Episode One

Midwinter 1460, five years into the bloody quarrel between the noble houses of York and Lancaster that will tear England apart for the next quarter of a century. Caught outside the walls of her priory, Katherine, a young nun, is assaulted by Edmund Riven and his henchmen. She fights back fiercely, severely injuring Riven. Thomas, a holy brother, comes to her aid. When Edmund’s father Sir Giles arrives with his entourage seeking revenge, blood is shed, men and women are murdered, and Katherine and Thomas are forced to leave the safety of their priory and escape into the ravaged, war-torn land.

Episode Two

Hunted by Riven, outlawed by the Church, Katherine and Thomas flee for their lives through a cold and hostile land. To make her less vulnerable Thomas cuts Katherine’s hair and she becomes Kit, a teenage boy. A chance encounter with another traveller leads Kit and Thomas to board a ship sailing to Kent, but the vessel is seized mid-voyage by Sir John Fakenham and his son Richard, who conscript the runaways into the Earl of Warwick’s army: Kit becoming Richard’s squire, Thomas an archer. Soon they find themselves guarding a castle in Calais … which comes under attack.

Episode Three

The Lancastrian knights attacking Calais are ambushed by Sir John’s archers, giving Thomas his first taste of combat. When Richard is struck by an arrow, Katherine (still disguised as Kit) removes it, saves his life, and discovers her gift for surgery. Thomas and Kit grow ever closer as Warwick’s army fights its way into Kent and marches on London. In every battle, Thomas looks for Giles Riven, meaning to challenge and kill him. At last the armies of York and Lancaster meet near Northampton. The Lancastrians seem certain to win until one of their nobles defects and the Yorkists achieve a decisive victory. This double-cross was engineered by Giles Riven, back in favour and now on the same side as Thomas.

Episode Four

It seems the fighting is over. Thomas and Katherine (still Kit) kick their heels in Marton Hall, home of Sir John and his company. Kit performs a difficult and dangerous operation to cure Sir John of a severe ailment. But the serpent in this Eden is Giles Riven. As part of a plan to defeat him, Thomas, Kit and a few others make a perilous winter journey into deepest Wales to find Lady Margaret Cornford. As the storm clouds of war gather again, Thomas, Kit and Margaret are pursued by Edmund Riven and his henchmen. Margaret dies of sickness and cold, Thomas and Katherine are cornered. Thomas declares his feelings for Katherine – as he prepares to kill her to prevent Edmund from taking her alive.

Episode Five

After cheating death, Thomas and Katherine (now passing herself off as Lady Margaret Cornford) are again taken up by the Yorkist army. For helping win a battle in the Welsh Marches, Thomas is allowed to return with Katherine to Marton Hall. They travel north through a land laid waste by the enemy and arrive to find Riven has got there first: old friends murdered, Richard blinded, Sir John consumed by grief and rage. Thomas, Katherine, Sir John and Richard leave Marton to join Yorkist forces heading for the village of Towton … where, in the greatest, bloodiest battle of all, Katherine’s gift for healing is tested to its limit and Thomas finally meets Riven in combat.