The Moghul

himself with a wide flourish against a velvet bolster. "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 the question.
    "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 you aware?"
    Allaudin giggled. "I visit her tent every night, Majesty."
    "But for what purpose? After you're drunk and you've spent yourself with a nautch dancer. Don't deny it. I know it's true. Do you forget she has servants? There are no secrets in this camp. I think you'll sooner sire an heir on a slave girl than on my daughter. I will not have it."
    "Majesty." Allaudin twisted uncomfortably and glanced up with relief to see Nadir Sharif pushing aside the portiere of the tent. As he entered, Janahara motioned toward the servants and eunuchs waiting in attendance and in moments they had disappeared through the curtained doorways at the 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, and has two durbar audiences a day. The difficulties . . ."
    "Your 'difficulties' are only beginning." She was extracting a dispatch from a gilded bamboo tube. "Read this."
    Nadir Sharif took the document and moved into the light at the entrance. He had always despised the red chintz tents of the Imperial family, whose doorways were forever sealed with Persian hangings that kept in all the smoke and lamp soot. As he studied the dispatch he moved even closer to the light, astonishment growing in his eyes. He read 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 voice uneasy.
    "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 you understand what that means? Jadar has rebelled. He's probably marching on 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 has offered to assume the 'burden' himself. It's a preposterous affront to legitimate rule."
    "Then he must be brought to Agra for trial." Allaudin's voice swelled with determination.
    "Obviously." Nadir Sharif moved toward the door of the tent and stared into the sunshine for a long moment. Then he turned to Janahara. "We have no choice now but to send the Imperial army. Your intuition about Jadar last week was all too correct."
    "And now you agree? After a week has been lost." Janahara had followed him with her eyes. "Now you concede that the army must move."
    "There's nothing else to be done." Nadir Sharif seemed to study the parched landscape of the valley below. "Although containing Jadar may well be more difficult than we first assumed."
    "Why should it be difficult?" Allaudin watched Nadir Sharif in bewilderment. "His forces were very small to begin with. And after his defeat by Malik Ambar, how many men and cavalry can he have left?"
    "Perhaps you should read the dispatch." Nadir Sharif tossed the scrolled paper into Allaudin's lap. "Jadar never engaged Malik Ambar. Instead he forged an alliance. It would appear his 'retreat' north to Burhanpur was merely a ruse. He never met the Maratha armies in the first place, so he did not lose a single infantryman. Instead he intimidated Malik Ambar and struck a truce with him. There's no knowing how large his army is now, or even where he is. This dispatch came from Mandu, so he's already well on his way north. I think he'll probably lay siege to Agra within two weeks if he's not stopped."
    "Merciful Allah." Allaudin's voice was suddenly tremulous. "What do we do?" Then he looked imploringly at Janahara. "I'll lead the army myself if you want."
    Janahara seemed not to hear him as she rose and walked toward the door of the tent. Nadir Sharif stepped aside as she shoved back the tapestry and stared out into the valley.
    "This morning I ordered Inayat Latif to mobilize and march."
    "Without telling His Majesty!" Nadir Sharif stared at her incredulously.
    "I ordered it in his name. I suspected something like this might happen, so I had him sign and