The Alliance

“Sometimes, the biggest battles were fought emotionally, in the four walls of the Harem, yet none knew of their bravery, or spoke of their sacrifices.”

Rukaiya Begum loved being doted on by her husband ever since the news of her pregnancy. He loved her more, or at least showed more care, making the entire Harem smile. Despite his busy schedule and workload, he always found time to visit the Pari Mahal twice a day. He decided to handle all his state affairs from Lahore until he saw the face of his heir.

“Padshah Salamat!” A eunuch had arrived, breaking their moment, and he refused to speak in front of the Padishah Begum. Jalal walked away from her chambers towards the corridor with him. Rukaiya frowned uneasily and tiptoed to the threshold of her room.

“Afghans attacked him. He was stabbed by them in anger and revenge for their loss of his hands. He died midway through his injuries. His wives and children are at Prayag. Will they continue the Hajj?” Rukaiya’s chest felt heavy at the eunuch’s words. She could not breathe. Tears swelled in her eyes as she walked across her threshold toward the eunuch and the emperor. The emperor himself looked shocked and disturbed at the news and was about to speak when Rukaiya Begum spoke from behind him, “Bring them back here, Salima Begum, Rahim and the ladies are my responsibility.”

“But Padishah Begum, with due respect, Maham Anga instructed to take them to Agra...”

“Do as your Padishah Begum says.” The Emperor stopped the eunuch who left with a bow. Rukaiya walked up to Jalal in slow, difficult steps. She placed her hand gently on his shoulder as he stared at her with twinkling eyes.

“You should rest; I... will go arrange a state of mourning.” He left her restless with his cold voice.

In her chambers, Rukaiya Begum sat lost in her thoughts. Her hand reached her belly, and she sighed. Not even a newborn was safe here; didn’t Jalal understand that yet? She hoped and prayed she would have the strength to face Salima Begum. She was more bothered about Jalal’s lack of emotions at the sudden incident. It shrouded her mind with doubts. He couldn’t possibly have ordered such an assassination, could he? Rukaiya Begum felt restless and suffocated in her surroundings.

Bairam Khan’s ladies arrived in mourning, as the rumour spread that the Emperor had ordered Bairam Khan’s killing. Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar did his bit by calling upon the noblemen and declaring Rahim as the heir to the position of Khan E Khana when he is capable, declaring a state of mourning for his father figure and ordering Munim Khan to take his position. But nothing on his part was to curb the rumours. To most of the ladies, as Rukaiya witnessed, the image of the emperor was tarnished. Fresh rumours rose about his interest in Bairam Khan’s wife, which led to their differences and disturbed Rukaiya. Salima Begum came to her chambers with her daughter in her arms and placed the child at the Padishah Begum’s feet. She cried, asking for her daughter’s protection, and it ached Rukaiya’s heart. Without a second thought, Rukaiya held her hand and promised her a lifetime of safety in the Mughal harem.

Everyone was worried about how the incident had an impact on Rukaiya Begum’s health. Her involvement in state affairs was stopped by Hamida Banu. The letters that arrived about the army movements and Harem problems were to be redirected to Hamida Banu Begum for a few months to make sure she was stress-free.  She could not feel any changes yet, except that each morning she felt nauseated, and she could not touch meat. A special set of nurses was appointed to take care of her food and health, and wine was restricted from her diet. At first, Rukaiya felt restless in her surroundings and confinement. The ladies were not allowed to meet her. For most of the day, Rukaiya Begum sat reading and occasionally called on the dancing girls and singers for some entertainment. But nothing helped wipe away the memories of the day. As gifts and congratulations poured in from all quarters, Bega Begum came from Din Panah to bless Rukaiya with one of her own jewellery sets, gifted to her by Emperor Babur himself.

“May your child be as mighty as the great Timurid Grandfather you had.” Bega Begum smiled at a nervous Rukaiya Begum.

Hamida Banu walked into Jalal’s Khwab Ghar seeking an audience with him and spoke of Salima’s uncertain future. A month had passed since the day, and Jalal was too busy handling the state affairs, which were once directed by the Khan-e Khana. Hamida Banu read his stressed mind. But she was here on a different agenda altogether. A Timurid princess was a possible path to the throne that Bairam Khan had tried to misuse. Hamida Banu feared marrying her to someone else would yield the same result.

“I feel it will be befitting if the emperor marries the Timurid blood himself.” Hamida Banu waited for his reaction. “She is young and needs protection...”

“And will that not give fuel to certain rumours?” Jalal asked, concerned. “Those rumours will hurt the Padishah Begum. Her condition is fragile and I ...”

“I suggest the Emperor call upon both the ladies and make his intentions and reasons clear to them to avoid any confusion.” Hamida Banu seemed to have thought of this much before him. He nodded in silent agreement. Truth be told, he actually feared kin misusing their positions to get to the throne. But he was more scared of Rukaiya’s health, especially with his heir on the way. They had waited for it for too long.

Rukaiya Sultana Begum frowned as a maid arrived with instructions from the emperor. She was asked to be present in the courtyard of the Harem for an audience with the emperor. It meant this was something official. Being relieved of her duties for some time now, Rukaiya wondered what the urgency actually was. Worse, she feared some bad news. Making her way out of her chambers for the first time in a month, Rukaiya’s feet felt heavy. She reached the courtyard to find Salima Begum waiting there for the emperor, as clueless as she. The two ladies acknowledged each other and sat down on the benches facing one another. The maids brought in cushions with velvet covers for Rukaiya Begum to lean on.

The Emperor arrived in a silent, poised manner and dispersed the maids in waiting as the two ladies got up to greet him. His eyes met hers briefly, and they spoke of restlessness and fear. Rukaiya Begum frowned worriedly.

