To those around her she was a loyal subject. In her heart she was a traitor. 1399: England's crown is under threat. King Richard II holds onto his power by en ever-weakening thread, with exiled Henry of Lancaster back to reclaim his place on the throne. For Elizabeth Mortimer, there is only one rightful King - her eight-year-old nephew, Edmund. Only he can guarantee her fortunes, and protect her family's rule over the precious Northern lands bordering Scotland. But many, including Elizabeth's husband, do not want another child-King. Elizabeth must hide her true ambitions in Court, and go against her husband's wishes to help build a rebel army. To question her loyalty to the King places Elizabeth in the shadow of the axe. To concede would curdle her Plantagenet blood.