Leland Thomas of Penrith is born a peasant in the realm of Cumbrea, in medieval England. He grows up in the shadow of the nearby castle, home to King Frederick and his family. Leland's father teaches him archery from an early age, and he gains great skill at the bow. When he is a teenager, however, his father passes away, leaving him orphaned and alone. Howard, the village blacksmith, takes him in and keeps him safe as he grows to manhood. Leland bears a passion for the hunt, a love of the forest, and a complete disregard for the king's laws-he poaches game in the king's woods, sharing his kills with the needy among the villagers. In order to catch the poacher, the king holds an archery tournament. Leland enters in hopes of winning a valuable prize. But this quest sets him on a path to win the gratitude and friendship of a prince-and perhaps the love of a princess. In this historical novel, set in medieval England, a young peasant boy who is a skilled archer and avid hunter enters the king's archery tournament to win the right to follow his dreams.