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instrumental in encouraging the romance. Salim was free to marry any woman he desired except Mirza Baig’s daughter. Sher Afghan had reminded the Shahenshah about his promised reward and the emperor could not refuse his request.
    When Salim learnt about the wedding, he went on a rampage. A tremor travelled through Firdaus’ body as she remembered the prince’s cruelty.
    ‘You are not listening to me, Firdaus. I want you to describe the wedding. Did the emperor attend the ceremony?’ Laadli was tugging at her sleeve.
    ‘The wedding was a grand one and almost all the important people in town attended it. The emperor could not attend because he was away on a campaign, but his Persian wife, Queen Bilquees Begum, attended the wedding and gifted an expensive set of jewellery to your mother. She looked ravishing in her bridal dress of crimson brocade. The weavers at Benares had especially woven the veil and the best craftsmen of the town had spent weeks toiling over the bridal attire. It had tiny rubies and pearls embroidered into it. She was so beautiful that people could barely take their eyes off her face. No one in Agra had seen such a beautiful bride, I can vouch.’
    ‘And Abbajaan? Did he look dashing and handsome?’
    ‘Of course he did. There was not a man in Agra to match your Abba. He wore a white robe with fine zardosi embroidery on it, over a pair of tight satin trousers in the brightest of reds. His turban matched his robe and an ornate pin set with emeralds adorned its folds. When he rode into the house, the women exclaimed excitedly.’
    ‘And then they lived happily ever after...’ sang Laadli.
    Hardly that, thought the nurse. She knew how difficult it had been for Meherunnisa to adjust to the rough ways of the soldier. Used to the elegance and refinement of the palace, she found it hard to handle the demands of a husband who was more physical than intellectual. At every stage of her married life, the prince intruded into her thoughts. For many years she continued to pine for Salim and the grandeur of the royal harem.
    Her frustration showed up in constant illnesses and numerous miscarriages. With her husband away on military campaigns for long periods of time, the woman was sentenced to a life of solitude. She spent many nights tossing on her empty bed, lonely and miserable, haunted by memories of her past romance. Those were tough times. Unhappy in her marriage, Meherunnisa lost much of her youthful exuberance, beauty and wit. She was a pale shadow of her former self, with dark circles under her eyes. As the days went by, she became careless about her appearance and clothes. Firdaus felt sorry for her, but there was little she could do to alleviate the situation.
    There were so many stories and memories. Firdaus’ face creased with a gentle smile as she tucked Laadli into bed. Many of her fond memories were about Meherunnisa’s dalliance with the prince. There were few who knew as much as she did about their romance, but those stories were not for telling. Laadli would never learn of her mother’s love affair or the prince’s infatuation–at least not from her. Like most people connected with the Mughal court, Sher Afghan had also heard the rumours about Prince Salim’s infatuation for Meherunnisa, but he never discussed the subject with his wife. Perhaps he did not want confirmation of Meherunnisa’s feelings for another man.
    The spectre of suspicion, however, clouded their relationship. Sher Afghan knew that the prince wore his heart on his sleeve. Salim’s love affairs were too numerous for anyone to keep count. Some of his infatuations lasted just a day, and some for a couple of weeks. Not many of his dalliances lasted long enough to cause any concern.
    Of the many romantic affairs of the prince, the most tragic was the one between him and Anarkali. Everyone at Lahore knew about their romance and its disastrous end. Nadira was a servant in the royal harem. The girl was a graceful dancer and a