Muireadhach or Murdoch for the non-Scots-Gaelic readers, has one of these intense physical appearance and personality traits that attracts him to King Robert the Bruce of Scotland who has been elected as Chief Executive but had not yet been crowned. In a country just emerging from the Dark Ages where there has been no absolute ruler for 20 years.

Rivals abound who have every intention of ensuring that Bruce never makes it to be crowned. We join the narrative when Bruce and his small band of adherents are trying to escape from Scotland to Northern Ireland just ahead of his enemies. Murdoch has just completed his apprenticeship as a boatbuilder and sailor and assists the Royal party from certain murder. Throughout the narrative, Murdoch and the King progress through a working relationship that illuminates Bruce about the power of public opinion.

Populated by a historical whos-who, named characters come and go in their real guise and real major incidents are described when appropriate to the narrative. Dates and Times are often elongated or ignored if they are nor germaine to the story line. In other words, this is a HISTORICAL NOVEL and makes no pretence to be an academic version of the activities or words of the principals. I apologise to the real scholars of the described era who may be offended at my cavalier approach to accuracy but beg forgiveness in advance. After all, you will all have something to write about when you correct my sloppy work.