In Love & War

England is burning. And the cause...men are too afraid to utter in nothing but a whisper. The Northmen. My father is King Eanred. And me? I am Princess Emeline. My father wants to protect our kingdom against the ruthless Vikings who continue to raid England, so he has betrothed me to Aethelwulf, the son of King Egbert of Wessex, the most powerful realm in all of England. Without this union, Northumbria will fall, which is why I must submit. I must do this for my people. However, it is not in my nature to surrender. So, when my father captures the most savage Viking known in our land, I do what no good, God-fearing Christian would do—I help him. His name...Skarth the Godless. People fear what they don't understand, but I will not allow that to control me. Fear makes us blind to the truth, and I refuse to cower because Skarth soon becomes my teacher—in all things. And when his rival, Ulf the Bloody, shatters my world, it becomes clear the lessons have only just begun. My soul is tarnished. I am a sinner. Lord, hear my prayer...

England is bleeding. And there isn't a thing I can do about it. I am once again a prisoner to Wessex, captured by King Egbert because holding me hostage will bring them to him, my two Vikings who will risk heaven and earth to save me. But I don't need saving. I am Princess Emeline, and I was taught by the best, and his name...Skarth the Godless. The man whom I love more than anything in this world. But things begin to blur when Ulf the Bloody reminds me of the promise I made, and that promise is that I belong to him. We must work together to overthrow King Egbert, but the war I fight within my heart is far more dangerous than anything I will ever face on the battlefield. The choice is not simple because we all must make sacrifices. But I soon realize that all is not fair in love and war. Lives will be lost. Hearts will be broken. And come dawn, life as we know it will be changed forevermore.

My beloved England is finally saved, for I am now queen. The rules have changed, and peace now settles over the Kingdoms. This is the life I was destined for. However, this life isn't without regret because I'm missing an integral piece of my heart. I believed we were forever. But for England to prosper, I had to give up everything for the only man I ever loved. And that man is Skarth the Godless. I do not know where he is. But this is the sacrifice I must make because a Saxon queen cannot love a Northman. But I do. I always have. A love fated in the stars…stars which I wish to set alight-for what good is love if you cannot embrace it with both hands? Skarth and I are connected in more ways than one. And when our children's lives are at risk and everything I fought so hard for is about to be destroyed, I forget I am Queen Emeline. I am Hugrekki. I must find Skarth, and only one person can help me. Ulf the Bloody. This is our final battle-a battle of the heart-and I fear it's a war we're all about to lose. Godspeed…