The kingdom of Dumnonia is in chaos. Its forces, led by the Edling (crown prince) Mordred and Arthur (the king's bastard) have defeated the Saxons at a battle beneath White Horse Hill, but at a terrible price: Prince Mordred was slain, leaving the kingdom without an heir. High King Uther Pendragon blames his son's death on Arthur and exiles him to Armorica. Dumnonia's only hope is for Mordred's pregnant wife, Norwenna, to give birth to a son. Queen Norwenna is in labor, and there are fears that she and the child may die. Uther, a pagan, finally loses patience with Norwenna's Christian midwives and summons Merlin's priestess Morgan to deliver the child. The pagan magic seems to work and a male child is born, but with a crippled leg, which is seen as a very bad omen. The High King dismisses the sign and declares that the son will be named after his father: Mordred.