The Last Knight by Candice Proctor

In 1189 Brittany, young Attica d' Alerion is betrothed to 13-year-old Fulk the Fat, son of the inept Viscomte de Salers and his power-hungry viscomtesse, Yvette. Not happy with the match but loyal to her family, Attica has resigned herself to fate. But before the wedding can take place, she finds herself nursing a dying, mysterious stranger, who reveals to Attica his secret: he's a Parisian courier racing his way to La Ferte-Bernard, where King Henry II is in conference with his son, Richard. Unbeknownst to the English king, Richard and King Phillip of France plan to attack and capture Henry, forcing him to agree to their terms. Shaken and torn by this revelation, Attica must choose between her familial duty or exposing the plot to the king. Deciding upon the latter, Attica cuts her hair, dons the courier's clothes, and assumes the dead man's identity. She then sets out on her way to La Ferte-Bernard.

Having just returned from Europe, knight-errant Damion de Jarnac is on a quest of his own: a four-month mission from King Henry. He must uncover a French conspiracy to find a secret musical code. If he succeeds, Damion will be rewarded with the fair heiress Rosamund, along with her wealth, a title, and all the lands she possesses. His quest becomes somewhat diverted when he stumbles upon and saves a courageous, young "lordling" during an outlaw attack.

But having been rescued by this avenging dark angel, Attica's now in a quandary. Should she bribe this knight in shining armor to escort her to the king, but without divulging her mission and true gender? What will happen once her family and the greedy Viscomtesse de Salers believe that she's fled from her betrothed? So begins the exciting tale of Candice Proctor's, The Last Knight.

While the premise of this story isn't new, it is the handling of the characters' personalities and the exquisite style of Ms. Proctor's writing that make this story so rich. Attica is a strong, brave thinker, not afraid to face and conquer whatever hand fate deals her. No meek and mild heroine is she, but a courageous young lady determined to do what she must for both her king and the knight she loves. Damion, though somewhat cold, bitter, and distant in the beginning, finds through Attica the honor he'd thought he'd lost, and dares to dream again for those things once outside his reach. Both realize their love fairly early on in the story, and it is the portrayal of that love and their relationship, and the characters' mutual respect for each other, that sets this story apart. Even when Damion's actions threaten to tear their future apart, you know that the depth of their love will somehow conquer all.

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