This is a moment of intimacy between the leading man and lady of my historical-fiction novelette The Slave Prince of Zimbabwe. The man here is Drazhan Khazanov, a native of the medieval Eastern European country of Ruthenia who is brought in chains to southern Africa under the ownership of the Swahili sultan of Kilwa. Drazhan ends up teaming up with Ruvarashe, the Mambokadzi (Queen) of Zimbabwe (who is the woman in this picture), against his former master, who in turn has the might of Song Dynasty China to back him up!

I have to say that Drazhan and Ruva are among my favorite couples I’ve ever created for a story.