At the signal of the King (Raja),the soldiers took off Zubair's fetters and a sword was placed in his hand, but the minister said,
"Majesty! Competition is not right in your court."
The King (Raja) replied,
Well why not?
Our soldiers have been criticized for cowardice in this court and we want revenge for this.
Your Majesty!
"Vengeance can be taken without giving the young man a chance to fight."
King (Raja) replied,
No!
We want to see how the Arabs wield the sword."
Bheem Singh crawled into the open space between the chairs and with a gesture of his sword invited Zubair to come forward.
Zubair looked at King (Raja) and said,
"I have no enmity with this young man."
My culprit is Pratap Rai.
Why do you make him a scapegoat?"
said Bheem Singh, coward!
You only know how to talk.
If you have the courage, come forward,
"If you are determined to carry the burden of others, then do your will"
Zubair went forward and stood in front of Bheem Singh.
By the order of the King (Raja),
The soldiers stood in a semi-circle in front of the throne and the chair.
Oudhe Singh stood up and said,
Son!
Are you standing in front of a dangerous enemy?
Dad! Saying that you should not worry,
Bheem Singh gave three or four blows one after the other.
Zubair retreated two or three steps due to the unexpected intensity of this attack and the people of the court raised slogans of joy or poison for some time to stop Bheem Singh. After a while, the spectators began to feel that the attacking hand was more mobile than the blocking hand.
Shouted at Oudhe Singh.
Don't get excited son!
"A cool swordsman is always dangerous. "
But the calm smile on Zubair's face made Bheem Singh even more dangerous and he began to attack blindly.
Seeing him getting out of his mind, Zubair threw a few blows one after the other and forced Bheem Singh to defend himself from the offensive attacks.Several times it happened that Bheem Singh's sword could always be raised in defence, but instead of injuring him,Zubair's sword went back after touching any part of his body.
The courtiers now felt that he was deliberately trying to save Zubair Singh.
Bheem Singh himself had realized his superiority.
But he was ready to prefer death to a confessional defeat.
Pratap Rai, despite his old grudges against Bheem Singh's father, was sincerely praying for Bheem Singh's victory, but Bheem Singh's arms had become loose,disappointment was covering the faces of the King(Raja) and the people of the court.
Oudhe Singh said,
"King (Raja)! Bheem Singh will give his life but will not back down.
You can save his life."
The elder Queen (Rani)recommended Oudhe Singh, but the younger Queen (Rani) said,
"King (Raja)!
Bheem Singh's help to the soldiers."
Ordering is not justice.
Oudhe Singh's son has shown enthusiasm for his son, but when he took two steps back, no one had mercy on him.
If you want to save, save both lives?
King (Raja) could not take any decision in a state of hesitation.
Suddenly, after a few words,Bheem Singh was pushed from all sides to bring him in front of his empty chair.
Soldiers who were standing in line with bare swords.
Wrapped up here and there.
Bheem Singh staggered and fell on his stomach in the chair.
He tried to get up, but Zubair,keeping the point of his sword on his chest,Said,
"If you live a few more years, you can become a good soldier, but this chair is your place."
The sword slipped from Bheem Singh's hand and he was biting his lips in anger and remorse.
The King (Raja) pointed to the soldiers, but before their swords could be raised, Zubair jumped over Bheem Singh's chair and stood behind Pratap Rai.
Zubair placed the point of his sword on Pratap Rai's back and said to the King (Raja),
"Order your soldiers to stand still, otherwise my sword will cut through the chest of this cruel person."
When the soldiers retreated at the signal of the King (Raja), Zubair again looked at the King (Raja) and said,
"The king of fools!
I do not expect good behavior from you, but I want to tell you that the advisers who advised you to take up the fight with the Arabs, are not your friends.The people you trust, they all have the heart and mind of the ruler of Dabil.
Look at him, this is the brave one sitting on the chair and trembling.
Now I ask this person in front of you a few questions.
"Why on top opinion!
Did you arrest me by fighting or did you invite me from the plane by feigning friendship? Answer, why be silent!
If you lie, remember, you cannot escape the protection of these soldiers.
Saying this, Zubair moved the sword gently and he said in a trembling voice.
I had called you from the ship,but this was the order of the King (Raja) that you should be arrested at any cost.
Pratap Rai had complied with our order.
If you do any abuse to him,the prisoners will be treated like that,
Which you will not be able to bear even in imagination,we have not made any decision about you yet.We do not want to mess with Arabs.
Your people are really brave,but if you are wise,it is possible
Let us free you and your comrades.
Twenty soldiers are standing on your head at this time.
You will kill at most one,but at this time we will hang all the prisoners for one man.
If you want the good of your comrades, throw away the sword.
Zubair said,
I don't trust any of you but,
I give you one last chance to think about your profit and loss.
Remember!
If you misbehaved with my colleagues,that day is not far.
When the swords of leaders like me will be shining on the head of each of your soldiers. If you covet jewels and elephants,I do not demand them.I only request that you release me and my companions, hand over Khalid and his sister to us.
The King (Raja) replied,
"We are not ready to consider any of your requests until you throw away your sword."
Zubair had no good understanding about King (Raja).
If he had not thought of his companions, he would certainly have preferred a heroic death to abandoning himself to the mercy of the King (Raja),but the thought of the terrible fate of the widows and orphans cooled his enthusiasm.He thought of Naheed and his body trembled.
Amid divergent thoughts, the encouraging words of the King (Raja) proved to be a straw for him and he threw down his sword in front of the throne.King (Raja) breathed a sigh of relief.
Pratap Rai's condition was no different from that of a person who wakes up from a nightmare.
The big queen said something in the right ear of the King (Raja),
"King (Raja)!"
It is not right to take enmity with such people.
King (Raja) called the minister to him with a gesture and asked gently,
"What do you think?"
He replied,
"King (Raja)!"
You can think better than me.
The King (Raja) said,
"If I leave him,will these chiefs and my subjects not consider me a coward?"
"King (Raja)!
Spitting on the moon splashes on your mouth. You are a god in the eyes of your subjects, but now it is against expediency to release these prisoners.
The Arabs cannot afford to attack Sindh.
But if these people are sent back to their country,they will raise a storm of fire against us in all Arabia.
If you have changed your mind to fight the Arabs and gain the territory of Makran,it is better to put them to death than to set them free so that the Arabs have no proof.That their ships have returned from Dabil.
Before this, we have avoided the governor of Makran in the case of Abul Hasan.
Even now, if anyone comes to ask for his address, he will be appeased,"
said the King (Raja).
Who told you that we have changed our mind to conquer Makran?
The minister replied,
"Majesty!"
If your intention has not changed,then there is no need to think about these people.
I think the least punishment for him would be to be hanged in an intersection of the city so that our people will know that Arabs are not different from ordinary people.
King (Raja) said,
"I have the same idea, but an Arab boy and a girl have disappeared from the ship.
If they cross the borders of Sindh and convey this news to the Arabs in Makran,then we may have to prepare for battle very soon."
The minister replied,
"Majesty!"
The present state of Arabia is not hidden from me.
Not long after their civil war ended,all their forces were now fighting in the countries of the north and west.
We have an army of 100,000 and we can raise the same number of soldiers in times of need. Then all the kings of Rajputana are with you. They will consider it their honor to fight the Arabs under your flag.
I am sure that the Arabs who come to Sindh will not go back.
Very good!
This is what I expected from you.
Start your preparation today.
After finishing the conversation with the King (Raja), the minister came to his chair, son. The King (Raja) turned to the soldiers and said.
Take it away!
We will decide it by this evening.