🌙 Blurb In the year 1864, the kingdom of Devgarh stands on the edge of change — British envoys circle its courts, and the weight of old traditions silences the hearts of those who serve them. When King Aarav Dev Singh Rathore, the solemn young ruler of Devgarh, loses faith in love after betrayal and loss, he buries himself in duty and solitude. Then comes Meera, a quiet village girl who enters the palace as a maid after her father’s death. What begins as humble servitude turns into a slow, forbidden connection — glances stolen across silk corridors, words exchanged beneath moonlight, and an affection neither dares to name. But love within palace walls is a dangerous thing — and desire, once awakened, can either ruin or redeem them both. Phase I – The Arrival (Ch. 1–10) Meera arrives in the royal palace of Devgarh as a lowly maid. She’s naive but observant — her first glimpses of the King reveal both his power and loneliness. Palace rules, gossip, and the hierarchy suffocate her — yet she feels strangely drawn to him. The King notices her calm defiance and purity during small moments — a gaze, a word of gratitude. First moment of connection: she saves an injured falcon he loves — the first spark of trust. Phase II – The Awakening (Ch. 11–20) Meera becomes attendant to the Queen Mother; more contact with the King. The King finds himself distracted by her voice, her silence, her care. Rumors begin — dangerous in a court built on pride. Their eyes meet across temple rituals and long corridors. A monsoon night brings a near-confession under flickering lamps — but fear holds them back. Phase III – The Distance (Ch. 21–30) To protect her, the King assigns Meera to distant duties. Both suffer in silence — his letters unsent, her tears unnoticed. Meanwhile, a British officer proposes an alliance that demands the King’s marriage to another. Meera contemplates leaving, but fate draws her back when the Queen falls ill. Their hands touch again — and the world stills. Phase IV – The Forbidden Bond (Ch. 31–45) Nights of shared words, growing trust, and poetic longing. He teaches her to read; she teaches him to feel again. A secret garden becomes their haven. A stolen moment of closeness — no words, just trembling nearness under moonlight. But a rival courtier discovers their secret. Phase V – The Storm (Ch. 46–60) Lies spread; Meera is accused of seducing the King. She is banished to the old servant quarters. The King faces the council’s wrath but cannot reveal the truth. His longing consumes him — her absence feels like exile. Monsoon returns — their love resurfaces in defiance, ending in a forbidden embrace that changes everything. Phase VI – The Trial of Hearts (Ch. 61–70) The palace erupts — scandal, betrayal, and foreign pressure. Meera is imprisoned for treason; the King is forced to choose between throne and heart. She refuses his help to save him. In secret, he arranges her freedom and abdicates the throne. Phase VII – The Dawn (Ch. 71–80) They escape Devgarh as fugitives. Meera’s faith restores him — he learns the meaning of love beyond power. A new life begins in exile, away from crowns and courts. The story ends under the same moon where their story began — free, but forever marked by what they shared.