The English village of mural lies near a stone mural that is the border with the magical kingdom of Stormhold. A guard is constantly posted at a break in the mural to prevent anyone from crossing. At the beginning of the story, Dunstan Thorne crosses over the mural and into the mural Market. There, he meets a slave Princess who offers him a snowdrop in exchange for a kiss. Nine months later, the mural Guard delivers a baby to Dunstan, saying his name is Tristan.
18 years later, in the capital of Stormhold, the king is on his deathbed. He throws a ruby into the sky, decreeing that the first of his...