title: Sword & Shield
author: Spohr, J.L.
description: Set in the Tudor era, Sword & Shield presents vignettes from the early lives of characters in The Realm series. Even if you’re new to the fictional world of Troixden and its king and queen, I hope the tales in these pages will whet your appetite for more.
  Join William, Robert, and Daniel as they tromp through Europe while in exile. Discover the origin of William’s reluctance to go to war, Daniel’s devotion to his friends, and the source of Robert’s thirst for revenge. Also learn how Anna, a highborn lady, became a midwife and healer.
  And what of Anna and Bryan? Were their young lives in Beaubourg as bucolic as they appeared? Were they lovers doomed to be separated by royal politics?
  Throw in foibles of young love and friendship, daggers and death, stolen kisses, and hard-fought loyalties, and the stage is set for the breathless, timeless love story that is The Realm. Enjoy!