Velvet and Ashes

Ratnabai, once a slave girl in the alleys of Pune, rises to become the most sought-after courtesan in the Maratha Empire. Her beauty entrances nobles, her art commands kings—but beneath the shimmer of jewels and applause lies a woman haunted by the brutal murder of her mentor and bound by a society that sees her as entertainment, not a person. As the power-hungry Sadavarte family tightens its grip on her life, Ratnabai navigates the politics of zenanas, merchant halls, and battlefields with grace sharpened into a weapon. From secret alliances to forbidden love, from humiliating betrayals to soul-stirring performances, she refuses to remain a pawn in a game played by men. But change is coming. Empires rise, and empires fall. As the drums of war echo across Hindustan and the Marathas march toward destiny at Panipat, Ratnabai must choose: to stay a jewel in a dying court—or to become a spark in history’s fire.