Publisher's Synopsis
In 782 A.D. Charlemagne's forces captured and subdued the Saxon army and gave the defeated army the choice to either convert to Christianity and give up their demon gods, or die. Almost 5,000 men chose to die that day, leaving the Westphalian area nearly devoid of their male population. Whole villages were wiped out, and the land deeded to the Church. When only three men returned to the village of Bunde, they shouldered the burden of teaching the remaining women and children the work their dead fathers, brothers, uncles, and lovers did for their small community. Sixteen years later the war still raged, but when a group of Frankish soldiers with the new Baron and his Sheriff come to Bunde, Gisela, the Miller's daughter is singled out, and the young Baron arranges the marriage of his Sheriff to the lovely girl. The Miller agrees knowing he's giving his only daughter to the enemy, but the Baron's offer is the only one the village ever had, giving hope for the remaining eleven girls. When the Baron insists Gisela make her way alone to visit his castle in the middle of the Teutoburg Forest Gisela's doubts about the wisdom of the match become horrifying fears, for she discovers a dark secret about her betrothed and his master. The new priest struggling to win the hearts and minds of these women prays for a miracle and he receives help from an unlikely source.
