Rhys ap Rhodri is not a warrior, unlike his father. He believes in negotiation and diplomacy as a better means of curbing Norman influence in Wales. When his rebellious twin brothers are captured and sentenced to be hanged by the Earl of Warwick, Rhys arranges a betrothal that will save his brothers and secure him a wife.Annalise de Vymont is the orphaned daughter of an impoverished and disgraced Norman baron. She has always dreamed of marrying a handsome chivalrous knight--not a Welsh barbarian set to drag her off to his isolated castle. To Rhys ap Rhodri she is a means to an end, a business transaction he's been obliged to enter into for the sake of his brothers and the need to produce heirs.