It’s 878, and things are looking very dark for Alfred and his kingdom of Wessex. Can he emerge from hiding and defeat the Vikings? Well, perhaps – with the help of his daughter Aethelflaed and a few faithful retainers…

Alfred was a remarkable leader, and without him, all the kingdoms of England would have fallen to th invaders from the North. But there was a time when he came within an inch of defeat. This book tells the story of that time, but also explores what made Alfred the King he became. Much of it is told from the point of view of his daughter Aethelflaed, who grew up to become a redoubtable leader in her own right: the Lady of the Mercians, and the foster mother of Athelstan, who was to become the first true king of all England.