JASHN-E-BAHAARA
Genre: Nawab au! headcanons.
Pairing: Naib Nawab!Uzair Baloch x Court Performer!Y/N
Loosely based on this request
Written in collaboration with my darling @sunf1over 🥰(go check out her other works on her profile!!!)
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction purely made with the purpose of providing entertainment. I do not intend to glorify, justify or promote any real person or the events linked with them.
Naib Nawab!Uzair who has an infamous reputation around the palace for his temper. He's kind, fair and fiercely loyal, but if someone tries to cheat the kingdom or lie to his face, even seasoned ministers think twice before crossing him.
Bade Nawab!Rehman who's lost count of how many times he's had to begin court with, "Before any of you complain about my brother, ask yourselves whether you deserved it first.”
Naib Nawab!Uzair who has a special inkling towards music, poetry and everything art. He can go from arguing over trade tariffs one moment to passionately debating the meaning of a painting the next. His friends often joke that he was born with one foot in the treasury and the other in a mehfil.
Naib Nawab!Uzair who has a terrible habit of inviting "just a few friends" over for an evening of music almost every other day, only for the gathering to stretch well past midnight because nobody ever wants to be the first to leave.
Court Performer!Y/N who bows gracefully before the many royal courts every evening with her troupe, then spends the carriage ride home mentally calculating whether this week's earnings will be enough for rent, medicine for her ailing mother and groceries.
Naib Nawab!Uzair who asks his mulazim to invite the city's most sought-after dancing troupe for his next mehfil after hearing endless praise about them from Nawab Iqbal from the neighbouring state. "If they're truly as talented as he claims," he mused, "I'd rather judge that for myself."
The Troupe Leader who's over the moon when the palace invitation arrives. Performing in the royal court is one thing, but being personally invited to entertain at one of Naib Nawab sahab's private mehfils is an honour few artists ever receive.
Naib Nawab!Uzair who finds himself far more than impressed by the troupe's performance than he anticipated. Every note of the music seems to sink in perfect harmony with their movements, every step executed with precision. It is actually a performance worthy of all the praises he had heard about them.
Naib Nawab! Uzair Who, despite the splendour performance happening before him, cannot seem to tear his eyes away from this particular dancer. When she moves to the left, his gaze follows without a thought. When she twirls to the right, his gaze follows just as faithfully. There was something different about her. She dances as though the music lives within her, with no hesitation, no desperate need to impress anyone, just the joy of someone utterly lost in the art she performs. And for some reason he was utterly captivated by that.
Naib Nawab!Uzair who silently wished the performance to stretch a little longer. And when it finally ended, he generously rewarded the entire troupe himself with gold, pearls, and money, leaving everyone surprised. But the bigger surprise was that for the very first time, he praised the artists even after the performance had ended long ago, a rare honour from him that left everyone in quiet astonishment.
Naib Nawab! Uzair who without drawing anyone's attention, quietly placed a slightly heavier pouch of gold coins into Y/N's hands. The gesture was so natural, that for a brief moment she wondered if he had made a mistake. But the doubt faded when he looked at her and said in his calm, solemn voice "You are a remarkable artist." Y/N accepted the praise with quiet grace, bowing her head respectfully "Aapka shukriya, Naib Nawab Sahab." (Thank you, Naib Nawab sir)
Naib Nawab!Uzair Who later summoned the troupe leader and, much to her surprise requested that Y/N be assigned to perform exclusively for him. With a simple explanation, that he had been impressed by her skills and graceful sincerity with which she dances.
Naib Nawab!Uzair Who left the troupe leader pleasantly astonished by his request. Still, she agreed without any hesitation as he placed two heavy pouches of gold coins in front of her. Not that she was in any position to question the Naib Nawab's wishes in the first place.
Court Performer!Y/N who soon finds herself becoming a familiar face within the palace corridors. Before long, the guards greet her with respectful nods, the servants no longer needing to ask for her name as they quietly escort her towards Naib Nawab Sahab's private jalsa ghar.
