The Woodman: A Romance of the Times of Richard III

The story opens beneath a moon that seems to rule the night, casting a shifting, silvery light over two mirrored slopes and a narrow, winding stream. The quiet valley, still scented with the aftermath of a recent battle, is strewn with the glint of forgotten swords and helmets, while distant mist outlines an ancient forest beyond the chalky banks. In this hushed landscape, the only sounds are the soft rustle of leaves and the occasional call of a lone fox, suggesting a world paused between the fury of war and the calm of night.

Amid this nocturnal tableau a solitary woodman emerges, his life intertwined with the land and its secrets. As the moon’s fickle beams reveal hidden shapes—horse silhouettes, half‑buried figures, and the faint outline of a distant stronghold—the woodman becomes the reluctant keeper of stories that will draw him into the tangled politics of Richard III’s England. His path promises encounters with love, loyalty, and the lingering echo of a kingdom on the brink of change.