The night had deepened over Lahore, a blanket of stars scattered across the velvet sky, yet within the walls of the palace, shadows loomed darker than the heavens above. The corridors whispered of secrets, and the silence that hung heavy was not the silence of peace—but of fear.
Prince Saleem walked alone through the gardens, the moonlight washing his face in silver. His heart was restless. Every step he took carried the weight of a forbidden love, a war between his soul and his destiny. He could still hear Anarkali's laughter echo in his ears, soft and melodic like wind chimes dancing with the breeze.
But tonight, the laughter felt like a memory slipping away.
He clenched his fists, anger rising against his fate.
"Why must the world dictate who I can love? Why must my heart bow to power when it only bows to her?"
At the same time, inside her chamber, Anarkali sat by the window. Her veil slipped slightly as she gazed at the moon—the same moon she knew Saleem would be watching. A tear shimmered on her cheek, trailing down like a drop of liquid pearl. She whispered softly, as if speaking to the night itself:
"If this is love… why does it feel like both a blessing and a punishment?"
The fragile moment was broken by the sudden creak of her door. She turned, startled, only to find Ruqqaiya Begum stepping in—her eyes sharp, her smile tight with venom hidden beneath the mask of royalty.
"Anarkali," Ruqqaiya's voice was smooth as silk but cold as steel, "I hope you remember where you stand. A dancer has no right to gaze at the stars reserved for princes."
Anarkali lowered her eyes respectfully, her hands tightening over the edge of her dupatta.
"I have never wished for the stars, Begum sahiba," she whispered, her voice trembling yet filled with quiet dignity, "I only wish to live with the heart Allah has given me."
Ruqqaiya's lips curved in a cruel smile.
"And that heart… belongs to Saleem?"
Anarkali's silence betrayed her. It was enough. The glint of triumph flashed in Ruqqaiya's eyes. Without another word, she turned and swept out of the chamber, her footsteps echoing like the toll of a bell—signaling the doom that awaited.
The next morning, Emperor Akbar sat upon his throne, the Diwan-e-Khas filled with courtiers, ministers, and generals. His face was unreadable, carved in the expression of an emperor, not a father. Saleem stood before him, proud but tense, while whispers rustled like dry leaves among the courtiers.
At the far corner, hidden behind the golden screens, Anarkali waited. Her body trembled with fear, but her eyes never left Saleem's figure.
"Prince Saleem," Akbar's voice thundered, silencing the hall, "rumors spread like wildfire in my kingdom. Rumors of a love that defies honor, that defies the throne itself."
Saleem lifted his chin, his voice steady.
"They are not rumors, Jahanpanah. They are the truth. My love for Anarkali is pure, and I will not deny it."
The entire court gasped, some with admiration, others with horror. Akbar's jaw tightened, his knuckles white as he gripped the armrest of his throne.
"Do you dare defy me, Saleem?"
"I dare only to be true to my heart," Saleem replied, his voice echoing through the marble halls.
The silence that followed was heavier than the sound of a thousand swords being drawn.
Behind the screen, Anarkali pressed her hands to her chest, torn between pride and terror. She wanted to run to him, to shield him from the wrath of the emperor, but her feet were frozen by fear.
That night, Saleem sought Anarkali in the secret garden where their love had first bloomed. He found her waiting, her eyes shimmering with tears that caught the moonlight.
"Saleem," she whispered, rushing into his arms, "why did you confess before the court? You have painted a target on your own heart."
He cupped her face, his thumb brushing away her tears.
"Because hiding you is the true betrayal, Anarkali. I would rather face the emperor's wrath than bury my love in silence."
Her lips trembled, her voice breaking.
"And what if that wrath separates us forever?"
Saleem's eyes darkened with a storm of emotions. He drew her closer, his forehead pressing against hers.
"Then I will fight destiny itself. I will fight the world, even if it means losing everything else. But I will not lose you."
She closed her eyes, feeling his heartbeat racing against hers, two souls entwined by love and threatened by power. But in that moment, she also realized something—love this dangerous could not remain hidden forever. Someone would betray them. Someone already had.
And when the betrayal unfolded, it would not only shatter their love—it would set the empire itself aflame.