Queen Janahara studied Allaudin thoughtfully as he strode toward hertent. His floral turban was set rakishly to one side in the lateststyle, and his purple gauze cloak was too effeminate for anyone but aeunuch or a dandy. She caught a flash from the jewel-handled katar athis waist, too ornamental ever to be used, and suddenly realized thatshe had never seen him actually hold a knife, or a sword. She had neverseen him respond to any crisis. And Princess Layla had hinted he wasnot quite the husband she had envisioned, whatever that might imply.
Suddenly it all mattered. It had only been a week since Jadar's demandshad been refused, and already he had taken the initiative. Now, shesighed, she would have to protect her _nashudani_, her "good-for-nothing" son-in-law. He could never protect himself, not from Jadar.
"Your Majesty." Allaudin salaamed formally as he dipped below thetapestried portiere of her tent, never forgetting that his new mother-in-law was also the queen. "The princess sends her wishes for yourhealth this morning."
"Sit down." Janahara continued to examine him with her brooding darkeyes. "Where is Nadir Sharif?"
"The eunuchs said he would be a few moments late."
"He always tries to irritate me." Her voice trailed off as she watchedAllaudin ensconce himself with a wide flourish against a velvetbolster. "Tell me, are you content with your bride?"
"She is very pleasing to me, Majesty."
"Are you satisfying your obligations as a husband?"
"Majesty?" Allaudin looked up at her as though not comprehending thequestion.
"Your duties are not merely to her. Or to me. They're also to India.Jadar has a male heir now. Such things matter in Agra, or weren't youaware?"
Allaudin giggled. "I visit her tent every night, Majesty."
"But for what purpose? After you're drunk and you've spent yourselfwith a _nautch _dancer. Don't deny it. I know it's true. Do you forgetshe has servants? There are no secrets in this camp. I think you'llsooner sire an heir on a slave girl than on my daughter. I will nothave it."
"Majesty." Allaudin twisted uncomfortably and glanced up with relief tosee Nadir Sharif pushing aside the portiere of the tent. As he entered,Janahara motioned toward the servants and eunuchs waiting in attendanceand in moments they had disappeared through the curtained doorways atthe rear.
"You're late."
"My sincerest apologies, Majesty. There are endless matters to attend.You know His Majesty still holds morning _darshan _from his tent, andhas two _durbar _audiences a day. The difficulties . . ."
"Your 'difficulties' are only beginning." She was extracting a dispatchfrom a gilded bamboo tube. "Read this."
Nadir Sharif took the document and moved into the light at theentrance. He had always despised the red chintz tents of the Imperialfamily, whose doorways were forever sealed with Persian hangings thatkept in all the smoke and lamp soot. As he studied the dispatch hemoved even closer to the light, astonishment growing in his eyes. Heread it through twice before turning back to Janahara.
"Has His Majesty seen this yet?"
"Of course not. But he will have to eventually."
"Who is it from?" Allaudin stared up from the bolster, his voiceuneasy.
"Your brother." Janahara studied him with eyes verging on contempt."Jadar has declared he is no longer under the authority of the Moghul."She paused to make sure the news had reached Allaudin. "Do youunderstand what that means? Jadar has rebelled. He's probably marchingon Agra right now with his army."
"That's impossible! As long as His Majesty lives . . ."
"Jadar has declared His Majesty is no longer fit to reign. He hasoffered to assume the 'burden' himself. It's a preposterous affront tolegitimate rule."
"Then he must be brought to Agra for trial." Allaudin's voice swelledwith determination.
"Obviously." Nadir Sharif moved toward the door of the tent and staredinto the sunshine for a long moment. Then he turned to Janahara. "Wehave no choice now but to send the Imperial army. Your intuition aboutJadar last week was all too correct."
"And now you agree? After a week has been lost." Janahara had followedhim with her eyes. "Now you concede that the army must move."
"There's nothing else to be done." Nadir Sharif seemed to study theparched landscape of the valley below. "Although containing Jadar maywell be more difficult than we first assumed."
