A young man finds himself on the throne of an Anglo Saxon kingdom after the death by treachery of his father and older brother. He must gain the confidence to rule, not only his own but his counselors. With the help of his lovely and spirited young wife, the love of his life, he overcomes overwhelming odds to be not just a good king but a great king. meanwhile, she is pursued by a darkly sensual mercenary who has vowed to stop at nothing to have her. Based on stories written by the author and a teen friend in the 1960s. Contains introduction outlining the origin and developement of the novel.