Empire Ascension: The Rise of the Fated One-Chapter 206: Fall of Baloch Part-4

Baloch region, Macch town outside of Bolan pass , morning of 12th April 1557.

The morning light cast long shadows over the plains as the Mughal army trudged forward. The battle at Dhadar had drained them, and the thick smoke from the fires had clouded their retreat, slowing them down.

Every step forward felt heavy as they struggled to regroup and move towards their next objective, that is the Machh town. Faujdar Amin glanced over at Farhan, who was marching at the head of his column with dark and brooding expression.

Amin, sensing the frustration in Farhan’s mood, quipped, "You seem even more annoyed than usual. Didn’t expect them to set the forest on fire, did you?"

Farhan, not even bothering to look back, scoffed. "We’re late, Amin. What’s done is done. No point dwelling on it."

Amin sighed but said nothing more. Farhan was right; they were late, and with every passing moment, their chances of completing the mission on time grew slimmer. If the Bolan Pass wasn’t taken soon, the entire campaign would fall apart. Worse, Amin feared Zahid’s wrath if their delay cost them victory.

As they neared the Bola River, the soldiers’ spirits lifted when they saw a few Mughal banners fluttering on the other side. Horses were tethered under the trees, and rafts were ready on the bank for them to cross. Amin and Farhan exchanged a look before leading their men across the river.

On the other side, a soldier greeted them with a bow. "Hazur, the Battle of Machh is already won. Subedar Zahid has taken the town. We are to gather the remaining soldiers here."

Farhan’s eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Am I hearing this right? Machh was taken by Subedar Zahid already?"

The soldier, sweating profusely, nodded. Though not directly under Farhan’s command, he was visibly anxious due to the difference in rank. He stammered, trying to explain, "Y-yes, hazur. Our Subedar didn’t wait. When the scouts reported the enemy’s lax vigilance and no obstacles on the path, he ordered an immediate attack. By Allah’s grace and with our cannons, we overpowered them. The town finally fell."

Farhan grabbed the soldier by the shoulders, shaking him slightly. "Do you know what you are saying? With just cannons and a small cavalry? Wasn’t this supposed to require the full force of our army?"

The soldier nodded, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "Yes, hazur. The town was weaker than expected. The battle was swift."

Farhan let go off him with disbelief and frustration in his eyes. The news of victory spread quickly through the ranks, lifting the mood of the soldiers. Some cheered at the thought of an easy victory and the spoils that awaited them in Machh.

But Amin’s heart sank. He knew that the delay had cost them dearly. His own unit had suffered the heaviest losses in the prior battle, and he feared what Zahid would say when he saw their depleted numbers.

The columns pressed on for another half hour before reaching Machh town. What they saw there shocked them. The once-defensive walls of the town were riddled with holes from cannon fire, and the houses inside were badly damaged. The aftermath of the battle was intense as corpses of both Mughal and enemy soldiers littered the ground. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

The wreckage of a few cannons lay scattered, and military tents were pitched on the outskirts. Townspeople were already being forced to collect the dead under the watchful eyes of Mughal soldiers.

Amin shook his head in disbelief. "We weren’t supposed to destroy this town. Look at the damage."

One of the soldiers leading them said, "Hazur, we were able to catch them off guard initially, but things changed in the middle of the battle. In our previous encounter, we successfully lured the enemy out of their base, but this time, they didn’t come out.

After hours of bombardment, our hazur decided to charge in, but we were blocked by soldiers at the town’s entrance. To make matters worse, instead of fleeing, the enemy’s main cavalry detoured and flanked us from the rear using a gate we were unaware of. Thankfully, due to our hazur’s foresight, some cannons had been placed to cover the rear, and that saved us from the pincer attack. However, we still lost significant troops and cannons in the process."

The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on Amin and Farhan. They had narrowly won, but it wasn’t without cost. Had they arrived on time, perhaps things would have gone differently. Amin clenched his fists, knowing full well they would face Zahid’s fury for their delay.

Finally, they were led to the chief’s house, now occupied by Subedar Zahid. The air was thick with tension as they entered the council room. Zahid sat at the head of the table, his eyes cold and unreadable as he motioned for them to approach.

"Faujdars," Zahid began, his voice steady but carrying an edge, "explain the reason for your delay and report the casualties."

One by one, the faujdars stepped forward. Tausif reported 30 soldiers wounded and 13 killed. Farhan’s losses were greater: 86 wounded and 24 dead. Amin, his voice heavy with regret, reported the worst: 350 dead and 94 wounded.

