Free Nurjahan's Daughter by Tanushree Podder Page A

It was an important gift, a mark of sovereignty, meant as a token of compromise between the father and son.
    But Akbar was too astute to believe that his son had transformed overnight. To test the prince’s change of heart, he commanded him to proceed towards Mewar to quell rebellion in the region. When Salim prevaricated, his mother rebuked him. ‘Have you gone insane? After all the effort that went into bringing about the reconciliation, you are reverting to your old habits. Go to Mewar at once,’ she commanded.
    Reluctantly, Salim left for Allahabad on the pretext of gathering forces. Once there, however, he did nothing. The Shahenshah was convinced that nothing had changed. Salim’s promises could not be trusted. The disillusioned emperor finally prepared to go to war with his rebellious son, ignoring the pleas of his queens. Sher Afghan was called to lead the troops against the prince and the loyal soldier was only too happy to ride against his foe.
    Meherunnisa watched her husband riding away to the battlefield and her heart broke at the thought of him fighting against Salim. Husband or lover, she didn’t know whose life to pray for. Perhaps the Almighty decided to spare her the torture, because the fateful battle never took place.
    Just as the emperor and his imperial army were riding towards the battleground, Akbar’s mother, Miriam Makani, died at Agra. Akbar abandoned the operation and returned to the capital. One of the major faults in Salim’s character was his indecisiveness. Like a pendulum, he swung from one extreme to the other. Once again, he decided to reconcile with his father, and this time Salim decided to use his grandmother’s death as an excuse to beg for royal forgiveness. His fears of losing the crown to Khusrau had gained ground. Khusrau’s popularity was on the upswing amongst the royal ladies, powerful nobles and the people.
    At Agra, Salim received a cold reception. After the last rites of his mother, Akbar summoned him to his private chamber. A heated altercation ensued between the father and the son till, exasperated, the emperor slapped the prince and confined him in a room under the charge of a physician and two servants. ‘Wine and vice has deranged his mind. The prince needs to be kept under observation till he comes to his senses,’ declared Akbar.

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    'A letter from Agra,’ Firdaus said, rushing in with a sealed purse containing a missive from Meherunnisa’s father. She knew how eagerly Meherunnisa waited for these letters. Meherunnisa’s hands trembled as she ripped open the seal of her father’s letter. She was disappointed to note that the communication was addressed to Sher Afghan.
    ‘Dear Sher,’ Mirza Ghias Baig had written, ‘You must leave for Agra immediately as the empire is going through a critical period. Your absence may be misconstrued as a sign of disloyalty towards the emperor.’
    Cursing the delay in receiving the despatch, Sher Afghan left for Agra immediately. He knew that Shahenshah Akbar held him in great affection, but Salim hated his guts. The soldier knew that he had to make peace with the prince unless he wanted retribution on his head. Everyone knew how ruthless and cruel the prince could be. Hundreds of servants, soldiers, spies and eunuchs who had displeased the prince had suffered horrendous punishments. From being skinned to being trampled by elephants, Salim personally watched the sentences being carried out. Flogging was a common occurrence. It seemed to give him a fiendish pleasure to see the agony on his victim’s faces. His sadistic traits were a contrast to Akbar’s benign nature and most nobles shuddered at the thought of Salim ascending the throne.
    Even as Sher Afghan travelled to Agra, covering the distance on his fastest steed, the light of the Mughal empire was fading. Dejected with his son’s behaviour, the emperor had taken seriously ill. The palace was seized with intrigues as the emperor lay on his deathbed. Prince