Mariella of Mercia - The Crown of Mercia, #1

Mariella of Mercia is the first of a three novel arc in the medieval fantasy genre designed to be a little steamier, but not too steamy or graphic. It is designed for a mature audience who enjoys complex tales of intrigue, betrayal and lust in a kind of world that does not exist. Much of the book is designed to create that world, hopefully a world that entertains. Like most of my books, this book features strong women who rise up to demonstrate that they can and will effect change and govern well. I have amped up the steamy aspect of my story telling.
I hope you enjoy my story. The story opens during a war in the north of the Kingdom of Mercia. The savages of the Norelian Forest, the Capterrans, and their shape shifting friends, the Primals, along with the Wiccan Kingdom of Brujo have all rebelled and united against the King and Queen of Mercia in their capital city of Baestra. The man sent to quell the rebellion and secure the peace is a prince from the tiny Kingdom of Andaluz. Prince Ashford of Andaluz is now the head of the Mercian army and is much beloved throughout the kingdom.
As the story opens, Lord Ashford, who everyone calls "Ash", has already defeated the combined armies of the north, except . The Wiccans.  The Prince is negotiating with Witch-Queen Maldora of Morfino while her husband, the Warlock King, sits on the sidelines growing angrier and angrier, threatening to kill his wife for the treaty she is negotiating. Unknown to him is that the only stumbling point to agreeing to terms is the condition that the queen is asking for.
Maldora wants Ash to fight a duel and kill her husband and her son, the Crown Prince. As wants a fight to a "yield" or "tap out", while Maldora wants a fight to the death. Lord Ashford cannot understand why, but eventually gives in to the request. Ash will fight with sword and dagger, while the warlock king and his son will fight with sword, dagger and primal powers. No one believes that Ash can win, none but one woman. As our story begins, a new figure, Captain Reyes of the Horse Guards, comes upon three desperate and hungry women in a supply camp to steal food and blankets.
They are caught and brought before him. Though their first meeting is rocky and contentious, over time they come to enjoy their enemy, and soon all seventeen witches who fled a warlock camp warm up to his kind, humorous and generous nature. As a month goes by, it is now time for the prince to attend the duel. Reyes is in attendance with his witch-captives, now free, to watch the duel. As the queen arrives with a treaty at stake, Prince Ashford realizes that only the deaths of both king and prince can insure peace in the north. The kerchief drops, the duel begins. So does the saga of Prince Ashford of Andaluz and the wars of conquest for the Crown of Mercia.