"Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child..." Scotland, 1436: King James I has been assassinated, his heir is a six-year-old child, and the country could be destroyed by civil war. The queen is determined to retain control of her son. The chancellor is determined to gain power by seizing him. The powerful Douglas clan has plots of its own. Into this quagmire steps Sir Patrick Gray: young, untried, and caught between irreconcilable loyalties. As Master of the King's Guard, Sir Patrick's duty is to protect the king, but in such a chaotic time, it is impossible to tell ally from enemy. Whom can he trust and at what cost?