As much as he longs for peace, King Edwin is repeatedly forced into war against treacherous neighbor kingdoms. For twenty years, though, Edwin succeeds in bringing peace, prosperity, and Christianity to England.

Then, Cadwallon, his rival and enemy almost since birth, raises an army to overthrow Edwin. Aided by Edwin's other nephews, Aelfrith's sons, Cadwallon succeeds in killing Edwin at last.

But Cadwallon and his ally Penda betray the other princes and attempt to murder them, killing two. The others escape, regroup and attack the following spring. Cadwallon is killed, Penda is driven off, and Oswald, the oldest prince, takes the throne of Northumbria. Once again, the kingdom is under Christian rule.

For eight years Oswald is Bretwalda. Then Penda returns with a huge force of Britons and Welsh. The Christian Saxon nations band together, facing Penda near Leeds. He and his invaders lose. Oswald, however, also dies in the battle. His brother Oswiu takes the throne. Oswiu marries the daughter of King Edwin, Eanfled, uniting the once-warring families, and establishes Christianity solidly in England. He rules for 28 peaceful years, healing the wounds of the nation.

A smiling Brynna watched the swirl and splash of the armada as it formed up and fled before the wind. Whitecaps and spray flew from the prows, and every ship's company laughed out loud at their speed and the freshness of the spray in their faces. Brynna tried to find her family's ship in the rush, and finally spotted it on the far side of the bay, bravely putting out to sea just behind Ivar. There go my father and brothers, she thought with a pang of longing, but also of pride. And here, at last, I go as well troughs of the cobalt-blue North Sea, and the long ships streaked down each wave to ride up the next, letting the wind and the tide sweep them south and west. Brynna, raised by the sea and often aboard her family's ship for coastal excursions, was thrilled. England-bound Brynna laughed aloud. Adventure at last Her dreams were about to come true. part of a Viking raid, something no girl had ever done. But it would turn out much different than she had ever dreamed

What is Acha's Choice? Princess Acha, daughter of Saxon King Aelle, and sister of newborn Prince Edwin, must decide what to do to protect herself and Edwin when an enemy king kills their father and seeks to remove any heirs to the throne. With the help of friends, Acha takes Edwin and other refugees to the western lands of the Britons. These kind people take the band in and shelter them, in spite of the fact that they are Saxons, and therefore, enemies of the native Britons. Here, in the deep, mysterious woods, Acha finds someone to love. But, her relationship threatens the safety of her party, and Acha must decide if she can surrender her brother and others she loves to return into danger, alone. Only then can she find a way to guarantee young Edwin's safety, by a choice at once breathtaking and final. What will Acha decide?

In this second novel of the trilogy about Edwin, High King of England, we find the future king now a teenager, living under the protection of two Welsh patrons. King Ceorl of Mercia has provided Edwin and his cousin Harrick shelter for the last sixteen years, helping the princes grow up with the courtly training they will need to become rulers themselves one day. Prince Cadfan of Gwynned, Ceorl's ally, has also taken Edwin and his cousin under his tutelage in Mercia's summer outlaw camps, teaching the boys how to lead men in battle.

Now the days grow short for Mercia and Gwynned, for Edwin and Harrick, and for all those who have grown close to the outlawed, banished princes. Aelfrith Rex of Northumbria, their ancient enemy, no longer feels restrained from his long-held goal of conquest. And he has set his eye first on the kingdoms which have protected his rivals.

The Bear has awakened, and he moves swiftly toward his revenge. Can the princes survive the coming war? Will they ever gain their own kingdom back from the hands of the Ravager?

As much as he longs for peace, King Edwin is repeatedly forced into war against treacherous neighbor kingdoms. For twenty years, though, Edwin succeeds in bringing peace, prosperity, and Christianity to England.

Then, Cadwallon, his rival and enemy almost since birth, raises an army to overthrow Edwin. Aided by Edwin's other nephews, Aelfrith's sons, Cadwallon succeeds in killing Edwin at last.

But Cadwallon and his ally Penda betray the other princes and attempt to murder them, killing two. The others escape, regroup and attack the following spring. Cadwallon is killed, Penda is driven off, and Oswald, the oldest prince, takes the throne of Northumbria. Once again, the kingdom is under Christian rule.

For eight years Oswald is Bretwalda. Then Penda returns with a huge force of Britons and Welsh. The Christian Saxon nations band together, facing Penda near Leeds. He and his invaders lose. Oswald, however, also dies in the battle. His brother Oswiu takes the throne. Oswiu marries the daughter of King Edwin, Eanfled, uniting the once-warring families, and establishes Christianity solidly in England. He rules for 28 peaceful years, healing the wounds of the nation.

In this second novel of the trilogy about Edwin, High King of England, we find the future king now a teenager, living under the protection of two Welsh patrons. King Ceorl of Mercia has provided Edwin and his cousin Harrick shelter for the last sixteen years, helping the princes grow up with the courtly training they will need to become rulers themselves one day. Prince Cadfan of Gwynned, Ceorl's ally, has also taken Edwin and his cousin under his tutelage in Mercia's summer outlaw camps, teaching the boys how to lead men in battle.

Now the days grow short for Mercia and Gwynned, for Edwin and Harrick, and for all those who have grown close to the outlawed, banished princes. Aelfrith Rex of Northumbria, their ancient enemy, no longer feels restrained from his long-held goal of conquest. And he has set his eye first on the kingdoms which have protected his rivals.

The Bear has awakened, and he moves swiftly toward his revenge. Can the princes survive the coming war? Will they ever gain their own kingdom back from the hands of the Ravager?

What is Acha's Choice? Princess Acha, daughter of Saxon King Aelle and sister of newborn Prince Edwin, must decide what to do to protect herself and Edwin, when an enemy king kills their father, and seeks to remove any heirs to the throne. With the help of friends, Acha takes Edwin and other refugees to the western lands of the Britons. These kind people take the band in and shelter them, in spite of the fact that they are Saxons, and therefore, enemies of the native Britons. Here in the deep, mysterious woods, Acha finds someone to love. But, her relationship threatens the safety of her party, and Acha must decide if she can surrender her brother and others she loves to return into danger, alone. Only then can she find a way to guarantee young Edwin's safety by a choice at once breathtaking and final. What will Acha decide?

"A smiling Brynna watched the swirl and splash of the armada as it formed up and fled before the wind. Whitecaps and spray flew from the prows, and every ship's company laughed out loud at their speed and the freshness of the spray in their faces. Brynna tried to find her family's ship in the rush, and finally spotted it on the far side of the bay, bravely putting out to sea just behind Ivar. There go my father and brothers, she thought with a pang of longing, but also of pride. And here, at last, I go as well!Outside the natural breaker rocks of the harbor, the swells became the long troughs of the cobalt-blue North Sea, and the long ships streaked down each wave to ride up the next, letting the wind and the tide sweep them south and west. Brynna, raised by the sea and often aboard her family's ship for coastal excursions, was thrilled. England-bound! Brynna laughed aloud. Adventure at last! Her dreams were about to come true."But what would the adventure bring? Brynna's disguise had worked, and she was part of a Viking raid, something no girl had ever done. But it would turn out much different than she had ever dreamed!