"Why should it be difficult?" Allaudin watched Nadir Sharif inbewilderment. "His forces were very small to begin with. And after hisdefeat by Malik Ambar, how many men and cavalry can he have left?"
"Perhaps you should read the dispatch." Nadir Sharif tossed thescrolled paper into Allaudin's lap. "Jadar never engaged Malik Ambar.Instead he forged an alliance. It would appear his 'retreat' north toBurhanpur was merely a ruse. He never met the Maratha armies in thefirst place, so he did not lose a single infantryman. Instead heintimidated Malik Ambar and struck a truce with him. There's no knowinghow large his army is now, or even where he is. This dispatch came fromMandu, so he's already well on his way north. I think he'll probablylay siege to Agra within two weeks if he's not stopped."
"Merciful Allah." Allaudin's voice was suddenly tremulous. "What do wedo?" Then he looked imploringly at Janahara. "I'll lead the army myselfif you want."
Janahara seemed not to hear him as she rose and walked toward the doorof the tent. Nadir Sharif stepped aside as she shoved back the tapestryand stared out into the valley.
"This morning I ordered Inayat Latif to mobilize and march."
"Without telling His Majesty!" Nadir Sharif stared at herincredulously.
"I ordered it in his name. I suspected something like this mighthappen, so I had him sign and stamp the order four days ago."
"Was His Majesty entirely sob . . ." Nadir Sharif hesitated. "Was he infull understanding of what he was authorizing?"
"That hardly matters now. But you must place the seal you keep on theorder also before it's forwarded to the _wazir _to be officiallyrecorded." She did not shift her gaze from the sunlit valley. "It's onthe table behind you."
Nadir Sharif turned and stared down at the gold-inlaid stand. The orderwas there, a single folded piece of paper inside a gilded leathercover. The string which would secure it had not yet been tied.
"You were wise to have taken this precaution, Majesty." Nadir Sharifglanced back at Janahara, his voice flowing with admiration. "There'sno predicting His Majesty's mind these days. Only yesterday Idiscovered he had completely forgotten . . ."
"Have you stamped it?"
"My seal is not here, Majesty." He paused. "And I was wondering . . .would it be wise to review our strategy briefly with His Majesty, lesthe become confused later and forget he authorized the order? Perhapseven countermand it?"
"Your seal will be sufficient. It's in the pocket of your cloak whereyou always carry it, the pocket on the left."
"Your Majesty's memory is astonishing sometimes." Nadir Sharif quicklyextracted the metal case, flipped off the cover, and with a flourishimprinted the black Seal of the Realm on the top of the order, beneathArangbar's signature and the impression of his royal signet ring. "Whenwill the army be able to move?"
"Tomorrow. Most of the elephants are moving out this morning." Janaharaturned back and glanced at the paper with satisfaction. "And tomorrowwe will all return to Agra. The plague is subsiding, and I think HisMajesty should be in the fort."
"I agree entirely. Has it been ordered?"
"I will order it later today. Jadar cannot move his army that rapidly."
"I will begin preparations to go with the army." Allaudin rose andadjusted the jeweled katar at his belt.
"You will be returning to the Red Fort, with His Majesty and with me."Janahara did not look at him as she spoke.
"But 1 want to face Jadar. I insist." He tightened his gauze cloak. "Iwill demand an audience with His Majesty if you refuse."
Janahara studied him silently for a moment. "I have an even betteridea. Since Jadar has refused to lead the army to defend the fortressat Qandahar, how would you l
ike to be appointed in his place?"
Allaudin's eyes brightened. "What rank would I have?"
"I think we can persuade His Majesty to raise your personal rank totwelve thousand _zat _and your horse rank to eight thousand _suwar_,twice what you have now."
"Then I will go." Allaudin tightened his cloak, beaming. "I'll drivethe Safavid king's Persian troops back into the desert."
"You are as sensible as you are brave. I will speak to His Majestytonight."
Allaudin grinned a parting salaam, squared his shoulders, and pushedhis way through the portiere and into the sunshine. Nadir Sharifwatched without a word until he had disappeared into his own tent.
"Was that entirely wise, Majesty?"
