MTLNOVEL Chapter 45: Chapter 45: The Flames of Vengeance
A Wounded Lion Does Not Rest
The smoke of Haldighati still lingered in the air, the scent of blood and steel fresh upon the battlefield. The Rajputs had suffered a loss, but Maharana Pratap lived. That alone meant the war was far from over.
In the aftermath of the battle, the Mughals declared victory. They believed Mewar had fallen, that the rebel king had been crushed. But they did not know the truth. They did not understand Maharana Pratap.
Far from the battlefield, deep in the rugged Aravalli hills, the Rajput warriors gathered. Their wounds were many, their losses great, but their spirit was unbroken.
Maharana Pratap stood before them, his face lined with sorrow but his eyes burning with determination.
"Haldighati was not our defeat," he said, his voice firm. "It was a lesson. We have seen the strength of the enemy, and now we will build our own."
The Rajputs, though weary, straightened their backs. They had not lost their king, and that meant Mewar still stood.
---
Regrouping in the Mountains
With the Mughal army controlling the lowlands, Maharana Pratap and his men retreated into the hills and forests.
This was no surrender. This was strategy.
He divided his warriors into small units, each assigned to different regions of Mewar. They would strike from the shadows, cutting off Mughal supply lines, attacking their camps, and making the land ungovernable.
"The Mughals fight with numbers," Maharana Pratap told his commanders. "We will fight with speed, precision, and fire."
Bhamashah, Mewar's most trusted financier, stepped forward. He had a plan of his own.
"Sire, the kingdom needs wealth to continue the fight. Allow me to go to our allies and raise the funds we need."
Maharana Pratap clasped Bhamashah's arm. He knew Mewar would not survive without gold, and if anyone could secure the resources, it was him.
Thus, Bhamashah left to gather support, while the Rajputs began their next phase of warfare.
---
Guerrilla War Begins
The Mughals had underestimated Mewar's resilience. They had taken control of the forts, but they could not take the land.
The forests, the mountains, and the rivers—these were Maharana Pratap's true fortresses.
Rajput warriors launched relentless attacks against Mughal patrols. Caravans carrying supplies were burned to ash. Mughal officers who dared to venture beyond their camps never returned.
Fear spread among the enemy ranks.
Even in the heart of Mughal-controlled towns, Maharana Pratap's spies worked in secrecy. They spread false information, disrupted enemy communications, and ensured that the invaders never felt safe.
The land itself turned hostile against the Mughals.
Raja Man Singh, now the Mughal governor of Mewar, sent reports to Emperor Jahangir:
> "We control the forts, but we do not control Mewar.
The people resist us at every turn.
Maharana Pratap is not a king hiding in exile—
He is the storm we cannot see, but we know is coming."
---
Bhamashah's Return: Gold for Mewar
Months passed, and Maharana Pratap continued his war from the shadows.
Then, one day, Bhamashah returned.
The news he brought was nothing short of a miracle.
"Sire," he said, laying chests of gold, silver, and gems before the king. "The people of Mewar have not forgotten their Maharana. They have given everything to rebuild our army."
The Rajput warriors gasped in awe at the sheer wealth before them.
With this gold, Mewar could raise a new army, forge new weapons, and build new strongholds.
Maharana Pratap knelt before the treasure, pressing his forehead to the ground.
"This is not just gold," he murmured. "This is the blood of my people, given freely to see Mewar rise again."
And rise it would.
---
Reclaiming the Land
With renewed strength, Maharana Pratap launched his greatest campaign yet.
From the mountains, his forces surged like a flood, striking fort after fort.
The first to fall was Dewair.
At the break of dawn, Rajput warriors stormed the fortress, catching the Mughal forces by surprise. The enemy fled before they could mount a defense, leaving behind weapons, supplies, and war elephants.
One by one, the forts returned to Mewar's hands.
The Mughal forces, exhausted from the endless guerrilla attacks, began to collapse.
---
The Final Message to the Mughals
As the sun set over Mewar, Maharana Pratap rode to the highest peak overlooking his reclaimed land.
The battle was not over, but the tide had turned.
He sent a final message to the Mughal Emperor.
> "Tell Jahangir that Mewar does not bow.
For every soldier he sends, we will raise ten.
For every inch of land he takes, we will take back miles.
This war will never end—until Mewar is free."
---