Begum Leaves Sultanate

Gulaab POV

My fingers trembled to hold the letter. I read it again to understand it properly.

Rafiq Bhaijaan,

This is to inform you that, I have prepared the army as you said. I am waiting for your order to make it depart to the Hind.

Ibrahim Sultan

I couldn't believe it. I fell to my knees and tears started falling down my eyes.

My heart shattered into the pieces as the moment we spent together came into my vision.

"Begum, what happened?"

Nagma asked and I cried aloud.

"I can't believe it. He was planning all behind me,"

That means I was made a fool all the time. He used me. He cheated on me. I couldn't believe it.

But, what if he already made his army depart to Hind.

OH MY GOD!

The thought shook me to the core. I had to do something. What if he would attack my Bhai Saheb. I had to do something.

My hands started trembling and heart was pounding insanely with the most deadly thoughts coming into my brain.

In no condition, I could see my brother losing the war. I really had to do something.

I stood up quickly as there was no time for crying. He might attack Hind just after coming or maybe he went there to plan about it.

The tears weren't stopping at all and I looked at Nagma who stood shocked in front of me.

"Begum, you have to do something then,"

Her tears rolled down my cheeks as I looked at her.

"I don't know what to do,"

I cried and pressed both of my hands against my head.

I had to think, think and think.

"Letter,"

"Nagma, I will write to my brother,"

I informed and she almost started running from there.

"No, wait!, It will take almost a month to reach... I have to do something to make him believe,"

What if Sultan was already left for Hind. What if he lied to me about Hamid.

I didnt know but now my brain couldn't think anything straight. It was like I couldn't trust him anymore.

"I have to go,"

My voice trembling yet determined.

"What???? No, No No... Sultan will kill you,"

I looked at Nagma.

"I don't care... I have to protect my brother. He can't fight... I have to do something,"

I almost blurted.

"Nagma, you have to arrange a map, two pairs of warrior attire, a horse and supplement for few days. I will go and save my brother,"

I finished.

The visuals of the moments we both spent together were coming into my vision along with tears. I couldn't believe he was planning all this behind my back and kept me in darkness.

Oh my god!

My fingers were trembling and my throat dry as I was walking from here and there to get an idea to protect my brother. I didn't think that talking to him would any difference even if my love couldn't.

The tears were rolling continuously.

"Begum, you should rethink about it. Sultan won't lik-"

"I don't care about Sultan,"

I glared at her.

I clearly didn't care about him when he didn't about me.

I sat in bed waiting for Nagma to show up again as she went from there on my order.

I had to do it. I had to protect my protect. Even before him, he was the one who saved me from all of this. He was the one who fought his world out just for me. He had done the things that brought him curses. He would always be my first love, choice and person to be cared. My brother.

Honestly, I couldn't think of anything than running away from there and keep my brother save. I didn't care who was I, I didn't care how much miles I had to cross. I didn't care of how things would turn out after that. I didn't care of consequences it would bring a woman thinking of travelling almost alone to the ever known farthest place to her.

I had two choice that time and it was clear to me. One was to get another panic attack and commit something brutal to myself so that I couldn't witness any of the blood shed. And the second one was to stood tall against the enemy. To stood bold against him one more time.

I knew I loved him. Thinking of anything happening to him was also making me weak but enough was enough. He hadn't left me any choices.

"Begum, all set"

I came out of my rebellious thoughts as Nagma called.

I nodded.

"I think you should at least meet Zeenat Begum before leaving,"

She was looking broken looking at me. Tears rolling down her eyes and voice hoarse.

"Sure,"

I assured walking a little to hug her.

"Begum, you should talk to Sultan,"

"I would have surely but sorry to say I don't know his intention. What if his army had already departed. Just like last time, he informed vishakha just a few days before departure. That means he executes his plan within days. I really have to hurry,"

My voice looked determined but only I knew how frightened I was feeling inside for my relation with my brother, for my relation with my husband. It was like my defeat was sure in any of the cases.

Being the Princess, it was perks you get.

Releasing the hug, I bid her goodbyes and best wishes. I could have taken her with me but I couldn't stake anyone's life into this. No man would like that his wife left the home in absence of him. But, I didn't have any other option.

Suddenly, my sight fell on Zeenat begum hurriedly entering my chamber.

"Gulaab, you can't do this,"

Her voice trembling and frightened too. She walked towards me and held my hand.

"I mean... He will be impossible,"

"He is impossible," I corrected.

"But, this is political," She brought my attention.

"Our wedding was political too. I married him to stop him. I married him to keep an eye on him. This was my first motive,"

I corrected.

She sucked on her lips and a few tears fell from her eyes.

"Don't you love him,"

My heart shattered into pieces.

"I do, I do more than anyone could but not at the cost of my Empire. I do love him but not blindly,"

"I don't know... I don't know how to stop you but it will only make things messy. What will he feel knowing you left the empire in his absence,"

"I don't know either Zeenat Begum, but if he is determined to be a Sultan then I am not afraid to be a proud princess,"

I declared.

