Before Agincourt. Before knighthood. Before secrets and war — a twelve year old boy stands on the edge of a bloody battlefield.
21st July 1403, Shrewsbury
On the brink of beginning his training, twelve-year-old James de Grispere finds himself a witness to the most savage battle ever fought on English soil.
As Henry ‘Hotspur’ Percy rises in rebellion against the crown, King Henry IV moves swiftly to crush the threat. On a blood-soaked field outside of Shrewsbury, loyalty fractures, treachery festers, and the fate of England hangs in the balance. Standing at Prince Hal’s side is the Earl of Warwick, a fiercely loyal friend to both prince and crown, whose counsel and steel help guide Hal toward the coming confrontation and sustain him at the height of the battle itself.
Prince Hal fights to prove himself worthy of succession, paying a terrible price for his father’s throne, while James watches the deadly discipline of England’s archers tear through armoured ranks. What he learns that day about war, power, and survival will shape him far beyond boyhood, leading him toward paths of service, secrecy, and battle on distant French fields.
A complete story in its own right, this prequel to the A Knight and a Spy – Road to Agincourt series, reveals the moment Sir James de Grispere’s journey truly begins, on a single day of blood and betrayal that will echo through the rest of his life.
Medieval historical faction at its finest, blending real events with compelling fictional characters immersed in the fifteenth century — a time of battles, intrigue, and secrets, when England’s destiny was forged.
Genre: Historical
21st July 1403, Shrewsbury
On the brink of beginning his training, twelve-year-old James de Grispere finds himself a witness to the most savage battle ever fought on English soil.
As Henry ‘Hotspur’ Percy rises in rebellion against the crown, King Henry IV moves swiftly to crush the threat. On a blood-soaked field outside of Shrewsbury, loyalty fractures, treachery festers, and the fate of England hangs in the balance. Standing at Prince Hal’s side is the Earl of Warwick, a fiercely loyal friend to both prince and crown, whose counsel and steel help guide Hal toward the coming confrontation and sustain him at the height of the battle itself.
Prince Hal fights to prove himself worthy of succession, paying a terrible price for his father’s throne, while James watches the deadly discipline of England’s archers tear through armoured ranks. What he learns that day about war, power, and survival will shape him far beyond boyhood, leading him toward paths of service, secrecy, and battle on distant French fields.
A complete story in its own right, this prequel to the A Knight and a Spy – Road to Agincourt series, reveals the moment Sir James de Grispere’s journey truly begins, on a single day of blood and betrayal that will echo through the rest of his life.
Medieval historical faction at its finest, blending real events with compelling fictional characters immersed in the fifteenth century — a time of battles, intrigue, and secrets, when England’s destiny was forged.
Genre: Historical