Escaping the conquering Normans when tt,e!j

confiscated her~" father s estate and impris~,ned

him, Alys~:~fl fled through the barren English

countryside with only a faithful old family

~e!ainer to protect her. He stole to feed her,

~ht for her against the rapacious Normans;

~put when he died at their hands, to whom

l~u~aun turn? Only to Brand de

~eynard, the russet-haired

~troubadour whose stolen

rabbit she had eaten, who

quick-wittedly had saved her

from her attackers by claim!ng sb~

was his wile. He called her a thief;

she knew him a liar, yet fate made the~

traveling companions--and she would ~ i~

journey with him to the ends of the eart]~