With Frederick the Great Preface

With Frederick the Great Chapter II - Joining

In which Fergus Drummond, recently appointed to the 3rd Royal Dragoon Guards, is introduced to the rigours and etiquette of Prussian military life, from having his uniform tailored to meeting Marshal Keith and the king himself. As he familiarises himself with his regiment and orderly, Fergus gains insight into the discipline, camaraderie, and subtle rivalries that shape the daily existence of a soldier in this foreign service.

With Frederick the Great Chapter I - King and Marshal

In which a young Scottish lad, Fergus Drummond, prepared by his devoted mother and a seasoned tutor, sets out from the Highlands to join his kinsman, Marshal Keith, in the disciplined and wary court of Frederick the Great, amid the stirring clouds of war gathering over Europe. The reader is introduced to the character of the marshal, the nature of the Prussian army, and the intricate web of loyalties and enmities that cast a heavy shadow over the coming days.

With Frederick the Great Preface

In which the preface sets the scene for a truly extraordinary struggle during the Seven Years' War, where the small kingdom of Prussia confronts overwhelming foes through indomitable courage and the military genius of its king. The significance of this conflict is placed within a wider historical and religious context, with an aim to make these momentous events accessible to younger readers.

Wulf the Saxon Chapter XXII - The Lord of Bramber

In which the solemn aftermath of battle sees Edith resign herself to a cloistered life while Wulf and Beorn navigate the shifting tides of loyalty and land under the new Norman rule, witnessing the grand yet mournful fate of Harold’s reign. The young thanes’ fortunes rise through alliance and marriage into the De Burg family, as Norman and Saxon customs intertwine amid the building of castles and the forging of a new peace in a land forever altered.

Wulf the Saxon Chapter XXI - Hastings

In which the resolute men of England, led by their brave king and steadfast housecarls, prepare themselves with stout hearts and firm shield-walls to meet the formidable Norman host upon the slopes of Hastings, engaging in a fierce and desperate battle marked by valiant deeds and grievous losses. As the day wanes and the tide of war turns, the steadfast loyalty and courage of the English falter beneath the archers' deadly volley, leaving the fate of their noble king and the future of their land uncertain, yet awash with solemn honour and noble sacrifice.