England is in chaos. The heir to the throne is dead. The king's only remaining legitimate child is Empress Maud, who is hundreds of miles away tending to her sick husband. Once a royal afterthought, Maud has suddenly become the most important woman in Europe.Her father, King Henry I of England, wishes to use her as his pawn once again, but Maud dreams of a different future in which she controls her own destiny. Through heartbreak, conflicts, and great physical danger, she relies on the friends she has made to help her overcome immense obstacles. But will she ever win the respect of both her father and her kingdom? More importantly, will she gain the child she so desperately craves?.