Crowhurst newlywed Tofi and his farmer friend Leofric are torn from their Sussex homes by the English warrior Ordgar and summoned to defend the English coast from invasion. But while the army of King Harold waits in the south, fierce Vikings set sail from the fjords of the north. The Vikings land in Cleveland - and annihilate the men of Yorkshire at the Battle of Fulford. Hearing of this surprise invasion, our English fighters are ordered to march 280 miles north to repel the invaders. After an epic trek they meet the Vikings at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. But the Vikings have divided their force - and the English triumph. It's the end of the Viking age, and Ordgar, Tofi and Leofric have survived. But news soon reaches them that the Normans have landed in Sussex. Their own homes are under attack, so they must run all the way south again to save all that they love.
Tofi, Leofric and Ordgar are reinforced by the Viking warrior Snorri as they race south to save Crowhurst and defend England from the Norman invasion. We meet the Normans - an alien army of men loyal to the ruthless Duke William. Among them, the ruthless Ozouf struggles to command the loyalty of the aristocratic and gentler Coutances, despite the intimidating presence of the tongueless Drogo. Just outside London, the English fellowship divides. Ordgar and Snorri stay with the dwindling army of King Harold, while Tofi and Leofric set off to rescue the women of Crowhurst. To their horror, they discover that Crowhurst has been destroyed. Stumbling across the captive women and children in the southern forest, they fight off Ozouf and Coutances, rescue Judith and the child Aelf, and take them to safety.
