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An evocative and magical romance set in the legendary time of King Arthur. Elen, the daughter of a Welsh chieftain, lives in the border territory with her widowed mother and her brother. Her family are keen to ally with King Arthur, but some of the other local chieftains, in particular the ferocious Urien, are not so sure. One night Elen is called out to tend to a woman in childbirth, and when her mother offers her some strange advice before she leaves she realises with trepidation that she is going to the fae folk. In return for her aid in the safe delivery of a baby boy, the fae magically delay her return home; so when she arrives Urien's men have already left, leaving her home in ruins and her mother brutally butchered. Elen determines to ride to Arthur's court to beg for aid in driving out the invaders. What she doesn't know is that Urien is the paramour of Morgaine, the most powerful sorceress on the Isle of Britain, Arthur's half-sister and his deadliest enemy. Morgaine and Urien decide that Elen must not be allowed to reach Arthur. But they reckon without the valiant Geraint, younger brother of the renowned Sir Gawain. He is determined to prove himself worthy of his place at the Round Table, but when he meets Elen he will find there are things other than honour worth fighting for.
After a brutal raid destroys her home and family, Elen must navigate a treacherous landscape of political intrigue and dark sorcery to seek justice from King Arthur. Driven by grief and a desperate need for protection, Elen embarks on a perilous trek across a divided Britain, pursued by the agents of the sorceress Morgaine. Her path intersects with Geraint, a knight seeking to prove his worth, whose commitment to his code of chivalry is tested by his growing connection to Elen. The narrative unfolds through a third-person perspective, balancing the grounded realities of tribal warfare with the encroaching influence of the fae and magical manipulation.
This novel presents a character-driven interpretation of the Arthurian mythos that emphasizes the personal stakes of those living on the fringes of the legendary court. The narrative structure suggests a focus on the intersection of human vulnerability and magical interference, creating a sense of constant threat for the protagonist. Readers likely appreciate the way the author balances the established lore of Morgaine and Gawain with the fresh perspective of a commoner caught in the crossfire. The work appears to prioritize the development of its leads as they navigate a world where honor is often at odds with survival.
Page Count:
448
Publication Date:
2005-01-01
Publisher:
Harpercollins
ISBN-10:
0007158696
ISBN-13:
9780007158690
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