England just after 1000 A.D. teeters on the brink of survival, struggling in the aftermath of repeated invasions and assimilating former enemies as new neighbors. Alfgar, descended from Danish invaders on one side and English farmers on the other, faces a personal struggle to lead a moral life while corrupt officials fan old resentments and disguise personal ambition with holy rhetoric. His love and faith pit him against powerful enemies, including his own father, and lead him on a course of adventure alongside the English king. But can Alfgar and his allies understand the treachery within their own ranks before it costs Alfgar his love and England its freedom?