The sun was sinking below the horizon, casting a fiery glow across the waves. I, Abbakka Chowta, stood on the walls of Ullal, feeling the brisk sea breeze stir my hair. The golden light bathed our proud town, and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore was like a heartbeat, fierce and unyielding. Ullal was mine to protect, a town bustling with the trade and tradition of our people, an integral part of my heart.

The messengers had come swiftly, breathless, and spoke of Portuguese ships that once again lurked on the horizon. The colonizers, arrogant in their belief of superiority, wished to take what was not theirs. They desired to capture Ullal, to rule over our people and control our port. But this was our land, our home, and I would never let them trample it underfoot.

The people called me Abhaya Rani—The Fearless Queen. They believed in me, trusted that I would defend them with all my strength. The honor of our Chowta dynasty, our culture, and our people rested upon my shoulders.