visit, Sher Afghan thought looking around, but it was too late to retreat.
He dismounted and walked up to Qutub-ud-din. The circle of soldiers closed in. Sher Afghan drew his sword from his cummerbund and flashed it warningly. The governor laughed at his gesture and lunged with his sword in hand. Swearing at their duplicity, Sher Afghan lunged at the governor and ran his sword through Qutub-ud-din’s belly, wiping off the mocking smile.
Within a split second, Pir Khan Kashmiri struck Sher Afghan on the head with a sword, but Sher Afghan returned it so fiercely that his assailant fell dead immediately. The other soldiers now pressed forward menacingly. The Persian fought valiantly, knocking down a couple of them, but he was heavily outnumbered.
Sher Afghan’s servants were stunned at the suddenness of events. They watched aghast as the governor’s soldiers stabbed their master repeatedly till he fell. Sher Afghan was dead before he hit the ground. Viciously, they continued to attack him to avenge their master’s death.
The palanquin and the rear party arrived at that moment and the governor’s soldiers fled without suffering any resistance. Meherunnisa ran to her husband and fell on his mutilated corpse, weeping profusely. Lost in her grief she did not notice Laadli trembling in one corner of the courtyard, shock and horror written on her face. Firdaus and Meherunnisa wailed loudly, beating their chests till servants lifted up Sher Afghan’s mutilated body and took it to his chamber. The courtyard was a scene of blood and gore, with the bodies of the governor, Pir Khan and two other soldiers lying in pools of blood. Confused servants ran around, debating what to do. There was mayhem in the house.
Not a tear escaped the four-year-old Laadli’s eyes as she stared fixedly at the spot where her father had fallen. Meherunnisa was still lamenting loudly, cradling the body of her husband when Sayeed came running in and urged her to leave the house.
‘The governor’s soldiers are likely to return in greater strength. They are seeking revenge for their master’s death and will take this opportunity to loot the house. I overheard one of them saying that it was not safe to leave you and the child alive. You must flee. I have arranged for your stay at the house of one of my relatives.’
‘Sayeed is right. We must escape before the soldiers return. Spare a thought for your daughter. The master would never have forgiven you for failing to protect his daughter,’ begged Firdaus. ‘There is no time to tarry. Hurry up.’ The practical woman busied herself in gathering valuables in a small bundle. They would need all the jewels they could lay their hands on.
Meherunnisa was too numb to think lucidly. She nodded mutely and allowed Firdaus to take over. Walking in a daze, Meherunnisa left the house with meagre belongings, holding the hand of her stunned daughter.
The three women left from the back door, silently walking into the night. The joyful day had turned into one of darkness and tragedy. Led by Sayeed, they rushed through the forests without halting for a moment.
‘I shouldn’t have allowed him to go into the house. I should have stopped him somehow,’ Meherunnisa reproached herself continuously when they had reached Sayeed’s relative’s house. ‘Perhaps the governor thought he had been offended–if only I had not forced him to accompany us for the outing, he would have been able to meet the governor. It is all my fault.’
‘It was Allah’s will. Why do you blame yourself? Do you think they would not have killed the master if he had gone to the court? Instead of killing him in Burdwan, they would have killed him at the governor’s house. Can you not see the emperor’s hand in the entire episode?’
Meherunnisa remained silent. She did not want to believe Jahangir was capable of such an act.
‘Don’t torture yourself with guilt,’ Firdaus continued, ‘you have to think about the child.’ Firdaus
He dismounted and walked up to Qutub-ud-din. The circle of soldiers closed in. Sher Afghan drew his sword from his cummerbund and flashed it warningly. The governor laughed at his gesture and lunged with his sword in hand. Swearing at their duplicity, Sher Afghan lunged at the governor and ran his sword through Qutub-ud-din’s belly, wiping off the mocking smile.
Within a split second, Pir Khan Kashmiri struck Sher Afghan on the head with a sword, but Sher Afghan returned it so fiercely that his assailant fell dead immediately. The other soldiers now pressed forward menacingly. The Persian fought valiantly, knocking down a couple of them, but he was heavily outnumbered.
Sher Afghan’s servants were stunned at the suddenness of events. They watched aghast as the governor’s soldiers stabbed their master repeatedly till he fell. Sher Afghan was dead before he hit the ground. Viciously, they continued to attack him to avenge their master’s death.
The palanquin and the rear party arrived at that moment and the governor’s soldiers fled without suffering any resistance. Meherunnisa ran to her husband and fell on his mutilated corpse, weeping profusely. Lost in her grief she did not notice Laadli trembling in one corner of the courtyard, shock and horror written on her face. Firdaus and Meherunnisa wailed loudly, beating their chests till servants lifted up Sher Afghan’s mutilated body and took it to his chamber. The courtyard was a scene of blood and gore, with the bodies of the governor, Pir Khan and two other soldiers lying in pools of blood. Confused servants ran around, debating what to do. There was mayhem in the house.
Not a tear escaped the four-year-old Laadli’s eyes as she stared fixedly at the spot where her father had fallen. Meherunnisa was still lamenting loudly, cradling the body of her husband when Sayeed came running in and urged her to leave the house.
‘The governor’s soldiers are likely to return in greater strength. They are seeking revenge for their master’s death and will take this opportunity to loot the house. I overheard one of them saying that it was not safe to leave you and the child alive. You must flee. I have arranged for your stay at the house of one of my relatives.’
‘Sayeed is right. We must escape before the soldiers return. Spare a thought for your daughter. The master would never have forgiven you for failing to protect his daughter,’ begged Firdaus. ‘There is no time to tarry. Hurry up.’ The practical woman busied herself in gathering valuables in a small bundle. They would need all the jewels they could lay their hands on.
Meherunnisa was too numb to think lucidly. She nodded mutely and allowed Firdaus to take over. Walking in a daze, Meherunnisa left the house with meagre belongings, holding the hand of her stunned daughter.
The three women left from the back door, silently walking into the night. The joyful day had turned into one of darkness and tragedy. Led by Sayeed, they rushed through the forests without halting for a moment.
‘I shouldn’t have allowed him to go into the house. I should have stopped him somehow,’ Meherunnisa reproached herself continuously when they had reached Sayeed’s relative’s house. ‘Perhaps the governor thought he had been offended–if only I had not forced him to accompany us for the outing, he would have been able to meet the governor. It is all my fault.’
‘It was Allah’s will. Why do you blame yourself? Do you think they would not have killed the master if he had gone to the court? Instead of killing him in Burdwan, they would have killed him at the governor’s house. Can you not see the emperor’s hand in the entire episode?’
Meherunnisa remained silent. She did not want to believe Jahangir was capable of such an act.
‘Don’t torture yourself with guilt,’ Firdaus continued, ‘you have to think about the child.’ Firdaus
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