Kissing a dead maiden was certainly not what young king Gervaise had planned for the day. Especially not while en-route to his own arranged marriage, a forced alliance which he dreads deeper day by day. When Gervaise realizes the maiden is suffering the effects of poison, he uses his knowledge of medicinal plants to save her.

Before he can resume his journey, however, a strange band of soldiers attacks, and the king-turned-doctor finds himself on the run with his patient. Forced to face and counter real danger for the first time in his life, Gervaise realizes he lacks the heroism he ought to have—after all, real men and kings are never short of valor.

As the real source of the threat comes to light, Gervaise finds himself in the sole position to thwart an ambitious new ruler—and he only has six highway robbers with which to do so. Gervaise must learn the true meaning of courage—that is, if he is to redeem his honor and save the woman he loves.