15 ~ Who Loves whom?

Gulaab POV

It's been days since I saw him. So many days had passed but I didn't witness him visiting the chamber in my presence.

From inside, I was looking for him. I wanted to see him. I was waiting for him and the reason was simple. I wasn't satisfied with seeing him crying.

I was getting restless each passing day that he went like that. Was he angry with me? And the most important question was why that was affecting me that much. It was hardly a few months since I came here and he started affecting me so much.

Finally, my curiosity crossed all the levels and I came out of the chamber to ask for him. The first person I could think of was Zeenat Begum. I asked Nagma for her chamber and she guided me the way to it.

I was a little hesitant when I reached her chamber. Holding on to my breath I entered her chamber silently. I didn't know what to say and what to ask or react to.

Entering her chamber my sight fell on Sultan on bed keeping his head in her lap. I lowered my gaze all of sudden and then I heard.

"Rafiq, you think a lot... why don't you forget and also this is your right"

She said moving her fingers in his hairs.

"Zeenat you are not getting me, whatever I did was just to irritate her and I didn't have anything for her in my heart but in the end whatever happened was different... I am not able to forget it. I am feeling as if I cheated on my love and I can't let anyone come closer to me even if it's my wife."

He answered.

I was listening to both of them silently as they didn't notice me standing there yet.

"But you have to change now Rafiq. You have to give her what's her right" Zeenat Begum said.

By the time I understood that they were discussing me and the sultan had told her everything happened. But, I was slightly confused. If the sultan was in love with Zeenat Begum, why would he tell her about me? Also, She always reacts differently. I had always seen her soft towards me which generally didn't happen. One wife seemed jealous toward the other but Zeenat Begum was convincing Sultan to love me. Unbelievable.

"Right?"

Sultan's voice caught my attention all of sudden.

"Zeenat, she dont has any right on me. You understand. She always plans against me." He said.

"And she is still alive." Zeenat Begum replied making some face.

"She is alive because I can use her to win Hind," Sultan said.

"Shut up Rafiq, She is alive because you do have a soft corner." Zeenat Begum said.

"No" He replied.

"Yes"

"No"

"Then tell me why you kissed her, why in anger you only chose to bite her lip, you could have killed her straight. Also, you kissed her more than once." Zeenat Begum said smiling wide.

It brought a blush to my face.

"Shut up!" He said.

"Ohh, My God!" Zeenat shouted jumping a little.

"What happened," Sultan asked straightening himself.

"Baby kicked again," She said.

"Oh My God! Zeenat..." Sultan hugged her and then suddenly his sight fell on me.

"Begum, you here"

I shivered all of sudden and hesitated.

"Oh My... Gulaab. Come here" Zeenat Begum Screamed.

I walked to her and greeted her.

"How are you?" I asked.

She pulled me in a hug and I smiled.

"I am healthy and good as always" She replied.

"Gulaab, I am really sorry for that." She said holding my hand.

"Sorry?" I asked.

"Yes, for your Wedding Night. I served you with that Badam Milk." She said.

I remembered everything and said.

"It's okay"

"Actually, he gave me that on my wedding night and I wanted him to have that on his wedding night. But, you got it mistakenly" She said.

"Ohh, It's okay. I didn't mind it" I said. I couldn't understand why she was mentioning his and her wedding night different. Shouldn't it be "our" wedding night?

"I need to go" His voice caught my attention.

He stood up from bed and then my eyes again witnessed him going away. My heart again missed a few beats as I came here to ask him but he ignored me.

Suddenly I looked at Zeenat Begum and said.

"Uhmm, I have some work. I will be back in some time."

I stood up and ran. I wanted to know, I wanted to ask. He couldn't just go away like that.

I ran after him in the gallery and called "Sultan"

He stopped and turned.

I ran to him and started breathing heavy.

"Are you ignoring me?" I asked.

"No, why would I ignore you?" He said normally.

"Where have you been these days?" I asked.

