The first part of the book covers Cerdic's life as a Romano-British noble; he is a generally loyal supporter of his father but frustrated by his lack of independence. This ends in his mid-20s when he murders his eldest brother Constans in a dispute over loot and has to flee. He passes himself off as a Saxon, concealing his real name and background and makes his way to Frisia in the modern Netherlands. He becomes chief advisor to the Saxon leader Aella, marries and has a son, Cynric. He persuades Aella to invade his father's kingdom and after several years, they storm the capital of Anderida and slaughter the inhabitants, including his father and second brother Paul; the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle dates this to 491 CE.