She huffed and nodded.

"I don't know but I never had this courage. If I can't help you I won't stop you either. Doesn't matter he would ask me first about you,"

She said trembling voice.

I hugged her instantly and she requested.

"Please send me a letter once you reach and don't forget to take a bunch of soldiers with you. I am insisting, Darmiyan Sultanate isn't that unfair yet that it will send it's Begum alone to her hometown,"

"Alright,"

I accepted.

After meeting her I didn't waste any time in walking towards the main door.

Changing into a warrior attire, climbing on the horse, I left.

Honestly, I didn't think of anything. My brain was only processing how my brother was. I wanted to see him badly and hardly.

Pulling the ropes of horse with enthusiasm I initiated my journey. I had lack of time as I needed to reach before the army if there was one.

There was a few soldiers whom Zeenat begum had sent with me. The destination I chose to cross as soon as possible seems a real far away.

We ran until the dawn and even till the midnight as it was bright night today with full moon and stars.

We finally stopped past the midnight as the horses and the soldiers looked tired. But, my eyes didn't want to shut even for a moment. If I could, then I would have reached there in just a day. But, being a human being I had my limitations and that were paying me really well.

I cried on my inability to run faster. I had seen my brother riding horse. May be his horse was more powerful than I had.

I didn't know why but I couldn't think anything straight right now. All I wanted was to fly and reach Hind to tell my brother everything. I would make him aware of his evil plans and then. And then?

The question made my heart beats race to the next level. What if my brother also gets agreed to a war. No, no, no, no this couldn't happen.

I felt as if someone pierced my heart into pieces.

A trail of tears roll down my eyes as I sat on the ground against the tree burying my head in the knees.

I didn't realise when I got my sleep in between the scary chain of thoughts. It was like my biggest fear was about to come true.

Slowly, the flashes of war with thousands of soldiers in dark running to each other started blurring my vision. I felt goosebumps as I raked my eyes from here and there. The sand on the desert flew towards the sky with the speed of elephants and horses running to each other. The noise of swords and steel clashing shivered my ears to the core. The slight smell of blood in the air raced my heartbeats. And then suddenly a sword passed through my brother's neck.

I woke up in a jerk and looked around. Realising it was the worse nightmare, I pressed my hand against the chest to calm down my racing heartbeats. It was still dark but the sun was ready to shine again. Tears flew off my eyes as I didn't want to lose my brother. I couldn't see it.

My fingers started trembling and my feet turned numb. My brain was in unbearable pain and cried.

"Gulaab, you don't have time for this. You have to be strong. Breathe, Breathe, breathe..."

I reminded myself and took a few long breathes to hold my upcoming attack. I tried to calm down. It was difficult as hell but I won at last.

I smiled as I controlled it this time. The breathing worked.

We were walking beside the river as the river reaches the hind. I went there to freshen up. Only I knew how difficult it was going to be.

After freshen up we again stood tall to run. While heading towards my destiny, we had fruits and the supplement we brought with us.

Finally, the major journey was crossed and I was just a day away from the Empire. My body shrunk with the lack of food and continuous and hectic travel.

The last four weeks passed like thunder to me. It was I went through immense pain and dilemma. But my determination to save my brother never loses its strength. I didn't know but I do love him but couldn't betray my brother for him.

It wasn't like a competition between them either nor I wanted to justify my love to him. I loved him, I knew it and that was enough. I didn't have the courage to betray my Empire just to prove my love. If this step of mine was the end of my marriage, relation with Sultan then I was happy. Because, I was a damn Princess and the perks of it did contain the sacrifices. Why would only man shed their blood for their pride and honour? I was equally capable of taming the beast.

I did love him, I do but not at the cost of my people, my place, my Empire. Where I was borne, brought up and belonged to. He had to lose this because I was against him.

Let's see the final chapter...

I felt goosebumps as the night passed and we started our journey again. I was too tired up to even sit straight on my horse. Hiding in the forest at night to be saved from any other problem was my last resort for the past four weeks. But, now I could rest.

I reached the gigantic walls of the Palace. The soldiers on the door pulled their swords out seeing us but I revealed my face by which I had covered and stepped down from the horse. They recognized me instantly and one of them ran to inform my Brother may be. They came to me and helped us to walk inside.

There wasn't like war or any kind of problem there.

"Is everything okay in Mahabaleshgarh?"

I asked the Soldiers standing near me.

My voice was tired, exhausted, hardly able to speak.

"Princess, of course, Everything is okay here,"

He assured and my sight fell on my brother running towards me as I entered the Empire.

"Gulaab,"

His voice was considerate, tensed and his face shocked. He cupped my cheeks with care and almost yelled.

"What happened to you,"

I felt like passing out any moment.

I saw Bhabhi Saheb slightly running towards me. My sight fell on her baby bump.

I turned to look at my brother as I said.

"I have to tell you something,"

My voice almost washed out then everything went black in front of me.