"What else do you propose we do? It will keep him in Agra. I'll see tothat. You don't really think I'd allow him to leave? Anyway, it's timehis rank was elevated. Now all he needs is a son."
"I'm sure he'll have one in time, Majesty. The Hindu astrologers allsay Princess Layla's horoscope is favorable."
"The Hindu astrologers may have to help him do a husband's work if theywant to save their reputation."
"Give him time, Majesty." Nadir Sharif smiled. "And he'll have moreheirs than the Holy Prophet."
"All the Prophet's children were daughters." She took the paper,inserted it into the gold case, and began tying the string. "There aretimes you do not entirely amuse me."
"I'm always half distracted by worrying." Nadir Sharif followed herwith his eyes. "Even now."
"What in particular worries you at the moment?" Janahara paused as shewas slipping the case into her sleeve.
"I'm thinking just now about the Imperial army. The loyalty of some ofthe men."
"What do you mean? Inayat Latif is entirely beholden to His Majesty. Hewould gladly give his life for the Moghul. I've heard it from his ownlips, and I know it's true."
"I've never questioned your commander's loyalty. But now you . . . HisMajesty will be ordering the men to march against Jadar. Are you awarethat fully a third of the army is under Rajput field commanders,officers from the northwest. Some of the rajas there still bear illfeelings toward His Majesty, because of Inayat Latifs campaign thereten years ago. These Rajputs sometimes have long memories. And whoknows what Jadar could be promising them? Remember his treachery withMalik Ambar."
"What are you suggesting? That the Rajput commanders will not fight forHis Majesty, the legitimate Moghul? That's absurd. No one respectsauthority more than the Rajput rajas."
"I'm not suggesting it at all. But I do believe the Rajputs here shouldbe monitored closely nonetheless. Any discontent should be addressedbefore it grows . . . unwieldy. Perhaps their commanders should beplaced under a separate authority, someone who could reason with themin His Majesty's name if there are signs of unrest. Inayat Latif is anable general, but he's no diplomat."
Janahara studied him closely. "Do you believe there would be unrest?"
"Your Majesty is perhaps not always fully informed as to the activitiesof some of the more militant Rajput loyalists. I have ordered themwatched at all times."
"What are you suggesting then? That the Rajputs should be placed undera separate top command? Some raja whose loyalty is unquestionable?"
"I'm suggesting precisely that. If there were extensive defections, itwould be demoralizing for the rest of the army, at the very least."
"Who do you propose?"
"There are any number of Rajput commanders I would trust. To a point.But it's always difficult to know where their final loyalties lie."Nadir Sharif paused, lost in thought. "Perhaps an alternate solutionmight be to allow someone of unquestioned loyalty to monitor the Rajputfield commanders, someone experienced in handling Rajput concerns,though not necessarily a general. Then the command could remainunified, with orders passing through this other individual, who wouldensure compliance."
"Again, is there someone you would recommend?"
"There are several men near His Majesty who could serve. It is, ofcourse, essential their loyalty to you be beyond question. In a wayit's a pity Prince Allaudin is not . . . older. Blood is always best."
"That leaves only you, or Father, who is far too old."
"My responsibilities here would really make it impossible for me."Nadir Sharif turned and walked again to the door of the tent, pullingback the portiere. "Certainly I could not leave His Majesty for anextended campaign."
"But if the campaign were short?"
"Perhaps for a few weeks."
Janahara studied him silently, her thoughts churning. At times evenNadir Sharif's loyalty seemed problematical. But now there was aperfect way to test it in advance . . .
"I will advise Inayat Latif you are now in charge of the Rajputcommanders."
"Your Majesty." Nadir Sharif bowed lightly. "I'm honored by yourconfidence."
"I'm sure it's well placed." She did not smile. "But before I make thearrangements, there's one other assignment for you. Totallyconfidential."
"Anything within my power." Nadir Sharif bowed elegantly.
"Tonight I want you to order the Imperial guards stationed in yourcompound to execute the Englishman and the woman Shirin. On your soleauthority."
"Of course." Nadir Sharifs smile did not flicker.
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