The camp was eerily quiet as Vidur Pant and his men moved swiftly between the tents. Every breath felt heavy in Vidur's chest, but he kept his steps light, his senses sharp. The Mughal soldiers slept just beyond the flickering campfires, unaware of the danger that crept closer.
"Stay low," Vidur whispered to Narayanrao as they reached the first of the siege engines. The massive structures loomed above them, half-finished but deadly if they reached the gates of Fort Panhala.
Vidur glanced at the ropes holding the battering ram in place. "Cut these, and it'll collapse."
Narayanrao nodded, his eyes scanning the camp. "I'll keep watch."
With swift, precise motions, Vidur slashed through the ropes. The heavy wood groaned as the battering ram tilted, crashing to the ground with a muffled thud. Vidur winced, his hand tightening on the hilt of his sword. Too loud.
"They'll hear that," Narayanrao muttered, his eyes narrowing toward the distant tents.
Vidur's heart raced, but he nodded. "We move fast. On to the next."
They reached the second siege engine just as a faint shout echoed from across the camp. Vidur's chest tightened. The Mughals are waking.
"Narayanrao," Vidur hissed, "get the men ready to retreat. We don't have much time."
Narayanrao nodded and motioned to the other soldiers, his movements quick and efficient. Meanwhile, Vidur set to work, cutting through the last of the ropes holding the second battering ram in place. It collapsed in a heap of wood and iron, just as the first flickers of torchlight appeared in the distance.
"They're coming!" Narayanrao called out, his voice low but urgent.
Vidur cursed under his breath. We're out of time.
"Burn the supplies!" Vidur ordered, his voice sharp. "Leave nothing behind."
The soldiers moved quickly, splashing oil over the supply wagons and setting them alight. Flames leaped into the air, casting eerie shadows over the camp. Vidur watched as the fire spread, illuminating the chaos unfolding around them.
"Mughal soldiers are on the move," Narayanrao said, his sword drawn as he moved beside Vidur.
Vidur nodded, his eyes scanning the camp. Time to go.
The Maratha soldiers began pulling back, moving swiftly through the camp as the Mughal soldiers scrambled to respond to the growing fire. Vidur's heart pounded in his chest, his mind racing. They had crippled the siege engines, but the Mughals were waking fast, their forces already mobilizing.
As they reached the edge of the camp, Vidur turned, his eyes locking onto the sight of Mughal cavalry charging toward them. Too fast.
"Narayanrao, we need to move—now!" Vidur shouted, his voice urgent.
The soldiers quickened their pace, but the sound of hooves thundered behind them. Vidur drew his sword, his eyes scanning the terrain. We need to slow them down.
"Into the trees!" Vidur ordered, pointing toward a small grove of trees that lay just ahead. The dense cover would give them a chance to escape the cavalry's pursuit.
The Maratha soldiers darted into the trees, their breaths ragged as they pushed through the undergrowth. The Mughals slowed as they neared the edge of the forest, wary of charging into unfamiliar terrain.
Vidur crouched low behind a tree, his heart racing as he watched the Mughal cavalry hesitate. Good. Let them hesitate.
"They're not following us," Narayanrao whispered from beside him.
Vidur nodded, his hand still gripping his sword tightly. "We've bought ourselves some time. But they'll regroup. We need to get back to the fort."
Narayanrao's face was grim as he glanced back toward the burning camp. "We hit them hard tonight, but they'll come back with a vengeance."
Vidur stood slowly, his eyes narrowing. "I know. But we've done enough damage to slow them down. For now, that's all that matters."
Return to Fort Panhala
The sun was just beginning to rise as Vidur and his men reached the gates of Fort Panhala. The soldiers were exhausted, their faces lined with dirt and sweat, but they had made it back. For now, they were safe.
"Vidur!" Santaji Ghorpade called from the ramparts as the gate creaked open. "You did it. I saw the flames from here."
Vidur wiped the sweat from his brow, nodding as he stepped through the gate. "We crippled their siege engines, burned their supplies. They'll be slower to move now."
Narayanrao grinned, though his face still bore the marks of tension. "We bought ourselves some time. But that's all it is—time."
Santaji's expression darkened. "The Mughals won't sit idle after this. They'll come back, and they'll come harder."
Vidur's gaze shifted to the horizon, where the first light of day was creeping over the hills. Yes. They will.
"We'll be ready," Vidur said quietly. "This fort will stand."
As the fort settled back into its tense routine, Vidur found himself once again in the war room, surrounded by maps and reports. Narayanrao sat across from him, his face hard with thought.
"We delayed them," Narayanrao said, breaking the silence. "But it won't be long before they're at our gates again."
Vidur nodded slowly, his fingers tracing the map before him. A few days, maybe less. He turned to Narayanrao, his voice low. "We need reinforcements, or Panhala won't survive the next attack."
Narayanrao looked grim. "The messenger you sent to Raigad hasn't returned yet. We don't know if help is even coming."
Vidur's jaw tightened. If reinforcements don't come...
A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. A young soldier entered, his face pale. "Vidur, Narayanrao, there's a man at the gate. He says he has news—urgent news about Aurangzeb's plans."
Vidur and Narayanrao exchanged a glance, both of them already on their feet. News? This could change everything.
As they reached the gate, Vidur's eyes fell on a lone figure standing in the courtyard. He was tall, with a face lined by weariness and travel, but his eyes were sharp.
"You have news?" Vidur asked, his voice steady.
The man nodded, his expression grave. "Aurangzeb isn't just sending more soldiers. He's planning a full-scale invasion. His army is larger than we thought. Thousands more are marching south. And he won't stop until Raigad falls."
Vidur's heart sank. Thousands more. A full invasion.
Narayanrao's face paled, his fists clenched. "How long until they reach us?"
"Days," the man replied. "Maybe less."
Vidur felt the weight of the words settle heavily on his shoulders. Panhala was running out of time.
Panhala was running out of time.