Naib Nawab!Uzair who, despite insisting that her visits remain strictly for artistic performances, somehow always finds himself rearranging his schedule so that no meeting, minister or merchant could interrupt the hour she'd be at the palace.
Naib Nawab!Uzair who never once asks her to perform anything she isn't comfortable with. He simply tells her to sing or dance whichever composition she enjoys most, believing an artist performs best when their heart chooses the piece rather than their patron.
Court Performer!Y/N who addresses him with unwavering respect every single visit. Every conversation begins and ends with a polite bow and "Naib Nawab Sahab," neither of them daring to step beyond the formal boundaries expected between a nobleman and a court performer.
Naib Nawab!Uzair who over the months, starts asking questions before each performance. At first it's about the raag she chose to perform that day or the poet behind the ghazal, but gradually the conversations slowly wandered towards her ustad, her childhood and what first made her fall in love with music.
Court Performer!Y/N who is quietly surprised to find that the Naib Nawab actually listens to her answers. Most nobles only cared to be entertained, but not him. He listened with the same attention whether she was explaining a difficult taan or recalling a fond memory from years ago.
Naib Nawab!Uzair who gradually begins requesting one final ghazal, then one question about the poet, then another about the composition itself. Before either of them realises it, the music has long since ended while their conversation continues well into the evening.
Court Performer!Y/N who eventually notices she spends more time sitting across from the Naib Nawab with a cup of sharbat in her hands than she does actually singing or dancing for him. She isn't quite sure when their meetings stopped feeling less like performances and more like conversations and actual friendship.
Court Performer!Y/N who eventually stops apologising every time she disagrees with the Naib Nawab's interpretation of a poem. "I still think the poet meant longing, not regret," she'd insist, only to earn an amused shake of his head as he replied, "Then perhaps we'll have to agree that the poet has disappointed one of us.”
Naib Nawab! Uzair who gradually began to notice the smallest things about Y/N before she ever mentions them, the slightest strain in her voice after a long performance, the missing anklet she had worn for months, the ragas that brings a bright smile to her face, as if paying attention to her had simply become his second nature. Before he even realizes it, he started to set aside the sweetest mangoes, a newly written ghazal or a poem because "Y/N would like it."
Court Performer! Y/N Who slowly began looking forward to her evenings at the palace. She told herself it was because the Naib Nawab truly appreciated her art, but her heart knew better. Somehow, she always found herself waiting for him, no matter how late he was. And no matter how demanding the affairs of the state became, he always came. And in no time, she started to recognize his footsteps long before he entered the jalsa ghar, an unbidden smile blooming across her face to welcome him.
Court Performer! Y/N Who nearly slips on the rain-soaked marble steps one evening, only for the Naib Nawab to catch her by the wrist and wrap his arm around her waist before she can fall. His hand lingering for longer than instincts allow. And though neither of them said a word, she finds herself unable to forget the way he had looked at her, as though they were simply Uzair and Y/N, not a Naib Nawab and a court performer.
Naib Nawab!Uzair Who finally breaks every rule he had imposed upon himself after she confesses that the palace has started to feel like a peaceful sanctuary because of him. Unable to fight his heart any longer, he cupped her face with slow hands and kissed her beneath the lantern-lit arches of his private Jalsa ghar. His lips hovered gently over hers to seek permission, and the moment she moved her lips closer— confessing everything she never dared to put into words. He deepened the kiss, turning all his restraint into love and pouring it into that one soft, deep kiss, filled with longing.
Bade Nawab! Rehman Who freezes in the doorway upon finding his younger brother standing far too close to a court performer, his hands still cupping her face, softly.
Naib Nawab! Uzair who has faced angry ministers, British officers, and political rivals without flinching.... yet he feels his stomach sink the moment he meets his brother's disappointed eyes.
Court Performer! Y/N who immediately steps away and lowers her gaze, knowing exactly how this must have appeared to bade Nawab Sahab.