Zahid took in the reports without emotion. "Settle your soldiers outside the town," he ordered. "Because of your delay, we lost 600 cavalrymen and 20 cannons in the hands of natives. Now at this state, we cannot continue our conquest toward Quetta. We’ll rest here and tend to the wounded until reinforcements arrive. Resources are low, so your men are excluded from plundering the town."

Farhan stepped forward, his face tight with concern. "But, hazur, what about the morale of the soldiers? They’ve fought hard.."

Zahid’s voice cut him off, firm but controlled. "Merit brings rewards, and mistakes bring punishment. If you can’t control your men, perhaps your juniors would be better suited for your positions."

The words, though calmly spoken but it carried an unmistakable threat. It was a mercy that they were still alive. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the faujdars silently accepted their orders and set out to carry them out without any delay.

****

Inside the Quetta city, in durbar of ruling family of kakar tribe

Inside the durbar, a heated dispute unfolded, drawing the attention of the influential officials gathered in the court. Chief Malik Shahbaz sat regally on his throne, listening intently as two traders presented their case over the rights to a coal mine located on the border of the plots they had purchased in the mountain ranges.

"That plot was mine, Chief!" shouted the fat, bald trader, "My forefather showed mercy by allowing their ancestors to settle there temporarily. Now that they’ve prospered, they should leave!"

"No, Chief!" countered the tall, long-bearded trader. "It was a gift, given with no intention of taking it back. They considered it wasteland! My ancestors served with loyalty and merit, and now this shameless man demands it back just because coal was discovered. Please, do justice!"

Malik Shahbaz scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Do you have any proof that it was given as a gift? Any witness to your ancestor’s service?"

The taller trader hesitated as his confidence wavered. "That’s not yet clear, Chief. It’s been many years since he perished..."

Malik’s expression hardened as he leaned forward. "And you remember that the land was given to you?"

The fat trader smirked, sensing victory. But Malik’s gaze turned to him which was sharp and piercing. "You said it was given by your forefathers. Tell me, why would they show mercy without reason? Surely there are many nomads in our community without a place to settle."

The fat trader’s smile faltered, and he stammered, "That’s up to him, my lord! What can we do about his decision?"

Malik raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "Since it was a gift, is it not meant to remain with you? Or do you have any proof that it was given with a temporary clause in writing or with witnesses?"

The fat man faltered. "Written transactions are not common, Chief! The witnesses... they are long gone..."

Malik leaned back with satisfaction. "Since neither of you has evidence, and the land does not lie in a common-use region, I will allow both of you to choose a nearby plot of equal measure. We will settle this dispute there. As for the coal mine, which neither of you anticipated, I will allow you to bid for the rights to mine it, as we would for any normal contractor."

Gasps filled the durbar. The traders exchanged shocked glances, realizing their dispute was being swallowed whole by the chief’s judgment. The fat trader opened his mouth to protest, but the tall man, displaying unexpected wisdom, responded, "Chief, I wish to bid."

Malik nodded as a satisfied smile crept across his face. "Good. That’s settled."

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted as a guard rushed into the hall, panic etched across his face. "Hazur! Machh town has fallen!"

A murmur of fear rippled through the durbar, and Malik stood, his expression darkening. "What? Machh fallen?"

"Yes, Hazur. We have survivor from the town," the guard replied breathlessly.

As the court fell silent, a young man stumbled in, his clothes tattered and his face smeared with dirt and blood. Gasps filled the room, and a hushed panic settled among the officials.

"Hazur, the Mughals have not only taken Machh but also destroyed Sibi and Dhadar!" he exclaimed with trembling voice. "They plan to take over Quetta next. I was the lucky one whom the Machh chief passed on as messager. We must prepare! The independence of Baloch is at stake! "

Malik’s face contorted in rage, the betrayal cutting deep. They had paid tribute to the Mughals for decades, and this unprovoked attack was sheer wickedness.

As whispers of fear spread, courtiers suggested seeking help from surrounding tribes, including the Safavids. Malik shook his head vehemently. "Both are snakes and cannot be trusted. We have no time to waste. The only people who can help us now are the Jamot tribe from the southeastern region."

Without any delay, he issued commands. "Dispatch two units at once! One will scout Machh, and the other will call for reinforcements. We must unify against the invading Mughals."

As the court sprang into action, the weight of impending conflict hung heavy in the air, the traders’ dispute momentarily forgotten in the face of a greater threat.