Vrinda of Mewar

1568. The Mughal emperor Akbar has just taken Chittorgarh by storm, massacring thirty thousand and breaking the proudest Rajput fort in the land. In the ruins of the jauhar chamber, his soldiers pull one woman back from the fire.

Kumari Vrinda Devi Sisodia. First princess of Mewar. Full sister of the one Rajput who will never kneel.

No one knows she is alive.

Transported in secret to Agra, unnamed, unrecorded, a ghost in the emperor's own Fort. she carries nothing except the names of three hundred dead women she witnessed in the dark, a brother she will not reach for because reaching would destroy him, and the knowledge that the man who burned her home is the only person in the world who knows she is breathing.
He holds her as a weapon. She holds herself together by architecture. Neither of them planned for what happens in the space between.

This is not a gentle story.

A dark historical forbidden romance, set in the court of the Akbar of 1568. the conqueror, not the philosopher. Only Vrinda is invented. The world around her is not.

Content warning: This story contains depictions of war, violence, the historical practice of jauhar, captivity, and mature themes. It is a work of historical fiction. Only the protagonist is invented; the world around her is real and is treated honestly.

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of historical fiction for entertainment purposes only. The protagonist Vrinda is entirely fictional and did not exist. All other named figures are real historical persons whose documented history is represented as accurately as possible. All dialogue, private thoughts, and the romantic relationship depicted in this story are entirely invented and make no claim to historical fact. No disrespect is intended toward any community, religion, or historical figure.

Mature content - strictly for readers 18 and older. All original creative content copyright the author. All rights reserved.