Bade Nawab! Rehman who believes Y/N has carefully earned Uzair's trust, all in the hope of becoming his future Begum to enjoy a life of riches.
Bade Nawab! Rehman Who reminds Uzair that history is filled with nobles ruined by women who knew exactly how to charm powerful men.
Court Performer! Y/N Who overhears enough of the conversation to realize that Bade Nawab genuinely believes she's after wealth, titles, and status. And left the palace before anyone could notice the tears she refused to shed.
Bade Nawab! Rehman Who orders Y/N's troupe to never accept invitations to the Naib Nawab's private mehfils, ever again.
Naib Nawab! Uzair who says nothing while his brother speaks, not because he agrees, but because every word of protest would only make Y/N's life difficult. And continued hosting his private mehfils to look normal. But now the music feels unbearably hollow, every ghazal reminding him of that one voice who no longer sings for him.
Court Performer! Y/N who still bows before the royal family during public performances, yet never once lifts her eyes towards the Naib Nawab again. Who couldn't help but adore her from a distance, with eyes filled with longing.
Court Performer!Y/N who has barely stepped out of the palace after another court performance when one of Bade Nawab Sahab's personal mulazims quietly stops her. "His Highness wishes to speak with you... alone." Her heart immediately sinks. Somehow, she knows this has nothing to do with music.
Bade Nawab!Rehman who deliberately waits until Uzair has gone to the treasury for the day's work, before summoning her. He knows his younger brother well enough to understand that Uzair would never allow this conversation to happen if he were present.
Bade Nawab!Rehman who speaks before he hears her side, he quietly mentions her mother's name... then her younger brother's. He never explicitly threatens them, but the meaning behind his words is unmistakable. "Some lives are far more fragile than others Y/N. Don't force me to become the reason yours falls apart."
Court Performer!Y/N who had walked into the room prepared to defend her love for Uzair with everything she had. The moment her family is brought into it, however, every argument dies on her tongue, replaced by a silence so heavy it hurts to breathe.
Court Performer!Y/N who quietly lowers her head and agrees to Bade Nawab Sahab's conditions without attempting to bargain or defend herself. If losing the man she loved meant her mother and little brother would remain safe, then she'd bear that heartbreak a thousand times over.
Bade Nawab!Rehman who is almost taken aback by how quickly she agrees. He had expected tears, arguments... perhaps even defiance, women who aspire for easy money has done that plenty of times before him. But not Y/N. Instead, she simply folds her hands, thanks him for his time, and leaves with a smile so painfully forced that it lingers in his mind long after she's gone.
Naib Nawab!Uzair who had grown used to loving her from afar. He'd sit through every public mehfil pretending to listen to the music while secretly stealing glances at her whenever she danced. So when another performer stepped into her place one evening, he frowned in quiet confusion, assuming she must simply be unwell.
Naib Nawab!Uzair who keeps expecting her to return the following evening... then the one after that... and the one after that. Days quietly turn into weeks, yet her place amongst the troupe remains painfully empty.
Naib Nawab!Uzair who finally pulls the the troupe leader aside after a court performance and asks her where Y/N is? The woman lowers her gaze before quietly admitting,”I'm afraid she won't be returning to perform,Huzoor. She has left the troupe”and for the first time since Rehman's orders, genuine worry begins replacing his quiet longing.
Naib Nawab!Uzair who never questioned his brother's decision to end the private performances, but he cannot accept Y/N vanishing without a word. Every explanation he comes up with feels wrong... because if she'd truly wanted to leave, she would've at least said goodbye.
Naib Nawab! Uzair Who quietly questions everyone who might know where Y/N has gone. But every answer is the same. They either know nothing.... or pretend they don't. And eventually begins asking questions without saying her name. "Has one of the court performers fallen ill?" "Has anyone left the city recently?" hoping for someone to unknowingly reveal the truth. But no one did. So at the end he even sent his guards to fetch her whereabouts, but each of them returned empty handed.