“The Maryam Makani sought an audience with me in the afternoon and expressed her ... worry about the future of Salima Begum and her daughter.” He spoke in a rather monotonous and formal voice. Salima Begum frowned at his words and eyed Rukaiya Begum, who nodded slightly and urged him to go on.

“Being a Timurid Princess comes with a price, as she knows now.” His voice was harsh “Sometimes you can be used as a pass to the throne.” Salima’s heart skipped a beat. She feared the emperor would put her and her daughter under imprisonment.

“So we cannot risk marrying her anymore to any aide or general.” This time, it was Rukaiya Begum who spoke before him.

“Forgive me for speaking, but give me a small place in your harem to survive with my daughter, and I will be grateful, Padishah Begum! Do not throw my daughter’s future into darkness; she did nothing wrong, she is only an infant!” Salima Begum sat down sobbing as Rukaiya Begum walked up to her and held her hand.

“That...” Jalal spoke in a very rushed tone, “Leaves me with no choice but to...”

“Marry Salima Begum himself.” This time, it was Hamida Banu Begum who had arrived beside him and spoke on his behalf. Rukaiya Begum’s hands slipped away from Salima Begum’s at her words as Salima Begum thought she had heard wrong. She immediately looked at the Padishah Begum, who had been her crisis support and feared her reaction. Rukaiya Begum’s eyes travelled from Hamida Banu to her son, who chose to look away.

“I gave him the suggestion to stop the battle between the Timurid blood.” Hamida Banu was reassured as Rukaiya Begum stood silent. For once, Jalal wished to hear her speak, but all she did was nod understandingly at his mother instead.

“As the Padishah Begum, I will...” She carefully and firmly chose her words: “Look after the arrangements for the wedding.” This made Jalal stare at her unreadable face.

“Salima Begum can then accompany the Emperor with Rahim and her daughter to Agra.” Hamida Banu spoke, “Just as Maham Anga suggested.”

Rukaiya Begum was about to bow, asking for permission to leave, when Hamida Banu spoke rather informatively, “The reason you two ladies have been called here is that the Emperor wants to make sure there are no misunderstandings and miscommunications in the family. This marriage is only for the sake of protecting Salima Begum, as she is of Timurid Blood and because the emperor respects and wants to protect the late Khane Khana’s family. She should not expect to be the Emperor’s wife in any sense except owning properties, and should know and remember her position in the harem as one of the lesser princesses, and always a subordinate to the chief consort and Padishah Begum Rukaiya.”

“Yes, Mariam Makani.” Salima Begum bowed to her in gratitude. She knew the words were Jalal’s and not hers. But she only cared for the security of her daughter.

“And you should leave for Agra because while the emperor is busy, we need someone trustworthy in Agra to take care of his needs and send us information and instructions even when the emperor can not do so himself.” Hamida Banu’s words made Rukaiya Begum frown. She was going to use Salima Begum to get information about the movement of Jalal’s influencers in Agra. As much as Rukaiya Begum appreciated Hamida Banu Begum’s diplomacy, she could not help but feel restless. Salima was now another move in the political chessboard of power.

Jalal had walked into the Pari Mahal in the wee hours of the night, hoping that Rukaiya was asleep. As much as he wanted to be with her, he feared facing her sad eyes. He knew she was in a state where she wanted him the most, yet situations never favoured them. The medicine man said she is weak, and it troubled him. If anything happened to her, he knew he would be devastated by his soul. This fear perhaps kept him away from confronting her.

“Don’t overwork yourself.” He was startled by her voice in the dark.

“You are still awake? The medicine man told you to rest.” He spoke in a low voice.

“I am not sleepy.” Her voice was low, and he sat facing her with a little frown.

“I know you are disturbed, we all are, but right now...”

Rukaiya lost her composure and hugged Jalal tightly between her sobs. Jalal placed his hand gently on her head and back and patted.

“Rukaiya...” He knew in his heart that she had cried all evening. “You have to rest and eat properly for our baby...”

“I feel... I feel there are enemies amidst us.” Her words bothered him. “They will harm my child, Jalal!”

“Don’t be naive, Rukaiya! Nothing will happen to...”

“Why are women so helpless, Jalal?” She asked in between her sobs.

“Who told you that? Women are never helpless unless they think they are! At least not in Hind. You remember they worship the woman as a warrior goddess, and you remember Sultana Razia who...”

“Marry her before I change my mind.” She spoke determinedly. Jalal wiped away her tears and kissed her forehead. He hugged her tightly, hoping that their heart would stop aching.

“Are you sure, Rukaiya?” he asked, touching her belly gently.

“Yes, I am, Jalal.” She placed her hand above his.

“Remember, that you are irreplaceable to me," Jalal spoke, cupping her face as she smiled faintly “I will.”

Rukaiya’s heart ached as he held her close, proud of her, but she was scared. Scared of her own decisions and what they would mean to her future and to her heir. She knew Salima Begum could very well be their source of information from Agra, and no possible threat to Maham Anga as well. Rukaiya Begum trusted her. She did not know what the future held, but she knew she had to do the unimaginable. Smile and celebrate her husband’s wedding. She knew it was just for the sake of security, but her heart still ached at the thought of it.

Salima Begum married Akbar in 1561 following the death of Bairam Khan. While some say it was Akbar who killed Bairam Khan to curb his rebellion, many believe it was actually a plot executed by Maham Anga, Adham Khan and Hamida Banu to save the throne. While some documents say she was childless in both marriages, some suggest a daughter of Bairam Khan who remains unnamed, and some attribute Murad as her son. However, Murad was the son of Akbar from one of his concubines. Aqiqa was originally the name of Humayun and Bega Begum's daughter, who got washed away in the Ganges, so I used the name and character for the sake of fiction.