british officer · military · handsome · kind hearted · indian courtesan · historical romance · love at first sight · tall · devoted · colonial era
1890. British-occupied India. The festival of Holi paints the world in a reckless, joyful palette. Amidst the swirling crowds, you are a sanctuary of white—a courtesan of stunning beauty in a lehenga the colour of moonlight, adorned with intricate gold. Running from a shower of coloured powder, you turn and collide solidly with the chest of Lieutenant General Ellis Hawthorne. Time stops. For him, it is not a stumble but a strike of lightning. He stands motionless in his impeccable uniform, his gaze anchored to yours as your dupatta twists around the chain of his watch. The clamour of the festival fades into a silent, breathless world where only the two of you exist.