Naib Nawab! Uzair who still attends every council meeting and signs hundreds of documents regarding state matters, but no longer argues over figures or catches mistakes before anyone else. The ministers quietly exchange worried glances, as the man once known for noticing every detail is now staring through reports without truly reading them.
Naib Nawab!Uzair who cancels every private mehfil, saying he has grown too occupied with matters of the state. But in reality he just cannot bring himself to listen to ghazals anymore, because every verse reminds him of conversations he had with that one person who is no longer there to finish them.
Naib Nawab!Uzair who barely sleeps a few hours, skips meals without noticing, and buries himself in work he can no longer concentrate on. And within weeks the quiet grief he was carrying in his heart, started taking a visible toll on him. And then came a point, when even the palace hakim was failing to cure him.... because no medicine can cure a heart that is slowly breaking.
Bade Nawab!Rehman who is the first to notice how loosely Uzair's sherwanis now fit and how often he suppresses a cough during meetings. For the first time since forbidding the relationship, doubt quietly begins settling in his heart.
Naib Nawab! Uzair who finally gave up and collapsed during a council meeting, leaving the entire court in stunned silence.
Court Performer! Y/N who has done everything in her power to keep her promise. She avoids the palace, avoids asking about him, even changes the routes she takes through the city. Then one evening, while buying medicine for her mother, she overhears two palace servants whispering that the Naib Nawab has fallen gravely ill. And then spent the entire night convincing herself she has no right to go to him, only to realise that love has never once listened to reason. And for the first time since leaving the palace, she finally broke down, regretting that she didn't inform Uzair sahab about her decision.
Court Performer!Y/N who finally arrives at the palace gates breathless, having crossed all the streets without once stopping to catch her breath. Forgetting every rule of etiquette she had spent years learning and following, caring only that she reaches him as soon as possible.
Court Performer!Y/N who rushes to the palace gates without a second thought, only for the guards to stop her. They recognized her instantly, but Bade Nawab Sahab's orders are Patthar ki lakeer(written in stone). No matter what, they cannot let her through.
Court Performer! Y/N who pleads that she has no intention of causing trouble, only wishing to see the Naib Nawab for a single moment. Yet the guards remain unmoved.
Court Performer!Y/N who begs the guards to let her pass, her voice trembling and breaking more with every passing moment. Tears stream freely down her face as she struggles against the guards, caring little for the curious eyes gathering around her. As she kept on pleading through broken sobs.
Bade Nawab! Rehman who hears the disturbance from the palace courtyard and walks out, expecting to find an unruly visitor. Instead, he finds Y/N on her knees before the guards, her hands folded as she pleads desperately. He watched in silence before announcing his presence, noticing that she didn't even look at him. Her eyes remain fixed on the palace doors, as though nothing else in the world matters.
Bade Nawab!Rehman who suddenly finds himself, mentally travelling years in the past, remembering the countless doors he had knocked on, the objections he had endured, and the desperation he had once felt just to marry Ulfat. For the first time, he realizes the expression on Y/N's tear-stained face is painfully familiar.... because he had once worn it himself. And understood with quiet shame that no one, who is chasing wealth would ever stand weeping at palace gates, willing to sacrifice every ounce of dignity for the chance to see the man they love.
Bade Nawab! Rehman who finally sees the truth, he had been too blinded by his anger and classist mentality to notice. If Y/N had wanted riches or status, she would've fought his conditions months ago. Instead, she had disappeared without any sign of protest, choosing heartbreak over putting her family or Uzair in danger. And realized that every decision she had made had been an act of love, not ambition. He quietly regrets mistaking her silence for guilt, when in truth, it had been her sacrifice for her love and loved ones.
Bade Nawab!Rehman who finally breaks the heavy silence with a single command "Let her through." The guards step aside without another word, watching Y/N disappear into the palace almost immediately.
