The King was surprised at our win.The programme was extravagant with– tables bending under foods and sweets,servants running like ants.
I was honored with jewels and gold.But was I happy?Nope.
I wanted to show this blood driven empires,what true bravery meant.Not killing but to avoid killing.I wished to say moral ideals and sow seeds of peace.
But what did I do?I took the easier path.The temporarily glorified one.
Dannyal was promoted to mansabdahaar,a type of a commander with group of soldiers.He now had five thousand soldiers under him.
But the main problems still remained.I no longer had a reason to stop Adrian.And Dannyal?I still owed him an answer.
That evening Dannyal came back to me.He sat beside me in the balcony and said with shining hopeful eyes,"So,why did you do it?"
He really hoped I had an answer.Well did I?YES.
"I know I was there to stop the war not indulge in it but..."
He said with a soft voice,"But what?"
"I can't change the system when I'm just an advisor.Can I?"
"So now you can?"
"I'm taking one step at a time.I can't play fair in a game where everyone is unfair.Can I?"
"Umm..."
"To change the system,I must get to its top.No matter how."
"After that,are you sure you'll be able to return to your fair self?"
"Isn't that why I have you?"
"Ohh..",he said while blushing a bit.
But the fact is,WHERE DID ALL THOSE FACTS COME FROM??
I don't know but I guess I got Dannyal and some new philosophies back.
But why was he blushing?Must have caught a cold.
That evening,when we were sipping tea like civilized humans,Adrian poisoned his second wife.
A war,a promotion,a murder then a drama.Average royal schedule !
The same night Amara put poison bags under Mir Zayn's bed.She slightly missed getting caught by Helena.
Helena didn't hate Amara because of politics but because she was beautiful and young,everything she was losing.
In harem,beauty wasn't an advantage but a death sentence with delayed execution.Average harem nonsense I guess.
That morning,when everyone woke after a grand celebration,a terrible news awaited for them.
The newly married second wife of the prince was found dead as expected.But along with her lay ten more Persian women,wives of other nobles .
That changed everything.
They weren't just women but treaties.They were living signatures of an alliance with the Safavid Empire.
The palace exploded into chaos.
News spread faster than reasons.
The Safavids wanted revenge not truth.They declared war against the Mughals if the killer was not punished soon.
Under urgency,the chief advisor was blamed.Evidence was "found" under his bed.The king couldn't believe it as he trusted him more than his own blood.
But,trust is light.Politics is heavy.
Mir Zayn's motive to kill was declared to be racial hatred towards Persians.No logic,just convenience.
Mir Zayn was tortured and hanged publicly to show the result of crimes.
The most disturbing fact was that queen Helena had to see all of these while keeping her lips shut and eyes dry.
Mir Zayn was taken on a platform,he was whipped and skin tore open.Salt was poured on raw flesh.Legs and hands were snapped then cut.
His screams slowly turned to breathless gasps.His eyes were gouged so he couldn't look at the Emperor for the last time.
Then they went for his tongue.Pulled out of his mouth.
At last he was hanged.Probably the most painless part of the punishment.
The queen could barely hold in her tears.Her eyes were slowly turning from sadness to hatred.I wonder for whom?Amara or her own son?Even though she doesn't know about the affair.
That night when everyone went to sleep thinking that safety could finally prevail,Dannyal saw a strange dream.
He found himself in a bizarre red forest.It was like the entire place had taken a blood bath.
Suddenly he heard screams and rushed there only to find me smiling serenly at him.I slowly offered my hands toward him.
Relief washed over him.he went ahead to hold my hands.
Suddenly I slipped and vanished to the ground.
He started hearing wicked laughter echoing from the behind–low and dull.
He turned back and found himself in the court room.But behind me he saw a black eerie looking shadow with an unaturally bent neck.Its presence heavier than all humans.
The chair of Raja Chander was empty.
After a second,the shadow stabbed me with a knife.
He woke up soaked in sweat and fear.He immediately grabbed his sword and rushed to my room.He started banging loudly which destroyed my sleep.
I sleepily opened the door.Said while scratching my head,"Dude,you already took half of my snacks.How much more do you want?"
He told me to go to sleep.Then sat in the balcony.I said with confusion but with a wish of slapping across his face,"What are you doing HERE ?"
He explained the dream.I believed his sixth sense or dream.But how can I sleep while he is sitting there like a paranoid cat ?
I grabbed a mat,went to the balcony lighted with moonlight and sat beside him.I offered him a bag of snacks.
I asked looking at the moon,"Isn't it weird that just for one person I am now here? "
He asked,"Who?"
"YOU"
"Oh..same here.Hadn't it been for you,I wouldn't be here as well, "said Dannyal while blushing.
It was surely the cold.
We sat together joking and munching on snacks.Made the type of memories everyone remembers later on.
Suddenly,someone invaded the silence by loudly opening the door and ran towards me with a knife.The clothing hid their face.
I simply dogded it and pushed them aside.They fell off the small reillings.
The person died after falling.Only then did we notice who it was.The identity shocked us to the core.