Fated to Strike: Princess Amodini, #0

By C Phillip

A warrior queen in a fallen kingdom.
When the white stallion of Satayu breeches the borders of Amritambu, Queen Nandini orders it's capture against the better judgement of her entire court. She refuses to surrender her kingdom peacefully to the Ashwamedha ritual that allows the horse to wander freely and declares Satayu a sovereign empire over all other kingdoms in the continent.

Capturing the magnificent beast means war against the forces of Veerata, the invincible young general of Satayu, who conquered even the great kingdom of Matsya. Nandini's insignificant army falls to his might in a single week. Under orders of King Padmapani of Satayu, Veerata must capture both the queen and her younger sister, Princess Amodini, alive. But he finds the palace deserted and the fiery young queen waiting to ambush his soldiers in a secret room in the tallest tower.

Can Veerata convince Nandini to surrender and save her own life or will they perish together inside that ill-fated room?

And where is Princess Amodini?

• Language: English
• Publisher: C Phillip
• Release date: Jan 5, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201139629

C Phillip

C Phillip is a Mumbai-based, self-published author of two book series, one light novel and short stories. She writes action-packed historical fiction and fantasy novels with a generous helping of romance, suspense and strong female leads. Her short story, 'The Prince and the Flute Player', is featured in a charity anthology, Children of War, that explores the experiences of children trapped in war and seeks to honour those affected by the Russia-Ukraine conflict.  Apart from writing books, C Phillip is engaged in active research on women's empowerment in ancient India, which she uses as a basis for creating credible, diverse, dynamic and multifaceted characters. 

Book preview

Blurb

A warrior queen in a fallen kingdom.

When the white stallion of Satayu breeches the borders of Amritambu, Queen Nandini orders it's capture against the better judgement of her entire court. She refuses to surrender her kingdom peacefully to the Ashwamedha ritual that allows the horse to wander freely and declares Satayu a sovereign empire over all other kingdoms in the continent.

Capturing the magnificent beast means war against the forces of Veerata, the invincible young general of Satayu, who conquered even the great kingdom of Matsya. Nandini's insignificant army falls to his might in a single week. Under orders of King Padmapani of Satayu, Veerata must capture both the queen and her younger sister, Princess Amodini, alive. But he finds the palace deserted and the fiery young queen waiting to ambush his soldiers in a secret room in the tallest tower.

Can Veerata convince Nandini to surrender and save her own life or will they perish together inside that ill-fated room?

And where is Princess Amodini?

Content Warning

This book is a work of fiction containing explicit and vividly visual scenes of violence, blood, suicide, death, and self-injurious behaviour that may be upsetting and triggering for some readers. Unsuitable for all readers under the age of 16.

A Quick Note

Common Attire in Princess Amodini’s World

This book is a work of fiction based in a parallel universe of ancient India. The clothing, described here, is derived from the traditional dress of ancient India, which is one of the main pieces of evidence marking the existence of gender equality during that period. Most historians agree that both men and women, even children, wore the same three pieces of clothing that constituted the complete dress. These three pieces are referred to liberally throughout this book and are essential to the plot.

The lower body garment, called Antariya, consists of a cotton cloth, mostly white, five yards long, tied below the navel, and covering the entire lower body up to the ankles. The front end of the antariya hangs in long pleats from the waist till below the knees while the other end is passed through the legs and tucked at the back. The men in ancient times wore loosely-fitted antariyas while the women sometimes also wore tightly-fitted or knee-length ones. Over the centuries, the antariya has evolved into its current form called dhoti, specifically worn by Indian men.

The garment covering the upper body, called Uttariya, consists of a single loose piece of cloth, cotton or silk, maximum two yards long, similar to a shawl. It can be draped in a number of ways. The evolved version is called the dupatta and is a vital part of the female dress in India. For the sake of