Court Performer!Y/N who did not stop to catch her breath even once as she raced through the palace corridors. Her eyes were blurred with tears, her heart pounding so loudly that she barely heard the servants calling after her. The only thing that matters is reaching him, and the moment she steps into his chamber, she freezes.
Naib Nawab!Uzair Who had always carried himself with such dignity now lies pale against the bed, his face devoid of its usual warmth. Y/N gently brushed his hair away from his forehead, her fingers shivering slightly "U–Uzair, please wake up, see I'm back. P–pl–lease wake up and s–scold me for leaving you."
Naib Nawab!Uzair who moved almost faintly at the familiar softness of a voice he had spent uncountable days convincing himself, he will never be able to hear again. When he finally opens his eyes, he finds Y/N sitting beside him, her hand wrapped around his, tears slipping silently down her cheeks in two parallel rivers of agony and yearning. For a second he believed he's having some crazy fever dream, until she smiled through those tears and kissed his hand with her quivering lips. His fingers weakly tightened around hers before he whispers, almost afraid the moment might disappear.... she might disappear again "You came."
Court Performer!Y/N Who lets out a watery laugh and nods frantically, unable to stop her tears. "You weren't waking up, sleeping like kumbhkaran, so I had to come."
Bade Nawab!Rehman who watches the reunion from the doorway in complete silence. There were no grand confessions, no dramatic embraces, only two souls finding their way back to each other. Somehow, that quiet devotion affected him more than any dramatic declaration ever could. He quietly closed the chamber doors behind him before walking away, understanding that some moments, sacred like this reunion, deserve no witnesses, especially when he's the one who caused the separation.
Bade Nawab!Rehman who visits Uzair after he has recovered enough to sit up and talk. For a long moment, neither of the brothers broke the silence. Then with the faintest smile, Rehman simply said "Bring her to me and Ulfat, this time as the woman you wish to spend your life with."
Bade Nawab!Rehman who later seeks Y/N himself, not as the ruler of the state, but as an elder brother who owes her an apology. "I mistook your love for ambition" he admits quietly. "Forgive an old man Y/N, who allowed the fear to cloud his judgment." Y/N quickly shook her head and gently assured him that neither she nor Uzair hold any grudges against him. They both understood that everything he had done was out of the fierce, unwavering love he has for his younger brother.
Bade Nawab!Rehman Who announced before the entire gathering that Y/N shall always be respected by everyone with the same respect she has earned through her grace and unwavering heart. He happily declared that she was soon going to become an integral part of the Nawab family, because Uzair and Y/N would be married once Uzair had fully recovered. From that day onwards, no one dares question her place beside the Naib Nawab, and no one ever will.
The Nawab!Family Who celebrated Uzair and Y/N's wedding wholeheartedly. The palace echoed with laughter, music, and blessings, but no one was happier than the eldest Nawabzade, Naieem, who proudly declared to anyone willing to listen that he had been blessed with the most beautiful chachi in the whole world.
The Nawab! Family Who welcomed the younger Nawabzade with tears of happiness, and Rehman urged Y/N to name him. She felt overwhelmed with love and respect and softly whispered the name "Faisal." Making the tiny infant let out the sweetest smile, as though he too approved the name chosen for him.
The Nawab Family who distributed the finest sweets across the entire city, because the Naib Nawab and his beloved Begum were expecting their first child. Surrounded by so much love and care, Y/N often found herself wondering if it was all a dream. Because she had never once imagined a family that would care for her so much, making her feel cherished every single day.
The Nawab family who soon welcomed the first Nawabzadi of the family, lovingly named Dua by Ulfat. From the very moment she was born, she had her Bade Abba Rehman wrapped around her tiny little finger, and there wasn't a single wish of hers that he could ever refuse.
The Nawab family Who stood together as one during every storm, and found the happiness they deserved. Their home remained filled with love, laughter, music, and the quiet comfort of knowing they had found exactly where they belonged, with one another.
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