Lord Utred of Bebbanburg fought all his life for his king Alfred, although he did not wait for a worthy reward for his valor. He keeps the oath of allegiance given to the king, but does not want to swear an oath to his heir, Prince Edward, too weak to hold power. On his deathbed, Alfred asks Utrecht to represent his interests in the country's unification negotiations. If all the Christians of Britain unite, then when the young Edward inherits the crown, his throne will be securely protected. The whole country is anxiously waiting for the death of its ruler, because many claim British lands, including barbarians from the north. Utred must make a difficult decision that will forever change his life and the course of history: to take up a sword or lay down a weapon, and let Alfred’s dream of a single kingdom die with him.