, women and fame... but, he fancied none of it...
As a recluse with simple tastes, the rich life held no real appeal... power didn't tempt him... women didn't interest him... his passion was work and his only family were a few loyal friends... he had decided that he wanted little else in life...
Till a chance visit from a complete stranger would change that decision forever!
Teaser for chapter 52
'These are account books... of Akbar Khan's business dealings'
His fingertips stalled beside two specific entries, compelling the Shehzaade to have a closer glance at the numbers 'It shows the man has been making plenty through his horse-business. However... he has never cared to reveal any of this to us, has he?'
He paused. A grin pushed through the edges of his wrinkled lips - the glow was ebbing away from that princely profile, bit by bit, into a darker corner.
'Akbar let us believe he is a simple man all through... while he's been secretly stashing money away!!'
An entire stretch passed.
'Well' sighed the Prince at long last, before the prickly silence could sprout anymore thorns 'Farooq Sahib... you speak as if YOU haven't done the same... as if you haven't let us believe you're a simple man all through!'
'Wh... what?' Stammered the old advisor through a smile. Surely, the Prince had to be jesting! 'Huzoor... I don't quite understand'
'Why so surprised?' The Shehzaade pressed on - allowing a little more suspicion to show up in his tone 'You always profess about having no wish for money or power... and yet, you own a glamorous summer house out in the country somewhere, don't you?'
Farooq Sahib shuffled half a step back - his foxy mind suddenly dazed by a web of complaints being thrown at him from nowhere.
Wasn't it the Ustaad whose crimes were under scrutiny? Wasn't it Akbar who was meant to be flogged today and sentenced later? Then, why was HE - the royal advisor - facing accusations now?
Perhaps, the Shehzaade had become guarded after the happenings at the court yesterday. 'H... Huzoor...'
'Anyway...' the Prince ended the short argument with a self-satisfied smirk - seeing how the old man was still fumbling for words. 'Akbar doesn't reveal all those amounts because I believe he needs that money to bribe others for information... uses it to maintain his safe-houses... and to recruit an army of spies'
'An army of spies?'
The daze gradually lifted off. The old advisor had just found another opening. 'Akbar might be using all that money to recruit an army of spies' he mumbled 'Or, he might be using it to build HIS very own armies... who knows?'
A heavy stillness hammered within the pillars of the Prince's chambers.
'Farooq Sahib!' The prince spun around, his teeth almost gnashing against each other. 'I warn you - THINK before you mumble! Armies? Your remarks are beginning to sound absurd!'
'But...' the advisor kept his grey gazes on the floor, as if avoiding the prince's glares 'my remarks cannot be more absurd than what we saw yesterday, can they Huzoor? Trained soldiers daring to stand against you... publicly... in court. This has never happened before!'
'Armies?'
The word was starting to jump around insidethe narrow walls of his mind, pricking at its sides. He used every trick he knew, to hold it still - but it wouldn't work. 'Akbar's own armies?'