"I am not answerable to you," He said emotionless.

"Why?" I asked.

Just then I asked I realised that how stupid I just sound. Who was I asked him that where he had been.

"I mean you just walked away like that aft... after that," I said lowering my gaze.

"Look Begum," He said and I lifted my gaze.

He continued "There is nothing like you are thinking. I don't have anything for you in my heart. It was just I wanted to punish you. It doesn't affect me. What affect me is you always come across between me and my dreams."

I stunned looking at him. How could he just said that it didn't affect him?

"Why did you cry?" I asked looking at him.

"What?" He asked all of sudden.

"I saw your tears when you were leaving the chamber," I said.

"I don't want to answer you," He said and started walking away.

I couldn't stop myself as I held his hand and stopped him.

"You have to," I said.

"No, I don't. Don't bother me, okay!" He ordered with anger.

"I will bother you until you answer my question" I fired back.

"Why you want to know it and why the hell is you interested in all this. Don't you know, I can kill you any moment." He said.

"Then kill me. But, do not make me feel as if I am your mistake. I am a Princess, I deserve some respect. I am not a piece of furniture that you can kiss any moment and then you just go away saying, I am sorry. That might be a game for you. That might be the next step of your rage but I am not into all of these. I am not the kind of women who you can use and then just go away. Also, you don't bother me too." I said in anger and turned to come back to my chamber.

I was angry. I didn't know why I was wasting time thinking of him. I came back to my chamber and sat on the couch.

"What happened begum Sahiba?" I looked at Nagma.

"Nothing Nagma, I am tired here. I just wanted to go back. People are sick here, they don't know how to value the emotions of others" I said.

"Are you talking about Sultan?" She asked.

"Yes," I said.

"Dont worry Begum Sahiba. Sultan is a very emotional person. He knows how to keep everyone happy. He has done so much for his relative that no one can do. He thinks of everyone. Do you know, he didn't want to marry anyone. But he marri-"

"Privacy" He screamed aloud.

We both shivered and I looked back to see that he was here.

Nagma quickly got up and left.

"Nagma, bring our dinner here." He ordered.

She left and he looked at me.

He walked to me and sit beside me on the couch.

I was scared. I was frightened as whatever I said to him wasn't good. He definitely wasn't going to spend a peaceful time but kill me.

"Istemal"

He said sitting beside me.

He said.

I was silent.

"You have become stone in the way of my success since you came here. You have failed all my plans. I disliked you since you said 'Yes' to the wedding. But still, I always tried to give you all type of comfort. You have always irritated me, always disrespected me. You slapped me so many times, but still, I respect you. I always try to make you feel as if you are not away from your continent. I am not like the people who use any women for my own sake. If I wanted, I could have locked you behind bars. If I wanted I could have used you to know about your continent. If I wanted, I could have done so many things. I am King of Sultan. People fall in my feet. I don't say anything that doesn't mean I don't know how to say. And what you have that I can use. I am not like other men who use women for their benefit. I dont use women neither in war nor in love. I am so precious. I dont give myself to anyone. I am made for only one or nobody can replace her. No one."

He said with calmness and by the time I understood that my words affected him a lot. I didn't know what to say. My wrong choice of words made me hear this much.

"And yes, You don't know yet that whats the meaning of using someone"

He said.

I blankly looked at him. I didn't know what to say now. He was right. He hadn't done anything even when I irritated him a lot.

"So, what was that?" I asked. I didn't know, but I wasn't convinced. One moment he was saying that he doesn't let anyone come closer to him and another moment he was kissing me madly.

"What?" He asked.

"Those kisses" I reminded him.

"Please, Begum not again. I am tired of it. I don't know what was it." He said.

"What's between us?" I asked.

"Means," He asked.

"Why are being so nice to me? You could have killed me. That would be so simple and stressful. Why you are trying to keep me in comfort. What do you want? Why are you behaving so nice with me?" I asked.