998 CE. War drums are loud at the arid borderlands of the Ganga empire as the Imperial Chola army advances, in their unstoppable quest for total dominance in South India. Madhavi, the Ganga Princess, is engaged to the Chalukyan Prince in return for the protection they offer against the Cholas. She does not much care for marriage, and one Prince is the same as the next as long as her beloved people are safe. But she has not bargained on meeting a man who steals her heart. Can she trust Vikraman as he assures her he will save her kingdom? Can he truly be her saviour? Read on to find out what happens to Vikraman and Madhavi as the star crossed lovers are caught up in a maelstrom of deceit, betrayal, and violence.