The Roman Empire has retreated from the British Isles, and the old druidic ways are losing ground to the new Christian faith. The dragons that once protected the kingdom have vanished or been enslaved. In this world, Ragnell, daughter of a great lord, destined for marriage, falls prey to a terrible curse on the night of her fifteenth birthday. Reviled by those she loves because of her bestial appearance, she survives in the Gwynedd woods of her childhood for three years until, plagued by despair and moved by deep dreams, she seeks the help of the druid, Myrddin Emrys, to discover who did this to her, why it happened, and whether solving a riddle to save King Arthur's life will help unmake the curse that befell her, freeing her to live her life, or bind her to the ruling order.
This epic novel is a re-imagining of the Arthurian folktale, The Wedding of Dame Ragnell and Sir Gawain, a reversal of the well-known fairytale, Beauty and the Beast. In this retelling of the story, the Beast is the real Beauty.
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