The English King hosts a conference at Norham on the English side of the border between Scotland and England. All Norman Scots Nobility, Magnates and gentry, are obliged to pay homage and submit to Edward as their Liege Lord and Magnus Rex Supreme, by applying their mark and seals upon the instruments of the Ragemanus rolls of legal writ, in order that Longshanks may adjudicate and choose the next King of Scotland. Many Scots Nobles and Chiefs refuse attend the conference, for they do not trust Longshanks. Notably absent is Sir Malcolm Wallace, former commander of the Scots King's powerful Garda bahn Rígh, who publicly refuses to swear allegiance to the English King. Privately this enrages Edward Longshanks, he desperately requires control of Scotlands manpower, wealth and resources to save England from bankruptcy. Longshanks sends assassins into Scotland with death lists to eliminate all influential Scots who would sow the seeds of dissention against him.

Far away from the politics of nations, William Wallace and Andrew de Moray are romantically enamoured by the Braidfuite sisters, Marion and Brannah, when the sisters depart for France as ladies in waiting to the Aicé (Queen) Yolande, William travels north with Andrew de Moray to the lands of Avoch and Petty. In his absence, sinister visitors descend upon his clan in the fastness of Glen Afton.