Description

The assassinated Shah Jahan lies entombed beside his beloved wife in the Taj Mahal while their progeny drag the Mughal Empire into a threesided struggle over the succession to the Peacock ThroneThe diplomatic and trade mission from the United States of Europe is openly siding with Princess Jahanara and her brother Dara Shikoh The mission made up largely of Americans transplanted in time by the Ring of Fire is providing the siblings with technical assistance as they prepare to fight their rivals for the throne Aurangzeb and Shah Shuja Meanwhile the Afghan adventurer Salim Gadh Yilmaz confidant of two emperorsShah Jahan and now his son Dara Shikohhas been elevated to the position of general He has great challenges to face not the least of which is resisting the fierce and forbidden mutual attraction between himself and Princess JahanaraAs the conflict deepens the junior members of the mission are sent east to buy opium needed by the USEs doctors Their guide merchant Jadu Das has an agenda of his own one entrusted to him by Jahanara seek out her great uncle Asaf Khan and promise whatever is needed to bring his army over to Daras sideThe USEs mission was sent to India in search of goods needed in Europe But now they find that straightforward task has become enmeshed in a great civil warfor control of the Peacock Throne